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Sample records for predict real t3

  1. Real-time 3-D space numerical shake prediction for earthquake early warning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tianyun; Jin, Xing; Huang, Yandan; Wei, Yongxiang

    2017-12-01

    In earthquake early warning systems, real-time shake prediction through wave propagation simulation is a promising approach. Compared with traditional methods, it does not suffer from the inaccurate estimation of source parameters. For computation efficiency, wave direction is assumed to propagate on the 2-D surface of the earth in these methods. In fact, since the seismic wave propagates in the 3-D sphere of the earth, the 2-D space modeling of wave direction results in inaccurate wave estimation. In this paper, we propose a 3-D space numerical shake prediction method, which simulates the wave propagation in 3-D space using radiative transfer theory, and incorporate data assimilation technique to estimate the distribution of wave energy. 2011 Tohoku earthquake is studied as an example to show the validity of the proposed model. 2-D space model and 3-D space model are compared in this article, and the prediction results show that numerical shake prediction based on 3-D space model can estimate the real-time ground motion precisely, and overprediction is alleviated when using 3-D space model.

  2. Validation of highly accelerated real-time cardiac cine MRI with radial k-space sampling and compressed sensing in patients at 1.5T and 3T.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haji-Valizadeh, Hassan; Rahsepar, Amir A; Collins, Jeremy D; Bassett, Elwin; Isakova, Tamara; Block, Tobias; Adluru, Ganesh; DiBella, Edward V R; Lee, Daniel C; Carr, James C; Kim, Daniel

    2018-05-01

    To validate an optimal 12-fold accelerated real-time cine MRI pulse sequence with radial k-space sampling and compressed sensing (CS) in patients at 1.5T and 3T. We used two strategies to reduce image artifacts arising from gradient delays and eddy currents in radial k-space sampling with balanced steady-state free precession readout. We validated this pulse sequence against a standard breath-hold cine sequence in two patient cohorts: a myocardial infarction (n = 16) group at 1.5T and chronic kidney disease group (n = 18) at 3T. Two readers independently performed visual analysis of 68 cine sets in four categories (myocardial definition, temporal fidelity, artifact, noise) on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = nondiagnostic, 2 = poor, 3 = adequate or moderate, 4 = good, 5 = excellent). Another reader calculated left ventricular (LV) functional parameters, including ejection fraction. Compared with standard cine, real-time cine produced nonsignificantly different visually assessed scores, except for the following categories: 1) temporal fidelity scores were significantly lower (P = 0.013) for real-time cine at both field strengths, 2) artifacts scores were significantly higher (P = 0.013) for real-time cine at both field strengths, and 3) noise scores were significantly (P = 0.013) higher for real-time cine at 1.5T. Standard and real-time cine pulse sequences produced LV functional parameters that were in good agreement (e.g., absolute mean difference in ejection fraction cine MRI pulse sequence using radial k-space sampling and CS produces good to excellent visual scores and relatively accurate LV functional parameters in patients at 1.5T and 3T. Magn Reson Med 79:2745-2751, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

  3. Real-Time Audio Processing on the T-CREST Multicore Platform

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ausin, Daniel Sanz; Pezzarossa, Luca; Schoeberl, Martin

    2017-01-01

    of the audio signal. This paper presents a real-time multicore audio processing system based on the T-CREST platform. T-CREST is a time-predictable multicore processor for real-time embedded systems. Multiple audio effect tasks have been implemented, which can be connected together in different configurations...... forming sequential and parallel effect chains, and using a network-onchip for intercommunication between processors. The evaluation of the system shows that real-time processing of multiple effect configurations is possible, and that the estimation and control of latency ensures real-time behavior.......Multicore platforms are nowadays widely used for audio processing applications, due to the improvement of computational power that they provide. However, some of these systems are not optimized for temporally constrained environments, which often leads to an undesired increase in the latency...

  4. Prediction-Based Energy Saving Mechanism in 3GPP NB-IoT Networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jinseong; Lee, Jaiyong

    2017-09-01

    The current expansion of the Internet of things (IoT) demands improved communication platforms that support a wide area with low energy consumption. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project introduced narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) as IoT communication solutions. NB-IoT devices should be available for over 10 years without requiring a battery replacement. Thus, a low energy consumption is essential for the successful deployment of this technology. Given that a high amount of energy is consumed for radio transmission by the power amplifier, reducing the uplink transmission time is key to ensure a long lifespan of an IoT device. In this paper, we propose a prediction-based energy saving mechanism (PBESM) that is focused on enhanced uplink transmission. The mechanism consists of two parts: first, the network architecture that predicts the uplink packet occurrence through a deep packet inspection; second, an algorithm that predicts the processing delay and pre-assigns radio resources to enhance the scheduling request procedure. In this way, our mechanism reduces the number of random accesses and the energy consumed by radio transmission. Simulation results showed that the energy consumption using the proposed PBESM is reduced by up to 34% in comparison with that in the conventional NB-IoT method.

  5. Prediction of prostate cancer extracapsular extension with high spatial resolution dynamic contrast-enhanced 3-T MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bloch, B.N.; Genega, Elizabeth M.; Costa, Daniel N.; Pedrosa, Ivan; Rofsky, Neil M.; Smith, Martin P.; Kressel, Herbert Y.; Ngo, Long; Sanda, Martin G.; DeWolf, William C.

    2012-01-01

    To assess the value of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) combined with T2-weighted (T2W) endorectal coil (ERC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 T for determining extracapsular extension (ECE) of prostate cancer. In this IRB-approved study, ERC 3-T MRI of the prostate was performed in 108 patients before radical prostatectomy. T2W fast spin-echo and DCE 3D gradient echo images were acquired. The interpretations of readers with varied experience were analysed. MRI-based staging results were compared with radical prostatectomy histology. Descriptive statistics were generated for prediction of ECE and staging accuracies were determined by the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for ECE were 75 %, 92 %, 79 % and 91 %, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy for staging was 86 %, 80 % and 91 % for all readers, experienced and less experienced readers, respectively. ERC 3-T MRI of the prostate combining DCE and T2W imaging is an accurate pretherapeutic staging tool for assessment of ECE in clinical practice across varying levels of reader experience. (orig.)

  6. Benchmark test of JENDL-3T and -3T/Rev.1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takano, Hideki; Kaneko, Kunio.

    1989-10-01

    The fast reactor 70-group constant set JFS-3-J3T has been generated by using the JENDL-3T nuclear data. One-dimensional 21-benchmark cores and the ZPPR-9 core were analysed with the JFS-3-J3T set. The results obtained are summarized as follows: (1) The values of keff are underestimated by 0.6% for Pu-fueled cores and overestimated by 2% for U-fueled cores. (2) The central reaction rate ratio 239 σ f φ/ 235 σ f φ is in a good agreement with the experimental value, though 238 σ c φ/ 239 σ f φ and 238 σ f φ/ 235 σ f φ are overestimated. (3) Doppler and Na-void reactivities are in a good agreement with the measured data. (4) The prediction accuracy of radial reaction rate distributions are improved in the comparison of the results obtained with the JENDL-2 data. Furthermore, the benchmark test of JENDL-3T/Rev. 1 which was revised from JENDL-3T for several important nuclides has been again performed. It was shown that JENDL-3T/Rev. 1 would predict nuclear characteristics more satisfactorily than JENDL-3T. (author)

  7. Towards clinical assessment of velopharyngeal closure using MRI: evaluation of real-time MRI sequences at 1.5 and 3 T.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, A D; Boubertakh, R; Birch, M J; Miquel, M E

    2012-11-01

    The objective of this study was to demonstrate soft palate MRI at 1.5 and 3 T with high temporal resolution on clinical scanners. Six volunteers were imaged while speaking, using both four real-time steady-state free-precession (SSFP) sequences at 3 T and four balanced SSFP (bSSFP) at 1.5 T. Temporal resolution was 9-20 frames s(-1) (fps), spatial resolution 1.6 × 1.6 × 10.0-2.7 × 2.7 × 10.0 mm(3). Simultaneous audio was recorded. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), palate thickness and image quality score (1-4, non-diagnostic-excellent) were evaluated. SNR was higher at 3 T than 1.5 T in the relaxed palate (nasal breathing position) and reduced in the elevated palate at 3 T, but not 1.5 T. Image quality was not significantly different between field strengths or sequences (p=NS). At 3 T, 40% acquisitions scored 2 and 56% scored 3. Most 1.5 T acquisitions scored 1 (19%) or 4 (46%). Image quality was more dependent on subject or field than sequence. SNR in static images was highest with 1.9 × 1.9 × 10.0 mm(3) resolution (10 fps) and measured palate thickness was similar (p=NS) to that at the highest resolution (1.6 × 1.6 × 10.0 mm(3)). SNR in intensity-time plots through the soft palate was highest with 2.7 × 2.7 × 10.0 mm(3) resolution (20 fps). At 3 T, SSFP images are of a reliable quality, but 1.5 T bSSFP images are often better. For geometric measurements, temporal should be traded for spatial resolution (1.9 × 1.9 × 10.0 mm(3), 10 fps). For assessment of motion, temporal should be prioritised over spatial resolution (2.7 × 2.7 × 10.0 mm(3), 20 fps). Advances in knowledge Diagnostic quality real-time soft palate MRI is possible using clinical scanners and optimised protocols have been developed. 3 T SSFP imaging is reliable, but 1.5 T bSSFP often produces better images.

  8. Comparative studies of the ITU-T prediction model for radiofrequency radiation emission and real time measurements at some selected mobile base transceiver stations in Accra, Ghana

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Obeng, S. O

    2014-07-01

    Recent developments in the electronics industry have led to the widespread use of radiofrequency (RF) devices in various areas including telecommunications. The increasing numbers of mobile base station (BTS) as well as their proximity to residential areas have been accompanied by public health concerns due to the radiation exposure. The main objective of this research was to compare and modify the ITU- T predictive model for radiofrequency radiation emission for BTS with measured data at some selected cell sites in Accra, Ghana. Theoretical and experimental assessment of radiofrequency exposures due to mobile base station antennas have been analysed. The maximum and minimum average power density measured from individual base station in the town was 1. 86µW/m2 and 0.00961µW/m2 respectively. The ITU-T Predictive model power density ranged between 6.40mW/m 2 and 0.344W/m 2 . Results obtained showed a variation between measured power density levels and the ITU-T predictive model. The ITU-T model power density levels decrease with increase in radial distance while real time measurements do not due to fluctuations during measurement. The ITU-T model overestimated the power density levels by a factor l0 5 as compared to real time measurements. The ITU-T model was modified to reduce the level of overestimation. The result showed that radiation intensity varies from one base station to another even at the same distance. Occupational exposure quotient ranged between 5.43E-10 and 1.89E-08 whilst general public exposure quotient ranged between 2.72E-09 and 9.44E-08. From the results, it shows that the RF exposure levels in Accra from these mobile phone base station antennas are below the permitted RF exposure limit to the general public recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. (au)

  9. Multiparametric 3T MRI for the prediction of pathological downgrading after radical prostatectomy in patients with biopsy-proven Gleason score 3 + 4 prostate cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gondo, Tatsuo [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Urology Service, Department of Surgery, New York, NY (United States); Tokyo Medical University, Department of Urology, Tokyo (Japan); Hricak, Hedvig; Sala, Evis; Vargas, Hebert Alberto [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Zheng, Junting; Moskowitz, Chaya S. [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, New York, NY (United States); Bernstein, Melanie; Eastham, James A. [Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Urology Service, Department of Surgery, New York, NY (United States)

    2014-12-15

    The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of pre-treatment 3-Tesla (3T) multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) for predicting Gleason score (GS) downgrading after radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with GS 3 + 4 prostate cancer (PCa) on biopsy. We retrospectively reviewed 304 patients with biopsy-proven GS 3 + 4 PCa who underwent mpMRI before RP. On T2-weighted imaging and three mpMRI combinations (T2-weighted imaging + diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI], T2-weighted imaging + dynamic contrast-enhanced-MRI [DCE-MRI], and T2-weighted imaging + DWI + DCE-MRI), two radiologists (R1/R2) scored the presence of a dominant tumour using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = definitely absent to 5 = definitely present). Diagnostic performance in identifying downgrading was evaluated via areas under the curves (AUCs). Predictive accuracies of multivariate models were calculated. In predicting downgrading, T2-weighted imaging + DWI (AUC = 0.89/0.85 for R1/R2) performed significantly better than T2-weighted imaging alone (AUC = 0.72/0.73; p < 0.001/p = 0.02 for R1/R2), while T2-weighted imaging + DWI + DCE-MRI (AUC = 0.89/0.84 for R1/R2) performed no better than T2-weighted imaging + DWI (p = 0.48/p > 0.99 for R1/R2). On multivariate analysis, the clinical + mpMRI model incorporating T2-weighted imaging + DWI (AUC = 0.92/0.88 for R1/R2) predicted downgrading significantly better than the clinical model (AUC = 0.73; p < 0.001 for R1/R2). mpMRI improves the ability to identify a subgroup of patients with Gleason 3 + 4 PCa on biopsy who are candidates for active surveillance. DCE-MRI (compared to T2 + DWI) offered no additional benefit to the prediction of downgrading. (orig.)

  10. Multiparametric 3T MRI for the prediction of pathological downgrading after radical prostatectomy in patients with biopsy-proven Gleason score 3 + 4 prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gondo, Tatsuo; Hricak, Hedvig; Sala, Evis; Vargas, Hebert Alberto; Zheng, Junting; Moskowitz, Chaya S.; Bernstein, Melanie; Eastham, James A.

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of pre-treatment 3-Tesla (3T) multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) for predicting Gleason score (GS) downgrading after radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with GS 3 + 4 prostate cancer (PCa) on biopsy. We retrospectively reviewed 304 patients with biopsy-proven GS 3 + 4 PCa who underwent mpMRI before RP. On T2-weighted imaging and three mpMRI combinations (T2-weighted imaging + diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI], T2-weighted imaging + dynamic contrast-enhanced-MRI [DCE-MRI], and T2-weighted imaging + DWI + DCE-MRI), two radiologists (R1/R2) scored the presence of a dominant tumour using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = definitely absent to 5 = definitely present). Diagnostic performance in identifying downgrading was evaluated via areas under the curves (AUCs). Predictive accuracies of multivariate models were calculated. In predicting downgrading, T2-weighted imaging + DWI (AUC = 0.89/0.85 for R1/R2) performed significantly better than T2-weighted imaging alone (AUC = 0.72/0.73; p 0.99 for R1/R2). On multivariate analysis, the clinical + mpMRI model incorporating T2-weighted imaging + DWI (AUC = 0.92/0.88 for R1/R2) predicted downgrading significantly better than the clinical model (AUC = 0.73; p < 0.001 for R1/R2). mpMRI improves the ability to identify a subgroup of patients with Gleason 3 + 4 PCa on biopsy who are candidates for active surveillance. DCE-MRI (compared to T2 + DWI) offered no additional benefit to the prediction of downgrading. (orig.)

  11. Real-time Tsunami Inundation Prediction Using High Performance Computers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oishi, Y.; Imamura, F.; Sugawara, D.

    2014-12-01

    Recently off-shore tsunami observation stations based on cabled ocean bottom pressure gauges are actively being deployed especially in Japan. These cabled systems are designed to provide real-time tsunami data before tsunamis reach coastlines for disaster mitigation purposes. To receive real benefits of these observations, real-time analysis techniques to make an effective use of these data are necessary. A representative study was made by Tsushima et al. (2009) that proposed a method to provide instant tsunami source prediction based on achieving tsunami waveform data. As time passes, the prediction is improved by using updated waveform data. After a tsunami source is predicted, tsunami waveforms are synthesized from pre-computed tsunami Green functions of linear long wave equations. Tsushima et al. (2014) updated the method by combining the tsunami waveform inversion with an instant inversion of coseismic crustal deformation and improved the prediction accuracy and speed in the early stages. For disaster mitigation purposes, real-time predictions of tsunami inundation are also important. In this study, we discuss the possibility of real-time tsunami inundation predictions, which require faster-than-real-time tsunami inundation simulation in addition to instant tsunami source analysis. Although the computational amount is large to solve non-linear shallow water equations for inundation predictions, it has become executable through the recent developments of high performance computing technologies. We conducted parallel computations of tsunami inundation and achieved 6.0 TFLOPS by using 19,000 CPU cores. We employed a leap-frog finite difference method with nested staggered grids of which resolution range from 405 m to 5 m. The resolution ratio of each nested domain was 1/3. Total number of grid points were 13 million, and the time step was 0.1 seconds. Tsunami sources of 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake were tested. The inundation prediction up to 2 hours after the

  12. Usefulness of Serum Triiodothyronine (T3) to Predict Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Heart Failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rothberger, Gary D; Gadhvi, Sonya; Michelakis, Nickolaos; Kumar, Amit; Calixte, Rose; Shapiro, Lawrence E

    2017-02-15

    Thyroid hormone plays an important role in cardiac function. Low levels of serum triiodothyronine (T 3 ) due to nonthyroidal illness syndrome may have adverse effects in heart failure (HF). This study was designed to assess the ability of T 3 to predict in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute HF. In total, 137 patients without thyroid disease or treatment with drugs which affect TH levels, who were hospitalized with acute HF were prospectively enrolled and studied. TH levels were tested upon hospital admission, and outcomes were compared between patients with low (<2.3 pg/ml) and normal (≥2.3 pg/ml) free T 3 levels as well as between those with low (<0.6 ng/ml) and normal (≥0.6 ng/ml) total T 3 levels. Low free T 3 correlated with an increased length of stay in the hospital (median 11 vs 7 days, p <0.001) and higher rates of intensive care unit admission (31.8% vs 16.9%, p = 0.047), with a trend toward increased need for invasive mechanical ventilation (9.0% vs 1.4%, p = 0.056). Low total T3 correlated with an increased length of stay in the hospital (median 11 vs 7 days, p <0.001) and increased need for invasive mechanical ventilation (9.8% vs 1.3%, p = 0.045). In conclusion, low T 3 predicts worse hospital outcomes in patients with acute HF and can be useful in the risk stratification of these patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Automated Real-Time Needle-Guide Tracking for Fast 3-T MR-guided Transrectal Prostate Biopsy: A Feasibility Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zamecnik, P.; Schouten, M.G.; Krafft, A.J.; Maier, F.; Schlemmer, H.-P.; Barentsz, J.O.; Bock, M. de; Futterer, J.J.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose To assess the feasibility of automatic needle-guide tracking by using a real-time phase-only cross correlation (POCC) algorithm-based sequence for transrectal 3-T in-bore magnetic resonance (MR)-guided prostate biopsies. Materials and Methods This study was approved by the ethics review

  14. Flipped SU(5) predicts {delta}T/T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kyae, Bumseok [School of Physics, Korea Institute for Advanced Study, 207-43, Cheongnyangni-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-722 (Korea, Republic of)]. E-mail: bkyae@kias.re.kr; Shafi, Qaisar [Bartol Research Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 (United States)]. E-mail: shafi@bartol.udel.edu

    2006-04-20

    We discuss hybrid inflation in supersymmetric flipped SU(5) model such that the cosmic microwave anisotropy {delta}T/T is essentially proportional to (M/M{sub P}){sup 2}, where M denotes the symmetry breaking scale and M{sub P} (=2.4x10{sup 18} GeV) is the reduced Planck mass. The magnitude of M determined from {delta}T/T measurements can be consistent with the value inferred from the evolution of SU(3) and SU(2) gauge couplings. In other words, one could state that flipped SU(5) predicts (more precisely 'postdicts') {delta}T/T. The scalar spectral index n{sub s}=0.993+/-0.007, the scalar to tensor ratio satisfies r-bar 10{sup -6}, while dn{sub s}/dlnk-bar 4x10{sup -4}.

  15. Memory controllers for real-time embedded systems predictable and composable real-time systems

    CERN Document Server

    Akesson, Benny

    2012-01-01

      Verification of real-time requirements in systems-on-chip becomes more complex as more applications are integrated. Predictable and composable systems can manage the increasing complexity using formal verification and simulation.  This book explains the concepts of predictability and composability and shows how to apply them to the design and analysis of a memory controller, which is a key component in any real-time system. This book is generally intended for readers interested in Systems-on-Chips with real-time applications.   It is especially well-suited for readers looking to use SDRAM memories in systems with hard or firm real-time requirements. There is a strong focus on real-time concepts, such as predictability and composability, as well as a brief discussion about memory controller architectures for high-performance computing. Readers will learn step-by-step how to go from an unpredictable SDRAM memory, offering highly variable bandwidth and latency, to a predictable and composable shared memory...

  16. Feasibility of free-breathing, GRAPPA-based, real-time cardiac cine assessment of left-ventricular function in cardiovascular patients at 3 T

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Xiaomei; Schwab, Felix; Marcus, Roy; Hetterich, Holger; Theisen, Daniel; Kramer, Harald; Notohamiprodjo, Mike; Schlett, Christopher L.; Nikolaou, Konstantin; Reiser, Maximilian F.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Grappa-based real time cine cardiac MRI is feasible for assessment of left ventricular function. • Significant underestimation of systolic function, peak ejection and filling rates needs to be considered. • Heart rate is the only positive predictor of the deviation of obtained parameters. - Abstract: Objectives: To determine the feasibility of free-breathing, GRAPPA-based, real-time (RT) cine 3 T cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high acceleration factors for the assessment of left-ventricular function in a cohort of patients as compared to conventional segmented cine imaging. Materials and methods: In this prospective cohort study, subjects with various cardiac conditions underwent MRI involving two RT cine sequences (high resolution and low resolution) and standard segmented cine imaging. Standard qualitative and quantitative parameters of left-ventricular function were quantified. Results: Among 25 subjects, 24 were included in the analysis (mean age: 50.5 ± 21 years, 67% male, 25% with cardiomyopathy). RT cine derived quantitative parameters of volumes and left ventricular mass were strongly correlated with segmented cine imaging (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]: >0.72 for both RT cines) but correlation for peak ejection and filling rates were moderate to poor for both RT cines (ICC < 0.40). Similarly, RT cines significantly underestimated peak ejection and filling rates (>103.2 ± 178 ml/s). Among patient-related factors, heart rate was strongly predictive for deviation of measurements (p < 0.05). Conclusions: RT cine MRI at 3 T is feasible for qualitative and quantitative assessment of left ventricular function for low and high-resolution sequences but results in significant underestimation of systolic function, peak ejection and filling rates

  17. IoT real time data acquisition using MQTT protocol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atmoko, R. A.; Riantini, R.; Hasin, M. K.

    2017-05-01

    The Internet of Things (IoT) provides ease to monitor and to gain sensor data through the Internet [1]. The need of high quality data is increasing to the extent that data monitoring and acquisition system in real time is required, such as smart city or telediagnostic in medical areas [2]. Therefore, an appropriate communication protocol is required to resolve these problems. Lately, researchers have developed a lot of communication protocols for IoT, of which each has advantages and disadvantages. This study proposes the utilization of MQTT as a communication protocol, which is one of data communication protocols for IoT. This study used temperature and humidity sensors because the physical parameters are often needed as parameters of environment condition [3]. Data acquisition was done in real-time and stored in MySQL database. This study is also completed by interface web-based and mobile for online monitoring. This result of this study is the enhancement of data quality and reliability using MQTT protocol.

  18. Characterization, prediction, and correction of geometric distortion in 3 T MR images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baldwin, Lesley N.; Wachowicz, Keith; Thomas, Steven D.; Rivest, Ryan; Gino Fallone, B.

    2007-01-01

    The work presented herein describes our methods and results for predicting, measuring and correcting geometric distortions in a 3 T clinical magnetic resonance (MR) scanner for the purpose of image guidance in radiation treatment planning. Geometric inaccuracies due to both inhomogeneities in the background field and nonlinearities in the applied gradients were easily visualized on the MR images of a regularly structured three-dimensional (3D) grid phantom. From a computed tomography scan, the locations of just under 10 000 control points within the phantom were accurately determined in three dimensions using a MATLAB-based computer program. MR distortion was then determined by measuring the corresponding locations of the control points when the phantom was imaged using the MR scanner. Using a reversed gradient method, distortions due to gradient nonlinearities were separated from distortions due to inhomogeneities in the background B 0 field. Because the various sources of machine-related distortions can be individually characterized, distortions present in other imaging sequences (for which 3D distortion cannot accurately be measured using phantom methods) can be predicted negating the need for individual distortion calculation for a variety of other imaging sequences. Distortions were found to be primarily caused by gradient nonlinearities and maximum image distortions were reported to be less than those previously found by other researchers at 1.5 T. Finally, the image slices were corrected for distortion in order to provide geometrically accurate phantom images

  19. A real-time prediction model for post-irradiation malignant cervical lymph nodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lo, W-C; Cheng, P-W; Shueng, P-W; Hsieh, C-H; Chang, Y-L; Liao, L-J

    2018-04-01

    To establish a real-time predictive scoring model based on sonographic characteristics for identifying malignant cervical lymph nodes (LNs) in cancer patients after neck irradiation. One-hundred forty-four irradiation-treated patients underwent ultrasonography and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspirations (USgFNAs), and the resultant data were used to construct a real-time and computerised predictive scoring model. This scoring system was further compared with our previously proposed prediction model. A predictive scoring model, 1.35 × (L axis) + 2.03 × (S axis) + 2.27 × (margin) + 1.48 × (echogenic hilum) + 3.7, was generated by stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis. Neck LNs were considered to be malignant when the score was ≥ 7, corresponding to a sensitivity of 85.5%, specificity of 79.4%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 82.3%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 83.1%, and overall accuracy of 82.6%. When this new model and the original model were compared, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (c-statistic) were 0.89 and 0.81, respectively (P real-time sonographic predictive scoring model was constructed to provide prompt and reliable guidance for USgFNA biopsies to manage cervical LNs after neck irradiation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Comparison of post-contrast 3D-T1-MPRAGE, 3D-T1-SPACE and 3D-T2-FLAIR MR images in evaluation of meningeal abnormalities at 3-T MRI.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeevanandham, Balaji; Kalyanpur, Tejas; Gupta, Prashant; Cherian, Mathew

    2017-06-01

    This study was to assess the usefulness of newer three-dimensional (3D)-T 1 sampling perfection with application optimized contrast using different flip-angle evolutions (SPACE) and 3D-T 2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences in evaluation of meningeal abnormalities. 78 patients who presented with high suspicion of meningeal abnormalities were evaluated using post-contrast 3D-T 2 -FLAIR, 3D-T 1 magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) and 3D-T 1 -SPACE sequences. The images were evaluated independently by two radiologists for cortical gyral, sulcal space, basal cisterns and dural enhancement. The diagnoses were confirmed by further investigations including histopathology. Post-contrast 3D-T 1 -SPACE and 3D-T 2 -FLAIR images yielded significantly more information than MPRAGE images (p evaluation of meningeal abnormalities and when used in combination have the maximum sensitivity for leptomeningeal abnormalities. The negative-predictive value is nearly 100%, where no leptomeningeal abnormality was detected on these sequences. Advances in knowledge: Post-contrast 3D-T 1 -SPACE and 3D-T 2 -FLAIR images are more useful than 3D-T 1 -MPRAGE images in evaluation of meningeal abnormalities.

  1. Feasibility of free-breathing, GRAPPA-based, real-time cardiac cine assessment of left-ventricular function in cardiovascular patients at 3T.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiaomei; Schwab, Felix; Marcus, Roy; Hetterich, Holger; Theisen, Daniel; Kramer, Harald; Notohamiprodjo, Mike; Schlett, Christopher L; Nikolaou, Konstantin; Reiser, Maximilian F; Bamberg, Fabian

    2015-05-01

    To determine the feasibility of free-breathing, GRAPPA-based, real-time (RT) cine 3T cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high acceleration factors for the assessment of left-ventricular function in a cohort of patients as compared to conventional segmented cine imaging. In this prospective cohort study, subjects with various cardiac conditions underwent MRI involving two RT cine sequences (high resolution and low resolution) and standard segmented cine imaging. Standard qualitative and quantitative parameters of left-ventricular function were quantified. Among 25 subjects, 24 were included in the analysis (mean age: 50.5±21 years, 67% male, 25% with cardiomyopathy). RT cine derived quantitative parameters of volumes and left ventricular mass were strongly correlated with segmented cine imaging (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]: >0.72 for both RT cines) but correlation for peak ejection and filling rates were moderate to poor for both RT cines (ICCcines significantly underestimated peak ejection and filling rates (>103.2±178 ml/s). Among patient-related factors, heart rate was strongly predictive for deviation of measurements (pcine MRI at 3T is feasible for qualitative and quantitative assessment of left ventricular function for low and high-resolution sequences but results in significant underestimation of systolic function, peak ejection and filling rates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Highly-Accelerated Real-Time Cardiac Cine MRI Using k-t SPARSE-SENSE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Li; Srichai, Monvadi B.; Lim, Ruth P.; Harrison, Alexis; King, Wilson; Adluru, Ganesh; Dibella, Edward VR.; Sodickson, Daniel K.; Otazo, Ricardo; Kim, Daniel

    2012-01-01

    For patients with impaired breath-hold capacity and/or arrhythmias, real-time cine MRI may be more clinically useful than breath-hold cine MRI. However, commercially available real-time cine MRI methods using parallel imaging typically yield relatively poor spatio-temporal resolution due to their low image acquisition speed. We sought to achieve relatively high spatial resolution (~2.5mm × 2.5mm) and temporal resolution (~40ms), to produce high-quality real-time cine MR images that could be applied clinically for wall motion assessment and measurement of left ventricular (LV) function. In this work, we present an 8-fold accelerated real-time cardiac cine MRI pulse sequence using a combination of compressed sensing and parallel imaging (k-t SPARSE-SENSE). Compared with reference, breath-hold cine MRI, our 8-fold accelerated real-time cine MRI produced significantly worse qualitative grades (1–5 scale), but its image quality and temporal fidelity scores were above 3.0 (adequate) and artifacts and noise scores were below 3.0 (moderate), suggesting that acceptable diagnostic image quality can be achieved. Additionally, both 8-fold accelerated real-time cine and breath-hold cine MRI yielded comparable LV function measurements, with coefficient of variation cine MRI with k-t SPARSE-SENSE is a promising modality for rapid imaging of myocardial function. PMID:22887290

  3. Highly accelerated real-time cardiac cine MRI using k-t SPARSE-SENSE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Li; Srichai, Monvadi B; Lim, Ruth P; Harrison, Alexis; King, Wilson; Adluru, Ganesh; Dibella, Edward V R; Sodickson, Daniel K; Otazo, Ricardo; Kim, Daniel

    2013-07-01

    For patients with impaired breath-hold capacity and/or arrhythmias, real-time cine MRI may be more clinically useful than breath-hold cine MRI. However, commercially available real-time cine MRI methods using parallel imaging typically yield relatively poor spatio-temporal resolution due to their low image acquisition speed. We sought to achieve relatively high spatial resolution (∼2.5 × 2.5 mm(2)) and temporal resolution (∼40 ms), to produce high-quality real-time cine MR images that could be applied clinically for wall motion assessment and measurement of left ventricular function. In this work, we present an eightfold accelerated real-time cardiac cine MRI pulse sequence using a combination of compressed sensing and parallel imaging (k-t SPARSE-SENSE). Compared with reference, breath-hold cine MRI, our eightfold accelerated real-time cine MRI produced significantly worse qualitative grades (1-5 scale), but its image quality and temporal fidelity scores were above 3.0 (adequate) and artifacts and noise scores were below 3.0 (moderate), suggesting that acceptable diagnostic image quality can be achieved. Additionally, both eightfold accelerated real-time cine and breath-hold cine MRI yielded comparable left ventricular function measurements, with coefficient of variation cine MRI with k-t SPARSE-SENSE is a promising modality for rapid imaging of myocardial function. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Real-time stylistic prediction for whole-body human motions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsubara, Takamitsu; Hyon, Sang-Ho; Morimoto, Jun

    2012-01-01

    The ability to predict human motion is crucial in several contexts such as human tracking by computer vision and the synthesis of human-like computer graphics. Previous work has focused on off-line processes with well-segmented data; however, many applications such as robotics require real-time control with efficient computation. In this paper, we propose a novel approach called real-time stylistic prediction for whole-body human motions to satisfy these requirements. This approach uses a novel generative model to represent a whole-body human motion including rhythmic motion (e.g., walking) and discrete motion (e.g., jumping). The generative model is composed of a low-dimensional state (phase) dynamics and a two-factor observation model, allowing it to capture the diversity of motion styles in humans. A real-time adaptation algorithm was derived to estimate both state variables and style parameter of the model from non-stationary unlabeled sequential observations. Moreover, with a simple modification, the algorithm allows real-time adaptation even from incomplete (partial) observations. Based on the estimated state and style, a future motion sequence can be accurately predicted. In our implementation, it takes less than 15 ms for both adaptation and prediction at each observation. Our real-time stylistic prediction was evaluated for human walking, running, and jumping behaviors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. T2K neutrino flux prediction

    CERN Document Server

    Abe, K.

    2013-01-02

    The Tokai-to-Kamioka (T2K) experiment studies neutrino oscillations using an off-axis muon neutrino beam with a peak energy of about 0.6 GeV that originates at the J-PARC accelerator facility. Interactions of the neutrinos are observed at near detectors placed at 280 m from the production target and at the far detector -- Super-Kamiokande (SK) -- located 295 km away. The flux prediction is an essential part of the successful prediction of neutrino interaction rates at the T2K detectors and is an important input to T2K neutrino oscillation and cross section measurements. A FLUKA and GEANT3 based simulation models the physical processes involved in the neutrino production, from the interaction of primary beam protons in the T2K target, to the decay of hadrons and muons that produce neutrinos. The simulation uses proton beam monitor measurements as inputs. The modeling of hadronic interactions is re-weighted using thin target hadron production data, including recent charged pion and kaon measurements from the NA...

  6. Real-time prediction of respiratory motion based on local regression methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruan, D; Fessler, J A; Balter, J M

    2007-01-01

    Recent developments in modulation techniques enable conformal delivery of radiation doses to small, localized target volumes. One of the challenges in using these techniques is real-time tracking and predicting target motion, which is necessary to accommodate system latencies. For image-guided-radiotherapy systems, it is also desirable to minimize sampling rates to reduce imaging dose. This study focuses on predicting respiratory motion, which can significantly affect lung tumours. Predicting respiratory motion in real-time is challenging, due to the complexity of breathing patterns and the many sources of variability. We propose a prediction method based on local regression. There are three major ingredients of this approach: (1) forming an augmented state space to capture system dynamics, (2) local regression in the augmented space to train the predictor from previous observation data using semi-periodicity of respiratory motion, (3) local weighting adjustment to incorporate fading temporal correlations. To evaluate prediction accuracy, we computed the root mean square error between predicted tumor motion and its observed location for ten patients. For comparison, we also investigated commonly used predictive methods, namely linear prediction, neural networks and Kalman filtering to the same data. The proposed method reduced the prediction error for all imaging rates and latency lengths, particularly for long prediction lengths

  7. The Real World Significance of Performance Prediction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pardos, Zachary A.; Wang, Qing Yang; Trivedi, Shubhendu

    2012-01-01

    In recent years, the educational data mining and user modeling communities have been aggressively introducing models for predicting student performance on external measures such as standardized tests as well as within-tutor performance. While these models have brought statistically reliable improvement to performance prediction, the real world…

  8. Implementation of model predictive control for resistive wall mode stabilization on EXTRAP T2R

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setiadi, A. C.; Brunsell, P. R.; Frassinetti, L.

    2015-10-01

    A model predictive control (MPC) method for stabilization of the resistive wall mode (RWM) in the EXTRAP T2R reversed-field pinch is presented. The system identification technique is used to obtain a linearized empirical model of EXTRAP T2R. MPC employs the model for prediction and computes optimal control inputs that satisfy performance criterion. The use of a linearized form of the model allows for compact formulation of MPC, implemented on a millisecond timescale, that can be used for real-time control. The design allows the user to arbitrarily suppress any selected Fourier mode. The experimental results from EXTRAP T2R show that the designed and implemented MPC successfully stabilizes the RWM.

  9. Implementation of model predictive control for resistive wall mode stabilization on EXTRAP T2R

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Setiadi, A C; Brunsell, P R; Frassinetti, L

    2015-01-01

    A model predictive control (MPC) method for stabilization of the resistive wall mode (RWM) in the EXTRAP T2R reversed-field pinch is presented. The system identification technique is used to obtain a linearized empirical model of EXTRAP T2R. MPC employs the model for prediction and computes optimal control inputs that satisfy performance criterion. The use of a linearized form of the model allows for compact formulation of MPC, implemented on a millisecond timescale, that can be used for real-time control. The design allows the user to arbitrarily suppress any selected Fourier mode. The experimental results from EXTRAP T2R show that the designed and implemented MPC successfully stabilizes the RWM. (paper)

  10. Real Time Seismic Prediction while Drilling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schilling, F. R.; Bohlen, T.; Edelmann, T.; Kassel, A.; Heim, A.; Gehring, M.; Lüth, S.; Giese, R.; Jaksch, K.; Rechlin, A.; Kopf, M.; Stahlmann, J.; Gattermann, J.; Bruns, B.

    2009-12-01

    Efficient and safe drilling is a prerequisite to enhance the mobility of people and goods, to improve the traffic as well as utility infrastructure of growing megacities, and to ensure the growing energy demand while building geothermal and in hydroelectric power plants. Construction within the underground is often building within the unknown. An enhanced risk potential for people and the underground building may arise if drilling enters fracture zones, karsts, brittle rocks, mixed solid and soft rocks, caves, or anthropogenic obstacles. Knowing about the material behavior ahead of the drilling allows reducing the risk during drilling and construction operation. In drilling operations direct observations from boreholes can be complemented with geophysical investigations. In this presentation we focus on “real time” seismic prediction while drilling which is seen as a prerequisite while using geophysical methods in modern drilling operations. In solid rocks P- and S-wave velocity, refraction and reflection as well as seismic wave attenuation can be used for the interpretation of structures ahead of the drilling. An Integrated Seismic Imaging System (ISIS) for exploration ahead of a construction is used, where a pneumatic hammer or a magnetostrictive vibration source generate repetitive signals behind the tunneling machine. Tube waves are generated which travel along the tunnel to the working face. There the tube waves are converted to mainly S- but also P-Waves which interact with the formation ahead of the heading face. The reflected or refracted waves travel back to the working front are converted back to tube waves and recorded using three-component geophones which are fit into the tips of anchor rods. In near real time, the ISIS software allows for an integrated 3D imaging and interpretation of the observed data, geological and geotechnical parameters. Fracture zones, heterogeneities, and variations in the rock properties can be revealed during the drilling

  11. Evaluation with 3.0-T MR imaging: predicting the pathological response of triple-negative breast cancer treated with anthracycline and taxane neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Min Jung; Kim, Eun-Kyung; Park, Seho; Moon, Hee Jung; Kim, Seung Il; Park, Byeong-Woo

    2015-09-01

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) which expresses neither hormonal receptors nor HER-2 is associated with poor prognosis and shorter survival. Several studies have suggested that TNBC patients attaining pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) show a longer survival than those without pCR. To assess the accuracy of 3.0-T breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting pCR and to evaluate the clinicoradiologic factors affecting the diagnostic accuracy of 3.0-T breast MRI in TNBC patients treated with anthracycline and taxane (ACD). This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board; patient consent was not required. Between 2009 and 2012, 35 TNBC patients with 3.0-T breast MRI prior to (n = 26) or after (n = 35) NAC were included. MRI findings were reviewed according to pCR to chemotherapy. The diagnostic accuracy of 3.0-T breast MRI for predicting pCR and the clinicoradiological factors affecting MRI accuracy and response to NAC were analyzed. 3.0-T MRI following NAC with ACD accurately predicted pCR in 91.4% of TNBC patients. The residual tumor size between pathology and 3.0-T MRI in non-pCR cases showed a higher correlation in the Ki-67-positive TNBC group (r = 0.947) than in the Ki-67 negative group (r = 0.375) with statistical trends (P = 0.069). Pre-treatment MRI in the non-pCR group compared to the pCR group showed a larger tumor size (P = 0.030) and non-mass presentation (P = 0.015). 3.0-T MRI in TNBC patients following NAC with ACD showed a high accuracy for predicting pCR to NAC. Ki-67 can affect the diagnostic accuracy of 3.0-T MRI for pCR to NAC with ACD in TNBC patients. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2014.

  12. Real coded genetic algorithm for fuzzy time series prediction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Shilpa; Bisht, Dinesh C. S.; Singh, Phool; Mathpal, Prakash C.

    2017-10-01

    Genetic Algorithm (GA) forms a subset of evolutionary computing, rapidly growing area of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). Some variants of GA are binary GA, real GA, messy GA, micro GA, saw tooth GA, differential evolution GA. This research article presents a real coded GA for predicting enrollments of University of Alabama. Data of Alabama University is a fuzzy time series. Here, fuzzy logic is used to predict enrollments of Alabama University and genetic algorithm optimizes fuzzy intervals. Results are compared to other eminent author works and found satisfactory, and states that real coded GA are fast and accurate.

  13. Real-time monitoring of inflammation status in 3T3-L1 adipocytes possessing a secretory Gaussia luciferase gene under the control of nuclear factor-kappa B response element

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nagasaki, Haruka; Yoshimura, Takeshi [Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Tsu 514-8507 (Japan); Aoki, Naohito, E-mail: n-aoki@bio.mie-u.ac.jp [Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Tsu 514-8507 (Japan)

    2012-04-13

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inflammation status in adipocytes can be monitored by the new assay system. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Only an aliquot of conditioned medium is required without cell lysis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inflammation-attenuating compounds can be screened more conveniently. -- Abstract: We have established 3T3-L1 cells possessing a secretory Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) gene under the control of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-{kappa}B) response element. The 3T3-L1 cells named 3T3-L1-NF-{kappa}B-RE-GLuc could differentiate into adipocyte as comparably as parental 3T3-L1 cells. Inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-{alpha} and interleukin (IL)-1{beta} induced GLuc secretion of 3T3-L1-NF-{kappa}B-RE-GLuc adipocytes in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. GLuc secretion of 3T3-L1-NF-{kappa}B-RE-GLuc adipocytes was also induced when cultured with RAW264.7 macrophages and was dramatically enhanced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages. An NF-{kappa}B activation inhibitor BAY-11-7085 and an antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine significantly suppressed GLuc secretion induced by macrophages. Finally, we found that rosemary-derived carnosic acid strongly suppressed GLuc secretion induced by macrophages and on the contrary up-regulated adiponectin secretion. Collectively, by using 3T3-L1-NF-{kappa}B-RE-GLuc adipocytes, inflammation status can be monitored in real time and inflammation-attenuating compounds can be screened more conveniently.

  14. Real-time numerical shake prediction and updating for earthquake early warning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tianyun; Jin, Xing; Wei, Yongxiang; Huang, Yandan

    2017-12-01

    Ground motion prediction is important for earthquake early warning systems, because the region's peak ground motion indicates the potential disaster. In order to predict the peak ground motion quickly and precisely with limited station wave records, we propose a real-time numerical shake prediction and updating method. Our method first predicts the ground motion based on the ground motion prediction equation after P waves detection of several stations, denoted as the initial prediction. In order to correct the prediction error of the initial prediction, an updating scheme based on real-time simulation of wave propagation is designed. Data assimilation technique is incorporated to predict the distribution of seismic wave energy precisely. Radiative transfer theory and Monte Carlo simulation are used for modeling wave propagation in 2-D space, and the peak ground motion is calculated as quickly as possible. Our method has potential to predict shakemap, making the potential disaster be predicted before the real disaster happens. 2008 M S8.0 Wenchuan earthquake is studied as an example to show the validity of the proposed method.

  15. Real time implementation of a linear predictive coding algorithm on digital signal processor DSP32C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sheikh, N.M.; Usman, S.R.; Fatima, S.

    2002-01-01

    Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) has been widely used in speech coding. However, due to its high bit rate. PCM has severe limitations in application where high spectral efficiency is desired, for example, in mobile communication, CD quality broadcasting system etc. These limitation have motivated research in bit rate reduction techniques. Linear predictive coding (LPC) is one of the most powerful complex techniques for bit rate reduction. With the introduction of powerful digital signal processors (DSP) it is possible to implement the complex LPC algorithm in real time. In this paper we present a real time implementation of the LPC algorithm on AT and T's DSP32C at a sampling frequency of 8192 HZ. Application of the LPC algorithm on two speech signals is discussed. Using this implementation , a bit rate reduction of 1:3 is achieved for better than tool quality speech, while a reduction of 1.16 is possible for speech quality required in military applications. (author)

  16. Multivariate performance reliability prediction in real-time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, S.; Lu, H.; Kolarik, W.J.

    2001-01-01

    This paper presents a technique for predicting system performance reliability in real-time considering multiple failure modes. The technique includes on-line multivariate monitoring and forecasting of selected performance measures and conditional performance reliability estimates. The performance measures across time are treated as a multivariate time series. A state-space approach is used to model the multivariate time series. Recursive forecasting is performed by adopting Kalman filtering. The predicted mean vectors and covariance matrix of performance measures are used for the assessment of system survival/reliability with respect to the conditional performance reliability. The technique and modeling protocol discussed in this paper provide a means to forecast and evaluate the performance of an individual system in a dynamic environment in real-time. The paper also presents an example to demonstrate the technique

  17. DIANA-microT web server: elucidating microRNA functions through target prediction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maragkakis, M; Reczko, M; Simossis, V A; Alexiou, P; Papadopoulos, G L; Dalamagas, T; Giannopoulos, G; Goumas, G; Koukis, E; Kourtis, K; Vergoulis, T; Koziris, N; Sellis, T; Tsanakas, P; Hatzigeorgiou, A G

    2009-07-01

    Computational microRNA (miRNA) target prediction is one of the key means for deciphering the role of miRNAs in development and disease. Here, we present the DIANA-microT web server as the user interface to the DIANA-microT 3.0 miRNA target prediction algorithm. The web server provides extensive information for predicted miRNA:target gene interactions with a user-friendly interface, providing extensive connectivity to online biological resources. Target gene and miRNA functions may be elucidated through automated bibliographic searches and functional information is accessible through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. The web server offers links to nomenclature, sequence and protein databases, and users are facilitated by being able to search for targeted genes using different nomenclatures or functional features, such as the genes possible involvement in biological pathways. The target prediction algorithm supports parameters calculated individually for each miRNA:target gene interaction and provides a signal-to-noise ratio and a precision score that helps in the evaluation of the significance of the predicted results. Using a set of miRNA targets recently identified through the pSILAC method, the performance of several computational target prediction programs was assessed. DIANA-microT 3.0 achieved there with 66% the highest ratio of correctly predicted targets over all predicted targets. The DIANA-microT web server is freely available at www.microrna.gr/microT.

  18. P3T+: A Performance Estimator for Distributed and Parallel Programs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Fahringer

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available Developing distributed and parallel programs on today's multiprocessor architectures is still a challenging task. Particular distressing is the lack of effective performance tools that support the programmer in evaluating changes in code, problem and machine sizes, and target architectures. In this paper we introduce P3T+ which is a performance estimator for mostly regular HPF (High Performance Fortran programs but partially covers also message passing programs (MPI. P3T+ is unique by modeling programs, compiler code transformations, and parallel and distributed architectures. It computes at compile-time a variety of performance parameters including work distribution, number of transfers, amount of data transferred, transfer times, computation times, and number of cache misses. Several novel technologies are employed to compute these parameters: loop iteration spaces, array access patterns, and data distributions are modeled by employing highly effective symbolic analysis. Communication is estimated by simulating the behavior of a communication library used by the underlying compiler. Computation times are predicted through pre-measured kernels on every target architecture of interest. We carefully model most critical architecture specific factors such as cache lines sizes, number of cache lines available, startup times, message transfer time per byte, etc. P3T+ has been implemented and is closely integrated with the Vienna High Performance Compiler (VFC to support programmers develop parallel and distributed applications. Experimental results for realistic kernel codes taken from real-world applications are presented to demonstrate both accuracy and usefulness of P3T+.

  19. A hybrid scheme for real-time prediction of bus trajectories

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fadaei, Masoud; Cats, O.; Bhaskar, Ashish

    2016-01-01

    The uncertainty associated with public transport services can be partially counteracted by developing real-time models to predict downstream service conditions. In this study, a hybrid approach for predicting bus trajectories by integrating multiple predictors is proposed. The prediction model

  20. The Case For Prediction-based Best-effort Real-time Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-01-01

    Real - time Systems Peter A. Dinda Loukas Kallivokas January...DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A Approved for Public Release Distribution Unlimited DTIG QUALBR DISSECTED X The Case For Prediction-based Best-effort Real - time Systems Peter...Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 15213 A version of this paper appeared in the Seventh Workshop on Parallel and Distributed Real - Time Systems

  1. Feasibility of mesorectal vascular invasion in predicting early distant metastasis in patients with stage T3 rectal cancer based on rectal MRI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Young Chul; Kim, Jai Keun; Lee, Jei Hee [Ajou University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Myeong-Jin [Yonsei University Health system, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Institute of Gastroenterology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young Bae [Ajou University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Sung Jae [Ajou University School of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, Suwon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-02-15

    To evaluate the feasibility of mesorectal vascular invasion (MVI) in predicting early distant metastasis developed within 1 year of diagnosis of T3 rectal cancer using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Sixty-five patients with T3 rectal cancer (early metastasis, n = 28; non-metastasis, n = 37) were enrolled in this study. Early distant metastases developed in 28 patients (liver, n = 15; lung, n = 9; both, n = 4). Logistic regression was used to determine the independent predictors for early distant metastasis. In univariate analysis, tumour location, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), lymphovascular invasion (LVI), MRI-detected MVI, and mesorectal fat infiltration (MFI) (odds ratio [OR], 4.533, 9.583, 5.539, 27.046, and 5.539, respectively) were associated with early distant metastasis. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that MVI (OR, 29.949; P < 0.002) and LVI (OR, 6.684; P = 0.033) were independent factors for early distant metastasis. Specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of MVI (94.59 %, and 89.47 %, respectively) were significantly higher than those of LVI (64.86 %, and 61.76 %), but sensitivity and negative predictive value were not significantly different between MVI (60.71 %, and 76.09 %) and LVI (75.00 %, and 77.42 %). While sensitivity of MRI-detected MVI was equal to that of CEA in predicting early distant metastasis from T3 rectal cancer, specificity and PPV may be improved by assessing MVI. (orig.)

  2. Status of the KM3NeT project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Margiotta, A

    2014-01-01

    KM3NeT is a deep-sea research infrastructure being constructed in the Mediterranean Sea. It will be installed at three sites: KM3NeT-Fr, offshore Toulon, France, KM3NeT-It, offshore Portopalo di Capo Passero, Sicily (Italy) and KM3NeT-Gr, offshore Pylos, Peloponnese, Greece. It will host the next generation Cherenkov neutrino telescope and nodes for a deep sea multidisciplinary observatory, providing oceanographers, marine biologists, and geophysicists with real time measurements. The neutrino telescope will search for Galactic and extra-Galactic sources of neutrinos, complementing IceCube in its field of view. The detector will have a modular structure and consists of six building blocks, each including about one hundred Detection Units (DUs). Each DU will be equipped with 18 multi-PMT digital optical modules. The first phase of construction has started and shore and deep-sea infrastructures hosting the future KM3NeT detector are being prepared in France near Toulon and in Italy, near Capo Passero in Sicily. The technological solutions for KM3NeT and the expected performance of the detector are presented and discussed

  3. Rapid Recovery of CD3+CD8+ T Cells on Day 90 Predicts Superior Survival after Unmanipulated Haploidentical Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deng-Mei Tian

    Full Text Available Rapid immune reconstitution after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT is significantly associated with lower infection, relapse and possibly secondary malignancy rates. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of peripheral lymphocyte subsets, especially CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic T cell recovery, in predicting transplant outcomes, including the overall survival (OS and non-relapse mortality (NRM rates after unmanipulated haploidentical blood and marrow transplantation (HBMT.Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 214 HBMT recipients with hematological malignancies. The peripheral lymphocyte subsets (CD3+ T cells, CD3+CD4+ helper T cells, CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, and CD19+ B cells were analyzed by flow cytometry at days 30, 60, 90, 180, 270 and 360 after HBMT.The CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic T cell recovery at day 90 (CD3+CD8+-90 was correlated with bacterial infection (P = 0.001, NRM (P = 0.001, leukemia-free survival (LFS, P = 0.005, and OS (P = 0.001 at a cutoff value of 375 cells/μL CD3+CD8+ T cells. The incidence of bacterial infection in patients with the CD3+CD8+-90 at ≥375 cells/μL was significantly lower than that of cases with the CD3+CD8+-90 at <375 cells/μL after HBMT (14.6% versus 41.6%, P<0.001. Multivariate analysis showed the rapid recovery of CD3+CD8+ T cells at day 90 after HBMT was strongly associated with a lower incidence of NRM (HR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.15-0.60; P = 0.000 and superior LFS (HR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.32-0.82; P = 0.005 and OS (HR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.23-0.63; P = 0.000.The results suggest that the rapid recovery of CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic T cells at day 90 following HBMT could predict superior transplant outcomes.

  4. Real-time eSports Match Result Prediction

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, Yifan; Qin, Tian; Lei, Yu-Heng

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, we try to predict the winning team of a match in the multiplayer eSports game Dota 2. To address the weaknesses of previous work, we consider more aspects of prior (pre-match) features from individual players' match history, as well as real-time (during-match) features at each minute as the match progresses. We use logistic regression, the proposed Attribute Sequence Model, and their combinations as the prediction models. In a dataset of 78362 matches where 20631 matches contai...

  5. Effects of C-reactive protein on adipokines genes expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yuan, Guoyue, E-mail: yuanguoyue@hotmail.com [Department of Endocrinology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001 (China); Jia, Jue; Di, Liangliang [Department of Endocrinology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001 (China); Zhou, Libin [Ruijin Hospital, Center of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Jiaotong University Medical School, 197, Ruijin Road II, Shanghai 200025 (China); Dong, Sijing; Ye, Jingjing; Wang, Dong; Yang, Ling; Wang, Jifang [Department of Endocrinology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001 (China); Li, Lianxi [Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People' s Hospital, 600, Yishan Road, Shanghai 200233 (China); Yang, Ying [Ruijin Hospital, Center of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Jiaotong University Medical School, 197, Ruijin Road II, Shanghai 200025 (China); Mao, Chaoming [Department of Endocrinology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001 (China); Chen, Mingdao, E-mail: mingdaochensh@yahoo.com [Ruijin Hospital, Center of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Jiaotong University Medical School, 197, Ruijin Road II, Shanghai 200025 (China)

    2012-08-03

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CRP increases TNF-{alpha} and IL-6 genes expression in matured 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CRP suppresses adiponectin, leptin and PPAR-{gamma} mRNA levels in matured 3T3-L1 cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Wortmannin reverses effects of CRP on adiponectin, TNF-{alpha} and leptin mRNA levels. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CRP may regulate IR, obesity and metabolic syndrome by this mechanism. -- Abstract: Adipose tissue is now recognized to be an important endocrine organ, secreting a variety of adipokines that are involved in the regulation of energy metabolism, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. C-reactive protein (CRP) is considered as one of the most sensitive markers of inflammation. A number of studies have shown that elevation of CRP concentrations is an independent predictive parameter of type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is also strongly associated with various components of the metabolic syndrome. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of CRP on adipokines genes expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that CRP inhibited adiponectin, leptin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-{gamma}) genes expression and raised tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} (TNF-{alpha}) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA levels in matured 3T3-L1 adipocytes in a dose and time-dependent manner. Pharmacological inhibition of phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3 kinase by wortmannin partially reversed the effects of CRP on adiponectin, TNF-{alpha} and leptin genes expression. These results collectively suggest that CRP regulates adiponectin, TNF-{alpha}, leptin, IL-6 and PPAR-{gamma} genes expression, and that might represent a mechanism by which CRP regulates insulin resistance, obesity and metabolic syndrome.

  6. Effects of C-reactive protein on adipokines genes expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, Guoyue; Jia, Jue; Di, Liangliang; Zhou, Libin; Dong, Sijing; Ye, Jingjing; Wang, Dong; Yang, Ling; Wang, Jifang; Li, Lianxi; Yang, Ying; Mao, Chaoming; Chen, Mingdao

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► CRP increases TNF-α and IL-6 genes expression in matured 3T3-L1 adipocytes. ► CRP suppresses adiponectin, leptin and PPAR-γ mRNA levels in matured 3T3-L1 cells. ► Wortmannin reverses effects of CRP on adiponectin, TNF-α and leptin mRNA levels. ► CRP may regulate IR, obesity and metabolic syndrome by this mechanism. -- Abstract: Adipose tissue is now recognized to be an important endocrine organ, secreting a variety of adipokines that are involved in the regulation of energy metabolism, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. C-reactive protein (CRP) is considered as one of the most sensitive markers of inflammation. A number of studies have shown that elevation of CRP concentrations is an independent predictive parameter of type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is also strongly associated with various components of the metabolic syndrome. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of CRP on adipokines genes expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that CRP inhibited adiponectin, leptin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) genes expression and raised tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA levels in matured 3T3-L1 adipocytes in a dose and time-dependent manner. Pharmacological inhibition of phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3 kinase by wortmannin partially reversed the effects of CRP on adiponectin, TNF-α and leptin genes expression. These results collectively suggest that CRP regulates adiponectin, TNF-α, leptin, IL-6 and PPAR-γ genes expression, and that might represent a mechanism by which CRP regulates insulin resistance, obesity and metabolic syndrome.

  7. Genome sequence of the organohalide-respiring Dehalogenimonas alkenigignens type strain (IP3-3(T)).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Key, Trent A; Richmond, Dray P; Bowman, Kimberly S; Cho, Yong-Joon; Chun, Jongsik; da Costa, Milton S; Rainey, Fred A; Moe, William M

    2016-01-01

    Dehalogenimonas alkenigignens IP3-3(T) is a strictly anaerobic, mesophilic, Gram negative staining bacterium that grows by organohalide respiration, coupling the oxidation of H2 to the reductive dehalogenation of polychlorinated alkanes. Growth has not been observed with any non-polyhalogenated alkane electron acceptors. Here we describe the features of strain IP3-3(T) together with genome sequence information and its annotation. The 1,849,792 bp high-quality-draft genome contains 1936 predicted protein coding genes, 47 tRNA genes, a single large subunit rRNA (23S-5S) locus, and a single, orphan, small unit rRNA (16S) locus. The genome contains 29 predicted reductive dehalogenase genes, a large majority of which lack cognate genes encoding membrane anchoring proteins.

  8. PD-1hiTIM-3+ T cells associate with and predict leukemia relapse in AML patients post allogeneic stem cell transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kong, Y; Zhang, J; Claxton, D F; Ehmann, W C; Rybka, W B; Zhu, L; Zeng, H; Schell, T D; Zheng, H

    2015-01-01

    Prognosis of leukemia relapse post allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) is poor and effective new treatments are urgently needed. T cells are pivotal in eradicating leukemia through a graft versus leukemia (GVL) effect and leukemia relapse is considered a failure of GVL. T-cell exhaustion is a state of T-cell dysfunction mediated by inhibitory molecules including programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3). To evaluate whether T-cell exhaustion and inhibitory pathways are involved in leukemia relapse post alloSCT, we performed phenotypic and functional studies on T cells from peripheral blood of acute myeloid leukemia patients receiving alloSCT. Here we report that PD-1 hi TIM-3 + cells are strongly associated with leukemia relapse post transplantation. Consistent with exhaustion, PD-1 hi TIM-3 + T cells are functionally deficient manifested by reduced production of interleukin 2 (IL-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). In addition, these cells demonstrate a phenotype consistent with exhausted antigen-experienced T cells by losing T N and T EMRA subsets. Importantly, increase of PD-1 hi TIM-3 + cells occurs before clinical diagnosis of leukemia relapse, suggesting their predictive value. Results of our study provide an early diagnostic approach and a therapeutic target for leukemia relapse post transplantation

  9. Prediction Model of Interval Grey Numbers with a Real Parameter and Its Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo Zeng

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Grey prediction models have become common methods which are widely employed to solve the problems with “small examples and poor information.” However, modeling objects of existing grey prediction models are limited to the homogenous data sequences which only contain the same data type. This paper studies the methodology of building prediction models of interval grey numbers that are grey heterogeneous data sequence, with a real parameter. Firstly, the position of the real parameter in an interval grey number sequence is discussed, and the real number is expanded into an interval grey number by adopting the method of grey generation. On this basis, a prediction model of interval grey number with a real parameter is deduced and built. Finally, this novel model is successfully applied to forecast the concentration of organic pollutant DDT in the atmosphere. The analysis and research results in this paper extend the object of grey prediction from homogenous data sequence to grey heterogeneous data sequence. Those research findings are of positive significance in terms of enriching and improving the theory system of grey prediction models.

  10. Patterns of predicted T-cell epitopes associated with antigenic drift in influenza H3N2 hemagglutinin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E Jane Homan

    Full Text Available Antigenic drift allowing escape from neutralizing antibodies is an important feature of transmission and survival of influenza viruses in host populations. Antigenic drift has been studied in particular detail for influenza A H3N2 and well defined antigenic clusters of this virus documented. We examine how host immunogenetics contributes to determination of the antibody spectrum, and hence the immune pressure bringing about antigenic drift. Using uTOPE™ bioinformatics analysis of predicted MHC binding, based on amino acid physical property principal components, we examined the binding affinity of all 9-mer and 15-mer peptides within the hemagglutinin 1 (HA1 of 447 H3N2 virus isolates to 35 MHC-I and 14 MHC-II alleles. We provide a comprehensive map of predicted MHC-I and MHC-II binding affinity for a broad array of HLA alleles for the H3N2 influenza HA1 protein. Each HLA allele exhibited a characteristic predicted binding pattern. Cluster analysis for each HLA allele shows that patterns based on predicted MHC binding mirror those described based on antibody binding. A single amino acid mutation or position displacement can result in a marked difference in MHC binding and hence potential T-helper function. We assessed the impact of individual amino acid changes in HA1 sequences between 10 virus isolates from 1968-2002, representative of antigenic clusters, to understand the changes in MHC binding over time. Gain and loss of predicted high affinity MHC-II binding sites with cluster transitions were documented. Predicted high affinity MHC-II binding sites were adjacent to antibody binding sites. We conclude that host MHC diversity may have a major determinant role in the antigenic drift of influenza A H3N2.

  11. Improving the effectiveness of real-time flood forecasting through Predictive Uncertainty estimation: the multi-temporal approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbetta, Silvia; Coccia, Gabriele; Moramarco, Tommaso; Todini, Ezio

    2015-04-01

    -Curve Model in Real Time (RCM-RT) (Barbetta and Moramarco, 2014) are used to this end. Both models without considering rainfall information explicitly considers, at each time of forecast, the estimate of lateral contribution along the river reach for which the stage forecast is performed at downstream end. The analysis is performed for several reaches using different lead times according to the channel length. Barbetta, S., Moramarco, T., Brocca, L., Franchini, M. and Melone, F. 2014. Confidence interval of real-time forecast stages provided by the STAFOM-RCM model: the case study of the Tiber River (Italy). Hydrological Processes, 28(3),729-743. Barbetta, S. and Moramarco, T. 2014. Real-time flood forecasting by relating local stage and remote discharge. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 59(9 ), 1656-1674. Coccia, G. and Todini, E. 2011. Recent developments in predictive uncertainty assessment based on the Model Conditional Processor approach. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 15, 3253-3274. doi:10.5194/hess-15-3253-2011. Krzysztofowicz, R. 1999. Bayesian theory of probabilistic forecasting via deterministic hydrologic model, Water Resour. Res., 35, 2739-2750. Todini, E. 2004. Role and treatment of uncertainty in real-time flood forecasting. Hydrological Processes 18(14), 2743_2746. Todini, E. 2008. A model conditional processor to assess predictive uncertainty in flood forecasting. Intl. J. River Basin Management, 6(2): 123-137.

  12. NCAR's Experimental Real-time Convection-allowing Ensemble Prediction System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, C. S.; Romine, G. S.; Sobash, R.; Fossell, K.

    2016-12-01

    Since April 2015, the National Center for Atmospheric Research's (NCAR's) Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology (MMM) Laboratory, in collaboration with NCAR's Computational Information Systems Laboratory (CISL), has been producing daily, real-time, 10-member, 48-hr ensemble forecasts with 3-km horizontal grid spacing over the conterminous United States (http://ensemble.ucar.edu). These computationally-intensive, next-generation forecasts are produced on the Yellowstone supercomputer, have been embraced by both amateur and professional weather forecasters, are widely used by NCAR and university researchers, and receive considerable attention on social media. Initial conditions are supplied by NCAR's Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART) software and the forecast model is NCAR's Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model; both WRF and DART are community tools. This presentation will focus on cutting-edge research results leveraging the ensemble dataset, including winter weather predictability, severe weather forecasting, and power outage modeling. Additionally, the unique design of the real-time analysis and forecast system and computational challenges and solutions will be described.

  13. Utility of dysphagia grade in predicting endoscopic ultrasound T-stage of non-metastatic esophageal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, T C; Oh, Y S; Szabo, A; Khan, A; Dua, K S

    2016-08-01

    Patients with non-metastatic esophageal cancer routinely undergo endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for loco-regional staging. Neoadjuvant therapy is recommended for ≥T3 tumors while upfront surgery can be considered for ≤T2 lesions. The aim of this study was to determine if the degree of dysphagia can predict the EUS T-stage of esophageal cancer. One hundred eleven consecutive patients with non-metastatic esophageal cancer were retrospectively reviewed from a database. Prior to EUS, patients' dysphagia grade was recorded. Correlation between dysphagia grade and EUS T-stage, especially in reference to predictingT3 stage, was determined. The correlation of dysphagia grade with EUS T-stage (Kendall's tau coefficient) was 0.49 (P dysphagia grade ≥2 (can only swallow semi-solids/liquids) for T3 cancer were 56% (95% confidence interval [CI] 43-67%) and 93% (95% CI 79-98%), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of dysphagia grade ≥3 (can only swallow liquids or total dysphagia) for T3 lesions were 36% (95% CI 25-48%), 100% (95% CI 89-100%), and 100% (95% CI 83-100%), respectively. Overall, there was a significant positive correlation between dysphagia grade and the EUS T-stage of esophageal cancer. All patients with dysphagia grade ≥3 had T3 lesions. This may have clinical implications for patients who can only swallow liquids or have complete dysphagia by allowing for prompt initiation of neoadjuvant therapy, especially in countries/centers where EUS service is difficult to access in a timely manner or not available. © 2015 International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

  14. A multiple model approach to respiratory motion prediction for real-time IGRT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Putra, Devi; Haas, Olivier C L; Burnham, Keith J; Mills, John A

    2008-01-01

    Respiration induces significant movement of tumours in the vicinity of thoracic and abdominal structures. Real-time image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) aims to adapt radiation delivery to tumour motion during irradiation. One of the main problems for achieving this objective is the presence of time lag between the acquisition of tumour position and the radiation delivery. Such time lag causes significant beam positioning errors and affects the dose coverage. A method to solve this problem is to employ an algorithm that is able to predict future tumour positions from available tumour position measurements. This paper presents a multiple model approach to respiratory-induced tumour motion prediction using the interacting multiple model (IMM) filter. A combination of two models, constant velocity (CV) and constant acceleration (CA), is used to capture respiratory-induced tumour motion. A Kalman filter is designed for each of the local models and the IMM filter is applied to combine the predictions of these Kalman filters for obtaining the predicted tumour position. The IMM filter, likewise the Kalman filter, is a recursive algorithm that is suitable for real-time applications. In addition, this paper proposes a confidence interval (CI) criterion to evaluate the performance of tumour motion prediction algorithms for IGRT. The proposed CI criterion provides a relevant measure for the prediction performance in terms of clinical applications and can be used to specify the margin to accommodate prediction errors. The prediction performance of the IMM filter has been evaluated using 110 traces of 4-minute free-breathing motion collected from 24 lung-cancer patients. The simulation study was carried out for prediction time 0.1-0.6 s with sampling rates 3, 5 and 10 Hz. It was found that the prediction of the IMM filter was consistently better than the prediction of the Kalman filter with the CV or CA model. There was no significant difference of prediction errors for the

  15. High-resolution T1-weighted 3D real IR imaging of the temporal bone using triple-dose contrast material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naganawa, Shinji; Koshikawa, Tokiko; Nakamura, Tatsuya; Fukatsu, Hiroshi; Ishigaki, Takeo [Department of Radiology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Shouwa-ku, 466-8550, Nagoya (Japan); Aoki, Ikuo [Medical System Company, Toshiba Corporation, Tokyo (Japan)

    2003-12-01

    The small structures in the temporal bone are surrounded by bone and air. The objectives of this study were (a) to compare contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images acquired by fast spin-echo-based three-dimensional real inversion recovery (3D rIR) against those acquired by gradient echo-based 3D SPGR in the visualization of the enhancement of small structures in the temporal bone, and (b) to determine whether either 3D rIR or 3D SPGR is useful for visualizing enhancement of the cochlear lymph fluid. Seven healthy men (age range 27-46 years) volunteered to participate in this study. All MR imaging was performed using a dedicated bilateral quadrature surface phased-array coil for temporal bone imaging at 1.5 T (Visart EX, Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan). The 3D rIR images (TR/TE/TI: 1800 ms/10 ms/500 ms) and flow-compensated 3D SPGR images (TR/TE/FA: 23 ms/10 ms/25 ) were obtained with a reconstructed voxel size of 0.6 x 0.7 x 0.8 mm{sup 3}. Images were acquired before and 1, 90, 180, and 270 min after the administration of triple-dose Gd-DTPA-BMA (0.3 mmol/kg). In post-contrast MR images, the degree of enhancement of the cochlear aqueduct, endolymphatic sac, subarcuate artery, geniculate ganglion of the facial nerve, and cochlear lymph fluid space was assessed by two radiologists. The degree of enhancement was scored as follows: 0 (no enhancement); 1 (slight enhancement); 2 (intermediate between 1 and 3); and 3 (enhancement similar to that of vessels). Enhancement scores for the endolymphatic sac, subarcuate artery, and geniculate ganglion were higher in 3D rIR than in 3D SPGR. Washout of enhancement in the endolymphatic sac appeared to be delayed compared with that in the subarcuate artery, suggesting that the enhancement in the endolymphatic sac may have been due in part to non-vascular tissue enhancement. Enhancement of the cochlear lymph space was not observed in any of the subjects in 3D rIR and 3D SPGR. The 3D rIR sequence may be more sensitive than the 3D SPGR sequence in

  16. An improved grey model for the prediction of real-time GPS satellite clock bias

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Z. Y.; Chen, Y. Q.; Lu, X. S.

    2008-07-01

    In real-time GPS precise point positioning (PPP), real-time and reliable satellite clock bias (SCB) prediction is a key to implement real-time GPS PPP. It is difficult to hold the nuisance and inenarrable performance of space-borne GPS satellite atomic clock because of its high-frequency, sensitivity and impressionable, it accords with the property of grey model (GM) theory, i. e. we can look on the variable process of SCB as grey system. Firstly, based on limits of quadratic polynomial (QP) and traditional GM to predict SCB, a modified GM (1,1) is put forward to predict GPS SCB in this paper; and then, taking GPS SCB data for example, we analyzed clock bias prediction with different sample interval, the relationship between GM exponent and prediction accuracy, precision comparison of GM to QP, and concluded the general rule of different type SCB and GM exponent; finally, to test the reliability and validation of the modified GM what we put forward, taking IGS clock bias ephemeris product as reference, we analyzed the prediction precision with the modified GM, It is showed that the modified GM is reliable and validation to predict GPS SCB and can offer high precise SCB prediction for real-time GPS PPP.

  17. Real-time reservoir operation considering non-stationary inflow prediction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, J.; Xu, W.; Cai, X.; Wang, Z.

    2011-12-01

    Stationarity of inflow has been a basic assumption for reservoir operation rule design, which is now facing challenges due to climate change and human interferences. This paper proposes a modeling framework to incorporate non-stationary inflow prediction for optimizing the hedging operation rule of large reservoirs with multiple-year flow regulation capacity. A multi-stage optimization model is formulated and a solution algorithm based on the optimality conditions is developed to incorporate non-stationary annual inflow prediction through a rolling, dynamic framework that updates the prediction from period to period and adopt the updated prediction in reservoir operation decision. The prediction model is ARIMA(4,1,0), in which parameter 4 stands for the order of autoregressive, 1 represents a linear trend, and 0 is the order of moving average. The modeling framework and solution algorithm is applied to the Miyun reservoir in China, determining a yearly operating schedule during the period from 1996 to 2009, during which there was a significant declining trend of reservoir inflow. Different operation policy scenarios are modeled, including standard operation policy (SOP, matching the current demand as much as possible), hedging rule (i.e., leaving a certain amount of water for future to avoid large risk of water deficit) with forecast from ARIMA (HR-1), hedging (HR) with perfect forecast (HR-2 ). Compared to the results of these scenarios to that of the actual reservoir operation (AO), the utility of the reservoir operation under HR-1 is 3.0% lower than HR-2, but 3.7% higher than the AO and 14.4% higher than SOP. Note that the utility under AO is 10.3% higher than that under SOP, which shows that a certain level of hedging under some inflow prediction or forecast was used in the real-world operation. Moreover, the impacts of discount rate and forecast uncertainty level on the operation will be discussed.

  18. In vivo real-time multiphoton imaging of T lymphocytes in the mouse brain after experimental stroke

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fumagalli, Stefano; Coles, Jonathan A; Ejlerskov, Patrick

    2011-01-01

    To gain a better understanding of T cell behavior after stroke, we have developed real-time in vivo brain imaging of T cells by multiphoton microscopy after middle cerebral artery occlusion.......To gain a better understanding of T cell behavior after stroke, we have developed real-time in vivo brain imaging of T cells by multiphoton microscopy after middle cerebral artery occlusion....

  19. Spatio-temporal interpolation of soil water, temperature, and electrical conductivity in 3D + T

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gasch, C.K.; Hengl, Tom; Gräler, Benedikt; Meyer, Hanna; Magney, T.S.; Brown, D.J.

    2015-01-01

    The paper describes a framework for modeling dynamic soil properties in 3-dimensions and time (3D + T) using soil data collected with automated sensor networks as a case study. Two approaches to geostatistical modeling and spatio-temporal predictions are described: (1) 3D + T predictive modeling

  20. Can histopathologic assessment of circumferential margin after preoperative pelvic chemoradiotherapy for T3-T4 rectal cancer predict for 3-year disease-free survival?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mawdsley, Suzannah; Glynne-Jones, Rob; Grainger, Juliet; Richman, Paul; Makris, Andreas; Harrison, Mark; Ashford, Richard; Harrison, Richard A.; Osborne, Melanie; Livingstone, Jeremy I.; MacDonald, Peter; Mitchell, Ian C.; Meyrick-Thomas, John; Northover, John; Windsor, Alastair; Novell, Richard; Wallace, Marina

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: This study set out to determine the impact of a positive circumferential resection margin (CRM) (R1-R2) and pathologic downstaging on local recurrence and survival in patients with borderline resectable or unresectable rectal adenocarcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods and Materials: A total of 150 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer were treated with long-course neoadjuvant CRT using low-dose folinic acid and 5-fluorouracil. CRT was followed 6-12 weeks later by surgical excision. The CRM rate and incidence, site, and pattern of local and systemic recurrences were recorded. The median follow-up was 25 months. Results: The overall median survival was 37 months, with a 5-year overall survival rate of 34%. Of the 150 patients, 122 underwent curative resection; 12% had a complete pathologic response, and downstaging to pT1-T2 occurred in an additional 16%. A negative CRM (R0) was achieved in 65% overall (98 of 150). Local recurrence occurred in 10% of those with R0 resection and 62% of those with R1-R2 resections. Distant metastases occurred in 29% of those with R0 resections and 75% of those with R1-R2 resections. The 3-year disease-free and 3-year overall survival rate was 9% and 25% and 52% and 64%, respectively, for patients with and without a histologically positive CRM. Conclusion: After 5-fluorouracil-based CRT, a positive CRM predicted for a high risk of subsequent local recurrence and a 3-year disease-free survival rate of only 9%. For this reason, the CRM should be considered a major prognostic factor and should be validated in future trials as an early alternative clinical endpoint

  1. Real-time prediction and gating of respiratory motion in 3D space using extended Kalman filters and Gaussian process regression network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bukhari, W.; Hong, S.-M.

    2016-03-01

    The prediction as well as the gating of respiratory motion have received much attention over the last two decades for reducing the targeting error of the radiation treatment beam due to respiratory motion. In this article, we present a real-time algorithm for predicting respiratory motion in 3D space and realizing a gating function without pre-specifying a particular phase of the patient’s breathing cycle. The algorithm, named EKF-GPRN+ , first employs an extended Kalman filter (EKF) independently along each coordinate to predict the respiratory motion and then uses a Gaussian process regression network (GPRN) to correct the prediction error of the EKF in 3D space. The GPRN is a nonparametric Bayesian algorithm for modeling input-dependent correlations between the output variables in multi-output regression. Inference in GPRN is intractable and we employ variational inference with mean field approximation to compute an approximate predictive mean and predictive covariance matrix. The approximate predictive mean is used to correct the prediction error of the EKF. The trace of the approximate predictive covariance matrix is utilized to capture the uncertainty in EKF-GPRN+ prediction error and systematically identify breathing points with a higher probability of large prediction error in advance. This identification enables us to pause the treatment beam over such instances. EKF-GPRN+ implements a gating function by using simple calculations based on the trace of the predictive covariance matrix. Extensive numerical experiments are performed based on a large database of 304 respiratory motion traces to evaluate EKF-GPRN+ . The experimental results show that the EKF-GPRN+ algorithm reduces the patient-wise prediction error to 38%, 40% and 40% in root-mean-square, compared to no prediction, at lookahead lengths of 192 ms, 384 ms and 576 ms, respectively. The EKF-GPRN+ algorithm can further reduce the prediction error by employing the gating function, albeit

  2. Real-time prediction and gating of respiratory motion in 3D space using extended Kalman filters and Gaussian process regression network

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bukhari, W; Hong, S-M

    2016-01-01

    The prediction as well as the gating of respiratory motion have received much attention over the last two decades for reducing the targeting error of the radiation treatment beam due to respiratory motion. In this article, we present a real-time algorithm for predicting respiratory motion in 3D space and realizing a gating function without pre-specifying a particular phase of the patient’s breathing cycle. The algorithm, named EKF-GPRN +  , first employs an extended Kalman filter (EKF) independently along each coordinate to predict the respiratory motion and then uses a Gaussian process regression network (GPRN) to correct the prediction error of the EKF in 3D space. The GPRN is a nonparametric Bayesian algorithm for modeling input-dependent correlations between the output variables in multi-output regression. Inference in GPRN is intractable and we employ variational inference with mean field approximation to compute an approximate predictive mean and predictive covariance matrix. The approximate predictive mean is used to correct the prediction error of the EKF. The trace of the approximate predictive covariance matrix is utilized to capture the uncertainty in EKF-GPRN + prediction error and systematically identify breathing points with a higher probability of large prediction error in advance. This identification enables us to pause the treatment beam over such instances. EKF-GPRN + implements a gating function by using simple calculations based on the trace of the predictive covariance matrix. Extensive numerical experiments are performed based on a large database of 304 respiratory motion traces to evaluate EKF-GPRN +  . The experimental results show that the EKF-GPRN + algorithm reduces the patient-wise prediction error to 38%, 40% and 40% in root-mean-square, compared to no prediction, at lookahead lengths of 192 ms, 384 ms and 576 ms, respectively. The EKF-GPRN + algorithm can further reduce the prediction error by employing the gating function

  3. How to Improve Fault Tolerance in Disaster Predictions: A Case Study about Flash Floods Using IoT, ML and Real Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furquim, Gustavo; Filho, Geraldo P. R.; Pessin, Gustavo; Pazzi, Richard W.

    2018-01-01

    The rise in the number and intensity of natural disasters is a serious problem that affects the whole world. The consequences of these disasters are significantly worse when they occur in urban districts because of the casualties and extent of the damage to goods and property that is caused. Until now feasible methods of dealing with this have included the use of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) for data collection and machine-learning (ML) techniques for forecasting natural disasters. However, there have recently been some promising new innovations in technology which have supplemented the task of monitoring the environment and carrying out the forecasting. One of these schemes involves adopting IP-based (Internet Protocol) sensor networks, by using emerging patterns for IoT. In light of this, in this study, an attempt has been made to set out and describe the results achieved by SENDI (System for dEtecting and forecasting Natural Disasters based on IoT). SENDI is a fault-tolerant system based on IoT, ML and WSN for the detection and forecasting of natural disasters and the issuing of alerts. The system was modeled by means of ns-3 and data collected by a real-world WSN installed in the town of São Carlos - Brazil, which carries out the data collection from rivers in the region. The fault-tolerance is embedded in the system by anticipating the risk of communication breakdowns and the destruction of the nodes during disasters. It operates by adding intelligence to the nodes to carry out the data distribution and forecasting, even in extreme situations. A case study is also included for flash flood forecasting and this makes use of the ns-3 SENDI model and data collected by WSN. PMID:29562657

  4. How to Improve Fault Tolerance in Disaster Predictions: A Case Study about Flash Floods Using IoT, ML and Real Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gustavo Furquim

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The rise in the number and intensity of natural disasters is a serious problem that affects the whole world. The consequences of these disasters are significantly worse when they occur in urban districts because of the casualties and extent of the damage to goods and property that is caused. Until now feasible methods of dealing with this have included the use of wireless sensor networks (WSNs for data collection and machine-learning (ML techniques for forecasting natural disasters. However, there have recently been some promising new innovations in technology which have supplemented the task of monitoring the environment and carrying out the forecasting. One of these schemes involves adopting IP-based (Internet Protocol sensor networks, by using emerging patterns for IoT. In light of this, in this study, an attempt has been made to set out and describe the results achieved by SENDI (System for dEtecting and forecasting Natural Disasters based on IoT. SENDI is a fault-tolerant system based on IoT, ML and WSN for the detection and forecasting of natural disasters and the issuing of alerts. The system was modeled by means of ns-3 and data collected by a real-world WSN installed in the town of São Carlos - Brazil, which carries out the data collection from rivers in the region. The fault-tolerance is embedded in the system by anticipating the risk of communication breakdowns and the destruction of the nodes during disasters. It operates by adding intelligence to the nodes to carry out the data distribution and forecasting, even in extreme situations. A case study is also included for flash flood forecasting and this makes use of the ns-3 SENDI model and data collected by WSN.

  5. How to Improve Fault Tolerance in Disaster Predictions: A Case Study about Flash Floods Using IoT, ML and Real Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furquim, Gustavo; Filho, Geraldo P R; Jalali, Roozbeh; Pessin, Gustavo; Pazzi, Richard W; Ueyama, Jó

    2018-03-19

    The rise in the number and intensity of natural disasters is a serious problem that affects the whole world. The consequences of these disasters are significantly worse when they occur in urban districts because of the casualties and extent of the damage to goods and property that is caused. Until now feasible methods of dealing with this have included the use of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) for data collection and machine-learning (ML) techniques for forecasting natural disasters. However, there have recently been some promising new innovations in technology which have supplemented the task of monitoring the environment and carrying out the forecasting. One of these schemes involves adopting IP-based (Internet Protocol) sensor networks, by using emerging patterns for IoT. In light of this, in this study, an attempt has been made to set out and describe the results achieved by SENDI (System for dEtecting and forecasting Natural Disasters based on IoT). SENDI is a fault-tolerant system based on IoT, ML and WSN for the detection and forecasting of natural disasters and the issuing of alerts. The system was modeled by means of ns-3 and data collected by a real-world WSN installed in the town of São Carlos - Brazil, which carries out the data collection from rivers in the region. The fault-tolerance is embedded in the system by anticipating the risk of communication breakdowns and the destruction of the nodes during disasters. It operates by adding intelligence to the nodes to carry out the data distribution and forecasting, even in extreme situations. A case study is also included for flash flood forecasting and this makes use of the ns-3 SENDI model and data collected by WSN.

  6. T2 map signal variation predicts symptomatic osteoarthritis progression: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhong, Haoti; Miller, David J. [The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Electrical Engineering, University Park, PA (United States); Urish, Kenneth L. [Magee Womens Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, The Bone and Joint Center, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

    2016-07-15

    The aim of this work is to use quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify patients at risk for symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) progression. We hypothesized that classification of signal variation on T2 maps might predict symptomatic OA progression. Patients were selected from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI), a prospective cohort. Two groups were identified: a symptomatic OA progression group and a control group. At baseline, both groups were asymptomatic (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis [WOMAC] pain score total <10) with no radiographic evidence of OA (Kellgren-Lawrence [KL] score ≤ 1). The OA progression group (n = 103) had a change in total WOMAC score greater than 10 by the 3-year follow-up. The control group (n = 79) remained asymptomatic, with a change in total WOMAC score less than 10 at the 3-year follow-up. A classifier was designed to predict OA progression in an independent population based on T2 map cartilage signal variation. The classifier was designed using a nearest neighbor classification based on a Gaussian Mixture Model log-likelihood fit of T2 map cartilage voxel intensities. The use of T2 map signal variation to predict symptomatic OA progression in asymptomatic individuals achieved a specificity of 89.3 %, a sensitivity of 77.2 %, and an overall accuracy rate of 84.2 %. T2 map signal variation can predict symptomatic knee OA progression in asymptomatic individuals, serving as a possible early OA imaging biomarker. (orig.)

  7. A framework for predicting three-dimensional prostate deformation in real time

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jahya, Alex; Herink, Mark; Misra, Sarthak

    2013-01-01

    Background Surgical simulation systems can be used to estimate soft tissue deformation during pre- and intra-operative planning. Such systems require a model that can accurately predict the deformation in real time. In this study, we present a back-propagation neural network for predicting

  8. T-book. 3. ed.

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-01-01

    The main objective of the T-book is to provide reliability data for the unavailability computations that are done for each component that is considered in the compulsory, probabilistic safety assessments of nuclear power plants. The failure characteristics presented in the T-book are primarily based on the failure reports stored in the central database ATV and the Licensee Event Reports delivered to the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate (SKI). This T-book comprises only critical failures, i.e. failures that stop the function of components or lead to repair, and includes data up to the operating year 1987, or totally 108 reactor years. Along with the successive editions of the T-book there has been a continuous work to improve the methods for the statistical inference, required to derive the reliability parameters from the operational data in the database. In the developed approach called Bayes empirical Bayes, also the parameter of the uncertainty distributions are estimated in a Bayesian way. Moreover, the potential class of gamma distributions is expanded by mixing with a noninformative part, just to stress the real uncertainty and to allow for statistical outliers. Another new feature in this edition, of great interest in the community of nuclear safety analysts, is the application of the q+λt model, where q is derived form failures occurring at the demand occasion while λ characterises failure mechanisms that are active during the standby time. This model is applicable on component groups where several test intervals are represented in the operational data. This English edition of the T-book 3 has been brought forward in response to the growing interest outside the Nordic countries. (22 figs., 58 tabs., 7 refs.)

  9. Simultaneous quantification of T4, T3, rT3, 3,5-T2 and 3,3'-T2 in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model to study exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiaopeng; Walter, Kyla M; Miller, Galen W; Lein, Pamela J; Puschner, Birgit

    2018-06-01

    Environmental toxicants that interfere with thyroid hormone (TH) signaling can impact growth and development in animals and humans. Zebrafish represent a model to study chemically induced TH disruption, prompting the need for sensitive detection of THs. Simultaneous quantification of 3,3',5-triiodo-l-thyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), 3,3',5'-triiodo-l-thyronine (rT3), 3,5-diiodo-l-thyronine (3,5-T2) and 3,3'-diiodo-l-thyronine (3,3'-T2) in zebrafish larvae was achieved by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in positive ion mode. Solid-phase extraction with SampliQ cartridges and derivatization with 3 m hydrochloric acid in n-butanol reduced matrix effects. Derivatized compounds were separated on an Acquity UPLC BEH C 18 column with mobile phases consisting of 0.1% acetic acid in deionized water and 0.1% acetic acid in methanol. The limits of detection ranged from 0.5 to 0.6 pg injected on column. The method was validated by evaluating recovery (77.1-117.2%), accuracy (87.3-123.9%) and precision (0.5-12.4%) using diluted homogenized zebrafish embryos spiked with all target compounds. This method was then applied to zebrafish larvae collected after 114 h of exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), including PCB 28, PCB 66 and PCB 95, or the technical mixture Aroclor 1254. Exposure to PCB 28 and PCB 95 increased the T4:T3 ratio and decreased the T3:rT3 ratio, demonstrating that this method can effectively detect PCB-induced alterations in THs. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  10. Structural features that predict real-value fluctuations of globular proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamroz, Michal; Kolinski, Andrzej; Kihara, Daisuke

    2012-05-01

    It is crucial to consider dynamics for understanding the biological function of proteins. We used a large number of molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories of nonhomologous proteins as references and examined static structural features of proteins that are most relevant to fluctuations. We examined correlation of individual structural features with fluctuations and further investigated effective combinations of features for predicting the real value of residue fluctuations using the support vector regression (SVR). It was found that some structural features have higher correlation than crystallographic B-factors with fluctuations observed in MD trajectories. Moreover, SVR that uses combinations of static structural features showed accurate prediction of fluctuations with an average Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.669 and a root mean square error of 1.04 Å. This correlation coefficient is higher than the one observed in predictions by the Gaussian network model (GNM). An advantage of the developed method over the GNMs is that the former predicts the real value of fluctuation. The results help improve our understanding of relationships between protein structure and fluctuation. Furthermore, the developed method provides a convienient practial way to predict fluctuations of proteins using easily computed static structural features of proteins. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. T-L Plane Abstraction-Based Energy-Efficient Real-Time Scheduling for Multi-Core Wireless Sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Youngmin Kim

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Energy efficiency is considered as a critical requirement for wireless sensor networks. As more wireless sensor nodes are equipped with multi-cores, there are emerging needs for energy-efficient real-time scheduling algorithms. The T-L plane-based scheme is known to be an optimal global scheduling technique for periodic real-time tasks on multi-cores. Unfortunately, there has been a scarcity of studies on extending T-L plane-based scheduling algorithms to exploit energy-saving techniques. In this paper, we propose a new T-L plane-based algorithm enabling energy-efficient real-time scheduling on multi-core sensor nodes with dynamic power management (DPM. Our approach addresses the overhead of processor mode transitions and reduces fragmentations of the idle time, which are inherent in T-L plane-based algorithms. Our experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm compared to other energy-aware scheduling methods on T-L plane abstraction.

  12. Discriminating modes of toxic action in mice using toxicity in BALB/c mouse fibroblast (3T3) cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Tao; Yan, Lichen; Zheng, Shanshan; Wang, Yue; Wang, Xiaohong; Fan, Lingyun; Li, Chao; Zhao, Yuanhui; Martyniuk, Christopher J

    2017-12-01

    The objective of this study was to determine whether toxicity in mouse fibroblast cells (3T3 cells) could predict toxicity in mice. Synthesized data on toxicity was subjected to regression analysis and it was observed that relationship of toxicities between mice and 3T3 cells was not strong (R 2  = 0.41). Inclusion of molecular descriptors (e.g. ionization, pKa) improved the regression to R 2  = 0.56, indicating that this relationship is influenced by kinetic processes of chemicals or specific toxic mechanisms associated to the compounds. However, to determine if we were able to discriminate modes of action (MOAs) in mice using the toxicities generated from 3T3 cells, compounds were first classified into "baseline" and "reactive" guided by the toxic ratio (TR) for each compound in mice. Sequence, binomial and recursive partitioning analyses provided strong predictions of MOAs in mice based upon toxicities in 3T3 cells. The correct classification of MOAs based on these methods was 86%. Nearly all the baseline compounds predicted from toxicities in 3T3 cells were identified as baseline compounds from the TR in mice. The incorrect assignment of MOAs for some compounds is hypothesized to be due to experimental uncertainty that exists in toxicity assays for both mice and 3T3 cells. Conversely, lack of assignment can also arise because some reactive compounds have MOAs that are different in mice compared to 3T3 cells. The methods developed here are novel and contribute to efforts to reduce animal numbers in toxicity tests that are used to evaluate risks associated with organic pollutants in the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Accuracy of preoperative CT T staging of renal cell carcinoma: which features predict advanced stage?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bradley, A.J.; MacDonald, L.; Whiteside, S.; Johnson, R.J.; Ramani, V.A.C.

    2015-01-01

    Aims: To characterise CT findings in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and establish which features are associated with higher clinical T stage disease, and to evaluate patterns of discrepancy between radiological and pathological staging of RCC. Materials and methods: Preoperative CT studies of 92 patients with 94 pathologically proven RCCs were retrospectively reviewed. CT stage was compared with pathological stage using the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), 7 th edition (2010). The presence or absence of tumour necrosis, perinephric fat standing, thickening of Gerota's fascia, collateral vessels were noted, and correlated with pT stage. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) for predicting pT stage ≥pT3a were derived separately for different predictors using cross-tabulations. Results: Twenty-four lesions were pathological stage T1a, 21 were T1b, seven were T2a, 25 were T3a, 11 were T3b, four were T3c, and two were T4. There were no stage T2b. Sixty-three (67%) patients had necrosis, 27 (29%) thickening of Gerota's fascia (1 T1a), 25 had collateral vessels (0 T1a), 28 (30%) had fat stranding of <2 mm, 20 (21%) of 2–5mm and one (1%) of >5 mm. For pT stage ≥pT3a, the presence of perinephric fat stranding had a sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of 74%, 65%, 63%, and 76%, respectively. Presence of tumour necrosis had a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 81%, 44%, 54%, and 72%, respectively. Thickening of Gerota's fascia had a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 52%, 90%, 81% and 70%, respectively; and enlarged collateral vessels had a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV value of 52%, 94%, 88%, and 71% respectively. Conclusion: The presence of perinephric stranding and tumour necrosis were not reliable signs for pT stage >T3a. Thickening of Gerota's fascia and the presence of collateral vessels in the peri- or paranephric fat had 90% and 94% specificity, with 82% and 88

  14. The detection of T-Nos, a genetic element present in GMOs, by cross-priming isothermal amplification with real-time fluorescence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Fang; Wang, Liu; Fan, Kai; Wu, Jian; Ying, Yibin

    2014-05-01

    An isothermal cross-priming amplification (CPA) assay for Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase terminator (T-Nos) was established and investigated in this work. A set of six specific primers, recognizing eight distinct regions on the T-Nos sequence, was designed. The CPA assay was performed at a constant temperature, 63 °C, and detected by real-time fluorescence. The results indicated that real-time fluorescent CPA had high specificity, and the limit of detection was 1.06 × 10(3) copies of rice genomic DNA, which could be detected in 40 min. Comparison of real-time fluorescent CPA and conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was also performed. Results revealed that real-time fluorescent CPA had a comparable sensitivity to conventional real-time PCR and had taken a shorter time. In addition, different contents of genetically modified (GM)-contaminated rice seed powder samples were detected for practical application. The result showed real-time fluorescent CPA could detect 0.5 % GM-contaminated samples at least, and the whole reaction could be finished in 35 min. Real-time fluorescent CPA is sensitive enough to monitor labeling systems and provides an attractive method for the detection of GMO.

  15. Real-time luminescence from Al2O3 fiber dosimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Polf, J.C.; Yukihara, E.G.; Akselrod, M.S.; McKeever, S.W.S.

    2004-01-01

    The real-time luminescence signal from Al 2 O 3 single crystal fibers, monitored during simultaneous irradiation and optical stimulation, was investigated using computer simulations and experimental measurements. Both radioluminescence (RL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signals were studied. The simulations were performed initially using a simple one-trap/one-recombination-center energy band model, and then extended to include shallow and deep electron traps as well. Real-time luminescence experiments were performed for different radiation dose rates and optical stimulation powers using periodic laser stimulation of the samples through a fiber optic cable, and the experimental results were compared with the predictions from the computer simulations. The luminescence signal was observed, both theoretically and experimentally, to increase from its initial value to a steady-state level. The steady-state RL and OSL levels were found to be dependent on dose rate, the steady-state level of the real-time OSL being independent of laser power. It was also shown that the total integrated absorbed dose throughout the irradiation period can be determined by correcting the real-time OSL signal for depletion caused by each laser stimulation pulse. The effects of the shallow and deep traps on the time-dependence of the real-time luminescence signal were studied comparing the experimental data from several Al 2 O 3 fibers known to have different trapping state concentrations. The additional traps were found to slow the response of the real-time luminescence such that the time to reach steady state was increased as the additional traps were added

  16. Real-Time 3D Motion capture by monocular vision and virtual rendering

    OpenAIRE

    Gomez Jauregui , David Antonio; Horain , Patrick

    2012-01-01

    International audience; Avatars in networked 3D virtual environments allow users to interact over the Internet and to get some feeling of virtual telepresence. However, avatar control may be tedious. Motion capture systems based on 3D sensors have recently reached the consumer market, but webcams and camera-phones are more widespread and cheaper. The proposed demonstration aims at animating a user's avatar from real time 3D motion capture by monoscopic computer vision, thus allowing virtual t...

  17. Linear filters as a method of real-time prediction of geomagnetic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McPherron, R.L.; Baker, D.N.; Bargatze, L.F.

    1985-01-01

    Important factors controlling geomagnetic activity include the solar wind velocity, the strength of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and the field orientation. Because these quantities change so much in transit through the solar wind, real-time monitoring immediately upstream of the earth provides the best input for any technique of real-time prediction. One such technique is linear prediction filtering which utilizes past histories of the input and output of a linear system to create a time-invariant filter characterizing the system. Problems of nonlinearity or temporal changes of the system can be handled by appropriate choice of input parameters and piecewise approximation in various ranges of the input. We have created prediction filters for all the standard magnetic indices and tested their efficiency. The filters show that the initial response of the magnetosphere to a southward turning of the IMF peaks in 20 minutes and then again in 55 minutes. After a northward turning, auroral zone indices and the midlatitude ASYM index return to background within 2 hours, while Dst decays exponentially with a time constant of about 8 hours. This paper describes a simple, real-time system utilizing these filters which could predict a substantial fraction of the variation in magnetic activity indices 20 to 50 minutes in advance

  18. A prediction model for lymph node metastasis in T1 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Jie; Chen, Qi-Xun; Shen, Di-Jian; Zhao, Qiang

    2018-04-01

    Endoscopic resection is widely used for the treatment of T1 esophageal cancer, but it cannot be used to treat lymph node metastasis (LNM). This study aimed to develop a prediction model for LNM in patients with T1 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. A prospectively maintained database of all patients who underwent surgery for esophageal cancer between January 2002 and June 2010 was retrospectively reviewed, and patients with T1 squamous cell carcinoma were included in this study. Correlations between LNM and clinicopathological variables were evaluated using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. The penalized maximum likelihood method was used to estimate regression coefficients. A prediction model was developed and internally validated using a bootstrap resampling method. Model performance was evaluated in terms of calibration, discrimination, and clinical usefulness. A total of 240 patients (197 male, 43 female) with a mean age of 57.9 years (standard deviation ± 8.3 years) were included in the analysis. The incidence of LNM was 16.3%. The prediction model consisted of four variables: grade, T1 stage, tumor location and tumor length. The model showed good calibration and good discrimination with a C-index of 0.787 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.711-0.863). After internal validation, the optimism-corrected C-index was 0.762 (95% CI, 0.686-0.838). Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the prediction model was clinically useful. Our prediction model can facilitate individualized prediction of LNM in patients with T1 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. This model can aid surgical decision making in patients who have undergone endoscopic resection. Copyright © 2017 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. IoT for Real-Time Measurement of High-Throughput Liquid Dispensing in Laboratory Environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shumate, Justin; Baillargeon, Pierre; Spicer, Timothy P; Scampavia, Louis

    2018-04-01

    Critical to maintaining quality control in high-throughput screening is the need for constant monitoring of liquid-dispensing fidelity. Traditional methods involve operator intervention with gravimetric analysis to monitor the gross accuracy of full plate dispenses, visual verification of contents, or dedicated weigh stations on screening platforms that introduce potential bottlenecks and increase the plate-processing cycle time. We present a unique solution using open-source hardware, software, and 3D printing to automate dispenser accuracy determination by providing real-time dispense weight measurements via a network-connected precision balance. This system uses an Arduino microcontroller to connect a precision balance to a local network. By integrating the precision balance as an Internet of Things (IoT) device, it gains the ability to provide real-time gravimetric summaries of dispensing, generate timely alerts when problems are detected, and capture historical dispensing data for future analysis. All collected data can then be accessed via a web interface for reviewing alerts and dispensing information in real time or remotely for timely intervention of dispense errors. The development of this system also leveraged 3D printing to rapidly prototype sensor brackets, mounting solutions, and component enclosures.

  20. Real-time LMR control parameter generation using advanced adaptive synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    King, R.W.; Mott, J.E.

    1990-01-01

    The reactor ''delta T'', the difference between the average core inlet and outlet temperatures, for the liquid-sodium-cooled Experimental Breeder Reactor 2 is empirically synthesized in real time from, a multitude of examples of past reactor operation. The real-time empirical synthesis is based on reactor operation. The real-time empirical synthesis is based on system state analysis (SSA) technology embodied in software on the EBR 2 data acquisition computer. Before the real-time system is put into operation, a selection of reactor plant measurements is made which is predictable over long periods encompassing plant shutdowns, core reconfigurations, core load changes, and plant startups. A serial data link to a personal computer containing SSA software allows the rapid verification of the predictability of these plant measurements via graphical means. After the selection is made, the real-time synthesis provides a fault-tolerant estimate of the reactor delta T accurate to +/-1%. 5 refs., 7 figs

  1. Safety-critical Java on a time-predictable processor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Korsholm, Stephan E.; Schoeberl, Martin; Puffitsch, Wolfgang

    2015-01-01

    For real-time systems the whole execution stack needs to be time-predictable and analyzable for the worst-case execution time (WCET). This paper presents a time-predictable platform for safety-critical Java. The platform consists of (1) the Patmos processor, which is a time-predictable processor......; (2) a C compiler for Patmos with support for WCET analysis; (3) the HVM, which is a Java-to-C compiler; (4) the HVM-SCJ implementation which supports SCJ Level 0, 1, and 2 (for both single and multicore platforms); and (5) a WCET analysis tool. We show that real-time Java programs translated to C...... and compiled to a Patmos binary can be analyzed by the AbsInt aiT WCET analysis tool. To the best of our knowledge the presented system is the second WCET analyzable real-time Java system; and the first one on top of a RISC processor....

  2. Development and characterization of radioimmunoassay methods for the measurement of iodothyronines (T4, T3 and rT3)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Russo, E.M.K.; Vieira, J.G.H.; Barros Maciel, R.M. de; Fonseca, R.M.G.

    1982-01-01

    The experience acquired in the development of radioimmunoassay for T 4 , T 3 and rT 3 in unextrated serum is described. Antisera were produced in rabbits using iodothyronines conjugated to bovine serum albumin: the antisera selected provided the development of sensitive and specific radioassay methods. Stable high activity T 3 , T 4 and rT 3 tracers were prepared by iodination of 3,5 T 2 , T 3 and 3,3' T 2 by the chloramine-T method, and purified by column chromatography on Sephadex G25. Binding of those iodothyronines to endogenous serum proteins was blocked by including 8-aniline-1-naphtalene sulphonic acid (ANSA) in the T 4 and T 3 assays and thymerosal in the rT 3 assay. Normal values were defined in 46 healthy euthyroid adults of both sexes: T 4 = 7,1 +- 1,3μg/dl; T 3 = 139 +- 35ng/dl and rT 3 = 18,0 +- 7,9ng/dl. (Author) [pt

  3. Shelf-life prediction models for ready-to-eat fresh cut salads: Testing in real cold chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsironi, Theofania; Dermesonlouoglou, Efimia; Giannoglou, Marianna; Gogou, Eleni; Katsaros, George; Taoukis, Petros

    2017-01-02

    The aim of the study was to develop and test the applicability of predictive models for shelf-life estimation of ready-to-eat (RTE) fresh cut salads in realistic distribution temperature conditions in the food supply chain. A systematic kinetic study of quality loss of RTE mixed salad (lollo rosso lettuce-40%, lollo verde lettuce-45%, rocket-15%) packed under modified atmospheres (3% O 2 , 10% CO 2 , 87% N 2 ) was conducted. Microbial population (total viable count, Pseudomonas spp., lactic acid bacteria), vitamin C, colour and texture were the measured quality parameters. Kinetic models for these indices were developed to determine the quality loss and calculate product remaining shelf-life (SL R ). Storage experiments were conducted at isothermal (2.5-15°C) and non-isothermal temperature conditions (T eff =7.8°C defined as the constant temperature that results in the same quality value as the variable temperature distribution) for validation purposes. Pseudomonas dominated spoilage, followed by browning and chemical changes. The end of shelf-life correlated with a Pseudomonas spp. level of 8 log(cfu/g), and 20% loss of the initial vitamin C content. The effect of temperature on these quality parameters was expressed by the Arrhenius equation; activation energy (E a ) value was 69.1 and 122.6kJ/mol for Pseudomonas spp. growth and vitamin C loss rates, respectively. Shelf-life prediction models were also validated in real cold chain conditions (including the stages of transport to and storage at retail distribution center, transport to and display at 7 retail stores, transport to and storage in domestic refrigerators). The quality level and SL R estimated after 2-3days of domestic storage (time of consumption) ranged between 1 and 8days at 4°C and was predicted within satisfactory statistical error by the kinetic models. T eff in the cold chain ranged between 3.7 and 8.3°C. Using the validated models, SL R of RTE fresh cut salad can be estimated at any point of

  4. Towards cycle-accurate performance predictions for real-time embedded systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Triantafyllidis, K.; Bondarev, E.; With, de P.H.N.; Arabnia, H.R.; Deligiannidis, L.; Jandieri, G.

    2013-01-01

    In this paper we present a model-based performance analysis method for component-based real-time systems, featuring cycle-accurate predictions of latencies and enhanced system robustness. The method incorporates the following phases: (a) instruction-level profiling of SW components, (b) modeling the

  5. Low T3 syndrome as a predictor of poor prognosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Rui; Chen, Rui-Ze; Xia, Yi; Liang, Jin-Hua; Wang, Li; Zhu, Hua-Yuan; Zhu Wu, Jia-; Fan, Lei; Li, Jian-Yong; Yang, Tao; Xu, Wei

    2018-02-19

    Low triiodothyronine (T3) state is associated with poor prognosis in critical acute and prolonged illness. However, the information on thyroid dysfunction and cancer is limited. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic value of low T3 syndrome in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Two hundred and fifty-eight patients with detailed thyroid hormone profile at CLL diagnosis were enrolled. Low T3 syndrome was defined by low free T3 (FT3) level accompanied by normal-to-low free tetraiodothyronine (FT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. A propensity score-matched method was performed to balance the baseline characteristics. Multivariate Cox regression analyses screened the independent prognostic factors related to time-to-first-treatment (TTFT) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Area under the curve (AUC) assessed the predictive accuracy of CLL-International Prognostic Index (IPI) together with low T3 syndrome. The results showed that 37 (14.34%) patients had low T3 syndrome, which was significantly associated with unfavorable TTFT and CSS in the propensity-matched cohort, and it was an independent prognostic indicator for both TTFT and CSS. Serum FT3 level was positively related to protein metabolism and anemia, and inversely related to inflammatory state. Patients with only low FT3 demonstrated better survival than those with synchronously low FT3 and FT4, while those with synchronously low FT3, FT4 and TSH had the worst clinical outcome. Low T3 syndrome together with CLL-IPI had larger AUCs compared with CLL-IPI alone in TTFT and CSS prediction. In conclusion, low T3 syndrome may be a good candidate for predicting prognosis in future clinical practice of CLL. © 2018 UICC.

  6. [Real time 3D echocardiography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, F.; Shiota, T.; Thomas, J. D.

    2001-01-01

    Three-dimensional representation of the heart is an old concern. Usually, 3D reconstruction of the cardiac mass is made by successive acquisition of 2D sections, the spatial localisation and orientation of which require complex guiding systems. More recently, the concept of volumetric acquisition has been introduced. A matricial emitter-receiver probe complex with parallel data processing provides instantaneous of a pyramidal 64 degrees x 64 degrees volume. The image is restituted in real time and is composed of 3 planes (planes B and C) which can be displaced in all spatial directions at any time during acquisition. The flexibility of this system of acquisition allows volume and mass measurement with greater accuracy and reproducibility, limiting inter-observer variability. Free navigation of the planes of investigation allows reconstruction for qualitative and quantitative analysis of valvular heart disease and other pathologies. Although real time 3D echocardiography is ready for clinical usage, some improvements are still necessary to improve its conviviality. Then real time 3D echocardiography could be the essential tool for understanding, diagnosis and management of patients.

  7. MR imaging of recent non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage: early experience at 3 T

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Griffiths, Paul D.; Wilkinson, Iain D.

    2006-01-01

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using 3.0 T scanners in the clinical environment is in its infancy and is only available at a limited number of sites worldwide. There is great interest amongst radiologists about the perceived benefits of clinical imaging at 3.0 T; however, it remains to be seen whether the theoretical advantages will bring real gains. MRI in patients with non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is difficult, yet, these patients benefit from non-invasive angiography. Conventional catheter angiography (CCA) remains the reference standard for excluding/confirming the presence of intracranial vascular abnormalities, but MR angiography at 3.0 T may offer opportunities for significant changes in patient management. We present our experiences of using 3.0 T MR angiography in 27 patients with acute or early subacute ICH. (orig.)

  8. 3D Markov Process for Traffic Flow Prediction in Real-Time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eunjeong Ko

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Recently, the correct estimation of traffic flow has begun to be considered an essential component in intelligent transportation systems. In this paper, a new statistical method to predict traffic flows using time series analyses and geometric correlations is proposed. The novelty of the proposed method is two-fold: (1 a 3D heat map is designed to describe the traffic conditions between roads, which can effectively represent the correlations between spatially- and temporally-adjacent traffic states; and (2 the relationship between the adjacent roads on the spatiotemporal domain is represented by cliques in MRF and the clique parameters are obtained by example-based learning. In order to assess the validity of the proposed method, it is tested using data from expressway traffic that are provided by the Korean Expressway Corporation, and the performance of the proposed method is compared with existing approaches. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can predict traffic conditions with an accuracy of 85%, and this accuracy can be improved further.

  9. A Lifetime Prediction Method for LEDs Considering Real Mission Profiles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qu, Xiaohui; Wang, Huai; Zhan, Xiaoqing

    2017-01-01

    operations due to the varying operational and environmental conditions during the entire service time (i.e., mission profiles). To overcome the challenge, this paper proposes an advanced lifetime prediction method, which takes into account the field operation mission profiles and also the statistical......The Light-Emitting Diode (LED) has become a very promising alternative lighting source with the advantages of longer lifetime and higher efficiency than traditional ones. The lifetime prediction of LEDs is important to guide the LED system designers to fulfill the design specifications...... properties of the life data available from accelerated degradation testing. The electrical and thermal characteristics of LEDs are measured by a T3Ster system, used for the electro-thermal modeling. It also identifies key variables (e.g., heat sink parameters) that can be designed to achieve a specified...

  10. Real estate value prediction using multivariate regression models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manjula, R.; Jain, Shubham; Srivastava, Sharad; Rajiv Kher, Pranav

    2017-11-01

    The real estate market is one of the most competitive in terms of pricing and the same tends to vary significantly based on a lot of factors, hence it becomes one of the prime fields to apply the concepts of machine learning to optimize and predict the prices with high accuracy. Therefore in this paper, we present various important features to use while predicting housing prices with good accuracy. We have described regression models, using various features to have lower Residual Sum of Squares error. While using features in a regression model some feature engineering is required for better prediction. Often a set of features (multiple regressions) or polynomial regression (applying a various set of powers in the features) is used for making better model fit. For these models are expected to be susceptible towards over fitting ridge regression is used to reduce it. This paper thus directs to the best application of regression models in addition to other techniques to optimize the result.

  11. The diagnostic performance of non-contrast 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (3-T MRI) versus 1.5-Tesla magnetic resonance arthrography (1.5-T MRA) in femoro-acetabular impingement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Crespo-Rodríguez, Ana M., E-mail: anacresporodriguez@gmail.com [Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, c/ Joaquín Rodrigo 2, Majadahonda 28222, Madrid (Spain); De Lucas-Villarrubia, Jose C., E-mail: jclucasv@hotmail.com [Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at the Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, c/ Joaquín Rodrigo 2, Majadahonda 28222, Madrid (Spain); Pastrana-Ledesma, Miguel, E-mail: m.pastrana@telefonica.net [Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, c/ Joaquín Rodrigo 2, Majadahonda 28222, Madrid (Spain); Hualde-Juvera, Ana, E-mail: ana.hualdej@salud.madrid.org [Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, c/ Joaquín Rodrigo 2, Majadahonda 28222, Madrid (Spain); Méndez-Alonso, Santiago, E-mail: smendez.sma@gmail.com [Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, c/ Joaquín Rodrigo 2, Majadahonda 28222, Madrid (Spain); Padron, Mario, E-mail: mario.padron@clinicacemtro.com [Department of Radiology, Clínica Cemtro, Avda Ventisquero de la Condesa 42 Madrid 28035, Madrid (Spain)

    2017-03-15

    Highlights: • High resolution sequences at 3-T MRI extend accuracy in hip assessment without any need for intra-articular injection of contrast media. • As compared to 1.5-T MRA, 3-T non-contrast MRI of the hip improves the patient experience and avoids the potential risks of an invasive procedure and contrast media. • Avoiding the need for arthrographic procedures in the Radiology Department improves patient throughput and reduces costs. - Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 3-T non-contrast MRI versus 1.5-T MRA for assessing labrum and articular cartilage lesions in patients with clinical suspicion of femoro-acetabular impingement (FAI). Subjects and methods: Fifty patients (thirty men and twenty women, mean age 42.5 years) underwent 1.5-T MRA, 3-T MRI and arthroscopy on the same hip. An optimized high-resolution proton density spin echo pulse sequence was included in the 3-T non-contrast MRI protocol. Results: The 3-T non-contrast MRI identified forty-two of the forty-three arthroscopically proven tears at the labral-chondral transitional zone (sensitivity, 97.7%; specificity, 100%; positive predictive value (PPV), 100%; negative predictive value (NPV), 87.5%; accuracy 98%). With 1.5-T MRA, forty-four tears were diagnosed. However, there was one false positive (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 85.7%; PPV, 97.7%; NPV, 100%; accuracy 98%). Agreement between arthroscopy and MRI, whether 3-T non-contrast MRI or 1.5-T MRA, as to the degree of chondral lesion in the acetabulum was reached in half of the patients and in the femur in 76% of patients. Conclusion: Non-invasive assessment of the hip is possible with 3-T MR magnet. 3-T non-contrast MRI could replace MRA as the workhorse technique for assessing hip internal damage. MRA would then be reserved for young adults with a strong clinical suspicion of FAI but normal findings on 3-T non-contrast MRI. When compared with 1.5-T MRA, optimized sequences with 3-T non

  12. The diagnostic performance of non-contrast 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (3-T MRI) versus 1.5-Tesla magnetic resonance arthrography (1.5-T MRA) in femoro-acetabular impingement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crespo-Rodríguez, Ana M.; De Lucas-Villarrubia, Jose C.; Pastrana-Ledesma, Miguel; Hualde-Juvera, Ana; Méndez-Alonso, Santiago; Padron, Mario

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • High resolution sequences at 3-T MRI extend accuracy in hip assessment without any need for intra-articular injection of contrast media. • As compared to 1.5-T MRA, 3-T non-contrast MRI of the hip improves the patient experience and avoids the potential risks of an invasive procedure and contrast media. • Avoiding the need for arthrographic procedures in the Radiology Department improves patient throughput and reduces costs. - Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 3-T non-contrast MRI versus 1.5-T MRA for assessing labrum and articular cartilage lesions in patients with clinical suspicion of femoro-acetabular impingement (FAI). Subjects and methods: Fifty patients (thirty men and twenty women, mean age 42.5 years) underwent 1.5-T MRA, 3-T MRI and arthroscopy on the same hip. An optimized high-resolution proton density spin echo pulse sequence was included in the 3-T non-contrast MRI protocol. Results: The 3-T non-contrast MRI identified forty-two of the forty-three arthroscopically proven tears at the labral-chondral transitional zone (sensitivity, 97.7%; specificity, 100%; positive predictive value (PPV), 100%; negative predictive value (NPV), 87.5%; accuracy 98%). With 1.5-T MRA, forty-four tears were diagnosed. However, there was one false positive (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 85.7%; PPV, 97.7%; NPV, 100%; accuracy 98%). Agreement between arthroscopy and MRI, whether 3-T non-contrast MRI or 1.5-T MRA, as to the degree of chondral lesion in the acetabulum was reached in half of the patients and in the femur in 76% of patients. Conclusion: Non-invasive assessment of the hip is possible with 3-T MR magnet. 3-T non-contrast MRI could replace MRA as the workhorse technique for assessing hip internal damage. MRA would then be reserved for young adults with a strong clinical suspicion of FAI but normal findings on 3-T non-contrast MRI. When compared with 1.5-T MRA, optimized sequences with 3-T non

  13. The IPERMOB System for Effective Real-Time Road Travel Time Measurement and Prediction

    OpenAIRE

    Martelli, Francesca; Renda, Maria Elena; Santi, Paolo

    2010-01-01

    Accurate, real-time measurement and estimation of road travel time is considered a central problem in the design of advanced Intelligent Transportation Systems. In particular, whether eective, real-time collection of travel time measurements in a urban area is possible is, to the best of our knowledge, still an open problem. In this paper, we introduce the IPERMOB system for efficient, real-time collection of travel time measurements in urban areas through vehicular networks. We demonstrate t...

  14. Validity of the T-ACE in pregnancy in predicting child outcome and risk drinking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiodo, Lisa M; Sokol, Robert J; Delaney-Black, Virginia; Janisse, James; Hannigan, John H

    2010-01-01

    Preventing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) requires detection of in-pregnancy maternal risk drinking. The widely used T-ACE screen has been applied in various ways, although the impact of those different uses on effectiveness is uncertain. We examined relations among different T-ACE scoring criteria, maternal drinking, and child outcome. Self-reported across-pregnancy maternal drinking was assessed in 75 African-American women. The different T-ACE criteria used varied the level of drinking that defined tolerance (two or three drinks) and the total T-ACE score cut-points (two or three). Receiver operator curves and regression analysis assessed the significance of relations. Increasing the total T-ACE score cut-point to 3 almost doubled specificity in detecting risk drinking whereas maintaining adequate sensitivity, equivalent to that in the original report, and identified substantially more neurobehavioral deficits in children. Redefining tolerance at three drinks did not improve T-ACE effectiveness in predicting outcomes. This study is among the first to show the ability of an in-pregnancy T-ACE assessment to predict child neurodevelopmental outcome. In addition, increasing the total T-ACE score criterion (from 2 to 3) improved identification of non-drinking mothers and unaffected children with little loss in detection of drinkers and affected children. Efficient in-pregnancy screens for risk drinking afford greater opportunities for intervention that could prevent/limit FASDs. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  15. High Fidelity, “Faster than Real-Time” Simulator for Predicting Power System Dynamic Behavior - Final Technical Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Flueck, Alex [Illinois Inst. of Technology, Chicago, IL (United States)

    2017-07-14

    The “High Fidelity, Faster than Real­Time Simulator for Predicting Power System Dynamic Behavior” was designed and developed by Illinois Institute of Technology with critical contributions from Electrocon International, Argonne National Laboratory, Alstom Grid and McCoy Energy. Also essential to the project were our two utility partners: Commonwealth Edison and AltaLink. The project was a success due to several major breakthroughs in the area of large­scale power system dynamics simulation, including (1) a validated faster than real­ time simulation of both stable and unstable transient dynamics in a large­scale positive sequence transmission grid model, (2) a three­phase unbalanced simulation platform for modeling new grid devices, such as independently controlled single­phase static var compensators (SVCs), (3) the world’s first high fidelity three­phase unbalanced dynamics and protection simulator based on Electrocon’s CAPE program, and (4) a first­of­its­ kind implementation of a single­phase induction motor model with stall capability. The simulator results will aid power grid operators in their true time of need, when there is a significant risk of cascading outages. The simulator will accelerate performance and enhance accuracy of dynamics simulations, enabling operators to maintain reliability and steer clear of blackouts. In the long­term, the simulator will form the backbone of the newly conceived hybrid real­time protection and control architecture that will coordinate local controls, wide­area measurements, wide­area controls and advanced real­time prediction capabilities. The nation’s citizens will benefit in several ways, including (1) less down time from power outages due to the faster­than­real­time simulator’s predictive capability, (2) higher levels of reliability due to the detailed dynamics plus protection simulation capability, and (3) more resiliency due to the three­ phase unbalanced simulator’s ability to

  16. Conversion of the thyroxin (T4) in 3,5,3'-triiodothyronin (T3) and 3,3',5'-triiodothyronin (T3 reverse) in human leukocytes suspensions. Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bianco, A.C.; Douglas, C.R.; Marone, M.M.; Scalissi, N.M.; Correa, P.H.S.

    1984-01-01

    The peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones was studied in suspensions of human leukocytes through the evaluation of in vitro generation of T 3 and rT 3 (RIA) from non-radioactive T 4 . Increased in vitro generation of T 3 and rT 3 was observed in suspensions from hyperthyroid patients, while a significant decrease was evidenced when leukocytes from hypothyroid patients were used. These alterations are apparently due to the excess and lack of thyroid hormones, respectively, since they could be reserved in both cases by specific clinical treatment. (author) [pt

  17. CD3+/CD8+ T-cell density and tumoral PD-L1 predict survival irrespective of rituximab treatment in Chinese diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Yunfei; Deng, Lijuan; Song, Yuqin; Lin, Dongmei; Lai, Yumei; Zhou, LiXin; Yang, Lei; Li, Xianghong

    2018-05-10

    To investigate the prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating T-cell density and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). One-hundred-twenty-five Chinese DLBCL patients were enrolled in our study and provided samples; 76 of all cases were treated with rituximab (R). Tumor tissues were immunostained and analyzed for CD3+ and CD8+ tumor-infiltrating T-cell density, tumoral PD-L1, and microenvironmental PD-L1 (mPD-L1). The density of CD3 was rated as high in 33.6% cases, while 64.0% of DLBCLs were classified as high CD8 density. Of all cases, 16.8% were PD-L1+. Of the remaining PD-L1-DLBCLs, 29.8% positively expressed mPD-L1. Both CD3 high density and CD8 high density were associated with mPD-L1 positivity (P = 0.001 and P = 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, independently, high CD3 density predicted better OS (P = 0.023), while CD8 high density and PD-L1 positivity were both associated with prolonged PFS (P = 0.013 and P = 0.036, respectively). Even in the subgroup treated with R, univariate analyses indicated that high CD3 density and PD-L1 positivity were associated with better OS (P = 0.041) and PFS (P = 0.033), respectively. The infiltrating densities of CD3+ T-cells, CD8+ T-cells, and PD-L1 expression are predictive of survival in DLBCLs, irrespective of R usage.

  18. Collaborative Science: Human Sensor Networks for Real-time Natural Disaster Prediction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halem, M.; Yesha, Y.; Aulov, O.; Martineau, J.; Brown, S.; Conte, T.; CenterHybrid Multicore Productivity Research

    2010-12-01

    We have implemented a ‘Human Sensor Network’ as a real time collaborative science data observing system by collecting and integrating the vast untapped information potential of digital social media data sources occurring during the oil spill situation arising from the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico. We collected, and archived blogs, Twitter status updates (aka tweets), photographs posted to Flicker, and videos posted to YouTube related to the Gulf oil spill and processed the meta data, text, and photos to extract quantitative physical data such as locations and estimates of the severity and dispersion of oil being collected on the beaches and marshes, frequencies of observations of tar ball sightings, correlations of sightings from different media, numbers of dead or distressed animals, trends, etc. These data were then introduced into the NOAA operational Gnome oil spill predictive model as time dependent boundary conditions employing a 2-D variational data assimilation scheme. The three participating institutions employed a distributed cloud computing system for the processing and model executions. In this presentation, we conducted preliminary forecast impact tests of the Gnome model with and without the use of social media data using a 2-D variational data assimilation technique. The 2-D VAR is used to adjust the state variables of the model by recursively minimizing the differences between oil spill predictions reaching locations across the entire coastlines of the Gulf of Mexico and the estimated positions of oil derived from analyzed social media data. Ensemble forecasts will be performed to provide estimates of the rates of oil and surface oil distributions emanating from the Deepwater Horizon. We display the derived predictions from the photos and animations from Flicker, YouTube, and extracted content from tweets and blogs in a dynamic representation on very large tiled walls of LCDs at the UCSD Cal IT2 visualization facility. We describe the

  19. The effect of myostatin on proliferation and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Hui Juan; Pan, Hui; Zhang, Xu Zhe; Li, Nai Shi; Wang, Lin Jie; Yang, Hong Bo; Gong, Feng Ying

    2015-06-01

    Myostatin is a critical negative regulator of skeletal muscle development, and has been reported to be involved in the progression of obesity and diabetes. In the present study, we explored the effects of myostatin on the proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl] 2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide spectrophotometry, intracellular triglyceride (TG) assays, and real-time quantitative RT-PCR methods. The results indicated that recombinant myostatin significantly promoted the proliferation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and the expression of proliferation-related genes, including Cyclin B2, Cyclin D1, Cyclin E1, Pcna, and c-Myc, and IGF1 levels in the medium of 3T3-L1 were notably upregulated by 35.2, 30.5, 20.5, 33.4, 51.2, and 179% respectively (all Pmyostatin-treated 3T3-L1 cells. Meanwhile, the intracellular lipid content of myostatin-treated cells was notably reduced as compared with the non-treated cells. Additionally, the mRNA levels of Pparγ, Cebpα, Gpdh, Dgat, Acs1, Atgl, and Hsl were significantly downregulated by 22-76% in fully differentiated myostatin-treated adipocytes. Finally, myostatin regulated the mRNA levels and secretion of adipokines, including Adiponectin, Resistin, Visfatin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes (all Pmyostatin promoted 3T3-L1 proliferation by increasing the expression of cell-proliferation-related genes and by stimulating IGF1 secretion. Myostatin inhibited 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation by suppressing Pparγ and Cebpα expression, which consequently deceased lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells by inhibiting the expression of critical lipogenic enzymes and by promoting the expression of lipolytic enzymes. Finally, myostatin modulated the expression and secretion of adipokines in fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. © 2015 Society for Endocrinology.

  20. Prediction of troponin-T degradation using color image texture features in 10d aged beef longissimus steaks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, X; Chen, K J; Berg, E P; Newman, D J; Schwartz, C A; Keller, W L; Maddock Carlin, K R

    2014-02-01

    The objective was to use digital color image texture features to predict troponin-T degradation in beef. Image texture features, including 88 gray level co-occurrence texture features, 81 two-dimension fast Fourier transformation texture features, and 48 Gabor wavelet filter texture features, were extracted from color images of beef strip steaks (longissimus dorsi, n = 102) aged for 10d obtained using a digital camera and additional lighting. Steaks were designated degraded or not-degraded based on troponin-T degradation determined on d 3 and d 10 postmortem by immunoblotting. Statistical analysis (STEPWISE regression model) and artificial neural network (support vector machine model, SVM) methods were designed to classify protein degradation. The d 3 and d 10 STEPWISE models were 94% and 86% accurate, respectively, while the d 3 and d 10 SVM models were 63% and 71%, respectively, in predicting protein degradation in aged meat. STEPWISE and SVM models based on image texture features show potential to predict troponin-T degradation in meat. © 2013.

  1. 26 CFR 1.170A-12T - Valuation of a remainder interest in real property for contributions made after July 31, 1969...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... depreciation factor. If the valuation of the remainder interest in depreciable property is dependent upon the... 26 Internal Revenue 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Valuation of a remainder interest in real property for contributions made after July 31, 1969 (temporary). 1.170A-12T Section 1.170A-12T Internal...

  2. Unified model for small-t and high-t scattering at high energies: predictions at RHIC and LHC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martynov, E. [National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, N.N. Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kiev (Ukraine); Nicolescu, B. [CNRS and Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Theory Group, Laboratoire de Physique Nucleaire et des Hautes Energies (LPNHE), Paris (France)

    2008-07-15

    The urgency of predictions in the large-t region at LHC stimulated us to present a unified model of small- and high-t scattering at high energies. Our model is based on safe theoretical ground: analyticity, unitarity, Regge behavior, gluon exchange and saturation of bounds established in axiomatic quantum field theory. We make precise predictions for the behavior of the differential cross sections at high t, the evolution of the dip-shoulder structure localized in the region 0.5t vertical stroke t. (orig.)

  3. Predictive value of T2 relative signal intensity for response to somatostatin analogs in newly diagnosed acromegaly

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shen, Ming; Zhang, Qilin [Fudan University, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai (China); Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai (China); Liu, Wenjuan; Li, Yiming; Zhang, Zhaoyun; Ye, Hongying; He, Min; Lu, Bin; Yang, Yeping [Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai (China); Fudan University, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai (China); Wang, Meng [Fudan University, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai (China); Soochow University, Division of Endocrinology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Suzhou (China); Zhu, Jingjing [Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai (China); Fudan University, Department of Neuropathology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai (China); Ma, Zengyi; He, Wenqiang; Li, Shiqi; Shou, Xuefei; Qiao, Nidan; Ye, Zhao; Zhang, Yichao; Zhao, Yao; Wang, Yongfei [Fudan University, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai (China); Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai (China); Yao, Zhenwei [Shanghai Pituitary Tumor Center, Shanghai (China); Fudan University, Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai (China); Lu, Yun [Fudan University, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai (China)

    2016-11-15

    The difficulty of predicting the efficacy of somatostatin analogs (SSA) is not fully resolved. Here, we quantitatively evaluated the predictive value of relative signal intensity (rSI) on T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the short-term efficacy (3 months) of SSA therapy in patients with active acromegaly and assessed the correlation between MRI rSI and expression of somatostatin receptors (SSTR). This was a retrospective review of prospectively recorded data. Ninety-two newly diagnosed patients (37 males and 55 females) with active acromegaly were recruited. All patients were treated with pre-surgical SSA, followed by reassessment and transspenoidal surgery. rSI values were generated by calculating the ratio of SI in the tumor to the SI of normal frontal white matter. The Youden indices were calculated to determine the optimal cutoff of rSI to determine the efficacy of SSA. The correlation between rSI and expression of SSTR2/5 was analyzed by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. T2 rSI was strongly correlated with biochemical sensitivity to SSA. The cutoff value of T2 rSI to distinguish biochemical sensitivity was 1.205, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 81.5 % and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 77.3 %. No correlation was found between MRI and tumor size sensitivity. Moreover, T2 rSI was negatively correlated with the expression of SSTR5. T2 rSI correlates with the expression of SSTR5 and quantitatively predicts the biochemical efficacy of SSA in acromegaly. (orig.)

  4. Predictive value of T2 relative signal intensity for response to somatostatin analogs in newly diagnosed acromegaly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, Ming; Zhang, Qilin; Liu, Wenjuan; Li, Yiming; Zhang, Zhaoyun; Ye, Hongying; He, Min; Lu, Bin; Yang, Yeping; Wang, Meng; Zhu, Jingjing; Ma, Zengyi; He, Wenqiang; Li, Shiqi; Shou, Xuefei; Qiao, Nidan; Ye, Zhao; Zhang, Yichao; Zhao, Yao; Wang, Yongfei; Yao, Zhenwei; Lu, Yun

    2016-01-01

    The difficulty of predicting the efficacy of somatostatin analogs (SSA) is not fully resolved. Here, we quantitatively evaluated the predictive value of relative signal intensity (rSI) on T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the short-term efficacy (3 months) of SSA therapy in patients with active acromegaly and assessed the correlation between MRI rSI and expression of somatostatin receptors (SSTR). This was a retrospective review of prospectively recorded data. Ninety-two newly diagnosed patients (37 males and 55 females) with active acromegaly were recruited. All patients were treated with pre-surgical SSA, followed by reassessment and transspenoidal surgery. rSI values were generated by calculating the ratio of SI in the tumor to the SI of normal frontal white matter. The Youden indices were calculated to determine the optimal cutoff of rSI to determine the efficacy of SSA. The correlation between rSI and expression of SSTR2/5 was analyzed by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. T2 rSI was strongly correlated with biochemical sensitivity to SSA. The cutoff value of T2 rSI to distinguish biochemical sensitivity was 1.205, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 81.5 % and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 77.3 %. No correlation was found between MRI and tumor size sensitivity. Moreover, T2 rSI was negatively correlated with the expression of SSTR5. T2 rSI correlates with the expression of SSTR5 and quantitatively predicts the biochemical efficacy of SSA in acromegaly. (orig.)

  5. Predictive value of T2 relative signal intensity for response to somatostatin analogs in newly diagnosed acromegaly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Ming; Zhang, Qilin; Liu, Wenjuan; Wang, Meng; Zhu, Jingjing; Ma, Zengyi; He, Wenqiang; Li, Shiqi; Shou, Xuefei; Li, Yiming; Zhang, Zhaoyun; Ye, Hongying; He, Min; Lu, Bin; Yao, Zhenwei; Lu, Yun; Qiao, Nidan; Ye, Zhao; Zhang, Yichao; Yang, Yeping; Zhao, Yao; Wang, Yongfei

    2016-11-01

    The difficulty of predicting the efficacy of somatostatin analogs (SSA) is not fully resolved. Here, we quantitatively evaluated the predictive value of relative signal intensity (rSI) on T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the short-term efficacy (3 months) of SSA therapy in patients with active acromegaly and assessed the correlation between MRI rSI and expression of somatostatin receptors (SSTR). This was a retrospective review of prospectively recorded data. Ninety-two newly diagnosed patients (37 males and 55 females) with active acromegaly were recruited. All patients were treated with pre-surgical SSA, followed by reassessment and transspenoidal surgery. rSI values were generated by calculating the ratio of SI in the tumor to the SI of normal frontal white matter. The Youden indices were calculated to determine the optimal cutoff of rSI to determine the efficacy of SSA. The correlation between rSI and expression of SSTR2/5 was analyzed by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. T2 rSI was strongly correlated with biochemical sensitivity to SSA. The cutoff value of T2 rSI to distinguish biochemical sensitivity was 1.205, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 81.5 % and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 77.3 %. No correlation was found between MRI and tumor size sensitivity. Moreover, T2 rSI was negatively correlated with the expression of SSTR5. T2 rSI correlates with the expression of SSTR5 and quantitatively predicts the biochemical efficacy of SSA in acromegaly.

  6. Detailed quantum-chromodynamic predictions for high-p/sub T/ processes

    CERN Document Server

    Owens, J F; Reya, E

    1978-01-01

    High-p/sub T/ single-particle inclusive cross section calculations are presented for the CERN ISR and ISABELLE energy ranges, taking into account all lowest-order hard-scattering subprocesses required by quantum chromodynamics (QCD). The input quark and gluon distribution and fragmentation functions were determined from analyses of deep- inelastic lepton data and were subject to various theoretical constraints such as sum rules and SU(3) symmetry. The authors thoroughly discuss the effects of the individual contributions from fermionic and gluonic subprocesses, as well as those effects stemming from QCD scaling violations in parton distributions and/or fragmentation functions. In particular, the inclusion of the large elastic gluon-gluon and gluon-quark scattering terms has a profound effect on both the normalization and the p/sub T/ dependence of the predictions. The p/sub T/ and theta dependences of single- pi /sup 0/ production are shown to be in good agreement with available data in the region p/sub T/>or...

  7. Experimental study of isospin mixing in 12C + n → 13C(T = 3/2) and 16O + n → 17O(T = 3/2) resonances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cierjacks, S.; Schmalz, G.; Hinterberger, F.; Rossen, P. v.

    1981-12-01

    Narrow resonances of 13 C and 17 O have been studied by a measurement of the total neutron cross sections of carbon and oxygen between 3 and 30 MeV. Employing the improved time-of-flight spectrometer at the Karlsruhe Isochronous Cyclotron and precise calibration methods, resonance cross sections were measured with an energy resolution of 1:2100 at 10 MeV and energy accuracies between 10 -4 and 10 -5 . Resonance analysis of the measured data provided parameters for numerous narrow states of both isospins, T = 1/2 and T = 3/2. These data in conjunction with information from broad T = 1/2 resonances provided a good means to experimentally determine isospin mixing matrix elements. Results were obtained for the first five T = 3/2 resonances in 17 O and the first T = 3/2 resonance in 13 C. The obtained mixing matrix elements are compared with previous experimental results and shell-modell predictions of this quantity. (orig.) [de

  8. A Method to Predict Compressor Stall in the TF34-100 Turbofan Engine Utilizing Real-Time Performance Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-06-01

    A METHOD TO PREDICT COMPRESSOR STALL IN THE TF34-100 TURBOFAN ENGINE UTILIZING REAL-TIME PERFORMANCE...THE TF34-100 TURBOFAN ENGINE UTILIZING REAL-TIME PERFORMANCE DATA THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of Systems Engineering and...036 A METHOD TO PREDICT COMPRESSOR STALL IN THE TF34-100 TURBOFAN ENGINE UTILIZING REAL-TIME PERFORMANCE DATA Shuxiang ‘Albert’ Li, BS

  9. T2 Relaxometry MRI Predicts Cerebral Palsy in Preterm Infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, L-W; Wang, S-T; Huang, C-C; Tu, Y-F; Tsai, Y-S

    2018-01-18

    T2-relaxometry brain MR imaging enables objective measurement of brain maturation based on the water-macromolecule ratio in white matter, but the outcome correlation is not established in preterm infants. Our study aimed to predict neurodevelopment with T2-relaxation values of brain MR imaging among preterm infants. From January 1, 2012, to May 31, 2015, preterm infants who underwent both T2-relaxometry brain MR imaging and neurodevelopmental follow-up were retrospectively reviewed. T2-relaxation values were measured over the periventricular white matter, including sections through the frontal horns, midbody of the lateral ventricles, and centrum semiovale. Periventricular T2 relaxometry in relation to corrected age was analyzed with restricted cubic spline regression. Prediction of cerebral palsy was examined with the receiver operating characteristic curve. Thirty-eight preterm infants were enrolled for analysis. Twenty patients (52.6%) had neurodevelopmental abnormalities, including 8 (21%) with developmental delay without cerebral palsy and 12 (31.6%) with cerebral palsy. The periventricular T2-relaxation values in relation to age were curvilinear in preterm infants with normal development, linear in those with developmental delay without cerebral palsy, and flat in those with cerebral palsy. When MR imaging was performed at >1 month corrected age, cerebral palsy could be predicted with T2 relaxometry of the periventricular white matter on sections through the midbody of the lateral ventricles (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.738; cutoff value of >217.4 with 63.6% sensitivity and 100.0% specificity). T2-relaxometry brain MR imaging could provide prognostic prediction of neurodevelopmental outcomes in premature infants. Age-dependent and area-selective interpretation in preterm brains should be emphasized. © 2018 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

  10. Regulatory T cells predict the time to initial treatment in early stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, Lukas; Melchardt, Thomas; Egle, Alexander; Grabmer, Christoph; Greil, Richard; Tinhofer, Inge

    2011-05-15

    Early stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia is characterized by a highly variable course of disease. Because it is believed that regulatory T cells (T(regs) ) are potent suppressors of antitumor immunity, the authors hypothesized that increased T(regs) may favor disease progression. T(reg) levels (cluster of differentiation 3 [CD3]-positive, [CD4]-positive, CD25-positive, and CD127-negative) in peripheral blood from 102 patients were analyzed by flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was used to evaluate correlations with clinical data. The relative T(reg) numbers in CD4-positive T cells were significantly greater in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia compared with the numbers in a control group of 170 healthy individuals (P = .001). Patients were divided into 2 groups using a median T(reg) value of 9.7% (the percentage of CD4-positive T cells). Patients with higher T(reg) levels had a significantly shorter time to initial treatment (median, 5.9 years) compared with patients who had lower T(reg) levels (median, 11.7 years; log-rank P = .019). Furthermore, T(reg) levels (the percentage of CD4-positive T cells) had significant prognostic power to predict the time to initial treatment in univariate analysis (P = .023) and in multivariate Cox regression analysis that included the variables Rai stage, immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region gene mutational status, chromosomal aberrations, and CD38 expression (P = .028). Higher T(reg) levels had significant and independent prognostic power for predicting the time to initial treatment in patients with low to intermediate stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia. 2010 American Cancer Society.

  11. Study on real-time elevator brake failure predictive system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Jun; Fan, Jinwei

    2013-10-01

    This paper presented a real-time failure predictive system of the elevator brake. Through inspecting the running state of the coil by a high precision long range laser triangulation non-contact measurement sensor, the displacement curve of the coil is gathered without interfering the original system. By analyzing the displacement data using the diagnostic algorithm, the hidden danger of the brake system can be discovered in time and thus avoid the according accident.

  12. Isolation and characterization of NIH 3T3 cells expressing polyomavirus small T antigen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noda, T.; Satake, M.; Robins, T.; Ito, Y.

    1986-01-01

    The polyomavirus small T-antigen gene, together with the polyomavirus promoter, was inserted into retrovirus vector pGV16 which contains the Moloney sarcoma virus long terminal repeat and neomycin resistance gene driven by the simian virus 40 promoter. This expression vector, pGVST, was packaged into retrovirus particles by transfection of PSI2 cells which harbor packaging-defective murine retrovirus genome. NIH 3T3 cells were infected by this replication-defective retrovirus containing pGVST. Of the 15 G418-resistant cell clones, 8 express small T antigen at various levels as revealed by immunoprecipitation. A cellular protein with an apparent molecular weight of about 32,000 coprecipitates with small T antigen. Immunofluorescent staining shows that small T antigen is mainly present in the nuclei. Morphologically, cells expressing small T antigen are indistinguishable from parental NIH 3T3 cells and have a microfilament pattern similar to that in parental NIH 3T3 cells. Cells expressing small T antigen form a flat monolayer but continue to grow beyond the saturation density observed for parental NIH 3T3 cells and eventually come off the culture plate as a result of overconfluency. There is some correlation between the level of expression of small T antigen and the growth rate of the cells. Small T-antigen-expressing cells form small colonies in soft agar. However, the proportion of cells which form these small colonies is rather small. A clone of these cells tested did not form tumors in nude mice within 3 months after inoculation of 10 6 cells per animal. Thus, present studies establish that the small T antigen of polyomavirus is a second nucleus-localized transforming gene product of the virus (the first one being large T antigen) and by itself has a function which is to stimulate the growth of NIH 3T3 cells beyond their saturation density in monolayer culture

  13. Dynamic state estimation and prediction for real-time control and operation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nguyen, P.H.; Venayagamoorthy, G.K.; Kling, W.L.; Ribeiro, P.F.

    2013-01-01

    Real-time control and operation are crucial to deal with increasing complexity of modern power systems. To effectively enable those functions, it is required a Dynamic State Estimation (DSE) function to provide accurate network state variables at the right moment and predict their trends ahead. This

  14. Ozone production in the reaction of T2 and O2 gas: A comparison of experimental results and model predictions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Failor, R.A.; Souers, P.C.; Magnotta, F.

    1992-01-01

    Ozone, predicted to be an important intermediate species in T 2 oxidation, was monitored in situ by UV absorption spectroscopy for 0.01-1.0 mol % T 2 in O 2 (1 atm, 298 K). These are the first measurements of a tritium oxidation reaction intermediate. The experimental results were compared with the predictions of the author's comprehensive model of tritium oxidation. The experimentally determined temporal variation in ozone concentration is qualitatively reproduced by the model. As predicted, the measured initial rate of ozone production varied linearly with the initial T 2 concentration ([T 2 ] o ), but with a value one-third of that predicted. The steady-state ozone concentration ([O 3 ] ss ) a factor of 4 larger than predicted for a 1.0% T 2 -O 2 mixture. Addition of H 2 to the T 2 O 2 mixture, to differentiate between the radiolytic and chemical behavior of the tritium, produced a decrease in [O 3 ] ss which was larger than predicted. Changing the reaction cell surface-to-volume ratio showed indications of minor surface removal of ozone. No reasonable variation in model input parameters brought both the predicted initial ozone production rates and steady-state concentrations of ozone into agreement with the experimental results. Though qualitative agreement was achieved, further studies, with emphasis on surface effects, are necessary to explain quantitative differences and gain a greater understanding of the oxidation mechanism. 27 refs., 11 figs., 4 tabs

  15. Kernel density estimation-based real-time prediction for respiratory motion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruan, Dan

    2010-01-01

    Effective delivery of adaptive radiotherapy requires locating the target with high precision in real time. System latency caused by data acquisition, streaming, processing and delivery control necessitates prediction. Prediction is particularly challenging for highly mobile targets such as thoracic and abdominal tumors undergoing respiration-induced motion. The complexity of the respiratory motion makes it difficult to build and justify explicit models. In this study, we honor the intrinsic uncertainties in respiratory motion and propose a statistical treatment of the prediction problem. Instead of asking for a deterministic covariate-response map and a unique estimate value for future target position, we aim to obtain a distribution of the future target position (response variable) conditioned on the observed historical sample values (covariate variable). The key idea is to estimate the joint probability distribution (pdf) of the covariate and response variables using an efficient kernel density estimation method. Then, the problem of identifying the distribution of the future target position reduces to identifying the section in the joint pdf based on the observed covariate. Subsequently, estimators are derived based on this estimated conditional distribution. This probabilistic perspective has some distinctive advantages over existing deterministic schemes: (1) it is compatible with potentially inconsistent training samples, i.e., when close covariate variables correspond to dramatically different response values; (2) it is not restricted by any prior structural assumption on the map between the covariate and the response; (3) the two-stage setup allows much freedom in choosing statistical estimates and provides a full nonparametric description of the uncertainty for the resulting estimate. We evaluated the prediction performance on ten patient RPM traces, using the root mean squared difference between the prediction and the observed value normalized by the

  16. Prediction of mortality using on-line, self-reported health data: empirical test of the RealAge score.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William R Hobbs

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: We validate an online, personalized mortality risk measure called "RealAge" assigned to 30 million individuals over the past 10 years. METHODS: 188,698 RealAge survey respondents were linked to California Department of Public Health death records using a one-way cryptographic hash of first name, last name, and date of birth. 1,046 were identified as deceased. We used Cox proportional hazards models and receiver operating characteristic (ROC curves to estimate the relative scales and predictive accuracies of chronological age, the RealAge score, and the Framingham ATP-III score for hard coronary heart disease (HCHD in this data. To address concerns about selection and to examine possible heterogeneity, we compared the results by time to death at registration, underlying cause of death, and relative health among users. RESULTS: THE REALAGE SCORE IS ACCURATELY SCALED (HAZARD RATIOS: age 1.076; RealAge-age 1.084 and more accurate than chronological age (age c-statistic: 0.748; RealAge c-statistic: 0.847 in predicting mortality from hard coronary heart disease following survey completion. The score is more accurate than the Framingham ATP-III score for hard coronary heart disease (c-statistic: 0.814, perhaps because self-reported cholesterol levels are relatively uninformative in the RealAge user sample. RealAge predicts deaths from malignant neoplasms, heart disease, and external causes. The score does not predict malignant neoplasm deaths when restricted to users with no smoking history, no prior cancer diagnosis, and no indicated health interest in cancer (p-value 0.820. CONCLUSION: The RealAge score is a valid measure of mortality risk in its user population.

  17. Prediction of Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy Using Offline Analysis of 3-Dimensional Transvaginal Ultrasonographic Data Sets: An Interobserver and Diagnostic Accuracy Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Infante, Fernando; Espada Vaquero, Mercedes; Bignardi, Tommaso; Lu, Chuan; Testa, Antonia C; Fauchon, David; Epstein, Elisabeth; Leone, Francesco P G; Van den Bosch, Thierry; Martins, Wellington P; Condous, George

    2017-12-08

    To assess interobserver reproducibility in detecting tubal ectopic pregnancies by reading data sets from 3-dimensional (3D) transvaginal ultrasonography (TVUS) and comparing it with real-time 2-dimensional (2D) TVUS. Images were initially classified as showing pregnancies of unknown location or tubal ectopic pregnancies on real time 2D TVUS by an experienced sonologist, who acquired 5 3D volumes. Data sets were analyzed offline by 5 observers who had to classify each case as ectopic pregnancy or pregnancy of unknown location. The interobserver reproducibility was evaluated by the Fleiss κ statistic. The performance of each observer in predicting ectopic pregnancies was compared to that of the experienced sonologist. Women were followed until they were reclassified as follows: (1) failed pregnancy of unknown location; (2) intrauterine pregnancy; (3) ectopic pregnancy; or (4) persistent pregnancy of unknown location. Sixty-one women were included. The agreement between reading offline 3D data sets and the first real-time 2D TVUS was very good (80%-82%; κ = 0.89). The overall interobserver agreement among observers reading offline 3D data sets was moderate (κ = 0.52). The diagnostic performance of experienced observers reading offline 3D data sets had accuracy of 78.3% to 85.0%, sensitivity of 66.7% to 81.3%, specificity of 79.5% to 88.4%, positive predictive value of 57.1% to 72.2%, and negative predictive value of 87.5% to 91.3%, compared to the experienced sonologist's real-time 2D TVUS: accuracy of 94.5%, sensitivity of 94.4%, specificity of 94.5%, positive predictive value of 85.0%, and negative predictive value of 98.1%. The diagnostic accuracy of 3D TVUS by reading offline data sets for predicting ectopic pregnancies is dependent on experience. Reading only static 3D data sets without clinical information does not match the diagnostic performance of real time 2D TVUS combined with clinical information obtained during the scan. © 2017 by the American

  18. Application of the three-body model to the reactions 6Li(3He,t 3He)3He and 6Li(3He,3He3He)3H

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haftel, M.I.; Allas, R.G.; Beach, L.A.; Bondelid, R.O.; Petersen, E.L.; Slaus, I.; Lambert, J.M.; Treado, P.A.

    1977-01-01

    Experimental and theoretical cross sections are presented for the 6 Li( 3 He, 3 He 3 He) 3 H and 6 Li( 3 He,t 3 He) 3 He reactions for the symmetric angle pairs 20 0 -20 0 , 28.3 0 -28.3 0 , and 35 0 -35 0 . The theoretical cross sections are calculated in a three-body model where the trions (i.e., mass-3 nuclei) are treated as elementary particles with 6 Li being a 3 He- 3 H bound state. The trion-trion interaction is represented by S wave separable potentials with the breakup cross sections calculated with the tree-body Haftel-Ebenhoeh code. the Coulomb interaction is taken into account by fitting the separable potential parameters to the trion-trion scattering data and is included approximately in the breakup code. The experimental cross sections are compared with both the plane-wave impulse approximation and the three-body model predictions. The plane-wave impulse approximation predicts both the shapes and magnitudes poorly (10 to 20 times experiment). Without Coulomb corrections the three-body model gives good agreement with experiment for the shapes of the spectra with the magnitudes generally being about 40% of experiment for 6 Li( 3 He, 3 He 3 He) 3 H and about 80% for 6 Li( 3 He,t 3 He) 3 He. The Coulomb corrections improve the magnitudes predicted by the three-body model but not the shapes. It is observed that for these reactions S wave separable potentials describe the breakup data much better than they do the two-body trion-trion scattering data. This result should encourage further three-body treatment of these and similar reactions

  19. T3SEdb: data warehousing of virulence effectors secreted by the bacterial Type III Secretion System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tay, Daniel Ming Ming; Govindarajan, Kunde Ramamoorthy; Khan, Asif M; Ong, Terenze Yao Rui; Samad, Hanif M; Soh, Wei Wei; Tong, Minyan; Zhang, Fan; Tan, Tin Wee

    2010-10-15

    Effectors of Type III Secretion System (T3SS) play a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining pathogenicity in the host and therefore the identification of these effectors is important in understanding virulence. However, the effectors display high level of sequence diversity, therefore making the identification a difficult process. There is a need to collate and annotate existing effector sequences in public databases to enable systematic analyses of these sequences for development of models for screening and selection of putative novel effectors from bacterial genomes that can be validated by a smaller number of key experiments. Herein, we present T3SEdb http://effectors.bic.nus.edu.sg/T3SEdb, a specialized database of annotated T3SS effector (T3SE) sequences containing 1089 records from 46 bacterial species compiled from the literature and public protein databases. Procedures have been defined for i) comprehensive annotation of experimental status of effectors, ii) submission and curation review of records by users of the database, and iii) the regular update of T3SEdb existing and new records. Keyword fielded and sequence searches (BLAST, regular expression) are supported for both experimentally verified and hypothetical T3SEs. More than 171 clusters of T3SEs were detected based on sequence identity comparisons (intra-cluster difference up to ~60%). Owing to this high level of sequence diversity of T3SEs, the T3SEdb provides a large number of experimentally known effector sequences with wide species representation for creation of effector predictors. We created a reliable effector prediction tool, integrated into the database, to demonstrate the application of the database for such endeavours. T3SEdb is the first specialised database reported for T3SS effectors, enriched with manual annotations that facilitated systematic construction of a reliable prediction model for identification of novel effectors. The T3SEdb represents a platform for inclusion of

  20. T3SEdb: data warehousing of virulence effectors secreted by the bacterial Type III Secretion System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tong Minyan

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Effectors of Type III Secretion System (T3SS play a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining pathogenicity in the host and therefore the identification of these effectors is important in understanding virulence. However, the effectors display high level of sequence diversity, therefore making the identification a difficult process. There is a need to collate and annotate existing effector sequences in public databases to enable systematic analyses of these sequences for development of models for screening and selection of putative novel effectors from bacterial genomes that can be validated by a smaller number of key experiments. Results Herein, we present T3SEdb http://effectors.bic.nus.edu.sg/T3SEdb, a specialized database of annotated T3SS effector (T3SE sequences containing 1089 records from 46 bacterial species compiled from the literature and public protein databases. Procedures have been defined for i comprehensive annotation of experimental status of effectors, ii submission and curation review of records by users of the database, and iii the regular update of T3SEdb existing and new records. Keyword fielded and sequence searches (BLAST, regular expression are supported for both experimentally verified and hypothetical T3SEs. More than 171 clusters of T3SEs were detected based on sequence identity comparisons (intra-cluster difference up to ~60%. Owing to this high level of sequence diversity of T3SEs, the T3SEdb provides a large number of experimentally known effector sequences with wide species representation for creation of effector predictors. We created a reliable effector prediction tool, integrated into the database, to demonstrate the application of the database for such endeavours. Conclusions T3SEdb is the first specialised database reported for T3SS effectors, enriched with manual annotations that facilitated systematic construction of a reliable prediction model for identification of novel effectors

  1. Real Time Radioactivity Monitoring and its Interface with predictive atmospheric transport modelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raes, F.

    1990-01-01

    After the Chernobyl accident, a programme was initiated at the Joint Research Centre of the Commission of the European Communities named 'Radioactivity Environmental Monitoring' (REM). The main aspects considered in REM are: data handling, atmospheric modelling and data quality control related to radioactivity in the environment. The first REM workshop was held in December 1987: 'Aerosol Measurements and Nuclear Accidents: A Reconsideration'. (CEC EUR 11755 EN). These are the proceedings of the second REM workshop, held in December 1989, dealing with real-time radioactivity monitoring and its interface with predictive atmospheric models. Atmospheric transport models, in applications extending over time scales of the order of a day or more become progressively less reliable to the extent that an interface with real-time radiological field data becomes highly desirable. Through international arrangements for early exchange of information in the event of a nuclear accident (European Community, IAEA) such data might become available on a quasi real-time basis. The question is how best to use such information to improve our predictive capabilities. During the workshop the present status of on-line monitoring networks for airborne radioactivity in the EC Member States has been reviewed. Possibilities were discussed to use data from such networks as soon as they become available, in order to update predictions made with long range transport models. This publication gives the full text of 13 presentations and a report of the Round Table Discussion held afterwards

  2. Real-time detection of musical onsets with linear prediction and sinusoidal modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glover, John; Lazzarini, Victor; Timoney, Joseph

    2011-12-01

    Real-time musical note onset detection plays a vital role in many audio analysis processes, such as score following, beat detection and various sound synthesis by analysis methods. This article provides a review of some of the most commonly used techniques for real-time onset detection. We suggest ways to improve these techniques by incorporating linear prediction as well as presenting a novel algorithm for real-time onset detection using sinusoidal modelling. We provide comprehensive results for both the detection accuracy and the computational performance of all of the described techniques, evaluated using Modal, our new open source library for musical onset detection, which comes with a free database of samples with hand-labelled note onsets.

  3. Big IoT data mining for real-time energy disaggregation in buildings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mocanu, D.C.; Mocanu, E.; Nguyen, H.P.; Gibescu, M.; Liotta, A.

    2017-01-01

    In the smart grid context, the identification and prediction of building energy flexibility is a challenging open question, thus paving the way for new optimized behaviors from the demand side. At the same time, the latest smart meters developments allow us to monitor in real-time the power

  4. Real-Time Noise Prediction of V/STOL Aircraft in Maneuvering Flight, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This proposal outlines a plan for enhancing and integrating new breakthrough technologies to provide accurate real-time noise prediction of V/STOL aircraft in...

  5. Cardiac cine MRI: Comparison of 1.5 T, non-enhanced 3.0 T and blood pool enhanced 3.0 T imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gerretsen, S.C.; Versluis, B.; Bekkers, S.C.A.M.; Leiner, T.

    2008-01-01

    Introduction: Cardiac cine imaging using balanced steady state free precession sequences (bSSFP) suffers from artefacts at 3.0 T. We compared bSSFP cardiac cine imaging at 1.5 T with gradient echo imaging at 3.0 T with and without a blood pool contrast agent. Materials and methods: Eleven patients referred for cardiac cine imaging underwent imaging at 1.5 T and 3.0 T. At 3.0 T images were acquired before and after administration of 0.03 mmol/kg gadofosveset. Blood pool signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), temporal variations in SNR, ejection fraction and myocardial mass were compared. Subjective image quality was scored on a four-point scale. Results: Blood pool SNR increased with more than 75% at 3.0 T compared to 1.5 T (p < 0.001); after contrast administration at 3.0 T SNR increased with 139% (p < 0.001). However, variations in blood pool SNR at 3.0 T were nearly three times as high versus those at 1.5 T in the absence of contrast medium (p < 0.001); after contrast administration this was reduced to approximately a factor 1.4 (p = 0.21). Saturation artefacts led to significant overestimation of ejection fraction in the absence of contrast administration (1.5 T: 44.7 ± 3.1 vs. 3.0 T: 50.7 ± 4.2 [p = 0.04] vs. 3.0 T post contrast: 43.4 ± 2.9 [p = 0.55]). Subjective image quality was highest for 1.5 T (2.8 ± 0.3), and lowest for non-enhanced 3.0 T (1.7 ± 0.6; p = 0.006). Conclusions: GRE cardiac cine imaging at 3.0 T after injection of the blood pool agent gadofosveset leads to improved objective and subjective cardiac cine image quality at 3.0 T and to the same conclusions regarding cardiac ejection fraction compared to bSSFP imaging at 1.5 T

  6. Preoperative 3D FSE T1-Weighted MR Plaque Imaging for Severely Stenotic Cervical ICA: Accuracy of Predicting Emboli during Carotid Endarterectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasushi Ogasawara

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to determine whether preoperative three-dimensional (3D fast spin-echo (FSE T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR plaque imaging for severely stenotic cervical carotid arteries could accurately predict the development of artery-to-artery emboli during exposure of the carotid arteries in carotid endarterectomy (CEA. Seventy-five patients underwent preoperative MR plaque imaging and CEA under transcranial Doppler ultrasonography of the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery. On reformatted axial MR image slices showing the maximum plaque occupation rate (POR and maximum plaque intensity for each patient, the contrast ratio (CR was calculated by dividing the internal carotid artery plaque signal intensity by the sternocleidomastoid muscle signal intensity. For all patients, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC—used to discriminate between the presence and absence of microembolic signals—was significantly greater for the CR on the axial image with maximum plaque intensity (CRmax intensity (0.941 than for that with the maximum POR (0.885 (p < 0.05. For 32 patients in whom both the maximum POR and the maximum plaque density were identified, the AUCs for the CR were 1.000. Preoperative 3D FSE T1-weighted MR plaque imaging accurately predicts the development of artery-to-artery emboli during exposure of the carotid arteries in CEA.

  7. Prognostic implications of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T assay in a real-world population with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magnoni, Marco; Gallone, Guglielmo; Ceriotti, Ferruccio; Vergani, Vittoria; Giorgio, Daniela; Angeloni, Giulia; Maseri, Attilio; Cianflone, Domenico

    2018-09-01

    High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hsTnT) was recently approved for clinical use by the Food and Drug Administration. The transition from contemporary to hsTnT assays requires a thorough understanding of the clinical differences between these assays. HsTnT may provide a more accurate prognostic stratification than contemporary cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS). HsTnT and cTnI were measured in 644 patients with CK-MB negative NSTE-ACS who were enrolled in the prospective multicenter SPAI (Stratificazione Prognostica dell'Angina Instabile) study. Patients were stratified at the 99th percentile reference limit for each assay. The primary endpoint was cardiovascular death (CVD) or non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI); the secondary endpoint was the occurrence of unstable angina (UA). Follow-up lasted 180 days. Patients with hsTnT ≥99th percentile were at higher risk of CVD/MI (30-day: 5.9% vs 0.8%, p  = 0.001; 180-day: 11.1% vs 4.7%, p  = 0.004), also after adjusting for TIMI Risk Score. No significant difference in CVD/MI at 180-day was found between hsTnT-positive/cTnI-negative and hsTnT-negative/cTnI-negative patients (adjHR 1.61, 95% CI 0.74-3.49, p  = 0.232). Occurrence of UA was not differently distributed between hsTnT groups dichotomized at the 99th percentile (12.4% vs 12.5% p  = 0.54). Our investigation on a real-world NSTE-ACS population showed good prognostic performance of hsTnT in the risk stratification of the hard endpoint, but did not demonstrate the improved prognostic ability of hsTnT over contemporary cTn. Neither troponin assay predicted the recurrence of UA, suggesting the acute rise of cardiac troponin as a marker of severity, but not the occurrence of future coronary instability.

  8. Finite element model predicts current density distribution for clinical applications of tDCS and tACS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toralf eNeuling

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS has been applied in numerous scientific studies over the past decade. However, the possibility to apply tDCS in therapy of neuropsychiatric disorders is still debated. While transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS has been approved for treatment of major depression in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, tDCS is not as widely accepted. One of the criticisms against tDCS is the lack of spatial specificity. Focality is limited by the electrode size (35 cm2 are commonly used and the bipolar arrangement. However, a current flow through the head directly from anode to cathode is an outdated view. Finite element (FE models have recently been used to predict the exact current flow during tDCS. These simulations have demonstrated that the current flow depends on tissue shape and conductivity. Toface the challenge to predict the location, magnitude and direction of the current flow induced by tDCS and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS, we used a refined realistic FE modeling approach. With respect to the literature on clinical tDCS and tACS, we analyzed two common setups for the location of the stimulation electrodes which target the frontal lobe and the occipital lobe, respectively. We compared lateral and medial electrode configuration with regard to theirusability. We were able to demonstrate that the lateral configurations yielded more focused stimulation areas as well as higher current intensities in the target areas. The high resolution of our simulation allows one to combine the modeled current flow with the knowledge of neuronal orientation to predict the consequences of tDCS and tACS. Our results not only offer a basis for a deeper understanding of the stimulation sites currently in use for clinical applications but also offer a better interpretation of observed effects.

  9. 3 T MRI of hepatocellular carcinomas in patients with cirrhosis: Does T2-weighted imaging provide added value?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, L.; Liang, C.; Yu, T.; Wang, G.; Li, N.; Sun, H.; Gao, F.; Liu, C.

    2012-01-01

    Aim: To assess whether T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) provides any added value for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis, especially for lesions smaller than 2 cm. Materials and methods: Sixty-five patients with cirrhosis underwent liver 3 T MRI. Images were qualitatively analysed independently by two observers in two separate sessions, including a dynamic enhanced session and a combination of dynamic and T2WI. The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using the alternating free-response receiver operating characteristic. Sensitivity and positive predictive values were calculated for all HCCs and for the subgroup of HCCs that were smaller than 2 cm. Additionally, artefacts on T2WI were evaluated by two observers in consensus. Results: Ninety HCCs (>2 cm n = 36; ≤2 cm n = 54) were detected in 46 patients. For all HCCs and for lesions smaller than 2 cm, the sensitivities were significantly higher for the combined session than the dynamic session alone (p < 0.05). Conversely, for the Az and positive predictive values, there was no significant difference between the two sessions. For smaller HCC, 9% (5/54) and 7% (4/54) of the 54 HCCs were correctly interpreted by observers 1 and 2, respectively, only when T2WI was included. Three false-positive lesions (≤2 cm) were correctly diagnosed by one of the observers after combining T2WI. Conspicuity of only one large HCC was severely reduced by the artefacts from massive ascites. Conclusion: At 3 T liver imaging, combining with T2WI can improve the sensitivity of detection of HCC compared with dynamic MRI alone by increasing observer confidence, especially for lesions smaller than 2 cm. Additionally, T2 image quality was not significantly affected by artefacts.

  10. 3 T MRI of hepatocellular carcinomas in patients with cirrhosis: Does T2-weighted imaging provide added value?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, L.; Liang, C.; Yu, T.; Wang, G.; Li, N.; Sun, H.; Gao, F. [Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan (China); Liu, C., E-mail: liucheng1025@163.com [Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan (China)

    2012-04-15

    Aim: To assess whether T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) provides any added value for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis, especially for lesions smaller than 2 cm. Materials and methods: Sixty-five patients with cirrhosis underwent liver 3 T MRI. Images were qualitatively analysed independently by two observers in two separate sessions, including a dynamic enhanced session and a combination of dynamic and T2WI. The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using the alternating free-response receiver operating characteristic. Sensitivity and positive predictive values were calculated for all HCCs and for the subgroup of HCCs that were smaller than 2 cm. Additionally, artefacts on T2WI were evaluated by two observers in consensus. Results: Ninety HCCs (>2 cm n = 36; {<=}2 cm n = 54) were detected in 46 patients. For all HCCs and for lesions smaller than 2 cm, the sensitivities were significantly higher for the combined session than the dynamic session alone (p < 0.05). Conversely, for the Az and positive predictive values, there was no significant difference between the two sessions. For smaller HCC, 9% (5/54) and 7% (4/54) of the 54 HCCs were correctly interpreted by observers 1 and 2, respectively, only when T2WI was included. Three false-positive lesions ({<=}2 cm) were correctly diagnosed by one of the observers after combining T2WI. Conspicuity of only one large HCC was severely reduced by the artefacts from massive ascites. Conclusion: At 3 T liver imaging, combining with T2WI can improve the sensitivity of detection of HCC compared with dynamic MRI alone by increasing observer confidence, especially for lesions smaller than 2 cm. Additionally, T2 image quality was not significantly affected by artefacts.

  11. A Bayesian network based framework for real-time crash prediction on the basic freeway segments of urban expressways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hossain, Moinul; Muromachi, Yasunori

    2012-03-01

    The concept of measuring the crash risk for a very short time window in near future is gaining more practicality due to the recent advancements in the fields of information systems and traffic sensor technology. Although some real-time crash prediction models have already been proposed, they are still primitive in nature and require substantial improvements to be implemented in real-life. This manuscript investigates the major shortcomings of the existing models and offers solutions to overcome them with an improved framework and modeling method. It employs random multinomial logit model to identify the most important predictors as well as the most suitable detector locations to acquire data to build such a model. Afterwards, it applies Bayesian belief net (BBN) to build the real-time crash prediction model. The model has been constructed using high resolution detector data collected from Shibuya 3 and Shinjuku 4 expressways under the jurisdiction of Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway Company Limited, Japan. It has been specifically built for the basic freeway segments and it predicts the chance of formation of a hazardous traffic condition within the next 4-9 min for a particular 250 meter long road section. The performance evaluation results reflect that at an average threshold value the model is able to successful classify 66% of the future crashes with a false alarm rate less than 20%. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Lepton mixing and CP violation phase in the 3-3-1 model with neutral leptons based on T{sub 13} flavor symmetry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vien, Vo Van, E-mail: wvienk16@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Tay Nguyen University, Le Duan, Buon Ma Thuot, DakLak (Viet Nam)

    2015-08-15

    We study a 3-3-1 model based on non-Abelian discrete symmetry group T{sub 13} which accommodates lepton mixing with non-zero θ{sub 13} and CP violation phase. The neutrinos get small masses and mixing with CP violation phase from S U(3) L antisextets which are all in triplets under T{sub 13}. If both breakings T{sub 13} → Z{sub 3} and Z{sub 3} → {Identity} are taken place in neutrino sector, and T{sub 13} is broken into Z{sub 3} in lepton sector, the realistic neutrino mixing form is obtained as a natural consequence of P{sub l} and T{sub 13} symmetries. The model predicts the lepton mixing with non-zero θ{sub 13}, and also gives a remarkable prediction of Dirac CP violation δ{sub CP} = 292.5∘ in the normal spectrum, and δ {sub CP} = 303.161∘ in the inverted spectrum which is still missing in the neutrino mixing matrix. There exist some regions of model parameters that can fit the experimental data in 2014 on neutrino masses and mixing without perturbation. (author)

  13. Ginkgolide C Suppresses Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes via the AMPK Signaling Pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chian-Jiun Liou

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Ginkgolide C, isolated from Ginkgo biloba leaves, is a flavone reported to have multiple biological functions, from decreased platelet aggregation to ameliorating Alzheimer disease. The study aim was to evaluate the antiadipogenic effect of ginkgolide C in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Ginkgolide C was used to treat differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Cell supernatant was collected to assay glycerol release, and cells were lysed to measure protein and gene expression related to adipogenesis and lipolysis by western blot and real-time PCR, respectively. Ginkgolide C significantly suppressed lipid accumulation in differentiated adipocytes. It also decreased adipogenesis-related transcription factor expression, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein. Furthermore, ginkgolide C enhanced adipose triglyceride lipase and hormone-sensitive lipase production for lipolysis and increased phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK, resulting in decreased activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase for fatty acid synthesis. In coculture with an AMPK inhibitor (compound C, ginkgolide C also improved activation of sirtuin 1 and phosphorylation of AMPK in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. The results suggest that ginkgolide C is an effective flavone for increasing lipolysis and inhibiting adipogenesis in adipocytes through the activated AMPK pathway.

  14. The KM3NeT deep-sea neutrino telescope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Margiotta, Annarita

    2014-12-01

    KM3NeT is a deep-sea research infrastructure being constructed in the Mediterranean Sea. It will host the next generation Cherenkov neutrino telescope and nodes for a deep sea multidisciplinary observatory, providing oceanographers, marine biologists, and geophysicists with real time measurements. The neutrino telescope will complement IceCube in its field of view and exceed it substantially in sensitivity. Its main goal is the detection of high energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin. The detector will have a modular structure with six building blocks, each consisting of about 100 Detection Units (DUs). Each DU will be equipped with 18 multi-PMT digital optical modules. The first phase of construction has started and shore and deep-sea infrastructures hosting the future KM3NeT detector are being prepared in offshore Toulon, France and offshore Capo Passero on Sicily, Italy. The technological solutions for the neutrino detector of KM3NeT and the expected performance of the neutrino telescope are presented and discussed. - Highlights: • A deep-sea research infrastructure is being built in the Mediterranean Sea. • It will host a km{sup 3}-size neutrino telescope and a deep-sea multidisciplinary observatory. • The main goal of the neutrino telescope is the search for Galactic neutrino sources. • A major innovation is adopted in the design of the optical module. • 31 3 in. photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) will be hosted in the same glass sphere.

  15. 1.0 T open-configuration magnetic resonance-guided microwave ablation of pig livers in real time

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Jun; Zhang, Liang; Li, Wang; Mao, Siyue; Wang, Yiqi; Wang, Deling; Shen, Lujun; Dong, Annan; Wu, Peihong

    2015-01-01

    The current fastest frame rate of each single image slice in MR-guided ablation is 1.3 seconds, which means delayed imaging for human at an average reaction time: 0.33 seconds. The delayed imaging greatly limits the accuracy of puncture and ablation, and results in puncture injury or incomplete ablation. To overcome delayed imaging and obtain real-time imaging, the study was performed using a 1.0-T whole-body open configuration MR scanner in the livers of 10 Wuzhishan pigs. A respiratory-triggered liver matrix array was explored to guide and monitor microwave ablation in real-time. We successfully performed the entire ablation procedure under MR real-time guidance at 0.202 s, the fastest frame rate for each single image slice. The puncture time ranged from 23 min to 3 min. For the pigs, the mean puncture time was shorted to 4.75 minutes and the mean ablation time was 11.25 minutes at power 70 W. The mean length and widths were 4.62 ± 0.24 cm and 2.64 ± 0.13 cm, respectively. No complications or ablation related deaths during or after ablation were observed. In the current study, MR is able to guide microwave ablation like ultrasound in real-time guidance showing great potential for the treatment of liver tumors. PMID:26315365

  16. Application of IoT concept on predictive maintenance of industrial equipment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parpala Radu Constantin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The Internet of Things (IoT concept describes an intelligent connectivity of smart devices using the internet network. Nowadays, companies try different approaches for predictive maintenance as a solution to reduce costs and the frequency of maintenance activities. The IoT platforms provide a good support for predictive maintenance as it can integrate information from different machines and manufacturing systems. The main drawback in integrating production system with IoT dedicated platforms is the communication framework, knowing that the main industrial communication protocols are incompatible with modern communication protocols implemented on IoT platforms. In this context, the present paper proposes a new and simple method for on-line monitoring and predictive maintenance of industrial equipment. This method has two features of connected manufacturing. One of these is process monitoring for constant quality assurance, the other one is condition monitoring in order to prevent unplanned downtimes. A case study is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method.

  17. Big Data-Driven Based Real-Time Traffic Flow State Identification and Prediction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hua-pu Lu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available With the rapid development of urban informatization, the era of big data is coming. To satisfy the demand of traffic congestion early warning, this paper studies the method of real-time traffic flow state identification and prediction based on big data-driven theory. Traffic big data holds several characteristics, such as temporal correlation, spatial correlation, historical correlation, and multistate. Traffic flow state quantification, the basis of traffic flow state identification, is achieved by a SAGA-FCM (simulated annealing genetic algorithm based fuzzy c-means based traffic clustering model. Considering simple calculation and predictive accuracy, a bilevel optimization model for regional traffic flow correlation analysis is established to predict traffic flow parameters based on temporal-spatial-historical correlation. A two-stage model for correction coefficients optimization is put forward to simplify the bilevel optimization model. The first stage model is built to calculate the number of temporal-spatial-historical correlation variables. The second stage model is present to calculate basic model formulation of regional traffic flow correlation. A case study based on a real-world road network in Beijing, China, is implemented to test the efficiency and applicability of the proposed modeling and computing methods.

  18. 3D Display of Spacecraft Dynamics Using Real Telemetry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanguk Lee

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available 3D display of spacecraft motion by using telemetry data received from satellite in real-time is described. Telemetry data are converted to the appropriate form for 3-D display by the real-time preprocessor. Stored playback telemetry data also can be processed for the display. 3D display of spacecraft motion by using real telemetry data provides intuitive comprehension of spacecraft dynamics.

  19. A real-time crash prediction model for the ramp vicinities of urban expressways

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moinul Hossain

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Ramp vicinities are arguably the known black-spots on urban expressways. There, while maintaining high speed, drivers need to respond to several complex events such as maneuvering, reading road signs, route planning and maintaining safe distance from other maneuvering vehicles simultaneously which demand higher level of cognitive response to ensure safety. Therefore, any additional discomfort caused by traffic dynamics may induce driving error resulting in a crash. This manuscript presents a methodology for identifying these dynamically forming hazardous traffic conditions near the ramp vicinities with high resolution real-time traffic flow data. It separates the ramp vicinities into four zones – upstream and downstream of entrance and exit ramps, and builds four separate real-time crash prediction models. Around two year (December 2007 to October 2009 crash data as well as their matching traffic sensor data from Shibuya 3 and Shinjuku 4 expressways under the jurisdiction of Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway Company Limited have been utilized for this research. Random multinomial logit, a forest of multinomial logit models, has been used to identify the most important variables. Finally, a real-time modeling method, Bayesian belief net (BBN, has been employed to build the four models using ramp flow, flow and congestion index in the upstream and flow and speed in the downstream of the ramp location as variables. The newly proposed models could predict 50%, 42%, 43% and 55% of the future crashes with around 10% false alarm for the downstream of entrance, downstream of exit, upstream of entrance and upstream of exit ramps respectively. The models can be utilized in combination with various traffic smoothing measures such as ramp metering, variable speed limit, warning messages through variable message signs, etc. to enhance safety near the ramp vicinities.

  20. Real-time distributed economic model predictive control for complete vehicle energy management

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Romijn, Constantijn; Donkers, Tijs; Kessels, John; Weiland, Siep

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, a real-time distributed economic model predictive control approach for complete vehicle energy management (CVEM) is presented using a receding control horizon in combination with a dual decomposition. The dual decomposition allows the CVEM optimization problem to be solved by solving

  1. Measurement of the real part of the forward scattering amplitude by means of the Coulomb-nuclear interference in πsup(+-)p and Ksup(+-)p elastic scattering at incident momenta below 3 GeV/c

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baillon, P.; Bricman, C.; Ferro-Luzzi, M.; Jenni, P.; Perreau, J.M.; Tripp, R.D.; Ypsilantis, T.; Declais, Y.; Seguinot, J.

    1975-01-01

    The differential cross sections for π + p elastic scattering at 0.6, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 GeV/c, for π - p at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 GeV/c, for K + p at 1.2, 1.8, 2.6 GeV/c and for K - p at 0.9, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.6 GeV/c have been measured with an overall accuracy of the order of 1 to 2 per cent in a counter experiment over the angular region corresponding to momentum transfers t between 0.0005 and 0.10 GeV 2 . Making use of the interference effects between the Coulomb and the nuclear interaction, a determination has been done of the magnitude and sign of the real part of the scattering amplitude near t = 0. The πp real parts are compared to the values predicted by the dispersion relations and found to agree quite well. The Ksup(+-)p real parts have been used in a dispersion relation to derive the value of the KNA coupling constant. Two possible values of this coupling constant are found, both much larger than those commonly accepted. One of them agrees well with the value predicted by the SU(3) and SU(6) symmetry schemes. (Author)

  2. Development of VIS/NIR spectroscopic system for real-time prediction of fresh pork quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Haiyun; Peng, Yankun; Zhao, Songwei; Sasao, Akira

    2013-05-01

    Quality attributes of fresh meat will influence nutritional value and consumers' purchasing power. The aim of the research was to develop a prototype for real-time detection of quality in meat. It consisted of hardware system and software system. A VIS/NIR spectrograph in the range of 350 to 1100 nm was used to collect the spectral data. In order to acquire more potential information of the sample, optical fiber multiplexer was used. A conveyable and cylindrical device was designed and fabricated to hold optical fibers from multiplexer. High power halogen tungsten lamp was collected as the light source. The spectral data were obtained with the exposure time of 2.17ms from the surface of the sample by press down the trigger switch on the self-developed system. The system could automatically acquire, process, display and save the data. Moreover the quality could be predicted on-line. A total of 55 fresh pork samples were used to develop prediction model for real time detection. The spectral data were pretreated with standard normalized variant (SNV) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to develop prediction model. The correlation coefficient and root mean square error of the validation set for water content and pH were 0.810, 0.653, and 0.803, 0.098 respectively. The research shows that the real-time non-destructive detection system based on VIS/NIR spectroscopy can be efficient to predict the quality of fresh meat.

  3. Real-time prediction of the occurrence of GLE events

    Science.gov (United States)

    Núñez, Marlon; Reyes-Santiago, Pedro J.; Malandraki, Olga E.

    2017-07-01

    A tool for predicting the occurrence of Ground Level Enhancement (GLE) events using the UMASEP scheme is presented. This real-time tool, called HESPERIA UMASEP-500, is based on the detection of the magnetic connection, along which protons arrive in the near-Earth environment, by estimating the lag correlation between the time derivatives of 1 min soft X-ray flux (SXR) and 1 min near-Earth proton fluxes observed by the GOES satellites. Unlike current GLE warning systems, this tool can predict GLE events before the detection by any neutron monitor (NM) station. The prediction performance measured for the period from 1986 to 2016 is presented for two consecutive periods, because of their notable difference in performance. For the 2000-2016 period, this prediction tool obtained a probability of detection (POD) of 53.8% (7 of 13 GLE events), a false alarm ratio (FAR) of 30.0%, and average warning times (AWT) of 8 min with respect to the first NM station's alert and 15 min to the GLE Alert Plus's warning. We have tested the model by replacing the GOES proton data with SOHO/EPHIN proton data, and the results are similar in terms of POD, FAR, and AWT for the same period. The paper also presents a comparison with a GLE warning system.

  4. Cure modeling in real-time prediction: How much does it help?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ying, Gui-Shuang; Zhang, Qiang; Lan, Yu; Li, Yimei; Heitjan, Daniel F

    2017-08-01

    Various parametric and nonparametric modeling approaches exist for real-time prediction in time-to-event clinical trials. Recently, Chen (2016 BMC Biomedical Research Methodology 16) proposed a prediction method based on parametric cure-mixture modeling, intending to cover those situations where it appears that a non-negligible fraction of subjects is cured. In this article we apply a Weibull cure-mixture model to create predictions, demonstrating the approach in RTOG 0129, a randomized trial in head-and-neck cancer. We compare the ultimate realized data in RTOG 0129 to interim predictions from a Weibull cure-mixture model, a standard Weibull model without a cure component, and a nonparametric model based on the Bayesian bootstrap. The standard Weibull model predicted that events would occur earlier than the Weibull cure-mixture model, but the difference was unremarkable until late in the trial when evidence for a cure became clear. Nonparametric predictions often gave undefined predictions or infinite prediction intervals, particularly at early stages of the trial. Simulations suggest that cure modeling can yield better-calibrated prediction intervals when there is a cured component, or the appearance of a cured component, but at a substantial cost in the average width of the intervals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Measurement of the $t\\bar{t}Z$ and $t\\bar{t}W$ production cross sections in multilepton final states using 3.2 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\\sqrt{s}$ =13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

    CERN Document Server

    Aaboud, Morad; Abbott, Brad; Abdallah, Jalal; Abdinov, Ovsat; Abeloos, Baptiste; Aben, Rosemarie; AbouZeid, Ossama; Abraham, Nicola; Abramowicz, Halina; Abreu, Henso; Abreu, Ricardo; Abulaiti, Yiming; Acharya, Bobby Samir; Adamczyk, Leszek; Adams, David; Adelman, Jahred; Adomeit, Stefanie; Adye, Tim; Affolder, Tony; Agatonovic-Jovin, Tatjana; Agricola, Johannes; Aguilar-Saavedra, Juan Antonio; Ahlen, Steven; Ahmadov, Faig; Aielli, Giulio; Akerstedt, Henrik; Åkesson, Torsten Paul Ake; Akimov, Andrei; Alberghi, Gian Luigi; Albert, Justin; Albrand, Solveig; Alconada Verzini, Maria Josefina; Aleksa, Martin; Aleksandrov, Igor; Alexa, Calin; Alexander, Gideon; Alexopoulos, Theodoros; Alhroob, Muhammad; Ali, Babar; Aliev, Malik; Alimonti, Gianluca; Alison, John; Alkire, Steven Patrick; Allbrooke, Benedict; Allen, Benjamin William; Allport, Phillip; Aloisio, Alberto; Alonso, Alejandro; Alonso, Francisco; Alpigiani, Cristiano; Alstaty, Mahmoud; Alvarez Gonzalez, Barbara; Άlvarez Piqueras, Damián; Alviggi, Mariagrazia; Amadio, Brian Thomas; Amako, Katsuya; Amaral Coutinho, Yara; Amelung, Christoph; Amidei, Dante; Amor Dos Santos, Susana Patricia; Amorim, Antonio; Amoroso, Simone; Amundsen, Glenn; Anastopoulos, Christos; Ancu, Lucian Stefan; Andari, Nansi; Andeen, Timothy; Anders, Christoph Falk; Anders, Gabriel; Anders, John Kenneth; Anderson, Kelby; Andreazza, Attilio; Andrei, George Victor; Angelidakis, Stylianos; Angelozzi, Ivan; Anger, Philipp; Angerami, Aaron; Anghinolfi, Francis; Anisenkov, Alexey; Anjos, Nuno; Annovi, Alberto; Antel, Claire; Antonelli, Mario; Antonov, Alexey; Anulli, Fabio; Aoki, Masato; Aperio Bella, Ludovica; Arabidze, Giorgi; Arai, Yasuo; Araque, Juan Pedro; Arce, Ayana; Arduh, Francisco Anuar; Arguin, Jean-Francois; Argyropoulos, Spyridon; Arik, Metin; Armbruster, Aaron James; Armitage, Lewis James; Arnaez, Olivier; Arnold, Hannah; Arratia, Miguel; Arslan, Ozan; Artamonov, Andrei; Artoni, Giacomo; Artz, Sebastian; Asai, Shoji; Asbah, Nedaa; Ashkenazi, Adi; Åsman, Barbro; Asquith, Lily; Assamagan, Ketevi; Astalos, Robert; Atkinson, Markus; Atlay, Naim Bora; Augsten, Kamil; Avolio, Giuseppe; Axen, Bradley; Ayoub, Mohamad Kassem; Azuelos, Georges; Baak, Max; Baas, Alessandra; Baca, Matthew John; Bachacou, Henri; Bachas, Konstantinos; Backes, Moritz; Backhaus, Malte; Bagiacchi, Paolo; Bagnaia, Paolo; Bai, Yu; Baines, John; Baker, Oliver Keith; Baldin, Evgenii; Balek, Petr; Balestri, Thomas; Balli, Fabrice; Balunas, William Keaton; Banas, Elzbieta; Banerjee, Swagato; Bannoura, Arwa A E; Barak, Liron; Barberio, Elisabetta Luigia; Barberis, Dario; Barbero, Marlon; Barillari, Teresa; Barklow, Timothy; Barlow, Nick; Barnes, Sarah Louise; Barnett, Bruce; Barnett, Michael; Barnovska-Blenessy, Zuzana; Baroncelli, Antonio; Barone, Gaetano; Barr, Alan; Barranco Navarro, Laura; Barreiro, Fernando; Barreiro Guimarães da Costa, João; Bartoldus, Rainer; Barton, Adam Edward; Bartos, Pavol; Basalaev, Artem; Bassalat, Ahmed; Bates, Richard; Batista, Santiago Juan; Batley, Richard; Battaglia, Marco; Bauce, Matteo; Bauer, Florian; Bawa, Harinder Singh; Beacham, James; Beattie, Michael David; Beau, Tristan; Beauchemin, Pierre-Hugues; Bechtle, Philip; Beck, Hans~Peter; Becker, Kathrin; Becker, Maurice; Beckingham, Matthew; Becot, Cyril; Beddall, Andrew; Beddall, Ayda; Bednyakov, Vadim; Bedognetti, Matteo; Bee, Christopher; Beemster, Lars; Beermann, Thomas; Begel, Michael; Behr, Janna Katharina; Belanger-Champagne, Camille; Bell, Andrew Stuart; Bella, Gideon; Bellagamba, Lorenzo; Bellerive, Alain; Bellomo, Massimiliano; Belotskiy, Konstantin; Beltramello, Olga; Belyaev, Nikita; Benary, Odette; Benchekroun, Driss; Bender, Michael; Bendtz, Katarina; Benekos, Nektarios; Benhammou, Yan; Benhar Noccioli, Eleonora; Benitez, Jose; Benjamin, Douglas; Bensinger, James; Bentvelsen, Stan; Beresford, Lydia; Beretta, Matteo; Berge, David; Bergeaas Kuutmann, Elin; Berger, Nicolas; Beringer, Jürg; Berlendis, Simon; Bernard, Nathan Rogers; Bernius, Catrin; Bernlochner, Florian Urs; Berry, Tracey; Berta, Peter; Bertella, Claudia; Bertoli, Gabriele; Bertolucci, Federico; Bertram, Iain Alexander; Bertsche, Carolyn; Bertsche, David; Besjes, Geert-Jan; Bessidskaia Bylund, Olga; Bessner, Martin Florian; Besson, Nathalie; Betancourt, Christopher; Bethke, Siegfried; Bevan, Adrian John; Bhimji, Wahid; Bianchi, Riccardo-Maria; Bianchini, Louis; Bianco, Michele; Biebel, Otmar; Biedermann, Dustin; Bielski, Rafal; Biesuz, Nicolo Vladi; Biglietti, Michela; Bilbao De Mendizabal, Javier; Bilokon, Halina; Bindi, Marcello; Binet, Sebastien; Bingul, Ahmet; Bini, Cesare; Biondi, Silvia; Bjergaard, David Martin; Black, Curtis; Black, James; Black, Kevin; Blackburn, Daniel; Blair, Robert; Blanchard, Jean-Baptiste; Blanco, Jacobo Ezequiel; Blazek, Tomas; Bloch, Ingo; Blocker, Craig; Blum, Walter; Blumenschein, Ulrike; Blunier, Sylvain; Bobbink, Gerjan; Bobrovnikov, Victor; Bocchetta, Simona Serena; Bocci, Andrea; Bock, Christopher; Boehler, Michael; Boerner, Daniela; Bogaerts, Joannes Andreas; Bogavac, Danijela; Bogdanchikov, Alexander; Bohm, Christian; Boisvert, Veronique; Bokan, Petar; Bold, Tomasz; Boldyrev, Alexey; Bomben, Marco; Bona, Marcella; Boonekamp, Maarten; Borisov, Anatoly; Borissov, Guennadi; Bortfeldt, Jonathan; Bortoletto, Daniela; Bortolotto, Valerio; Bos, Kors; Boscherini, Davide; Bosman, Martine; Bossio Sola, Jonathan David; Boudreau, Joseph; Bouffard, Julian; Bouhova-Thacker, Evelina Vassileva; Boumediene, Djamel Eddine; Bourdarios, Claire; Boutle, Sarah Kate; Boveia, Antonio; Boyd, James; Boyko, Igor; Bracinik, Juraj; Brandt, Andrew; Brandt, Gerhard; Brandt, Oleg; Bratzler, Uwe; Brau, Benjamin; Brau, James; Braun, Helmut; Breaden Madden, William Dmitri; Brendlinger, Kurt; Brennan, Amelia Jean; Brenner, Lydia; Brenner, Richard; Bressler, Shikma; Bristow, Timothy Michael; Britton, Dave; Britzger, Daniel; Brochu, Frederic; Brock, Ian; Brock, Raymond; Brooijmans, Gustaaf; Brooks, Timothy; Brooks, William; Brosamer, Jacquelyn; Brost, Elizabeth; Broughton, James; Bruckman de Renstrom, Pawel; Bruncko, Dusan; Bruneliere, Renaud; Bruni, Alessia; Bruni, Graziano; Bruni, Lucrezia Stella; Brunt, Benjamin; Bruschi, Marco; Bruscino, Nello; Bryant, Patrick; Bryngemark, Lene; Buanes, Trygve; Buat, Quentin; Buchholz, Peter; Buckley, Andrew; Budagov, Ioulian; Buehrer, Felix; Bugge, Magnar Kopangen; Bulekov, Oleg; Bullock, Daniel; Burckhart, Helfried; Burdin, Sergey; Burgard, Carsten Daniel; Burghgrave, Blake; Burka, Klaudia; Burke, Stephen; Burmeister, Ingo; Burr, Jonathan Thomas Peter; Busato, Emmanuel; Büscher, Daniel; Büscher, Volker; Bussey, Peter; Butler, John; Buttar, Craig; Butterworth, Jonathan; Butti, Pierfrancesco; Buttinger, William; Buzatu, Adrian; Buzykaev, Aleksey; Cabrera Urbán, Susana; Caforio, Davide; Cairo, Valentina; Cakir, Orhan; Calace, Noemi; Calafiura, Paolo; Calandri, Alessandro; Calderini, Giovanni; Calfayan, Philippe; Caloba, Luiz; Calvente Lopez, Sergio; Calvet, David; Calvet, Samuel; Calvet, Thomas Philippe; Camacho Toro, Reina; Camarda, Stefano; Camarri, Paolo; Cameron, David; Caminal Armadans, Roger; Camincher, Clement; Campana, Simone; Campanelli, Mario; Camplani, Alessandra; Campoverde, Angel; Canale, Vincenzo; Canepa, Anadi; Cano Bret, Marc; Cantero, Josu; Cantrill, Robert; Cao, Tingting; Capeans Garrido, Maria Del Mar; Caprini, Irinel; Caprini, Mihai; Capua, Marcella; Caputo, Regina; Carbone, Ryne Michael; Cardarelli, Roberto; Cardillo, Fabio; Carli, Ina; Carli, Tancredi; Carlino, Gianpaolo; Carminati, Leonardo; Caron, Sascha; Carquin, Edson; Carrillo-Montoya, German D; Carter, Janet; Carvalho, João; Casadei, Diego; Casado, Maria Pilar; Casolino, Mirkoantonio; Casper, David William; Castaneda-Miranda, Elizabeth; Castelijn, Remco; Castelli, Angelantonio; Castillo Gimenez, Victoria; Castro, Nuno Filipe; Catinaccio, Andrea; Catmore, James; Cattai, Ariella; Caudron, Julien; Cavaliere, Viviana; Cavallaro, Emanuele; Cavalli, Donatella; Cavalli-Sforza, Matteo; Cavasinni, Vincenzo; Ceradini, Filippo; Cerda Alberich, Leonor; Cerio, Benjamin; Santiago Cerqueira, Augusto; Cerri, Alessandro; Cerrito, Lucio; Cerutti, Fabio; Cerv, Matevz; Cervelli, Alberto; Cetin, Serkant Ali; Chafaq, Aziz; Chakraborty, Dhiman; Chan, Stephen Kam-wah; Chan, Yat Long; Chang, Philip; Chapman, John Derek; Charlton, Dave; Chatterjee, Avishek; Chau, Chav Chhiv; Chavez Barajas, Carlos Alberto; Che, Siinn; Cheatham, Susan; Chegwidden, Andrew; Chekanov, Sergei; Chekulaev, Sergey; Chelkov, Gueorgui; Chelstowska, Magda Anna; Chen, Chunhui; Chen, Hucheng; Chen, Karen; Chen, Shenjian; Chen, Shion; Chen, Xin; Chen, Ye; Cheng, Hok Chuen; Cheng, Huajie; Cheng, Yangyang; Cheplakov, Alexander; Cheremushkina, Evgenia; Cherkaoui El Moursli, Rajaa; Chernyatin, Valeriy; Cheu, Elliott; Chevalier, Laurent; Chiarella, Vitaliano; Chiarelli, Giorgio; Chiodini, Gabriele; Chisholm, Andrew; Chitan, Adrian; Chizhov, Mihail; Choi, Kyungeon; Chomont, Arthur Rene; Chouridou, Sofia; Chow, Bonnie Kar Bo; Christodoulou, Valentinos; Chromek-Burckhart, Doris; Chudoba, Jiri; Chuinard, Annabelle Julia; Chwastowski, Janusz; Chytka, Ladislav; Ciapetti, Guido; Ciftci, Abbas Kenan; Cinca, Diane; Cindro, Vladimir; Cioara, Irina Antonela; Ciocca, Claudia; Ciocio, Alessandra; Cirotto, Francesco; Citron, Zvi Hirsh; Citterio, Mauro; Ciubancan, Mihai; Clark, Allan G; Clark, Brian Lee; Clark, Michael; Clark, Philip James; Clarke, Robert; Clement, Christophe; Coadou, Yann; Cobal, Marina; Coccaro, Andrea; Cochran, James H; Coffey, Laurel; Colasurdo, Luca; Cole, Brian; Colijn, Auke-Pieter; Collot, Johann; Colombo, Tommaso; Compostella, Gabriele; Conde Muiño, Patricia; Coniavitis, Elias; Connell, Simon Henry; Connelly, Ian; Consorti, Valerio; Constantinescu, Serban; Conti, Geraldine; Conventi, Francesco; Cooke, Mark; Cooper, Ben; Cooper-Sarkar, Amanda; Cormier, Kyle James Read; Cornelissen, Thijs; Corradi, Massimo; Corriveau, Francois; Corso-Radu, Alina; Cortes-Gonzalez, Arely; Cortiana, Giorgio; Costa, Giuseppe; Costa, María José; Costanzo, Davide; Cottin, Giovanna; Cowan, Glen; Cox, Brian; Cranmer, Kyle; Crawley, Samuel Joseph; Cree, Graham; Crépé-Renaudin, Sabine; Crescioli, Francesco; Cribbs, Wayne Allen; Crispin Ortuzar, Mireia; Cristinziani, Markus; Croft, Vince; Crosetti, Giovanni; Cuhadar Donszelmann, Tulay; Cummings, Jane; Curatolo, Maria; Cúth, Jakub; Cuthbert, Cameron; Czirr, Hendrik; Czodrowski, Patrick; D'amen, Gabriele; D'Auria, Saverio; D'Onofrio, Monica; Da Cunha Sargedas De Sousa, Mario Jose; Da Via, Cinzia; Dabrowski, Wladyslaw; Dado, Tomas; Dai, Tiesheng; Dale, Orjan; Dallaire, Frederick; Dallapiccola, Carlo; Dam, Mogens; Dandoy, Jeffrey Rogers; Dang, Nguyen Phuong; Daniells, Andrew Christopher; Dann, Nicholas Stuart; Danninger, Matthias; Dano Hoffmann, Maria; Dao, Valerio; Darbo, Giovanni; Darmora, Smita; Dassoulas, James; Dattagupta, Aparajita; Davey, Will; David, Claire; Davidek, Tomas; Davies, Merlin; Davison, Peter; Dawe, Edmund; Dawson, Ian; Daya-Ishmukhametova, Rozmin; De, Kaushik; de Asmundis, Riccardo; De Benedetti, Abraham; De Castro, Stefano; De Cecco, Sandro; De Groot, Nicolo; de Jong, Paul; De la Torre, Hector; De Lorenzi, Francesco; De Maria, Antonio; De Pedis, Daniele; De Salvo, Alessandro; De Sanctis, Umberto; De Santo, Antonella; De Vivie De Regie, Jean-Baptiste; Dearnaley, William James; Debbe, Ramiro; Debenedetti, Chiara; Dedovich, Dmitri; Dehghanian, Nooshin; Deigaard, Ingrid; Del Gaudio, Michela; Del Peso, Jose; Del Prete, Tarcisio; Delgove, David; Deliot, Frederic; Delitzsch, Chris Malena; Deliyergiyev, Maksym; Dell'Acqua, Andrea; Dell'Asta, Lidia; Dell'Orso, Mauro; Della Pietra, Massimo; della Volpe, Domenico; Delmastro, Marco; Delsart, Pierre-Antoine; DeMarco, David; Demers, Sarah; Demichev, Mikhail; Demilly, Aurelien; Denisov, Sergey; Denysiuk, Denys; Derendarz, Dominik; Derkaoui, Jamal Eddine; Derue, Frederic; Dervan, Paul; Desch, Klaus Kurt; Deterre, Cecile; Dette, Karola; Deviveiros, Pier-Olivier; Dewhurst, Alastair; Dhaliwal, Saminder; Di Ciaccio, Anna; Di Ciaccio, Lucia; Di Clemente, William Kennedy; Di Donato, Camilla; Di Girolamo, Alessandro; Di Girolamo, Beniamino; Di Micco, Biagio; Di Nardo, Roberto; Di Simone, Andrea; Di Sipio, Riccardo; Di Valentino, David; Diaconu, Cristinel; Diamond, Miriam; Dias, Flavia; Diaz, Marco Aurelio; Diehl, Edward; Dietrich, Janet; Diglio, Sara; Dimitrievska, Aleksandra; Dingfelder, Jochen; Dita, Petre; Dita, Sanda; Dittus, Fridolin; Djama, Fares; Djobava, Tamar; Djuvsland, Julia Isabell; Barros do Vale, Maria Aline; Dobos, Daniel; Dobre, Monica; Doglioni, Caterina; Dohmae, Takeshi; Dolejsi, Jiri; Dolezal, Zdenek; Dolgoshein, Boris; Donadelli, Marisilvia; Donati, Simone; Dondero, Paolo; Donini, Julien; Dopke, Jens; Doria, Alessandra; Dova, Maria-Teresa; Doyle, Tony; Drechsler, Eric; Dris, Manolis; Du, Yanyan; Duarte-Campderros, Jorge; Duchovni, Ehud; Duckeck, Guenter; Ducu, Otilia Anamaria; Duda, Dominik; Dudarev, Alexey; Duffield, Emily Marie; Duflot, Laurent; Duguid, Liam; Dührssen, Michael; Dumancic, Mirta; Dunford, Monica; Duran Yildiz, Hatice; Düren, Michael; Durglishvili, Archil; Duschinger, Dirk; Dutta, Baishali; Dyndal, Mateusz; Eckardt, Christoph; Ecker, Katharina Maria; Edgar, Ryan Christopher; Edwards, Nicholas Charles; Eifert, Till; Eigen, Gerald; Einsweiler, Kevin; Ekelof, Tord; El Kacimi, Mohamed; Ellajosyula, Venugopal; Ellert, Mattias; Elles, Sabine; Ellinghaus, Frank; Elliot, Alison; Ellis, Nicolas; Elmsheuser, Johannes; Elsing, Markus; Emeliyanov, Dmitry; Enari, Yuji; Endner, Oliver Chris; Endo, Masaki; Ennis, Joseph Stanford; Erdmann, Johannes; Ereditato, Antonio; Ernis, Gunar; Ernst, Jesse; Ernst, Michael; Errede, Steven; Ertel, Eugen; Escalier, Marc; Esch, Hendrik; Escobar, Carlos; Esposito, Bellisario; Etienvre, Anne-Isabelle; Etzion, Erez; Evans, Hal; Ezhilov, Alexey; Fabbri, Federica; Fabbri, Laura; Facini, Gabriel; Fakhrutdinov, Rinat; Falciano, Speranza; Falla, Rebecca Jane; Faltova, Jana; Fang, Yaquan; Fanti, Marcello; Farbin, Amir; Farilla, Addolorata; Farina, Christian; Farina, Edoardo Maria; Farooque, Trisha; Farrell, Steven; Farrington, Sinead; Farthouat, Philippe; Fassi, Farida; Fassnacht, Patrick; Fassouliotis, Dimitrios; Faucci Giannelli, Michele; Favareto, Andrea; Fawcett, William James; Fayard, Louis; Fedin, Oleg; Fedorko, Wojciech; Feigl, Simon; Feligioni, Lorenzo; Feng, Cunfeng; Feng, Eric; Feng, Haolu; Fenyuk, Alexander; Feremenga, Last; Fernandez Martinez, Patricia; Fernandez Perez, Sonia; Ferrando, James; Ferrari, Arnaud; Ferrari, Pamela; Ferrari, Roberto; Ferreira de Lima, Danilo Enoque; Ferrer, Antonio; Ferrere, Didier; Ferretti, Claudio; Ferretto Parodi, Andrea; Fiedler, Frank; Filipčič, Andrej; Filipuzzi, Marco; Filthaut, Frank; Fincke-Keeler, Margret; Finelli, Kevin Daniel; Fiolhais, Miguel; Fiorini, Luca; Firan, Ana; Fischer, Adam; Fischer, Cora; Fischer, Julia; Fisher, Wade Cameron; Flaschel, Nils; Fleck, Ivor; Fleischmann, Philipp; Fletcher, Gareth Thomas; Fletcher, Rob Roy MacGregor; Flick, Tobias; Floderus, Anders; Flores Castillo, Luis; Flowerdew, Michael; Forcolin, Giulio Tiziano; Formica, Andrea; Forti, Alessandra; Foster, Andrew Geoffrey; Fournier, Daniel; Fox, Harald; Fracchia, Silvia; Francavilla, Paolo; Franchini, Matteo; Francis, David; Franconi, Laura; Franklin, Melissa; Frate, Meghan; Fraternali, Marco; Freeborn, David; Fressard-Batraneanu, Silvia; Friedrich, Felix; Froidevaux, Daniel; Frost, James; Fukunaga, Chikara; Fullana Torregrosa, Esteban; Fusayasu, Takahiro; Fuster, Juan; Gabaldon, Carolina; Gabizon, Ofir; Gabrielli, Alessandro; Gabrielli, Andrea; Gach, Grzegorz; Gadatsch, Stefan; Gadomski, Szymon; Gagliardi, Guido; Gagnon, Louis Guillaume; Gagnon, Pauline; Galea, Cristina; Galhardo, Bruno; Gallas, Elizabeth; Gallop, Bruce; Gallus, Petr; Galster, Gorm Aske Gram Krohn; Gan, KK; Gao, Jun; Gao, Yanyan; Gao, Yongsheng; Garay Walls, Francisca; García, Carmen; García Navarro, José Enrique; Garcia-Sciveres, Maurice; Gardner, Robert; Garelli, Nicoletta; Garonne, Vincent; Gascon Bravo, Alberto; Gatti, Claudio; Gaudiello, Andrea; Gaudio, Gabriella; Gaur, Bakul; Gauthier, Lea; Gavrilenko, Igor; Gay, Colin; Gaycken, Goetz; Gazis, Evangelos; Gecse, Zoltan; Gee, Norman; Geich-Gimbel, Christoph; Geisen, Marc; Geisler, Manuel Patrice; Gemme, Claudia; Genest, Marie-Hélène; Geng, Cong; Gentile, Simonetta; George, Simon; Gerbaudo, Davide; Gershon, Avi; Ghasemi, Sara; Ghazlane, Hamid; Ghneimat, Mazuza; Giacobbe, Benedetto; Giagu, Stefano; Giannetti, Paola; Gibbard, Bruce; Gibson, Stephen; Gignac, Matthew; Gilchriese, Murdock; Gillam, Thomas; Gillberg, Dag; Gilles, Geoffrey; Gingrich, Douglas; Giokaris, Nikos; Giordani, MarioPaolo; Giorgi, Filippo Maria; Giorgi, Francesco Michelangelo; Giraud, Pierre-Francois; Giromini, Paolo; Giugni, Danilo; Giuli, Francesco; Giuliani, Claudia; Giulini, Maddalena; Gjelsten, Børge Kile; Gkaitatzis, Stamatios; Gkialas, Ioannis; Gkougkousis, Evangelos Leonidas; Gladilin, Leonid; Glasman, Claudia; Glatzer, Julian; Glaysher, Paul; Glazov, Alexandre; Goblirsch-Kolb, Maximilian; Godlewski, Jan; Goldfarb, Steven; Golling, Tobias; Golubkov, Dmitry; Gomes, Agostinho; Gonçalo, Ricardo; Goncalves Pinto Firmino Da Costa, Joao; Gonella, Giulia; Gonella, Laura; Gongadze, Alexi; González de la Hoz, Santiago; Gonzalez Parra, Garoe; Gonzalez-Sevilla, Sergio; Goossens, Luc; Gorbounov, Petr Andreevich; Gordon, Howard; Gorelov, Igor; Gorini, Benedetto; Gorini, Edoardo; Gorišek, Andrej; Gornicki, Edward; Goshaw, Alfred; Gössling, Claus; Gostkin, Mikhail Ivanovitch; Goudet, Christophe Raymond; Goujdami, Driss; Goussiou, Anna; Govender, Nicolin; Gozani, Eitan; Graber, Lars; Grabowska-Bold, Iwona; Gradin, Per Olov Joakim; Grafström, Per; Gramling, Johanna; Gramstad, Eirik; Grancagnolo, Sergio; Gratchev, Vadim; Gravila, Paul Mircea; Gray, Heather; Graziani, Enrico; Greenwood, Zeno Dixon; Grefe, Christian; Gregersen, Kristian; Gregor, Ingrid-Maria; Grenier, Philippe; Grevtsov, Kirill; Griffiths, Justin; Grillo, Alexander; Grimm, Kathryn; Grinstein, Sebastian; Gris, Philippe Luc Yves; Grivaz, Jean-Francois; Groh, Sabrina; Grohs, Johannes Philipp; Gross, Eilam; Grosse-Knetter, Joern; Grossi, Giulio Cornelio; Grout, Zara Jane; Guan, Liang; Guan, Wen; Guenther, Jaroslav; Guescini, Francesco; Guest, Daniel; Gueta, Orel; Guido, Elisa; Guillemin, Thibault; Guindon, Stefan; Gul, Umar; Gumpert, Christian; Guo, Jun; Guo, Yicheng; Gupta, Shaun; Gustavino, Giuliano; Gutierrez, Phillip; Gutierrez Ortiz, Nicolas Gilberto; Gutschow, Christian; Guyot, Claude; Gwenlan, Claire; Gwilliam, Carl; Haas, Andy; Haber, Carl; Hadavand, Haleh Khani; Haddad, Nacim; Hadef, Asma; Haefner, Petra; Hageböck, Stephan; Hajduk, Zbigniew; Hakobyan, Hrachya; Haleem, Mahsana; Haley, Joseph; Halladjian, Garabed; Hallewell, Gregory David; Hamacher, Klaus; Hamal, Petr; Hamano, Kenji; Hamilton, Andrew; Hamity, Guillermo Nicolas; Hamnett, Phillip George; Han, Liang; Hanagaki, Kazunori; Hanawa, Keita; Hance, Michael; Haney, Bijan; Hanke, Paul; Hanna, Remie; Hansen, Jørgen Beck; Hansen, Jorn Dines; Hansen, Maike Christina; Hansen, Peter Henrik; Hara, Kazuhiko; Hard, Andrew; Harenberg, Torsten; Hariri, Faten; Harkusha, Siarhei; Harrington, Robert; Harrison, Paul Fraser; Hartjes, Fred; Hartmann, Nikolai Marcel; Hasegawa, Makoto; Hasegawa, Yoji; Hasib, A; Hassani, Samira; Haug, Sigve; Hauser, Reiner; Hauswald, Lorenz; Havranek, Miroslav; Hawkes, Christopher; Hawkings, Richard John; Hayden, Daniel; Hays, Chris; Hays, Jonathan Michael; Hayward, Helen; Haywood, Stephen; Head, Simon; Heck, Tobias; Hedberg, Vincent; Heelan, Louise; Heim, Sarah; Heim, Timon; Heinemann, Beate; Heinrich, Jochen Jens; Heinrich, Lukas; Heinz, Christian; Hejbal, Jiri; Helary, Louis; Hellman, Sten; Helsens, Clement; Henderson, James; Henderson, Robert; Heng, Yang; Henkelmann, Steffen; Henriques Correia, Ana Maria; Henrot-Versille, Sophie; Herbert, Geoffrey Henry; Hernández Jiménez, Yesenia; Herten, Gregor; Hertenberger, Ralf; Hervas, Luis; Hesketh, Gavin Grant; Hessey, Nigel; Hetherly, Jeffrey Wayne; Hickling, Robert; Higón-Rodriguez, Emilio; Hill, Ewan; Hill, John; Hiller, Karl Heinz; Hillier, Stephen; Hinchliffe, Ian; Hines, Elizabeth; Hinman, Rachel Reisner; Hirose, Minoru; Hirschbuehl, Dominic; Hobbs, John; Hod, Noam; Hodgkinson, Mark; Hodgson, Paul; Hoecker, Andreas; Hoeferkamp, Martin; Hoenig, Friedrich; Hohn, David; Holmes, Tova Ray; Homann, Michael; Hong, Tae Min; Hooberman, Benjamin Henry; Hopkins, Walter; Horii, Yasuyuki; Horton, Arthur James; Hostachy, Jean-Yves; Hou, Suen; Hoummada, Abdeslam; Howarth, James; Hrabovsky, Miroslav; Hristova, Ivana; Hrivnac, Julius; Hryn'ova, Tetiana; Hrynevich, Aliaksei; Hsu, Catherine; Hsu, Pai-hsien Jennifer; Hsu, Shih-Chieh; Hu, Diedi; Hu, Qipeng; Huang, Yanping; Hubacek, Zdenek; Hubaut, Fabrice; Huegging, Fabian; Huffman, Todd Brian; Hughes, Emlyn; Hughes, Gareth; Huhtinen, Mika; Huo, Peng; Huseynov, Nazim; Huston, Joey; Huth, John; Iacobucci, Giuseppe; Iakovidis, Georgios; Ibragimov, Iskander; Iconomidou-Fayard, Lydia; Ideal, Emma; Idrissi, Zineb; Iengo, Paolo; Igonkina, Olga; Iizawa, Tomoya; Ikegami, Yoichi; Ikeno, Masahiro; Ilchenko, Yuriy; Iliadis, Dimitrios; Ilic, Nikolina; Ince, Tayfun; Introzzi, Gianluca; Ioannou, Pavlos; Iodice, Mauro; Iordanidou, Kalliopi; Ippolito, Valerio; Ishijima, Naoki; Ishino, Masaya; Ishitsuka, Masaki; Ishmukhametov, Renat; Issever, Cigdem; Istin, Serhat; Ito, Fumiaki; Iturbe Ponce, Julia Mariana; Iuppa, Roberto; Iwanski, Wieslaw; Iwasaki, Hiroyuki; Izen, Joseph; Izzo, Vincenzo; Jabbar, Samina; Jackson, Brett; Jackson, Matthew; Jackson, Paul; Jain, Vivek; Jakobi, Katharina Bianca; Jakobs, Karl; Jakobsen, Sune; Jakoubek, Tomas; Jamin, David Olivier; Jana, Dilip; Jansen, Eric; Jansky, Roland; Janssen, Jens; Janus, Michel; Jarlskog, Göran; Javadov, Namig; Javůrek, Tomáš; Jeanneau, Fabien; Jeanty, Laura; Jeng, Geng-yuan; Jennens, David; Jenni, Peter; Jentzsch, Jennifer; Jeske, Carl; Jézéquel, Stéphane; Ji, Haoshuang; Jia, Jiangyong; Jiang, Hai; Jiang, Yi; Jiggins, Stephen; Jimenez Pena, Javier; Jin, Shan; Jinaru, Adam; Jinnouchi, Osamu; Johansson, Per; Johns, Kenneth; Johnson, William Joseph; Jon-And, Kerstin; Jones, Graham; Jones, Roger; Jones, Sarah; Jones, Tim; Jongmanns, Jan; Jorge, Pedro; Jovicevic, Jelena; Ju, Xiangyang; Juste Rozas, Aurelio; Köhler, Markus Konrad; Kaczmarska, Anna; Kado, Marumi; Kagan, Harris; Kagan, Michael; Kahn, Sebastien Jonathan; Kajomovitz, Enrique; Kalderon, Charles William; Kaluza, Adam; Kama, Sami; Kamenshchikov, Andrey; Kanaya, Naoko; Kaneti, Steven; Kanjir, Luka; Kantserov, Vadim; Kanzaki, Junichi; Kaplan, Benjamin; Kaplan, Laser Seymour; Kapliy, Anton; Kar, Deepak; Karakostas, Konstantinos; Karamaoun, Andrew; Karastathis, Nikolaos; Kareem, Mohammad Jawad; Karentzos, Efstathios; Karnevskiy, Mikhail; Karpov, Sergey; Karpova, Zoya; Karthik, Krishnaiyengar; Kartvelishvili, Vakhtang; Karyukhin, Andrey; Kasahara, Kota; Kashif, Lashkar; Kass, Richard; Kastanas, Alex; Kataoka, Yousuke; Kato, Chikuma; Katre, Akshay; Katzy, Judith; Kawade, Kentaro; Kawagoe, Kiyotomo; Kawamoto, Tatsuo; Kawamura, Gen; Kazama, Shingo; Kazanin, Vassili; Keeler, Richard; Kehoe, Robert; Keller, John; Kempster, Jacob Julian; Keoshkerian, Houry; Kepka, Oldrich; Kerševan, Borut Paul; Kersten, Susanne; Keyes, Robert; Khader, Mazin; Khalil-zada, Farkhad; Khanov, Alexander; Kharlamov, Alexey; Khoo, Teng Jian; Khovanskiy, Valery; Khramov, Evgeniy; Khubua, Jemal; Kido, Shogo; Kim, Hee Yeun; Kim, Shinhong; Kim, Young-Kee; Kimura, Naoki; Kind, Oliver Maria; King, Barry; King, Matthew; King, Samuel Burton; Kirk, Julie; Kiryunin, Andrey; Kishimoto, Tomoe; Kisielewska, Danuta; Kiss, Florian; Kiuchi, Kenji; Kivernyk, Oleh; Kladiva, Eduard; Klein, Matthew Henry; Klein, Max; Klein, Uta; Kleinknecht, Konrad; Klimek, Pawel; Klimentov, Alexei; Klingenberg, Reiner; Klinger, Joel Alexander; Klioutchnikova, Tatiana; Kluge, Eike-Erik; Kluit, Peter; Kluth, Stefan; Knapik, Joanna; Kneringer, Emmerich; Knoops, Edith; Knue, Andrea; Kobayashi, Aine; Kobayashi, Dai; Kobayashi, Tomio; Kobel, Michael; Kocian, Martin; Kodys, Peter; Koffas, Thomas; Koffeman, Els; Koi, Tatsumi; Kolanoski, Hermann; Kolb, Mathis; Koletsou, Iro; Komar, Aston; Komori, Yuto; Kondo, Takahiko; Kondrashova, Nataliia; Köneke, Karsten; König, Adriaan; Kono, Takanori; Konoplich, Rostislav; Konstantinidis, Nikolaos; Kopeliansky, Revital; Koperny, Stefan; Köpke, Lutz; Kopp, Anna Katharina; Korcyl, Krzysztof; Kordas, Kostantinos; Korn, Andreas; Korol, Aleksandr; Korolkov, Ilya; Korolkova, Elena; Kortner, Oliver; Kortner, Sandra; Kosek, Tomas; Kostyukhin, Vadim; Kotwal, Ashutosh; Kourkoumeli-Charalampidi, Athina; Kourkoumelis, Christine; Kouskoura, Vasiliki; Kowalewska, Anna Bozena; Kowalewski, Robert Victor; Kowalski, Tadeusz; Kozakai, Chihiro; Kozanecki, Witold; Kozhin, Anatoly; Kramarenko, Viktor; Kramberger, Gregor; Krasnopevtsev, Dimitriy; Krasny, Mieczyslaw Witold; Krasznahorkay, Attila; Kraus, Jana; Kravchenko, Anton; Kretz, Moritz; Kretzschmar, Jan; Kreutzfeldt, Kristof; Krieger, Peter; Krizka, Karol; Kroeninger, Kevin; Kroha, Hubert; Kroll, Joe; Kroseberg, Juergen; Krstic, Jelena; Kruchonak, Uladzimir; Krüger, Hans; Krumnack, Nils; Kruse, Amanda; Kruse, Mark; Kruskal, Michael; Kubota, Takashi; Kucuk, Hilal; Kuday, Sinan; Kuechler, Jan Thomas; Kuehn, Susanne; Kugel, Andreas; Kuger, Fabian; Kuhl, Andrew; Kuhl, Thorsten; Kukhtin, Victor; Kukla, Romain; Kulchitsky, Yuri; Kuleshov, Sergey; Kuna, Marine; Kunigo, Takuto; Kupco, Alexander; Kurashige, Hisaya; Kurochkin, Yurii; Kus, Vlastimil; Kuwertz, Emma Sian; Kuze, Masahiro; Kvita, Jiri; Kwan, Tony; Kyriazopoulos, Dimitrios; La Rosa, Alessandro; La Rosa Navarro, Jose Luis; La Rotonda, Laura; Lacasta, Carlos; Lacava, Francesco; Lacey, James; Lacker, Heiko; Lacour, Didier; Lacuesta, Vicente Ramón; Ladygin, Evgueni; Lafaye, Remi; Laforge, Bertrand; Lagouri, Theodota; Lai, Stanley; Lammers, Sabine; Lampl, Walter; Lançon, Eric; Landgraf, Ulrich; Landon, Murrough; Lang, Valerie Susanne; Lange, J örn Christian; Lankford, Andrew; Lanni, Francesco; Lantzsch, Kerstin; Lanza, Agostino; Laplace, Sandrine; Lapoire, Cecile; Laporte, Jean-Francois; Lari, Tommaso; Lasagni Manghi, Federico; Lassnig, Mario; Laurelli, Paolo; Lavrijsen, Wim; Law, Alexander; Laycock, Paul; Lazovich, Tomo; Lazzaroni, Massimo; Le, Brian; Le Dortz, Olivier; Le Guirriec, Emmanuel; Le Quilleuc, Eloi; LeBlanc, Matthew Edgar; LeCompte, Thomas; Ledroit-Guillon, Fabienne Agnes Marie; Lee, Claire Alexandra; Lee, Shih-Chang; Lee, Lawrence; Lefebvre, Guillaume; Lefebvre, Michel; Legger, Federica; Leggett, Charles; Lehan, Allan; Lehmann Miotto, Giovanna; Lei, Xiaowen; Leight, William Axel; Leisos, Antonios; Leister, Andrew Gerard; Leite, Marco Aurelio Lisboa; Leitner, Rupert; Lellouch, Daniel; Lemmer, Boris; Leney, Katharine; Lenz, Tatjana; Lenzi, Bruno; Leone, Robert; Leone, Sandra; Leonidopoulos, Christos; Leontsinis, Stefanos; Lerner, Giuseppe; Leroy, Claude; Lesage, Arthur; Lester, Christopher; Levchenko, Mikhail; Levêque, Jessica; Levin, Daniel; Levinson, Lorne; Levy, Mark; Lewis, Dave; Leyko, Agnieszka; Leyton, Michael; Li, Bing; Li, Haifeng; Li, Ho Ling; Li, Lei; Li, Liang; Li, Qi; Li, Shu; Li, Xingguo; Li, Yichen; Liang, Zhijun; Liberti, Barbara; Liblong, Aaron; Lichard, Peter; Lie, Ki; Liebal, Jessica; Liebig, Wolfgang; Limosani, Antonio; Lin, Simon; Lin, Tai-Hua; Lindquist, Brian Edward; Lionti, Anthony Eric; Lipeles, Elliot; Lipniacka, Anna; Lisovyi, Mykhailo; Liss, Tony; Lister, Alison; Litke, Alan; Liu, Bo; Liu, Dong; Liu, Hao; Liu, Hongbin; Liu, Jian; Liu, Jianbei; Liu, Kun; Liu, Lulu; Liu, Miaoyuan; Liu, Minghui; Liu, Yanlin; Liu, Yanwen; Livan, Michele; Lleres, Annick; Llorente Merino, Javier; Lloyd, Stephen; Lo Sterzo, Francesco; Lobodzinska, Ewelina Maria; Loch, Peter; Lockman, William; Loebinger, Fred; Loevschall-Jensen, Ask Emil; Loew, Kevin Michael; Loginov, Andrey; Lohse, Thomas; Lohwasser, Kristin; Lokajicek, Milos; Long, Brian Alexander; Long, Jonathan David; Long, Robin Eamonn; Longo, Luigi; Looper, Kristina Anne; Lopes, Lourenco; Lopez Mateos, David; Lopez Paredes, Brais; Lopez Paz, Ivan; Lopez Solis, Alvaro; Lorenz, Jeanette; Lorenzo Martinez, Narei; Losada, Marta; Lösel, Philipp Jonathan; Lou, XinChou; Lounis, Abdenour; Love, Jeremy; Love, Peter; Lu, Haonan; Lu, Nan; Lubatti, Henry; Luci, Claudio; Lucotte, Arnaud; Luedtke, Christian; Luehring, Frederick; Lukas, Wolfgang; Luminari, Lamberto; Lundberg, Olof; Lund-Jensen, Bengt; Luzi, Pierre Marc; Lynn, David; Lysak, Roman; Lytken, Else; Lyubushkin, Vladimir; Ma, Hong; Ma, Lian Liang; Ma, Yanhui; Maccarrone, Giovanni; Macchiolo, Anna; Macdonald, Calum Michael; Maček, Boštjan; Machado Miguens, Joana; Madaffari, Daniele; Madar, Romain; Maddocks, Harvey Jonathan; Mader, Wolfgang; Madsen, Alexander; Maeda, Junpei; Maeland, Steffen; Maeno, Tadashi; Maevskiy, Artem; Magradze, Erekle; Mahlstedt, Joern; Maiani, Camilla; Maidantchik, Carmen; Maier, Andreas Alexander; Maier, Thomas; Maio, Amélia; Majewski, Stephanie; Makida, Yasuhiro; Makovec, Nikola; Malaescu, Bogdan; Malecki, Pawel; Maleev, Victor; Malek, Fairouz; Mallik, Usha; Malon, David; Malone, Caitlin; Maltezos, Stavros; Malyukov, Sergei; Mamuzic, Judita; Mancini, Giada; Mandelli, Beatrice; Mandelli, Luciano; Mandić, Igor; Maneira, José; Manhaes de Andrade Filho, Luciano; Manjarres Ramos, Joany; Mann, Alexander; Manousos, Athanasios; Mansoulie, Bruno; Mansour, Jason Dhia; Mantifel, Rodger; Mantoani, Matteo; Manzoni, Stefano; Mapelli, Livio; Marceca, Gino; March, Luis; Marchiori, Giovanni; Marcisovsky, Michal; Marjanovic, Marija; Marley, Daniel; Marroquim, Fernando; Marsden, Stephen Philip; Marshall, Zach; Marti-Garcia, Salvador; Martin, Brian Thomas; Martin, Tim; Martin, Victoria Jane; Martin dit Latour, Bertrand; Martinez, Mario; Martinez Outschoorn, Verena; Martin-Haugh, Stewart; Martoiu, Victor Sorin; Martyniuk, Alex; Marx, Marilyn; Marzin, Antoine; Masetti, Lucia; Mashimo, Tetsuro; Mashinistov, Ruslan; Masik, Jiri; Maslennikov, Alexey; Massa, Ignazio; Massa, Lorenzo; Mastrandrea, Paolo; Mastroberardino, Anna; Masubuchi, Tatsuya; Mättig, Peter; Mattmann, Johannes; Maurer, Julien; Maxfield, Stephen; Maximov, Dmitriy; Mazini, Rachid; Mazza, Simone Michele; Mc Fadden, Neil Christopher; Mc Goldrick, Garrin; Mc Kee, Shawn Patrick; McCarn, Allison; McCarthy, Robert; McCarthy, Tom; McClymont, Laurie; McDonald, Emily; McFarlane, Kenneth; Mcfayden, Josh; Mchedlidze, Gvantsa; McMahon, Steve; McPherson, Robert; Medinnis, Michael; Meehan, Samuel; Mehlhase, Sascha; Mehta, Andrew; Meier, Karlheinz; Meineck, Christian; Meirose, Bernhard; Melini, Davide; Mellado Garcia, Bruce Rafael; Melo, Matej; Meloni, Federico; Mengarelli, Alberto; Menke, Sven; Meoni, Evelin; Mergelmeyer, Sebastian; Mermod, Philippe; Merola, Leonardo; Meroni, Chiara; Merritt, Frank; Messina, Andrea; Metcalfe, Jessica; Mete, Alaettin Serhan; Meyer, Carsten; Meyer, Christopher; Meyer, Jean-Pierre; Meyer, Jochen; Meyer Zu Theenhausen, Hanno; Miano, Fabrizio; Middleton, Robin; Miglioranzi, Silvia; Mijović, Liza; Mikenberg, Giora; Mikestikova, Marcela; Mikuž, Marko; Milesi, Marco; Milic, Adriana; Miller, David; Mills, Corrinne; Milov, Alexander; Milstead, David; Minaenko, Andrey; Minami, Yuto; Minashvili, Irakli; Mincer, Allen; Mindur, Bartosz; Mineev, Mikhail; Ming, Yao; Mir, Lluisa-Maria; Mistry, Khilesh; Mitani, Takashi; Mitrevski, Jovan; Mitsou, Vasiliki A; Miucci, Antonio; Miyagawa, Paul; Mjörnmark, Jan-Ulf; Moa, Torbjoern; Mochizuki, Kazuya; Mohapatra, Soumya; Molander, Simon; Moles-Valls, Regina; Monden, Ryutaro; Mondragon, Matthew Craig; Mönig, Klaus; Monk, James; Monnier, Emmanuel; Montalbano, Alyssa; Montejo Berlingen, Javier; Monticelli, Fernando; Monzani, Simone; Moore, Roger; Morange, Nicolas; Moreno, Deywis; Moreno Llácer, María; Morettini, Paolo; Morgenstern, Stefanie; Mori, Daniel; Mori, Tatsuya; Morii, Masahiro; Morinaga, Masahiro; Morisbak, Vanja; Moritz, Sebastian; Morley, Anthony Keith; Mornacchi, Giuseppe; Morris, John; Mortensen, Simon Stark; Morvaj, Ljiljana; Mosidze, Maia; Moss, Josh; Motohashi, Kazuki; Mount, Richard; Mountricha, Eleni; Mouraviev, Sergei; Moyse, Edward; Muanza, Steve; Mudd, Richard; Mueller, Felix; Mueller, James; Mueller, Ralph Soeren Peter; Mueller, Thibaut; Muenstermann, Daniel; Mullen, Paul; Mullier, Geoffrey; Munoz Sanchez, Francisca Javiela; Murillo Quijada, Javier Alberto; Murray, Bill; Musheghyan, Haykuhi; Muškinja, Miha; Myagkov, Alexey; Myska, Miroslav; Nachman, Benjamin Philip; Nackenhorst, Olaf; Nagai, Koichi; Nagai, Ryo; Nagano, Kunihiro; Nagasaka, Yasushi; Nagata, Kazuki; Nagel, Martin; Nagy, Elemer; Nairz, Armin Michael; Nakahama, Yu; Nakamura, Koji; Nakamura, Tomoaki; Nakano, Itsuo; Namasivayam, Harisankar; Naranjo Garcia, Roger Felipe; Narayan, Rohin; Narrias Villar, Daniel Isaac; Naryshkin, Iouri; Naumann, Thomas; Navarro, Gabriela; Nayyar, Ruchika; Neal, Homer; Nechaeva, Polina; Neep, Thomas James; Nef, Pascal Daniel; Negri, Andrea; Negrini, Matteo; Nektarijevic, Snezana; Nellist, Clara; Nelson, Andrew; Nemecek, Stanislav; Nemethy, Peter; Nepomuceno, Andre Asevedo; Nessi, Marzio; Neubauer, Mark; Neumann, Manuel; Neves, Ricardo; Nevski, Pavel; Newman, Paul; Nguyen, Duong Hai; Nguyen Manh, Tuan; Nickerson, Richard; Nicolaidou, Rosy; Nielsen, Jason; Nikiforov, Andriy; Nikolaenko, Vladimir; Nikolic-Audit, Irena; Nikolopoulos, Konstantinos; Nilsen, Jon Kerr; Nilsson, Paul; Ninomiya, Yoichi; Nisati, Aleandro; Nisius, Richard; Nobe, Takuya; Nodulman, Lawrence; Nomachi, Masaharu; Nomidis, Ioannis; Nooney, Tamsin; Norberg, Scarlet; Nordberg, Markus; Norjoharuddeen, Nurfikri; Novgorodova, Olga; Nowak, Sebastian; Nozaki, Mitsuaki; Nozka, Libor; Ntekas, Konstantinos; Nurse, Emily; Nuti, Francesco; O'grady, Fionnbarr; O'Neil, Dugan; O'Rourke, Abigail Alexandra; O'Shea, Val; Oakham, Gerald; Oberlack, Horst; Obermann, Theresa; Ocariz, Jose; Ochi, Atsuhiko; Ochoa, Ines; Ochoa-Ricoux, Juan Pedro; Oda, Susumu; Odaka, Shigeru; Ogren, Harold; Oh, Alexander; Oh, Seog; Ohm, Christian; Ohman, Henrik; Oide, Hideyuki; Okawa, Hideki; Okumura, Yasuyuki; Okuyama, Toyonobu; Olariu, Albert; Oleiro Seabra, Luis Filipe; Olivares Pino, Sebastian Andres; Oliveira Damazio, Denis; Olszewski, Andrzej; Olszowska, Jolanta; Onofre, António; Onogi, Kouta; Onyisi, Peter; Oreglia, Mark; Oren, Yona; Orestano, Domizia; Orlando, Nicola; Orr, Robert; Osculati, Bianca; Ospanov, Rustem; Otero y Garzon, Gustavo; Otono, Hidetoshi; Ouchrif, Mohamed; Ould-Saada, Farid; Ouraou, Ahmimed; Oussoren, Koen Pieter; Ouyang, Qun; Owen, Mark; Owen, Rhys Edward; Ozcan, Veysi Erkcan; Ozturk, Nurcan; Pachal, Katherine; Pacheco Pages, Andres; Pacheco Rodriguez, Laura; Padilla Aranda, Cristobal; Pagáčová, Martina; Pagan Griso, Simone; Paige, Frank; Pais, Preema; Pajchel, Katarina; Palacino, Gabriel; Palazzo, Serena; Palestini, Sandro; Palka, Marek; Pallin, Dominique; Palma, Alberto; Panagiotopoulou, Evgenia; Pandini, Carlo Enrico; Panduro Vazquez, William; Pani, Priscilla; Panitkin, Sergey; Pantea, Dan; Paolozzi, Lorenzo; Papadopoulou, Theodora; Papageorgiou, Konstantinos; Paramonov, Alexander; Paredes Hernandez, Daniela; Parker, Adam Jackson; Parker, Michael Andrew; Parker, Kerry Ann; Parodi, Fabrizio; Parsons, John; Parzefall, Ulrich; Pascuzzi, Vincent; Pasqualucci, Enrico; Passaggio, Stefano; Pastore, Francesca; Pásztor, Gabriella; Pataraia, Sophio; Pater, Joleen; Pauly, Thilo; Pearce, James; Pearson, Benjamin; Pedersen, Lars Egholm; Pedersen, Maiken; Pedraza Lopez, Sebastian; Pedro, Rute; Peleganchuk, Sergey; Pelikan, Daniel; Penc, Ondrej; Peng, Cong; Peng, Haiping; Penwell, John; Peralva, Bernardo; Perego, Marta Maria; Perepelitsa, Dennis; Perez Codina, Estel; Perini, Laura; Pernegger, Heinz; Perrella, Sabrina; Peschke, Richard; Peshekhonov, Vladimir; Peters, Krisztian; Peters, Yvonne; Petersen, Brian; Petersen, Troels; Petit, Elisabeth; Petridis, Andreas; Petridou, Chariclia; Petroff, Pierre; Petrolo, Emilio; Petrov, Mariyan; Petrucci, Fabrizio; Pettersson, Nora Emilia; Peyaud, Alan; Pezoa, Raquel; Phillips, Peter William; Piacquadio, Giacinto; Pianori, Elisabetta; Picazio, Attilio; Piccaro, Elisa; Piccinini, Maurizio; Pickering, Mark Andrew; Piegaia, Ricardo; Pilcher, James; Pilkington, Andrew; Pin, Arnaud Willy J; Pinamonti, Michele; Pinfold, James; Pingel, Almut; Pires, Sylvestre; Pirumov, Hayk; Pitt, Michael; Plazak, Lukas; Pleier, Marc-Andre; Pleskot, Vojtech; Plotnikova, Elena; Plucinski, Pawel; Pluth, Daniel; Poettgen, Ruth; Poggioli, Luc; Pohl, David-leon; Polesello, Giacomo; Poley, Anne-luise; Policicchio, Antonio; Polifka, Richard; Polini, Alessandro; Pollard, Christopher Samuel; Polychronakos, Venetios; Pommès, Kathy; Pontecorvo, Ludovico; Pope, Bernard; Popeneciu, Gabriel Alexandru; Popovic, Dragan; Poppleton, Alan; Pospisil, Stanislav; Potamianos, Karolos; Potrap, Igor; Potter, Christina; Potter, Christopher; Poulard, Gilbert; Poveda, Joaquin; Pozdnyakov, Valery; Pozo Astigarraga, Mikel Eukeni; Pralavorio, Pascal; Pranko, Aliaksandr; Prell, Soeren; Price, Darren; Price, Lawrence; Primavera, Margherita; Prince, Sebastien; Proissl, Manuel; Prokofiev, Kirill; Prokoshin, Fedor; Protopopescu, Serban; Proudfoot, James; Przybycien, Mariusz; Puddu, Daniele; Purohit, Milind; Puzo, Patrick; Qian, Jianming; Qin, Gang; Qin, Yang; Quadt, Arnulf; Quayle, William; Queitsch-Maitland, Michaela; Quilty, Donnchadha; Raddum, Silje; Radeka, Veljko; Radescu, Voica; Radhakrishnan, Sooraj Krishnan; Radloff, Peter; Rados, Pere; Ragusa, Francesco; Rahal, Ghita; Raine, John Andrew; Rajagopalan, Srinivasan; Rammensee, Michael; Rangel-Smith, Camila; Ratti, Maria Giulia; Rauscher, Felix; Rave, Stefan; Ravenscroft, Thomas; Ravinovich, Ilia; Raymond, Michel; Read, Alexander Lincoln; Readioff, Nathan Peter; Reale, Marilea; Rebuzzi, Daniela; Redelbach, Andreas; Redlinger, George; Reece, Ryan; Reeves, Kendall; Rehnisch, Laura; Reichert, Joseph; Reisin, Hernan; Rembser, Christoph; Ren, Huan; Rescigno, Marco; Resconi, Silvia; Rezanova, Olga; Reznicek, Pavel; Rezvani, Reyhaneh; Richter, Robert; Richter, Stefan; Richter-Was, Elzbieta; Ricken, Oliver; Ridel, Melissa; Rieck, Patrick; Riegel, Christian Johann; Rieger, Julia; Rifki, Othmane; Rijssenbeek, Michael; Rimoldi, Adele; Rimoldi, Marco; Rinaldi, Lorenzo; Ristić, Branislav; Ritsch, Elmar; Riu, Imma; Rizatdinova, Flera; Rizvi, Eram; Rizzi, Chiara; Robertson, Steven; Robichaud-Veronneau, Andree; Robinson, Dave; Robinson, James; Robson, Aidan; Roda, Chiara; Rodina, Yulia; Rodriguez Perez, Andrea; Rodriguez Rodriguez, Daniel; Roe, Shaun; Rogan, Christopher Sean; Røhne, Ole; Romaniouk, Anatoli; Romano, Marino; Romano Saez, Silvestre Marino; Romero Adam, Elena; Rompotis, Nikolaos; Ronzani, Manfredi; Roos, Lydia; Ros, Eduardo; Rosati, Stefano; Rosbach, Kilian; Rose, Peyton; Rosenthal, Oliver; Rosien, Nils-Arne; Rossetti, Valerio; Rossi, Elvira; Rossi, Leonardo Paolo; Rosten, Jonatan; Rosten, Rachel; Rotaru, Marina; Roth, Itamar; Rothberg, Joseph; Rousseau, David; Royon, Christophe; Rozanov, Alexandre; Rozen, Yoram; Ruan, Xifeng; Rubbo, Francesco; Rudolph, Matthew Scott; Rühr, Frederik; Ruiz-Martinez, Aranzazu; Rurikova, Zuzana; Rusakovich, Nikolai; Ruschke, Alexander; Russell, Heather; Rutherfoord, John; Ruthmann, Nils; Ryabov, Yury; Rybar, Martin; Rybkin, Grigori; Ryu, Soo; Ryzhov, Andrey; Rzehorz, Gerhard Ferdinand; Saavedra, Aldo; Sabato, Gabriele; Sacerdoti, Sabrina; Sadrozinski, Hartmut; Sadykov, Renat; Safai Tehrani, Francesco; Saha, Puja; Sahinsoy, Merve; Saimpert, Matthias; Saito, Tomoyuki; Sakamoto, Hiroshi; Sakurai, Yuki; Salamanna, Giuseppe; Salamon, Andrea; Salazar Loyola, Javier Esteban; Salek, David; Sales De Bruin, Pedro Henrique; Salihagic, Denis; Salnikov, Andrei; Salt, José; Salvatore, Daniela; Salvatore, Pasquale Fabrizio; Salvucci, Antonio; Salzburger, Andreas; Sammel, Dirk; Sampsonidis, Dimitrios; Sanchez, Arturo; Sánchez, Javier; Sanchez Martinez, Victoria; Sandaker, Heidi; Sandbach, Ruth Laura; Sander, Heinz Georg; Sandhoff, Marisa; Sandoval, Carlos; Sandstroem, Rikard; Sankey, Dave; Sannino, Mario; Sansoni, Andrea; Santoni, Claudio; Santonico, Rinaldo; Santos, Helena; Santoyo Castillo, Itzebelt; Sapp, Kevin; Sapronov, Andrey; Saraiva, João; Sarrazin, Bjorn; Sasaki, Osamu; Sasaki, Yuichi; Sato, Koji; Sauvage, Gilles; Sauvan, Emmanuel; Savage, Graham; Savard, Pierre; Sawyer, Craig; Sawyer, Lee; Saxon, James; Sbarra, Carla; Sbrizzi, Antonio; Scanlon, Tim; Scannicchio, Diana; Scarcella, Mark; Scarfone, Valerio; Schaarschmidt, Jana; Schacht, Peter; Schachtner, Balthasar Maria; Schaefer, Douglas; Schaefer, Ralph; Schaeffer, Jan; Schaepe, Steffen; Schaetzel, Sebastian; Schäfer, Uli; Schaffer, Arthur; Schaile, Dorothee; Schamberger, R Dean; Scharf, Veit; Schegelsky, Valery; Scheirich, Daniel; Schernau, Michael; Schiavi, Carlo; Schier, Sheena; Schillo, Christian; Schioppa, Marco; Schlenker, Stefan; Schmidt-Sommerfeld, Korbinian Ralf; Schmieden, Kristof; Schmitt, Christian; Schmitt, Stefan; Schmitz, Simon; Schneider, Basil; Schnoor, Ulrike; Schoeffel, Laurent; Schoening, Andre; Schoenrock, Bradley Daniel; Schopf, Elisabeth; Schott, Matthias; Schovancova, Jaroslava; Schramm, Steven; Schreyer, Manuel; Schuh, Natascha; Schulte, Alexandra; Schultens, Martin Johannes; Schultz-Coulon, Hans-Christian; Schulz, Holger; Schumacher, Markus; Schumm, Bruce; Schune, Philippe; Schwartzman, Ariel; Schwarz, Thomas Andrew; Schwegler, Philipp; Schweiger, Hansdieter; Schwemling, Philippe; Schwienhorst, Reinhard; Schwindling, Jerome; Schwindt, Thomas; Sciolla, Gabriella; Scuri, Fabrizio; Scutti, Federico; Searcy, Jacob; Seema, Pienpen; Seidel, Sally; Seiden, Abraham; Seifert, Frank; Seixas, José; Sekhniaidze, Givi; Sekhon, Karishma; Sekula, Stephen; Seliverstov, Dmitry; Semprini-Cesari, Nicola; Serfon, Cedric; Serin, Laurent; Serkin, Leonid; Sessa, Marco; Seuster, Rolf; Severini, Horst; Sfiligoj, Tina; Sforza, Federico; Sfyrla, Anna; Shabalina, Elizaveta; Shaikh, Nabila Wahab; Shan, Lianyou; Shang, Ruo-yu; Shank, James; Shapiro, Marjorie; Shatalov, Pavel; Shaw, Kate; Shaw, Savanna Marie; Shcherbakova, Anna; Shehu, Ciwake Yusufu; Sherwood, Peter; Shi, Liaoshan; Shimizu, Shima; Shimmin, Chase Owen; Shimojima, Makoto; Shiyakova, Mariya; Shmeleva, Alevtina; Shoaleh Saadi, Diane; Shochet, Mel; Shojaii, Seyed Ruhollah; Shrestha, Suyog; Shulga, Evgeny; Shupe, Michael; Sicho, Petr; Sickles, Anne Marie; Sidebo, Per Edvin; Sidiropoulou, Ourania; Sidorov, Dmitri; Sidoti, Antonio; Siegert, Frank; Sijacki, Djordje; Silva, José; Silverstein, Samuel; Simak, Vladislav; Simard, Olivier; Simic, Ljiljana; Simion, Stefan; Simioni, Eduard; Simmons, Brinick; Simon, Dorian; Simon, Manuel; Sinervo, Pekka; Sinev, Nikolai; Sioli, Maximiliano; Siragusa, Giovanni; Sivoklokov, Serguei; Sjölin, Jörgen; Skinner, Malcolm Bruce; Skottowe, Hugh Philip; Skubic, Patrick; Slater, Mark; Slavicek, Tomas; Slawinska, Magdalena; Sliwa, Krzysztof; Slovak, Radim; Smakhtin, Vladimir; Smart, Ben; Smestad, Lillian; Smiesko, Juraj; Smirnov, Sergei; Smirnov, Yury; Smirnova, Lidia; Smirnova, Oxana; Smith, Matthew; Smith, Russell; Smizanska, Maria; Smolek, Karel; Snesarev, Andrei; Snyder, Scott; Sobie, Randall; Socher, Felix; Soffer, Abner; Soh, Dart-yin; Sokhrannyi, Grygorii; Solans Sanchez, Carlos; Solar, Michael; Soldatov, Evgeny; Soldevila, Urmila; Solodkov, Alexander; Soloshenko, Alexei; Solovyanov, Oleg; Solovyev, Victor; Sommer, Philip; Son, Hyungsuk; Song, Hong Ye; Sood, Alexander; Sopczak, Andre; Sopko, Vit; Sorin, Veronica; Sosa, David; Sotiropoulou, Calliope Louisa; Soualah, Rachik; Soukharev, Andrey; South, David; Sowden, Benjamin; Spagnolo, Stefania; Spalla, Margherita; Spangenberg, Martin; Spanò, Francesco; Sperlich, Dennis; Spettel, Fabian; Spighi, Roberto; Spigo, Giancarlo; Spiller, Laurence Anthony; Spousta, Martin; St Denis, Richard Dante; Stabile, Alberto; Stamen, Rainer; Stamm, Soren; Stanecka, Ewa; Stanek, Robert; Stanescu, Cristian; Stanescu-Bellu, Madalina; Stanitzki, Marcel Michael; Stapnes, Steinar; Starchenko, Evgeny; Stark, Giordon; Stark, Jan; Staroba, Pavel; Starovoitov, Pavel; Stärz, Steffen; Staszewski, Rafal; Steinberg, Peter; Stelzer, Bernd; Stelzer, Harald Joerg; Stelzer-Chilton, Oliver; Stenzel, Hasko; Stewart, Graeme; Stillings, Jan Andre; Stockton, Mark; Stoebe, Michael; Stoicea, Gabriel; Stolte, Philipp; Stonjek, Stefan; Stradling, Alden; Straessner, Arno; Stramaglia, Maria Elena; Strandberg, Jonas; Strandberg, Sara; Strandlie, Are; Strauss, Michael; Strizenec, Pavol; Ströhmer, Raimund; Strom, David; Stroynowski, Ryszard; Strubig, Antonia; Stucci, Stefania Antonia; Stugu, Bjarne; Styles, Nicholas Adam; Su, Dong; Su, Jun; Subramaniam, Rajivalochan; Suchek, Stanislav; Sugaya, Yorihito; Suk, Michal; Sulin, Vladimir; Sultansoy, Saleh; Sumida, Toshi; Sun, Siyuan; Sun, Xiaohu; Sundermann, Jan Erik; Suruliz, Kerim; Susinno, Giancarlo; Sutton, Mark; Suzuki, Shota; Svatos, Michal; Swiatlowski, Maximilian; Sykora, Ivan; Sykora, Tomas; Ta, Duc; Taccini, Cecilia; Tackmann, Kerstin; Taenzer, Joe; Taffard, Anyes; Tafirout, Reda; Taiblum, Nimrod; Takai, Helio; Takashima, Ryuichi; Takeshita, Tohru; Takubo, Yosuke; Talby, Mossadek; Talyshev, Alexey; Tan, Kong Guan; Tanaka, Junichi; Tanaka, Reisaburo; Tanaka, Shuji; Tannenwald, Benjamin Bordy; Tapia Araya, Sebastian; Tapprogge, Stefan; Tarem, Shlomit; Tartarelli, Giuseppe Francesco; Tas, Petr; Tasevsky, Marek; Tashiro, Takuya; Tassi, Enrico; Tavares Delgado, Ademar; Tayalati, Yahya; Taylor, Aaron; Taylor, Geoffrey; Taylor, Pierre Thor Elliot; Taylor, Wendy; Teischinger, Florian Alfred; Teixeira-Dias, Pedro; Temming, Kim Katrin; Temple, Darren; Ten Kate, Herman; Teng, Ping-Kun; Teoh, Jia Jian; Tepel, Fabian-Phillipp; Terada, Susumu; Terashi, Koji; Terron, Juan; Terzo, Stefano; Testa, Marianna; Teuscher, Richard; Theveneaux-Pelzer, Timothée; Thomas, Juergen; Thomas-Wilsker, Joshuha; Thompson, Emily; Thompson, Paul; Thompson, Stan; Thomsen, Lotte Ansgaard; Thomson, Evelyn; Thomson, Mark; Tibbetts, Mark James; Ticse Torres, Royer Edson; Tikhomirov, Vladimir; Tikhonov, Yury; Timoshenko, Sergey; Tipton, Paul; Tisserant, Sylvain; Todome, Kazuki; Todorov, Theodore; Todorova-Nova, Sharka; Tojo, Junji; Tokár, Stanislav; Tokushuku, Katsuo; Tolley, Emma; Tomlinson, Lee; Tomoto, Makoto; Tompkins, Lauren; Toms, Konstantin; Tong, Baojia(Tony); Torrence, Eric; Torres, Heberth; Torró Pastor, Emma; Toth, Jozsef; Touchard, Francois; Tovey, Daniel; Trefzger, Thomas; Tricoli, Alessandro; Trigger, Isabel Marian; Trincaz-Duvoid, Sophie; Tripiana, Martin; Trischuk, William; Trocmé, Benjamin; Trofymov, Artur; Troncon, Clara; Trottier-McDonald, Michel; Trovatelli, Monica; Truong, Loan; Trzebinski, Maciej; Trzupek, Adam; Tseng, Jeffrey; Tsiareshka, Pavel; Tsipolitis, Georgios; Tsirintanis, Nikolaos; Tsiskaridze, Shota; Tsiskaridze, Vakhtang; Tskhadadze, Edisher; Tsui, Ka Ming; Tsukerman, Ilya; Tsulaia, Vakhtang; Tsuno, Soshi; Tsybychev, Dmitri; Tudorache, Alexandra; Tudorache, Valentina; Tuna, Alexander Naip; Tupputi, Salvatore; Turchikhin, Semen; Turecek, Daniel; Turgeman, Daniel; Turra, Ruggero; Turvey, Andrew John; Tuts, Michael; Tyndel, Mike; Ucchielli, Giulia; Ueda, Ikuo; Ughetto, Michael; Ukegawa, Fumihiko; Unal, Guillaume; Undrus, Alexander; Unel, Gokhan; Ungaro, Francesca; Unno, Yoshinobu; Unverdorben, Christopher; Urban, Jozef; Urquijo, Phillip; Urrejola, Pedro; Usai, Giulio; Usanova, Anna; Vacavant, Laurent; Vacek, Vaclav; Vachon, Brigitte; Valderanis, Chrysostomos; Valdes Santurio, Eduardo; Valencic, Nika; Valentinetti, Sara; Valero, Alberto; Valery, Loic; Valkar, Stefan; Vallecorsa, Sofia; Valls Ferrer, Juan Antonio; Van Den Wollenberg, Wouter; Van Der Deijl, Pieter; van der Geer, Rogier; van der Graaf, Harry; van Eldik, Niels; van Gemmeren, Peter; Van Nieuwkoop, Jacobus; van Vulpen, Ivo; van Woerden, Marius Cornelis; Vanadia, Marco; Vandelli, Wainer; Vanguri, Rami; Vaniachine, Alexandre; Vankov, Peter; Vardanyan, Gagik; Vari, Riccardo; Varnes, Erich; Varol, Tulin; Varouchas, Dimitris; Vartapetian, Armen; Varvell, Kevin; Vasquez, Jared Gregory; Vazeille, Francois; Vazquez Schroeder, Tamara; Veatch, Jason; Veloce, Laurelle Maria; Veloso, Filipe; Veneziano, Stefano; Ventura, Andrea; Venturi, Manuela; Venturi, Nicola; Venturini, Alessio; Vercesi, Valerio; Verducci, Monica; Verkerke, Wouter; Vermeulen, Jos; Vest, Anja; Vetterli, Michel; Viazlo, Oleksandr; Vichou, Irene; Vickey, Trevor; Vickey Boeriu, Oana Elena; Viehhauser, Georg; Viel, Simon; Vigani, Luigi; Vigne, Ralph; Villa, Mauro; Villaplana Perez, Miguel; Vilucchi, Elisabetta; Vincter, Manuella; Vinogradov, Vladimir; Vittori, Camilla; Vivarelli, Iacopo; Vlachos, Sotirios; Vlasak, Michal; Vogel, Marcelo; Vokac, Petr; Volpi, Guido; Volpi, Matteo; von der Schmitt, Hans; von Toerne, Eckhard; Vorobel, Vit; Vorobev, Konstantin; Vos, Marcel; Voss, Rudiger; Vossebeld, Joost; Vranjes, Nenad; Vranjes Milosavljevic, Marija; Vrba, Vaclav; Vreeswijk, Marcel; Vuillermet, Raphael; Vukotic, Ilija; Vykydal, Zdenek; Wagner, Peter; Wagner, Wolfgang; Wahlberg, Hernan; Wahrmund, Sebastian; Wakabayashi, Jun; Walder, James; Walker, Rodney; Walkowiak, Wolfgang; Wallangen, Veronica; Wang, Chao; Wang, Chao; Wang, Fuquan; Wang, Haichen; Wang, Hulin; Wang, Jike; Wang, Jin; Wang, Kuhan; Wang, Rui; Wang, Song-Ming; Wang, Tan; Wang, Tingting; Wang, Wenxiao; Wang, Xiaoxiao; Wanotayaroj, Chaowaroj; Warburton, Andreas; Ward, Patricia; Wardrope, David Robert; Washbrook, Andrew; Watkins, Peter; Watson, Alan; Watson, Miriam; Watts, Gordon; Watts, Stephen; Waugh, Ben; Webb, Samuel; Weber, Michele; Weber, Stefan Wolf; Webster, Jordan S; Weidberg, Anthony; Weinert, Benjamin; Weingarten, Jens; Weiser, Christian; Weits, Hartger; Wells, Phillippa; Wenaus, Torre; Wengler, Thorsten; Wenig, Siegfried; Wermes, Norbert; Werner, Matthias; Werner, Michael David; Werner, Per; Wessels, Martin; Wetter, Jeffrey; Whalen, Kathleen; Whallon, Nikola Lazar; Wharton, Andrew Mark; White, Andrew; White, Martin; White, Ryan; Whiteson, Daniel; Wickens, Fred; Wiedenmann, Werner; Wielers, Monika; Wienemann, Peter; Wiglesworth, Craig; Wiik-Fuchs, Liv Antje Mari; Wildauer, Andreas; Wilk, Fabian; Wilkens, Henric George; Williams, Hugh; Williams, Sarah; Willis, Christopher; Willocq, Stephane; Wilson, John; Wingerter-Seez, Isabelle; Winklmeier, Frank; Winston, Oliver James; Winter, Benedict Tobias; Wittgen, Matthias; Wittkowski, Josephine; Wolter, Marcin Wladyslaw; Wolters, Helmut; Worm, Steven D; Wosiek, Barbara; Wotschack, Jorg; Woudstra, Martin; Wozniak, Krzysztof; Wu, Mengqing; Wu, Miles; Wu, Sau Lan; Wu, Xin; Wu, Yusheng; Wyatt, Terry Richard; Wynne, Benjamin; Xella, Stefania; Xu, Da; Xu, Lailin; Yabsley, Bruce; Yacoob, Sahal; Yakabe, Ryota; Yamaguchi, Daiki; Yamaguchi, Yohei; Yamamoto, Akira; Yamamoto, Shimpei; Yamanaka, Takashi; Yamauchi, Katsuya; Yamazaki, Yuji; Yan, Zhen; Yang, Haijun; Yang, Hongtao; Yang, Yi; Yang, Zongchang; Yao, Weiming; Yap, Yee Chinn; Yasu, Yoshiji; Yatsenko, Elena; Yau Wong, Kaven Henry; Ye, Jingbo; Ye, Shuwei; Yeletskikh, Ivan; Yen, Andy L; Yildirim, Eda; Yorita, Kohei; Yoshida, Rikutaro; Yoshihara, Keisuke; Young, Charles; Young, Christopher John; Youssef, Saul; Yu, David Ren-Hwa; Yu, Jaehoon; Yu, Jiaming; Yu, Jie; Yuan, Li; Yuen, Stephanie P; Yusuff, Imran; Zabinski, Bartlomiej; Zaidan, Remi; Zaitsev, Alexander; Zakharchuk, Nataliia; Zalieckas, Justas; Zaman, Aungshuman; Zambito, Stefano; Zanello, Lucia; Zanzi, Daniele; Zeitnitz, Christian; Zeman, Martin; Zemla, Andrzej; Zeng, Jian Cong; Zeng, Qi; Zengel, Keith; Zenin, Oleg; Ženiš, Tibor; Zerwas, Dirk; Zhang, Dongliang; Zhang, Fangzhou; Zhang, Guangyi; Zhang, Huijun; Zhang, Jinlong; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Rui; Zhang, Ruiqi; Zhang, Xueyao; Zhang, Zhiqing; Zhao, Xiandong; Zhao, Yongke; Zhao, Zhengguo; Zhemchugov, Alexey; Zhong, Jiahang; Zhou, Bing; Zhou, Chen; Zhou, Lei; Zhou, Li; Zhou, Mingliang; Zhou, Ning; Zhu, Cheng Guang; Zhu, Hongbo; Zhu, Junjie; Zhu, Yingchun; Zhuang, Xuai; Zhukov, Konstantin; Zibell, Andre; Zieminska, Daria; Zimine, Nikolai; Zimmermann, Christoph; Zimmermann, Stephanie; Zinonos, Zinonas; Zinser, Markus; Ziolkowski, Michael; Živković, Lidija; Zobernig, Georg; Zoccoli, Antonio; zur Nedden, Martin; Zwalinski, Lukasz

    2017-01-20

    A measurement of the $t\\bar{t}Z$ and $t\\bar{t}W$ production cross sections in final states with either two same-charge muons, or three or four leptons (electrons or muons) is presented. The analysis uses a data sample of proton-proton collisions at $\\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2015, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb$^{-1}$. The inclusive cross sections are extracted using likelihood fits to signal and control regions, resulting in $\\sigma_{t\\bar{t}Z} = 0.9 \\pm 0.3$ pb and $\\sigma_{t\\bar{t}W} = 1.5 \\pm 0.8$ pb, in agreement with the Standard Model predictions.

  6. Myxovirus resistance, osteopontin and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 polymorphisms predict hepatitis C virus therapy response in an admixed patient population: comparison with IL28B.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angelo, Ana Luiza Dias; Cavalcante, Lourianne Nascimento; Abe-Sandes, Kiyoko; Machado, Taísa Bonfim; Lemaire, Denise Carneiro; Malta, Fernanda; Pinho, João Renato; Lyra, Luiz Guilherme Costa; Lyra, Andre Castro

    2013-10-01

    Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3, myxovirus resistance protein and osteopontin gene polymorphisms may influence the therapeutic response in patients with chronic hepatitis C, and an association with IL28 might increase the power to predict sustained virologic response. Our aims were to evaluate the association between myxovirus resistance protein, osteopontin and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 gene polymorphisms in combination with IL28B and to assess the therapy response in hepatitis C patients treated with pegylated-interferon plus ribavirin. Myxovirus resistance protein, osteopontin, suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 and IL28B polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism, direct sequencing and real-time PCR. Ancestry was determined using genetic markers. We analyzed 181 individuals, including 52 who were sustained virologic responders. The protective genotype frequencies among the sustained virologic response group were as follows: the G/G suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (rs4969170) (62.2%); T/T osteopontin (rs2853744) (60%); T/T osteopontin (rs11730582) (64.3%); and the G/T myxovirus resistance protein (rs2071430) genotype (54%). The patients who had ≥3 of the protective genotypes from the myxovirus resistance protein, the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 and osteopontin had a greater than 90% probability of achieving a sustained response (pC/C IL28B genotype was present in 58.8% of the subjects in this group. The sustained virological response rates increased to 85.7% and 91.7% by analyzing C/C IL28B with the T/T osteopontin genotype at rs11730582 and the G/G suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 genotype, respectively. Genetic ancestry analysis revealed an admixed population. Hepatitis C genotype 1 patients who were responders to interferon-based therapy had a high frequency of multiple protective polymorphisms in the myxovirus resistance protein, osteopontin and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 genes. The combined

  7. Reconstruction of 3d video from 2d real-life sequences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Ramos Diaz

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available En este artículo, se propone un método novedoso que permite generar secuencias de video en 3D usando secuencias de video reales en 2D. La reconstrucción de la secuencia de video en 3D se realiza usando el cálculo del mapa de profundidad y la síntesis de anaglifos. El mapa de profundidad es formado usando la técnica de correspondencia estéreo basada en la minimización de la energía de error global a partir de funciones de suavizado. La construcción del anaglifo es realizada usando la alineación del componente de color interpolándolo con el mapa de profundidad previamente formado. Adicionalmente, se emplea la transformación del mapa de profundidad para reducir el rango dinámico de los valores de disparidad, minimizando el efecto fantasma mejorando la preservación de color. Se usaron numerosas secuencias de video a color reales que contienen diferentes tipos de movimientos como traslacional, rotacional, acercamiento, y la combinación de los anteriores, demostrando buen funcionamiento visual de la reconstrucción de secuencias de video en 3D propuesta.

  8. Aculeatin, a coumarin derived from Toddalia asiatica (L.) Lam., enhances differentiation and lipolysis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Watanabe, Akio, E-mail: watanabea@jfrl.or.jp [Japan Food Research Laboratories, Osaka 567-0085 (Japan); Food and Biodynamic Chemistry Laboratory, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Miyagi 981-8555 (Japan); Kato, Tsuyoshi; Ito, Yusuke; Yoshida, Izumi; Harada, Teppei; Mishima, Takashi; Fujita, Kazuhiro; Watai, Masatoshi [Japan Food Research Laboratories, Osaka 567-0085 (Japan); Nakagawa, Kiyotaka; Miyazawa, Teruo [Food and Biodynamic Chemistry Laboratory, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Miyagi 981-8555 (Japan)

    2014-10-31

    Highlights: • Aculeatin promoted adipocyte differentiation. • Aculeatin improved glucose uptake. • Aculeatin enhanced adipocyte lipolysis. - Abstract: Toddalia asiatica (L.) Lam. (T. asiatica) has been utilized traditionally for medicinal purposes such as the treatment of diabetes. Currently, the extract is considered to be a good source of anti-diabetic agents, but the active compounds have yet to be identified. In this study, we investigated the effects of fractionated T. asiatica extracts on the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and identified aculeatin as a potential active agent. When 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were treated with aculeatin isolated from T. asiatica in the presence of insulin, aculeatin increased cellular triglyceride levels and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. This indicated that aculeatin could enhance the differentiation of preadipocytes into adipocytes. Further analyses using a DNA microarray and real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR showed an increase in the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ target genes (Pparg, Ap2, Cd36, Glut4 and Adipoq) by aculeatin, suggesting that aculeatin enhances the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells by modulating the expression of genes critical for adipogenesis. Interestingly, after treatment of differentiated adipocytes with aculeatin, glucose uptake and lipolysis were enhanced. Overall, our results suggested that aculeatin is an active compound in T. asiatica for enhancing both differentiation and lipolysis of adipocytes, which are useful for the treatment of lipid abnormalities as well as diabetes.

  9. CD4+ T-cell epitope prediction using antigen processing constraints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mettu, Ramgopal R; Charles, Tysheena; Landry, Samuel J

    2016-05-01

    T-cell CD4+ epitopes are important targets of immunity against infectious diseases and cancer. State-of-the-art methods for MHC class II epitope prediction rely on supervised learning methods in which an implicit or explicit model of sequence specificity is constructed using a training set of peptides with experimentally tested MHC class II binding affinity. In this paper we present a novel method for CD4+ T-cell eptitope prediction based on modeling antigen-processing constraints. Previous work indicates that dominant CD4+ T-cell epitopes tend to occur adjacent to sites of initial proteolytic cleavage. Given an antigen with known three-dimensional structure, our algorithm first aggregates four types of conformational stability data in order to construct a profile of stability that allows us to identify regions of the protein that are most accessible to proteolysis. Using this profile, we then construct a profile of epitope likelihood based on the pattern of transitions from unstable to stable regions. We validate our method using 35 datasets of experimentally measured CD4+ T cell responses of mice bearing I-Ab or HLA-DR4 alleles as well as of human subjects. Overall, our results show that antigen processing constraints provide a significant source of predictive power. For epitope prediction in single-allele systems, our approach can be combined with sequence-based methods, or used in instances where little or no training data is available. In multiple-allele systems, sequence-based methods can only be used if the allele distribution of a population is known. In contrast, our approach does not make use of MHC binding prediction, and is thus agnostic to MHC class II genotypes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. The predictive and external validity of the STarT Back Tool in Danish primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morsø, Lars; Kent, Peter; Albert, Hanne B; Hill, Jonathan C; Kongsted, Alice; Manniche, Claus

    2013-08-01

    The STarT Back Tool (SBT) was recently translated into Danish and its concurrent validity described. This study tested the predictive validity of the Danish SBT. Danish primary care patients (n = 344) were compared to a UK cohort. SBT subgroup validity for predicting high activity limitation at 3 months' follow-up was assessed using descriptive proportions, relative risks, AUC and odds ratios. The SBT had a statistically similar predictive ability in Danish primary care as in UK primary care. Unadjusted relative risks for poor clinical outcome on activity limitation in the Danish cohort were 2.4 (1.7-3.4) for the medium-risk subgroup and 2.8 (1.8-3.8) for the high-risk subgroup versus 3.1 (2.5-3.9) and 4.5 (3.6-5.6) for the UK cohort. Adjusting for confounders appeared to explain the lower predictive ability of the Danish high-risk group. The Danish SBT distinguished between low- and medium-risk subgroups with a similar predictive ability of the UK SBT. That distinction is useful information for informing patients about their expected prognosis and may help guiding clinicians' choice of treatment. However, cross-cultural differences in the SBT psychosocial subscale may reduce the predictive ability of the high-risk subgroup in Danish primary care.

  11. Real-time prediction of respiratory motion based on a local dynamic model in an augmented space.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, S-M; Jung, B-H; Ruan, D

    2011-03-21

    Motion-adaptive radiotherapy aims to deliver ablative radiation dose to the tumor target with minimal normal tissue exposure, by accounting for real-time target movement. In practice, prediction is usually necessary to compensate for system latency induced by measurement, communication and control. This work focuses on predicting respiratory motion, which is most dominant for thoracic and abdominal tumors. We develop and investigate the use of a local dynamic model in an augmented space, motivated by the observation that respiratory movement exhibits a locally circular pattern in a plane augmented with a delayed axis. By including the angular velocity as part of the system state, the proposed dynamic model effectively captures the natural evolution of respiratory motion. The first-order extended Kalman filter is used to propagate and update the state estimate. The target location is predicted by evaluating the local dynamic model equations at the required prediction length. This method is complementary to existing work in that (1) the local circular motion model characterizes 'turning', overcoming the limitation of linear motion models; (2) it uses a natural state representation including the local angular velocity and updates the state estimate systematically, offering explicit physical interpretations; (3) it relies on a parametric model and is much less data-satiate than the typical adaptive semiparametric or nonparametric method. We tested the performance of the proposed method with ten RPM traces, using the normalized root mean squared difference between the predicted value and the retrospective observation as the error metric. Its performance was compared with predictors based on the linear model, the interacting multiple linear models and the kernel density estimator for various combinations of prediction lengths and observation rates. The local dynamic model based approach provides the best performance for short to medium prediction lengths under relatively

  12. Protective effect of Edaravone against hypoxia-induced cytotoxicity in osteoblasts MC3T3-E1 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Bo; Chai, Chunxiang; Zhao, Sishun

    2015-12-01

    Edaravone is a newly developed clinical medicine for the treatment of acute cerebral infarction. Reduced blood supply to bones (hypoxia) has been involved in the pathological development of osteoporosis. In this study, we investigated the effect of Edaravone and its latent mechanism on hypoxia-induced cell toxicity in MC3T3-E1 cells. Cell viability was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) were determined by the fluorescence dyes 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and 4-amino-5-methylamino-2',7'-difluorofluorescein diacetate (DAF-FM DA), respectively. mRNA and proteins were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis, respectively. Edaravone significantly restored the hypoxia-induced reduction of MC3T3-E1 cell viability and inhibited lactate dehydrogenase release. In addition, we found that Edaravone inhibits the generation of ROS and NO. Hoechst staining results indicated that the nuclear condensation characteristic of apoptosis was increased in MC3T3-E1 cells after hypoxia exposure, which was significantly suppressed by Edaravone treatment. Mechanistically, we found that Edaravone markedly reduced the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and blunted the release of cytochrome c. These findings strongly suggested that Edaravone suppresses hypoxia-induced cytotoxicity in MC3T3-E1 cells. The pleiotropic effects of Edaravone on hypoxia exposure in osteoblasts suggest potential antiosteoporosis mechanisms of Edaravone. © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  13. 3T deep gray matter T2 hypointensity correlates with disability over time in stable relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a 3-year pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Y; Metz, L M; Yong, V W; Mitchell, J R

    2010-10-15

    Abnormally decreased deep gray matter (GM) signal intensity on T2-weighted MRI (T2 hypointensity) is associated with brain atrophy and disability progression in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and is believed to represent excessive iron deposition. We investigated the time course of deep GM T2 hypointensity and its relationship with disability at 3T in 8 stable relapsing-remitting (RR) MS patients treated with minocycline over 3years. MRI and disability measurements were compared at baseline, 6, 12, 24, and 36months. Grand mean deep GM T2 hypointensity was negatively correlated with EDSS over time (r=-0.94, P=0.02). This correlation was strongest in the head of caudate (r=-0.95, P=0.01) and putamen (r=-0.89, P=0.04). Additionally, baseline grand mean deep GM T2 hypointensity appears to predict third year EDSS (r=-0.72, P=0.04). These results suggest that iron associated deep GM injury correlates with patient disability in stable RRMS. Measurements of deep GM T2 hypointensity at high field MRI may prove to be useful in monitoring individuals with MS. Further studies are required to confirm these results in a large sample and to determine if T2 hypointensity changes in clinically active MS patients. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Predictive value of {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT in adults with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. Post hoc analysis of results from the GRAALL-LYSA LLO3 trial

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Becker, Stephanie; Vera, Pierre [Centre Henri-Becquerel, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Rouen (France); University of Rouen, QuantIF-LITIS (EA [Equipe d' Accueil] 4108), Faculty of Medicine, Rouen (France); Vermeulin, Thomas [Rouen University Hospital, Department of Biostatistics, Rouen (France); Cottereau, Anne-Segolene [Hopital Tenon, AP-HP, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Paris (France); Boissel, Nicolas [Universite Paris Diderot, Department of Hematology, Hopital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris (France); Lepretre, Stephane [Centre Henri Becquerel and Normandie Univ UNIROUEN, Inserm U1245 and Department of Hematology, Rouen (France)

    2017-11-15

    We examined whether FDG PET can be used to predict outcome in patients with lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL). This was a retrospective post hoc analysis of data from the GRAAL-LYSA LL03 trial, in which the treatment of LL using an adapted paediatric-like acute lymphoblastic leukaemia protocol was evaluated. PET data acquired at baseline and after induction were analysed. Maximum standardized uptake values (SUV{sub max}), total metabolic tumour volume and total lesion glycolysis were measured at baseline. The relative changes in SUV{sub max} from baseline (ΔSUV{sub max}) and the Deauville score were determined after induction. The population analysed comprised 36 patients with T-type LL. SUV{sub max} using a cut-off value of ≤8.76 vs. >8.76 was predictive of 3-year event-free survival (31.6% vs. 80.4%; p = 0.013) and overall survival (35.0% vs. 83.7%; p = 0.028). ΔSUV{sub max} using a cut-off value of ≤80% vs. >80% tended also to be predictive of 3-year event-free survival (40.0% vs. 76.0%; p = 0.054) and overall survival (49.2% vs. 85.6%; p = 0.085). Total metabolic tumour volume, baseline total lesion glycolysis and response according to the Deauville score were not predictive of outcome. A low initial SUV{sub max} was predictive of worse outcomes in our series of patients with T-type LL. Although relatively few patients were included, the study also suggested that ΔSUV{sub max} may be useful for predicting therapeutic efficacy. (orig.)

  15. Association Rule-based Predictive Model for Machine Failure in Industrial Internet of Things

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Jung-Hyok; Lee, Sol-Bee; Park, Jaehoon; Kim, Eui-Jik

    2017-09-01

    This paper proposes an association rule-based predictive model for machine failure in industrial Internet of things (IIoT), which can accurately predict the machine failure in real manufacturing environment by investigating the relationship between the cause and type of machine failure. To develop the predictive model, we consider three major steps: 1) binarization, 2) rule creation, 3) visualization. The binarization step translates item values in a dataset into one or zero, then the rule creation step creates association rules as IF-THEN structures using the Lattice model and Apriori algorithm. Finally, the created rules are visualized in various ways for users’ understanding. An experimental implementation was conducted using R Studio version 3.3.2. The results show that the proposed predictive model realistically predicts machine failure based on association rules.

  16. Steady-State Serum T3 Concentrations for 48 Hours Following the Oral Administration of a Single Dose of 3,5,3'-Triiodothyronine Sulfate (T3S).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santini, Ferruccio; Giannetti, Monica; Ricco, Ilaria; Querci, Giorgia; Saponati, Giorgio; Bokor, Daniela; Rivolta, Giovanni; Bussi, Simona; Braverman, Lewis E; Vitti, Paolo; Pinchera, Aldo

    2014-07-01

    Sulfate conjugation of thyroid hormones is an alternate metabolic pathway that facilitates the biliary and urinary excretion of iodothyronines and enhances their deiodination rate, leading to the generation of inactive metabolites. A desulfating pathway reverses this process, and thyromimetic effects have been observed following the parenteral administration of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) sulfate (T3S) in rats. The present study investigated whether T3S is absorbed after oral administration in humans and if it represents a source of T3. Twenty-eight hypothyroid patients (7 men and 21 women; mean age, 44 ± 11 years) who had a thyroidectomy for thyroid carcinoma were enrolled. Replacement thyroid hormone therapy was withdrawn (42 days for thyroxine, 14 days for T3) prior to 131I remnant ablation. A single oral dose of 20, 40, 80 (4 patients/group), or 160 μg (16 patients/group) of T3S was administered 3 days before the planned administration of 131I. Blood samples for serum T3S and total T3 (TT3) concentrations were obtained at various times up to 48 hours after T3S administration. At all T3S doses, serum T3S concentrations increased, reaching a peak at 2 to 4 hours and progressively returning to basal levels within 8 to 24 hours. The T3S maximum concentration (Cmax) and area under the 0- to 48-hour concentration-time curve (AUC0-48h) were directly and significantly related to the administered dose. An increase in serum TT3 concentration was observed (significant after 1 hour), and the concentration increased further at 2 and 4 hours and then remained steady up to 48 hours after T3S administration. There was a significant direct correlation between the TT3 AUC0-48h and the administered dose of T3S. No changes in serum free thyroxine (T4) concentrations during the entire study period were observed, whereas serum thyroid-stimulating hormone levels increased slightly at 48 hours, but this was not related to the dose of T3S. No adverse events were reported. (1) T3S is

  17. The correlation between spontaneous and radiation-induced apoptosis in T3B bladder cancer (histological grade G3), and the precedence between the two kinds of apoptosis for predicting clinical prognosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harada, Satoshi; Sato, Ryuichi; Nakamura, Ryuji; Oikawa, Hiroshi; Oikawa, Hirobumi; Ohgi, Shie; Tamakawa, Yoshiharu; Yanagisawa, Toru

    2000-01-01

    Purpose: The correlation between the frequency of spontaneous and radiation-induced apoptosis, and the precedence between those for predicting prognosis were studied at clinical level. Methods and Materials: Twenty-one patients (mean age, 65.8 years; 16 men and 5 women) with bladder cancer (transitional cell carcinoma Grade 3, T3bN0M0, Stage IIIb) underwent intraoperative radiotherapy: single 30-Gy 12-MV electron beam irradiation to bladder, followed by total cystectomy 6 h after irradiation. The specimens of pretreatment and irradiated bladder cancer were assayed for apoptosis, using TUNEL staining with counter staining of hematoxylin. The apoptotic index (AI) was calculated by dividing the number of apoptotic cells by the total number of cells and multiplying by 100. The Pearson's linear fitting was used to test the correlation between spontaneous and radiation-induced apoptosis. The Kaplan-Meier product-limit estimation was used for overall survival (OS) and freedom from recurrence (FFR). The precedence between spontaneous and radiation-induced apoptosis for predicting the clinical prognosis was estimated using the proportional hazard regression. Results: The mean AI of spontaneous and radiation-induced apoptosis was 1.18 ± 0.16 and 2.63 ± 0.45, respectively, which was significantly different. There was strong correlation between spontaneous and radiation-induced apoptosis (r 2 = 0.864, adjusted r 2 = 0.857). Radiation-induced apoptosis was estimated by equitation: y (radiation-induced apoptosis) = 2.67 x (spontaneous apoptosis) -0.52. However, the proportional hazard regression test indicated that only spontaneous apoptosis was significant for predicting OS and FFR (vertical bar t vertical bar > 0.2), but radiation-induced apoptosis was not. Conclusion: Estimating AI in radiation-induced apoptosis from AI in spontaneous apoptosis is possible. However, spontaneous apoptosis is more accurate in predicting clinical prognosis

  18. Monitoring of regulatory T cell frequencies and expression of CTLA-4 on T cells, before and after DC vaccination, can predict survival in GBM patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brendan Fong

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: Dendritic cell (DC vaccines have recently emerged as an innovative therapeutic option for glioblastoma patients. To identify novel surrogates of anti-tumor immune responsiveness, we studied the dynamic expression of activation and inhibitory markers on peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL subsets in glioblastoma patients treated with DC vaccination at UCLA. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Pre-treatment and post-treatment PBL from 24 patients enrolled in two Phase I clinical trials of dendritic cell immunotherapy were stained and analyzed using flow cytometry. A univariate Cox proportional hazards model was utilized to investigate the association between continuous immune monitoring variables and survival. Finally, the immune monitoring variables were dichotomized and a recursive partitioning survival tree was built to obtain cut-off values predictive of survival. RESULTS: The change in regulatory T cell (CD3(+CD4(+CD25(+CD127(low frequency in PBL was significantly associated with survival (p = 0.0228; hazard ratio = 3.623 after DC vaccination. Furthermore, the dynamic expression of the negative co-stimulatory molecule, CTLA-4, was also significantly associated with survival on CD3(+CD4(+ T cells (p = 0.0191; hazard ratio = 2.840 and CD3(+CD8(+ T cells (p = 0.0273; hazard ratio = 2.690, while that of activation markers (CD25, CD69 was not. Finally, a recursive partitioning tree algorithm was utilized to dichotomize the post/pre fold change immune monitoring variables. The resultant cut-off values from these immune monitoring variables could effectively segregate these patients into groups with significantly different overall survival curves. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that monitoring the change in regulatory T cell frequencies and dynamic expression of the negative co-stimulatory molecules on peripheral blood T cells, before and after DC vaccination, may predict survival. The cut-off point generated from these data can be utilized in future

  19. Enhancing the 'real world' prediction of cardiovascular events and major bleeding with the CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores using multiple biomarkers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roldán, Vanessa; Rivera-Caravaca, José Miguel; Shantsila, Alena; García-Fernández, Amaya; Esteve-Pastor, María Asunción; Vilchez, Juan Antonio; Romera, Marta; Valdés, Mariano; Vicente, Vicente; Marín, Francisco; Lip, Gregory Y H

    2018-02-01

    Atrial fibrillation (AF)-European guidelines suggest the use of biomarkers to stratify patients for stroke and bleeding risks. We investigated if a multibiomarker strategy improved the predictive performance of CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc and HAS-BLED in anticoagulated AF patients. We included consecutive patients stabilized for six months on vitamin K antagonists (INRs 2.0-3.0). High sensitivity troponin T, NT-proBNP, interleukin-6, von Willebrand factor concentrations and glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; using MDRD-4 formula) were quantified at baseline. Time in therapeutic range (TTR) was recorded at six months after inclusion. Patients were follow-up during a median of 2375 (IQR 1564-2887) days and all adverse events were recorded. In 1361 patients, adding four blood biomarkers, TTR and MDRD-eGFR, the predictive value of CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc increased significantly by c-index (0.63 vs. 0.65; p = .030) and IDI (0.85%; p originals scores. Addition of biomarkers enhanced the predictive value of CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc and HAS-BLED, although the overall improvement was modest and the added predictive advantage over original scores was marginal. Key Messages Recent atrial fibrillation (AF)-European guidelines for the first time suggest the use of biomarkers to stratify patients for stroke and bleeding risks, but their usefulness in real world for risk stratification is still questionable. In this cohort study involving 1361 AF patients optimally anticoagulated with vitamin K antagonists, adding high sensitivity troponin T, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, interleukin 6, von Willebrand factor, glomerular filtration rate (by the MDRD-4 formula) and time in therapeutic range, increased the predictive value of CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc for cardiovascular events, but not the predictive value of HAS-BLED for major bleeding. Reclassification analyses did not show improvement adding multiple biomarkers. Despite the improvement observed, the added predictive advantage is marginal and

  20. An Analysis of Natural T Cell Responses to Predicted Tumor Neoepitopes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjerregaard, Anne-Mette; Nielsen, Morten; Jurtz, Vanessa Isabell

    2017-01-01

    Personalization of cancer immunotherapies such as therapeutic vaccines and adoptive T-cell therapy may benefit from efficient identification and targeting of patient-specific neoepitopes. However, current neoepitope prediction methods based on sequencing and predictions of epitope processing...

  1. Prediction of low birth weight: the placental T2* estimated by MRI versus the uterine artery pulsatility index

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sinding, Marianne Munk; Peters, David Alberg; Frøkjær, Jens Brøndum

    (MRI) variable T2* reflects the placental oxygenation and thereby placental function. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the performance of placental T2* in the prediction of low birth weight using the uterine artery (UtA) pulsatility index (PI) as gold standard. Methods: The study population......CONTROL ID: 2516296 ABSTRACT FINAL ID: P22.05 TITLE: Prediction of low birth weight: the placental T2* estimated by MRI versus the uterine artery pulsatility index AUTHORS (FIRST NAME, LAST NAME): Marianne Sinding1, David Peters2, Jens B. Frøkjær3, 4, Ole B. Christiansen1, 4, Astrid Petersen5...... had an EFW T2* was measured by MRI at 1.5T. A gradient recalled echo MRI sequence with readout at 16 echo times was used, and the placental T2* value was obtained by fitting the signal intensity as a function of the echo times...

  2. The superfluid diffusion equation S(T)(∂T/∂t) = ∇·[K(T)(∇T)1/3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dresner, L.

    1990-06-01

    This report deals with the superfluid diffusion equation, S(T)(∂T/∂t) = ∇·[K(T)(∇T) 1/3 ], which describes heat transport in turbulent helium-II (superfluid helium). Three methods of solution -- the method of similarity, the variational method, and the method of maximum/minimum principles -- are applied to this equation. The solutions discovered are helpful in addressing the use of helium-II in superconducting magnets and other applications. 22 refs., 23 figs., 3 tabs

  3. Capacity for cooperative binding of thyroid hormone (T3) receptor dimers defines wild type T3 response elements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brent, G A; Williams, G R; Harney, J W; Forman, B M; Samuels, H H; Moore, D D; Larsen, P R

    1992-04-01

    Thyroid hormone response elements (T3REs) have been identified in a variety of promoters including those directing expression of rat GH (rGH), alpha-myosin heavy chain (rMHC), and malic enzyme (rME). A detailed biochemical and genetic analysis of the rGH element has shown that it consists of three hexamers related to the consensus [(A/G)GGT(C/A)A]. We have extended this analysis to the rMHC and rME elements. Binding of highly purified thyroid hormone receptor (T3R) to T3REs was determined using the gel shift assay, and thyroid hormone (T3) induction was measured in transient tranfections. We show that the wild type version of each of the three elements binds T3R dimers cooperatively. Mutational analysis of the rMHC and rME elements identified domains important for binding T3R dimers and allowed a direct determination of the relationship between T3R binding and function. In each element two hexamers are required for dimer binding, and mutations that interfere with dimer formation significantly reduce T3 induction. Similar to the rGH element, the rMHC T3RE contains three hexameric domains arranged as a direct repeat followed by an inverted copy, although the third domain is weaker than in rGH. All three are required for full function and T3R binding. The rME T3RE is a two-hexamer direct repeat T3RE, which also binds T3R monomer and dimer. Across a series of mutant elements, there was a strong correlation between dimer binding in vitro and function in vivo for rMHC (r = 0.99, P less than 0.01) and rME (r = 0.67, P less than 0.05) T3REs. Our results demonstrate a similar pattern of T3R dimer binding to a diverse array of hexameric sequences and arrangements in three wild type T3REs. Addition of nuclear protein enhanced T3R binding but did not alter the specificity of binding to wild type or mutant elements. Binding of purified T3R to T3REs was highly correlated with function, both with and without the addition of nuclear protein. T3R dimer formation is the common

  4. Measurement of the t anti tZ and t anti tW production cross sections in multilepton final states using 3.2 fb{sup -1} of pp collisions at √(s) = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aaboud, M. [Univ. Mohamed Premier et LPTPM, Oujda (Morocco). Faculte des Sciences; Aad, G. [CPPM, Aix-Marseille Univ. et CNRS/IN2P3, Marseille (France); Abbott, B. [Oklahoma Univ., Norman, OK (United States). Homer L. Dodge Dept. of Physics and Astronomy; Collaboration: ATLAS Collaboration; and others

    2017-01-15

    A measurement of the t anti tZ and t anti tW production cross sections in final states with either two same-charge muons, or three or four leptons (electrons or muons) is presented. The analysis uses a data sample of proton-proton collisions at √(s) = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2015, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb{sup -1}. The inclusive cross sections are extracted using likelihood fits to signal and control regions, resulting in σ{sub t} {sub anti} {sub tZ} = 0.9 ± 0.3 pb and σ{sub t} {sub anti} {sub tW} = 1.5 ± 0.8 pb, in agreement with the Standard Model predictions. (orig.)

  5. Role of CD3 gamma in T cell receptor assembly

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dietrich, J; Neisig, A; Hou, X

    1996-01-01

    . In contrast, treatment of T cells with tunicamycin suggested that N-linked glycosylation of CD3 delta is required for TCR assembly. Site-directed mutagenesis of the acidic amino acid in the TM domain of CD3 gamma demonstrated that this residue is involved in TCR assembly probably by binding to Ti beta......The T cell receptor (TCR) consists of the Ti alpha beta heterodimer and the associated CD3 gamma delta epsilon and zeta 2 chains. The structural relationships between the subunits of the TCR complex are still not fully known. In this study we examined the role of the extracellular (EC...... predicted in the EC domain of CD3 gamma. Site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that these sites play a crucial role in TCR assembly probably by binding to CD3 epsilon. Mutagenesis of N-linked glycosylation sites showed that glycosylation of CD3 gamma is not required for TCR assembly and expression...

  6. Autoreactive T Cells in Human Smokers Is Predictive of Clinical Outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chuang eXu

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Cross-sectional studies have suggested a role for activation of adaptive immunity in smokers with emphysema, but the clinical application of these findings has not been explored. Here we examined the utility of detecting autoreactive T cells as a screening tool for emphysema in an at-risk population of smokers. We followed 156 former and current (ever-smokers for two years to assess whether peripheral blood CD4 T cell cytokine responses to lung elastin fragments (EFs could discriminate between those with and without emphysema, and to evaluate the relevance of autoreactive T cells to predict changes during follow-up in lung physiological parameters. Volunteers underwent baseline complete phenotypic assessment with pulmonary function tests, quantitative chest CT, yearly six minutes walk distance (6MWD testing, and annual measurement of CD4 T cell cytokine responses to EFs. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve to predict emphysema for interferon gamma (IFN-γ, and interleukin 6 (IL-6 responses to EFs were 0.81 (95% CI of 0.74 to 0.88 and 0.79 (95% CI of 0.72 to 0.86 respectively. We developed a dual cytokine enzyme-linked immunocell spot assay, the γ-6 Spot, using CD4 T cell IFN-γ and IL-6 responses and found that it discriminated emphysema with 90% sensitivity. After adjusting for potential confounders, the presence of autoreactive T cells was predictive of a decrease in 6MWD over two years (decline in 6MWD, -19 meters (m per fold change in IFN-γ; P=0.026, and -26 m per fold change in IL-6; P=0.003. These findings collectively suggest that the EF specific autoreactive CD4 T cell assay, γ-6 Spot, could provide a non-invasive diagnostic tool with potential application to large-scale screening to discriminate emphysema in ever-smokers, and predict early relevant physiological outcomes in those at risk.

  7. Real-time Medical Emergency Response System: Exploiting IoT and Big Data for Public Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rathore, M Mazhar; Ahmad, Awais; Paul, Anand; Wan, Jiafu; Zhang, Daqiang

    2016-12-01

    Healthy people are important for any nation's development. Use of the Internet of Things (IoT)-based body area networks (BANs) is increasing for continuous monitoring and medical healthcare in order to perform real-time actions in case of emergencies. However, in the case of monitoring the health of all citizens or people in a country, the millions of sensors attached to human bodies generate massive volume of heterogeneous data, called "Big Data." Processing Big Data and performing real-time actions in critical situations is a challenging task. Therefore, in order to address such issues, we propose a Real-time Medical Emergency Response System that involves IoT-based medical sensors deployed on the human body. Moreover, the proposed system consists of the data analysis building, called "Intelligent Building," depicted by the proposed layered architecture and implementation model, and it is responsible for analysis and decision-making. The data collected from millions of body-attached sensors is forwarded to Intelligent Building for processing and for performing necessary actions using various units such as collection, Hadoop Processing (HPU), and analysis and decision. The feasibility and efficiency of the proposed system are evaluated by implementing the system on Hadoop using an UBUNTU 14.04 LTS coreTMi5 machine. Various medical sensory datasets and real-time network traffic are considered for evaluating the efficiency of the system. The results show that the proposed system has the capability of efficiently processing WBAN sensory data from millions of users in order to perform real-time responses in case of emergencies.

  8. Comparative evaluation of urinary PCA3 and TMPRSS2: ERG scores and serum PHI in predicting prostate cancer aggressiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tallon, Lucile; Luangphakdy, Devillier; Ruffion, Alain; Colombel, Marc; Devonec, Marian; Champetier, Denis; Paparel, Philippe; Decaussin-Petrucci, Myriam; Perrin, Paul; Vlaeminck-Guillem, Virginie

    2014-07-30

    It has been suggested that urinary PCA3 and TMPRSS2:ERG fusion tests and serum PHI correlate to cancer aggressiveness-related pathological criteria at prostatectomy. To evaluate and compare their ability in predicting prostate cancer aggressiveness, PHI and urinary PCA3 and TMPRSS2:ERG (T2) scores were assessed in 154 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for biopsy-proven prostate cancer. Univariate and multivariate analyses using logistic regression and decision curve analyses were performed. All three markers were predictors of a tumor volume≥0.5 mL. Only PHI predicted Gleason score≥7. T2 score and PHI were both independent predictors of extracapsular extension(≥pT3), while multifocality was only predicted by PCA3 score. Moreover, when compared to a base model (age, digital rectal examination, serum PSA, and Gleason sum at biopsy), the addition of both PCA3 score and PHI to the base model induced a significant increase (+12%) when predicting tumor volume>0.5 mL. PHI and urinary PCA3 and T2 scores can be considered as complementary predictors of cancer aggressiveness at prostatectomy.

  9. Comparative Evaluation of Urinary PCA3 and TMPRSS2: ERG Scores and Serum PHI in Predicting Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucile Tallon

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available It has been suggested that urinary PCA3 and TMPRSS2:ERG fusion tests and serum PHI correlate to cancer aggressiveness-related pathological criteria at prostatectomy. To evaluate and compare their ability in predicting prostate cancer aggressiveness, PHI and urinary PCA3 and TMPRSS2:ERG (T2 scores were assessed in 154 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for biopsy-proven prostate cancer. Univariate and multivariate analyses using logistic regression and decision curve analyses were performed. All three markers were predictors of a tumor volume ≥0.5 mL. Only PHI predicted Gleason score ≥7. T2 score and PHI were both independent predictors of extracapsular extension (≥pT3, while multifocality was only predicted by PCA3 score. Moreover, when compared to a base model (age, digital rectal examination, serum PSA, and Gleason sum at biopsy, the addition of both PCA3 score and PHI to the base model induced a significant increase (+12% when predicting tumor volume >0.5 mL. PHI and urinary PCA3 and T2 scores can be considered as complementary predictors of cancer aggressiveness at prostatectomy.

  10. Monitoring the effects of doxorubicin on 3D-spheroid tumor cells in real-time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baek N

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available NamHuk Baek,1,* Ok Won Seo,1,* MinSung Kim,1 John Hulme,2 Seong Soo A An2 1Department of R & D, NanoEntek Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea; 2Department of BioNano Technology Gachon University, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Recently, increasing numbers of cell culture experiments with 3D spheroids presented better correlating results in vivo than traditional 2D cell culture systems. 3D spheroids could offer a simple and highly reproducible model that would exhibit many characteristics of natural tissue, such as the production of extracellular matrix. In this paper numerous cell lines were screened and selected depending on their ability to form and maintain a spherical shape. The effects of increasing concentrations of doxorubicin (DXR on the integrity and viability of the selected spheroids were then measured at regular intervals and in real-time. In total 12 cell lines, adenocarcinomic alveolar basal epithelial (A549, muscle (C2C12, prostate (DU145, testis (F9, pituitary epithelial-like (GH3, cervical cancer (HeLa, HeLa contaminant (HEp2, embryo (NIH3T3, embryo (PA317, neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y, osteosarcoma U2OS, and embryonic kidney cells (293T, were screened. Out of the 12, 8 cell lines, NIH3T3, C2C12, 293T, SH-SY5Y, A549, HeLa, PA317, and U2OS formed regular spheroids and the effects of DXR on these structures were measured at regular intervals. Finally, 5 cell lines, A549, HeLa, SH-SY5Y, U2OS, and 293T, were selected for real-time monitoring and the effects of DXR treatment on their behavior were continuously recorded for 5 days. A potential correlation regarding the effects of DXR on spheroid viability and ATP production was measured on days 1, 3, and 5. Cytotoxicity of DXR seemed to occur after endocytosis, since the cellular activities and ATP productions were still viable after 1 day of the treatment in all spheroids, except SH-SY5Y. Both cellular activity and ATP production were

  11. Limited Sampling Strategy for Accurate Prediction of Pharmacokinetics of Saroglitazar: A 3-point Linear Regression Model Development and Successful Prediction of Human Exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Shuchi N; Srinivas, Nuggehally R; Parmar, Deven V

    2018-03-01

    Our aim was to develop and validate the extrapolative performance of a regression model using a limited sampling strategy for accurate estimation of the area under the plasma concentration versus time curve for saroglitazar. Healthy subject pharmacokinetic data from a well-powered food-effect study (fasted vs fed treatments; n = 50) was used in this work. The first 25 subjects' serial plasma concentration data up to 72 hours and corresponding AUC 0-t (ie, 72 hours) from the fasting group comprised a training dataset to develop the limited sampling model. The internal datasets for prediction included the remaining 25 subjects from the fasting group and all 50 subjects from the fed condition of the same study. The external datasets included pharmacokinetic data for saroglitazar from previous single-dose clinical studies. Limited sampling models were composed of 1-, 2-, and 3-concentration-time points' correlation with AUC 0-t of saroglitazar. Only models with regression coefficients (R 2 ) >0.90 were screened for further evaluation. The best R 2 model was validated for its utility based on mean prediction error, mean absolute prediction error, and root mean square error. Both correlations between predicted and observed AUC 0-t of saroglitazar and verification of precision and bias using Bland-Altman plot were carried out. None of the evaluated 1- and 2-concentration-time points models achieved R 2 > 0.90. Among the various 3-concentration-time points models, only 4 equations passed the predefined criterion of R 2 > 0.90. Limited sampling models with time points 0.5, 2, and 8 hours (R 2 = 0.9323) and 0.75, 2, and 8 hours (R 2 = 0.9375) were validated. Mean prediction error, mean absolute prediction error, and root mean square error were prediction of saroglitazar. The same models, when applied to the AUC 0-t prediction of saroglitazar sulfoxide, showed mean prediction error, mean absolute prediction error, and root mean square error model predicts the exposure of

  12. Real-time prediction of hand trajectory by ensembles of cortical neurons in primates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wessberg, Johan; Stambaugh, Christopher R.; Kralik, Jerald D.; Beck, Pamela D.; Laubach, Mark; Chapin, John K.; Kim, Jung; Biggs, S. James; Srinivasan, Mandayam A.; Nicolelis, Miguel A. L.

    2000-11-01

    Signals derived from the rat motor cortex can be used for controlling one-dimensional movements of a robot arm. It remains unknown, however, whether real-time processing of cortical signals can be employed to reproduce, in a robotic device, the kind of complex arm movements used by primates to reach objects in space. Here we recorded the simultaneous activity of large populations of neurons, distributed in the premotor, primary motor and posterior parietal cortical areas, as non-human primates performed two distinct motor tasks. Accurate real-time predictions of one- and three-dimensional arm movement trajectories were obtained by applying both linear and nonlinear algorithms to cortical neuronal ensemble activity recorded from each animal. In addition, cortically derived signals were successfully used for real-time control of robotic devices, both locally and through the Internet. These results suggest that long-term control of complex prosthetic robot arm movements can be achieved by simple real-time transformations of neuronal population signals derived from multiple cortical areas in primates.

  13. Real-Time Safety Monitoring and Prediction for the National Airspace System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roychoudhury, Indranil

    2016-01-01

    As new operational paradigms and additional aircraft are being introduced into the National Airspace System (NAS), maintaining safety in such a rapidly growing environment becomes more challenging. It is therefore desirable to have both an overview of the current safety of the airspace at different levels of granularity, as well an understanding of how the state of the safety will evolve into the future given the anticipated flight plans, weather forecasts, predicted health of assets in the airspace, and so on. To this end, we have developed a Real-Time Safety Monitoring (RTSM) that first, estimates the state of the NAS using the dynamic models. Then, given the state estimate and a probability distribution of future inputs to the NAS, the framework predicts the evolution of the NAS, i.e., the future state, and analyzes these future states to predict the occurrence of unsafe events. The entire probability distribution of airspace safety metrics is computed, not just point estimates, without significant assumptions regarding the distribution type and or parameters. We demonstrate our overall approach by predicting the occurrence of some unsafe events and show how these predictions evolve in time as flight operations progress.

  14. Radioimmunoassay method for determination of 3, 3', 5'-triiodothyronine (reverse - T3)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kosowicz, J.

    1979-01-01

    To introduce radioimmunoassay, 3, 3', 5'-triiodothyronine (reverse-T 3 ) was coupled to bovine serum albumin by the carbodiimide technique and rabbits were immunized with the conjugates obtained. The immunizations were performed by multiple site intradermal injections at places in which cornynebacterium parvum was previously injected to enhance immunologic reaction. After 3 months the rabbits raised antisera to reverse-T 3 of a high titer and specificity. To obtain labelled 125 I-reverse T 3 , 3,3'-diiodothyronine was used. Iodination was performed by the chloramine T technique and the iodination mixture was subjected to gel filtration on Sephadex G-25 (fine) column. The purified monolabelled 125 I-reverse T 3 had a specific activity of 3,000 milli Curie/mg. The reverse T 3 radioimmunoassay of a high sensitivity (ca 2 pg/tube) was introduced in the clinical studies and facilitated direct determination of reverse T 3 in sera without the need of plasma extractions. The interference of serum proteins (TBG) was avoided by adding 8-anilino-1-naphtalene sulfonic acid to serum samples. Separation of free from antibody bound antigens was achieved by polyethylene glycol precipitation or immunoprecipitation. (author)

  15. Real-time fluorescence target/background (T/B) ratio calculation in multimodal endoscopy for detecting GI tract cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Yang; Gong, Yuanzheng; Wang, Thomas D.; Seibel, Eric J.

    2017-02-01

    Multimodal endoscopy, with fluorescence-labeled probes binding to overexpressed molecular targets, is a promising technology to visualize early-stage cancer. T/B ratio is the quantitative analysis used to correlate fluorescence regions to cancer. Currently, T/B ratio calculation is post-processing and does not provide real-time feedback to the endoscopist. To achieve real-time computer assisted diagnosis (CAD), we establish image processing protocols for calculating T/B ratio and locating high-risk fluorescence regions for guiding biopsy and therapy in Barrett's esophagus (BE) patients. Methods: Chan-Vese algorithm, an active contour model, is used to segment high-risk regions in fluorescence videos. A semi-implicit gradient descent method was applied to minimize the energy function of this algorithm and evolve the segmentation. The surrounding background was then identified using morphology operation. The average T/B ratio was computed and regions of interest were highlighted based on user-selected thresholding. Evaluation was conducted on 50 fluorescence videos acquired from clinical video recordings using a custom multimodal endoscope. Results: With a processing speed of 2 fps on a laptop computer, we obtained accurate segmentation of high-risk regions examined by experts. For each case, the clinical user could optimize target boundary by changing the penalty on area inside the contour. Conclusion: Automatic and real-time procedure of calculating T/B ratio and identifying high-risk regions of early esophageal cancer was developed. Future work will increase processing speed to <5 fps, refine the clinical interface, and apply to additional GI cancers and fluorescence peptides.

  16. Feasibility of the integration of CRONOS, a 3-D neutronics code, into real-time simulators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ragusa, J.C.

    2001-01-01

    In its effort to contribute to nuclear power plant safety, CEA proposes the integration of an engineering grade 3-D neutronics code into a real-time plant analyser. This paper describes the capabilities of the neutronics code CRONOS to achieve a fast running performance. First, we will present current core models in simulators and explain their drawbacks. Secondly, the mean features of CRONOS's spatial-kinetics methods will be reviewed. We will then present an optimum core representation with respect to mesh size, choice of finite elements (FE) basis and execution time, for accurate results as well as the multi 1-D thermal-hydraulics (T/H) model developed to take into account 3-D effects in updating the cross-sections. A Main Steam Line Break (MSLB) End-of-Life (EOL) Hot-Zero-Power (HZP) accident will be used as an example, before we conclude with the perspectives of integrating CRONOS's 3-D core model into real-time simulators. (author)

  17. Feasibility of the integration of CRONOS, a 3-D neutronics code, into real-time simulators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ragusa, J.C. [CEA Saclay, Dept. de Mecanique et de Technologie, 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France)

    2001-07-01

    In its effort to contribute to nuclear power plant safety, CEA proposes the integration of an engineering grade 3-D neutronics code into a real-time plant analyser. This paper describes the capabilities of the neutronics code CRONOS to achieve a fast running performance. First, we will present current core models in simulators and explain their drawbacks. Secondly, the mean features of CRONOS's spatial-kinetics methods will be reviewed. We will then present an optimum core representation with respect to mesh size, choice of finite elements (FE) basis and execution time, for accurate results as well as the multi 1-D thermal-hydraulics (T/H) model developed to take into account 3-D effects in updating the cross-sections. A Main Steam Line Break (MSLB) End-of-Life (EOL) Hot-Zero-Power (HZP) accident will be used as an example, before we conclude with the perspectives of integrating CRONOS's 3-D core model into real-time simulators. (author)

  18. Operational Precipitation prediction in Support of Real-Time Flash Flood Prediction and Reservoir Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Georgakakos, K. P.

    2006-05-01

    The presentation will outline the implementation and performance evaluation of a number of national and international projects pertaining to operational precipitation estimation and prediction in the context of hydrologic warning systems and reservoir management support. In all cases, uncertainty measures of the estimates and predictions are an integral part of the precipitation models. Outstanding research issues whose resolution is likely to lead to improvements in the operational environment are presented. The presentation draws from the experience of the Hydrologic Research Center (http://www.hrc-lab.org) prototype implementation projects at the Panama Canal, Central America, Northern California, and South-Central US. References: Carpenter, T.M, and K.P. Georgakakos, "Discretization Scale Dependencies of the Ensemble Flow Range versus Catchment Area Relationship in Distributed Hydrologic Modeling," Journal of Hydrology, 2006, in press. Carpenter, T.M., and K.P. Georgakakos, "Impacts of Parametric and Radar Rainfall Uncertainty on the Ensemble Streamflow Simulations of a Distributed Hydrologic Model," Journal of Hydrology, 298, 202-221, 2004. Georgakakos, K.P., Graham, N.E., Carpenter, T.M., Georgakakos, A.P., and H. Yao, "Integrating Climate- Hydrology Forecasts and Multi-Objective Reservoir Management in Northern California," EOS, 86(12), 122,127, 2005. Georgakakos, K.P., and J.A. Sperfslage, "Operational Rainfall and Flow Forecasting for the Panama Canal Watershed," in The Rio Chagres: A Multidisciplinary Profile of a Tropical Watershed, R.S. Harmon, ed., Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, Chapter 16, 323-334, 2005. Georgakakos, K. P., "Analytical results for operational flash flood guidance," Journal of Hydrology, doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2005.05.009, 2005.

  19. Dynamic thermal signature prediction for real-time scene generation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christie, Chad L.; Gouthas, Efthimios (Themie); Williams, Owen M.; Swierkowski, Leszek

    2013-05-01

    At DSTO, a real-time scene generation framework, VIRSuite, has been developed in recent years, within which trials data are predominantly used for modelling the radiometric properties of the simulated objects. Since in many cases the data are insufficient, a physics-based simulator capable of predicting the infrared signatures of objects and their backgrounds has been developed as a new VIRSuite module. It includes transient heat conduction within the materials, and boundary conditions that take into account the heat fluxes due to solar radiation, wind convection and radiative transfer. In this paper, an overview is presented, covering both the steady-state and transient performance.

  20. Lessons learned from the EU project T-CREST

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schoeberl, Martin

    2016-01-01

    A three year EU project, such a T-CREST, with partners from all over Europe and with backgrounds from different domains is a challenging endeavor. Successful execution of such a project depends on more factors than simply performing excellent research. Within the three-year project T-CREST eight...... partners from academia and industry developed and evaluated a time-predictable multi-core processor with an accompanying compiler and a worst-case execution time analysis tool. The tight cooperation of the partners and the shared vision of the need of new computer architectures for future real-time systems...... enabled the successful completion of the T-CREST project. The T-CREST platform is now available, with most components in open source, to be used for future real-time systems and as a platform for further research....

  1. The Value of 3D Printing Models of Left Atrial Appendage Using Real-Time 3D Transesophageal Echocardiographic Data in Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion: Applications toward an Era of Truly Personalized Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Peng; Liu, Rijing; Zhang, Yan; Liu, Yingfeng; Tang, Xiaoming; Cheng, Yanzhen

    The objective of this study was to assess the clinical feasibility of generating 3D printing models of left atrial appendage (LAA) using real-time 3D transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) data for preoperative reference of LAA occlusion. Percutaneous LAA occlusion can effectively prevent patients with atrial fibrillation from stroke. However, the anatomical structure of LAA is so complicated that adequate information of its structure is essential for successful LAA occlusion. Emerging 3D printing technology has the demonstrated potential to structure more accurately than conventional imaging modalities by creating tangible patient-specific models. Typically, 3D printing data sets are acquired from CT and MRI, which may involve intravenous contrast, sedation, and ionizing radiation. It has been reported that 3D models of LAA were successfully created by the data acquired from CT. However, 3D printing of the LAA using real-time 3D TEE data has not yet been explored. Acquisition of 3D transesophageal echocardiographic data from 8 patients with atrial fibrillation was performed using the Philips EPIQ7 ultrasound system. Raw echocardiographic image data were opened in Philips QLAB and converted to 'Cartesian DICOM' format and imported into Mimics® software to create 3D models of LAA, which were printed using a rubber-like material. The printed 3D models were then used for preoperative reference and procedural simulation in LAA occlusion. We successfully printed LAAs of 8 patients. Each LAA costs approximately CNY 800-1,000 and the total process takes 16-17 h. Seven of the 8 Watchman devices predicted by preprocedural 2D TEE images were of the same sizes as those placed in the real operation. Interestingly, 3D printing models were highly reflective of the shape and size of LAAs, and all device sizes predicted by the 3D printing model were fully consistent with those placed in the real operation. Also, the 3D printed model could predict operating difficulty and the

  2. 32 CFR 643.3 - Authority to grant use of real estate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Authority to grant use of real estate. 643.3... PROPERTY REAL ESTATE General § 643.3 Authority to grant use of real estate. (a) The United States.... (b) One of the principal authorities for the use of military real estate for commercial purposes is...

  3. A Real-Time Coastal Ocean Prediction Experiment for MREA04

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-01-01

    coastal ocean prediction experiment for MREA04 Dong S. Ko *, Paul J. Martin, Clark D. Rowley, Ruth H. Preller Naval Research Laborator ,: S ’ntis Space...Jourml of Marine Svstem 69 t200S) 17 28 and various data streams for ocean bathymetry, clima - global ONFS or from a higher resolution regional ONFS

  4. Processing speed and executive functions predict real-world everyday living skills in adolescents with early-onset schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puig, O; Penadés, R; Baeza, I; Sánchez-Gistau, V; De la Serna, E; Fonrodona, L; Andrés-Perpiñá, S; Bernardo, M; Castro-Fornieles, J

    2012-06-01

    Cognition and clinical variables are known to be among the most predictive factors of real-world social functioning and daily living skills in adult-onset schizophrenia. Fewer studies have focused on their impact in adolescents with early-onset schizophrenia (EOS). The aim of this study is to examine the relationships and the predictive value of cognition and clinical variables on real-world daily living skills in a sample of adolescents with EOS. Cognitive, clinical and real-world everyday living skills measures were administered to 45 clinically and pharmacologically stabilized adolescent outpatients with EOS and 45 healthy control subjects matched by age and sex. Multi-variant analyses to compare cognitive and real-world functioning profiles between patients and controls and regression analysis to identify predictors of real-world functioning scores in patients were used. Adolescents with EOS showed a generalized cognitive and real-world daily living skills dysfunction. Several cognitive and clinical variables significantly correlated with real-world daily living skills functioning but only the processing speed and executive functions emerged as independent predictors of everyday living skills scores, explaining 25.1% of the variance. Slowness in processing information and executive dysfunction showed a significant impact on real-world daily living skills in EOS, independently from clinical symptoms and other cognitive variables. Nevertheless, much of the variance in the daily living skills measure remained unaccounted for, suggesting that other factors were involved as well in this young population.

  5. Effects of potassium iodide in concentrations of TSH, tT3 and tT4 in serum of subjects with sporotrichosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramírez Soto, Max Carlos

    2014-08-01

    The saturated potassium iodide solution (SSKI) as treatment for sporotrichosis may cause hypothyroidism by suppressing the synthesis of thyroid hormones (tT3 and tT4 ) and the iodine excess could lead to thyrotoxicosis. Evaluating the changes in serum levels of TSH, tT3 and tT4 in euthyroid patients with sporotrichosis treated with SSKI. For the selection of euthyroid patients, TSH, tT3 and tT4 concentrations were measured for those adults and children diagnosed with sporotrichosis. Each paediatric patient was administered SSKI orally in increasing doses of 2-20 drops/3 times/day and 4-40 drops/3 times/day in adults. Serum concentrations of TSH, tT3 and tT4 were measured 20 days after started the treatment and 15 days posttreatment. Eight euthyroid patients aged between 2 to 65 years old were included. After 20 days of treatment, two suffered subclinical hypothyroidism, one developed subclinical hyperthyroidism, and one hyperthyroxinaemia euthyroid. At 15 days posttreatment only four patients were evaluated and all serum levels of TSH, tT3 and tT4 were normal. Some euthyroid patients with sporotrichosis can develop hyperthyroidism or subclinical iodine-induced hypothyroidism, during the administration of 3 or 6 g SSKI/day. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  6. Data-adaptive Harmonic Decomposition and Real-time Prediction of Arctic Sea Ice Extent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kondrashov, Dmitri; Chekroun, Mickael; Ghil, Michael

    2017-04-01

    Decline in the Arctic sea ice extent (SIE) has profound socio-economic implications and is a focus of active scientific research. Of particular interest is prediction of SIE on subseasonal time scales, i.e. from early summer into fall, when sea ice coverage in Arctic reaches its minimum. However, subseasonal forecasting of SIE is very challenging due to the high variability of ocean and atmosphere over Arctic in summer, as well as shortness of observational data and inadequacies of the physics-based models to simulate sea-ice dynamics. The Sea Ice Outlook (SIO) by Sea Ice Prediction Network (SIPN, http://www.arcus.org/sipn) is a collaborative effort to facilitate and improve subseasonal prediction of September SIE by physics-based and data-driven statistical models. Data-adaptive Harmonic Decomposition (DAH) and Multilayer Stuart-Landau Models (MSLM) techniques [Chekroun and Kondrashov, 2017], have been successfully applied to the nonlinear stochastic modeling, as well as retrospective and real-time forecasting of Multisensor Analyzed Sea Ice Extent (MASIE) dataset in key four Arctic regions. In particular, DAH-MSLM predictions outperformed most statistical models and physics-based models in real-time 2016 SIO submissions. The key success factors are associated with DAH ability to disentangle complex regional dynamics of MASIE by data-adaptive harmonic spatio-temporal patterns that reduce the data-driven modeling effort to elemental MSLMs stacked per frequency with fixed and small number of model coefficients to estimate.

  7. Real-Time Performance of a Self-Powered Environmental IoT Sensor Network System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Fan; Rüdiger, Christoph; Yuce, Mehmet Rasit

    2017-02-01

    Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) play an increasingly important role in monitoring applications in many areas. With the emergence of the Internet-of-Things (IoT), many more lowpower sensors will need to be deployed in various environments to collect and monitor data about environmental factors in real time. Providing power supply to these sensor nodes becomes a critical challenge for realizations of IoT applications as sensor nodes are normally battery-powered and have a limited lifetime. This paper proposes a wireless sensor network that is powered by solar energy harvesting. The sensor network monitors the environmental data with low-power sensor electronics and forms a network using multiple XBee wireless modules. A detailed performance analysis of the network system under solar energy harvesting has been presented. The sensor network system and the proposed energy-harvesting techniques are configured to achieve a continuous energy source for the sensor network. The proposed energy-harvesting system has been successfully designed to enable an energy solution in order to keep sensor nodes active and reliable for a whole day. The paper also outlines some of our experiences in real-time implementation of a sensor network system with energy harvesting.

  8. Real-Time Performance of a Self-Powered Environmental IoT Sensor Network System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fan Wu

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Wireless sensor networks (WSNs play an increasingly important role in monitoring applications in many areas. With the emergence of the Internet-of-Things (IoT, many more lowpower sensors will need to be deployed in various environments to collect and monitor data about environmental factors in real time. Providing power supply to these sensor nodes becomes a critical challenge for realizations of IoT applications as sensor nodes are normally battery-powered and have a limited lifetime. This paper proposes a wireless sensor network that is powered by solar energy harvesting. The sensor network monitors the environmental data with low-power sensor electronics and forms a network using multiple XBee wireless modules. A detailed performance analysis of the network system under solar energy harvesting has been presented. The sensor network system and the proposed energy-harvesting techniques are configured to achieve a continuous energy source for the sensor network. The proposed energy-harvesting system has been successfully designed to enable an energy solution in order to keep sensor nodes active and reliable for a whole day. The paper also outlines some of our experiences in real-time implementation of a sensor network system with energy harvesting.

  9. OceanNOMADS: Real-time and retrospective access to operational U.S. ocean prediction products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harding, J. M.; Cross, S. L.; Bub, F.; Ji, M.

    2011-12-01

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Operational Model Archive and Distribution System (NOMADS) provides both real-time and archived atmospheric model output from servers at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) respectively (http://nomads.ncep.noaa.gov/txt_descriptions/marRutledge-1.pdf). The NOAA National Ocean Data Center (NODC) with NCEP is developing a complementary capability called OceanNOMADS for operational ocean prediction models. An NCEP ftp server currently provides real-time ocean forecast output (http://www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/newNCOM/NCOM_currents.shtml) with retrospective access through NODC. A joint effort between the Northern Gulf Institute (NGI; a NOAA Cooperative Institute) and the NOAA National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC; a division of NODC) created the developmental version of the retrospective OceanNOMADS capability (http://www.northerngulfinstitute.org/edac/ocean_nomads.php) under the NGI Ecosystem Data Assembly Center (EDAC) project (http://www.northerngulfinstitute.org/edac/). Complementary funding support for the developmental OceanNOMADS from U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) through the Southeastern University Research Association (SURA) Model Testbed (http://testbed.sura.org/) this past year provided NODC the analogue that facilitated the creation of an NCDDC production version of OceanNOMADS (http://www.ncddc.noaa.gov/ocean-nomads/). Access tool development and storage of initial archival data sets occur on the NGI/NCDDC developmental servers with transition to NODC/NCCDC production servers as the model archives mature and operational space and distribution capability grow. Navy operational global ocean forecast subsets for U.S waters comprise the initial ocean prediction fields resident on the NCDDC production server. The NGI/NCDDC developmental server currently includes the Naval Research Laboratory Inter-America Seas

  10. T cell subpopulations in lymph nodes may not be predictive of patient outcome in colorectal cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoon Han-Seung

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The immune response has been proposed to be an important factor in determining patient outcome in colorectal cancer (CRC. Previous studies have concentrated on characterizing T cell populations in the primary tumour where T cells with regulatory effect (Foxp3+ Tregs have been identified as both enhancing and diminishing anti-tumour immune responses. No previous studies have characterized the T cell response in the regional lymph nodes in CRC. Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to analyse CD4, CD8 or Foxp3+ T cell populations in the regional lymph nodes of patients with stage II CRC (n = 31, with (n = 13 or without (n = 18 cancer recurrence after 5 years of follow up, to determine if the priming environment for anti-tumour immunity was associated with clinical outcome. Results The proportions of CD4, CD8 or Foxp3+ cells in the lymph nodes varied widely between and within patients, and there was no association between T cell populations and cancer recurrence or other clinicopathological characteristics. Conclusions These data indicate that frequency of these T cell subsets in lymph nodes may not be a useful tool for predicting patient outcome.

  11. Predictions for m{sub t} and M{sub W} in minimal supersymmetric models

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Buchmueller, O. [Imperial College, London (United Kingdom). High Energy Physics Group; Cavanaugh, R. [Fermi National Accelerator Lab., Batavia, IL (United States); Illinois Univ., Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Physics; Roeck, A. de [European Lab. for Particle Physics (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland); Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen, Wilrijk (Belgium); Ellis, J.R. [European Lab. for Particle Physics (CERN), Geneva (Switzerland); Flaecher, H. [Rochester Univ., NY (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy; Heinemeyer, S. [Instituto de Fisica de Cantabria, Santander (Spain); Isidori, G. [INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati (Italy); Technische Univ. Muenchen (Germany). Inst. for Advanced Study; Olive, K.A. [Minnesota Univ., Minnesota, MN (United States). William I. Fine Theoretical Physics Institute; Ronga, F.J. [ETH Zuerich (Switzerland). Institute for Particle Physics; Weiglein, G. [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)

    2009-12-15

    Using a frequentist analysis of experimental constraints within two versions of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model, we derive the predictions for the top quark mass, m{sub t}, and the W boson mass, m{sub W}. We find that the supersymmetric predictions for both m{sub t} and m{sub W}, obtained by incorporating all the relevant experimental information and state-of-the-art theoretical predictions, are highly compatible with the experimental values with small remaining uncertainties, yielding an improvement compared to the case of the Standard Model. (orig.)

  12. Effects of obesity, total fasting and re-alimentation on L-thyroxine (T4), 3,5,3'-L-triiodothyronine (T3), 3,3',5'-L-triiodothyronine (rT3), thyroxine binding globulin (TBG), cortisol, thyrotrophin, cortisol binding globulin (CBG), transferrin, alpha 2-haptoglobin and complement C'3 in serum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scriba, P C; Bauer, M; Emmert, D; Fateh-Moghadam, A; Hofmann, G G; Horn, K; Pickardt, C R

    1979-08-01

    The effects of total fasting for 31 +/- 10 days followed by re-alimentation with an 800 calorie diet on thyroid function, i.e. T4,T3,rT3,RT3U (resin T3 uptake), and TSH, and on TBG levels in serum were studied sequentially in obese hospitalized patients (N=18). Additionally, cortisol, growth hormone, prolactin, parathyrin and free fatty acids were followed as hormonal and metabolic parameters, respectively. Further, CBG, transferrin, alpha 2-haptoglobin and complement C'3 were measured as representatives of other serum proteins. Results before fasting: T4, T3, TBG, cortisol, CBG, alpha 2-haptoglobin and complement C'3 of the obese patients were elevated when compared with healthy normal weight controls, whereas rT3, T4/TBG ratio, T3/TBG ratio, TSH, coritsol/cbg ratio, growth hormone, prolactin, parathyrin and transferrin of the obese group were normal. RT3U and fT4 index were decreased in the obese patients. Results during fasting: Significant decreases were observed during fasting for the following parameters -- T3, TBG, T3/TBG ratio, transferrin, alpha 2-haptoglobin complement C'3. rT3, T4/TBG ratio, RT3U, fT4 index and FFA increased. T4, tsh response to TRH stimulation, cortisol, CBG, cortisol/cbg ratio, parathyrin, growth hormone and prolactin did not change. Results during re-alimentation: T3, TBG, T3/TBG ratio, TSH response to TRH, transferrin, alpha 2-haptoglobin and complement C'3 increased. Conversely, fT3, RT3U, FFA, cortisol and cortisol/cbg ratio decreased whereas the other parameters did not change. 1) There is no evidence for primary hypothyroidism in obese patients during prolonged fasting and re-alimentation. 2) The rapid decrease of T3 and increase of RT3U after initiation of fasting are not fully explained by the observed slower decreases in TBG. 3) The alterations of T3, rT3 and RT3U resemble in their kinetics the changes in FFA levels. 4) Fasting reduced the levels of only certain serum proteins, interestingly TBG, transferrin, alpha 2

  13. NK-like homeodomain proteins activate NOTCH3-signaling in leukemic T-cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagel, Stefan; Scherr, Michaela; MacLeod, Roderick AF; Venturini, Letizia; Przybylski, Grzegorz K; Grabarczyk, Piotr; Meyer, Corinna; Kaufmann, Maren; Battmer, Karin; Schmidt, Christian A; Drexler, Hans G

    2009-01-01

    Homeodomain proteins control fundamental cellular processes in development and in cancer if deregulated. Three members of the NK-like subfamily of homeobox genes (NKLs), TLX1, TLX3 and NKX2-5, are implicated in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). They are activated by particular chromosomal aberrations. However, their precise function in leukemogenesis is still unclear. Here we screened further NKLs in 24 T-ALL cell lines and identified the common expression of MSX2. The subsequent aim of this study was to analyze the role of MSX2 in T-cell differentiation which may be disturbed by oncogenic NKLs. Specific gene activity was examined by quantitative real-time PCR, and globally by expression profiling. Proteins were analyzed by western blot, immuno-cytology and immuno-precipitation. For overexpression studies cell lines were transduced by lentiviruses. Quantification of MSX2 mRNA in primary hematopoietic cells demonstrated higher levels in CD34+ stem cells as compared to peripheral blood cells and mature CD3+ T-cells. Furthermore, analysis of MSX2 expression levels in T-cell lines after treatment with core thymic factors confirmed their involvement in regulation. These results indicated that MSX2 represents an hematopoietic NKL family member which is downregulated during T-cell development and may functionally substituted by oncogenic NKLs. For functional analysis JURKAT cells were lentivirally transduced, overexpressing either MSX2 or oncogenic TLX1 and NKX2-5, respectively. These cells displayed transcriptional activation of NOTCH3-signaling, including NOTCH3 and HEY1 as analyzed by gene expression profiling and quantitative RT-PCR, and consistently attenuated sensitivity to gamma-secretase inhibitor as analyzed by MTT-assays. Furthermore, in addition to MSX2, both TLX1 and NKX2-5 proteins interacted with NOTCH-pathway repressors, SPEN/MINT/SHARP and TLE1/GRG1, representing a potential mechanism for (de)regulation. Finally, elevated expression of NOTCH3

  14. An Analysis of Natural T Cell Responses to Predicted Tumor Neoepitopes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne-Mette Bjerregaard

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Personalization of cancer immunotherapies such as therapeutic vaccines and adoptive T-cell therapy may benefit from efficient identification and targeting of patient-specific neoepitopes. However, current neoepitope prediction methods based on sequencing and predictions of epitope processing and presentation result in a low rate of validation, suggesting that the determinants of peptide immunogenicity are not well understood. We gathered published data on human neopeptides originating from single amino acid substitutions for which T cell reactivity had been experimentally tested, including both immunogenic and non-immunogenic neopeptides. Out of 1,948 neopeptide-HLA (human leukocyte antigen combinations from 13 publications, 53 were reported to elicit a T cell response. From these data, we found an enrichment for responses among peptides of length 9. Even though the peptides had been pre-selected based on presumed likelihood of being immunogenic, we found using NetMHCpan-4.0 that immunogenic neopeptides were predicted to bind significantly more strongly to HLA compared to non-immunogenic peptides. Investigation of the HLA binding strength of the immunogenic peptides revealed that the vast majority (96% shared very strong predicted binding to HLA and that the binding strength was comparable to that observed for pathogen-derived epitopes. Finally, we found that neopeptide dissimilarity to self is a predictor of immunogenicity in situations where neo- and normal peptides share comparable predicted binding strength. In conclusion, these results suggest new strategies for prioritization of mutated peptides, but new data will be needed to confirm their value.

  15. Real squashing mode in textures in 3He-B

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mineev, V.P.

    1985-01-01

    The shape of the absorption line of ultrasound due to various components of the real squashing mode in textures in 3 He-B is investigated. An explanation is presented of the additional splitting of the absorption line for the M=0 component of the real squashing model in a magnetic field and of the absence of such splitting of lines with M=+-1, +-2 in the case of place geometry. The peculiarities of the shape of the ultrasound absorption lines for various components of the real squashing mode in a rotating cylindrical vessel with 3 He-B are discussed

  16. Real-time video quality monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Tao; Narvekar, Niranjan; Wang, Beibei; Ding, Ran; Zou, Dekun; Cash, Glenn; Bhagavathy, Sitaram; Bloom, Jeffrey

    2011-12-01

    The ITU-T Recommendation G.1070 is a standardized opinion model for video telephony applications that uses video bitrate, frame rate, and packet-loss rate to measure the video quality. However, this model was original designed as an offline quality planning tool. It cannot be directly used for quality monitoring since the above three input parameters are not readily available within a network or at the decoder. And there is a great room for the performance improvement of this quality metric. In this article, we present a real-time video quality monitoring solution based on this Recommendation. We first propose a scheme to efficiently estimate the three parameters from video bitstreams, so that it can be used as a real-time video quality monitoring tool. Furthermore, an enhanced algorithm based on the G.1070 model that provides more accurate quality prediction is proposed. Finally, to use this metric in real-world applications, we present an example emerging application of real-time quality measurement to the management of transmitted videos, especially those delivered to mobile devices.

  17. Establish and Evaluate Ada Runtime Features of Interest for Real-Time Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    1989-02-15

    Runtime Features of Interest for Real - Time Systems -,-. CLEARED POR :)E,4 pUEL tCATLON SEP 2 0 19E19 ,CETM ORP t ’R RE LOO O Nt-U~HM- ANDQ SECURITY...ESTABLISH AND EVALUATE py ADA RUNTIME FEATURES OF INTEREST FOR REAL - TIME SYSTEMS CONTRACT NUMBER: MDA 903-87-D-0056 IITRI PROJECT NUMBER: T06168 PREPARED...2 2.0 SELECTION PROCESS OVERVIEW .................................... 3 2.1 REAL - TIME SYSTEMS IDENTIFICATION ........................... 4 2.2

  18. Clinical advantages of 3.0 T MRI over 1.5 T

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Willinek, Winfried A.; Schild, Hans H.

    2008-01-01

    Since approval by the FDA in 2000, human MR imaging (MRI) at 3.0 T has been increasingly used in clinical practice. In spite of the potential technical challenges, a number of clinical advantages of 3.0 T MRI over 1.5 T have been identified in the recent years. This article reviews the benefits and the current knowledge of 3.0 T whole-body MRI from an evidence-based perspective and summarizes its clinical applications

  19. Clinical advantages of 3.0 T MRI over 1.5 T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Willinek, Winfried A. [Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, D-53105 Bonn (Germany)], E-mail: winfried.willinek@ukb.uni-bonn.de; Schild, Hans H. [Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, D-53105 Bonn (Germany)

    2008-01-15

    Since approval by the FDA in 2000, human MR imaging (MRI) at 3.0 T has been increasingly used in clinical practice. In spite of the potential technical challenges, a number of clinical advantages of 3.0 T MRI over 1.5 T have been identified in the recent years. This article reviews the benefits and the current knowledge of 3.0 T whole-body MRI from an evidence-based perspective and summarizes its clinical applications.

  20. In silico and cell-based analyses reveal strong divergence between prediction and observation of T-cell-recognized tumor antigen T-cell epitopes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Julien; Guillaume, Philippe; Dojcinovic, Danijel; Karbach, Julia; Coukos, George; Luescher, Immanuel

    2017-07-14

    Tumor exomes provide comprehensive information on mutated, overexpressed genes and aberrant splicing, which can be exploited for personalized cancer immunotherapy. Of particular interest are mutated tumor antigen T-cell epitopes, because neoepitope-specific T cells often are tumoricidal. However, identifying tumor-specific T-cell epitopes is a major challenge. A widely used strategy relies on initial prediction of human leukocyte antigen-binding peptides by in silico algorithms, but the predictive power of this approach is unclear. Here, we used the human tumor antigen NY-ESO-1 (ESO) and the human leukocyte antigen variant HLA-A*0201 (A2) as a model and predicted in silico the 41 highest-affinity, A2-binding 8-11-mer peptides and assessed their binding, kinetic complex stability, and immunogenicity in A2-transgenic mice and on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from ESO-vaccinated melanoma patients. We found that 19 of the peptides strongly bound to A2, 10 of which formed stable A2-peptide complexes and induced CD8 + T cells in A2-transgenic mice. However, only 5 of the peptides induced cognate T cells in humans; these peptides exhibited strong binding and complex stability and contained multiple large hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids. These results were not predicted by in silico algorithms and provide new clues to improving T-cell epitope identification. In conclusion, our findings indicate that only a small fraction of in silico -predicted A2-binding ESO peptides are immunogenic in humans, namely those that have high peptide-binding strength and complex stability. This observation highlights the need for improving in silico predictions of peptide immunogenicity. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  1. Combination L-T3 and L-T4 therapy for hypothyroidism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wartofsky, Leonard

    2013-10-01

    Because of the longstanding controversy regarding whether hypothyroid patients can be optimally replaced by treatment with levothyroxine (L-T4) alone, numerous studies have addressed potential benefits of combined therapy of triiodothyronine (T3) with L-T4. Results of these studies have failed to support a potential benefit of combined therapy. A strong argument for the addition of L-T3 to L-T4 monotherapy has been lacking until recent genetic studies indicated a rationale for such therapy among a small fraction of the hypothyroid patient population. Interest in this issue has focused on the importance of the deiodinases in maintaining the euthyroid state and the role of genetic polymorphisms in the deiodinase genes that would affect thyroid hormone concentrations in both blood and tissues. One such polymorphism in the D2 gene, Thr92Ala, is associated with reduced T4 to T3 activation in skeletal muscle and thyroid, linked to obesity and alterations in thyroid-pituitary feedback, and in responses to thyroid hormone treatment. Although our professional organizations continue to recommend L-T4 alone for the treatment of hypothyroidism, the possibility of a D2 gene polymorphism should be considered in patients on L-T4 monotherapy who continue to complain of fatigue in spite of dosage achieving low normal serum thyroid stimulating hormone levels. A suggestive clue to the presence of this polymorphism could be a higher than normal free T4/free T3 ratio. Clinicians could consider adding T3 as a therapeutic trial in selected patients. Future well controlled clinical trials will be required to more fully resolve the controversy.

  2. Phosphatidylcholine induces apoptosis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Hailan

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Phosphatidylcholine (PPC formulation is used for lipolytic injection, even though its mechanism of action is not well understood. Methods The viability of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes and differentiated 3T3-L1 cells was measured after treatment of PPC alone, its vehicle sodium deoxycholate (SD, and a PPC formulation. Western blot analysis was performed to examine PPC-induced signaling pathways. Results PPC, SD, and PPC formulation significantly decreased 3T3-L1 cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. PPC alone was not cytotoxic to CCD-25Sk human fibroblasts at concentrations Conclusions PPC results in apoptosis of 3T3-L1 cells.

  3. Short-term PV/T module temperature prediction based on PCA-RBF neural network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jiyong; Zhao, Zhendong; Li, Yisheng; Xiao, Jing; Tang, Yunfeng

    2018-02-01

    Aiming at the non-linearity and large inertia of temperature control in PV/T system, short-term temperature prediction of PV/T module is proposed, to make the PV/T system controller run forward according to the short-term forecasting situation to optimize control effect. Based on the analysis of the correlation between PV/T module temperature and meteorological factors, and the temperature of adjacent time series, the principal component analysis (PCA) method is used to pre-process the original input sample data. Combined with the RBF neural network theory, the simulation results show that the PCA method makes the prediction accuracy of the network model higher and the generalization performance stronger than that of the RBF neural network without the main component extraction.

  4. An Evaluation of Thyroid Hormones (T4, T3, and Free T4) Concentrations During Pregnancy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Kyu Bo; Kim, Ji Yeul

    1981-01-01

    Serum concentrations of T 4 , T 3 , and free T 4 were measured by radioimmunoassay in normal pregnant women at trimesters, in postpartum women, and cord blood of neonate. Total T 4 were increased during pregnancy, remarkably high in the first trimester, and also somewhat increased in postpartum, and normal in neonate. Total T 3 were in normal range during pregnancy, but increased in postpartum, whereas decreased in neonate. Free T 4 were decreased in 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy, however normal in postpartum and neonate.

  5. Relaxivity of Ferumoxytol at 1.5 T and 3.0 T.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knobloch, Gesine; Colgan, Timothy; Wiens, Curtis N; Wang, Xiaoke; Schubert, Tilman; Hernando, Diego; Sharma, Samir D; Reeder, Scott B

    2018-05-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the relaxation properties of ferumoxytol, an off-label alternative to gadolinium-based contrast agents, under physiological conditions at 1.5 T and 3.0 T. Ferumoxytol was diluted in gradually increasing concentrations (0.26-4.2 mM) in saline, human plasma, and human whole blood. Magnetic resonance relaxometry was performed at 37°C at 1.5 T and 3.0 T. Longitudinal and transverse relaxation rate constants (R1, R2, R2*) were measured as a function of ferumoxytol concentration, and relaxivities (r1, r2, r2*) were calculated. A linear dependence of R1, R2, and R2* on ferumoxytol concentration was found in saline and plasma with lower R1 values at 3.0 T and similar R2 and R2* values at 1.5 T and 3.0 T (1.5 T: r1saline = 19.9 ± 2.3 smM; r1plasma = 19.0 ± 1.7 smM; r2saline = 60.8 ± 3.8 smM; r2plasma = 64.9 ± 1.8 smM; r2*saline = 60.4 ± 4.7 smM; r2*plasma = 64.4 ± 2.5 smM; 3.0 T: r1saline = 10.0 ± 0.3 smM; r1plasma = 9.5 ± 0.2 smM; r2saline = 62.3 ± 3.7 smM; r2plasma = 65.2 ± 1.8 smM; r2*saline = 57.0 ± 4.7 smM; r2*plasma = 55.7 ± 4.4 smM). The dependence of relaxation rates on concentration in blood was nonlinear. Formulas from second-order polynomial fittings of the relaxation rates were calculated to characterize the relationship between R1blood and R2 blood with ferumoxytol. Ferumoxytol demonstrates strong longitudinal and transverse relaxivities. Awareness of the nonlinear relaxation behavior of ferumoxytol in blood is important for ferumoxytol-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging applications and for protocol optimization.

  6. Selection of reliable reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR in human T cells and neutrophils

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ledderose Carola

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The choice of reliable reference genes is a prerequisite for valid results when analyzing gene expression with real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR. This method is frequently applied to study gene expression patterns in immune cells, yet a thorough validation of potential reference genes is still lacking for most leukocyte subtypes and most models of their in vitro stimulation. In the current study, we evaluated the expression stability of common reference genes in two widely used cell culture models-anti-CD3/CD28 activated T cells and lipopolysaccharide stimulated neutrophils-as well as in unselected untreated leukocytes. Results The mRNA expression of 17 (T cells, 7 (neutrophils or 8 (unselected leukocytes potential reference genes was quantified by reverse transcription qPCR, and a ranking of the preselected candidate genes according to their expression stability was calculated using the programs NormFinder, geNorm and BestKeeper. IPO8, RPL13A, TBP and SDHA were identified as suitable reference genes in T cells. TBP, ACTB and SDHA were stably expressed in neutrophils. TBP and SDHA were also the most stable genes in untreated total blood leukocytes. The critical impact of reference gene selection on the estimated target gene expression is demonstrated for IL-2 and FIH expression in T cells. Conclusions The study provides a shortlist of suitable reference genes for normalization of gene expression data in unstimulated and stimulated T cells, unstimulated and stimulated neutrophils and in unselected leukocytes.

  7. In vitro diagnosis of T3-thyrotoxicosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Semenov, V.D.

    1983-01-01

    A study was made of the importance of various radioimmunoassays and their reliability in the diagnosis of functional activity of the thyroid parenchyma in patients with nodular goiter. To define the effect of the globulin thyroxine binding ability on the level of general serum triiodothyronine (T 3 ), the index of triiodothyronine and the index of elevated serum triiodothyronine (IEST 3 ) were calculated. A comprehensive procedure of test registration reflecting hypophyseal-thyroid function was used to reveal 3 types of thyrotoxicoses: Tsub(3/4)-thyrotoxicosis, T 3 -thyrotoxicosis and T 4 -thyrotoxicosis. A high informative value of the main tests - the determination of the content of general thyroxine (T 4 ), T 3 and effective thyroxine factor - was established. The IEST 3 is of the utmost diagnostic value, particularly in diagnosing T 3 -thyrotoxicosis

  8. Production of sheep anti triiodothyronine T3 antisera for development of T3 RIA kit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elsadig, M. G.; Abdalla, O. M.; Eltayed, E. A.

    2009-01-01

    This study was a trial to produce antisera against triiodothyronine T 3 . Small amounts of antibodies were detected due to a poor response of sheep to immunization. Consequently the amount of T 3 tracer bound by antibodies was found to be less than 10% with weak discrimination between zero and high standard doses in all bleeds which dose not satisfy radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique requirements. In this study, two local male Sudanese sheep (ovis aries) were immunized with T 3 -immuno gen intramuscularly and subcutaneously in different sites along their backs. Sheep (I) was immunized with 25μg of antigen per kg body weight in first and boosting injections, while the dose was only 10μg per kg body weight for sheep (II). T 3 -immunogen was emulsified in FCA for the first injection and in FIA for the boosting injections. The sera obtained from both sheep after each injection were subjected to evaluation for the levels of circulating anti T 3 antibodies through both qualitative and quantitative tests. The tests were performed for both purified and non-purified forms of antibodies with different separation techniques. Theses me methods include, precipitation by second antibody assisted by polyethylene glycol (PEG), polystyrene beads, and liquid phase separation techniques.(Author)

  9. Real-time prediction and gating of respiratory motion using an extended Kalman filter and Gaussian process regression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bukhari, W; Hong, S-M

    2015-01-01

    Motion-adaptive radiotherapy aims to deliver a conformal dose to the target tumour with minimal normal tissue exposure by compensating for tumour motion in real time. The prediction as well as the gating of respiratory motion have received much attention over the last two decades for reducing the targeting error of the treatment beam due to respiratory motion. In this article, we present a real-time algorithm for predicting and gating respiratory motion that utilizes a model-based and a model-free Bayesian framework by combining them in a cascade structure. The algorithm, named EKF-GPR + , implements a gating function without pre-specifying a particular region of the patient’s breathing cycle. The algorithm first employs an extended Kalman filter (LCM-EKF) to predict the respiratory motion and then uses a model-free Gaussian process regression (GPR) to correct the error of the LCM-EKF prediction. The GPR is a non-parametric Bayesian algorithm that yields predictive variance under Gaussian assumptions. The EKF-GPR + algorithm utilizes the predictive variance from the GPR component to capture the uncertainty in the LCM-EKF prediction error and systematically identify breathing points with a higher probability of large prediction error in advance. This identification allows us to pause the treatment beam over such instances. EKF-GPR + implements the gating function by using simple calculations based on the predictive variance with no additional detection mechanism. A sparse approximation of the GPR algorithm is employed to realize EKF-GPR + in real time. Extensive numerical experiments are performed based on a large database of 304 respiratory motion traces to evaluate EKF-GPR + . The experimental results show that the EKF-GPR + algorithm effectively reduces the prediction error in a root-mean-square (RMS) sense by employing the gating function, albeit at the cost of a reduced duty cycle. As an example, EKF-GPR + reduces the patient-wise RMS error to 37%, 39% and 42

  10. Real-time prediction and gating of respiratory motion using an extended Kalman filter and Gaussian process regression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bukhari, W.; Hong, S.-M.

    2015-01-01

    Motion-adaptive radiotherapy aims to deliver a conformal dose to the target tumour with minimal normal tissue exposure by compensating for tumour motion in real time. The prediction as well as the gating of respiratory motion have received much attention over the last two decades for reducing the targeting error of the treatment beam due to respiratory motion. In this article, we present a real-time algorithm for predicting and gating respiratory motion that utilizes a model-based and a model-free Bayesian framework by combining them in a cascade structure. The algorithm, named EKF-GPR+, implements a gating function without pre-specifying a particular region of the patient’s breathing cycle. The algorithm first employs an extended Kalman filter (LCM-EKF) to predict the respiratory motion and then uses a model-free Gaussian process regression (GPR) to correct the error of the LCM-EKF prediction. The GPR is a non-parametric Bayesian algorithm that yields predictive variance under Gaussian assumptions. The EKF-GPR+ algorithm utilizes the predictive variance from the GPR component to capture the uncertainty in the LCM-EKF prediction error and systematically identify breathing points with a higher probability of large prediction error in advance. This identification allows us to pause the treatment beam over such instances. EKF-GPR+ implements the gating function by using simple calculations based on the predictive variance with no additional detection mechanism. A sparse approximation of the GPR algorithm is employed to realize EKF-GPR+ in real time. Extensive numerical experiments are performed based on a large database of 304 respiratory motion traces to evaluate EKF-GPR+. The experimental results show that the EKF-GPR+ algorithm effectively reduces the prediction error in a root-mean-square (RMS) sense by employing the gating function, albeit at the cost of a reduced duty cycle. As an example, EKF-GPR+ reduces the patient-wise RMS error to 37%, 39% and 42% in

  11. Real-time prediction and gating of respiratory motion using an extended Kalman filter and Gaussian process regression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bukhari, W; Hong, S-M

    2015-01-07

    Motion-adaptive radiotherapy aims to deliver a conformal dose to the target tumour with minimal normal tissue exposure by compensating for tumour motion in real time. The prediction as well as the gating of respiratory motion have received much attention over the last two decades for reducing the targeting error of the treatment beam due to respiratory motion. In this article, we present a real-time algorithm for predicting and gating respiratory motion that utilizes a model-based and a model-free Bayesian framework by combining them in a cascade structure. The algorithm, named EKF-GPR(+), implements a gating function without pre-specifying a particular region of the patient's breathing cycle. The algorithm first employs an extended Kalman filter (LCM-EKF) to predict the respiratory motion and then uses a model-free Gaussian process regression (GPR) to correct the error of the LCM-EKF prediction. The GPR is a non-parametric Bayesian algorithm that yields predictive variance under Gaussian assumptions. The EKF-GPR(+) algorithm utilizes the predictive variance from the GPR component to capture the uncertainty in the LCM-EKF prediction error and systematically identify breathing points with a higher probability of large prediction error in advance. This identification allows us to pause the treatment beam over such instances. EKF-GPR(+) implements the gating function by using simple calculations based on the predictive variance with no additional detection mechanism. A sparse approximation of the GPR algorithm is employed to realize EKF-GPR(+) in real time. Extensive numerical experiments are performed based on a large database of 304 respiratory motion traces to evaluate EKF-GPR(+). The experimental results show that the EKF-GPR(+) algorithm effectively reduces the prediction error in a root-mean-square (RMS) sense by employing the gating function, albeit at the cost of a reduced duty cycle. As an example, EKF-GPR(+) reduces the patient-wise RMS error to 37%, 39% and

  12. Complex congenital heart malformation evaluated with MR imaging at 0.3 T

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malmgren, N.; Hochbergs, P.; Holmqvist, C.; Sandstroem, S.; Laurin, S.; Bjoerkhem, G.

    1996-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of MR imaging at 0.3 T as the single modality in diagnosing complex congenital heart disease (CHD). Films from 45 cases were reviewed in two stages by four specialists and one fellow in pediatric radiology, who were unfamiliar with the patients. First a general review of CHD diagnosis was made, then a detailed study of anomalous venous return was performed. Regarding the general diagnosis of cardiovascular anomalies the results were good, with sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 96%, a positive predictive value of 88%, a negative predictive value of 93% and accuracy of 92%. As expected, the less experienced reviewer had somewhat lower figures. As for detailed evaluation of the anomalous veins, the diagnostic results were again good (sensitivity 85%), although less so when also the connection sites of the anomalous veins were considered (sensitivity 79%). The specificity of the findings was high at 97%. MR imaging at 0.3 T is valuable in the diagnosis of comples CHD, especially for anomalous vessels and their connections. (orig.)

  13. 7T MRI subthalamic nucleus atlas for use with 3T MRI.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milchenko, Mikhail; Norris, Scott A; Poston, Kathleen; Campbell, Meghan C; Ushe, Mwiza; Perlmutter, Joel S; Snyder, Abraham Z

    2018-01-01

    Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) reduces motor symptoms in most patients with Parkinson disease (PD), yet may produce untoward effects. Investigation of DBS effects requires accurate localization of the STN, which can be difficult to identify on magnetic resonance images collected with clinically available 3T scanners. The goal of this study is to develop a high-quality STN atlas that can be applied to standard 3T images. We created a high-definition STN atlas derived from seven older participants imaged at 7T. This atlas was nonlinearly registered to a standard template representing 56 patients with PD imaged at 3T. This process required development of methodology for nonlinear multimodal image registration. We demonstrate mm-scale STN localization accuracy by comparison of our 3T atlas with a publicly available 7T atlas. We also demonstrate less agreement with an earlier histological atlas. STN localization error in the 56 patients imaged at 3T was less than 1 mm on average. Our methodology enables accurate STN localization in individuals imaged at 3T. The STN atlas and underlying 3T average template in MNI space are freely available to the research community. The image registration methodology developed in the course of this work may be generally applicable to other datasets.

  14. Expression of MCM-3 and MCM-7 in Primary Cutaneous T-cell Lymphomas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jankowska-Konsur, Alina; Kobierzycki, Christopher; Reich, Adam; Grzegrzolka, Jedrzej; Maj, Joanna; Dziegiel, Piotr

    2015-11-01

    Primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas is a group of rare non-Hodgkin lymphomas, originally affecting the skin. Increased proliferation activity is a hallmark of diverse tumors and the proliferation rate, measured by the expression of various markers has a predictive value regarding the malignancy course. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic value and the potential correlation between the expression of proliferation markers Ki-67, MCM-3 and MCM-7, and clinicopathological data for different types of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Immunohistochemical reactions were performed on paraffin blocks obtained from 90 patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) and 21 patients with other CTCL (oCTCL), in comparison to 19 patients with benign inflammatory dermatosis (lichen planus, eczema), serving as control. Statistically significant differences in the expression of Ki-67, MCM-3 and MCM-7 were observed between oCTCL vs. the control group (29% vs. 5%; 17% vs. 5%; 13% vs. 1.5%, respectively, ANOVA with Scheffé post-hoc test: pMCM-3 (r=0.83; pMCM-7 (r=0.84; pMCM-3 and MCM-7 (r=0.81, pMCM-3 expression was significantly higher in advanced compared to early stages (11% vs. 3% and 15.5% vs. 5.0%, respectively, Student's t-test: pMCM-3 and MCM-7 compared to benign inflammatory dermatoses (Student's t-test: pMCM-3 and MCM-7 than T1a (pMCM-3 expression in MF showed a positive relationship with both nodal and distant metastases (ANOVA with Scheffé post hoc test: pMCM-3 expression correlated with shorter survival in MF, although the latter did not reach statistical significance (10-year survival 0.38 vs. 0.82, p=0.02, and 0.46 vs. 0.81, p=0.06, respectively; log rank test). All studied proliferation markers may had predictive values regarding the disease severity and prognosis. Further studies are required to analyze their implementation into patient stratification and treatment process such that will improve prognosis in CTCL. Copyright© 2015 International

  15. New players in the same old game: a system level in silico study to predict type III secretion system and effector proteins in bacterial genomes reveals common themes in T3SS mediated pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadarangani, Vineet; Datta, Sunando; Arunachalam, Manonmani

    2013-07-26

    Type III secretion system (T3SS) plays an important role in virulence or symbiosis of many pathogenic or symbiotic bacteria [CHM 2:291-294, 2007; Physiology (Bethesda) 20:326-339, 2005]. T3SS acts like a tunnel between a bacterium and its host through which the bacterium injects 'effector' proteins into the latter [Nature 444:567-573, 2006; COSB 18:258-266, 2008]. The effectors spatially and temporally modify the host signalling pathways [FEMS Microbiol Rev 35:1100-1125, 2011; Cell Host Microbe5:571-579, 2009]. In spite its crucial role in host-pathogen interaction, the study of T3SS and the associated effectors has been limited to a few bacteria [Cell Microbiol 13:1858-1869, 2011; Nat Rev Microbiol 6:11-16, 2008; Mol Microbiol 80:1420-1438, 2011]. Before one set out to perform systematic experimental studies on an unknown set of bacteria it would be beneficial to identify the potential candidates by developing an in silico screening algorithm. A system level study would also be advantageous over traditional laboratory methods to extract an overriding theme for host-pathogen interaction, if any, from the vast resources of data generated by sequencing multiple bacterial genomes. We have developed an in silico protocol in which the most conserved set of T3SS proteins was used as the query against the entire bacterial database with increasingly stringent search parameters. It enabled us to identify several uncharacterized T3SS positive bacteria. We adopted a similar strategy to predict the presence of the already known effectors in the newly identified T3SS positive bacteria. The huge resources of biochemical data [FEMS Microbiol Rev 35:1100-1125, 2011; Cell Host Microbe 5:571-579, 2009; BMC Bioinformatics 7(11):S4, 2010] on the T3SS effectors enabled us to search for the common theme in T3SS mediated pathogenesis. We identified few cellular signalling networks in the host, which are manipulated by most of the T3SS containing pathogens. We went on to look for

  16. FOXO3 regulates CD8 T cell memory by T cell-intrinsic mechanisms.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeremy A Sullivan

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available CD8 T cell responses have three phases: expansion, contraction, and memory. Dynamic alterations in proliferation and apoptotic rates control CD8 T cell numbers at each phase, which in turn dictate the magnitude of CD8 T cell memory. Identification of signaling pathways that control CD8 T cell memory is incomplete. The PI3K/Akt signaling pathway controls cell growth in many cell types by modulating the activity of FOXO transcription factors. But the role of FOXOs in regulating CD8 T cell memory remains unknown. We show that phosphorylation of Akt, FOXO and mTOR in CD8 T cells occurs in a dynamic fashion in vivo during an acute viral infection. To elucidate the potentially dynamic role for FOXO3 in regulating homeostasis of activated CD8 T cells in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs, we infected global and T cell-specific FOXO3-deficient mice with Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV. We found that FOXO3 deficiency induced a marked increase in the expansion of effector CD8 T cells, preferentially in the spleen, by T cell-intrinsic mechanisms. Mechanistically, the enhanced accumulation of proliferating CD8 T cells in FOXO3-deficient mice was not attributed to an augmented rate of cell division, but instead was linked to a reduction in cellular apoptosis. These data suggested that FOXO3 might inhibit accumulation of growth factor-deprived proliferating CD8 T cells by reducing their viability. By virtue of greater accumulation of memory precursor effector cells during expansion, the numbers of memory CD8 T cells were strikingly increased in the spleens of both global and T cell-specific FOXO3-deficient mice. The augmented CD8 T cell memory was durable, and FOXO3 deficiency did not perturb any of the qualitative attributes of memory T cells. In summary, we have identified FOXO3 as a critical regulator of CD8 T cell memory, and therapeutic modulation of FOXO3 might enhance vaccine-induced protective immunity against intracellular pathogens.

  17. PCA3 Reference Set Application: T2-Erg-Martin Sanda-Emory (2014) — EDRN Public Portal

    Science.gov (United States)

    We hypothesize that combining T2:erg (T2:erg) fusion and PCA3 detection in urine collected after digital rectal exam can improve the specificity of identifying clinically significant prostate cancer presence over the standard PSA and DRE. To address this hypothesis we propose to validate the performance of the urinary T2:erg in a multiplex model predicting the diagnosis of clinically significant prostate cancer on subsequent prostate biopsy using post-DRE pre biopsy urine specimens from a cohort of 900 men on the EDRN’s PCA3 trial.

  18. Liver fibrosis detection and staging: a comparative study of T1ρ MR imaging and 2D real-time shear-wave elastography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ruo-Kun; Ren, Xin-Pin; Yan, Fu-Hua; Qiang, Jin-Wei; Lin, Hui-Min; Tao Wang; Zhao, Hong-Fei; Chen, Wei-Bo

    2017-12-02

    To compare the results of T1ρ MR imaging and 2D real-time shear-wave elastography (SWE) for liver fibrosis detection and staging. Twenty-nine rabbit models of CCl 4 -induced liver fibrosis were established and six untreated rabbits served as controls. T1ρ MR imaging and 2D real-time SWE examination were performed at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks. T1ρ values and liver stiffness (LS) values were measured. Fibrosis was staged according to the METAVIR scoring system. Correlation test was performed among T1ρ values, LS values, and fibrosis stage. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed for assessing diagnostic performance of T1ρ and SWE in detection of no fibrosis (F0), substantial fibrosis (≥ F2), severe fibrosis (≥ F3), and cirrhosis (F4). There was moderate positive correlation between fibrosis stage and T1ρ values (r = 0.566; 95% CI 0.291-0.754; P < 0.0001), and LS value (r = 0.726; 95% CI 0.521-0.851; P = 0.003). T1ρ values showed moderate positive correlations with LS values [r = 0.693; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.472-0.832; P < 0.0001]. Areas Under ROC (AUROCs) were 0.861 (95% CI 0.705-0.953) for SWE and 0.856 (95% CI 0.698-0.950) for T1ρ (P = 0.940), 0.906 (95% CI 0.762-0.978) for SWE and 0.849 (95% CI 0.691-0.946) for T1ρ (P = 0.414), 0.870 (95% CI 0.716-0.958) for SWE and 0.799 (95% CI 0.632-0.913) for T1ρ (P = 0.422), and 0.846 (95% CI 0.687-0.944) for SWE and 0.692 (95% CI 0.517-0.835) for T1ρ (P = 0.137), when diagnosing liver fibrosis with ≥ F1, ≥ F2, ≥ F3, and F4, respectively. There was moderate positive correlation between inflammatory activity and T1ρ values (r = 0.520; 95% CI 0.158-0.807; P = 0.013). T1ρ imaging has potential for liver fibrosis detection and staging with good diagnostic capability similar to that of ultrasonography elastography.

  19. Comparison of Immunoassay methods for T3, T4 and TSH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alonso Rodríguez, Celia A.

    2016-01-01

    Measurements of T3, T4 and TSH have been considered very important in the diagnosis and monitoring of thyroid diseases both overt and subclinical. These subclinical diseases are actively seeking for years, both in healthy patients and hospitalized for other illnesses; and in the population over 35 years, especially women, in health checkups. The active search for these diseases requires the use of rapid and reliable techniques; that can be developed massively, with good level of detectability and comparable. The overall objective is to present the evaluation of different immunoassay techniques with respect to the RIA and IRMA: ELISA, chemiluminescence, Amplified Chemiluminescence, electrochemiluminescence Immunofluorescence. Compare including automatic methods and analyze the cost and feasibility of them for laboratory immunoassay. ELISA colorimetric technique for dosing was comparable to RIA T4, not for T3. Chemiluminescence (AMERLITE) compared to dosing RIA and IRMA T4 to TSH proved to be valid for both. Amplified Chemiluminescence (Immulite) compared to IRMA for TSH was no significant difference. Electrochemiluminescence (Elecsys 2010) compared to T3 and T4 RIA and IRMA for TSH, no significant differences for T4 and TSH; but no variation to T3. Immunofluorescence (AIA-600) used to compare with RIA for T3 and T4, and TSH IRMA, no significant differences for the measured analytes. Benchmarking of automatic methods suggests that the most thrifty of trials is Immunofluorescence the AIA-600, regarding calibration and control, programming time, randomization and the ability to save the value of the fluorescence deferred calculations for tests without valid at the time of realizing calibration. Analyzing the cost and feasibility of these methods for laboratory immunoassay, we must consider that their characteristics electrochemiluminescence is the fastest, but its price is prohibitive for our health systems. The AIA-600 appears to be the method of choice for its

  20. Optimisation of T2*-weighted MRI for the detection of small veins in multiple sclerosis at 3 T and 7 T

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dixon, Jennifer Elizabeth; Simpson, Ashley; Mistry, Niraj; Evangelou, Nikos; Morris, Peter Gordon

    2013-01-01

    T 2 * -weighted magnetic resonance imaging at 7 T has recently been shown to allow differentiation between white-matter multiple sclerosis lesions and asymptomatic white-matter lesions, by the presence or absence of a detectable central blood vessel. The aim of the present work is to improve the technique by increasing the sensitivity to veins at both 3 T and 7 T, and to assess the benefit of ultra-high-field imaging. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurements and simulations are used to compare the sensitivity of magnitude T 2 * -weighted and susceptibility-weighted images for the detection of small veins (<1 pixel in diameter), both with and without the use of gadolinium. The simulations are used to predict the optimal scanning parameters in order to increase the sensitivity to these veins at both field strengths, and to reduce the inherent dependence on vessel orientation. The sensitivities of the sequences at both field strengths are compared, theoretically and experimentally, in order to quantify the benefit of imaging at ultra-high-field. Subjects with multiple sclerosis (MS) are scanned at both field strengths, using the optimised sequence parameters, as well as those used in previously published work, and the optimisation is shown to improve the detection of veins within lesions

  1. Follow-up of intracranial aneurysms treated with detachable coils: comparison of 3D inflow MRA at 3T and 1.5T and contrast-enhanced MRA at 3T with DSA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramgren, Birgitta; Siemund, Roger; Cronqvist, Mats; Undren, Per; Holtaas, Stig; Nilsson, Ola G.; Larsson, Elna-Marie

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this prospective study was to compare 3T and 1.5T magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for the follow-up of endovascular treated intracranial aneurysms to assess the grade of occlusion. Thirty-seven patients with 41 aneurysms who had undergone endovascular treatment with detachable coils were included. MRA was performed on the same day using an eight-channel sensitivity encoding head-coil with 3D axial inflow technique. At 3T, a contrast-enhanced transverse 3D fast gradient echo acquisition was also performed. Most patients underwent DSA the following day. MRA scans and DSA were classified first independently by two neuroradiologists and an interventional neuroradiologist. Secondly, a consensus was done. Source images, maximum intensity projection, multiplanar reconstruction and volume rendering reconstructions were used for MRA evaluations. A modification of the Raymond classification, previously used for DSA evaluation of recanalization, was used. Statistical comparison of the consensus showed that 3T MRA with 3D axial inflow technique had better agreement with DSA (κ = 0.43) than 1.5T MRA(κ = 0.21) and contrast-enhanced MRA (CE-MRA) at 3T (κ = 0.17). The susceptibility artefacts from the coil mesh were significally smaller at 3T (p = 0.002-0.007) than at 1.5T. 3T MRA, using a sensitivity encoding head-coil, showed better agreement with DSA than 1.5T and CE-MRA at 3T for evaluation of aneurysms treated with endovascular coiling. (orig.)

  2. Detection of hepatic metastases by superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced MR imaging: prospective comparison between 1.5-T and 3.0-T images in the same patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sofue, Keitaro; Miyake, Mototaka; Sakurada, Aine; Arai, Yasuaki; Tsurusaki, Masakatsu; Sugimura, Kazuro

    2010-01-01

    To prospectively compare the diagnostic performance of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at 3.0 T and 1.5 T for detection of hepatic metastases. A total of 28 patients (18 men, 10 women; mean age, 61 years) with 80 hepatic metastases were prospectively examined by SPIO-enhanced MR imaging at 3.0 T and 1.5 T. T1-weighted gradient-recalled-echo (GRE) images, T2*-weighted GRE images and T2-weighted fast spin-echo (SE) images were acquired. The tumour-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the lesions was calculated. Three observers independently reviewed each image. Image artefacts and overall image quality were analysed, sensitivity and positive predictive value for the detection of hepatic metastases were calculated, and diagnostic accuracy using the receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) method was evaluated. The tumour-to-liver CNRs were significantly higher at 3.0 T. Chemical shift and motion artefact were more severe, and overall image quality was worse on T2-weighted fast SE images at 3.0 T. Overall image quality of the two systems was similar on T1-weighted GRE images and T2*-weighted GRE images. Sensitivity and area under the ROC curve for the 3.0-T image sets were significantly higher. SPIO-enhanced MR imaging at 3.0 T provided better diagnostic performance for detection of hepatic metastases than 1.5 T. (orig.)

  3. Comparison of 7T and 3T MRI in patients with moyamoya disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Byeong Ho; Moon, Hyeong Cheol; Baek, Hyeon Man; Lee, Youn Joo; Kim, Sang Woo; Jeon, Young Jai; Lee, Gun Seok; Kim, Hong Rae; Choi, Jai Ho; Min, Kyung Soo; Lee, Mou Seop; Kim, Young Gyu; Kim, Dong Ho; Kim, Won Seop; Park, Young Seok

    2017-04-01

    Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography (MRI/MRA) are widely used for evaluating the moyamoya disease (MMD). This study compared the diagnostic accuracy of 7Tesla (T) and 3T MRI/MRA in MMD. In this case control study, 12 patients [median age: 34years; range (10-66years)] with MMD and 12 healthy controls [median age: 25years; range (22-59years)] underwent both 7T and 3T MRI/MRA. To evaluate the accuracy of MRI/MRA in MMD, five criteria were compared between imaging systems of 7T and 3T: Suzuki grading system, internal carotid artery (ICA) diameter, ivy sign, flow void of the basal ganglia on T2-weighted images, and high signal intensity areas of the basal ganglia on time-of-flight (TOF) source images. No difference was observed between 7T and 3T MRI/MRA in Suzuki stage, ICA diameter, and ivy sign score; while, 7T MRI/MRA showed a higher detection rate in the flow void on T2-weighted images and TOF source images (p<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curves of both T2 and TOF criteria showed that 7T MRI/MRA had higher sensitivity and specificity than 3T MRI/MRA. Our findings indicate that 7T MRI/MRA is superior to 3T MRI/MRA for the diagnosis of MMD in point of detecting the flow void in basal ganglia by T2-weighted and TOF images. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  4. Cloud-Based Numerical Weather Prediction for Near Real-Time Forecasting and Disaster Response

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molthan, Andrew; Case, Jonathan; Venners, Jason; Schroeder, Richard; Checchi, Milton; Zavodsky, Bradley; Limaye, Ashutosh; O'Brien, Raymond

    2015-01-01

    The use of cloud computing resources continues to grow within the public and private sector components of the weather enterprise as users become more familiar with cloud-computing concepts, and competition among service providers continues to reduce costs and other barriers to entry. Cloud resources can also provide capabilities similar to high-performance computing environments, supporting multi-node systems required for near real-time, regional weather predictions. Referred to as "Infrastructure as a Service", or IaaS, the use of cloud-based computing hardware in an on-demand payment system allows for rapid deployment of a modeling system in environments lacking access to a large, supercomputing infrastructure. Use of IaaS capabilities to support regional weather prediction may be of particular interest to developing countries that have not yet established large supercomputing resources, but would otherwise benefit from a regional weather forecasting capability. Recently, collaborators from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and Ames Research Center have developed a scripted, on-demand capability for launching the NOAA/NWS Science and Training Resource Center (STRC) Environmental Modeling System (EMS), which includes pre-compiled binaries of the latest version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The WRF-EMS provides scripting for downloading appropriate initial and boundary conditions from global models, along with higher-resolution vegetation, land surface, and sea surface temperature data sets provided by the NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center. This presentation will provide an overview of the modeling system capabilities and benchmarks performed on the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) environment. In addition, the presentation will discuss future opportunities to deploy the system in support of weather prediction in developing countries supported by NASA's SERVIR Project, which provides capacity building

  5. R&D for an innovative acoustic positioning system for the KM3NeT neutrino telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ameli, F.; Ardid, M.; Bertin, V.; Bonori, M.; Bou-Cabo, M.; Calì, C.; D'Amico, A.; Giovanetti, G.; Imbesi, M.; Keller, P.; Larosa, G.; Llorens, C. D.; Masullo, R.; Randazzo, N.; Riccobene, G.; Speziale, F.; Viola, S.; KM3NeT Consortium

    2011-01-01

    An innovative Acoustic Positioning System for the km3-scale neutrino telescope has been designed and is under realization within the KM3NeT Consortium. Compared to the Acoustic Positioning Systems used for the km3 demonstrators, ANTARES and NEMO Phase 1, this new system is based on the “all data to shore” concept and it will permit the enhancement of detector positioning performances, reduction of costs and its use as real-time monitor of environmental acoustic noise.

  6. AI based HealthCare Platform for Real Time, Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics using Reactive Programming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Jagreet; Singh Mann, Kulwinder, Dr.

    2018-01-01

    AI in Healthcare needed to bring real, actionable insights and Individualized insights in real time for patients and Doctors to support treatment decisions., We need a Patient Centred Platform for integrating EHR Data, Patient Data, Prescriptions, Monitoring, Clinical research and Data. This paper proposes a generic architecture for enabling AI based healthcare analytics Platform by using open sources Technologies Apache beam, Apache Flink Apache Spark, Apache NiFi, Kafka, Tachyon, Gluster FS, NoSQL- Elasticsearch, Cassandra. This paper will show the importance of applying AI based predictive and prescriptive analytics techniques in Health sector. The system will be able to extract useful knowledge that helps in decision making and medical monitoring in real-time through an intelligent process analysis and big data processing.

  7. A preliminary study of the T1rho values of normal knee cartilage using 3 T-MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goto, Hajimu; Iwama, Yuki; Fujii, Masahiko; Aoyama, Nobukazu; Kubo, Seiji; Kuroda, Ryosuke; Ohno, Yoshiharu; Sugimura, Kazuro

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: To investigate the degree of the effect of aging and weight-bearing on T1rho values in normal cartilage. Materials and methods: Thirty-two asymptomatic patients were examined using 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine knee cartilage T1rho values and T2 values. The femoral and tibial cartilage was divided into weight-bearing (WB-Rs) and less-weight-bearing (LWB-Rs) regions. Single regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between cartilage T1rho values and age and between T2 values and age. Analysis of variance and post hoc-testing were used to evaluate differences in WB-Rs and LWB-Rs cartilage T1rho values and T2 values. Multiple linear regression modeling was performed to predict cartilage T1rho values. Results: Cartilage T1rho values correlated positively with age for all cartilage regions tested (p < 0.001). There were no significant correlations between cartilage T2 values and age. In both the medial femoral and tibial cartilage, T1rho values were significantly higher in WB-Rs than in LWB-Rs (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in T2 values between WB-Rs and LWB-Rs. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that both age and weight-bearing were significant predictors of increased medial knee cartilage T1rho values (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Aging and the degree of weight-bearing correlate with the change in cartilage T1rho values. Based on multiple regression modeling, aging may be a more important factor than weight-bearing for cartilage T1rho values.

  8. Effectiveness of evaluating tumor vascularization using 3D power Doppler ultrasound with high-definition flow technology in the prediction of the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for T2 breast cancer: a preliminary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shia, Wei-Chung; Chen, Dar-Ren; Huang, Yu-Len; Wu, Hwa-Koon; Kuo, Shou-Jen

    2015-10-07

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of advanced ultrasound (US) imaging of vascular flow and morphological features in the prediction of a pathologic complete response (pCR) and a partial response (PR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for T2 breast cancer.Twenty-nine consecutive patients with T2 breast cancer treated with six courses of anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled. Three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler US with high-definition flow (HDF) technology was used to investigate the blood flow in and morphological features of the tumors. Six vascularity quantization features, three morphological features, and two vascular direction features were selected and extracted from the US images. A support vector machine was used to evaluate the changes in vascularity after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and pCR and PR were predicted on the basis of these changes.The most accurate prediction of pCR was achieved after the first chemotherapy cycle, with an accuracy of 93.1% and a specificity of 85.5%, while that of a PR was achieved after the second cycle, with an accuracy of 79.31% and a specificity of 72.22%.Vascularity data can be useful to predict the effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Determination of changes in vascularity after neoadjuvant chemotherapy using 3D power Doppler US with HDF can generate accurate predictions of the patient response, facilitating early decision-making.

  9. Effectiveness of evaluating tumor vascularization using 3D power Doppler ultrasound with high-definition flow technology in the prediction of the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for T2 breast cancer: a preliminary report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shia, Wei-Chung; Chen, Dar-Ren; Huang, Yu-Len; Wu, Hwa-Koon; Kuo, Shou-Jen

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of advanced ultrasound (US) imaging of vascular flow and morphological features in the prediction of a pathologic complete response (pCR) and a partial response (PR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for T2 breast cancer.Twenty-nine consecutive patients with T2 breast cancer treated with six courses of anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled. Three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler US with high-definition flow (HDF) technology was used to investigate the blood flow in and morphological features of the tumors. Six vascularity quantization features, three morphological features, and two vascular direction features were selected and extracted from the US images. A support vector machine was used to evaluate the changes in vascularity after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and pCR and PR were predicted on the basis of these changes.The most accurate prediction of pCR was achieved after the first chemotherapy cycle, with an accuracy of 93.1% and a specificity of 85.5%, while that of a PR was achieved after the second cycle, with an accuracy of 79.31% and a specificity of 72.22%.Vascularity data can be useful to predict the effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Determination of changes in vascularity after neoadjuvant chemotherapy using 3D power Doppler US with HDF can generate accurate predictions of the patient response, facilitating early decision-making. (paper)

  10. Effectiveness of evaluating tumor vascularization using 3D power Doppler ultrasound with high-definition flow technology in the prediction of the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for T2 breast cancer: a preliminary report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shia, Wei-Chung; Chen, Dar-Ren; Huang, Yu-Len; Wu, Hwa-Koon; Kuo, Shou-Jen

    2015-10-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of advanced ultrasound (US) imaging of vascular flow and morphological features in the prediction of a pathologic complete response (pCR) and a partial response (PR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for T2 breast cancer. Twenty-nine consecutive patients with T2 breast cancer treated with six courses of anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled. Three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler US with high-definition flow (HDF) technology was used to investigate the blood flow in and morphological features of the tumors. Six vascularity quantization features, three morphological features, and two vascular direction features were selected and extracted from the US images. A support vector machine was used to evaluate the changes in vascularity after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and pCR and PR were predicted on the basis of these changes. The most accurate prediction of pCR was achieved after the first chemotherapy cycle, with an accuracy of 93.1% and a specificity of 85.5%, while that of a PR was achieved after the second cycle, with an accuracy of 79.31% and a specificity of 72.22%. Vascularity data can be useful to predict the effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Determination of changes in vascularity after neoadjuvant chemotherapy using 3D power Doppler US with HDF can generate accurate predictions of the patient response, facilitating early decision-making.

  11. Is Real-World Evidence Used in P&T Monographs and Therapeutic Class Reviews?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurwitz, Jason T; Brown, Mary; Graff, Jennifer S; Peters, Loretta; Malone, Daniel C

    2017-06-01

    Payers are faced with making coverage and reimbursement decisions based on the best available evidence. Often these decisions apply to patient populations, provider networks, and care settings not typically studied in clinical trials. Treatment effectiveness evidence is increasingly available from electronic health records, registries, and administrative claims. However, little is known about when and what types of real-world evidence (RWE) studies inform pharmacy and therapeutic (P&T) committee decisions. To evaluate evidence sources cited in P&T committee monographs and therapeutic class reviews and assess the design features and quality of cited RWE studies. A convenience sample of representatives from pharmacy benefit management, health system, and health plan organizations provided recent P&T monographs and therapeutic class reviews (or references from such documents). Two investigators examined and grouped references into major categories (published studies, unpublished studies, and other/unknown) and multiple subcategories (e.g., product label, clinical trials, RWE, systematic reviews). Cited comparative RWE was reviewed to assess design features (e.g., population, data source, comparators) and quality using the Good ReseArch for Comparative Effectiveness (GRACE) Checklist. Investigators evaluated 565 references cited in 27 monographs/therapeutic class reviews from 6 managed care organizations. Therapeutic class reviews mostly cited published clinical trials (35.3%, 155/439), while single-product monographs relied most on manufacturer-supplied information (42.1%, 53/126). Published RWE comprised 4.8% (21/439) of therapeutic class review references, and none (0/126) of the monograph references. Of the 21 RWE studies, 12 were comparative and assessed patient care settings and outcomes typically not included in clinical trials (community ambulatory settings [10], long-term safety [8]). RWE studies most frequently were based on registry data (6), conducted in

  12. T3 Regulates a Human Macrophage-Derived TSH-β Splice Variant: Implications for Human Bone Biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baliram, R; Latif, R; Morshed, S A; Zaidi, M; Davies, T F

    2016-09-01

    TSH and thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) are intimately involved in bone biology. We have previously reported the presence of a murine TSH-β splice variant (TSH-βv) expressed specifically in bone marrow-derived macrophages and that exerted an osteoprotective effect by inducing osteoblastogenesis. To extend this observation and its relevance to human bone biology, we set out to identify and characterize a TSH-β variant in human macrophages. Real-time PCR analyses using human TSH-β-specific primers identified a 364-bp product in macrophages, bone marrow, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells that was sequence verified and was homologous to a human TSH-βv previously reported. We then examined TSH-βv regulation using the THP-1 human monocyte cell line matured into macrophages. After 4 days, 46.1% of the THP-1 cells expressed the macrophage markers CD-14 and macrophage colony-stimulating factor and exhibited typical morphological characteristics of macrophages. Real-time PCR analyses of these cells treated in a dose-dependent manner with T3 showed a 14-fold induction of human TSH-βv mRNA and variant protein. Furthermore, these human TSH-βv-positive cells, induced by T3 exposure, had categorized into both M1 and M2 macrophage phenotypes as evidenced by the expression of macrophage colony-stimulating factor for M1 and CCL-22 for M2. These data indicate that in hyperthyroidism, bone marrow resident macrophages have the potential to exert enhanced osteoprotective effects by oversecreting human TSH-βv, which may exert its local osteoprotective role via osteoblast and osteoclast TSH receptors.

  13. Energy Consumption Prediction for Electric Vehicles Based on Real-World Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cedric De Cauwer

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Electric vehicle (EV energy consumption is variable and dependent on a number of external factors such as road topology, traffic, driving style, ambient temperature, etc. The goal of this paper is to detect and quantify correlations between the kinematic parameters of the vehicle and its energy consumption. Real-world data of EV energy consumption are used to construct the energy consumption calculation models. Based on the vehicle dynamics equation as underlying physical model, multiple linear regression is used to construct three models. Each model uses a different level of aggregation of the input parameters, allowing predictions using different types of available input parameters. One model uses aggregated values of the kinematic parameters of trips. This model allows prediction with basic, easily available input parameters such as travel distance, travel time, and temperature. The second model extends this by including detailed acceleration data. The third model uses the raw data of the kinematic parameters as input parameters to predict the energy consumption. Using detailed values of kinematic parameters for the prediction in theory increases the link between the statistical model and its underlying physical principles, but requires these parameters to be available as input in order to make predictions. The first two models show similar results. The third model shows a worse fit than the first two, but has a similar accuracy. This model has great potential for future improvement.

  14. High spatial resolution 3D MR cholangiography with high sampling efficiency technique (SPACE): Comparison of 3 T vs. 1.5 T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arizono, Shigeki [Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan)], E-mail: arizono@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Isoda, Hiroyoshi [Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan)], E-mail: sayuki@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Maetani, Yoji S. [Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan)], E-mail: mbo@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Hirokawa, Yuusuke [Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan)], E-mail: yuusuke@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Shimada, Kotaro [Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan)], E-mail: kotaro@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Nakamoto, Yuji [Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan)], E-mail: ynakamo1@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Shibata, Toshiya [Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan)], E-mail: ksj@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Togashi, Kaori [Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan)], E-mail: ktogashi@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp

    2010-01-15

    Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate image quality of 3D MR cholangiography (MRC) using high sampling efficiency technique (SPACE) at 3 T compared with 1.5 T. Methods and materials: An IRB approved prospective study was performed with 17 healthy volunteers using both 3 and 1.5 T MR scanners. MRC images were obtained with free-breathing navigator-triggered 3D T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequence with SPACE (TR, >2700 ms; TE, 780 ms at 3 T and 801 ms at 1.5 T; echo-train length, 121; voxel size, 1.1 mm x 1.0 mm x 0.84 mm). The common bile duct (CBD) to liver contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) were compared between 3 and 1.5 T. A five-point scale was used to compare overall image quality and visualization of the third branches of bile duct (B2, B6, and B8). The depiction of cystic duct insertion and the highest order of bile duct visible were also compared. The results were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. Results: CNR between the CBD and liver was significantly higher at 3 T than 1.5 T (p = 0.0006). MRC at 3 T showed a significantly higher overall image quality (p = 0.0215) and clearer visualization of B2 (p = 0.0183) and B6 (p = 0.0106) than at 1.5 T. In all analyses of duct visibility, 3 T showed higher scores than 1.5 T. Conclusion: 3 T MRC using SPACE offered better image quality than 1.5 T. SPACE technique facilitated high-resolution 3D MRC with excellent image quality at 3 T.

  15. Real time shear wave elastography in chronic liver diseases: Accuracy for predicting liver fibrosis, in comparison with serum markers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeong, Jae Yoon; Kim, Tae Yeob; Sohn, Joo Hyun; Kim, Yongsoo; Jeong, Woo Kyoung; Oh, Young-Ha; Yoo, Kyo-Sang

    2014-01-01

    AIM: To evaluate the correlation between liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) and liver fibrosis stage and the accuracy of LSM for predicting significant and advanced fibrosis, in comparison with serum markers. METHODS: We consecutively analyzed 70 patients with various chronic liver diseases. Liver fibrosis was staged from F0 to F4 according to the Batts and Ludwig scoring system. Significant and advanced fibrosis was defined as stage F ≥ 2 and F ≥ 3, respectively. The accuracy of prediction for fibrosis was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: Seventy patients, 15 were belonged to F0-F1 stage, 20 F2, 13 F3 and 22 F4. LSM was increased with progression of fibrosis stage (F0-F1: 6.77 ± 1.72, F2: 9.98 ± 3.99, F3: 15.80 ± 7.73, and F4: 22.09 ± 10.09, P < 0.001). Diagnostic accuracies of LSM for prediction of F ≥ 2 and F ≥ 3 were 0.915 (95%CI: 0.824-0.968, P < 0.001) and 0.913 (95%CI: 0.821-0.967, P < 0.001), respectively. The cut-off values of LSM for prediction of F ≥ 2 and F ≥ 3 were 8.6 kPa with 78.2% sensitivity and 93.3% specificity and 10.46 kPa with 88.6% sensitivity and 80.0% specificity, respectively. However, there were no significant differences between LSM and serum hyaluronic acid and type IV collagen in diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSION: SWE showed a significant correlation with the severity of liver fibrosis and was useful and accurate to predict significant and advanced fibrosis, comparable with serum markers. PMID:25320528

  16. Real-time axial motion detection and correction for single photon emission computed tomography using a linear prediction filter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saba, V.; Setayeshi, S.; Ghannadi-Maragheh, M.

    2011-01-01

    We have developed an algorithm for real-time detection and complete correction of the patient motion effects during single photon emission computed tomography. The algorithm is based on a linear prediction filter (LPC). The new prediction of projection data algorithm (PPDA) detects most motions-such as those of the head, legs, and hands-using comparison of the predicted and measured frame data. When the data acquisition for a specific frame is completed, the accuracy of the acquired data is evaluated by the PPDA. If patient motion is detected, the scanning procedure is stopped. After the patient rests in his or her true position, data acquisition is repeated only for the corrupted frame and the scanning procedure is continued. Various experimental data were used to validate the motion detection algorithm; on the whole, the proposed method was tested with approximately 100 test cases. The PPDA shows promising results. Using the PPDA enables us to prevent the scanner from collecting disturbed data during the scan and replaces them with motion-free data by real-time rescanning for the corrupted frames. As a result, the effects of patient motion is corrected in real time. (author)

  17. Impacts of Earth rotation parameters on GNSS ultra-rapid orbit prediction: Derivation and real-time correction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qianxin; Hu, Chao; Xu, Tianhe; Chang, Guobin; Hernández Moraleda, Alberto

    2017-12-01

    Analysis centers (ACs) for global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) cannot accurately obtain real-time Earth rotation parameters (ERPs). Thus, the prediction of ultra-rapid orbits in the international terrestrial reference system (ITRS) has to utilize the predicted ERPs issued by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) or the International GNSS Service (IGS). In this study, the accuracy of ERPs predicted by IERS and IGS is analyzed. The error of the ERPs predicted for one day can reach 0.15 mas and 0.053 ms in polar motion and UT1-UTC direction, respectively. Then, the impact of ERP errors on ultra-rapid orbit prediction by GNSS is studied. The methods for orbit integration and frame transformation in orbit prediction with introduced ERP errors dominate the accuracy of the predicted orbit. Experimental results show that the transformation from the geocentric celestial references system (GCRS) to ITRS exerts the strongest effect on the accuracy of the predicted ultra-rapid orbit. To obtain the most accurate predicted ultra-rapid orbit, a corresponding real-time orbit correction method is developed. First, orbits without ERP-related errors are predicted on the basis of ITRS observed part of ultra-rapid orbit for use as reference. Then, the corresponding predicted orbit is transformed from GCRS to ITRS to adjust for the predicted ERPs. Finally, the corrected ERPs with error slopes are re-introduced to correct the predicted orbit in ITRS. To validate the proposed method, three experimental schemes are designed: function extrapolation, simulation experiments, and experiments with predicted ultra-rapid orbits and international GNSS Monitoring and Assessment System (iGMAS) products. Experimental results show that using the proposed correction method with IERS products considerably improved the accuracy of ultra-rapid orbit prediction (except the geosynchronous BeiDou orbits). The accuracy of orbit prediction is enhanced by at least 50

  18. Novel methods for real-time 3D facial recognition

    OpenAIRE

    Rodrigues, Marcos; Robinson, Alan

    2010-01-01

    In this paper we discuss our approach to real-time 3D face recognition. We argue the need for real time operation in a realistic scenario and highlight the required pre- and post-processing operations for effective 3D facial recognition. We focus attention to some operations including face and eye detection, and fast post-processing operations such as hole filling, mesh smoothing and noise removal. We consider strategies for hole filling such as bilinear and polynomial interpolation and Lapla...

  19. Evaluation of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee using T2*-weighted 3D gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, B J

    2001-06-01

    To determine the accuracy of T2*-weighted three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging in the identification of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee. A retrospective evaluation of 80 patients who underwent both arthroscopic and MRI evaluation was performed. The 3D images were interpreted by one observer without knowledge of the surgical results. The medial and lateral femoral condyles, the medial and lateral tibial plateau, the patellar cartilage and trochlear groove were evaluated. MR cartilage images were considered positive if focal reduction of cartilage thickness was present (grade 3 chondromalacia) or if complete loss of cartilage was present (grade 4 chondromalacia). Comparison of the 3D MR results with the arthroscopic findings was performed. Eighty patients were included in the study group. A total of 480 articular cartilage sites were evaluated with MRI and arthroscopy. Results of MR identification of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia, all sites combined, were: sensitivity 83%, specificity 97%, false negative rate 17%, false positive rate 3%, positive predictive value 87%, negative predictive value 95%, overall accuracy 93%. The results demonstrate that T2*-weighted 3D gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging can identify grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee.

  20. Evaluation of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee using T2*-weighted 3D gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murphy, B.J.

    2001-01-01

    Objective. To determine the accuracy of T2*-weighted three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging in the identification of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee.Design and patients. A retrospective evaluation of 80 patients who underwent both arthroscopic and MRI evaluation was performed. The 3D images were interpreted by one observer without knowledge of the surgical results. The medial and lateral femoral condyles, the medial and lateral tibial plateau, the patellar cartilage and trochlear groove were evaluated. MR cartilage images were considered positive if focal reduction of cartilage thickness was present (grade 3 chondromalacia) or if complete loss of cartilage was present (grade 4 chondromalacia). Comparison of the 3D MR results with the arthroscopic findings was performed.Results. Eighty patients were included in the study group. A total of 480 articular cartilage sites were evaluated with MRI and arthroscopy. Results of MR identification of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia, all sites combined, were: sensitivity 83%, specificity 97%, false negative rate 17%, false positive rate 3%, positive predictive value 87%, negative predictive value 95%, overall accuracy 93%.Conclusion. The results demonstrate that T2*-weighted 3D gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging can identify grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee. (orig.)

  1. Evaluation of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee using T2*-weighted 3D gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murphy, B.J. [Dept. of Radiology, Univ. of Miami School of Medicine, FL (United States)

    2001-06-01

    Objective. To determine the accuracy of T2*-weighted three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging in the identification of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee.Design and patients. A retrospective evaluation of 80 patients who underwent both arthroscopic and MRI evaluation was performed. The 3D images were interpreted by one observer without knowledge of the surgical results. The medial and lateral femoral condyles, the medial and lateral tibial plateau, the patellar cartilage and trochlear groove were evaluated. MR cartilage images were considered positive if focal reduction of cartilage thickness was present (grade 3 chondromalacia) or if complete loss of cartilage was present (grade 4 chondromalacia). Comparison of the 3D MR results with the arthroscopic findings was performed.Results. Eighty patients were included in the study group. A total of 480 articular cartilage sites were evaluated with MRI and arthroscopy. Results of MR identification of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia, all sites combined, were: sensitivity 83%, specificity 97%, false negative rate 17%, false positive rate 3%, positive predictive value 87%, negative predictive value 95%, overall accuracy 93%.Conclusion. The results demonstrate that T2*-weighted 3D gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging can identify grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee. (orig.)

  2. Gadoxate-enhanced T1-weighted MR cholangiography: comparison of 1.5 T and 3.0 T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koelblinger, C.; Schima, W.; Weber, M.; Mang, T.; Nemec, S.; Kulinna-Cosentini, C.; Bastati, N.; Ba-Ssalamah, A. [Universitaetsklinik fuer Radiodiagnostik, Medizinische Univ. Wien (Austria)

    2009-06-15

    Purpose: to qualitatively and quantitatively compare gadoxate-enhanced T1-weighted MR cholangiography at magnetic field strengths of 1.5 T and 3.0 T. Materials and methods: a total of 40 patients with a non-dilated biliary system were retrospectively included in the study. T1-weighted MR cholangiography 20 min after IV administration of 0.025 mmol/kg gadoxate (Primovist trademark) was performed in 20 patients at 1.5 T and in another 20 patients at 3.0 T. Contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) of the biliary system (common bile duct - CBD, right hepatic duct - RHD, left hepatic duct - LHD) compared to the periductal tissue were measured. Two radiologists also qualitatively assessed the visibility of the intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary system using a six-point rating scale. The Mann-Whitney U-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. Results: the CNRs of the intrahepatic and extrahepatic hepatic bile ducts were significantly higher at 3.0 T. Qualitative analysis showed a significant superiority for 3.0 T in the delineation of the intrahepatic biliary system (RHD, LHD, segmental ducts). (orig.)

  3. PRIMAS: a real-time 3D motion-analysis system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabel, Jan C.; van Veenendaal, Hans L. J.; Furnee, E. Hans

    1994-03-01

    The paper describes a CCD TV-camera-based system for real-time multicamera 2D detection of retro-reflective targets and software for accurate and fast 3D reconstruction. Applications of this system can be found in the fields of sports, biomechanics, rehabilitation research, and various other areas of science and industry. The new feature of real-time 3D opens an even broader perspective of application areas; animations in virtual reality are an interesting example. After presenting an overview of the hardware and the camera calibration method, the paper focuses on the real-time algorithms used for matching of the images and subsequent 3D reconstruction of marker positions. When using a calibrated setup of two cameras, it is now possible to track at least ten markers at 100 Hz. Limitations in the performance are determined by the visibility of the markers, which could be improved by adding a third camera.

  4. In Silico Prediction of T and B Cell Epitopes of Der f 25 in Dermatophagoides farinae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaohong Li

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The house dust mites are major sources of indoor allergens for humans, which induce asthma, rhinitis, dermatitis, and other allergic diseases. Der f 25 is a triosephosphate isomerase, representing the major allergen identified in Dermatophagoides farinae. The objective of this study was to predict the B and T cell epitopes of Der f 25. In the present study, we analyzed the physiochemical properties, function motifs and domains, and structural-based detailed features of Der f 25 and predicted the B cell linear epitopes of Der f 25 by DNAStar protean system, BPAP, and BepiPred 1.0 server and the T cell epitopes by NetMHCIIpan-3.0 and NetMHCII-2.2. As a result, the sequence and structure analysis identified that Der f 25 belongs to the triosephosphate isomerase family and exhibited a triosephosphate isomerase pattern (PS001371. Eight B cell epitopes (11–18, 30–35, 71–77, 99–107, 132–138, 173–187, 193–197, and 211–224 and five T cell epitopes including 26–34, 38–54, 66–74, 142–151, and 239–247 were predicted in this study. These results can be used to benefit allergen immunotherapies and reduce the frequency of mite allergic reactions.

  5. Calculation of the energy of particles emitted by the reactions {sup 3}{sub 1}T (d,n) {sup 4}{sub 2}He, D (d,n) {sup 3}{sub 2}He and D (d,p) T; Calcul de l'energie des particules emises par les reactions {sup 3}{sub 1}T (d,n) {sup 4}{sub 2}He, D (d,n) {sup 3}{sub 2}He et D (d,p) T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oria, M; Sorriaux, A [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1965-07-01

    With a view to ease the work of research workers using 150 kV electrostatic accelerators, we have calculated the energy and the emission angle of particles emitted during the reactions {sub 1}{sup 3}T(d,n){sub 2}{sup 4}He, {sub 1}{sup 2}D(d,n){sub 2}{sup 3}He and {sub 1}{sup 2}D(d,p){sub 1}{sup 3}T. The results are classified in tables and arranged according to the acceleration energy of the deuterons. Since the energies considered are relatively low we have limited our study to the non-relativistic domain; this simplification results in a maximum energy variation with respect to the real energy values of 1 per cent. We give also two curves representing the variations in the total cross-sections for the reactions T (d,n){sub 2}{sup 4}He and D (d,n){sub 2}{sup 3}He. (authors) [French] De facon a faciliter la tache des experimentateurs utilisant des accelerateurs electrostatiques de 150 kV, nous avons calcule l'energie et l'angle d'emission des particules emises lors des reactions {sub 1}{sup 3}T(d,n){sub 2}{sup 4}He, {sub 1}{sup 2}D(d,n){sub 2}{sup 3}He and {sub 1}{sup 2}D(d,p){sub 1}{sup 3}T. Les resultats ont ete classes dans des tableaux, et ordonnes en fonction de l'energie d'acceleration des deuterons. Les energies considerees etant relativement peu elevees, nous avons limite notre etude au domaine non relativiste, cette simplification n'entraine qu'une variation maximale de 1 pour cent sur les valeurs reelles des energies. Nous avons joint a ce calcul deux courbes representant la variation des sections efficaces totales des reactions T (d,n){sub 2}{sup 4}He et D (d,n){sub 2}{sup 3}He. (auteurs)

  6. State of the art and challenges in sequence based T-cell epitope prediction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundegaard, Claus; Hoof, Ilka; Lund, Ole

    2010-01-01

    Sequence based T-cell epitope predictions have improved immensely in the last decade. From predictions of peptide binding to major histocompatibility complex molecules with moderate accuracy, limited allele coverage, and no good estimates of the other events in the antigen-processing pathway, the...

  7. Monoterpene limonene induces brown fat-like phenotype in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lone, Jameel; Yun, Jong Won

    2016-05-15

    Several dietary compounds that are able to induce the brown fat-like phenotype in white adipocytes have been considered for treatment of obesity due to their ability to increase energy expenditure. Here, we report that limonene induces the brown fat-like phenotype in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by increasing expression of brown adipocyte-specific genes and proteins. Limonene-induced browning in white adipocytes was investigated by determining expression levels of brown fat-specific genes and proteins by real-time RT-PCR, immunoblot analysis, and immunocytochemical staining. Limonene enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis, as evidenced by increased mitochondrial content and immunofluorescent intensity. Limonene also significantly elevated protein levels of HSL, PLIN, p-AMPK, p-ACC, ACO, COX4, CPT1, and CYT C, suggesting its possible role in enhancement of lipolysis and lipid catabolism. Increased expression of PRDM16, UCP1, C/EBPβ, and other brown fat-specific markers by limonene was possibly mediated by activation of β3-adnergenic receptor (β3-AR), as inhibition of β3-AR inhibited up-regulation of brown fat-specific markers. Similarly, limonene-mediated activation of ERK and up-regulation of key brown adipocyte specific markers were eliminated by treatment with ERK antagonist. Taken together, these results suggest that limonene induces browning of 3T3-L1 adipocytes via activation of β3-AR and the ERK signaling pathway. In conclusion, our findings suggest that limonene plays a dual modulatory role in induction of the brown adipocyte-like phenotype as well as promotion of lipid metabolism and thus may have potential therapeutic implications for treatment of obesity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. T1 and T2 relaxivity of intracellular and extracellular USPIO at 1.5T and 3T clinical MR scanning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simon, Gerhard H.; Bauer, Jan; Saborovski, Olaf; Fu, Yanjun; Wendland, Michael F.; Daldrup-Link, Heike E.; Corot, Claire

    2006-01-01

    In this study we evaluated the effects of intracellular compartmentalization of the ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) ferumoxtran-10 on its proton T1 and T2 relaxivities at 1.5 and 3T. Monocytes were labeled with ferumoxtran-10 by simple incubation. Decreasing quantities of ferumoxtran-10-labeled cells (2.5 x 10 7 -0.3 x 10 7 cells/ml) and decreasing concentrations of free ferumoxtran-10 (without cells) in Ficoll solution were evaluated with 1.5 and 3T clinical magnetic resonance (MR) scanners. Pulse sequences comprised axial spin echo (SE) sequences with multiple TRs and fixed TE and SE sequences with fixed TR and increasing TEs. Signal intensity measurements were used to calculate T1 and T2 relaxation times of all samples, assuming a monoexponential signal decay. The iron content in all samples was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and used for calculating relaxivities. Measurements at 1.5T and 3T showed higher T1 and T2 relaxivity values of free extracellular ferumoxtran-10 as opposed to intracellularly compartmentalized ferumoxtran-10, under the evaluated conditions of homogeneously dispersed contrast agents/cells in Ficoll solution and a cell density of up to 2.5 x 10 7 cells/ml. At 3T, differences in T1-relaxivities between intra- and extracellular USPIO were smaller, while differences in USPIO T2-relaxivities were similar compared with 1.5T. In conclusion, cellular compartmentalization of ferumoxtran-10 changes proton relaxivity. (orig.)

  9. miR-195 inhibited abnormal activation of osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells via targeting RAF-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, Chen; Li, Feng; Tan, Zhiping; Zhang, Weizhi; Yang, Yifeng; Luo, Cheng

    2018-01-15

    Recent reports have demonstrated that RAF-1 L613V (a mutant of RAF-1) mutant mice show bone deformities similar to Noonan syndrome. It has been suggested that RAF-1 L613V might abnormally activate osteoblast differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. To demonstrate that RAF-1 is associated with bone deformity and that RAF-1 L613V dependent bone deformity could be inhibited by microRNA-195 (miR-195), we first investigated the amplifying influence of wild-type RAF-1 (WT) or RAF-1 L613V (L613V) on the viability and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells induced by bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) via 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot analysis. Subsequently, we investigated the blocking effect and its mechanism of miR-195 for abnormal activation of osteoblast differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells via targeting RAF-1. RAF-1, especially RAF-1 L613V , abnormally activates osteoblast differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells induced by BMP-2. Meanwhile, miR-195 could inhibit the cell viability and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. Transfection of miR-195 largely suppressed the L613V-induced viability and osteoblast differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells and attenuated the accelerative effect of L613V on runt-related transcription factor-2 (Runx2), Osterix (OSX), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCN), and distal-less homeobox 5 (DLX5) osteogenic gene expressions. In addition, miR-195 decreased the expression of RAF-1 mRNA and protein by directly targeting the 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTR) of RAF-1 mRNA in MC3T3-E1 cells. Our findings indicated that miR-195 inhibited WT and L613V RAF-1 induced hyperactive osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells by targeting RAF-1. miR-195 might be a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of L613V-induced bone deformity in Noonan syndrome. Copyright © 2017. Published by

  10. Modulation of nuclear T3 binding by T3 in a human hepatocyte cell-line (Chang-liver) - T3 stimulation of cell growth but not of malic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphatdehydrogenase or 6-phosphogluconate-dehydrogenase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Matzen, L E; Kristensen, S R; Kvetny, J

    1991-01-01

    The T3 modulation of nuclear T3 binding (NBT3), the T3 effect on cell growth, and the T3 and insulin effects on malic enzyme (ME), glucose-6-phosphat-dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6-phosphogluconat-dehydrogenase (G6PD) were studied in a human hepatocyte cell-line (Chang-liver). T3 was bound to a high ...

  11. Cutting edge: identification of novel T cell epitopes in Lol p5a by computational prediction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Lalla, C; Sturniolo, T; Abbruzzese, L; Hammer, J; Sidoli, A; Sinigaglia, F; Panina-Bordignon, P

    1999-08-15

    Although atopic allergy affects Lol p5a allergen from rye grass. In vitro binding studies confirmed the promiscuous binding characteristics of these peptides. Moreover, most of the predicted ligands were novel T cell epitopes that were able to stimulate T cells from atopic patients. We generated a panel of Lol p5a-specific T cell clones, the majority of which recognized the peptides in a cross-reactive fashion. The computational prediction of DR ligands might thus allow the design of T cell epitopes with potential useful application in novel immunotherapy strategies.

  12. Effects of Shen-Fu Injection on the Expression of T-Cell-Specific Transcription Factors T-bet/Gata-3 in Porcine Postresuscitation Lung Injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Gu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Shen-Fu injection (SFI derived from the ancient traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, the effects of SFI on the expression of T-bet/GATA-3 and its potential mechanisms causing the shift of T cells from Th2 to Th1 on postresuscitation lung injury were examined in a porcine model of cardiac arrest. 30 pigs were randomly divided into SHAM ( and three return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC groups ( per group; 24 pigs were subjected to 8 min of electrically induced cardiac arrest and 2 min of basic life support, which received central venous injection of Shen-Fu (SFI, epinephrine (EP or saline (SA. After successful ROSC, 18 surviving pigs were sacrificed at 24 h after ROSC ( per group. The levels of serum and lung tissue interleukin (IL-4 and interferon (IFN-γ were measured by ELISA, and the protein and mRNA levels of GATA-3 and T-bet in the lung tissue were determined by western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Compared with the EP and SA groups, SFI treatment reduced the levels of IL-4 (, increased levels of IFN-γ (, and induced T-bet mRNA upregulation and GATA-3 mRNA downregulation (. SFI attenuated lung injury and regulated lung immune disorders. Therefore, SFI could protect postresuscitation lung injury by modulating a Th1/Th2 imbalance.

  13. Prediction of landslide activation at locations in Beskidy Mountains using standard and real-time monitoring methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bednarczyk, Z.

    2012-04-01

    The paper presents landslide monitoring methods used for prediction of landslide activity at locations in the Carpathian Mountains (SE Poland). Different types of monitoring methods included standard and real-time early warning measurement with use of hourly data transfer to the Internet were used. Project financed from the EU funds was carried out for the purpose of public road reconstruction. Landslides with low displacement rates (varying from few mm to over 5cm/year) had size of 0.4-2.2mln m3. Flysch layers involved in mass movements represented mixture of clayey soils and sandstones of high moisture content and plasticity. Core sampling and GPR scanning were used for recognition of landslide size and depths. Laboratory research included index, IL oedometer, triaxial and direct shear laboratory tests. GPS-RTK mapping was employed for actualization of landslide morphology. Instrumentation consisted of standard inclinometers, piezometers and pore pressure transducers. Measurements were carried 2006-2011, every month. In May 2010 the first in Poland real-time monitoring system was installed at landslide complex over the Szymark-Bystra public road. It included in-place uniaxial sensors and 3D continuous inclinometers installed to the depths of 12-16m with tilt sensors every 0.5m. Vibrating wire pore pressure and groundwater level transducers together with automatic meteorological station analyzed groundwater and weather conditions. Obtained monitoring and field investigations data provided parameters for LEM and FEM slope stability analysis. They enabled prediction and control of landslide behaviour before, during and after stabilization or partly stabilization works. In May 2010 after the maximum precipitation (100mm/3hours) the rates of observed displacements accelerated to over 11cm in a few days and damaged few standard inclinometer installations. However permanent control of the road area was possible by continuous inclinometer installations. Comprehensive

  14. HVM-TP: A Time Predictable, Portable Java Virtual Machine for Hard Real-Time Embedded Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Luckow, Kasper Søe; Thomsen, Bent; Korsholm, Stephan Erbs

    2014-01-01

    We present HVMTIME; a portable and time predictable JVM implementation with applications in resource-constrained hard real-time embedded systems. In addition, it implements the Safety Critical Java (SCJ) Level 1 specification. Time predictability is achieved by a combination of time predictable...... algorithms, exploiting the programming model of the SCJ specification, and harnessing static knowledge of the hosted SCJ system. This paper presents HVMTIME in terms of its design and capabilities, and demonstrates how a complete timing model of the JVM represented as a Network of Timed Automata can...... be obtained using the tool TetaSARTSJVM. Further, using the timing model, we derive Worst Case Execution Times (WCETs) and Best Case Execution Times (BCETs) of the Java Bytecodes....

  15. Chronic anterior cruciate ligament tears and associated meniscal and traumatic cartilage lesions: evaluation with morphological sequences at 3.0 T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vlychou, Marianna; Fezoulidis, Ioannis V. [University Hospital of Larissa, Department of Radiology, Medical School of Thessaly, Larissa (Greece); Hantes, Michalis; Michalitsis, Sotirios; Malizos, Konstantinos [University Hospital of Larissa, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical School of Thessaly, Larissa (Greece); Tsezou, Aspasia [University Hospital of Larissa, Department of Molecular Genetics and Cytogenetics, Medical School of Thessaly, Larissa (Greece)

    2011-06-15

    To investigate the diagnostic efficacy of morphological sequences at 3.0 T MR imaging in detecting anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), meniscal pathology and traumatic cartilage legions in young patients with chronic deficient anterior cruciate ligament knees. This prospective study included 43 patients (39 male) between the age of 15 and 37 years (mean age 22.6 years) with a history of knee injury sustained at least 3 months prior to the decision to repair a torn ACL. All patients underwent a 3.0 T MR scan with the same standard protocol, including intermediate-weighted and three-dimensional spoiled gradient-recalled T1-weighted sequences with fat saturation and subsequently surgical reconstruction of the ACL, along with meniscal and cartilage repair, when necessary. All ACL tears were correctly interpreted by 3.0 T MR images. The sensitivity of the MR scans regarding tears of the medial meniscus was 93.7%, the specificity 92.6%, the positive predictive value 88.2% and the negative predictive value 95.8%. The sensitivity of the MR scans regarding tears of lateral meniscus was 85.7%, the specificity was 93.1%, the positive predictive value 85.7% and the negative predictive value 93.1%. With regard to the grading of the cartilage lesions, Cohen's kappa coefficient indicated moderate agreement for grade I and II cartilage lesions (0.5), substantial agreement for grade III and IV cartilage lesions (0.70 and 0.66) and substantial agreement for normal regions (0.75). Regarding location of the cartilage lesions, Cohen's kappa coefficient varied between almost perfect agreement in the lateral femoral condyle and no agreement in the trochlea. In the setting of chronic ACL deficiency, MR imaging at 3.0 T achieves satisfactory diagnostic performance regarding meniscal and ligamentous pathology. In the detection of cartilage lesions MRI is less successful. (orig.)

  16. Quench Protection Studies of the 11-T $Nb_3Sn$ Dipole for LHC Upgrades

    CERN Document Server

    Izquierdo Bermudez, Susana; BAJAS, Hugues; Bajko, Marta; Bordini, Bernardo; Bottura, Luca; Chlachidze, Guram; Karppinen, Mikko; Rysti, Juho; Savary, Frederic; Willering, Gerard; Zlobin, Alexander

    2016-01-01

    The planned upgrade of the LHC collimation system foresees additional collimators to be installed in the dispersion suppressor areas. Fermilab and CERN are developing an 11 T Nb$_{3}$Sn dipole to replace some 8.33 T-15-m-long Nb-Ti LHC main dipoles providing longitudinal space for the collimators. In case of a quench, the large stored energy and the low copper stabilizer fraction make the protection of the 11 T Nb$_{3}$Sn dipoles challenging. This paper presents the results of quench protection analysis, including quench protection heater design and efficiency, quench propagation and coil heating. The numerical results are compared with the experimental data from the 2-m-long Nb$_{3}$Sn dipole models. The validated model is used to predict the current decay and hot spot temperature under operating conditions in the LHC and the presently foreseen magnet protection scheme is discussed.

  17. The backend design of an environmental monitoring system upon real-time prediction of groundwater level fluctuation under the hillslope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Hsueh-Chun; Hong, Yao-Ming; Kan, Yao-Chiang

    2012-01-01

    The groundwater level represents a critical factor to evaluate hillside landslides. A monitoring system upon the real-time prediction platform with online analytical functions is important to forecast the groundwater level due to instantaneously monitored data when the heavy precipitation raises the groundwater level under the hillslope and causes instability. This study is to design the backend of an environmental monitoring system with efficient algorithms for machine learning and knowledge bank for the groundwater level fluctuation prediction. A Web-based platform upon the model-view controller-based architecture is established with technology of Web services and engineering data warehouse to support online analytical process and feedback risk assessment parameters for real-time prediction. The proposed system incorporates models of hydrological computation, machine learning, Web services, and online prediction to satisfy varieties of risk assessment requirements and approaches of hazard prevention. The rainfall data monitored from the potential landslide area at Lu-Shan, Nantou and Li-Shan, Taichung, in Taiwan, are applied to examine the system design.

  18. The predictive and prognostic potential of plasma telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) RNA in rectal cancer patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rampazzo, Enrica; Del Bianco, Paola; Bertorelle, Roberta; Boso, Caterina; Perin, Alessandro; Spiro, Giovanna; Bergamo, Francesca; Belluco, Claudio; Buonadonna, Angela; Palazzari, Elisa; Leonardi, Sara; De Paoli, Antonino; Pucciarelli, Salvatore; De Rossi, Anita

    2018-01-01

    Background: Preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgery is the standard care for locally advanced rectal cancer, but tumour response to CRT and disease outcome are variable. The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of plasma telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) levels in predicting tumour response and clinical outcome. Methods: 176 rectal cancer patients were included. Plasma samples were collected at baseline (before CRT=T0), 2 weeks after CRT was initiated (T1), post-CRT and before surgery (T2), and 4–8 months after surgery (T3) time points. Plasma TERT mRNA levels and total cell-free RNA were determined using real-time PCR. Results: Plasma levels of TERT were significantly lower at T2 (P<0.0001) in responders than in non-responders. Post-CRT TERT levels and the differences between pre- and post-CRT TERT levels independently predicted tumour response, and the prediction model had an area under curve of 0.80 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.73–0.87). Multiple analysis demonstrated that patients with detectable TERT levels at T2 and T3 time points had a risk of disease progression 2.13 (95% CI 1.10–4.11)-fold and 4.55 (95% CI 1.48–13.95)-fold higher, respectively, than those with undetectable plasma TERT levels. Conclusions: Plasma TERT levels are independent markers of tumour response and are prognostic of disease progression in rectal cancer patients who undergo neoadjuvant therapy. PMID:29449673

  19. Prediction of a new region in the H-T phase diagram of a disordered type II superconductor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nandgaonkar, Ajay; Kanhere, D.G.; Trivedi, Nandini

    1997-01-01

    The phase diagram of a type II superconductor (SC) in the magnetic field (B) - temperature (T) plane is shown schematically. At low T the system consists of an Abrikosov triangular vortex lattice which melts as the temperature is increased. At high B, the rigidity of the vortex lattice C 66 decreases with increasing B. Thus, the melting curve essentially tracks the H c2 behaviour, as shown in region (a) in fig. It was further suggested by Nelson, based on a mapping of vortices in 3D onto a problem of boson world-lines in spatial 2D and 1 imaginary dimension, that the classical statistical mechanics of vortices is analogous to the problem of quantum melting of the bosons. He used this mapping to predict a novel reentrant behavior of the phase boundary. These predictions were verified by experiments

  20. Downregulation of the taurine transporter TauT during hypo-osmotic stress in NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Daniel Bloch; Friis, Martin Barfred; Hoffmann, Else Kay

    2012-01-01

    The present work was initiated to investigate regulation of the taurine transporter TauT by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the tonicity-responsive enhancer binding protein (TonEBP) in NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts during acute and long-term (4 h) exposure to low-sodium/hypo-osmotic stress. Taurine...... are significantly increased following hyperosmotic exposure. Swelling-induced ROS production in NIH3T3 fibroblasts is generated by NOX4 and by increasing total ROS, by either exogenous application of H(2)O(2) or overexpressing NOX4, we demonstrate that TonEBP activity and taurine influx are regulated negatively...... by ROS under hypo-osmotic, low-sodium conditions, whereas the TauT mRNA level is unaffected. Acute exposure to ROS reduces taurine uptake as a result of modulated TauT transport kinetics. Thus, swelling-induced ROS production could account for the reduced taurine uptake under low...

  1. TRPC3 Overexpression Promotes the Progression of Inflammation-Induced Preterm Labor and Inhibits T Cell Activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jing, Chen; Dongming, Zheng; Hong, Cui; Quan, Na; Sishi, Liu; Caixia, Liu

    2018-01-01

    To detect the expression of the TRPC3 channel protein in the tissues of women experiencing preterm labor and investigate its interaction with T lymphocytes, providing a theoretical basis for the clinical prevention of threatened preterm labor and the development of drug-targeted therapy. Forty-seven women experiencing preterm labor and 47 women experiencing normal full-term labor were included in this study. All included women underwent delivery via cesarean section; uterine samples were obtained at delivery. The expression of TRPC3 in uterine tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, and western blot assay. Activation of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood and uterine tissue were detected by flow cytometry. A TRPC3-/- mouse model of inflammation-induced preterm labor was established; expression of TRPC3, Cav3.1, and Cav3.2 were analyzed in mouse uterine tissue. Activation of T lymphocytes in female mouse and human peripheral blood samples was determined using flow cytometry. In women experiencing preterm labor, expression of TRPC3 and the Cav3.1 and Cav3.2 proteins was significantly increased; in addition, the percentage of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood was significantly decreased. TRPC3 knockout significantly delayed the occurrence of preterm labor in mice. The muscle tension of ex vivo uterine strips was lower, Cav3.1 and Cav3.2 protein expression was lower, and the percentage of CD8+ T lymphocytes was significantly increased in wild-type mice subjected to an inflammation-induced preterm labor than in wild-type mice experiencing normal full-term labor. TRPC3 is closely related to the initiation of labor. TRPC3 relies on Cav3.1 and Cav3.2 proteins to inhibit inflammation-induced preterm labor by inhibiting the activation of T cells, in particular CD8+ T lymphocytes. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  2. Radical radiotherapy for T3 laryngeal cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uno, T.; Itami, J.; Kotaka, K.; Toriyama, M.

    1996-01-01

    From 1974 through 1992, 37 previously untreated patients with T3 laryngeal cancer (supraglottic 15, glottic 22) were treated with initial radical radiotherapy and surgery for salvage. Two-year local control rate with radiotherapy alone, ultimate voice preservation rate, and ultimate local control rate for T3 supraglottic cancer were 33%, 33%, and 60%, respectively. Corresponding figures for T3 glottic cancer were 32%, 23%, and 77%, respecitvely. Five-year cause-specific survival rate for T3 supraglottic cancer and glottic cancer were 47% and 77%, respectively. In T3 supraglottic cancer, none of the 4 patients with subglottic tumor extension attained local control by radiotherapy alone, and local-regional recurrence-free time were significantly shorter in patients with subglottic tumor extension or tracheostomy before radiotherapy. There were no serious late complications such as chondronecrosis, rupture of carotid artery attributed to radical radiotherapy, while 3 patients had severe laryngeal edema requiring total laryngectomy. (orig.) [de

  3. Utility of multiparametric 3-T MRI for glioma characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roy, Bhaswati; Gupta, Rakesh K.; Maudsley, Andrew A.; Sheriff, Sulaiman; Awasthi, Rishi; Mohakud, Sudipta; Gu, Meng; Spielman, Daniel M.; Husain, Nuzhat; Behari, Sanjay; Pandey, Chandra M.; Rathore, Ram K.S.; Alger, Jeffry R.

    2013-01-01

    Accurate grading of cerebral glioma using conventional structural imaging techniques remains challenging due to the relatively poor sensitivity and specificity of these methods. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative sensitivity and specificity of structural magnetic resonance imaging and MR measurements of perfusion, diffusion, and whole-brain spectroscopic parameters for glioma grading. Fifty-six patients with radiologically suspected untreated glioma were studied with T1- and T2-weighted MR imaging, dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and volumetric whole-brain MR spectroscopic imaging. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis was performed using the relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), apparent diffusion coefficient, fractional anisotropy, and multiple spectroscopic parameters to determine optimum thresholds for tumor grading and to obtain the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for identifying high-grade gliomas. Logistic regression was performed to analyze all the parameters together. The rCBV individually classified glioma as low and high grade with a sensitivity and specificity of 100 and 88 %, respectively, based on a threshold value of 3.34. On combining all parameters under consideration, the classification was achieved with 2 % error and sensitivity and specificity of 100 and 96 %, respectively. Individually, CBV measurement provides the greatest diagnostic performance for predicting glioma grade; however, the most accurate classification can be achieved by combining all of the imaging parameters. (orig.)

  4. Optimisation of T{sub 2}{sup *}-weighted MRI for the detection of small veins in multiple sclerosis at 3 T and 7 T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dixon, Jennifer Elizabeth, E-mail: jennifer.dixon@nottingham.ac.uk [Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD (United Kingdom); Simpson, Ashley, E-mail: ashley.simpson@nhs.net [Academic Division of Clinical Neurology, University of Nottingham, Queen' s Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH (United Kingdom); Mistry, Niraj, E-mail: niraj.mistry@nottingham.ac.uk [Academic Division of Clinical Neurology, University of Nottingham, Queen' s Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH (United Kingdom); Evangelou, Nikos, E-mail: nikos.evangelou@nuh.nhs.uk [Academic Division of Clinical Neurology, University of Nottingham, Queen' s Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH (United Kingdom); Morris, Peter Gordon, E-mail: peter.morris@nottingham.ac.uk [Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD (United Kingdom)

    2013-05-15

    T{sub 2}{sup *}-weighted magnetic resonance imaging at 7 T has recently been shown to allow differentiation between white-matter multiple sclerosis lesions and asymptomatic white-matter lesions, by the presence or absence of a detectable central blood vessel. The aim of the present work is to improve the technique by increasing the sensitivity to veins at both 3 T and 7 T, and to assess the benefit of ultra-high-field imaging. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurements and simulations are used to compare the sensitivity of magnitude T{sub 2}{sup *}-weighted and susceptibility-weighted images for the detection of small veins (<1 pixel in diameter), both with and without the use of gadolinium. The simulations are used to predict the optimal scanning parameters in order to increase the sensitivity to these veins at both field strengths, and to reduce the inherent dependence on vessel orientation. The sensitivities of the sequences at both field strengths are compared, theoretically and experimentally, in order to quantify the benefit of imaging at ultra-high-field. Subjects with multiple sclerosis (MS) are scanned at both field strengths, using the optimised sequence parameters, as well as those used in previously published work, and the optimisation is shown to improve the detection of veins within lesions.

  5. Radical radiotherapy for T3 laryngeal cancers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Uno, T. [International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo (Japan). Dept. of Radiation Therapy; Itami, J. [International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo (Japan). Dept. of Radiation Therapy; Kotaka, K. [International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo (Japan). Dept. of Radiation Therapy; Toriyama, M. [International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo (Japan). Dept. of Otolaryngology

    1996-08-01

    From 1974 through 1992, 37 previously untreated patients with T3 laryngeal cancer (supraglottic 15, glottic 22) were treated with initial radical radiotherapy and surgery for salvage. Two-year local control rate with radiotherapy alone, ultimate voice preservation rate, and ultimate local control rate for T3 supraglottic cancer were 33%, 33%, and 60%, respectively. Corresponding figures for T3 glottic cancer were 32%, 23%, and 77%, respecitvely. Five-year cause-specific survival rate for T3 supraglottic cancer and glottic cancer were 47% and 77%, respectively. In T3 supraglottic cancer, none of the 4 patients with subglottic tumor extension attained local control by radiotherapy alone, and local-regional recurrence-free time were significantly shorter in patients with subglottic tumor extension or tracheostomy before radiotherapy. There were no serious late complications such as chondronecrosis, rupture of carotid artery attributed to radical radiotherapy, while 3 patients had severe laryngeal edema requiring total laryngectomy. (orig.) [Deutsch] Von 1974 bis 1992 wurden 37 zuvor nicht behandelte Patienten mit T3-Larynxkarzinomen (15 supraglottisch, 22 glottisch) primaer kurativ bestrahlt und, wenn erforderlich, einer Salvage-Operation unterzogen. Die Zwei-Jahres-Kontrollrate bei alleiniger Strahlentherapie, die Rate der Stimmerhaltung sowie die unter Einschluss der Operation erreichbare lokale Kontrollrate bei supraglottischen T3-Larynxkarzinomen betrugen 33%, 33% und 60%. Bei glottischen T3-Karzinomen wurden jeweils 32%, 23% und 77% erreicht. Die Fuenf-Jahres-Ueberlebensrate betrug 47% bei supraglottischen T3-Karzinomen und 77% bei den glottischen Karzinomen. Im Fall von supraglottischen Karzinomen erreichte keiner der vier Patienten mit subglottischer Tumorausdehnung eine lokale Kontrolle durch alleinige Strahlentherapie. Die lokoregionale rezidivfreie Zeit war bei den Patienten mit subglottischer Tumorausdehnung oder Tracheostomie vor Einleitung der

  6. Association of Elevated High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T(hs-cTnT) Levels with Hemorrhagic Transformation and 3-Month Mortality in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients with Rheumatic Heart Disease in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Junfeng; Wang, Deren; Xiong, Yao; Liu, Bian; Hao, Zilong; Tao, Wendan; Liu, Ming

    2016-01-01

    Elevated levels of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) occur in a substantial proportion of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and can predict poor outcome and mortality after stroke. Whether elevated hs-cTnT levels can also predict hemorrhagic transformation (HT) or prognosis in AIS patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains unclear. Data from the Chengdu Stroke Registry on consecutive AIS patients with RHD admitted to West China Hospital within 1 month of stroke onset from October 2011 to February 2014 were examined. Clinico-demographic characteristics, HT, functional outcomes and stroke recurrence were compared between patients with elevated hs-cTnT levels (≥14 ng/L) and patients with normal hs-cTnT levels (mortality and 3-month disability/mortality (all P≤0.029). After controlling for age, sex, hypertension, renal impairment and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission, the risk of HT and 3-month mortality was, respectively, 4.0- and 5.5-fold higher in patients with elevated hs-cTnT levels than in patients with normal hs-cTnT levels. Elevated hs-cTnT levels are independently associated with HT and 3-month mortality in AIS patients with RHD. These results with a small cohort should be verified and extended in large studies.

  7. Simulation and real-time replacement of missing plasma signals for disruption prediction: an implementation with APODIS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rattá, G A; Vega, J; Murari, A

    2014-01-01

    So far, the best results for real-time disruption prediction on the Joint European Torus (JET) have been achieved with the Advanced Predictor of Disruptions (APODIS). APODIS is a data-driven system whose latest version has been implemented in JET's real time-data network. It has been designed for the real-time analysis of features (mean and frequency values) corresponding to seven plasma signals in order to foresee upcoming disruptions. In this article, non-linear regression techniques are applied to create (off-line) signal models. The models are able to generate (in real-time) ‘synthetic’ signals. Therefore, these ‘synthetic’ signals can be used to replace the original ones in cases where they are in error or missing. APODIS has been tested under these conditions, emulating real-time operation. The simulation results demonstrate that once a signal in error is replaced by the generated ‘synthetic’ one, APODIS performance is considerably improved. The development of the regression models and the implications of the results are detailed and discussed in this paper. (paper)

  8. Detection of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage 3 months after initial bleeding: evaluation of T2* and FLAIR MR sequences at 3T in comparison with initial non-enhanced CT as a gold standard.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulé, Sébastien; Soize, Sébastien; Benaissa, Azzedine; Portefaix, Christophe; Pierot, Laurent

    2016-08-01

    To investigate the ability of T2* and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MR sequences to detect hemosiderin deposition 3 months after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in comparison with early non-enhanced CT (NECT) as a gold standard. From September 2008 through May 2013, patients with aneurysmal SAH were included if a NECT less than 24 h after the onset of symptoms showed a SAH, and MRI, including T2* and FLAIR sequences, was performed 3 months later. All aneurysms were treated endovascularly. NECT and MR sequences were blindly analyzed for the presence of SAH (NECT) or hemosiderin deposition (MRI). When positive, details of the spatial distribution of SAH or hemosiderin deposits were noted. Sensitivities were calculated for each patient. Sensitivities, specificities, and positive predictive values (PPVs) were calculated for each location. Forty-nine patients (mean age 52.9 years) were included. Bleeding-related patterns were identified in 43 patients (87.8%) on T2* and 10 patients (20.4%) on FLAIR. T2* was highly predictive of the location of the initial hemorrhage, especially in the Sylvian cisterns (PPVs 95% and 100%) and the anterior interhemispheric fissure (PPV 90%). The T2* sequence can detect and localize a previous SAH a few months after aneurysmal bleeding. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  9. Handheld real-time volumetric 3-D gamma-ray imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haefner, Andrew, E-mail: ahaefner@lbl.gov [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab – Applied Nuclear Physics, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Barnowski, Ross [Department of Nuclear Engineering, UC Berkeley, 4155 Etcheverry Hall, MC 1730, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Luke, Paul; Amman, Mark [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab – Applied Nuclear Physics, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Vetter, Kai [Department of Nuclear Engineering, UC Berkeley, 4155 Etcheverry Hall, MC 1730, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab – Applied Nuclear Physics, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

    2017-06-11

    This paper presents the concept of real-time fusion of gamma-ray imaging and visual scene data for a hand-held mobile Compton imaging system in 3-D. The ability to obtain and integrate both gamma-ray and scene data from a mobile platform enables improved capabilities in the localization and mapping of radioactive materials. This not only enhances the ability to localize these materials, but it also provides important contextual information of the scene which once acquired can be reviewed and further analyzed subsequently. To demonstrate these concepts, the high-efficiency multimode imager (HEMI) is used in a hand-portable implementation in combination with a Microsoft Kinect sensor. This sensor, in conjunction with open-source software, provides the ability to create a 3-D model of the scene and to track the position and orientation of HEMI in real-time. By combining the gamma-ray data and visual data, accurate 3-D maps of gamma-ray sources are produced in real-time. This approach is extended to map the location of radioactive materials within objects with unknown geometry.

  10. Real time observables for the quark-gluon plasma from the lattice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schaefer, Christian

    2014-01-01

    In this thesis we studied real time quantities and processes of the quark-gluon plasma. We employed the fundamental theory of QCD allowing for predictions from first principles. Treating QCD on the lattice enabled us to access non-perturbative regimes and for the very first time we computed a hydrodynamic transport coefficient without having to resort to maximum entropy methods or functional input. Furthermore we established a semi-classical formulation of QCD that we applied to investigate the effects of dynamic fermions as well as of using the correct colour group of QCD, SU(3), on the isotropization process of the quark-gluon plasma. In this work we have calculated the second order hydrodynamic transport coefficient κ for the Yang-Mills plasma using lattice perturbation theory and Monte Carlo simulations. From calculations both in strong and weak coupling limits, we expect a temperature dependence of κ∝T 2 . In the investigated temperature range 2T c c our data is consistent with this expectation. Our quantitative result for the transport coefficient is κ=0.36(15)T 2 . Within the error bars, it agrees with predictions from AdS/CFT correspondence rescaled to the field content of Yang-Mills theory as well as leading order perturbation theory. An investigation of the isotropization process via a chromo-Weibel instability is impeded by the fact that the pre-equilibrium phase in a heavy-ion collision constitutes a system far from equilibrium. Furthermore isotropization is a dynamic process and its investigation requires a treatment in real time. For this reason we established a semiclassical lattice approach to QCD facilitating a first principle description of real time processes far from equilibrium. In the investigation of the isotropization process in heavy-ion collisions, we borrowed initial conditions from the colour-glass-condensate effective theory. Studying the pure bosonic dynamics with colour group SU(3) in a static box, we found evidence for the

  11. Association of Elevated High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T(hs-cTnT Levels with Hemorrhagic Transformation and 3-Month Mortality in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients with Rheumatic Heart Disease in China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junfeng Liu

    Full Text Available Elevated levels of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT occur in a substantial proportion of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS and can predict poor outcome and mortality after stroke. Whether elevated hs-cTnT levels can also predict hemorrhagic transformation (HT or prognosis in AIS patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD remains unclear.Data from the Chengdu Stroke Registry on consecutive AIS patients with RHD admitted to West China Hospital within 1 month of stroke onset from October 2011 to February 2014 were examined. Clinico-demographic characteristics, HT, functional outcomes and stroke recurrence were compared between patients with elevated hs-cTnT levels (≥14 ng/L and patients with normal hs-cTnT levels (<14 ng/L.The final analysis involved 84 patients (31 males; mean age, 61.6±12.2 years, of whom serum hs-cTnT levels were elevated in 58.3%. Renal impairment was independently associated with elevated hs-cTnT levels (OR 4.184, 95%CI 1.17 to 15.01, P = 0.028, and patients with elevated hs-cTnT levels were at significantly higher risk of HT, 3-month mortality and 3-month disability/mortality (all P≤0.029. After controlling for age, sex, hypertension, renal impairment and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission, the risk of HT and 3-month mortality was, respectively, 4.0- and 5.5-fold higher in patients with elevated hs-cTnT levels than in patients with normal hs-cTnT levels.Elevated hs-cTnT levels are independently associated with HT and 3-month mortality in AIS patients with RHD. These results with a small cohort should be verified and extended in large studies.

  12. Uniform Corrosion and General Dissolution of Aluminum Alloys 2024-T3, 6061-T6, and 7075-T6

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, I.-Wen

    Uniform corrosion and general dissolution of aluminum alloys was not as well-studied in the past, although it was known for causing significant amount of weight loss. This work comprises four chapters to understand uniform corrosion of aluminum alloys 2024-T3, 6061-T6, and 7075-T6. A preliminary weight loss experiment was performed for distinguishing corrosion induced weight loss attributed to uniform corrosion and pitting corrosion. The result suggested that uniform corrosion generated a greater mass loss than pitting corrosion. First, to understand uniform corrosion mechanism and kinetics in different environments, a series of static immersion tests in NaCl solutions were performed to provide quantitative measurement of uniform corrosion. Thereafter, uniform corrosion development as a function of temperature, pH, Cl-, and time was investigated to understand the influence of environmental factors. Faster uniform corrosion rate has been found at lower temperature (20 and 40°C) than at higher temperature (60 and 80°C) due to accelerated corrosion product formation at high temperatures inhibiting corrosion reactions. Electrochemical tests including along with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were utilized to study the temperature effect. Second, in order to further understand the uniform corrosion influence on pit growth kinetics, a long term exposures for 180 days in both immersion and ASTM-B117 test were performed. Uniform corrosion induced surface recession was found to have limited impact on pit geometry regardless of exposure methods. It was also found that the competition for limited cathodic current from uniform corrosion the primary rate limiting factor for pit growth. Very large pits were found after uniform corrosion growth reached a plateau due to corrosion product coverage. Also, optical microscopy and focused ion beam (FIB) imaging has provided more insights of distinctive pitting geometry and subsurface damages found from immersion samples and B117

  13. Production of sheep anti triiodothyronine (T3) antisera for development of T3 RIA kit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karar, M. G. E.

    2006-11-01

    This study is a trial to produce antisera against triiodothyronine (T 3 ) which resulted in a poor response of sheep to immunization, since small amount of antibodies were detected, hence the amount of T 3 tracer bound by the antibodies in terms of percentage was found to be less than 10% with weak discrimination between zero and high standard doses in all bleeds which dose not satisfy radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique requirements. In this study, two local males Sudanese sheep (ovis aries) were immunized with T 3 -immuno gen intramuscularly and subcutaneously in different sites along their backs. Sheep (I) was immunized with 25μg of antigen per kg body weight in first and boosting injections, while the dose was only 10μg per kg body weight for sheep(II). T 3 -immuno gen was emulsified in FCA for the first injection and in FIA for the boosting injections. The sera obtained from both sheep after each injection were subjected to evaluation for the levels of circulating anti-T 3 antibodies through both qualitative and quantitative tests (titration test). The tests were performed for both purified and non-purified from with different separation methods, these methods included, precipitation by second antibody assisted by polyethylene glycol (PEG), polystyrene beads, and liquid phase separation technique. Tests for the quality and success of polystyrene beads coating process for the titration were done using pre characterized antibodies, namely anti progesterone antibodies and anti thyroxine antibodies. These tests revels that, the coating process including the activation of polystyrene beads, was of good quality, and the results obtained was due to weak response to T 3 -immuno gen. The results obtained from qualitative tests of the two sheep sera did not show clear precipitate, in spite of the positive result obtained in a neat sera, which was an indication for weak antibody formation. The result of the titration tests for all bleeds (third, forth, fifth, sixth, and

  14. Comparison of 3 T and 7 T MRI clinical sequences for ankle imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Juras, Vladimir, E-mail: vladimir.juras@meduniwien.ac.at [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Radiology, Vienna General Hospital, Waeringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Measurement Science, Dubravska cesta 9, 84104 Bratislava (Slovakia); Welsch, Goetz, E-mail: welsch@bwh.harvard.edu [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Radiology, Vienna General Hospital, Waeringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Baer, Peter, E-mail: baerpeter@siemens.com [Siemens Healthcare, Richard-Strauss-Strasse 76, D81679 Munich (Germany); Kronnerwetter, Claudia, E-mail: claudia.kronnerwetter@meduniwien.ac.at [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Radiology, Vienna General Hospital, Waeringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Fujita, Hiroyuki, E-mail: hiroyuki.fujita@qualedyn.com [Quality Electrodynamics, LCC, 777 Beta Dr, Cleveland, OH 44143-2336 (United States); Trattnig, Siegfried, E-mail: siegfried.trattnig@meduniwien.ac.at [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Radiology, Vienna General Hospital, Waeringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria)

    2012-08-15

    The purpose of this study was to compare 3 T and 7 T signal-to-noise and contrast-to noise ratios of clinical sequences for imaging of the ankles with optimized sequences and dedicated coils. Ten healthy volunteers were examined consecutively on both systems with three clinical sequences: (1) 3D gradient-echo, T{sub 1}-weighted; (2) 2D fast spin-echo, PD-weighted; and (3) 2D spin-echo, T{sub 1}-weighted. SNR was calculated for six regions: cartilage; bone; muscle; synovial fluid; Achilles tendon; and Kager's fat-pad. CNR was obtained for cartilage/bone, cartilage/fluid, cartilage/muscle, and muscle/fat-pad, and compared by a one-way ANOVA test for repeated measures. Mean SNR significantly increased at 7 T compared to 3 T for 3D GRE, and 2D TSE was 60.9% and 86.7%, respectively. In contrast, an average SNR decrease of almost 25% was observed in the 2D SE sequence. A CNR increase was observed in 2D TSE images, and in most 3D GRE images. There was a substantial benefit from ultra high-field MR imaging of ankles with routine clinical sequences at 7 T compared to 3 T. Higher SNR and CNR at ultra-high field MR scanners may be useful in clinical practice for ankle imaging. However, carefully optimized protocols and dedicated extremity coils are necessary to obtain optimal results.

  15. FoxP3 mRNA splice forms in synovial CD4+ T cells in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ryder, L Rebekka; Bartels, Else Marie; Woetmann, Anders

    2012-01-01

    Our aim was to elucidate the relative amount of the different splice forms of FoxP3 mRNA in CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood (PB) compared to synovial fluid (SF) in RA and PsA patients. FoxP3 mRNA was measured using a quantitative real-time PCR method. CD4+ T cells were isolated from 17 paired...... samples of PB and SF from RA and PsA patients, and PB from 10 controls. FoxP3fl and FoxP3Δ2 mRNA was significantly increased (6.7 and 2.1-fold, respectively) in PB CD4+ T cells from RA patients compared to controls. FoxP3fl and Δ2 mRNA in SF CD4+ T cells was increased compared to controls in sero......-negative RA and PsA, but not in sero-positive RA patients, who had a high FoxP3 expression in both PB and SF. The FoxP3Δ2Δ7 mRNA was barely detectable in patient samples, and not at all in healthy individuals. We provide evidence of an increased expression of FoxP3 splice forms in synovial CD4+ T cells from...

  16. Prediction of novel hard phases of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}: First-principles calculations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cui, Lin; Hu, Meng; Wang, Qianqian; Xu, Bo; Yu, Dongli; Liu, Zhongyuan; He, Julong, E-mail: hjl@ysu.edu.cn

    2015-08-15

    Exploration of novel hard metastable phases of silicon nitride was performed using a recently developed particle-swarm optimization method within the CALYPSO software package. Three potential hard metastable phases of t-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, m-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, and o-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} were predicted. These phases are mechanically and dynamically stable at ambient pressure based on their elastic constants and phonon dispersions. t-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} and m-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} exhibit lower energies than γ-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} at pressures below 2.5 GPa and 2.9 GPa, respectively, which promise that the formers could be obtained by quenching from γ-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}. o-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} is a better high-pressure metastable phase than CaTi{sub 2}O{sub 4}-type Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} proposed by Tatsumi et al. and it can come from the transition of γ-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} under 198 GPa. The theoretical band gaps of t-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, m-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, and o-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} at ambient pressure were 3.15 eV, 3.90 eV, and 3.36 eV, respectively. At ambient pressure, the Vickers hardness values of t-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} (32.6 GPa), m-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} (31.5 GPa), and o-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} (36.1 GPa) are comparable to β-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} and γ-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}. With the pressure increasing, t-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, m-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, and o-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} will change from the brittle to ductile state at about 15.7 GPa, 7.3 GPa and 28.9 GPa, respectively. - Graphical abstract: This figure shows the crystal structures of three Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} predicted in this manuscript, and left to right: t-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, m-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} and o-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}. - Highlights: • We explored three metastable phases of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} — t-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, m-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, and o-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}. • The enthalpies of t and m- are much lower than that of γ at ambient pressure. • ois one further high pressure phase than γ. • o-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} is the most hardest phase in Si

  17. EpiJen: a server for multistep T cell epitope prediction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guan Pingping

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The main processing pathway for MHC class I ligands involves degradation of proteins by the proteasome, followed by transport of products by the transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER, where peptides are bound by MHC class I molecules, and then presented on the cell surface by MHCs. The whole process is modeled here using an integrated approach, which we call EpiJen. EpiJen is based on quantitative matrices, derived by the additive method, and applied successively to select epitopes. EpiJen is available free online. Results To identify epitopes, a source protein is passed through four steps: proteasome cleavage, TAP transport, MHC binding and epitope selection. At each stage, different proportions of non-epitopes are eliminated. The final set of peptides represents no more than 5% of the whole protein sequence and will contain 85% of the true epitopes, as indicated by external validation. Compared to other integrated methods (NetCTL, WAPP and SMM, EpiJen performs best, predicting 61 of the 99 HIV epitopes used in this study. Conclusion EpiJen is a reliable multi-step algorithm for T cell epitope prediction, which belongs to the next generation of in silico T cell epitope identification methods. These methods aim to reduce subsequent experimental work by improving the success rate of epitope prediction.

  18. An Interpretable Machine Learning Model for Accurate Prediction of Sepsis in the ICU.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nemati, Shamim; Holder, Andre; Razmi, Fereshteh; Stanley, Matthew D; Clifford, Gari D; Buchman, Timothy G

    2018-04-01

    Sepsis is among the leading causes of morbidity, mortality, and cost overruns in critically ill patients. Early intervention with antibiotics improves survival in septic patients. However, no clinically validated system exists for real-time prediction of sepsis onset. We aimed to develop and validate an Artificial Intelligence Sepsis Expert algorithm for early prediction of sepsis. Observational cohort study. Academic medical center from January 2013 to December 2015. Over 31,000 admissions to the ICUs at two Emory University hospitals (development cohort), in addition to over 52,000 ICU patients from the publicly available Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-III ICU database (validation cohort). Patients who met the Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis (Sepsis-3) prior to or within 4 hours of their ICU admission were excluded, resulting in roughly 27,000 and 42,000 patients within our development and validation cohorts, respectively. None. High-resolution vital signs time series and electronic medical record data were extracted. A set of 65 features (variables) were calculated on hourly basis and passed to the Artificial Intelligence Sepsis Expert algorithm to predict onset of sepsis in the proceeding T hours (where T = 12, 8, 6, or 4). Artificial Intelligence Sepsis Expert was used to predict onset of sepsis in the proceeding T hours and to produce a list of the most significant contributing factors. For the 12-, 8-, 6-, and 4-hour ahead prediction of sepsis, Artificial Intelligence Sepsis Expert achieved area under the receiver operating characteristic in the range of 0.83-0.85. Performance of the Artificial Intelligence Sepsis Expert on the development and validation cohorts was indistinguishable. Using data available in the ICU in real-time, Artificial Intelligence Sepsis Expert can accurately predict the onset of sepsis in an ICU patient 4-12 hours prior to clinical recognition. A prospective study is necessary to determine the

  19. Status of the KM3NeT project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katz, U.F.

    2009-01-01

    KM3NeT is a future research infrastructure in the Mediterranean Sea, hosting a cubic-kilometre scale neutrino telescope and nodes for associated sciences such as marine biology, oceanology and geophysics. The status of the KM3NeT project and the progress made in the EU-funded Design Study is reviewed. Some physics studies indicating the sensitivity of the KM3NeT neutrino telescope are highlighted and selected major technical design options to be further pursued are described. Finally, the remaining steps towards construction of KM3NeT will be discussed. This document reflects the status of the KM3NeT Conceptual Design Report (CDR), which has been presented to the public for the first time at the VLVnT08 Workshop.

  20. The effect of hardening laws and thermal softening on modeling residual stresses in FSW of aluminum alloy 2024-T3

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sonne, Mads Rostgaard; Tutum, Cem Celal; Hattel, Jesper Henri

    2013-01-01

    or kinematic hardening together with the metallurgical softening model were applied in order to give a first impression of the tendencies in residual stresses in friction stir welds when choosing different hardening and softening behaviors. Secondly, real friction stir butt welding of aluminum alloy 2024-T3...

  1. Finite element modelling of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 under transverse impact loading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Ahmad Sufian; Kuntjoro, Wahyu; Yamin, A. F. M.

    2017-12-01

    Fiber metal laminate named GLARE is a new aerospace material which has great potential to be widely used in future lightweight aircraft. It consists of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 and glass-fiber reinforced laminate. In order to produce reliable finite element model of impact response or crashworthiness of structure made of GLARE, one can initially model and validate the finite element model of the impact response of its constituents separately. The objective of this study was to develop a reliable finite element model of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 under low velocity transverse impact loading using commercial software ABAQUS. Johnson-Cook plasticity and damage models were used to predict the alloy's material properties and impact behavior. The results of the finite element analysis were compared to the experiment that has similar material and impact conditions. Results showed good correlations in terms of impact forces, deformation and failure progressions which concluded that the finite element model of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy under low velocity transverse impact condition using Johnson-Cook plastic and damage models was reliable.

  2. CLA isomer t10,c12 induce oxidation and apoptosis in 3t3 adipocyte cells in a similar effect as omega-3 linolenic acid and DHA.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jon Meadus

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Commercial conjugated linoleic acid (CLA dietary supplements contain an equal mixture of the C18:2 isomers, cis-9trans-11 and trans-10cis-12. Predominantly, CLA-c9t11 occurs naturally in meat and dairy products at ~ 0.5% of total fat , whereas CLA-t10c12 occurs at >0.1%. Recent studies show that CLA-c9t11 generally promotes lipid accumulation but CLA-t10c12 may inhibit lipid accumulation and may also promote inflammation. The omega-3 fatty acids α-linolenic acid (C18:3n-3 and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA have also been observed to inhibit lipid accumulation and effect inflammation; therefore we examined the effects of the two main isomersof CLA and omega -3 fatty acids C18:3n-3 and DHA at the molecular levelto determine if they are causing similar oxidative stresses.Methods:Purified CLA-c9t11 and CLA-t10c12 were added to 3T3 cells induced into mature adipocyte cultures at 100uM concentrations and compared with 100uM C18:3n-3(α-linolenic acid and 50uM docosahexaenoic acid (DHA to observe their effect on growth, gene transcription and general oxidation. The results of multiple separate trials were averaged and compared for significance at levels of P< 0.05, using one way ANOVA and Student’s t-test.Results:C18:3n-3, DHA and CLA-t10c12inhibited 3T3 adipose cell growth and caused a significant increase in lipid hydro peroxide activity. CLA-t10c12 and c9t11 increased AFABP, FAS and ACOX1 mRNA gene expression but DHA and C18:3n-3decreased the same mRNAs. CLA-c9t11 but not the t10c12 stimulated adipoQ expression even though; CLA-c9t11 had only a slightly greater affinity for PPARγ than CLA-t10c12, according to TR-FRET assays. The expression of the xenobiotic metabolism genes, aldo-keto reduct as 1c1 (akr1c1, superoxide dismutase (SODand inflammation chemokine secretions of eotaxin (CCL11, Rantes (CCL5, MIG (CCL9 and MCP-1 were increased by DHA, C18:3n-3and CLA-t10c12 but not CLA-c9t11. This correlated with an increase in apoptosis factors

  3. Comparison of Direct Sequencing, Real-Time PCR-High Resolution Melt (PCR-HRM) and PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) Analysis for Genotyping of Common Thiopurine Intolerant Variant Alleles NUDT15 c.415C>T and TPMT c.719A>G (TPMT*3C).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fong, Wai-Ying; Ho, Chi-Chun; Poon, Wing-Tat

    2017-05-12

    Thiopurine intolerance and treatment-related toxicity, such as fatal myelosuppression, is related to non-function genetic variants encoding thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) and Nudix hydrolase 15 (NUDT15). Genetic testing of the common variants NUDT15:NM_018283.2:c.415C>T (Arg139Cys, dbSNP rs116855232 T allele) and TPMT: NM_000367.4:c.719A>G (TPMT*3C, dbSNP rs1142345 G allele) in East Asians including Chinese can potentially prevent treatment-related complications. Two complementary genotyping approaches, real-time PCR-high resolution melt (PCR-HRM) and PCR-restriction fragment length morphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis were evaluated using conventional PCR and Sanger sequencing genotyping as the gold standard. Sixty patient samples were tested, revealing seven patients (11.7%) heterozygous for NUDT15 c.415C>T, one patient homozygous for the variant and one patient heterozygous for the TPMT*3C non-function allele. No patient was found to harbor both variants. In total, nine out of 60 (15%) patients tested had genotypic evidence of thiopurine intolerance, which may require dosage adjustment or alternative medication should they be started on azathioprine, mercaptopurine or thioguanine. The two newly developed assays were more efficient and showed complete concordance (60/60, 100%) compared to the Sanger sequencing results. Accurate and cost-effective genotyping assays by real-time PCR-HRM and PCR-RFLP for NUDT15 c.415C>T and TPMT*3C were successfully developed. Further studies may establish their roles in genotype-informed clinical decision-making in the prevention of morbidity and mortality due to thiopurine intolerance.

  4. QCD phase transition at real chemical potential with canonical approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, Atsushi [RCNP, Osaka University,Osaka, 567-0047 (Japan); Nishina Center, RIKEN,Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); School of Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University,Vladivostok, 690950 (Russian Federation); Oka, Shotaro [Institute of Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics, Rikkyo University,Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-8501 (Japan); Taniguchi, Yusuke [Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba,Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8571 (Japan)

    2016-02-08

    We study the finite density phase transition in the lattice QCD at real chemical potential. We adopt a canonical approach and the canonical partition function is constructed for N{sub f}=2 QCD. After derivation of the canonical partition function we calculate observables like the pressure, the quark number density, its second cumulant and the chiral condensate as a function of the real chemical potential. We covered a wide range of temperature region starting from the confining low to the deconfining high temperature; 0.65T{sub c}≤T≤3.62T{sub c}. We observe a possible signal of the deconfinement and the chiral restoration phase transition at real chemical potential below T{sub c} starting from the confining phase. We give also the convergence range of the fugacity expansion.

  5. Comparative study of imaging at 3.0 T versus 1.5 T of the knee

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wong, Scott [University of California, San Francisco, Department of Radiology, San Francisco, CA (United States); University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL (United States); Steinbach, Lynne; Zhao, Jian; Link, Thomas M. [University of California, Department of Radiology, San Francisco, CA (United States); Stehling, Christoph [University of California, Department of Radiology, San Francisco, CA (United States); University of Muenster, Department of Radiology, Muenster (Germany); Ma, C.B. [University of California San Francisco, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA (United States)

    2009-08-15

    The objectives of the study were to compare MR imaging at 1.5 and 3.0 T in the same patients concerning image quality and visualization of cartilage pathology and to assess diagnostic performance using arthroscopy as a standard of reference. Twenty-six patients were identified retrospectively as having comparative 1.5 and 3.0 T MR studies of the knee within an average of 102 days. Standard protocols included T1-weighted and fat-saturated intermediate-weighted fast spin-echo sequences in three planes; sequence parameters had been adjusted to account for differences in relaxation at 3.0 T. Arthroscopy was performed in 19 patients. Four radiologists reviewed each study independently, scored image quality, and analyzed pathological findings. Sensitivities, specificities, and accuracies in diagnosing cartilage lesions were calculated in the 19 patients with arthroscopy, and differences between 1.5 and 3.0 T exams were compared using paired Student's t tests with a significance threshold of p<0.05. Each radiologist scored the 3.0 T studies higher than those obtained at 1.5 T in visualizing anatomical structures and abnormalities (p<0.05). Using arthroscopy as a standard of reference, diagnosis of cartilage abnormalities was improved at 3.0 T with higher sensitivity (75.7% versus 70.6%), accuracy (88.2% versus 86.4%), and correct grading of cartilage lesions (51.3% versus 42.9%). Diagnostic confidence scores were higher at 3.0 than 1.5 T (p<0.05) and signal-to-noise ratio at 3.0 T was approximately twofold higher than at 1.5 T. MRI at 3.0 T improved visualization of anatomical structures and improved diagnostic confidence compared to 1.5 T. This resulted in significantly better sensitivity and grading of cartilage lesions at the knee. (orig.)

  6. Comparative study of imaging at 3.0 T versus 1.5 T of the knee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, Scott; Steinbach, Lynne; Zhao, Jian; Link, Thomas M.; Stehling, Christoph; Ma, C.B.

    2009-01-01

    The objectives of the study were to compare MR imaging at 1.5 and 3.0 T in the same patients concerning image quality and visualization of cartilage pathology and to assess diagnostic performance using arthroscopy as a standard of reference. Twenty-six patients were identified retrospectively as having comparative 1.5 and 3.0 T MR studies of the knee within an average of 102 days. Standard protocols included T1-weighted and fat-saturated intermediate-weighted fast spin-echo sequences in three planes; sequence parameters had been adjusted to account for differences in relaxation at 3.0 T. Arthroscopy was performed in 19 patients. Four radiologists reviewed each study independently, scored image quality, and analyzed pathological findings. Sensitivities, specificities, and accuracies in diagnosing cartilage lesions were calculated in the 19 patients with arthroscopy, and differences between 1.5 and 3.0 T exams were compared using paired Student's t tests with a significance threshold of p<0.05. Each radiologist scored the 3.0 T studies higher than those obtained at 1.5 T in visualizing anatomical structures and abnormalities (p<0.05). Using arthroscopy as a standard of reference, diagnosis of cartilage abnormalities was improved at 3.0 T with higher sensitivity (75.7% versus 70.6%), accuracy (88.2% versus 86.4%), and correct grading of cartilage lesions (51.3% versus 42.9%). Diagnostic confidence scores were higher at 3.0 than 1.5 T (p<0.05) and signal-to-noise ratio at 3.0 T was approximately twofold higher than at 1.5 T. MRI at 3.0 T improved visualization of anatomical structures and improved diagnostic confidence compared to 1.5 T. This resulted in significantly better sensitivity and grading of cartilage lesions at the knee. (orig.)

  7. Meniscal T1rho and T2 measured with 3.0T MRI increases directly after running a marathon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stehling, Christoph [University of California, Musculoskeletal and Quantitative Imaging Group (MQIR), Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, San Francisco, CA (United States); University of Muenster, Department of Clinical Radiology, Muenster (Germany); Luke, Anthony [University of California, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA (United States); Stahl, Robert [University of California, Musculoskeletal and Quantitative Imaging Group (MQIR), Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, San Francisco, CA (United States); Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Department of Clinical Radiology, Munich (Germany); Baum, Thomas; Joseph, Gabby; Pan, Judong; Link, Thomas M. [University of California, Musculoskeletal and Quantitative Imaging Group (MQIR), Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, San Francisco, CA (United States)

    2011-06-15

    To prospectively evaluate changes in T1rho and T2 relaxation time in the meniscus using 3.0 T MRI in asymptomatic knees of marathon runners and to compare these findings with those of age-matched healthy subjects. Thirteen marathon runners underwent 3.0 T MRI including T1rho and T2 mapping sequences before, 48-72 h after, and 3 months after competition. Ten controls were examined at baseline and after 3 months. All images were analyzed by two musculoskeletal radiologists identifying and grading cartilage, meniscal, ligamentous. and other knee abnormalities with WORMS scores. Meniscal segmentation was performed to generate T1rho and T2 maps in six compartments. No differences in morphological knee abnormalities were found before and after the marathon. However, all marathon runners showed a significant increase in T1rho and T2 values after competition in all meniscus compartments (p < 0.0001), which may indicate changes in the biochemical composition of meniscal tissue. While T2 values decreased after 3 months T1rho values remained at a high level, indicating persisting changes in the meniscal matrix composition after a marathon. T2 values in menisci have the potential to be used as biomarkers for identifying reversible meniscus matrix changes indicating potential tissue damage. T1rho values need further study, but may be a valuable marker for diagnosing early, degenerative changes in the menisci following exercise. (orig.)

  8. Initial experience with 3T 3D-TOF MRA in the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Senba, Yoshiki; Takahashi, Shizue; Matsubara, Ichiro; Sadamoto, Kazuhiko; Miki, Hitoshi; Mochizuki, Teruhito

    2006-01-01

    We assessed the value of 3T 3D-time of flight (TOF) MR angiography (MRA) in the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms compared with 1.5T 3D-TOF MRA. Twenty-one patients with 22 aneurysms underwent MRA at 1.5T and 3T. Images were interpreted by two radiologists. Each of nine aneurysms that had been considered ''definite'' at 1.5T 3D-TOF MRA were considered ''definite'' at 3T 3D-TOF MRA. Seven aneurysms that had been considered ''suspicious'' at 1.5T MRA were considered ''definite'' at 3T. And four aneurysms that had been considered ''suspicious'' at 1.5T were considered ''negative'' at 3T. We concluded that 3T 3D-TOF MRA is superior to 1.5T 3D-TOF MRA in the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms. (author)

  9. Pole-placement Predictive Functional Control for under-damped systems with real numbers algebra.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zabet, K; Rossiter, J A; Haber, R; Abdullah, M

    2017-11-01

    This paper presents the new algorithm of PP-PFC (Pole-placement Predictive Functional Control) for stable, linear under-damped higher-order processes. It is shown that while conventional PFC aims to get first-order exponential behavior, this is not always straightforward with significant under-damped modes and hence a pole-placement PFC algorithm is proposed which can be tuned more precisely to achieve the desired dynamics, but exploits complex number algebra and linear combinations in order to deliver guarantees of stability and performance. Nevertheless, practical implementation is easier by avoiding complex number algebra and hence a modified formulation of the PP-PFC algorithm is also presented which utilises just real numbers while retaining the key attributes of simple algebra, coding and tuning. The potential advantages are demonstrated with numerical examples and real-time control of a laboratory plant. Copyright © 2017 ISA. All rights reserved.

  10. Evaluation of a real-time travel time prediction system in a freeway construction work zone : executive summary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2001-03-01

    A real-time travel time prediction system (TIPS) was evaluated in a construction work : zone. TIPS includes changeable message signs (CMSs) displaying the travel time and : distance to the end of the work zone to motorists. The travel times displayed...

  11. Real-Time Monitoring and Prediction of the Pilot Vehicle System (PVS) Closed-Loop Stability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandal, Tanmay Kumar

    Understanding human control behavior is an important step for improving the safety of future aircraft. Considerable resources are invested during the design phase of an aircraft to ensure that the aircraft has desirable handling qualities. However, human pilots exhibit a wide range of control behaviors that are a function of external stimulus, aircraft dynamics, and human psychological properties (such as workload, stress factor, confidence, and sense of urgency factor). This variability is difficult to address comprehensively during the design phase and may lead to undesirable pilot-aircraft interaction, such as pilot-induced oscillations (PIO). This creates the need to keep track of human pilot performance in real-time to monitor the pilot vehicle system (PVS) stability. This work focused on studying human pilot behavior for the longitudinal axis of a remotely controlled research aircraft and using human-in-the-loop (HuIL) simulations to obtain information about the human controlled system (HCS) stability. The work in this dissertation is divided into two main parts: PIO analysis and human control model parameters estimation. To replicate different flight conditions, this study included time delay and elevator rate limiting phenomena, typical of actuator dynamics during the experiments. To study human control behavior, this study employed the McRuer model for single-input single-output manual compensatory tasks. McRuer model is a lead-lag controller with time delay which has been shown to adequately model manual compensatory tasks. This dissertation presents a novel technique to estimate McRuer model parameters in real-time and associated validation using HuIL simulations to correctly predict HCS stability. The McRuer model parameters were estimated in real-time using a Kalman filter approach. The estimated parameters were then used to analyze the stability of the closed-loop HCS and verify them against the experimental data. Therefore, the main contribution of

  12. Three-dimensional isotropic T2-weighted cervical MRI at 3 T: Comparison with two-dimensional T2-weighted sequences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwon, J.W.; Yoon, Y.C.; Choi, S.-H.

    2012-01-01

    Aim: To compare three-dimensional (3D) isotropic T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences and reformation with two-dimensional (2D) T2-weighted sequences regarding image quality of the cervical spine at 3 T. Materials and methods: A phantom study was performed using a water-filled cylinder. The signal-to-noise and image homogeneity were evaluated. Fourteen (n = 14) volunteers were examined at 3 T using 3D isotropic T2-weighted sagittal and conventional 2D T2-weighted sagittal, axial, and oblique sagittal MRI. Multiplanar reformation (MPR) of the 3D T2-weighted sagittal dataset was performed simultaneously with image evaluation. In addition to artefact assessment, the visibility of anatomical structures in the 3D and 2D sequences was qualitatively assessed by two radiologists independently. Cohen’s kappa and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used for the statistical analysis. Result: The 3D isotropic T2-weighted sequence resulted in the highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and lowest non-uniformity (NU) among the sequences in the phantom study. Quantitative evaluation revealed lower NU values of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and muscles in 2D T2-weighted sagittal sequences compared to the 3D volume isotropic turbo spin-echo acquisition (VISTA) sequence. The other NU values revealed no statistically significant difference between the 2D turbo spin-echo (TSE) and 3D VISTA sequences (0.059 < p < 0.959). 3D VISTA images showed significantly fewer CSF flow artefacts (p < 0.001) and better delineated intradural nerve rootlets (p = 0.001) and neural foramina (p = 0.016) compared to 2D sequences. Conclusion: A 3D T2 weighted sequence is superior to conventional 2D sequences for the delineation of intradural nerve rootlets and neural foramina and is less affected by CSF flow artefacts.

  13. IDEAL 3D spoiled gradient echo of the articular cartilage of the knee on 3.0 T MRI: a comparison with conventional 3.0 T fast spin-echo T2 fat saturation image.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Chul Hee; Park, Hee Jin; Lee, So Yeon; Chung, Eun Chul; Choi, Seon Hyeong; Yun, Ji Sup; Rho, Myung Ho

    2015-12-01

    Many two-dimensional (2D) morphologic cartilage imaging sequences have disadvantages such as long acquisition time, inadequate spatial resolution, suboptimal tissue contrast, and image degradation secondary to artifacts. IDEAL imaging can overcome these disadvantages. To compare sound-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and quality of two different methods of imaging that include IDEAL 3D SPGR and 3.0-T FSE T2 fat saturation (FS) imaging and to evaluate the utility of IDEAL 3D SPGR for knee joint imaging. SNR and CNR of the patellar and femoral cartilages were measured and calculated. Two radiologists performed subjective scoring of all images for three measures: general image quality, FS, and cartilage evaluation. SNR and CNR values were compared by paired Student's t-tests. Mean SNRs of patellar and femoral cartilages were 90% and 66% higher, respectively, for IDEAL 3D SPGR. CNRs of patellar cartilages and joint fluids were 2.4 times higher for FSE T2 FS, and CNR between the femoral cartilage and joint fluid was 2.2 times higher for FSE T2 FS. General image quality and FS were superior using FSE T2 FS compared to those of IDEAL 3D SPGR imaging according to both readers, while cartilage evaluation was superior using IDEAL 3D SPGR. Additionally, cartilage injuries were more prominent in IDEAL 3D SPGR than in FSE T2FS according to both readers. IDEAL 3D SPGR images show excellent visualization of patellar and femoral cartilages in 3.0 T and can compensate for the weaknesses of FSE T2 FS in the evaluation of cartilage injuries. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2014.

  14. Mediator subunit MED1 is a T3-dependent and T3-independent coactivator on the thyrotropin β gene promoter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsui, Keiji; Oda, Kasumi; Mizuta, Shumpei; Ishino, Ruri; Urahama, Norinaga; Hasegawa, Natsumi [Laboratory of Hematology, Division of Medical Biophysics, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 7-10-2 Tomogaoka, Suma-ku, Kobe 654-0142 (Japan); Roeder, Robert G. [Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 (United States); Ito, Mitsuhiro, E-mail: itomi@med.kobe-u.ac.jp [Laboratory of Hematology, Division of Medical Biophysics, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 7-10-2 Tomogaoka, Suma-ku, Kobe 654-0142 (Japan); Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065 (United States); Department of Family and Community Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe 654-0142 (Japan); Consolidated Research Institute for Advanced Science and Medical Care, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 159-8555 (Japan)

    2013-10-11

    Highlights: •MED1 is a bona fide T3-dependent coactivator on TSHB promoter. •Mice with LxxLL-mutant MED1 have attenuated TSHβ mRNA and thyroid hormone levels. •MED1 activates TSHB promoter T3-dependently in cultured cells. •T3-dependent MED1 action is enhanced when SRC1/SRC2 or HDAC2 is downregulated. •MED1 is also a T3-independent GATA2/Pit1 coactivator on TSHB promoter. -- Abstract: The MED1 subunit of the Mediator transcriptional coregulator complex is a nuclear receptor-specific coactivator. A negative feedback mechanism of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH, or thyrotropin) expression in the thyrotroph in the presence of triiodothyronine (T3) is employed by liganded thyroid hormone receptor β (TRβ) on the TSHβ gene promoter, where conventional histone-modifying coactivators act as corepressors. We now provide evidence that MED1 is a ligand-dependent positive cofactor on this promoter. TSHβ gene transcription was attenuated in MED1 mutant mice in which the nuclear receptor-binding ability of MED1 was specifically disrupted. MED1 stimulated GATA2- and Pit1-mediated TSHβ gene promoter activity in a ligand-independent manner in cultured cells. MED1 also stimulated transcription from the TSHβ gene promoter in a T3-dependent manner. The transcription was further enhanced when the T3-dependent corepressors SRC1, SRC2, and HDAC2 were downregulated. Hence, MED1 is a T3-dependent and -independent coactivator on the TSHβ gene promoter.

  15. KM3NeT

    CERN Multimedia

    KM3NeT is a large scale next-generation neutrino telescope located in the deep waters of the Mediterranean Sea, optimized for the discovery of galactic neutrino sources emitting in the TeV energy region.

  16. Software Design Description for the Polar Ice Prediction System (PIPS) Version 3.0

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-11-05

    ice area with respect to x and y real trc- tracer at geometric center of cell real trx , try- limited derivative of tracer with respect to x and y...yp1 real xp2, yp2 real xp3, yp3 integer iflux, jflux real aic, aix, aiy real aiflx real trc, trx , try real atflx 95 PIPS 3.0 SDD Subroutine

  17. First observation of the nuclei {sup 45}Fe and {sup 49}Ni (T{sub Z} = - 7/2) and {sup 42}Cr (T{sub Z} = - 3); Premiere observation des noyaux {sup 45}Fe et {sup 49}Ni (T{sub Z} = - 7/2) et {sup 42}Cr (T{sub Z} = - 3)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blank, B.; Czajkowski, S.; Davi, F.; Del Moral, R.; Fleury, A.; Marchand, C.; Pravikoff, M.S. [Centre d`Etudes Nucleaires, Bordeaux-1 Univ., 33 Gradignan (France); Dufour, J.P. [URA 451, Gradignan (France); Benlliure, J.; Boue, F.; Collatz, R.; Heinz, A.; Hellstroem, M.; Hu, Z.; Roeckl, E.; Shibata, M.; Suemmerer, K. [Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung mbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Janas, Z.; Karny, M.; Pfuetzner, M. [Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Warsaw, PL-00 681 Warszawa (Poland); Lewitowicz, M. [Grand Accelerateur National d`Ions Lourds (GANIL), 14 - Caen (France)

    1997-06-01

    The two-proton radioactivity from the ground states was predicted by V.I. Goldanskii; it can take place either by {sup 2}He emission or by the simultaneous emission of two spatially non-correlated protons. For the nuclei liable to this type of radioactivity the single proton emission is energetically forbidden. The two-proton decay was observed for {sup 6}Be{sup 2} and {sup 12}O{sup 3} but the Q-value of the reaction is high above the Coulomb barrier and as such does not permit a decay process of a sufficient long lifetime. Theoretical calculations by B.A. Brawn predict {sup 39}Ti, {sup 45}Fe and {sup 48}Ni as the best candidates with the 2p emission lifetime within 1{mu}s to 150 ms. Only {sup 39}Ti decay has been observed so far. As candidate for 2p radioactivity nuclei we studied {sup 38}Ti, {sup 42}Cr, {sup 45}Fe and {sup 48`49}Ni. A primary beam of {sup 58}Ni at 600 MeV/nucleon from the SIS synchrotron at GSI was used to produce proton-rich isotopes in the titanium-to-nickel region by projectile fragmentation on a beryllium target. The fragment were separated by the projectile-fragment separator FRS and unambiguously identified by means of its standard detection set-up using a ToF-{Delta}E-B{rho} analysis. We report here the first observation of the T{sub Z} = - 7/2 nuclei {sup 45}Fe and {sup 49}Ni, the most proton-rich nuclei ever synthesized with an excess and seven protons. In addition, the new isotope {sup 42}Cr (T{sub Z} -3) was also identified. These isotopes are, according to commonly used mass predictions, all unbound with respect to two-proton emission from their ground states. However, we did not observe any count corresponding to {sup 38}Ti (T{sub Z} -3) although we expected about 5 counts in a setting optimized for this isotope 6 refs.

  18. Predicting decisions in human social interactions using real-time fMRI and pattern classification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollmann, Maurice; Rieger, Jochem W; Baecke, Sebastian; Lützkendorf, Ralf; Müller, Charles; Adolf, Daniela; Bernarding, Johannes

    2011-01-01

    Negotiation and trade typically require a mutual interaction while simultaneously resting in uncertainty which decision the partner ultimately will make at the end of the process. Assessing already during the negotiation in which direction one's counterpart tends would provide a tremendous advantage. Recently, neuroimaging techniques combined with multivariate pattern classification of the acquired data have made it possible to discriminate subjective states of mind on the basis of their neuronal activation signature. However, to enable an online-assessment of the participant's mind state both approaches need to be extended to a real-time technique. By combining real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and online pattern classification techniques, we show that it is possible to predict human behavior during social interaction before the interacting partner communicates a specific decision. Average accuracy reached approximately 70% when we predicted online the decisions of volunteers playing the ultimatum game, a well-known paradigm in economic game theory. Our results demonstrate the successful online analysis of complex emotional and cognitive states using real-time fMRI, which will enable a major breakthrough for social fMRI by providing information about mental states of partners already during the mutual interaction. Interestingly, an additional whole brain classification across subjects confirmed the online results: anterior insula, ventral striatum, and lateral orbitofrontal cortex, known to act in emotional self-regulation and reward processing for adjustment of behavior, appeared to be strong determinants of later overt behavior in the ultimatum game. Using whole brain classification we were also able to discriminate between brain processes related to subjective emotional and motivational states and brain processes related to the evaluation of objective financial incentives.

  19. Predicting decisions in human social interactions using real-time fMRI and pattern classification.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maurice Hollmann

    Full Text Available Negotiation and trade typically require a mutual interaction while simultaneously resting in uncertainty which decision the partner ultimately will make at the end of the process. Assessing already during the negotiation in which direction one's counterpart tends would provide a tremendous advantage. Recently, neuroimaging techniques combined with multivariate pattern classification of the acquired data have made it possible to discriminate subjective states of mind on the basis of their neuronal activation signature. However, to enable an online-assessment of the participant's mind state both approaches need to be extended to a real-time technique. By combining real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI and online pattern classification techniques, we show that it is possible to predict human behavior during social interaction before the interacting partner communicates a specific decision. Average accuracy reached approximately 70% when we predicted online the decisions of volunteers playing the ultimatum game, a well-known paradigm in economic game theory. Our results demonstrate the successful online analysis of complex emotional and cognitive states using real-time fMRI, which will enable a major breakthrough for social fMRI by providing information about mental states of partners already during the mutual interaction. Interestingly, an additional whole brain classification across subjects confirmed the online results: anterior insula, ventral striatum, and lateral orbitofrontal cortex, known to act in emotional self-regulation and reward processing for adjustment of behavior, appeared to be strong determinants of later overt behavior in the ultimatum game. Using whole brain classification we were also able to discriminate between brain processes related to subjective emotional and motivational states and brain processes related to the evaluation of objective financial incentives.

  20. Selection and characterization of T-cell variants lacking molecules involved in T-cell activation (T3 T-cell receptor, T44, and T11): analysis of the functional relationship among different pathways of activation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moretta, A.; Poggi, A.; Olive, D.; Bottino, C.; Fortis, C.; Pantaleo, G.; Moretta, L.

    1987-01-01

    A clone of the interleukin 2-producing Jurkat leukemia cell line termed JA3 (surface phenotype, T3 + , Ti + , T44 + , T11 + , T40 + ) has been used to induce and select cell variants lacking surface molecules involved in T-cell activation. Following 200 rad of γ-radiation (1 rad = 0.01 Gy), cells were treated with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed to T3, Ti, T44, or T11 antigen and complement. After growth of the residual cells in culture, negative cells were cloned under limiting conditions. Depending on the specificity of the mAb used for the immunoselection, three groups of variants were obtained. (i) The use of mAbs directed to T3 or Ti resulted in cell variants that expressed the T3 - Ti - T44 + Leu1 + T11 + T40 + 4F2 + HLA class I + surface phenotype. (ii) Immunoselection with anti-T44 mAb resulted in 2 variants that shared the T3 - Ti - T44 - Leu1 - T11 - T40 - 4F2 - HLA class I + phenotype. (iii) Cell treatment with anti-T11 mAb resulted in 15 variants characterized by the lack of T11 antigen expression and of all the other T-cell-specific surface antigens. Therefore, it appears that the different sets of JA3 cell variants, like T cells at discrete stages of intrathymic differentiation, may follow a coordinated expression of surface differentiation antigens. Analysis of the functional responsiveness of the three distinct groups of JA3 cell variants to different stimuli showed that all produced interleukin 2 in response to A23187 calcium ionophore plus phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate

  1. Eco-morphological Real-time Forecasting tool to predict hydrodynamic, sediment and nutrient dynamic in Coastal Louisiana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messina, F.; Meselhe, E. A.; Buckman, L.; Twight, D.

    2017-12-01

    Louisiana coastal zone is one of the most productive and dynamic eco-geomorphic systems in the world. This unique natural environment has been alternated by human activities and natural processes such as sea level rise, subsidence, dredging of canals for oil and gas production, the Mississippi River levees which don't allow the natural river sediment. As a result of these alterations land loss, erosion and flood risk are becoming real issues for Louisiana. Costal authorities have been studying the benefits and effects of several restoration projects, e.g. freshwater and sediment diversions. The protection of communities, wildlife and of the unique environments is a high priority in this region. The Water Institute of the Gulf, together with Deltares, has developed a forecasting and information system for a pilot location in Coastal Louisiana, specifically for Barataria Bay and Breton Sound Basins in the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain. The system provides a 7-day forecast of water level, salinity, and temperature, under atmospheric and coastal forecasted conditions, such as freshwater riverine inflow, rainfall, evaporation, wind, and tide. The system also forecasts nutrient distribution (e.g., Chla and dissolved oxygen) and sediment transport. The Flood Early Warning System FEWS is used as a platform to import multivariate data from several sources, use them to monitor the pilot location and to provide boundary conditions to the model. A hindcast model is applied to compare the model results to the observed data, and to provide the initial condition to the forecast model. This system represents a unique tool which provides valuable information regarding the overall conditions of the basins. It offers the opportunity to adaptively manage existing and planned diversions to meet certain salinity and water level targets or thresholds while maximizing land-building goals. Moreover, water quality predictions provide valuable information on the current ecological

  2. A comparison of the real-time and the imaginary-time formalisms of finite temperature field theory for 2,3, and 4-point Green's functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aurenche, P.; Becherrawy, T.

    1991-07-01

    The predictions of the real-time and the imaginary-time formalisms of Finite Temperature Field Theory is compared. Retarded and advanced amplitudes are constructed in the real-time formalism which are linear combinations of the usual time-ordered thermo-field dynamics amplitudes. These amplitudes can be easily compared to the various analytically continued amplitudes of the imaginary-time formalism. Explicit calculation of the 2,3 and 4-point Green's functions in φ 3 field theory is done in the one and two-loop approximations, and the compatibility of the two formalisms is shown. (author) 17 refs., 12 figs

  3. Radioimmunoassay for measurement of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyonine (T3) in blood serum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chopra, I.J.

    1975-01-01

    This invention relates to a highly accurate, rapid and simple estimation of thyroxine (T 4 ) directly from blood serum and also relates to the accurate measurement of triiodo-L-thyronine (T 3 ) directly from blood serum. More specifically, the invention relates to a rapid, specific and reliable radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique for measurement of both T 4 and T 3 in unextracted serum. The method requires very small amounts of serum, e.g., 25 microliters (μl) to measure T 4 concentration in nearly all specimens representing clinical states of eu-, hypo- and hyperthyroidism, and 250 μl to measure T 3 concentrations in specimens representing most clinical states

  4. Large-scale validation of methods for cytotoxic T-lymphocyte epitope prediction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Mette Voldby; Lundegaard, Claus; Lamberth, K.

    2007-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Reliable predictions of Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes are essential for rational vaccine design. Most importantly, they can minimize the experimental effort needed to identify epitopes. NetCTL is a web-based tool designed for predicting human CTL epitopes in any given protein....... of the other methods achieved a sensitivity of 0.64. The NetCTL-1.2 method is available at http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/NetCTL.All used datasets are available at http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/suppl/immunology/CTL-1.2.php....

  5. NaNet3: The on-shore readout and slow-control board for the KM3NeT-Italia underwater neutrino telescope

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ammendola R.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The KM3NeT-Italia underwater neutrino detection unit, the tower, consists of 14 floors. Each floor supports 6 Optical Modules containing front-end electronics needed to digitize the PMT signal, format and transmit the data and 2 hydrophones that reconstruct in real-time the position of Optical Modules, for a maximum tower throughput of more than 600 MB/s. All floor data are collected by the Floor Control Module (FCM board and transmitted by optical bidirectional virtual point-to-point connections to the on-shore laboratory, each FCM needing an on-shore counterpart as communication endpoint. In this contribution we present NaNet3, an on-shore readout board based on Altera Stratix V GX FPGA able to manage multiple FCM data channels with a capability of 800 Mbps each. The design is a NaNet customization for the KM3NeT-Italia experiment, adding support in its I/O interface for a synchronous link protocol with deterministic latency at physical level and for a Time Division Multiplexing protocol at data level.

  6. NaNet3: The on-shore readout and slow-control board for the KM3NeT-Italia underwater neutrino telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ammendola, R.; Biagioni, A.; Frezza, O.; Lo Cicero, F.; Martinelli, M.; Paolucci, P. S.; Pontisso, L.; Simula, F.; Vicini, P.; Ameli, F.; Nicolau, C. A.; Pastorelli, E.; Simeone, F.; Tosoratto, L.; Lonardo, A.

    2016-04-01

    The KM3NeT-Italia underwater neutrino detection unit, the tower, consists of 14 floors. Each floor supports 6 Optical Modules containing front-end electronics needed to digitize the PMT signal, format and transmit the data and 2 hydrophones that reconstruct in real-time the position of Optical Modules, for a maximum tower throughput of more than 600 MB/s. All floor data are collected by the Floor Control Module (FCM) board and transmitted by optical bidirectional virtual point-to-point connections to the on-shore laboratory, each FCM needing an on-shore counterpart as communication endpoint. In this contribution we present NaNet3, an on-shore readout board based on Altera Stratix V GX FPGA able to manage multiple FCM data channels with a capability of 800 Mbps each. The design is a NaNet customization for the KM3NeT-Italia experiment, adding support in its I/O interface for a synchronous link protocol with deterministic latency at physical level and for a Time Division Multiplexing protocol at data level.

  7. Harmonizing electricity markets with physics : real time performance monitoring using grid-3PTM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Budhraja, V.S.

    2003-01-01

    The Electric Power Group, LLC provides management and strategic consulting services for the electric power industry, with special emphasis on industry restructuring, competitive electricity markets, grid operations and reliability, power technologies, venture investments and start-ups. The Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions involves national laboratories, universities, and industry partners in researching, developing, and commercializing electric reliability technology solutions to protect and enhance the reliability of the American electric power system under the emerging competitive electricity market structure. Physics differentiate electric markets from other markets: there is real-time balancing, no storage, interconnected network, and power flows governed by physics. Some issues affecting both grid reliability and market issues are difficult to separate, such as security and congestion management, voltage management, reserves, frequency volatility, and others. The author examined the following investment challenges facing the electricity market: grid solutions, market solutions, and technology solutions. The real time performance monitoring and prediction platform, grid-3P was described and applications discussed, such as ACE-frequency monitoring, performance monitoring for automatic generation control (AGC) and frequency response, voltage/VAR monitoring, stability monitoring using phasor technology, and market monitoring. figs

  8. Osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 Cells Prefer Glycolysis for ATP Production but Adipocyte-like 3T3-L1 Cells Prefer Oxidative Phosphorylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guntur, Anyonya R; Gerencser, Akos A; Le, Phuong T; DeMambro, Victoria E; Bornstein, Sheila A; Mookerjee, Shona A; Maridas, David E; Clemmons, David E; Brand, Martin D; Rosen, Clifford J

    2018-06-01

    Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are early progenitors that can differentiate into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes. We hypothesized that osteoblasts and adipocytes utilize distinct bioenergetic pathways during MSC differentiation. To test this hypothesis, we compared the bioenergetic profiles of preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells and calvarial osteoblasts with preadipocyte 3T3L1 cells, before and after differentiation. Differentiated MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts met adenosine triphosphate (ATP) demand mainly by glycolysis with minimal reserve glycolytic capacity, whereas nondifferentiated cells generated ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. A marked Crabtree effect (acute suppression of respiration by addition of glucose, observed in both MC3T3-E1 and calvarial osteoblasts) and smaller mitochondrial membrane potential in the differentiated osteoblasts, particularly those incubated at high glucose concentrations, indicated a suppression of oxidative phosphorylation compared with nondifferentiated osteoblasts. In contrast, both nondifferentiated and differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes met ATP demand primarily by oxidative phosphorylation despite a large unused reserve glycolytic capacity. In sum, we show that nondifferentiated precursor cells prefer to use oxidative phosphorylation to generate ATP; when they differentiate to osteoblasts, they gain a strong preference for glycolytic ATP generation, but when they differentiate to adipocytes, they retain the strong preference for oxidative phosphorylation. Unique metabolic programming in mesenchymal progenitor cells may influence cell fate and ultimately determine the degree of bone formation and/or the development of marrow adiposity. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

  9. T2-weighted signal intensity-selected volumetry for prediction of pathological complete response after preoperative chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sungwon; Han, Kyunghwa; Seo, Nieun; Kim, Hye Jin; Kim, Myeong-Jin; Koom, Woong Sub; Ahn, Joong Bae; Lim, Joon Seok

    2018-06-01

    To evaluate the diagnostic value of signal intensity (SI)-selected volumetry findings in T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a potential biomarker for predicting pathological complete response (pCR) to preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with rectal cancer. Forty consecutive patients with pCR after preoperative CRT were compared with 80 age- and sex-matched non-pCR patients in a case-control study. SI-selected tumor volume was measured on post-CRT T2-weighted MRI, which included voxels of the treated tumor exceeding the SI (obturator internus muscle SI + [ischiorectal fossa fat SI - obturator internus muscle SI] × 0.2). Three blinded readers independently rated five-point pCR confidence scores and compared the diagnostic outcome with SI-selected volumetry findings. The SI-selected volumetry protocol was validated in 30 additional rectal cancer patients. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) of SI-selected volumetry for pCR prediction was 0.831, with an optimal cutoff value of 649.6 mm 3 (sensitivity 0.850, specificity 0.725). The AUC of the SI-selected tumor volume was significantly greater than the pooled AUC of readers (0.707, p volumetry in post-CRT T2-weighted MRI can help predict pCR after preoperative CRT in patients with rectal cancer. • Fibrosis and viable tumor MRI signal intensities (SIs) are difficult to distinguish. • T2 SI-selected volumetry yields high diagnostic performance for assessing pathological complete response. • T2 SI-selected volumetry is significantly more accurate than readers and non-SI-selected volumetry. • Post-chemoradiation therapy T2-weighted MRI SI-selected volumetry facilitates prediction of pathological complete response.

  10. CD4+CD62L+ Central Memory T Cells Can Be Converted to Foxp3+ T Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaolong; Chang Li, Xian; Xiao, Xiang; Sun, Rui; Tian, Zhigang; Wei, Haiming

    2013-01-01

    The peripheral Foxp3+ Treg pool consists of naturally arising Treg (nTreg) and adaptive Treg cells (iTreg). It is well known that naive CD4+ T cells can be readily converted to Foxp3+ iTreg in vitro, and memory CD4+ T cells are resistant to conversion. In this study, we investigated the induction of Foxp3+ T cells from various CD4+ T-cell subsets in human peripheral blood. Though naive CD4+ T cells were readily converted to Foxp3+ T cells with TGF-β and IL-2 treatment in vitro, such Foxp3+ T cells did not express the memory marker CD45RO as do Foxp3+ T cells induced in the peripheral blood of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) patients. Interestingly, a subset of human memory CD4+ T cells, defined as CD62L+ central memory T cells, could be induced by TGF-β to differentiate into Foxp3+ T cells. It is well known that Foxp3+ T cells derived from human CD4+CD25- T cells in vitro are lack suppressive functions. Our data about the suppressive functions of CD4+CD62L+ central memory T cell-derived Foxp3+ T cells support this conception, and an epigenetic analysis of these cells showed a similar methylation pattern in the FOXP3 Treg-specific demethylated region as the naive CD4+ T cell-derived Foxp3+ T cells. But further research showed that mouse CD4+ central memory T cells also could be induced to differentiate into Foxp3+ T cells, such Foxp3+ T cells could suppress the proliferation of effector T cells. Thus, our study identified CD4+CD62L+ central memory T cells as a novel potential source of iTreg. PMID:24155942

  11. Probabilistic forecasting of shallow, rainfall-triggered landslides using real-time numerical weather predictions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Schmidt

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available A project established at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA in New Zealand is aimed at developing a prototype of a real-time landslide forecasting system. The objective is to predict temporal changes in landslide probability for shallow, rainfall-triggered landslides, based on quantitative weather forecasts from numerical weather prediction models. Global weather forecasts from the United Kingdom Met Office (MO Numerical Weather Prediction model (NWP are coupled with a regional data assimilating NWP model (New Zealand Limited Area Model, NZLAM to forecast atmospheric variables such as precipitation and temperature up to 48 h ahead for all of New Zealand. The weather forecasts are fed into a hydrologic model to predict development of soil moisture and groundwater levels. The forecasted catchment-scale patterns in soil moisture and soil saturation are then downscaled using topographic indices to predict soil moisture status at the local scale, and an infinite slope stability model is applied to determine the triggering soil water threshold at a local scale. The model uses uncertainty of soil parameters to produce probabilistic forecasts of spatio-temporal landslide occurrence 48~h ahead. The system was evaluated for a damaging landslide event in New Zealand. Comparison with landslide densities estimated from satellite imagery resulted in hit rates of 70–90%.

  12. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the canine brain at 3.0 T and 7.0 T.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin-Vaquero, Paula; da Costa, Ronaldo C; Echandi, Rita L; Sammet, Christina L; Knopp, Michael V; Sammet, Steffen

    2012-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) to study the concentration of metabolites in the brain of dogs at 3.0 and 7.0 T. Four healthy male beagles were scanned using 3.0 T and 7.0 T human magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) units. The results obtained showed that all dogs had excellent quality spectra for a small (1 cm3) and large (8 cm3) voxel at 3.0 T, whereas only 2 dogs had high quality spectra at 7.0 T due to insufficient water suppression. 1H MRS at 3.0 T appears to be a reliable method to study metabolite concentrations in the canine brain. The development of more advanced water suppression techniques is necessary to improve the results at 7.0 T. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Separate visualization of endolymphatic space, perilymphatic space and bone by a single pulse sequence; 3D-inversion recovery imaging utilizing real reconstruction after intratympanic Gd-DTPA administration at 3 tesla

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naganawa, Shinji; Satake, Hiroko; Kawamura, Minako; Fukatsu, Hiroshi; Sone, Michihiko; Nakashima, Tsutomu

    2008-01-01

    Twenty-four hours after intratympanic administration of gadolinium contrast material (Gd), the Gd was distributed mainly in the perilymphatic space. Three-dimensional FLAIR can differentiate endolymphatic space from perilymphatic space, but not from surrounding bone. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether 3D inversion-recovery turbo spin echo (3D-IR TSE) with real reconstruction could separate the signals of perilymphatic space (positive value), endolymphatic space (negative value) and bone (near zero) by setting the inversion time between the null point of Gd-containing perilymph fluid and that of the endolymph fluid without Gd. Thirteen patients with clinically suspected endolymphatic hydrops underwent intratympanic Gd injection and were scanned at 3 T. A 3D FLAIR and 3D-IR TSE with real reconstruction were obtained. In all patients, low signal of endolymphatic space in the labyrinth on 3D FLAIR was observed in the anatomically appropriate position, and it showed negative signal on 3D-IR TSE. The low signal area of surrounding bone on 3D FLAIR showed near zero signal on 3D-IR TSE. Gd-containing perilymphatic space showed high signal on 3D-IR TSE. In conclusion, by optimizing the inversion time, endolymphatic space, perilymphatic space and surrounding bone can be separately visualized on a single image using a 3D-IR TSE with real reconstruction. (orig.)

  14. Lysophosphatidic acid receptor-5 negatively regulates cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dong, Yan; Hirane, Miku; Araki, Mutsumi [Division of Cancer Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Fukushima, Nobuyuki [Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi, E-mail: ttujiuch@life.kindai.ac.jp [Division of Cancer Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan)

    2014-04-04

    Highlights: • LPA{sub 5} inhibits the cell growth and motile activities of 3T3 cells. • LPA{sub 5} suppresses the cell motile activities stimulated by hydrogen peroxide in 3T3 cells. • Enhancement of LPA{sub 5} on the cell motile activities inhibited by LPA{sub 1} in 3T3 cells. • The expression and activation of Mmp-9 were inhibited by LPA{sub 5} in 3T3 cells. • LPA signaling via LPA{sub 5} acts as a negative regulator of cellular responses in 3T3 cells. - Abstract: Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling via G protein-coupled LPA receptors (LPA{sub 1}–LPA{sub 6}) mediates a variety of biological functions, including cell migration. Recently, we have reported that LPA{sub 1} inhibited the cell motile activities of mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells. In the present study, to evaluate a role of LPA{sub 5} in cellular responses, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3-L5) cells were generated from 3T3 cells. In cell proliferation assays, LPA markedly stimulated the cell proliferation activities of 3T3-L5 cells, compared with control cells. In cell motility assays with Cell Culture Inserts, the cell motile activities of 3T3-L5 cells were significantly higher than those of control cells. The activity levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were measured by gelatin zymography. 3T3-L5 cells stimulated the activation of Mmp-2, correlating with the expression levels of Mmp-2 gene. Moreover, to assess the co-effects of LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 5} on cell motile activities, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3a1-L5) cells were also established from Lpar1 over-expressing (3T3a1) cells. 3T3a1-L5 cells increased the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells, while the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells were significantly lower than those of control cells. These results suggest that LPA{sub 5} may act as a negative regulator of cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells, similar to the case for LPA{sub 1}.

  15. Lysophosphatidic acid receptor-5 negatively regulates cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, Yan; Hirane, Miku; Araki, Mutsumi; Fukushima, Nobuyuki; Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • LPA 5 inhibits the cell growth and motile activities of 3T3 cells. • LPA 5 suppresses the cell motile activities stimulated by hydrogen peroxide in 3T3 cells. • Enhancement of LPA 5 on the cell motile activities inhibited by LPA 1 in 3T3 cells. • The expression and activation of Mmp-9 were inhibited by LPA 5 in 3T3 cells. • LPA signaling via LPA 5 acts as a negative regulator of cellular responses in 3T3 cells. - Abstract: Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling via G protein-coupled LPA receptors (LPA 1 –LPA 6 ) mediates a variety of biological functions, including cell migration. Recently, we have reported that LPA 1 inhibited the cell motile activities of mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells. In the present study, to evaluate a role of LPA 5 in cellular responses, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3-L5) cells were generated from 3T3 cells. In cell proliferation assays, LPA markedly stimulated the cell proliferation activities of 3T3-L5 cells, compared with control cells. In cell motility assays with Cell Culture Inserts, the cell motile activities of 3T3-L5 cells were significantly higher than those of control cells. The activity levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were measured by gelatin zymography. 3T3-L5 cells stimulated the activation of Mmp-2, correlating with the expression levels of Mmp-2 gene. Moreover, to assess the co-effects of LPA 1 and LPA 5 on cell motile activities, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3a1-L5) cells were also established from Lpar1 over-expressing (3T3a1) cells. 3T3a1-L5 cells increased the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells, while the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells were significantly lower than those of control cells. These results suggest that LPA 5 may act as a negative regulator of cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells, similar to the case for LPA 1

  16. Radioimmunoassay of serum T3, T4 and TSH during anesthesia and operation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gosheva-Antonova, Ts.; Zakharieva, B.; Kurtev, I.

    1987-01-01

    The serum concentrations of thyroxine (T 3 ), triiodothyronine (T 4 ) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were determined in 31 partients before and during urologic operations on the 30th and 60th minute since the onset of the operation, performed under endotracheal halotane or neuroleptanesthesia (NLA) in assisted breathing and intravenous drip anesthesia with ketalar-diazepam in spontaneous breathing. There was statistically significant rise in T 4 level, decrease in T 3 and negligible changes in TSH level, in patients operated under halotane anesthesia. In those operated under NLA, T 4 tended initially to be elevated, with subseguent fall to starting level, with a tendency toward rise in TSH and stable unchanged T 3 level. Ketalar-diazepam anesthesia was applied only to patients subjected to transurethral resections. T 4 in them tended to be decreased, while T 3 and TSH showed negligible changes. Since the operations of patients anesthesized with halotane and NLA had similar localizations and severity, the differences in the thyroid hormone reactions could be associated with the type of anesthesia. The negligible changes in TSH are highly suggestive that this hormone is not influenced by the operation stress and anesthetics, and does hot exert regulating effect upon the thyroid status under these conditions. The milder reactions in patients operated under ketalar-diazepam anestesia may largely be associated with the milder operation stress in transurethal resection

  17. Prediction of T-cell Epitopes for Therapeutic and Prophylactic Vaccines

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Mette Voldby

    2007-01-01

    : The bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Influenza A virus, HIV, Yellow fever virus, and West Nile virus. For each of the above-mentioned viruses, a number of predicted CTL epitopes was subsequently selected in such a way that they together constitute a broad coverage of the available viral strains. Part IV......The spread of existing infectious diseases and the emergence of new ones call for efficient methods for vaccine development. Some of the important players in conferring immunity against pathogens are the Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes (CTL), which eliminate infected cells. Due to their deleterious effects...... vaccine design as well as for diagnostic purposes and is the centre of focus of this thesis: Part I of the thesis is an introduction to the field. In part II, I describe how we generated a method, NetCTL, for predicting CTL epitopes by integrating existing methods for predicting proteasomal cleavage, TAP...

  18. T1-mapping for assessment of ischemia-induced acute kidney injury and prediction of chronic kidney disease in mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hueper, Katja; Gutberlet, Marcel; Wacker, Frank; Hartung, Dagmar [Hannover Medical School, Department of Radiology, Hannover (Germany); Hannover Medical School, REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover (Germany); Peperhove, Matti; Tewes, Susanne; Barrmeyer, Amelie [Hannover Medical School, Department of Radiology, Hannover (Germany); Rong, Song [Hannover Medical School, Department of Nephrology, Hannover (Germany); Zunyi Medical College, Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Zunyi (China); Gerstenberg, Jessica; Haller, Herman; Gueler, Faikah [Hannover Medical School, Department of Nephrology, Hannover (Germany); Mengel, Michael [University of Alberta, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Edmonton (Canada); Meier, Martin [Hannover Medical School, REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover (Germany); Hannover Medical School, Institute for Animal Science, Hannover (Germany); Chen, Rongjun [Hannover Medical School, Department of Nephrology, Hannover (Germany); Zhejiang University, The Kidney Disease Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou (China)

    2014-09-15

    To investigate whether T1-mapping allows assessment of acute kidney injury (AKI) and prediction of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in mice. AKI was induced in C57Bl/6N mice by clamping of the right renal pedicle for 35 min (moderate AKI, n = 26) or 45 min (severe AKI, n = 23). Sham animals served as controls (n = 9). Renal histology was assessed in the acute (day 1 + day 7; d1 + d7) and chronic phase (d28) after AKI. Furthermore, longitudinal MRI-examinations (prior to until d28 after surgery) were performed using a 7-Tesla magnet. T1-maps were calculated from a fat-saturated echoplanar inversion recovery sequence, and mean and relative T1-relaxation times were determined. Renal histology showed severe tubular injury at d1 + d7 in both AKI groups, whereas, at d28, only animals with prolonged 45-min ischemia showed persistent signs of AKI. Following both AKI severities T1-values significantly increased and peaked at d7. T1-times in the contralateral kidney without AKI remained stable. At d7 relative T1-values in the outer stripe of the outer medulla were significantly higher after severe than after moderate AKI (138 ± 2 % vs. 121 ± 3 %, p = 0.001). T1-elevation persisted until d28 only after severe AKI. Already at d7 T1 in the outer stripe of the outer medulla correlated with kidney volume loss indicating CKD (r = 0.83). T1-mapping non-invasively detects AKI severity in mice and predicts further outcome. (orig.)

  19. T1-mapping for assessment of ischemia-induced acute kidney injury and prediction of chronic kidney disease in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hueper, Katja; Gutberlet, Marcel; Wacker, Frank; Hartung, Dagmar; Peperhove, Matti; Tewes, Susanne; Barrmeyer, Amelie; Rong, Song; Gerstenberg, Jessica; Haller, Herman; Gueler, Faikah; Mengel, Michael; Meier, Martin; Chen, Rongjun

    2014-01-01

    To investigate whether T1-mapping allows assessment of acute kidney injury (AKI) and prediction of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in mice. AKI was induced in C57Bl/6N mice by clamping of the right renal pedicle for 35 min (moderate AKI, n = 26) or 45 min (severe AKI, n = 23). Sham animals served as controls (n = 9). Renal histology was assessed in the acute (day 1 + day 7; d1 + d7) and chronic phase (d28) after AKI. Furthermore, longitudinal MRI-examinations (prior to until d28 after surgery) were performed using a 7-Tesla magnet. T1-maps were calculated from a fat-saturated echoplanar inversion recovery sequence, and mean and relative T1-relaxation times were determined. Renal histology showed severe tubular injury at d1 + d7 in both AKI groups, whereas, at d28, only animals with prolonged 45-min ischemia showed persistent signs of AKI. Following both AKI severities T1-values significantly increased and peaked at d7. T1-times in the contralateral kidney without AKI remained stable. At d7 relative T1-values in the outer stripe of the outer medulla were significantly higher after severe than after moderate AKI (138 ± 2 % vs. 121 ± 3 %, p = 0.001). T1-elevation persisted until d28 only after severe AKI. Already at d7 T1 in the outer stripe of the outer medulla correlated with kidney volume loss indicating CKD (r = 0.83). T1-mapping non-invasively detects AKI severity in mice and predicts further outcome. (orig.)

  20. A real-time virtual delivery system for photon radiotherapy delivery monitoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng Shi

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Treatment delivery monitoring is important for radiotherapy, which enables catching dosimetric error at the earliest possible opportunity. This project develops a virtual delivery system to monitor the dose delivery process of photon radiotherapy in real-time using GPU-based Monte Carlo (MC method.Methods: The simulation process consists of 3 parallel CPU threads. A thread T1 is responsible for communication with a linac, which acquires a set of linac status parameters, e.g. gantry angles, MLC configurations, and beam MUs every 20 ms. Since linac vendors currently do not offer interface to acquire data in real time, we mimic this process by fetching information from a linac dynalog file at the set frequency. Instantaneous beam fluence map (FM is calculated based. A FM buffer is also created in T1 and the instantaneous FM is accumulated to it. This process continues, until a ready signal is received from thread T2 on which an in-house developed MC dose engine executes on GPU. At that moment, the accumulated FM is transferred to T2 for dose calculations, and the FM buffer in T1 is cleared. Once the dose calculation finishes, the resulting 3D dose distribution is directed to thread T3, which displays it in three orthogonal planes in color wash overlaid on the CT image. This process continues to monitor the 3D dose distribution in real-time.Results: An IMRT and a VMAT cases used in our patient-specific QA are studied. Maximum dose differences between our system and treatment planning system are 0.98% and 1.58% for the IMRT and VMAT cases, respectively. The update frequency is >10Hz and the relative uncertainty level is 2%.Conclusion: By embedding a GPU-based MC code in a novel data/work flow, it is possible to achieve real-time MC dose calculations to monitor delivery process.------------------------------Cite this article as: Shi F, Gu X, Graves YJ, Jiang S, Jia X. A real-time virtual delivery system for photon radiotherapy delivery

  1. The role of non-thermal atmospheric pressure biocompatible plasma in the differentiation of osteoblastic precursor cells, MC3T3-E1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Ihn; Choi, Eun Ha

    2017-05-30

    Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma is ionized matter, composed of highly reactive species that include positive ions, negative ions, free radicals, neutral atoms, and molecules. Recent reports have suggested that non-thermal biocompatible plasma (NBP) can selectively kill a variety of cancer cells, and promote stem cell differentiation. However as of yet, the regulation of proliferation and differentiation potential of NBP has been poorly understood.Here, we investigated the effects of NBP on the osteogenic differentiation of precursor cell lines of osteoblasts, MC3T3 E1 and SaOS-2. For in vitro osteogenic differentiation, precursor cell lines were treated with NBP, and cultured with osteogenic induction medium. After 10 days of treatment, the NBP was shown to be effective in osteogenic differentiation in MC3T3 E1 cells by von Kossa and Alizarin Red S staining assay. Real-time PCR was then performed to investigate the expression of osteogenic specific genes, Runx2, OCN, COL1, ALP and osterix in MC3T3 E1 cells after treatment with NBP for 4 days. Furthermore, analysis of the protein expression showed that NBP treatment significantly reduced PI3K/AKT signaling and MAPK family signaling. However, p38 controlled phosphorylation of transcription factor forkhead box O1 (FoxO1) that related to cell differentiation with increased phosphorylated p38. These results suggest that non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma can induce osteogenic differentiation, and enhance bone formation.

  2. Prediction and identification of mouse cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes in Ebola virus glycoproteins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wu Shipo

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Ebola viruses (EBOVs cause severe hemorrhagic fever with a high mortality rate. At present, there are no licensed vaccines or efficient therapies to combat EBOV infection. Previous studies have shown that both humoral and cellular immune responses are crucial for controlling Ebola infection. CD8+ T cells play an important role in mediating vaccine-induced protective immunity. The objective of this study was to identify H-2d-specific T cell epitopes in EBOV glycoproteins (GPs. Results Computer-assisted algorithms were used to predict H-2d-specific T cell epitopes in two species of EBOV (Sudan and Zaire GP. The predicted peptides were synthesized and identified in BALB/c mice immunized with replication-deficient adenovirus vectors expressing the EBOV GP. Enzyme-linked immunospot assays and intracellular cytokine staining showed that the peptides RPHTPQFLF (Sudan EBOV, GPCAGDFAF and LYDRLASTV (Zaire EBOV could stimulate splenoctyes in immunized mice to produce large amounts of interferon-gamma. Conclusion Three peptides within the GPs of two EBOV strains were identified as T cell epitopes. The identification of these epitopes should facilitate the evaluation of vaccines based on the Ebola virus glycoprotein in a BALB/c mouse model.

  3. Does Playing Sports Video Games Predict Increased Involvement in Real-Life Sports Over Several Years Among Older Adolescents and Emerging Adults?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adachi, Paul J C; Willoughby, Teena

    2016-02-01

    Given the extreme popularity of video games among older adolescents and emerging adults, the investigation of positive outcomes of video game play during these developmental periods is crucial. An important direction for research in this area is the investigation of a link between sports video game play and involvement in real-life sports among youth. Yet, this association has not been examined in the long-term among older adolescents and emerging adults, and thus represents an exciting new area for discovery. The primary goal of the current study, therefore, was to examine the long-term association between sports video game play and involvement in real-life sports clubs among older adolescents and emerging adults. In addition, we examined whether self-esteem was an underlying mechanism of this longitudinal association. We surveyed older adolescents and emerging adults (N = 1132; 70.6 % female; M age = 19.06 years, range of 17-25 years at the first assessment) annually over 3 years about their video game play, self-esteem, and involvement in real-life sports. We found a long-term predictive effect of sports video game play on increased involvement in real-life sports over the 3 years. Furthermore, we demonstrated that self-esteem was an underlying mechanism of this long-term association. Our findings make an important contribution to an emerging body of literature on the positive outcomes of video game play, as they suggest that sports video game play may be an effective tool to promote real-life sports participation and physical activity among older adolescents and emerging adults.

  4. Evolution of the Thermal Conductivity of Sintered Silver Joints with their Porosity Predicted by the Finite Element Analysis of Real 3D Microstructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Signor, L.; Kumar, P.; Tressou, B.; Nadot-Martin, C.; Miranda-Ordonez, José; Carr, J.; Joulain, K.; Milhet, X.

    2018-07-01

    Silver paste sintering is a very promising technology for chip bonding in future power electronics modules owing to its high melting temperature and the good electrical and thermal properties among other classic solder alloys. However, in its sintered form, these joints contain nanometric/submicrometric pores that affect their thermal performance. The present study gives insight into the relationship between the material thermal conductivity and the real three-dimensional porous structure using finite element modelling. It is shown that over a certain pore fraction threshold (˜ 13%), the pore morphology has a non-negligible influence on the thermal conductivity. Results are also compared to predictions obtained by analytical models available in the literature.

  5. Towards real-time 3D ultrasound planning and personalized 3D printing for breast HDR brachytherapy treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poulin, Eric; Gardi, Lori; Fenster, Aaron; Pouliot, Jean; Beaulieu, Luc

    2015-01-01

    Two different end-to-end procedures were tested for real-time planning in breast HDR brachytherapy treatment. Both methods are using a 3D ultrasound (3DUS) system and a freehand catheter optimization algorithm. They were found fast and efficient. We demonstrated a proof-of-concept approach for personalized real-time guidance and planning to breast HDR brachytherapy treatments

  6. Real-Time Aircraft Cosmic Ray Radiation Exposure Predictions from the NAIRAS Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mertens, C. J.; Tobiska, W.; Kress, B. T.; Xu, X.

    2012-12-01

    The Nowcast of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety (NAIRAS) is a prototype operational model for predicting commercial aircraft radiation exposure from galactic and solar cosmic rays. NAIRAS predictions are currently streaming live from the project's public website, and the exposure rate nowcast is also available on the SpaceWx smartphone app for iPhone, IPad, and Android. Cosmic rays are the primary source of human exposure to high linear energy transfer radiation at aircraft altitudes, which increases the risk of cancer and other adverse health effects. Thus, the NAIRAS model addresses an important national need with broad societal, public health and economic benefits. There is also interest in extending NAIRAS to the LEO environment to address radiation hazard issues for the emerging commercial spaceflight industry. The processes responsible for the variability in the solar wind, interplanetary magnetic field, solar energetic particle spectrum, and the dynamical response of the magnetosphere to these space environment inputs, strongly influence the composition and energy distribution of the atmospheric ionizing radiation field. Real-time observations are required at a variety of locations within the geospace environment. The NAIRAS model is driven by real-time input data from ground-, atmospheric-, and space-based platforms. During the development of the NAIRAS model, new science questions and observational data gaps were identified that must be addressed in order to obtain a more reliable and robust operational model of atmospheric radiation exposure. The focus of this talk is to present the current capabilities of the NAIRAS model, discuss future developments in aviation radiation modeling and instrumentation, and propose strategies and methodologies of bridging known gaps in current modeling and observational capabilities.

  7. Increased thyroidal T4 to T3 conversion in autonomously functioning thyroid adenoma: from euthyroidism to thyrotoxicosis.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Solter, M

    2012-01-31

    AIM: The aim was to investigate whether the intrathyroid conversion of T4 to T3 in autonomously functioning thyroid adenoma (AFTA) tissue could influence serum T3 levels and suppression of TSH, especially in patients with borderline thyroid function. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In ten patients with AFTA, thyroidal conversion of T4 to T3 was investigated in nodular and paranodular, TSH-suppressed tissue. All patients had normal serum T4 and suppressed TSH. Serum T3 was normal in six, and borderline or slightly increased in four. AFTA and paranodular tissues were surgically removed and frozen at -70 degrees C, then homogenized in a glass homogenizer, centrifuged at 100,000xg, and particulate fraction collected as a pellet. Analysis mixture consisted of thyroid enzyme suspension in 50 mumol\\/L TRIS buffer with 5 mumol DTT and 200 muL 1.3 mumol T4. Incubation was performed at 37 degrees C and the generation of T3 measured after 5, 10, 20 and 40 minutes respectively. RESULTS: T3 production (pmol\\/mg protein) was significantly higher in AFTA than in paranodular tissues (8.8 1.2\\/Mean +\\/- SE\\/vs. 1.8 +\\/- 0.2; p<0.01), and excessively high (9.8, 14.1, 14.2 and 15.0) in four patients with borderline or slightly supranormal serum T3. A significant correlation was found between serum T3 concentrations and T3 generation (T4 conversion) in AFTA tissues. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that increased thyroidal T4 to T3 conversion in AFTA tissue could be involved in an increased delivery of T3, increased serum T3 and suppressed serum TSH, particularly in patients with the disease evolving from euthyroid to an early hyperthyroid phase.

  8. Visualization of swallowing using real-time TrueFISP MR fluoroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barkhausen, Joerg; Goyen, Mathias; Lauenstein, Thomas; Debatin, Joerg F. [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Essen (Germany); Winterfeld, F. von; Arweiler-Harbeck, Diana [Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Essen (Germany)

    2002-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of different real-time true fast imaging with steady precession (TrueFISP) sequences regarding their ability to depict the swallowing process and delineate oropharyngeal pathologies in patients with dysphagia. Real-time TrueFISP visualization of swallowing was performed in 8 volunteers and 6 patients with dysphagia using a 1.5 T scanner (Magnetom Sonata, Siemens, Erlangen Germany) equipped with high-performance gradients (amplitude 40 mT/m). Image quality of four different real-time TrueFISP sequences (TR 2.2-3.0 ms, TE 1.1-1.5 ms, matrix 63 x 128-135 x 256, field of view 250 mm{sup 2}, acquisition time per image 139-405 ms) was evaluated. Water, yoghurt, and semolina pudding were assessed as oral contrast agents. Functional exploration of the oropharyngeal apparatus was best possible using the fastest real-time TrueFISP sequence (TR 2.2 ms, TE 1.1 ms, matrix 63 x 128). Increased acquisition time resulted in blurring of anatomical structures. As the image contrast of TrueFISP sequences depends on T2/T1 properties, all tested foodstuff were well suited as oral contrast agents, but image quality was best using semolina pudding. Real-time visualization of swallowing is possible using real-time TrueFISP sequences in conjunction with oral contrast agents. For the functional exploration of swallowing high temporal resolution is more crucial than spatial resolution. (orig.)

  9. The structures of T6, T3R3 and R6 bovine insulin: combining X-ray diffraction and absorption spectroscopy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frankær, Christian Grundahl; Knudsen, Marianne Vad; Noren, Katarina

    2012-01-01

    The crystal structures of three conformations, T6, T3R3 and R6, of bovine insulin were solved at 1.40, 1.30 and 1.80 Å resolution, respectively. All conformations crystallized in space group R3. In contrast to the T6 and T3R3 structures, different conformations of the N-terminal B-chain residue Phe......B1 were observed in the R6 insulin structure, resulting in an eightfold doubling of the unit-cell volume upon cooling. The zinc coordination in each conformation was studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), including both EXAFS and XANES. Zinc adopts a tetrahedral coordination in all R3 sites...... molecules, as well as in other high-resolution insulin structures. As the radiation dose for XRD experiments is two orders of magnitude higher compared with that of XAS experiments, the single crystals were exposed to a higher degree of radiation damage that affected the zinc coordination in the T3 sites...

  10. Neurotoxoplasmosis diagnosis for HIV-1 patients by real-time PCR of cerebrospinal fluid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fábio Luís Nascimento Nogui

    Full Text Available Encephalitis caused by Toxoplasma gondii is the most common cause of central nervous system damage in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS. Toxoplasma may infect any of the brain cells, thus leading to non-specific neurotoxoplasmosis clinical manifestations including focused or non-focused signs and symptoms of central nervous system malfunction. Clinical development ranges from insidious display during weeks to experiencing acute general confusion or ultimately fatal onset. Cerebral toxoplasmosis occurs in advanced stages of immunodeficiency, and the absence of anti-toxoplasmosis antibodies by the immunofluorescence method does not allow us to rule out its diagnosis. As specific therapy begins, diagnosis confirmation is sought through clinical and radiological response. There are few accurate diagnosis methods to confirm such cases. We present a method for T. gondii DNA detection by real time PCR-Multiplex. Fifty-one patients were evaluated; 16 patients had AIDS and a presumptive diagnosis for toxoplasmosis, 23 patients were HIV-positive with further morbidities except neurotoxoplasmosis, and 12 subjects were HIV-negative control patients. Real time PCR-Multiplex was applied to these patients' cephalorachidian liquid with a specific T. gondii genome sequence from the 529bp fragment. This test is usually carried out within four hours. Test sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated according to applicable tables. Toxoplasma gondii assay by real time Multiplex of cephalorachidian fluid was positive for 11 out of 16 patients with AIDS and a presumptive diagnosis for cerebral toxoplasmosis, while none of the 35 control patients displayed such a result. Therefore, this method allowed us to achieve 68.8% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value, and 87.8% negative predictive value. Real time PCR on CSF allowed high specificity and good sensitivity among

  11. The effect of control of diabetes mellitus on plasma T4, T3, rT3 levels and half muscle relaxation period

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ismail, A.A.; Hafiez, A.A.; Sayed, S.N.; Abbas, E.Z.; Halawa, F.A.; Youssef, M.M.

    1984-01-01

    25 diabetics of the maturity onset type who showed no clinical evidence of either peripheral neruropathy or diabetic amyotrophy were selected for this study. All patients were subjected to the following investigations: estimation of half muscle relaxation period of the quadriceps muscle knee-jerk, measurement of plasma levels of thyroxine (T 4 ), triiodothyronine (T 3 ) and reverse triiodothronine (rT 3 ), determination of fasting and two hours postprandial blood sugar levels. The quadriceps muscle relaxation period in uncontrolled diabetics was significantly longer than in normals. Control of diabetes by glibenclamide or gliclazide did not cause a significant change in muscle relaxation period. There was also no significant difference between the effects of the two drugs. (author)

  12. Clinical evaluation of single-shot and readout-segmented diffusion-weighted imaging in stroke patients at 3 T

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morelli, John; Porter, David; Ai, Fei

    2013-01-01

    Background: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is most commonly performed utilizing a single-shot echo-planar imaging technique (ss-EPI). Susceptibility artifact and image blur are severe when this sequence is utilized at 3 T. Purpose: To evaluate a readout-segmented approach to DWI MR in comparison with single-shot echo planar imaging for brain MRI. Material and Methods: Eleven healthy volunteers and 14 patients with acute and early subacute infarctions underwent DWI MR examinations at 1.5 and 3T with ss-EPI and readout-segmented echo-planar (rs-EPI) DWI at equal nominal spatial resolutions. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) calculations were made, and two blinded readers ranked the scans in terms of high signal intensity bulk susceptibility artifact, spatial distortions, image blur, overall preference, and motion artifact. Results: SNR and CNR were greatest with rs-EPI (8.1 ± 0.2 SNR vs. 6.0 ± 0.2; P -4 at 3T). Spatial distortions were greater with single-shot (0.23 ± 0.03 at 3T; P <0.001) than with rs-EPI (0.12 ± 0.02 at 3T). Combined with blur and artifact reduction, this resulted in a qualitative preference for the readout-segmented scans overall. Conclusion: Substantial image quality improvements are possible with readout-segmented vs. single-shot EPI - the current clinical standard for DWI - regardless of field strength (1.5 or 3 T). This results in improved image quality secondary to greater real spatial resolution and reduced artifacts from susceptibility in MR imaging of the brain

  13. Real tunneling geometries and the large-scale topology of the universe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gibbons, G.W.; Hartle, J.B.

    1990-01-01

    If the topology and geometry of spacetime are quantum-mechanically variable, then the particular classical large-scale topology and geometry observed in our universe must be statistical predictions of its initial condition. This paper examines the predictions of the ''no boundary'' initial condition for the present large-scale topology and geometry. Finite-action real tunneling solutions of Einstein's equation are important for such predictions. These consist of compact Riemannian (Euclidean) geometries joined to a Lorentzian cosmological geometry across a spacelike surface of vanishing extrinsic curvature. The classification of such solutions is discussed and general constraints on their topology derived. For example, it is shown that, if the Euclidean Ricci tensor is positive, then a real tunneling solution can nucleate only a single connected Lorentzian spacetime (the unique conception theorem). Explicit examples of real tunneling solutions driven by a cosmological constant are exhibited and their implications for cosmic baldness described. It is argued that the most probable large-scale spacetime predicted by the real tunneling solutions of the ''no-boundary'' initial condition has the topology RxS 3 with the de Sitter metric

  14. Effects of shugan jieyu panacea on behavior and levels of ACTH in plasma and T3, T4, TSH and rT3 in serum in depression rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Huijing; Li Yang; Yao Jinghui; Li Youtian

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the effects of Shugan Jieyu Panacea (SJP) on behavior and the levels of ACTH in plasma and T 3 , T 4 , TSH, rT 3 in serum in depression model rats and explore the mechanism. Methods: The model rats were lonely fed and received chronic moderate intensive unpredictable stimulation. Normal control group, depressed model group, high dosage SJP group, middle dosage SJP group, low dosage SJP group and fluoxetine group were set up. Different drugs were used in various groups for 21 d, then the body mass, sugar consumption and the behavior changes of the rats were determined and the levels of ACTH in plasma and T 3 , T 4 , TSH, rT 3 in serum were detected with radioimmunoassay. Results: Compared with normal group,the body mass was decreased (P 4 , rT 3 markedly decreased (P 3 was increased (P<0.05) in high, middle, low dosage SJP groups after treatment. At the same time, there was no obvious difference between SJP groups and fluoxetine groups. Conclusion: SJP can significantly improve the depression in rats, its mechanism may be connected with adjusting the function of HPAA and HPTA. (authors)

  15. Evaluation of the 1996 predictions of the run-timing of wild migrant spring/summer yearling chinook in the Snake River Basin using Program RealTime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Townsend, R.L.; Yasuda, D.; Skalski, J.R.

    1997-03-01

    This report is a post-season analysis of the accuracy of the 1996 predictions from the program RealTime. Observed 1996 migration data collected at Lower Granite Dam were compared to the predictions made by RealTime for the spring outmigration of wild spring/summer chinook. Appendix A displays the graphical reports of the RealTime program that were interactively accessible via the World Wide Web during the 1996 migration season. Final reports are available at address http://www.cqs.washington.edu/crisprt/. The CRISP model incorporated the predictions of the run status to move the timing forecasts further down the Snake River to Little Goose, Lower Monumental and McNary Dams. An analysis of the dams below Lower Granite Dam is available separately

  16. Five-year biochemical outcome following permanent interstitial brachytherapy for clinical T1-T3 prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merrick, Gregory S.; Butler, Wayne M.; Galbreath, Robert W.; Lief, Jonathan H.

    2001-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate 5-year biochemical disease-free outcome for men with clinical T1b-T3a NxM0 1977 American Joint Committee on Cancer (1997 AJCC) adenocarcinoma of the prostate gland who underwent transperineal ultrasound-guided permanent prostate brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: Four hundred twenty-five patients underwent transperineal ultrasound-guided prostate brachytherapy using either 103 Pd or 125 I, for clinical T1b-T3a NxM0 (1997 AJCC) adenocarcinoma of the prostate gland, from April 1995 to October 1999. No patient underwent pathologic lymph-node staging. One hundred ninety patients were implanted with either 103 Pd or 125 I monotherapy; 235 patients received moderate-dose external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), followed by a prostate brachytherapy boost; 163 patients received neoadjuvant hormonal manipulation, in conjunction with either 103 Pd or 125 I monotherapy (77 patients) or in conjunction with moderate-dose EBRT and a prostate brachytherapy boost (86 patients). The median patient age was 68.0 years (range, 48.2-81.3 years). The median follow-up was 31 months (range, 11-69 months). Follow-up was calculated from the day of implantation. No patient was lost to follow-up. Biochemical disease-free survival was defined by the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology (ASTRO) consensus definition. Results: For the entire cohort, the 5-year actuarial biochemical no evidence of disease (bNED) survival rate was 94%. For patients with low-, intermediate-, and high-risk disease, the 5-year biochemical disease-free rates were 97.1%, 97.5%, and 84.4%, respectively. For hormone-naive patients, 95.7%, 96.4%, and 79.9% of patients with low-, intermediate-, and high-risk disease were free of biochemical failure. Clinical and treatment parameters predictive of biochemical outcome included: clinical stage, pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA), Gleason score, risk group, age > 65 years, and neoadjuvant hormonal therapy. Isotope choice was

  17. Adaptive Model Predictive Vibration Control of a Cantilever Beam with Real-Time Parameter Estimation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gergely Takács

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents an adaptive-predictive vibration control system using extended Kalman filtering for the joint estimation of system states and model parameters. A fixed-free cantilever beam equipped with piezoceramic actuators serves as a test platform to validate the proposed control strategy. Deflection readings taken at the end of the beam have been used to reconstruct the position and velocity information for a second-order state-space model. In addition to the states, the dynamic system has been augmented by the unknown model parameters: stiffness, damping constant, and a voltage/force conversion constant, characterizing the actuating effect of the piezoceramic transducers. The states and parameters of this augmented system have been estimated in real time, using the hybrid extended Kalman filter. The estimated model parameters have been applied to define the continuous state-space model of the vibrating system, which in turn is discretized for the predictive controller. The model predictive control algorithm generates state predictions and dual-mode quadratic cost prediction matrices based on the updated discrete state-space models. The resulting cost function is then minimized using quadratic programming to find the sequence of optimal but constrained control inputs. The proposed active vibration control system is implemented and evaluated experimentally to investigate the viability of the control method.

  18. Comparison of FSE T2 W PROPELLER and 3D-FIESTA of 3 T MR for the internal auditory canal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Hai-Bo; Yuan, Hui-Shu; Ma, Furong; Zhao, Qiang

    The study compared the use of periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) technique fast spin echo (FSE) T2 W and the sequence of three-dimensional fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition (3D-FIESTA) technique in the MRI of the internal auditory canal for overall image quality improvement. One hundred thirty-two patients undergoing FSE T2 W PROPELLER and 3D-FIESTA examinations of the internal auditory canal were included. All examinations were performed at 3.0 T with comparison of a sagittal oblique FSE T2 W sequence with the PROPELLER technique to 3D-FIESTA in the same reconstructed orientation with PROPELLER. Image quality was evaluated by two radiologists using a 4-point scale. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare the data of the two techniques. The image quality of FSE T2 W PROPELLER was significantly improved compared to the reconstructed images of 3D-FIESTA. Observer 1: median FSE T2 W with PROPELLER, 4 [mean, 3.455] versus median reconstructed 3D-FIESTA, 3 [mean, 3.15], (PW with PROPELLER, 4 [mean, 3.47] versus median reconstructed 3D-FIESTA, 3 [mean, 3.25], (PW PROPELLER technique for MRI of internal auditory canal reduced uncertainty caused by motion artifact and improved the quality of the image compared to the reconstructed 3D-FIESTA. It was affected by different parameters including the blade width, echo train length (ETL). This is explained by data oversampling at the center region of k-space, which requires additional imaging time over conventional MRI techniques. Increasing blade was expected to improve motion correction effects but also the signal-to-noise ratio. ETL increases the image sharpness and the overall image quality. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Glucose Tolerance, MTHFR C677T and NOS3 G894T Polymorphisms, and Global DNA Methylation in Mixed Ancestry African Individuals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tandi E. Matsha

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to quantify global DNA methylation and investigate the relationship with diabetes status and polymorphisms in MTHFR C677T and NOS3 G894T genes in mixed ancestry subjects from South Africa. Global DNA methylation was measured, and MTHFR rs1801133 and NOS3 rs1799983 polymorphisms were genotyped using high throughput real-time polymerase chain reaction and direct DNA sequencing. Of the 564 participants, 158 (28% individuals had T2DM of which 97 (17.2% were screen-detected cases. Another 119 (21.1% had prediabetes, that is, impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, or the combination of both, and the remainder 287 (50.9% had normal glucose tolerance. Global DNA methylation was significantly higher in prediabetes and screen-detected diabetes than in normal glucose tolerance (both p≤0.033 and in screen-detected diabetes compared to known diabetes on treatment (p=0.019. There was no difference in global DNA methylation between known diabetes on treatment and normal glucose tolerance (p>0.999. In multivariable linear regression analysis, only NOS3 was associated with increasing global DNA methylation (β=0.943; 95% CI: 0.286 to 1.560. The association of global DNA methylation with screen-detected diabetes but not treated diabetes suggests that glucose control agents to some extent may be reversing DNA methylation. The association between NOS3 rs1799983 polymorphisms and DNA methylation suggests gene-epigenetic mechanisms through which vascular diabetes complications develop despite adequate metabolic control.

  20. Glucose Tolerance, MTHFR C677T and NOS3 G894T Polymorphisms, and Global DNA Methylation in Mixed Ancestry African Individuals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutize, Tinashe; Erasmus, Rajiv T.

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study is to quantify global DNA methylation and investigate the relationship with diabetes status and polymorphisms in MTHFR C677T and NOS3 G894T genes in mixed ancestry subjects from South Africa. Global DNA methylation was measured, and MTHFR rs1801133 and NOS3 rs1799983 polymorphisms were genotyped using high throughput real-time polymerase chain reaction and direct DNA sequencing. Of the 564 participants, 158 (28%) individuals had T2DM of which 97 (17.2%) were screen-detected cases. Another 119 (21.1%) had prediabetes, that is, impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, or the combination of both, and the remainder 287 (50.9%) had normal glucose tolerance. Global DNA methylation was significantly higher in prediabetes and screen-detected diabetes than in normal glucose tolerance (both p ≤ 0.033) and in screen-detected diabetes compared to known diabetes on treatment (p = 0.019). There was no difference in global DNA methylation between known diabetes on treatment and normal glucose tolerance (p > 0.999). In multivariable linear regression analysis, only NOS3 was associated with increasing global DNA methylation (β = 0.943; 95% CI: 0.286 to 1.560). The association of global DNA methylation with screen-detected diabetes but not treated diabetes suggests that glucose control agents to some extent may be reversing DNA methylation. The association between NOS3 rs1799983 polymorphisms and DNA methylation suggests gene-epigenetic mechanisms through which vascular diabetes complications develop despite adequate metabolic control. PMID:27990443

  1. Development and validation of a preoperative prediction model for colorectal cancer T-staging based on MDCT images and clinical information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sa, Sha; Li, Jing; Li, Xiaodong; Li, Yongrui; Liu, Xiaoming; Wang, Defeng; Zhang, Huimao; Fu, Yu

    2017-08-15

    This study aimed to establish and evaluate the efficacy of a prediction model for colorectal cancer T-staging. T-staging was positively correlated with the level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), expression of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), wall deformity, blurred outer edges, fat infiltration, infiltration into the surrounding tissue, tumor size and wall thickness. Age, location, enhancement rate and enhancement homogeneity were negatively correlated with T-staging. The predictive results of the model were consistent with the pathological gold standard, and the kappa value was 0.805. The total accuracy of staging improved from 51.04% to 86.98% with the proposed model. The clinical, imaging and pathological data of 611 patients with colorectal cancer (419 patients in the training group and 192 patients in the validation group) were collected. A spearman correlation analysis was used to validate the relationship among these factors and pathological T-staging. A prediction model was trained with the random forest algorithm. T staging of the patients in the validation group was predicted by both prediction model and traditional method. The consistency, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) were used to compare the efficacy of the two methods. The newly established comprehensive model can improve the predictive efficiency of preoperative colorectal cancer T-staging.

  2. Candidate Prediction Models and Methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Henrik Aalborg; Nielsen, Torben Skov; Madsen, Henrik

    2005-01-01

    This document lists candidate prediction models for Work Package 3 (WP3) of the PSO-project called ``Intelligent wind power prediction systems'' (FU4101). The main focus is on the models transforming numerical weather predictions into predictions of power production. The document also outlines...... the possibilities w.r.t. different numerical weather predictions actually available to the project....

  3. 2D virtual texture on 3D real object with coded structured light

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molinier, Thierry; Fofi, David; Salvi, Joaquim; Gorria, Patrick

    2008-02-01

    Augmented reality is used to improve color segmentation on human body or on precious no touch artifacts. We propose a technique to project a synthesized texture on real object without contact. Our technique can be used in medical or archaeological application. By projecting a suitable set of light patterns onto the surface of a 3D real object and by capturing images with a camera, a large number of correspondences can be found and the 3D points can be reconstructed. We aim to determine these points of correspondence between cameras and projector from a scene without explicit points and normals. We then project an adjusted texture onto the real object surface. We propose a global and automatic method to virtually texture a 3D real object.

  4. Intraindividual comparison of myocardial delayed enhancement MR imaging using gadobenate dimeglumine at 1.5 T and 3 T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Klumpp, Bernhard D.; Seeger, Achim; Fenchel, Michael; Kramer, Ulrich; Claussen, Claus D.; Miller, Stephan [Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Department for Diagnostic Radiology, Tuebingen (Germany); Sandstede, Joern [Roentgenzentrum, Hamburg (Germany); Lodemann, Klaus P. [Bracco Altana Pharma, Konstanz (Germany); Hoevelborn, Tobias [Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Department for Cardiology, Tuebingen (Germany)

    2009-05-15

    For contrast-enhanced imaging techniques relying on strong T1 weighting, 3 T provides increased contrast compared with 1.5 T. The aim of our study was the intraindividual comparison of delayed enhancement MR imaging at 1.5 T and at 3 T. Twenty patients with myocardial infarction were examined at 1.5 T and 3 T. Fifteen minutes after injection of contrast agent (0.1 mmol gadobenate dimeglumine per kg body weight), inversion recovery gradient recalled echo (IR-GRE) sequences were acquired (1.5 T/3 T: TR 11.0/9.9 ms, TE 4.4/4.9 ms, flip 30 /30 , slice thickness 6/6 mm) to assess myocardial viability. Two observers rated image quality (Wilcoxon signed rank test). Quantification of hyperenhanced myocardium and standardized SNR/CNR measurements were performed (Student's t test). There was no significant difference with respect to image quality (1.5 T/3 T: 3.5/3.3, p = 0.34, reader 1; 2.4/2.7, p = 0.12, reader 2) and infarction size (760 {+-} 566/828 {+-} 677 mm{sup 2} at 1.5 T, 808 {+-} 639/826 {+-} 726 mm{sup 2} at 3 T, reader 1/reader 2, p > 0.05). Mean SNR in hyperenhanced/normal myocardium was 19.2/6.2 at 1.5 T and 29.5/8.8 at 3 T (p < 0.05). Mean CNR was 14.3 at 1.5 T and 26.0 at 3 T (p < 0.05). Delayed enhancement MR imaging at 3 T is a robust procedure yielding superior tissue contrast at 3 T compared with 1.5 T which is, however, not reflected by increased image quality. (orig.)

  5. 2.5D real waveform and real noise simulation of receiver functions in 3D models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schiffer, Christian; Jacobsen, Bo; Balling, Niels

    2014-05-01

    There are several reasons why a real-data receiver function differs from the theoretical receiver function in a 1D model representing the stratification under the seismometer. Main reasons are ambient noise, spectral deficiencies in the impinging P-waveform, and wavefield propagation in laterally varying velocity variations. We present a rapid "2.5D" modelling approach which takes these aspects into account, so that a given 3D velocity model of the crust and uppermost mantle can be tested more realistically against observed recordings from seismometer arrays. Each recorded event at each seismometer is simulated individually through the following steps: A 2D section is extracted from the 3D model along the direction towards the hypocentre. A properly slanted plane or curved impulsive wavefront is propagated through this 2D section, resulting in noise free and spectrally complete synthetic seismometer data. The real vertical component signal is taken as a proxy of the real impingent wavefield, so by convolution and subsequent addition of real ambient noise recorded just before the P-arrival we get synthetic vertical and horizontal component data which very closely match the spectral signal content and signal to noise ratio of this specific recording. When these realistic synthetic data undergo exactly the same receiver function estimation and subsequent graphical display we get a much more realistic image to compare to the real-data receiver functions. We applied this approach to the Central Fjord area in East Greenland (Schiffer et al., 2013), where a 3D velocity model of crust and uppermost mantle was adjusted to receiver functions from 2 years of seismometer recordings and wide angle crustal profiles (Schlindwein and Jokat, 1999; Voss and Jokat, 2007). Computationally this substitutes tens or hundreds of heavy 3D computations with hundreds or thousands of single-core 2D computations which parallelize very efficiently on common multicore systems. In perspective

  6. The impact of real-time and predictive traffic information on travelers' behavior on the I-4 corridor. Final report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2003-07-01

    Real time and predicted traffic information plays a key role in the successful implementation of advanced traveler information systems (ATIS) and advance traffic management systems (ATMS). Traffic information is essentially valuable to both transport...

  7. Multitasking capacities in persons diagnosed with schizophrenia: a preliminary examination of their neurocognitive underpinnings and ability to predict real world functioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laloyaux, Julien; Van der Linden, Martial; Levaux, Marie-Noëlle; Mourad, Haitham; Pirri, Anthony; Bertrand, Hervé; Domken, Marc-André; Adam, Stéphane; Larøi, Frank

    2014-07-30

    Difficulties in everyday life activities are core features of persons diagnosed with schizophrenia and in particular during multitasking activities. However, at present, patients׳ multitasking capacities have not been adequately examined in the literature due to the absence of suitable assessment strategies. We thus recently developed a computerized real-life activity task designed to take into account the complex and multitasking nature of certain everyday life activities where participants are required to prepare a room for a meeting. Twenty-one individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and 20 matched healthy controls completed the computerized task. Patients were also evaluated with a cognitive battery, measures of symptomatology and real world functioning. To examine the ecological validity, 14 other patients were recruited and were given the computerized version and a real version of the meeting preparation task. Results showed that performance on the computerized task was significantly correlated with executive functioning, pointing to the major implication of these cognitive processes in multitasking situations. Performance on the computerized task also significantly predicted up to 50% of real world functioning. Moreover, the computerized task demonstrated good ecological validity. These findings suggest the importance of evaluating multitasking capacities in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in order to predict real world functioning. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Predicting prostate biopsy outcome: prostate health index (phi) and prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) are useful biomarkers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferro, Matteo; Bruzzese, Dario; Perdonà, Sisto; Mazzarella, Claudia; Marino, Ada; Sorrentino, Alessandra; Di Carlo, Angelina; Autorino, Riccardo; Di Lorenzo, Giuseppe; Buonerba, Carlo; Altieri, Vincenzo; Mariano, Angela; Macchia, Vincenzo; Terracciano, Daniela

    2012-08-16

    Indication for prostate biopsy is presently mainly based on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) serum levels and digital-rectal examination (DRE). In view of the unsatisfactory accuracy of these two diagnostic exams, research has focused on novel markers to improve pre-biopsy prostate cancer detection, such as phi and PCA3. The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of phi and PCA3 for prostate cancer using biopsy as gold standard. Phi index (Beckman coulter immunoassay), PCA3 score (Progensa PCA3 assay) and other established biomarkers (tPSA, fPSA and %fPSA) were assessed before a 18-core prostate biopsy in a group of 251 subjects at their first biopsy. Values of %p2PSA and phi were significantly higher in patients with PCa compared with PCa-negative group (pphi and PCA3 are predictive of malignancy. In conclusion, %p2PSA, phi and PCA3 may predict a diagnosis of PCa in men undergoing their first prostate biopsy. PCA3 score is more useful in discriminating between HGPIN and non-cancer. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Hypomethylation of the Treg-Specific Demethylated Region in FOXP3 Is a Hallmark of the Regulatory T-cell Subtype in Adult T-cell Leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimazu, Yayoi; Shimazu, Yutaka; Hishizawa, Masakatsu; Hamaguchi, Masahide; Nagai, Yuya; Sugino, Noriko; Fujii, Sumie; Kawahara, Masahiro; Kadowaki, Norimitsu; Nishikawa, Hiroyoshi; Sakaguchi, Shimon; Takaori-Kondo, Akifumi

    2016-02-01

    Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is an aggressive T-cell malignancy caused by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1. Because of its immunosuppressive property and resistance to treatment, patients with ATL have poor prognoses. ATL cells possess the regulatory T cell (Treg) phenotype, such as CD4 and CD25, and usually express forkhead box P3 (FOXP3). However, the mechanisms of FOXP3 expression and its association with Treg-like characteristics in ATL remain unclear. Selective demethylation of the Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR) in the FOXP3 gene leads to stable FOXP3 expression and defines natural Tregs. Here, we focus on the functional and clinical relationship between the epigenetic pattern of the TSDR and ATL. Analysis of DNA methylation in specimens from 26 patients with ATL showed that 15 patients (58%) hypomethylated the TSDR. The FOXP3(+) cells were mainly observed in the TSDR-hypomethylated cases. The TSDR-hypomethylated ATL cells exerted more suppressive function than the TSDR-methylated ATL cells. Thus, the epigenetic analysis of the FOXP3 gene identified a distinct subtype with Treg properties in heterogeneous ATL. Furthermore, we observed that the hypomethylation of TSDR was associated with poor outcomes in ATL. These results suggest that the DNA methylation status of the TSDR is an important hallmark to define this heterogeneous disease and to predict ATL patient prognosis. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

  10. T Cell Subset and Stimulation Strength-Dependent Modulation of T Cell Activation by Kv1.3 Blockers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wai-Ping Fung-Leung

    Full Text Available Kv1.3 is a voltage-gated potassium channel expressed on T cells that plays an important role in T cell activation. Previous studies have shown that blocking Kv1.3 channels in human T cells during activation results in reduced calcium entry, cytokine production, and proliferation. The aim of the present study was to further explore the effects of Kv1.3 blockers on the response of different human T cell subsets under various stimulation conditions. Our studies show that, unlike the immune suppressor cyclosporine A, the inhibitory effect of Kv1.3 blockers was partial and stimulation strength dependent, with reduced inhibitory efficacy on T cells under strengthened anti-CD3/CD28 stimulations. T cell responses to allergens including house dust mites and ragweed were partially reduced by Kv1.3 blockers. The effect of Kv1.3 inhibition was dependent on T cell subsets, with stronger effects on CCR7- effector memory compared to CCR7+ central memory CD4 T cells. Calcium entry studies also revealed a population of CD4 T cells resistant to Kv1.3 blockade. Activation of CD4 T cells was accompanied with an increase in Kv1.3 currents but Kv1.3 transcripts were found to be reduced, suggesting a posttranscriptional mechanism in the regulation of Kv1.3 activities. In summary, Kv1.3 blockers inhibit T cell activation in a manner that is highly dependent on the T cell identity and stimulation strength, These findings suggest that Kv1.3 blockers inhibit T cells in a unique, conditional manner, further refining our understanding of the therapeutic potential of Kv1.3 blockers.

  11. Integration of real-time 3D capture, reconstruction, and light-field display

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhaoxing; Geng, Zheng; Li, Tuotuo; Pei, Renjing; Liu, Yongchun; Zhang, Xiao

    2015-03-01

    Effective integration of 3D acquisition, reconstruction (modeling) and display technologies into a seamless systems provides augmented experience of visualizing and analyzing real objects and scenes with realistic 3D sensation. Applications can be found in medical imaging, gaming, virtual or augmented reality and hybrid simulations. Although 3D acquisition, reconstruction, and display technologies have gained significant momentum in recent years, there seems a lack of attention on synergistically combining these components into a "end-to-end" 3D visualization system. We designed, built and tested an integrated 3D visualization system that is able to capture in real-time 3D light-field images, perform 3D reconstruction to build 3D model of the objects, and display the 3D model on a large autostereoscopic screen. In this article, we will present our system architecture and component designs, hardware/software implementations, and experimental results. We will elaborate on our recent progress on sparse camera array light-field 3D acquisition, real-time dense 3D reconstruction, and autostereoscopic multi-view 3D display. A prototype is finally presented with test results to illustrate the effectiveness of our proposed integrated 3D visualization system.

  12. 3D Fast Spin Echo T2-weighted Contrast for Imaging the Female Cervix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas Sanchez, Andrea Fernanda

    Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with T2-weighted contrast is the preferred modality for treatment planning and monitoring of cervical cancer. Current clinical protocols image the volume of interest multiple times with two dimensional (2D) T2-weighted MRI techniques. It is of interest to replace these multiple 2D acquisitions with a single three dimensional (3D) MRI acquisition to save time. However, at present the image contrast of standard 3D MRI does not distinguish cervical healthy tissue from cancerous tissue. The purpose of this thesis is to better understand the underlying factors that govern the contrast of 3D MRI and exploit this understanding via sequence modifications to improve the contrast. Numerical simulations are developed to predict observed contrast alterations and to propose an improvement. Improvements of image contrast are shown in simulation and with healthy volunteers. Reported results are only preliminary but a promising start to establish definitively 3D MRI for cervical cancer applications.

  13. Production of sheep anti triiodothyronine (T{sub 3}) antisera for development of T{sub 3} RIA kit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karar, M G. E. [Department of Biochemistry, Sudan Academy of Sciences, Atomic Energy Council, Khartoum (Sudan)

    2006-11-15

    This study is a trial to produce antisera against triiodothyronine (T{sub 3}) which resulted in a poor response of sheep to immunization, since small amount of antibodies were detected, hence the amount of T{sub 3} tracer bound by the antibodies in terms of percentage was found to be less than 10% with weak discrimination between zero and high standard doses in all bleeds which dose not satisfy radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique requirements. In this study, two local males Sudanese sheep (ovis aries) were immunized with T{sub 3}-immuno gen intramuscularly and subcutaneously in different sites along their backs. Sheep (I) was immunized with 25{mu}g of antigen per kg body weight in first and boosting injections, while the dose was only 10{mu}g per kg body weight for sheep(II). T{sub 3}-immuno gen was emulsified in FCA for the first injection and in FIA for the boosting injections. The sera obtained from both sheep after each injection were subjected to evaluation for the levels of circulating anti-T{sub 3} antibodies through both qualitative and quantitative tests (titration test). The tests were performed for both purified and non-purified from with different separation methods, these methods included, precipitation by second antibody assisted by polyethylene glycol (PEG), polystyrene beads, and liquid phase separation technique. Tests for the quality and success of polystyrene beads coating process for the titration were done using pre characterized antibodies, namely anti progesterone antibodies and anti thyroxine antibodies. These tests revels that, the coating process including the activation of polystyrene beads, was of good quality, and the results obtained was due to weak response to T{sub 3}-immuno gen. The results obtained from qualitative tests of the two sheep sera did not show clear precipitate, in spite of the positive result obtained in a neat sera, which was an indication for weak antibody formation. The result of the titration tests for all bleeds

  14. Neuronal 3',3,5-triiodothyronine (T3) uptake and behavioral phenotype of mice deficient in Mct8, the neuronal T3 transporter mutated in Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wirth, Eva K; Roth, Stephan; Blechschmidt, Cristiane; Hölter, Sabine M; Becker, Lore; Racz, Ildiko; Zimmer, Andreas; Klopstock, Thomas; Gailus-Durner, Valerie; Fuchs, Helmut; Wurst, Wolfgang; Naumann, Thomas; Bräuer, Anja; de Angelis, Martin Hrabé; Köhrle, Josef; Grüters, Annette; Schweizer, Ulrich

    2009-07-29

    Thyroid hormone transport into cells requires plasma membrane transport proteins. Mutations in one of these, monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8), have been identified as underlying cause for the Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome, an X-linked mental retardation in which the patients also present with abnormally high 3',3,5-triiodothyronine (T(3)) plasma levels. Mice deficient in Mct8 replicate the thyroid hormone abnormalities observed in the human condition. However, no neurological deficits have been described in mice lacking Mct8. Therefore, we subjected Mct8-deficient mice to a comprehensive immunohistochemical, neurological, and behavioral screen. Several behavioral abnormalities were found in the mutants. Interestingly, some of these behavioral changes are compatible with hypothyroidism, whereas others rather indicate hyperthyroidism. We thus hypothesized that neurons exclusively dependent on Mct8 are in a hypothyroid state, whereas neurons expressing other T(3) transporters become hyperthyroid, if they are exposed directly to the high plasma T(3). The majority of T(3) uptake in primary cortical neurons is mediated by Mct8, but pharmacological inhibition suggested functional expression of additional T(3) transporter classes. mRNAs encoding six T(3) transporters, including L-type amino acid transporters (LATs), were coexpressed with Mct8 in isolated neurons. We then demonstrated Lat2 expression in cultured neurons and throughout murine brain development. In contrast, LAT2 is expressed in microglia in the developing human brain during gestation, but not in neurons. We suggest that lack of functional complementation by alternative thyroid hormone transporters in developing human neurons precipitates the devastating neurodevelopmental phenotype in MCT8-deficient patients, whereas Mct8-deficient mouse neurons are functionally complemented by other transporters, for possibly Lat2.

  15. The FAST-T approach for operational, real time, short term hydrological forecasting: Results from the Betania Hydropower Reservoir case study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domínguez, Efraín; Angarita, Hector; Rosmann, Thomas; Mendez, Zulma; Angulo, Gustavo

    2013-04-01

    A viable quantitative hydrological forecasting service is a combination of technological elements, personnel and knowledge, working together to establish a stable operational cycle of forecasts emission, dissemination and assimilation; hence, the process for establishing such system usually requires significant resources and time to reach an adequate development and integration in order to produce forecasts with acceptable levels of performance. Here are presented the results of this process for the recently implemented Operational Forecast Service for the Betania's Hydropower Reservoir - or SPHEB, located at the Upper-Magdalena River Basin (Colombia). The current scope of the SPHEB includes forecasting of water levels and discharge for the three main streams affluent to the reservoir, for lead times between +1 to +57 hours, and +1 to +10 days. The core of the SPHEB is the Flexible, Adaptive, Simple and Transient Time forecasting approach, namely FAST-T. This comprises of a set of data structures, mathematical kernel, distributed computing and network infrastructure designed to provide seamless real-time operational forecast and automatic model adjustment in case of failures in data transmission or assimilation. Among FAST-T main features are: an autonomous evaluation and detection of the most relevant information for the later configuration of forecasting models; an adaptively linearized mathematical kernel, the optimal adaptive linear combination or OALC, which provides a computationally simple and efficient algorithm for real-time applications; and finally, a meta-model catalog, containing prioritized forecast models at given stream conditions. The SPHEB is at present feed by the fraction of hydrological monitoring network installed at the basin that has telemetric capabilities via NOAA-GOES satellites (8 stages, approximately 47%) with data availability of about a 90% at one hour intervals. However, there is a dense network of 'conventional' hydro

  16. Validation of Energy Expenditure Prediction Models Using Real-Time Shoe-Based Motion Detectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Shih-Yun; Lai, Ying-Chih; Hsia, Chi-Chun; Su, Pei-Fang; Chang, Chih-Han

    2017-09-01

    This study aimed to verify and compare the accuracy of energy expenditure (EE) prediction models using shoe-based motion detectors with embedded accelerometers. Three physical activity (PA) datasets (unclassified, recognition, and intensity segmentation) were used to develop three prediction models. A multiple classification flow and these models were used to estimate EE. The "unclassified" dataset was defined as the data without PA recognition, the "recognition" as the data classified with PA recognition, and the "intensity segmentation" as the data with intensity segmentation. The three datasets contained accelerometer signals (quantified as signal magnitude area (SMA)) and net heart rate (HR net ). The accuracy of these models was assessed according to the deviation between physically measured EE and model-estimated EE. The variance between physically measured EE and model-estimated EE expressed by simple linear regressions was increased by 63% and 13% using SMA and HR net , respectively. The accuracy of the EE predicted from accelerometer signals is influenced by the different activities that exhibit different count-EE relationships within the same prediction model. The recognition model provides a better estimation and lower variability of EE compared with the unclassified and intensity segmentation models. The proposed shoe-based motion detectors can improve the accuracy of EE estimation and has great potential to be used to manage everyday exercise in real time.

  17. Clinical 3T MR imaging: mastering the challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanenbaum, Lawrence N

    2006-02-01

    3T MRI is ready to meet the needs of clinical practice. SAR limitations are minimized by technical advances and surface coils are available for all core applications. With appropriate adjustments to scanning protocols, one can master the challenges of scanning at 3T; studies of the brain, spine, chest, abdomen, pelvis, vasculature, and extremities can be consistently higher in quality than are those obtained at 1.5T. The superior studies that are obtainable at 3T have great appeal to clinicians who are sophisticated about MR technology in areas, such as neurology, orthopedics, vascular surgery, and oncology,and encourage a shift in referrals toward practices that invest in higher field technology. The greater sensitivity to magnetic susceptibility offers unique benefits in functional neuroimaging, and available software/hardware packages enhance clinical setting feasibility, which adds a source of new referrals. The greater overall signal of 3T can be manipulated to make scanning more comfortable and with less motion artifact because scan times could be half as long. Spectacular anatomic delineation that is provided by high-definition scanning at true 1024 resolution can improve preoperative assessment and may improve sensitivity to smaller lesions. 3T provides practices with an advantage that is sought increasingly by high field strength purchasers in a competitive market. Only cost considerations stand in the way of the eventual domination of 3T systems in the high field strength market.

  18. Rate Constant for the Reaction CH3 + CH3 Yields C2H6 at T = 155 K and Model Calculation of the CH3 Abundance in the Atmospheres of Saturn and Neptune

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cody, Regina J.; Romani, Paul N.; Nesbitt, Fred L.; Iannone, Mark A.; Tardy, Dwight C.; Stief, Louis J.

    2003-01-01

    The column abundances of CH3 observed by the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) satellite on Saturn and Neptune were lower than predicted by atmospheric photochemical models, especially for Saturn. It has been suggested that the models underestimated the loss of CH3 due to poor knowledge of the rate constant k of the CH3 + CH3 self-reaction at the low temperatures and pressures of these atmospheres. Motivated by this suggestion, we undertook a combined experimental and photochemical modeling study of the CH3 + CH3 reaction and its role in determining planetary CH3 abundances. In a discharge flow-mass spectrometer system, k was measured at T = 155 K and three pressures of He. The results in units of cu cm/molecule/s are k(0.6 Torr) = 6.82 x 10(exp -11), k(1.0 Torr) = 6.98 x 10(exp -11), and k(1.5 Torr) = 6.91 x 10(exp -11). Analytical expressions for k were derived that (1) are consistent with the present laboratory data at T = 155 K, our previous data at T = 202 K and 298 K, and those of other studies in He at T = 296-298 K and (2) have some theoretical basis to provide justification for extrapolation. The derived analytical expressions were then used in atmospheric photochemical models for both Saturn and Neptune. These model results reduced the disparity with observations of Saturn, but not with observations of Neptune. However, the disparity for Neptune is much smaller. The solution to the remaining excess CH3 prediction in the models relative to the ISO observations lies, to a large extent, elsewhere in the CH3 photochemistry or transport, not in the CH3 + CH3 rate.

  19. MR diagnosis of bone metastases at 1.5 T and 3 T. Can STIR imaging be omitted?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ohlmann-Knafo, S.; Tarnoki, A.D.; Tarnoki, D.L.; Pickuth, D. [Caritasklinikum Saarbruecken St. Theresia (Germany). Dept. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology

    2015-10-15

    To date, no prospective comparative study of the diagnostic value of STIR versus T1-weighted (T1w) sequences at both 1.5 T and 3 T has been performed with special focus on the detectability of bone metastases. 212 oncological patients had a whole-body MRI at 1.5 T and/or at 3 T. The standard protocol comprised STIR and T1w sequences. All patients who showed typical signs of bone metastases were included in the study. Evaluation of the images was performed by the calculation of the number of metastases by three independent readers and by visual assessment on a 4-point scale. 86 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The total number of metastases was significantly higher on T1w than on STIR images at both field strengths (p < 0.05). T1w revealed a sensitivity of 99.72 % (3 T) and 100.00 % (1.5 T) versus STIR with 70.99 % (3 T) and 79.34 % (1.5 T). In 53 % (38/72) of all patients, STIR detected fewer bone metastases in comparison with T1w at 3 T. At 1.5 T, STIR showed inferior results in 37.5 % (18/48) of all patients. Qualitative analysis indicated a significantly better lesion conspicuity, lesion delineation and an improved image quality on T1w compared to STIR imaging at both field strengths (p < 0.05) with similar results for T1w at 1.5 T and 3 T, but inferior results for STIR especially at 3 T. The whole-body MRI protocol for the detection of bone metastases could safely be limited to the T1w sequence in adults, especially at 3 T. There is no need for an additional STIR sequence. These initial results will have a major impact on the department's workflow if confirmed by larger studies as they will help reduce examination time and therefore save financial resources.

  20. RealCalc : a real time Java calculation tool. Application to HVSR estimation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hloupis, G.; Vallianatos, F.

    2009-04-01

    Java computation platform is not a newcomer in the seismology field. It is mainly used for applications regarding collecting, requesting, spreading and visualizing seismological data because it is productive, safe and has low maintenance costs. Although it has very attractive characteristics for the engineers, Java didn't used frequently in real time applications where prediction and reliability required as a reaction to real world events. The main reasons for this are the absence of priority support (such as priority ceiling or priority inversion) and the use of an automated memory management (called garbage collector). To overcome these problems a number of extensions have been proposed with the Real Time Specification for Java (RTSJ) being the most promising and used one. In the current study we used the RTSJ to build an application that receives data continuously and provides estimations in real time. The application consists of four main modules: incoming data, preprocessing, estimation and publication. As an application example we present real time HVSR estimation. Microtremors recordings are collected continuously from the incoming data module. The preprocessing module consists of a window selector tool based on wavelets which is applied on the incoming data stream in order derive the most stationary parts. The estimation module provides all the necessary calculations according to user specifications. Finally the publication module except the results presentation it also calculates attributes and relevant statistics for each site (temporal variations, HVSR stability). Acknowledgements This work is partially supported by the Greek General Secretariat of Research and Technology in the frame of Crete Regional Project 2000- 2006 (M1.2): "TALOS: An integrated system of seismic hazard monitoring and management in the front of the Hellenic Arc", CRETE PEP7 (KP_7).

  1. Molecular features of the complementarity determining region 3 motif of the T cell population and subsets in the blood of patients with chronic severe hepatitis B

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Jiezuan

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background T cell receptor (TCR reflects the status and function of T cells. We previously developed a gene melting spectral pattern (GMSP assay, which rapidly detects clonal expansion of the T cell receptor β variable gene (TCRBV in patients with HBV by using quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR with DNA melting curve analysis. However, the molecular profiles of TCRBV in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs and CD8+, CD8- cell subsets from chronic severe hepatitis B (CSHB patients have not been well described. Methods Human PBMCs were separated and sorted into CD8+ and CD8- cell subsets using density gradient centrifugation and magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS. The molecular features of the TCRBV CDR3 motif were determined using GMSP analysis; the TCRBV families were cloned and sequenced when the GMSP profile showed a single-peak, indicative of a monoclonal population. Results The number of skewed TCRBV in the CD8+ cell subset was significantly higher than that of the CD8- cell subset as assessed by GMSP analysis. The TCRBV11 and BV7 were expressed more frequently than other members of TCRBV family in PBMCs and CD8+, CD8- subsets. Also the relatively conserved amino acid motifs were detected in the TCRBV22, BV18 and BV11 CDR3 in PBMCs among patients with CSHB. Conclusions The molecular features of the TCRBV CDR3 were markedly different among PBMCs and CD8+, CD8- cell subsets derived from CSHB patients. Analysis of the TCRBV expression in the CD8+ subset was more accurate in assessing the status and function of circulating T cells. The expression of TCRBV11, BV7 and the relatively conserved CDR3 amino acid motifs could also help to predict and treat patients with CSHB.

  2. Real-time monitoring of cisplatin cytotoxicity on three-dimensional spheroid tumor cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baek NH

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available NamHuk Baek,1,* Ok Won Seo,1,* Jaehwa Lee,1 John Hulme,2 Seong Soo A An2 1Department of Research and Development, NanoEntek Inc., Seoul, 2Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, Gyeonggi-do, Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D cell cultivation is a powerful technique for monitoring and understanding diverse cellular mechanisms in developmental cancer and neuronal biology, tissue engineering, and drug development. 3D systems could relate better to in vivo models than two-dimensional (2D cultures. Several factors, such as cell type, survival rate, proliferation rate, and gene and protein expression patterns, determine whether a particular cell line can be adapted to a 3D system. The 3D system may overcome some of the limitations of 2D cultures in terms of cell–cell communication and cell networks, which are essential for understanding differentiation, structural organization, shape, and extended connections with other cells or organs. Here, the effect of the anticancer drug cisplatin, also known as cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II or CDDP, on adenosine triphosphate (ATP generation was investigated using 3D spheroid-forming cells and real-time monitoring for 7 days. First, 12 cell lines were screened for their ability to form 3D spheroids: prostate (DU145, testis (F9, embryonic fibroblast (NIH-3T3, muscle (C2C12, embryonic kidney (293T, neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y, adenocarcinomic alveolar basal epithelial cell (A549, cervical cancer (HeLa, HeLa contaminant (HEp2, pituitary epithelial-like cell (GH3, embryonic cell (PA317, and osteosarcoma (U-2OS cells. Of these, eight cell lines were selected: NIH-3T3, C2C12, 293T, SH-SY5Y, A549, HeLa, PA317, and U-2OS; and five underwent real-time monitoring of CDDP cytotoxicity: HeLa, A549, 293T, SH-SY5Y, and U-2OS. ATP generation was blocked 1 day after addition of 50 µM CDDP, but cytotoxicity in HeLa, A549, SH-SY5Y, and U-2OS cells could be

  3. Global and Regional Real-time Systems for Flood and Drought Monitoring and Prediction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Y.; Gourley, J. J.; Xue, X.; Flamig, Z.

    2015-12-01

    A Hydrometeorological Extreme Mapping and Prediction System (HyXtreme-MaP), initially built upon the Coupled Routing and Excess STorage (CREST) distributed hydrological model, is driven by real-time quasi-global TRMM/GPM satellites and by the US Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) radar network with dual-polarimetric upgrade to simulate streamflow, actual ET, soil moisture and other hydrologic variables at 1/8th degree resolution quasi-globally (http://eos.ou.edu) and at 250-meter 2.5-mintue resolution over the Continental United States (CONUS: http://flash.ou.edu).­ Multifaceted and collaborative by-design, this end-to-end research framework aims to not only integrate data, models, and applications but also brings people together (i.e., NOAA, NASA, University researchers, and end-users). This presentation will review the progresses, challenges and opportunities of such HyXTREME-MaP System used to monitor global floods and droughts, and also to predict flash floods over the CONUS.

  4. Diagnostic Quality of 3D T2-SPACE Compared with T2-FSE in the Evaluation of Cervical Spine MRI Anatomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chokshi, F H; Sadigh, G; Carpenter, W; Allen, J W

    2017-04-01

    Spinal anatomy has been variably investigated using 3D MRI. We aimed to compare the diagnostic quality of T2 sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts by using flip angle evolution (SPACE) with T2-FSE sequences for visualization of cervical spine anatomy. We predicted that T2-SPACE will be equivalent or superior to T2-FSE for visibility of anatomic structures. Adult patients undergoing cervical spine MR imaging with both T2-SPACE and T2-FSE sequences for radiculopathy or myelopathy between September 2014 and February 2015 were included. Two blinded subspecialty-trained radiologists independently assessed the visibility of 12 anatomic structures by using a 5-point scale and assessed CSF pulsation artifact by using a 4-point scale. Sagittal images and 6 axial levels from C2-T1 on T2-FSE were reviewed; 2 weeks later and after randomization, T2-SPACE was evaluated. Diagnostic quality for each structure and CSF pulsation artifact visibility on both sequences were compared by using a paired t test. Interobserver agreement was calculated (κ). Forty-five patients were included (mean age, 57 years; 40% male). The average visibility scores for intervertebral disc signal, neural foramina, ligamentum flavum, ventral rootlets, and dorsal rootlets were higher for T2-SPACE compared with T2-FSE for both reviewers ( P T2-SPACE showed less degree of CSF flow artifact ( P T2-SPACE and -0.02-0.30 for T2-FSE (slight to fair agreement). T2-SPACE may be equivalent or superior to T2-FSE for the evaluation of cervical spine anatomic structures, and T2-SPACE shows a lower degree of CSF pulsation artifact. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

  5. 3D-Flair sequence at 3T in cochlear otosclerosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lombardo, Francesco; De Cori, Sara; Aghakhanyan, Gayane; Montanaro, Domenico; De Marchi, Daniele; Frijia, Francesca; Canapicchi, Raffaello; Fortunato, Susanna; Forli, Francesca; Berrettini, Stefano; Chiappino, Dante

    2016-01-01

    To assess the capability of three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3D-FLAIR) sequences in detecting signal alterations of the endolabyrinthine fluid in patients with otosclerosis. 3D-FLAIR before and after (-/+) gadolinium (Gd) administration was added to the standard MR protocol and acquired in 13 patients with a clinical/audiological diagnosis of severe/profound hearing loss in otosclerosis who were candidates for cochlear implantation and in 11 control subjects using 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment. The MRI signal of the fluid-filled cochlea was assessed both visually and calculating the signal intensity ratio (SIR = signal intensity cochlea/brainstem). We revealed no endocochlear signal abnormalities on T1-weighted -/+ Gd images for either group, while on 3D-FLAIR we found bilateral hyperintensity with enhancement after Gd administration in eight patients and bilateral hyperintensity without enhancement in one patient. No endocochlear signal abnormalities were detected in other patients or the control group. Using 3-T MRI equipment, the 3D-FLAIR -/+ Gd sequence is able to detect the blood-labyrinth barrier (BLB) breakdown responsible for alterations of the endolabyrinthine fluid in patients with cochlear otosclerosis. We believe that 3D-FLAIR +/- Gd is an excellent imaging modality to assess the intra-cochlear damage in otosclerosis patients. (orig.)

  6. 3D-Flair sequence at 3T in cochlear otosclerosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lombardo, Francesco; De Cori, Sara; Aghakhanyan, Gayane; Montanaro, Domenico; De Marchi, Daniele; Frijia, Francesca; Canapicchi, Raffaello [Fondazione CNR Regione Toscana ' ' G. Monasterio' ' , Neuroradiology Unit, Pisa (Italy); Fortunato, Susanna; Forli, Francesca; Berrettini, Stefano [University of Pisa, ENT Audiology Phoniatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Pisa (Italy); Chiappino, Dante [Fondazione CNR Regione Toscana ' ' G. Monasterio' ' , Department of Radiology, Massa (Italy)

    2016-10-15

    To assess the capability of three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3D-FLAIR) sequences in detecting signal alterations of the endolabyrinthine fluid in patients with otosclerosis. 3D-FLAIR before and after (-/+) gadolinium (Gd) administration was added to the standard MR protocol and acquired in 13 patients with a clinical/audiological diagnosis of severe/profound hearing loss in otosclerosis who were candidates for cochlear implantation and in 11 control subjects using 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment. The MRI signal of the fluid-filled cochlea was assessed both visually and calculating the signal intensity ratio (SIR = signal intensity cochlea/brainstem). We revealed no endocochlear signal abnormalities on T1-weighted -/+ Gd images for either group, while on 3D-FLAIR we found bilateral hyperintensity with enhancement after Gd administration in eight patients and bilateral hyperintensity without enhancement in one patient. No endocochlear signal abnormalities were detected in other patients or the control group. Using 3-T MRI equipment, the 3D-FLAIR -/+ Gd sequence is able to detect the blood-labyrinth barrier (BLB) breakdown responsible for alterations of the endolabyrinthine fluid in patients with cochlear otosclerosis. We believe that 3D-FLAIR +/- Gd is an excellent imaging modality to assess the intra-cochlear damage in otosclerosis patients. (orig.)

  7. Real-time 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound in detecting hemorrhage of blunt renal trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Rui-Xue; Li, Ye-Kuo; Li, Ting; Wang, Sha-Sha; Yuan, Gui-Zhong; Zhou, Qun-Fang; Zheng, Hai-Rong; Yan, Fei

    2013-10-01

    The objective of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of real-time 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the hemorrhage of blunt renal trauma. Eighteen healthy New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups. Blunt renal trauma was performed on each group by using minitype striker. Ultrasonography, color Doppler flow imaging, and contrast-enhanced 2-dimensional and real-time 3-dimensional ultrasound were applied before and after the strike. The time to shock and blood pressure were subjected to statistical analysis. Then, a comparative study of ultrasound and pathology was carried out. All the struck kidneys were traumatic. In the ultrasonography, free fluid was found under the renal capsule. In the color Doppler flow imaging, active hemorrhage was not identified. In 2-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound, active hemorrhage of the damaged kidney was characterized. Real-time 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound showed a real-time and stereoscopic ongoing bleeding of the injured kidney. The wider the hemorrhage area in 4-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound was, the faster the blood pressure decreased. Real-time 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound is a promising noninvasive tool for stereoscopically and vividly detecting ongoing hemorrhage of blunt renal trauma in real time. © 2013.

  8. Is Optimism Real?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simmons, Joseph P.; Massey, Cade

    2012-01-01

    Is optimism real, or are optimistic forecasts just cheap talk? To help answer this question, we investigated whether optimistic predictions persist in the face of large incentives to be accurate. We asked National Football League football fans to predict the winner of a single game. Roughly half (the partisans) predicted a game involving their…

  9. A control-oriented real-time semi-empirical model for the prediction of NOx emissions in diesel engines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    D’Ambrosio, Stefano; Finesso, Roberto; Fu, Lezhong; Mittica, Antonio; Spessa, Ezio

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • New semi-empirical correlation to predict NOx emissions in diesel engines. • Based on a real-time three-zone diagnostic combustion model. • The model is of fast application, and is therefore suitable for control-oriented applications. - Abstract: The present work describes the development of a fast control-oriented semi-empirical model that is capable of predicting NOx emissions in diesel engines under steady state and transient conditions. The model takes into account the maximum in-cylinder burned gas temperature of the main injection, the ambient gas-to-fuel ratio, the mass of injected fuel, the engine speed and the injection pressure. The evaluation of the temperature of the burned gas is based on a three-zone real-time diagnostic thermodynamic model that has recently been developed by the authors. Two correlations have also been developed in the present study, in order to evaluate the maximum burned gas temperature during the main combustion phase (derived from the three-zone diagnostic model) on the basis of significant engine parameters. The model has been tuned and applied to two diesel engines that feature different injection systems of the indirect acting piezoelectric, direct acting piezoelectric and solenoid type, respectively, over a wide range of steady-state operating conditions. The model has also been validated in transient operation conditions, over the urban and extra-urban phases of an NEDC. It has been shown that the proposed approach is capable of improving the predictive capability of NOx emissions, compared to previous approaches, and is characterized by a very low computational effort, as it is based on a single-equation correlation. It is therefore suitable for real-time applications, and could also be integrated in the engine control unit for closed-loop or feed-forward control tasks

  10. Measuring SPIO and Gd contrast agent magnetization using 3 T MRI

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantillon-Murphy, Pádraig; Wald, Lawrence L.; Zahn, Markus; Adalsteinsson, Elfar

    2011-01-01

    Traditional methods of measuring magnetization in magnetic fluid samples, such as vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), are typically limited to maximum field strengths of about 1 T. This work demonstrates the ability of MRI to measure the magnetization associated with two commercial MRI contrast agents at 3 T by comparing analytical solutions to experimental imaging results for the field pattern associated with agents in cylindrical vials. The results of the VSM and fitted MRI data match closely. The method represents an improvement over VSM measurements since results are attainable at imaging field strengths. The agents investigated are Feridex, a superparamagnetic iron oxide suspension used primarily for liver imaging, and Magnevist, a paramagnetic, gadolinium-based compound used for tumors, inflammation and vascular lesions. MR imaging of the agents took place in sealed cylindrical vials in the presence of a surrounding volume of deionized water where the effects of the contrast agents had a measurable effect on the water's magnetization in the vicinity of the compartment of contrast agent. A pair of phase images were used to reconstruct a B0 fieldmap. The resultant B0 maps in the water region, corrected for shimming and container edge effects, were used to predict the agent's magnetization at 3 T. The results were compared with the results from VSM measurements up to 1.2 T and close correlation was observed. The technique should be of interest to those seeking quantification of the magnetization associated with magnetic suspensions beyond the traditional scope of VSM. The magnetization needs to be sufficiently strong (Ms≳50 Am2/kg Fe for Feridex and χm≳5 × 10−5 m3/kg Gd for Magnevist) for a measurable dipole field in the surrounding water. For this reason, the technique is mostly suitable for undiluted agents. PMID:19588450

  11. Structural and magnetic properties of UCo1/3T2/3Al solid solutions (T = Ru, Pt, Rh)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andreev, A. V.; Bordallo, H. N.; Chang, S.; Nakotte, H.; Schultz, A. J.; Sechovsky, V.; Torikachvili, M. S.

    1999-01-01

    We report on neutron diffraction studies of UCo 1/3 T 2/3 Al (T = Ru, Pt, Rh). All three solid solutions form in the hexagonal ZrNiAl structure. The Ru-containing compound is found to be chemically ordered, while the Pt-containing compound is nearly disordered and the Rh-containing compound is purely disordered. All three compounds exhibit long-range magnetic order with rather small U moments

  12. A New Promising Technique of 3D Isovoxel Imaging Using 3T MRI in the Wrist: Comparison with 3T MR Arthrography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Guen Young; Kim, Baek Hyun; Park, Jong Woong

    2011-01-01

    We wanted to evaluate the usefulness of 3D isovoxel MR imaging using 3T MRI in the wrist joint, as compared with 3T MR arthrography. A total of 33 patients underwent both MR arthrography and 3D isovoxel imaging of the wrist joints using 3T MR, including 11 patients with arthroscopic confirmation. 3D isovoxel MR imaging was performed using an intermediateweighted fast spin echo coronal scan with a 0.4-mm slice thickness and the axial images were reconstructed with a 1-mm slice thickness. One radiologist evaluated for the presence of scapholunate or lunotriquetral ligament tear and she determined the grade of the triangular fibrocartilage complex tear and chondromalacia with its location. We compared the two examinations using kappa values. The rates of detecting wrist injury were similar for both exams with substantial to almost perfect inter-examination agreement (kappa value = 0.864 for scapholunate ligament tear, 0.835 for lunotriquetral ligament tear, 0.799 for TFCC tear and 0.940 for chondromalacia). For the eleven cases that underwent arthroscopy, their results of 3D isovoxel MRI were also similar to that of MR arthrography. 3D isovoxel MR imaging is useful for the evaluation of the wrist joint

  13. A New Promising Technique of 3D Isovoxel Imaging Using 3T MRI in the Wrist: Comparison with 3T MR Arthrography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Guen Young; Kim, Baek Hyun; Park, Jong Woong [Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-02-15

    We wanted to evaluate the usefulness of 3D isovoxel MR imaging using 3T MRI in the wrist joint, as compared with 3T MR arthrography. A total of 33 patients underwent both MR arthrography and 3D isovoxel imaging of the wrist joints using 3T MR, including 11 patients with arthroscopic confirmation. 3D isovoxel MR imaging was performed using an intermediateweighted fast spin echo coronal scan with a 0.4-mm slice thickness and the axial images were reconstructed with a 1-mm slice thickness. One radiologist evaluated for the presence of scapholunate or lunotriquetral ligament tear and she determined the grade of the triangular fibrocartilage complex tear and chondromalacia with its location. We compared the two examinations using kappa values. The rates of detecting wrist injury were similar for both exams with substantial to almost perfect inter-examination agreement (kappa value = 0.864 for scapholunate ligament tear, 0.835 for lunotriquetral ligament tear, 0.799 for TFCC tear and 0.940 for chondromalacia). For the eleven cases that underwent arthroscopy, their results of 3D isovoxel MRI were also similar to that of MR arthrography. 3D isovoxel MR imaging is useful for the evaluation of the wrist joint

  14. Intervalos de referencia para concentraciones séricas de T3 y T4. Estudio preliminar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cecilia Miranda Pantoja

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Fundamento: la determinación cuantitativa de las hormonas tiroideas T3 y T4 reviste gran importancia en el diagnóstico y la evaluación del hipertiroidismo, en especial del hipertiroidismo aislado causado por T3.Objetivo: establecer los intervalos de referencia de T3 y T4 en el laboratorio de medicina nuclear del Hospital General Universitario Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima de Cienfuegos. Métodos: estudio descriptivo y prospectivo realizado mediante el método de radioinmunoanálisis, competencia que se establece entre la T3 y T4 sin marcar, y la marcada por un número limitado de los sitios de unión del anticuerpo específico. Al hacer reaccionar una cantidad fija de trazador y anticuerpo con diferentes cantidades del ligando sin marcar, la cantidad de trazador unido por el anticuerpo será inversamente proporcional a la concentración del ligando sin marcar. Resultados: los valores obtenidos se describen según una distribución gaussiana (media aritmética = 117, desviación estándar =31 para T4; media aritmética = 2,64, desviación estándar = 0,64 para T3, comprobado mediante un test de Chi cuadrado. Los rangos de valores normales obtenidos fueron de de 55 – 178 nmol/L y 1,4 – 3,9 nmol/L para T4 y T3 respectivamente. Conclusiones: los intervalos de referencia obtenidos resultaron más amplios que los propuestos por el productor, sobre todo en el caso de T4.

  15. Musculoskeletal MRI at 3.0 T and 7.0 T: A comparison of relaxation times and image contrast

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jordan, Caroline D.; Saranathan, Manojkumar; Bangerter, Neal K.; Hargreaves, Brian A.; Gold, Garry E.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the relaxation times of musculoskeletal tissues at 3.0 T and 7.0 T, and to use these measurements to select appropriate parameters for musculoskeletal protocols at 7.0 T. Materials and methods: We measured the T 1 and T 2 relaxation times of cartilage, muscle, synovial fluid, bone marrow and subcutaneous fat at both 3.0 T and 7.0 T in the knees of five healthy volunteers. The T 1 relaxation times were measured using a spin-echo inversion recovery sequence with six inversion times. The T 2 relaxation times were measured using a spin-echo sequence with seven echo times. The accuracy of both the T 1 and T 2 measurement techniques was verified in phantoms at both magnetic field strengths. We used the measured relaxation times to help design 7.0 T musculoskeletal protocols that preserve the favorable contrast characteristics of our 3.0 T protocols, while achieving significantly higher resolution at higher SNR efficiency. Results: The T 1 relaxation times in all tissues at 7.0 T were consistently higher than those measured at 3.0 T, while the T 2 relaxation times at 7.0 T were consistently lower than those measured at 3.0 T. The measured relaxation times were used to help develop high resolution 7.0 T protocols that had similar fluid-to-cartilage contrast to that of the standard clinical 3.0 T protocols for the following sequences: proton-density-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE), T 2 -weighted FSE, and 3D-FSE-Cube. Conclusion: The T 1 and T 2 changes were within the expected ranges. Parameters for musculoskeletal protocols at 7.0 T can be optimized based on these values, yielding improved resolution in musculoskeletal imaging with similar contrast to that of standard 3.0 T clinical protocols

  16. Assist feature printability prediction by 3-D resist profile reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Xin; Huang, Jensheng; Chin, Fook; Kazarian, Aram; Kuo, Chun-Chieh

    2012-06-01

    properties may then be used to optimize the printability vs. efficacy of an SRAF either prior to or during an Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) run. The process models that are used during OPC have never been able to reliably predict which SRAFs will print. This appears to be due to the fact that OPC process models are generally created using data that does not include printed subresolution patterns. An enhancement to compact modeling capability to predict Assist Features (AF) printability is developed and discussed. A hypsometric map representing 3-D resist profile was built by applying a first principle approximation to estimate the "energy loss" from the resist top to bottom. Such a 3-D resist profile is an extrapolation of a well calibrated traditional OPC model without any additional information. Assist features are detected at either top of resist (dark field) or bottom of resist (bright field). Such detection can be done by just extracting top or bottom resist models from our 3-D resist model. There is no measurement of assist features needed when we build AF but it can be included if interested but focusing on resist calibration to account for both exposure dosage and focus change sensitivities. This approach significantly increases resist model's capability for predicting printed SRAF accuracy. And we don't need to calibrate an SRAF model in addition to the OPC model. Without increase in computation time, this compact model can draw assist feature contour with real placement and size at any vertical plane. The result is compared and validated with 3-D rigorous modeling as well as SEM images. Since this method does not change any form of compact modeling, it can be integrated into current MBAF solutions without any additional work.

  17. 17 CFR 210.3-15 - Special provisions as to real estate investment trusts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... Financial Statements § 210.3-15 Special provisions as to real estate investment trusts. (a)(1) The income... real estate investment trust under applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code as amended shall... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Special provisions as to real...

  18. Accuracy of Single Frequency GPS Observations Processing In Near Real-time With Use of Code Predicted Products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wielgosz, P. A.

    In this year, the system of active geodetic GPS permanent stations is going to be estab- lished in Poland. This system should provide GPS observations for a wide spectrum of users, especially it will be a great opportunity for surveyors. Many of surveyors still use cheaper, single frequency receivers. This paper focuses on processing of single frequency GPS observations only. During processing of such observations the iono- sphere plays an important role, so we concentrated on the influence of the ionosphere on the positional coordinates. Twenty consecutive days of GPS data from 2001 year were processed to analyze the accuracy of a derived three-dimensional relative vec- tor position between GPS stations. Observations from two Polish EPN/IGS stations: BOGO and JOZE were used. In addition to, a new test station - IGIK was created. In this paper, the results of single frequency GPS observations processing in near real- time are presented. Baselines of 15, 27 and 42 kilometers and sessions of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 hours long were processed. While processing we used CODE (Centre for Orbit De- termination in Europe, Bern, Switzerland) predicted products: orbits and ionosphere info. These products are available in real-time and enable near real-time processing. Software Bernese v. 4.2 for Linux and BPE (Bernese Processing Engine) mode were used. These results are shown with a reference to dual frequency weekly solution (the best solution). Obtained GPS positional time and GPS baseline length dependency accuracy is presented for single frequency GPS observations.

  19. Incidental pT2-T3 gallbladder cancer after a cholecystectomy: outcome of staging at 3 months prior to a radical resection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ausania, Fabio; Tsirlis, Theodoris; White, Steven A; French, Jeremy J; Jaques, Bryon C; Charnley, Richard M; Manas, Derek M

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Patients with incidental pT2-T3 gallbladder cancer (IGC) after a cholecystectomy may benefit from a radical re-resection although their optimal treatment strategy is not well defined. In this Unit, such patients undergo delayed staging at 3 months after a cholecystectomy to assess the evidence of a residual tumour, extra hepatic spread and the biological behaviour of the tumour. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of patients who had delayed staging at 3 months after a cholecystectomy. Methods From July 2003 to July 2011, 56 patients with T2-T3 gallbladder cancer were referred to this Unit of which 49 were diagnosed incidentally on histology after a cholecystectomy. All 49 patients underwent delayed pre-operative staging using multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) followed selectively by laparoscopy at 3 months after a cholecystectomy. Data were collected from a prospectively held database. The peri-operative and long-term outcomes of patients were analysed. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. Results There were 38 pT2 and 11 pT3 tumours. After delayed staging, 24/49 (49%) patients underwent a radical resection, 24/49 (49%) were found to be inoperable on pre-operative assessment and 1/49 (2%) patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy and were found to be unresectable. The overall median survival from referral was 20.7 months (54.8 months for the group who had a radical re-resection versus 9.7 months for the group who had unresectable disease, P < 0.001). These results compare favourably with the reported outcome of fast-track management for incidental pT2-T3 gallbladder cancer from other major series in the literature. Conclusion Delayed staging in patients with incidental T2-T3 gallbladder cancer after a cholecystectomy is a useful strategy to select patients who will benefit from a resection and avoid unnecessary major surgery. PMID:23458168

  20. WEHI-3 cells inhibit adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lai, Jing [The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China); Liu, Gexiu [Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China); Yan, Guoyao [The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China); He, Dongmei [Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China); Zhou, Ying [The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China); Chen, Shengting, E-mail: shengtingchen@sina.cn [The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China)

    2015-06-26

    By investigating the anti-adipogenic effects of WEHI-3 cells – a murine acute myelomonocytic leukemia cell line – we sought to improve the efficiency of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Analysis of Oil Red O staining and the expression of adipogenic genes, including PPARγ, C/EBPα, FAS and LPL, indicated that WEHI-3 cells significantly inhibited 3T3-L1 mouse preadipocyte cells from differentiating into adipocytes. In vivo, fat vacuoles in mice injected with WEHI-3 cells were also remarkably reduced in the murine bone marrow pimelosis model. Moreover, the key gene in the Rho signaling pathway, ROCKII, and the key gene in the Wnt signaling pathway, β-catenin, were both upregulated compared with the control group. siRNA-mediated knockdown of ROCKII and β-catenin reversed these WEHI-3-mediated anti-adipogenic effects. Taken together, these data suggest that WEHI-3 cells exert anti-adipogenic effects and that both ROCKII and β-catenin are involved in this process. - Highlights: • WEHI-3, an acute myelomonocytic leukemia cell line, inhibited 3T3-L1 preadipocyte from differentiating into adipocyte. • WEHI-3 cells can arrest 3T3-L1 cells in G0/G1 phase by secreting soluble factors and thus inhibit their proliferation. • WEHI-3 cells reduced bone marrow pimelosis in the murine model. • Both ROCKII and β-catenin were involved in the WEHI-3-mediated anti-adipogenic effects.

  1. Autonomous and 3D real-time multi-beam manipulation in a microfluidic environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Perch-Nielsen, I.; Rodrigo, P.J.; Alonzo, C.A.

    2006-01-01

    The Generalized Phase Contrast (GPC) method of optical 3D manipulation has previously been used for controlled spatial manipulation of live biological specimen in real-time. These biological experiments were carried out over a time-span of several hours while an operator intermittently optimized...... the optical system. Here we present GPC-based optical micromanipulation in a microfluidic system where trapping experiments are computer-automated and thereby capable of running with only limited supervision. The system is able to dynamically detect living yeast cells using a computer-interfaced CCD camera......, and respond to this by instantly creating traps at positions of the spotted cells streaming at flow velocities that would be difficult for a human operator to handle. With the added ability to control flow rates, experiments were also carried out to confirm the theoretically predicted axially dependent...

  2. Case Study: A Real-Time Flood Forecasting System with Predictive Uncertainty Estimation for the Godavari River, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Barbetta

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available This work presents the application of the multi-temporal approach of the Model Conditional Processor (MCP-MT for predictive uncertainty (PU estimation in the Godavari River basin, India. MCP-MT is developed for making probabilistic Bayesian decision. It is the most appropriate approach if the uncertainty of future outcomes is to be considered. It yields the best predictive density of future events and allows determining the probability that a critical warning threshold may be exceeded within a given forecast time. In Bayesian decision-making, the predictive density represents the best available knowledge on a future event to address a rational decision-making process. MCP-MT has already been tested for case studies selected in Italian river basins, showing evidence of improvement of the effectiveness of operative real-time flood forecasting systems. The application of MCP-MT for two river reaches selected in the Godavari River basin, India, is here presented and discussed by considering the stage forecasts provided by a deterministic model, STAFOM-RCM, and hourly dataset based on seven monsoon seasons in the period 2001–2010. The results show that the PU estimate is useful for finding the exceedance probability for a given hydrometric threshold as function of the forecast time up to 24 h, demonstrating the potential usefulness for supporting real-time decision-making. Moreover, the expected value provided by MCP-MT yields better results than the deterministic model predictions, with higher Nash–Sutcliffe coefficients and lower error on stage forecasts, both in term of mean error and standard deviation and root mean square error.

  3. Transient infrared absorption of t-CH3C(O)OO, c-CH3C(O)OO, and α-lactone recorded in gaseous reactions of CH3CO and O2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Sun-Yang; Lee, Yuan-Pern

    2010-03-01

    A step-scan Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer coupled with a multipass absorption cell was utilized to monitor the transient species produced in gaseous reactions of CH3CO and O2; IR absorption spectra of CH3C(O)OO and α-lactone were observed. Absorption bands with origins at 1851±1, 1372±2, 1169±6, and 1102±3 cm-1 are attributed to t-CH3C(O)OO, and those at 1862±3, 1142±4, and 1078±6 cm-1 are assigned to c-CH3C(O)OO. A weak band near 1960 cm-1 is assigned to α-lactone, cyc-CH2C(O)O, a coproduct of OH. These observed rotational contours agree satisfactorily with simulated bands based on predicted rotational parameters and dipole derivatives, and observed vibrational wavenumbers agree with harmonic vibrational wavenumbers predicted with B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ density-functional theory. The observed relative intensities indicate that t-CH3C(O)OO is more stable than c-CH3C(O)OO by 3±2 kJ mol-1. Based on these observations, the branching ratio for the OH+α-lactone channel of the CH3CO+O2 reaction is estimated to be 0.04±0.01 under 100 Torr of O2 at 298 K. A simple kinetic model is employed to account for the decay of CH3C(O)OO.

  4. Transient infrared absorption of t-CH3C(O)OO, c-CH3C(O)OO, and alpha-lactone recorded in gaseous reactions of CH3CO and O2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Sun-Yang; Lee, Yuan-Pern

    2010-03-21

    A step-scan Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer coupled with a multipass absorption cell was utilized to monitor the transient species produced in gaseous reactions of CH(3)CO and O(2); IR absorption spectra of CH(3)C(O)OO and alpha-lactone were observed. Absorption bands with origins at 1851+/-1, 1372+/-2, 1169+/-6, and 1102+/-3 cm(-1) are attributed to t-CH(3)C(O)OO, and those at 1862+/-3, 1142+/-4, and 1078+/-6 cm(-1) are assigned to c-CH(3)C(O)OO. A weak band near 1960 cm(-1) is assigned to alpha-lactone, cyc-CH(2)C(=O)O, a coproduct of OH. These observed rotational contours agree satisfactorily with simulated bands based on predicted rotational parameters and dipole derivatives, and observed vibrational wavenumbers agree with harmonic vibrational wavenumbers predicted with B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ density-functional theory. The observed relative intensities indicate that t-CH(3)C(O)OO is more stable than c-CH(3)C(O)OO by 3+/-2 kJ mol(-1). Based on these observations, the branching ratio for the OH+alpha-lactone channel of the CH(3)CO+O(2) reaction is estimated to be 0.04+/-0.01 under 100 Torr of O(2) at 298 K. A simple kinetic model is employed to account for the decay of CH(3)C(O)OO.

  5. Studentized Continuous Wavelet Transform (t-CWT in the Analysis of Individual ERPs: Real and Simulated EEG Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruben Gustav Leonhardt Real

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed at evaluating the performance of the Studentized Continuous Wavelet Transform (t-CWT as a method for the extraction and assessment of event-related brain potentials (ERP in data from a single subject. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV and negative predictive values (NPV of the t-CWT were assessed and compared to a variety of competing procedures using simulated EEG data at six low signal-to-noise ratios. Results show that the t-CWT combines high sensitivity and specificity with favorable PPV and NPV. Applying the t-CWT to authentic EEG data obtained from 14 healthy participants confirmed its high sensitivity. The t-CWT may thus be well suited for the assessment of weak ERPs in single-subject settings.

  6. Evaluation of a real-time travel time prediction system in a freeway construction work zone : final report, March 2001.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2001-03-01

    A real-time travel time prediction system (TIPS) was evaluated in a construction work zone. TIPS includes changeable message signs (CMSs) displaying the travel time and distance to the end of the work zone to motorists. The travel times displayed by ...

  7. Audiovisual biofeedback improves motion prediction accuracy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollock, Sean; Lee, Danny; Keall, Paul; Kim, Taeho

    2013-04-01

    The accuracy of motion prediction, utilized to overcome the system latency of motion management radiotherapy systems, is hampered by irregularities present in the patients' respiratory pattern. Audiovisual (AV) biofeedback has been shown to reduce respiratory irregularities. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that AV biofeedback improves the accuracy of motion prediction. An AV biofeedback system combined with real-time respiratory data acquisition and MR images were implemented in this project. One-dimensional respiratory data from (1) the abdominal wall (30 Hz) and (2) the thoracic diaphragm (5 Hz) were obtained from 15 healthy human subjects across 30 studies. The subjects were required to breathe with and without the guidance of AV biofeedback during each study. The obtained respiratory signals were then implemented in a kernel density estimation prediction algorithm. For each of the 30 studies, five different prediction times ranging from 50 to 1400 ms were tested (150 predictions performed). Prediction error was quantified as the root mean square error (RMSE); the RMSE was calculated from the difference between the real and predicted respiratory data. The statistical significance of the prediction results was determined by the Student's t-test. Prediction accuracy was considerably improved by the implementation of AV biofeedback. Of the 150 respiratory predictions performed, prediction accuracy was improved 69% (103/150) of the time for abdominal wall data, and 78% (117/150) of the time for diaphragm data. The average reduction in RMSE due to AV biofeedback over unguided respiration was 26% (p biofeedback improves prediction accuracy. This would result in increased efficiency of motion management techniques affected by system latencies used in radiotherapy.

  8. Expansion of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in infants of mothers with type 1 diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luopajärvi, Kristiina; Nieminen, Janne K; Ilonen, Jorma; Akerblom, Hans K; Knip, Mikael; Vaarala, Outi

    2012-08-01

    Reduced risk for type 1 diabetes (T1D) has been reported in the offspring of mothers with T1D when compared with children of affected fathers. To evaluate the hypothesis that exposure of the offspring to maternal insulin therapy induces regulatory mechanisms in utero, we compared the FOXP3 expressing regulatory T cells in cord blood (CB) of infants born to mothers with or without T1D. Cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) from 20 infants with maternal T1D and from 20 infants with an unaffected mother were analyzed for the numbers of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ cells ex vivo and after in vitro stimulation with human insulin by flow cytometry. The mRNA expression of FOXP3, NFATc2, STIM1, interleukin (IL)-10, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β was measured by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The percentage of FOXP3+ cells in CD4+CD25(high) cells was higher in the CB of the infants with maternal T1D when compared with the infants of unaffected mothers (p = 0.023). After in vitro insulin stimulation an increase in the percentage of FOXP3+ cells in CD4+CD25(high) cells (p = 0.0002) as well as upregulation of FOXP3, NFATc2, STIM1, IL-10, and TGF-β transcripts in CBMCs (p mothers with T1D, in whom the disease-related PTPN22 allele was associated with reduced STIM1 and NFATc2 response in insulin-stimulated CBMCs (p = 0.007 and p = 0.014). We suggest that maternal insulin treatment induces expansion of regulatory T cells in the fetus, which might contribute to the lower risk of diabetes in children with maternal vs. paternal diabetes. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  9. Cytotoxicity of Titanate-Calcium Complexes to MC3T3 Osteoblast-Like Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drury, Jeanie L.; Moussi, Joelle; Taylor-Pashow, Kathryn M. L.

    2016-01-01

    Monosodium titanates (MST) are a relatively novel form of particulate titanium dioxide that have been proposed for biological use as metal sorbents or delivery agents, most recently calcium (II). In these roles, the toxicity of the titanate or its metal complex is crucial to its biological utility. The aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxicity of MST and MST-calcium complexes with MC3T3 osteoblast-like cells; MST-Ca(II) complexes could be useful to promote bone formation in various hard tissue applications. MC3T3 cells were exposed to native MST or MST-Ca(II) complexes for 24–72 h. A CellTiter-Blue® assay was employed to assess the metabolic activity of the cells. The results showed that MST and MST-Ca(II) suppressed MC3T3 metabolic activity significantly in a dose-, time-, and cell-density-dependent fashion. MST-Ca(II) suppressed MC3T3 metabolism in a statistically identical manner as native MST at all concentrations. We concluded that MST and MST-Ca(II) are significantly cytotoxic to MC3T3 cells through a mechanism yet unknown; this is a potential problem to the biological utility of these complexes. PMID:28044136

  10. Cytotoxicity of Titanate-Calcium Complexes to MC3T3 Osteoblast-Like Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yen-Wei Chen

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Monosodium titanates (MST are a relatively novel form of particulate titanium dioxide that have been proposed for biological use as metal sorbents or delivery agents, most recently calcium (II. In these roles, the toxicity of the titanate or its metal complex is crucial to its biological utility. The aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxicity of MST and MST-calcium complexes with MC3T3 osteoblast-like cells; MST-Ca(II complexes could be useful to promote bone formation in various hard tissue applications. MC3T3 cells were exposed to native MST or MST-Ca(II complexes for 24–72 h. A CellTiter-Blue® assay was employed to assess the metabolic activity of the cells. The results showed that MST and MST-Ca(II suppressed MC3T3 metabolic activity significantly in a dose-, time-, and cell-density-dependent fashion. MST-Ca(II suppressed MC3T3 metabolism in a statistically identical manner as native MST at all concentrations. We concluded that MST and MST-Ca(II are significantly cytotoxic to MC3T3 cells through a mechanism yet unknown; this is a potential problem to the biological utility of these complexes.

  11. [Changes of CD(4)(+) Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and CD(4)(+)IL-17+T cells in acrolein exposure rats].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Ming; Tu, Ling; Liang, Yinghong; Li, Jia; Gong, Yanjie; Zhang, Yihua; Yang, Lu

    2015-09-01

    To evaluate the changes of CD(4)(+) IL-17+T (Th17) and CD(4)(+)Foxp3+regulatory T (Treg) cells in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) , and therefore to explore the role of Th17 and Treg in acrolein exposure airway inflammation in rats. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: a 2 wk acrolein exposure group, a 4 wk acrolein exposure group, a 2 wk control group and a 4 wk control group (n=10 each). Cells in BALF were collected and analyzed by absolute and differential cell counts.IL-17 and IL-6 levels in serum and BALF were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The proportion of CD(4)(+)IL-17+T and CD(4)(+) Foxp3+Treg in peripheral blood and BALF were determined by flow cytometry.The mRNA expressions of IL-17 and Foxp3 were measured by real-time PCR. Comparisons of the data between different groups were performed using one-way ANOVA, and SNK and Games-Howell test were used for comparison between 2 groups. Levels of IL-17 were remarkable increased in the 2 wk acrolein exposure group and the 4 wk acrolein exposure group in serum [(52.64 ± 1.89) ng/L, (76.73 ± 5.57) ng/L], and BALF [(79.07 ± 5.67) ng/L, (96.61 ± 6.44) ng/L] compared with the 2 wk control group [(40.05 ± 3.12) ng/L, (56.75 ± 4.37) ng/L] and the 4 wk control group [(38.75 ± 3.23) ng/L, (53.27 ± 4.48) ng/L], all Pcells and macrophages (r=0.5126, 0.5437, all Pcells and an vary of inflammatory cytokines were evident in airway inflammation of acrolein exposed rats, suggesting that Treg was involved in the immunological regulation and Th17 was associated with the persistent inflammation in acrolein induced airway inflammation in rats.

  12. Phosphoinositide 3–kinase γ participates in T cell receptor–induced T cell activation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alcázar, Isabela; Marqués, Miriam; Kumar, Amit; Hirsch, Emilio; Wymann, Matthias; Carrera, Ana C.; Barber, Domingo F.

    2007-01-01

    Class I phosphoinositide 3–kinases (PI3Ks) constitute a family of enzymes that generates 3-phosphorylated polyphosphoinositides at the cell membrane after stimulation of protein tyrosine (Tyr) kinase–associated receptors or G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). The class I PI3Ks are divided into two types: class IA p85/p110 heterodimers, which are activated by Tyr kinases, and the class IB p110γ isoform, which is activated by GPCR. Although the T cell receptor (TCR) is a protein Tyr kinase–associated receptor, p110γ deletion affects TCR-induced T cell stimulation. We examined whether the TCR activates p110γ, as well as the consequences of interfering with p110γ expression or function for T cell activation. We found that after TCR ligation, p110γ interacts with Gαq/11, lymphocyte-specific Tyr kinase, and ζ-associated protein. TCR stimulation activates p110γ, which affects 3-phosphorylated polyphosphoinositide levels at the immunological synapse. We show that TCR-stimulated p110γ controls RAS-related C3 botulinum substrate 1 activity, F-actin polarization, and the interaction between T cells and antigen-presenting cells, illustrating a crucial role for p110γ in TCR-induced T cell activation. PMID:17998387

  13. Fully predictive simulation of real-scale cable tray fire based on small-scale laboratory experiments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beji, Tarek; Merci, Bart [Ghent Univ. (Belgium). Dept. of Flow, Heat and Combustion Mechanics; Bonte, Frederick [Bel V, Brussels (Belgium)

    2015-12-15

    This paper presents a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based modelling strategy for real-scale cable tray fires. The challenge was to perform fully predictive simulations (that could be called 'blind' simulations) using solely information from laboratory-scale experiments, in addition to the geometrical arrangement of the cables. The results of the latter experiments were used (1) to construct the fuel molecule and the chemical reaction for combustion, and (2) to estimate the overall pyrolysis and burning behaviour. More particularly, the strategy regarding the second point consists of adopting a surface-based pyrolysis model. Since the burning behaviour of each cable could not be tracked individually (due to computational constraints), 'groups' of cables were modelled with an overall cable surface area equal to the actual value. The results obtained for one large-scale test (a stack of five horizontal trays) are quite encouraging, especially for the peak Heat Release Rate (HRR) that was predicted with a relative deviation of 3 %. The time to reach the peak is however overestimated by 4.7 min (i.e. 94 %). Also, the fire duration is overestimated by 5 min (i.e. 24 %). These discrepancies are mainly attributed to differences in the HRRPUA (heat release rate per unit area) profiles between the small-scale and large-scale. The latter was calculated by estimating the burning area of cables using video fire analysis (VFA).

  14. Dihydrotestosterone induces SREBP-1 expression and lipogenesis through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway in HaCaT cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhou Bing-rong

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of dihydrotestosterone (DHT-induced expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1, and the synthesis and secretion of lipids, in HaCaT cells. HaCaT cells were treated with DHT and either the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 or the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK inhibitor PD98059. Real time-PCR, Western blot, Oil Red staining and flow cytometry were employed to examine the mRNA and protein expressions of SREBP-1, the gene transcription of lipid synthesis, and lipid secretion in HaCaT cells. Findings We found that DHT upregulated mRNA and protein expressions of SREBP-1. DHT also significantly upregulated the transcription of lipid synthesis-related genes and increased lipid secretion, which can be inhibited by the addition of LY294002. Conclusions Collectively, these results indicate that DHT induces SREBP-1 expression and lipogenesis in HaCaT cells via activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt Pathway.

  15. Real-time tracking with a 3D-flow processor array

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crosetto, D.

    1993-01-01

    The problem of real-time track-finding has been performed to date with CAM (Content Addressable Memories) or with fast coincidence logic, because the processing scheme was though to have much slower performance. Advances in technology together with a new architectural approach make it feasible to also explore the computing technique for real-time track finding thus giving the advantages of implementing algorithms that can find more parameters such as calculate the sagitta, curvature, pt, etc. with respect to the CAM approach. This report describes real-time track finding using a new computing approach technique based on the 3D-flow array processor system. This system consists of a fixed interconnection architexture scheme, allowing flexible algorithm implementation on a scalable platform. The 3D-Flow parallel processing system for track finding is scalable in size and performance by either increasing the number of processors, or increasing the speed or else the number of pipelined stages. The present article describes the conceptual idea and the design stage of the project

  16. Real-time tracking with a 3D-Flow processor array

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crosetto, D.

    1993-06-01

    The problem of real-time track-finding has been performed to date with CAM (Content Addressable Memories) or with fast coincidence logic, because the processing scheme was thought to have much slower performance. Advances in technology together with a new architectural approach make it feasible to also explore the computing technique for real-time track finding thus giving the advantages of implementing algorithms that can find more parameters such as calculate the sagitta, curvature, pt, etc., with respect to the CAM approach. The report describes real-time track finding using new computing approach technique based on the 3D-Flow array processor system. This system consists of a fixed interconnection architecture scheme, allowing flexible algorithm implementation on a scalable platform. The 3D-Flow parallel processing system for track finding is scalable in size and performance by either increasing the number of processors, or increasing the speed or else the number of pipelined stages. The present article describes the conceptual idea and the design stage of the project

  17. Comparison of 3T and 7T susceptibility-weighted angiography of the substantia nigra in diagnosing Parkinson disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosottini, M; Frosini, D; Pesaresi, I; Donatelli, G; Cecchi, P; Costagli, M; Biagi, L; Ceravolo, R; Bonuccelli, U; Tosetti, M

    2015-03-01

    Standard neuroimaging fails in defining the anatomy of the substantia nigra and has a marginal role in the diagnosis of Parkinson disease. Recently 7T MR target imaging of the substantia nigra has been useful in diagnosing Parkinson disease. We performed a comparative study to evaluate whether susceptibility-weighted angiography can diagnose Parkinson disease with a 3T scanner. Fourteen patients with Parkinson disease and 13 healthy subjects underwent MR imaging examination at 3T and 7T by using susceptibility-weighted angiography. Two expert blinded observers and 1 neuroradiology fellow evaluated the 3T and 7T images of the sample to identify substantia nigra abnormalities indicative of Parkinson disease. Diagnostic accuracy and intra- and interobserver agreement were calculated separately for 3T and 7T acquisitions. Susceptibility-weighted angiography 7T MR imaging can diagnose Parkinson disease with a mean sensitivity of 93%, specificity of 100%, and diagnostic accuracy of 96%. 3T MR imaging diagnosed Parkinson disease with a mean sensitivity of 79%, specificity of 94%, and diagnostic accuracy of 86%. Intraobserver and interobserver agreement was excellent at 7T. At 3T, intraobserver agreement was excellent for experts, and interobserver agreement ranged between good and excellent. The less expert reader obtained a diagnostic accuracy of 89% at 3T. Susceptibility-weighted angiography images obtained at 3T and 7T differentiate controls from patients with Parkinson disease with a higher diagnostic accuracy at 7T. The capability of 3T in diagnosing Parkinson disease might encourage its use in clinical practice. The use of the more accurate 7T should be supported by a dedicated cost-effectiveness study. © 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

  18. Predicting Near Real-Time Inundation Occurrence from Complimentary Satellite Microwave Brightness Temperature Observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, C. K.; Pan, M.; Wood, E. F.

    2017-12-01

    Throughout the world, there is an increasing need for new methods and data that can aid decision makers, emergency responders and scientists in the monitoring of flood events as they happen. In many regions, it is possible to examine the extent of historical and real-time inundation occurrence from visible and infrared imagery provided by sensors such as MODIS or the Landsat TM; however, this is not possible in regions that are densely vegetated or are under persistent cloud cover. In addition, there is often a temporal mismatch between the sampling of a particular sensor and a given flood event, leading to limited observations in near real-time. As a result, there is a need for alternative methods that take full advantage of complimentary remotely sensed data sources, such as available microwave brightness temperature observations (e.g., SMAP, SMOS, AMSR2, AMSR-E, and GMI), to aid in the estimation of global flooding. The objective of this work was to develop a high-resolution mapping of inundated areas derived from multiple satellite microwave sensor observations with a daily temporal resolution. This system consists of first retrieving water fractions from complimentary microwave sensors (AMSR-2 and SMAP) which may spatially and temporally overlap in the region of interest. Using additional information in a Random Forest classifier, including high resolution topography and multiple datasets of inundated area (both historical and empirical), the resulting retrievals are spatially downscaled to derive estimates of the extent of inundation at a scale relevant to management and flood response activities ( 90m or better) instead of the relatively coarse resolution water fractions, which are limited by the microwave sensor footprints ( 5-50km). Here we present the training and validation of this method for the 2015 floods that occurred in Houston, Texas. Comparing the predicted inundation against historical occurrence maps derived from the Landsat TM record and MODIS

  19. Chidamide in relapsed or refractory peripheral T cell lymphoma: a multicenter real-world study in China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuankai Shi

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The efficacy and safety of chidamide, a new subtype-selective histone deacetylase (HDAC inhibitor, have been demonstrated in a pivotal phase II clinical trial, and chidamide has been approved by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA as a treatment for relapsed or refractory peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL. This study sought to further evaluate the real-world utilization of chidamide in 383 relapsed or refractory PTCL patients from April 2015 to February 2016 in mainland China. For patients receiving chidamide monotherapy (n = 256, the overall response rate (ORR and disease control rate (DCR were 39.06 and 64.45%, respectively. The ORR and DCR were 51.18 and 74.02%, respectively, for patients receiving chidamide combined with chemotherapy (n = 127. For patients receiving chidamide monotherapy and chidamide combined with chemotherapy, the median progression-free survival (PFS was 129 (95% CI 82 to 194 days for the monotherapy group and 152 (95% CI 93 to 201 days for the combined therapy group (P = 0.3266. Most adverse events (AEs were of grade 1 to 2. AEs of grade 3 or higher that occurred in ≥5% of patients receiving chidamide monotherapy included thrombocytopenia (10.2% and neutropenia (6.2%. For patients receiving chidamide combined with chemotherapy, grade 3 to 4 AEs that occurred in ≥5% of patients included thrombocytopenia (18.1%, neutropenia (12.6%, anemia (7.1%, and fatigue (5.5%. This large real-world study demonstrates that chidamide has a favorable efficacy and an acceptable safety profile for refractory and relapsed PTCL patients. Chidamide combined with chemotherapy may be a new treatment choice for refractory and relapsed PTCL patients but requires further investigation.

  20. CD4~+Foxp3~+ regulatory T cells converted by rapamycin from peripheral CD4~+ CD25~-naive T cells display more potent regulatory ability in vitro

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    CHEN Jian-fei; GAO Jie; ZHANG Dong; WANG Zi-han; ZHU Ji-ye

    2010-01-01

    Background Rapamycin (RAPA) is a relatively new immunosuppressant drug that functions as a serine/threonine kinase inhibitor to prevent rejection in organ transplantation. RAPA blocks activation of T-effector (Teff) cells by inhibiting the response to interleukin-2. Recently, RAPA was also shown to selectively expand the T-regulator (Treg) cell population. To date, no studies have examined the mechanism by which RAPA converts Teff cells to Treg cells. Methods Peripheral CD4~+CD25~- naive T cells were cultivated with RAPA and B cells as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in vitro. CD4~+CD25~- T cells were harvested after 6 days and analyzed for expression of forkhead box protein 3 (Foxp3) using flow cytometry. CD4~+CD25~+CD127~- subsets as the converted Tregs were isolated from the mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR) with CD127 negative selection, followed by CD4 and CD25 positive selection using microbeads and magnetic separation column (MSC). Moreover, mRNA was extracted from converted Tregs and C57BL/6 naive CD4~+CD25~+ T cells and Foxp3 levels were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR). A total of 1×10~5 carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE)-labeled naive CD4~+CD25~- T cells/well from C57BL/6 mice were cocultured with DBA/2 or C3H maturation of dendritic cells (mDCs) (0.25×10~5/well) in 96-well round-bottom plates for 6 days. Then 1×10~5 or 0.25×10~5 converted Treg cells were added to every well as regulatory cells. Cells were harvested after 6 days of culture and analyzed for proliferation of CFSE-labeled naive CD4~+CD25~- T cells using flow cytometry. Data were analyzed using CellQuest software.Results We found that RAPA can convert peripheral CD4~+CD25~- naive T Cells to CD4~+Foxp3~+ Treg cells using B cells as APCs, and this subtype of Treg can potently suppress Teff proliferation and maintain antigenic specificity. Conclusion Our findings provide evidence that RAPA induces Treg cell conversion from Teff cells and

  1. HLA Class-II Associated HIV Polymorphisms Predict Escape from CD4+ T Cell Responses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nathan Erdmann

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Antiretroviral therapy, antibody and CD8+ T cell-mediated responses targeting human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1 exert selection pressure on the virus necessitating escape; however, the ability of CD4+ T cells to exert selective pressure remains unclear. Using a computational approach on HIV gag/pol/nef sequences and HLA-II allelic data, we identified 29 HLA-II associated HIV sequence polymorphisms or adaptations (HLA-AP in an African cohort of chronically HIV-infected individuals. Epitopes encompassing the predicted adaptation (AE or its non-adapted (NAE version were evaluated for immunogenicity. Using a CD8-depleted IFN-γ ELISpot assay, we determined that the magnitude of CD4+ T cell responses to the predicted epitopes in controllers was higher compared to non-controllers (p<0.0001. However, regardless of the group, the magnitude of responses to AE was lower as compared to NAE (p<0.0001. CD4+ T cell responses in patients with acute HIV infection (AHI demonstrated poor immunogenicity towards AE as compared to NAE encoded by their transmitted founder virus. Longitudinal data in AHI off antiretroviral therapy demonstrated sequence changes that were biologically confirmed to represent CD4+ escape mutations. These data demonstrate an innovative application of HLA-associated polymorphisms to identify biologically relevant CD4+ epitopes and suggests CD4+ T cells are active participants in driving HIV evolution.

  2. Real-time prediction models for output power and efficiency of grid-connected solar photovoltaic systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Su, Yan; Chan, Lai-Cheong; Shu, Lianjie; Tsui, Kwok-Leung

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We develop online prediction models for solar photovoltaic system performance. ► The proposed prediction models are simple but with reasonable accuracy. ► The maximum monthly average minutely efficiency varies 10.81–12.63%. ► The average efficiency tends to be slightly higher in winter months. - Abstract: This paper develops new real time prediction models for output power and energy efficiency of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. These models were validated using measured data of a grid-connected solar PV system in Macau. Both time frames based on yearly average and monthly average are considered. It is shown that the prediction model for the yearly/monthly average of the minutely output power fits the measured data very well with high value of R 2 . The online prediction model for system efficiency is based on the ratio of the predicted output power to the predicted solar irradiance. This ratio model is shown to be able to fit the intermediate phase (9 am to 4 pm) very well but not accurate for the growth and decay phases where the system efficiency is near zero. However, it can still serve as a useful purpose for practitioners as most PV systems work in the most efficient manner over this period. It is shown that the maximum monthly average minutely efficiency varies over a small range of 10.81% to 12.63% in different months with slightly higher efficiency in winter months.

  3. Ability of γδ T cells to modulate the Foxp3 T cell response is dependent on adenosine.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongchun Liang

    Full Text Available Whether γδ T cells inhibit or enhance the Foxp3 T cell response depends upon their activation status. The critical enhancing effector in the supernatant is adenosine. Activated γδ T cells express adenosine receptors at high levels, which enables them to deprive Foxp3+ T cells of adenosine, and to inhibit their expansion. Meanwhile, cell-free supernatants of γδ T cell cultures enhance Foxp3 T cell expansion. Thus, inhibition and enhancement by γδ T cells of Foxp3 T cell response are a reflection of the balance between adenosine production and absorption by γδ T cells. Non-activated γδ T cells produce adenosine but bind little, and thus enhance the Foxp3 T cell response. Activated γδ T cells express high density of adenosine receptors and have a greatly increased ability to bind adenosine. Extracellular adenosine metabolism and expression of adenosine receptor A2ARs by γδ T cells played a major role in the outcome of γδ and Foxp3 T cell interactions. A better understanding of the functional conversion of γδ T cells could lead to γδ T cell-targeted immunotherapies for related diseases.

  4. Real-Time 3D Profile Measurement Using Structured Light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, L; Zhang, Z J; Ma, H; Yu, Y J

    2006-01-01

    The paper builds a real-time system of 3D profile measurement using structured-light imaging. It allows a hand-held object to rotate free in the space-time coded light field, which is projected by the projector. The surface of measured objects with projected coded light is imaged; the system shows surface reconstruction results of objects online. This feedback helps user to adjust object's pose in the light field according to the dismissed or error data, which would achieve the integrality of data used in reconstruction. This method can acquire denser data cloud and have higher reconstruction accuracy and efficiency. According to the real-time requirements, the paper presents the non-restricted light plane modelling which suits stripe structured light system, designs the three-frame stripes space-time coded pattern, and uses the advance ICP algorithms to acquire 3D data alignment from multiple view

  5. [Changes of CD(4)(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells and CD(4)(+)IL-17(+)T cells in cigarette smoke-exposed rats].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Jing-jing; Zhong, Xiao-ning; Bai, Jing; He, Zhi-yi; Zhang, Jian-quan; Huang, Qiu-pin

    2012-01-01

    To evaluate the changes of CD(4)(+)IL-17(+) T (Th17) and CD(4)(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells in peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and therefore to explore the role of Th17 and Treg in cigarette smoke-induced airway inflammation/COPD in rats. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: a 12 wk smoke-exposure group, a 24 wk smoke-exposure group, a 12 wk control group and a 24 wk control group (n = 10 each). Cells in BALF were collected and analyzed by absolute and differential cell counts. IL-17 and IL-6 levels in serum and BALF were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The proportion of CD(4)(+)IL-17(+) T and CD(4)(+)Foxp3(+) Treg in peripheral blood and BALF were determined by flow cytometry. The mRNA expressions of IL-17 and Foxp3 were measured by real-time PCR. Comparisons of the data between different groups were performed using one-way ANOVA, and SNK and Games-Howell test were used for comparison between 2 groups. Levels of IL-17 were remarkable increased in the 12 wk smoke-exposure group and the 24 wk smoke-exposure group in serum [(52.6 ± 1.8) ng/L, (75.4 ± 6.0) ng/L] and BALF [(78.1 ± 5.8) ng/L, (95.0 ± 6.8) ng/L] compared with the 12 wk control group [(40.0 ± 3.2)ng/L, (54.5 ± 4.6) ng/L] and the 24 wk control group [(36.7 ± 3.2) ng/L, (53.9 ± 3.7) ng/L], all P cells and macrophages (r = 0.512, 0.543, all P cells and an increase of inflammatory cytokines were evident in airway inflammation of cigarette smoke-exposed rats, suggesting that Treg was involved in the immunological regulation and Th17 was associated with the persistent inflammation in cigarette smoke-induced airway inflammation in rats.

  6. Cytotoxicity of Alpinia galanga Rhizome Crude Extract on NIH-3T3 Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferry Sandra

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Alpinia galanga (A. galanga was reported as a potential medicinal source due to its wide effect. A. galanga rhizome crude extract (ARCE was reported to have high cytotoxic effect in cancer cells, but low in normal cells. However half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 of ARCE is not clearly known yet. Hence, current study was conducted to investigate the IC50 of ARCE in normal standard fibroblast cell line, NIH-3T3 cells. METHODS: Rhizomes of A. galanga were collected, peeled, dried, milled and weighed. Extraction was performed using maceration method, then filtered and evaporated. ARCE with various concentrations were applied in NIH-3T3 cells for 24 or 48 hours. Cells were documented and counted with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT assay. RESULTS: Five hundreds grams of simplicia were macerated with ethanol and evaporated, 1 mg/mL crude extract with total volume of 114 mL was obtained. By addition of ARCE in NIH-3T3 cell culture, number of NIH-3T3 cells were shown less when treated with higher concentration of ARCE. Cell numbers of 0, 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50% ARCE treatment for 24 hours are 11,531, 11,352, 10,920, 10,365, 9,471, 8,360, respectively, meanwhile for 48 hours are 13,219, 12,686, 12,278, 11,390, 10,279, 8,390, respectively. CONCLUSION: IC50 of ARCE in 24 hours treatment was 620.5 mg/mL, while in 48 hours treatment was 666.6 mg/mL. Hence, ARCE is suggested to have low cytotoxic effect in NIH-3T3 cells. KEYWORDS: Alpinia galanga, ginger, extract, cytotoxic, MTT, NIH-3T3

  7. ANÁLISE DE DESEMPENHO EM REDES IEEE 802.3 APLICADO PARA SISTEMA DE TEMPO REAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Alexsandro de Medeiros Valentim

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available A tecnologia Ethernet domina o mercado de rede local de computadores. No entanto, não foi estabelecida como uma tecnologia para automação industrial, onde o determinismo procura os requisitos com um desempenho de tempo real. Muitas soluções têm sido propostas para resolver o problema do determinismo não, que se baseiam principalmente no TDMA (acesso múltiplo por divisão de tempo, passagem de token e mestre-escravo. É neste contexto que este trabalho é realizado, através de medidas de desempenho em redes de comunicação que utilizam o padrão IEEE 802.3, observando o comportamento destas redes, quando submetidos a diferentes cenários de sobrecarga. Para isso, as variações foram aprovadas em ambiente de teste, que será baseado em Shared Ethernet (Hub, Ethernet e Ethernet Switch com prioridade (IEEE 802.1Q. Desta forma, é possível indicar quais os dispositivos analisados pelos testes de desempenho demonstrado um comportamento mais adequado para suportar as aplicações com requisitos de tempo real.

  8. A method for predicting the fatigue life of pre-corroded 2024-T3 aluminum from breaking load tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruenberg, Karl Martin

    Characterization of material properties is necessary for design purposes and has been a topic of research for many years. Over the last several decades, much progress has been made in identifying metrics to describe fracture mechanics properties and developing procedures to measure the appropriate values. However, in the context of design, there has not been as much success in quantifying the susceptibility of a material to corrosion damage and its subsequent impact on material behavior in the framework of fracture mechanics. A natural next step in understanding the effects of corrosion damage was to develop a link between standard material test procedures and fatigue life in the presence of corrosion. Simply stated, the goal of this investigation was to formulate a cheaper and quicker method for assessing the consequences of corrosion on remaining fatigue life. For this study, breaking load specimens and fatigue specimens of a single nominal gage (0.063″) of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 were exposed to three levels of corrosion. The breaking load specimens were taken from three different material lots, and the fatigue tests were carried out at three stress levels. All failed specimens, both breaking load and fatigue specimens, were examined to characterize the damage state(s) and failure mechanism(s). Correlations between breaking load results and fatigue life results in the presence of corrosion damage were developed using a fracture mechanics foundation and the observed mechanisms of failure. Where breaking load tests showed a decrease in strength due to increased corrosion exposure, the corresponding set of fatigue tests showed a decrease in life. And where breaking load tests from different specimen orientations exhibited similar levels of strength, the corresponding set of fatigue specimens showed similar lives. The spread from shortest to longest fatigue lives among the different corrosion conditions decreased at the higher stress levels. Life predictions based

  9. Identification of a 3rd Na+ Binding Site of the Glycine Transporter, GlyT2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nandhitha Subramanian

    Full Text Available The Na+/Cl- dependent glycine transporters GlyT1 and GlyT2 regulate synaptic glycine concentrations. Glycine transport by GlyT2 is coupled to the co-transport of three Na+ ions, whereas transport by GlyT1 is coupled to the co-transport of only two Na+ ions. These differences in ion-flux coupling determine their respective concentrating capacities and have a direct bearing on their functional roles in synaptic transmission. The crystal structures of the closely related bacterial Na+-dependent leucine transporter, LeuTAa, and the Drosophila dopamine transporter, dDAT, have allowed prediction of two Na+ binding sites in GlyT2, but the physical location of the third Na+ site in GlyT2 is unknown. A bacterial betaine transporter, BetP, has also been crystallized and shows structural similarity to LeuTAa. Although betaine transport by BetP is coupled to the co-transport of two Na+ ions, the first Na+ site is not conserved between BetP and LeuTAa, the so called Na1' site. We hypothesized that the third Na+ binding site (Na3 site of GlyT2 corresponds to the BetP Na1' binding site. To identify the Na3 binding site of GlyT2, we performed molecular dynamics (MD simulations. Surprisingly, a Na+ placed at the location consistent with the Na1' site of BetP spontaneously dissociated from its initial location and bound instead to a novel Na3 site. Using a combination of MD simulations of a comparative model of GlyT2 together with an analysis of the functional properties of wild type and mutant GlyTs we have identified an electrostatically favorable novel third Na+ binding site in GlyT2 formed by Trp263 and Met276 in TM3, Ala481 in TM6 and Glu648 in TM10.

  10. Functional and genomic analyses of FOXP3-transduced Jurkat-T cells as regulatory T (Treg)-like cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Joon-Young; Kim, Han-Jong; Hurt, Elaine M.; Chen, Xin; Howard, O.M. Zack; Farrar, William L.

    2007-01-01

    FOXP3, a forkhead transcription factor is essential for the development and function of CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells (Tregs). In contrast to conversion of murine naive T cells to Tregs by transduction of Foxp3, it is controversial whether ectopic expression of FOXP3 in human CD4 + T cells is sufficient for acquisition of suppressive activity. Here, we show that retroviral transduction of FOXP3 induces a Treg phenotype in human leukemic CD4 + Jurkat-T cells, evidenced by increased expression of Treg-associated cell surface markers as well as inhibition of cytokine production. Furthermore, FOXP3-transduced Jurkat-T cells suppress the proliferation of human CD4 + CD25 - T cells. Additionally, DNA microarray analysis identifies Treg-related genes regulated by FOXP3. Our study demonstrates that enforced expression of FOXP3 confers Treg-like properties on Jurkat-T cells, which can be a convenient and efficient Treg-like cell model for further study to identify Treg cell surface markers and target genes regulated by FOXP3

  11. Updating long-range transport model predictions using real-time monitoring data in case of nuclear accidents with release to the atmosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raes, Frank; Tassone, Caterina; Grippa, Gianni; Zarimpas, Nicolas; Graziani, Giovanni

    1991-01-01

    A procedure is developed to reduce the uncertainties of long-range transport model predictions, in case of a large scale nuclear accident. It is based on the availability in 'real time' of the concentrations of airborne radioactive aerosols from automatic on-line monitors, which are presently being installed throughout Europe. Essentially, the procedure consists of: (1) constructing new (area) source terms from the measured field data as they become available; and (2) restart the prediction with these sources, rather than with the original (point) source. The procedure is applied to the Chernobyl accident. It is shown that the procedure is feasible and might result in an improvement of the prediction of the location of the cloud by several hundreds of kilometers and the actual levels with an order of magnitude. The weak point is the treatment of the vertical structure and transport of the cloud, which can only be solved when 'real-time' upper air observations are also available. (author)

  12. From real life to real life

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svalgaard, Lotte

    2017-01-01

    In Action Learning programmes, it is held central to work on real business challenges (task) while learning about team and self (process); staying mindful aware of the process is referred to in this paper as ‘double awareness’, and emphasises noticing and acting on process cues while working on t...

  13. Distinct human and mouse membrane trafficking systems for sweet taste receptors T1r2 and T1r3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimizu, Madoka; Goto, Masao; Kawai, Takayuki; Yamashita, Atsuko; Kusakabe, Yuko

    2014-01-01

    The sweet taste receptors T1r2 and T1r3 are included in the T1r taste receptor family that belongs to class C of the G protein-coupled receptors. Heterodimerization of T1r2 and T1r3 is required for the perception of sweet substances, but little is known about the mechanisms underlying this heterodimerization, including membrane trafficking. We developed tagged mouse T1r2 and T1r3, and human T1R2 and T1R3 and evaluated membrane trafficking in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells. We found that human T1R3 surface expression was only observed when human T1R3 was coexpressed with human T1R2, whereas mouse T1r3 was expressed without mouse T1r2 expression. A domain-swapped chimera and truncated human T1R3 mutant showed that the Venus flytrap module and cysteine-rich domain (CRD) of human T1R3 contain a region related to the inhibition of human T1R3 membrane trafficking and coordinated regulation of human T1R3 membrane trafficking. We also found that the Venus flytrap module of both human T1R2 and T1R3 are needed for membrane trafficking, suggesting that the coexpression of human T1R2 and T1R3 is required for this event. These results suggest that the Venus flytrap module and CRD receive taste substances and play roles in membrane trafficking of human T1R2 and T1R3. These features are different from those of mouse receptors, indicating that human T1R2 and T1R3 are likely to have a novel membrane trafficking system.

  14. Midregional-proAtrial Natriuretic Peptide and High Sensitive Troponin T Strongly Predict Adverse Outcome in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Repair of Mitral Valve Regurgitation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jochen Wöhrle

    Full Text Available It is not known whether biomarkers of hemodynamic stress, myocardial necrosis, and renal function might predict adverse outcome in patients undergoing percutaneous repair of severe mitral valve insufficiency. Thus, we aimed to assess the predictive value of various established and emerging biomarkers for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE in these patients.Thirty-four patients with symptomatic severe mitral valve insufficiency with a mean STS-Score for mortality of 12.6% and a mean logistic EuroSCORE of 19.7% undergoing MitraClip therapy were prospectively included in this study. Plasma concentrations of mid regional-proatrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP, Cystatin C, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP, high-sensitive troponin T (hsTnT, N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP, galectin-3, and soluble ST-2 (interleukin 1 receptor-like 1 were measured directly before procedure. MACE was defined as cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure (HF.During a median follow-up of 211 days (interquartile range 133 to 333 days, 9 patients (26.5% experienced MACE (death: 7 patients, rehospitalization for HF: 2 patients. Thirty day MACE-rate was 5.9% (death: 2 patients, no rehospitalization for HF. Baseline concentrations of hsTnT (Median 92.6 vs 25.2 ng/L, NT-proBNP (Median 11251 vs 1974 pg/mL and MR-proANP (Median 755.6 vs 318.3 pmol/L, all p<0.001 were clearly higher in those experiencing an event vs event-free patients, while other clinical variables including STS-Score and logistic EuroSCORE did not differ significantly. In Kaplan-Meier analyses, NT-proBNP and in particular hsTnT and MR-proANP above the median discriminated between those experiencing an event vs event-free patients. This was further corroborated by C-statistics where areas under the ROC curve for prediction of MACE using the respective median values were 0.960 for MR-proANP, 0.907 for NT-proBNP, and 0.822 for hsTnT.MR-proANP and hsTnT strongly

  15. Real-Time Prediction of Gamers Behavior Using Variable Order Markov and Big Data Technology: A Case of Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro Baldominos Gómez

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the results and conclusions found when predicting the behavior of gamers in commercial videogames datasets. In particular, it uses Variable-Order Markov (VOM to build a probabilistic model that is able to use the historic behavior of gamers and to infer what will be their next actions. Being able to predict with accuracy the next user’s actions can be of special interest to learn from the behavior of gamers, to make them more engaged and to reduce churn rate. In order to support a big volume and velocity of data, the system is built on top of the Hadoop ecosystem, using HBase for real-time processing; and the prediction tool is provided as a service (SaaS and accessible through a RESTful API. The prediction system is evaluated using a case of study with two commercial videogames, attaining promising results with high prediction accuracies.

  16. Early Weight Loss with Liraglutide 3.0 mg Predicts 1‐Year Weight Loss and is Associated with Improvements in Clinical Markers

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Neil, Patrick M.; Davies, Melanie; Greenway, Frank; C.W. Lau, David; Claudius, Birgitte; Skjøth, Trine Vang; Bjørn Jensen, Christine; P.H. Wilding, John

    2016-01-01

    Objective To identify an early response criterion for predicting ≥5% weight loss with liraglutide 3.0 mg at week 56 and to compare efficacy outcomes in early responders (ERs) and early nonresponders (ENRs). Methods Using pooled data from the SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes and SCALE Diabetes trials, weight loss of ≥4% at 16 weeks best predicted ≥5% weight loss after 56 weeks. Weight loss and changes in cardiometabolic risk factors and health‐related quality of life were evaluated in ERs (≥4% weight loss at week 16) and ENRs (3.0 mg were 77.3%/22.7% (individuals without type 2 diabetes, T2D) and 62.7%/37.3% (those with T2D). Greater mean weight loss was observed in ERs versus ENRs: 10.8% versus 3.0% (without T2D) and 8.5% versus 3.1% (T2D). In both trials, greater proportions of ERs versus ENRs achieved ≥5%, >10%, and >15% weight loss at week 56 with liraglutide 3.0 mg. Greater improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors and health‐related quality of life scores were observed in ERs versus ENRs. Conclusions The early response criterion was clinically useful to identify individuals who would achieve clinically meaningful weight loss at 56 weeks. PMID:27804269

  17. Improved hybrid optimization algorithm for 3D protein structure prediction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Changjun; Hou, Caixia; Wei, Xiaopeng; Zhang, Qiang

    2014-07-01

    A new improved hybrid optimization algorithm - PGATS algorithm, which is based on toy off-lattice model, is presented for dealing with three-dimensional protein structure prediction problems. The algorithm combines the particle swarm optimization (PSO), genetic algorithm (GA), and tabu search (TS) algorithms. Otherwise, we also take some different improved strategies. The factor of stochastic disturbance is joined in the particle swarm optimization to improve the search ability; the operations of crossover and mutation that are in the genetic algorithm are changed to a kind of random liner method; at last tabu search algorithm is improved by appending a mutation operator. Through the combination of a variety of strategies and algorithms, the protein structure prediction (PSP) in a 3D off-lattice model is achieved. The PSP problem is an NP-hard problem, but the problem can be attributed to a global optimization problem of multi-extremum and multi-parameters. This is the theoretical principle of the hybrid optimization algorithm that is proposed in this paper. The algorithm combines local search and global search, which overcomes the shortcoming of a single algorithm, giving full play to the advantage of each algorithm. In the current universal standard sequences, Fibonacci sequences and real protein sequences are certified. Experiments show that the proposed new method outperforms single algorithms on the accuracy of calculating the protein sequence energy value, which is proved to be an effective way to predict the structure of proteins.

  18. Lagoa Real design - Preliminary mining study - anomaly n.03

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forman, J.M.A.

    1981-08-01

    The technical-economical factors, aiming the production of 500 t U sub(3) O sub(8) / year in bodies that form the anomaly AN-03 from Lagoa Real are presented, including the methods, quantities, equipments and the persons demanded. (author)

  19. [A comparison between 3.0 T MRI and histopathology for preoperative T staging of potentially resectable esophageal cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Z Q; Zhang, F G; Guo, J; Zhang, H K; Qin, J J; Zhao, Y; Ding, Z D; Zhang, Z X; Zhang, J B; Yuan, J H; Li, H L; Qu, J R

    2017-03-21

    Objective: To explore the value of 3.0 T MRI using multiple sequences (star VIBE+ BLADE) in evaluating the preoperative T staging for potentially resectable esophageal cancer (EC). Methods: Between April 2015 and March 2016, a total of 66 consecutive patients with endoscopically proven resectable EC underwent 3.0T MRI in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University.Two independent readers were assigned a T staging on MRI according to the 7th edition of UICC-AJCC TNM Classification, the results of preoperative T staging were compared and analyzed with post-operative pathologic confirmation. Results: The MRI T staging of two readers were highly consistent with histopathological findings, and the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of preoperative T staging MR imaging were also very high. Conclusion: 3.0 T MRI using multiple sequences is with high accuracy for patients of potentially resectable EC in T staging. The staging accuracy of T1, T2 and T3 is better than that of T4a. 3.0T MRI using multiple sequences could be used as a noninvasive imaging method for pre-operative T staging of EC.

  20. Researching on Real 3d Modeling Constructed with the Oblique Photogrammetry and Terrestrial Photogrammetry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Youmei; Jiao, Minglian; Shijuan

    2018-04-01

    With the rapid development of the oblique photogrammetry, many cities have built some real 3D model with this technology. Although it has the advantages of short period, high efficiency and good air angle effect, the near ground view angle of these real 3D models are not very good. With increasing development of smart cities, the requirements of reality, practicality and accuracy on real 3D models are becoming higher. How to produce and improve the real 3D models quickly has become one of the hot research directions of geospatial information. To meet this requirement In this paper, Combined with the characteristics of current oblique photogrammetry modeling and the terrestrial photogrammetry, we proposed a new technological process, which consists of close range sensor design, data acquisition and processing. The proposed method is being tested by using oblique photography images acquired. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

  1. Early Weight Loss with Liraglutide 3.0 mg Predicts 1-Year Weight Loss and is Associated with Improvements in Clinical Markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujioka, Ken; O'Neil, Patrick M; Davies, Melanie; Greenway, Frank; C W Lau, David; Claudius, Birgitte; Skjøth, Trine Vang; Bjørn Jensen, Christine; P H Wilding, John

    2016-11-01

    To identify an early response criterion for predicting ≥5% weight loss with liraglutide 3.0 mg at week 56 and to compare efficacy outcomes in early responders (ERs) and early nonresponders (ENRs). Using pooled data from the SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes and SCALE Diabetes trials, weight loss of ≥4% at 16 weeks best predicted ≥5% weight loss after 56 weeks. Weight loss and changes in cardiometabolic risk factors and health-related quality of life were evaluated in ERs (≥4% weight loss at week 16) and ENRs (3.0 mg were 77.3%/22.7% (individuals without type 2 diabetes, T2D) and 62.7%/37.3% (those with T2D). Greater mean weight loss was observed in ERs versus ENRs: 10.8% versus 3.0% (without T2D) and 8.5% versus 3.1% (T2D). In both trials, greater proportions of ERs versus ENRs achieved ≥5%, >10%, and >15% weight loss at week 56 with liraglutide 3.0 mg. Greater improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors and health-related quality of life scores were observed in ERs versus ENRs. The early response criterion was clinically useful to identify individuals who would achieve clinically meaningful weight loss at 56 weeks. © 2016 The Authors Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Obesity Society (TOS).

  2. T3 receptors in human pituitary tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machiavelli, Gloria A; Pauni, Micaela; Heredia Sereno, Gastón M; Szijan, Irene; Basso, Armando; Burdman, José A

    2009-11-01

    The purpose of this work was to investigate the synthesis of T3 receptors in human tumors of the anterior pituitary gland, its relationship with the hormone synthesized and/or secreted by the tumor and the post-surgical evolution of the patient. Patients were evaluated clinically and by magnetic nuclear resonance to classify the adenoma according to their size. Hormonal concentrations in sera were determined by radioimmunoassay. Immunohistochemistry of the pituitary hormones was performed in the tumors. Tumors were obtained at surgery and immediately frozen in ice, transported to the laboratory and stored at -70 degrees C. Reverse transcription was performed with purified RNA from the tumors. Out of 33 pituitary tumors, 29 had RNA for T3 receptors synthesis (88%). They were present in different histological specimens, the tumors were grades 1-4 according to their size, and there was no relationship between the size of the tumor and the presence of T3 receptor RNAs. The post-surgical evolution of the patient was mostly dependent on the size and not on the presence of T3 receptors. The presence of thyroid hormone receptors in pituitary tumors is in line with two important characteristics of these tumors: they are histologically benign and well differentiated.

  3. Preparation of high specific activity labelled triiodothyronine (T3) for radioimmunoassay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pillai, M.R.A.; Nagvekar, U.H.; Desai, C.N.; Mani, R.S.

    1981-01-01

    A method standardized for the preparation of high specific activity labelled triiodothyronine (T 3 ) is discussed. Iodine-125 labelled T 3 with a specific activity of 3 mCi μg was prepared by iodinating 3,5-diiodothyronine (T 2 ) and purifying it over Sephadex G-25 gel. Radochemical purity and stability evaluations were done by paper chromatography. Specific activity of the labelled T 3 prepared was estimated by the self-displacement method. The use of this high specific activity labelled T 3 in radioimmunoassay increased the sensitivity considerably. The advantage of this procedure is that the specific activity of labelled T 3 formed is independent of reaction yield and labelled T 3 yield. (author)

  4. Real-time MRI of the temporomandibular joint at 15 frames per second—A feasibility study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krohn, Sebastian; Gersdorff, Nikolaus; Wassmann, Torsten; Merboldt, Klaus-Dietmar; Joseph, Arun A.; Buergers, Ralf; Frahm, Jens

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a novel method for real-time MRI of TMJ function at high temporal resolution and with two different contrasts. Real-time MRI was based on undersampled radial fast low angle shot (FLASH) acquisitions with iterative image reconstruction by regularized nonlinear inversion. Real-time MRI movies with T1 contrast were obtained with use of a radiofrequency-spoiled FLASH sequence, while movies with T2/T1 contrast employed a gradient-refocused FLASH version. TMJ function was characterized in 40 randomly selected volunteers by sequential 20 s acquisitions of both the right and left joint during voluntary opening and closing of the mouth (in a medial, central and lateral oblique sagittal section perpendicular to the long axis of the condylar head). All studies were performed on a commercial MRI system at 3 T using the standard head coil, while online reconstruction was achieved with a bypass computer fully integrated into the MRI system. As a first result, real-time MRI studies of the right and left TMJ were successfully performed in all 40 subjects (80 joints) within a total examination time per subject of only 15 min. Secondly, at an in-plane resolution of 0.75 mm and 5 mm section thickness, the achieved temporal resolution was 66.7 ms per image or 15 frames per second. Thirdly, both T1-weighted and T2/T1-weighted real-time MRI movies provided information about TMJ function such as disc position, condyle mobility and disc-condyle relationship. While T1 contrast offers a better delineation of structures during rapid jaw movements, T2/T1 contrast was rated superior for characterizing the articular disc. In conclusion, the proposed real-time MRI method may become a robust and efficient tool for the clinical assessment of TMJ function.

  5. Real-time MRI of the temporomandibular joint at 15 frames per second—A feasibility study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krohn, Sebastian; Gersdorff, Nikolaus; Wassmann, Torsten [Department of Prosthodontics, University Medical Center, Göttingen (Germany); Merboldt, Klaus-Dietmar [Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen (Germany); Joseph, Arun A., E-mail: ajoseph@mpibpc.mpg.de [Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen (Germany); Buergers, Ralf [Department of Prosthodontics, University Medical Center, Göttingen (Germany); Frahm, Jens [Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen (Germany)

    2016-12-15

    The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a novel method for real-time MRI of TMJ function at high temporal resolution and with two different contrasts. Real-time MRI was based on undersampled radial fast low angle shot (FLASH) acquisitions with iterative image reconstruction by regularized nonlinear inversion. Real-time MRI movies with T1 contrast were obtained with use of a radiofrequency-spoiled FLASH sequence, while movies with T2/T1 contrast employed a gradient-refocused FLASH version. TMJ function was characterized in 40 randomly selected volunteers by sequential 20 s acquisitions of both the right and left joint during voluntary opening and closing of the mouth (in a medial, central and lateral oblique sagittal section perpendicular to the long axis of the condylar head). All studies were performed on a commercial MRI system at 3 T using the standard head coil, while online reconstruction was achieved with a bypass computer fully integrated into the MRI system. As a first result, real-time MRI studies of the right and left TMJ were successfully performed in all 40 subjects (80 joints) within a total examination time per subject of only 15 min. Secondly, at an in-plane resolution of 0.75 mm and 5 mm section thickness, the achieved temporal resolution was 66.7 ms per image or 15 frames per second. Thirdly, both T1-weighted and T2/T1-weighted real-time MRI movies provided information about TMJ function such as disc position, condyle mobility and disc-condyle relationship. While T1 contrast offers a better delineation of structures during rapid jaw movements, T2/T1 contrast was rated superior for characterizing the articular disc. In conclusion, the proposed real-time MRI method may become a robust and efficient tool for the clinical assessment of TMJ function.

  6. Diffusion-weighted MR neurography of the brachial and lumbosacral plexus: 3.0 T versus 1.5 T imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mürtz, P.; Kaschner, M.; Lakghomi, A.; Gieseke, J.; Willinek, W.A.; Schild, H.H.; Thomas, D.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: •DW MRN of brachial and lumbosacral plexus at 1.5 T and at 3.0 T was compared. •For lumbosacral plexus, nerve conspicuity on MIP images was superior at 3.0 T, also visible length and mean sharpness of the nerves. •For brachial plexus, nerve conspicuity at 3.0 T was rather inferior, nerve length was not significantly different, mean sharpness was superior at 3.0 T. -- Abstract: Purpose: To compare intraindividually the nerve conspicuity of the brachial and lumbosacral plexus on diffusion-weighted (DW) MR neurography (MRN) at two different field strengths. Materials and methods: 16 healthy volunteers were investigated at 3.0 T and 1.5 T applying optimized variants of a DW spin-echo echo-planar imaging sequence with short TI inversion recovery fat suppression. Full-volume (FV) and curved sub-volume (CSV) maximum intensity projection (MIP) images were reconstructed and nerve conspicuity was visually assessed. Moreover, visible length and sharpness of the nerves were quantitatively analyzed. Results: On FV MIP images, nerve conspicuity at 3.0 T compared to 1.5 T was worse for brachial plexus (P = 0.00228), but better for lumbosacral plexus (P = 0.00666). On CSV MIP images, nerve conspicuity did not differ significantly for brachial plexus, but was better at 3.0 T for lumbosacral plexus (P = 0.00091). The visible length of the analyzed nerves did not differ significantly with the exception of some lumbosacral nerves, which were significantly longer at 3.0 T. The sharpness of all investigated nerves was significantly higher at 3.0 T by about 40–60% for cervical and 97–169% for lumbosacral nerves. Conclusion: DW MRN imaging at 3.0 T compared to 1.5 T is superior for lumbosacral plexus, but not for brachial plexus

  7. Diffusion-weighted MR neurography of the brachial and lumbosacral plexus: 3.0 T versus 1.5 T imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mürtz, P., E-mail: petra.muertz@ukb.uni-bonn.de [Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn (Germany); Kaschner, M., E-mail: Marius.Kaschner@med.uni-duesseldorf.de [Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn (Germany); Lakghomi, A., E-mail: Asadeh.Lakghomi@ukb.uni-bonn.de [Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn (Germany); Gieseke, J., E-mail: juergen.gieseke@ukb.uni-bonn.de [Philips Healthcare, Lübeckertordamm 5, 20099 Hamburg (Germany); Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn (Germany); Willinek, W.A., E-mail: winfried.willinek@ukb.uni-bonn.de [Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn (Germany); Schild, H.H., E-mail: hans.schild@ukb.uni-bonn.de [Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn (Germany); Thomas, D., E-mail: daniel.thomas@ukb.uni-bonn.de [Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, 53105 Bonn (Germany)

    2015-04-15

    Highlights: •DW MRN of brachial and lumbosacral plexus at 1.5 T and at 3.0 T was compared. •For lumbosacral plexus, nerve conspicuity on MIP images was superior at 3.0 T, also visible length and mean sharpness of the nerves. •For brachial plexus, nerve conspicuity at 3.0 T was rather inferior, nerve length was not significantly different, mean sharpness was superior at 3.0 T. -- Abstract: Purpose: To compare intraindividually the nerve conspicuity of the brachial and lumbosacral plexus on diffusion-weighted (DW) MR neurography (MRN) at two different field strengths. Materials and methods: 16 healthy volunteers were investigated at 3.0 T and 1.5 T applying optimized variants of a DW spin-echo echo-planar imaging sequence with short TI inversion recovery fat suppression. Full-volume (FV) and curved sub-volume (CSV) maximum intensity projection (MIP) images were reconstructed and nerve conspicuity was visually assessed. Moreover, visible length and sharpness of the nerves were quantitatively analyzed. Results: On FV MIP images, nerve conspicuity at 3.0 T compared to 1.5 T was worse for brachial plexus (P = 0.00228), but better for lumbosacral plexus (P = 0.00666). On CSV MIP images, nerve conspicuity did not differ significantly for brachial plexus, but was better at 3.0 T for lumbosacral plexus (P = 0.00091). The visible length of the analyzed nerves did not differ significantly with the exception of some lumbosacral nerves, which were significantly longer at 3.0 T. The sharpness of all investigated nerves was significantly higher at 3.0 T by about 40–60% for cervical and 97–169% for lumbosacral nerves. Conclusion: DW MRN imaging at 3.0 T compared to 1.5 T is superior for lumbosacral plexus, but not for brachial plexus.

  8. Increased reverse T3 concentration in patients with anorexia nerrosa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baranowska, B.; Kaniewski, M.; Zgliczynski, S.

    1980-01-01

    In 20 female patients with anorexia nervosa, aging 16 - 26 years, the thyroid function was estimated by +- determining TSH secretion in response to TRH, and serum thyroxine (T 4 ), 3,5,3'L-triiodothyronine (T 3 ) and 3,3',5'L-triiodothyronine (reverse T 3 ) concentrations. 14 healthy women of the same age were included into the control group. If compared with control group, a marked supression of TRH stimulated TSH secretion and a lowering of serum T 3 concentration was found in patients with anorexia nervosa. On the other hand, serum reverse T 3 concentration was markedly higher in patients with anorexia nervosa than in control ones. Gain of body weight leads to normalization of thyroid hormones level in the serum. Obtained results show for peripheral mechanism of described hormonal disorders. (author)

  9. MR imaging of the brachial plexus: comparison between 1.5-T and 3-T MR imaging: preliminary experience

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tagliafico, Alberto; Neumaier, Carlo Emanuele; Calabrese, Massimo [National Institute for Cancer Research, Department of Radiology, Genova (Italy); Succio, Giulia; Serafini, Giovanni; Ghidara, Matteo [Santa Corona Hospital, Radiology Department, Savona (Italy); Martinoli, Carlo [Universita di Genova, Radiology Department, Genova (Italy)

    2011-06-15

    To compare 1.5-T and 3-T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brachial plexus. Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained from 30 healthy volunteers and 30 consecutive patients with brachial plexus disturbances. MR was prospectively performed with comparable sequence parameters and coils with a 1.5-T and a 3-T system. Imaging protocols at both field strengths included T1-weighted turbo spin-echo (tSE) sequences and T2-weighed turbo spin-echo (tSE) sequences with fat saturation. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between muscle and nerve were calculated for both field strengths. The visibility of brachial plexus nerve at various anatomic levels (roots, interscalene area, costoclavicular space, and axillary level) was analyzed with a four-point grading scale by two radiologists. MR imaging diagnoses and pathological findings were also compared qualitatively. SNR and CNRs were significantly higher on 3-T MR images than on 1.5-T MR images (Friedman test) for all sequences. Nerve visibility was significantly better on 3-T MR images than on 1.5-T MR images (paired sign test). Pathological findings (n = 30/30) were seen equally well with both field strengths. MR imaging diagnoses did not differ for the 1.5- and 3-T protocols. High-quality MR images of the brachial plexus can be obtained with 3-T MR imaging by using sequences similar to those used at 1.5-T MR imaging. In patients and healthy volunteers, the visibility of nerve trunks and cords at 3-T MR imaging appears to be superior to that at 1.5-T MR imaging. (orig.)

  10. A Controller for Dynamic Partial Reconfiguration in FPGA-Based Real-Time Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pezzarossa, Luca; Schoeberl, Martin; Sparsø, Jens

    2017-01-01

    -source DPR controller specially developed for hard real-time systems and prototyped in connection with the open-source multi-core platform for real-time applications T-CREST. The controller enables a processor to perform reconfiguration in a time-predictable manner and supports different operating modes......In real-time systems, the use of hardware accelerators can lead to a worst-case execution-time speed-up, to a simplification of its analysis, and to a reduction of its pessimism. When using FPGA technology, dynamic partial reconfiguration (DPR) can be used to minimize the area, by only loading....... The paper also presents a software tool for bitstream conversion, compression, and for reconfiguration time analysis. The DPR controller is evaluated in terms of hardware cost, operating frequency, speed, and bitstream compression ratio vs. reconfiguration time trade-off. A simple application example...

  11. Dynamic Involvement of Real World Objects in the IoT: A Consensus-Based Cooperation Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilloni, Virginia; Atzori, Luigi; Mallus, Matteo

    2017-03-01

    A significant role in the Internet of Things (IoT) will be taken by mobile and low-cost unstable devices, which autonomously self-organize and introduce highly dynamic and heterogeneous scenarios for the deployment of distributed applications. This entails the devices to cooperate to dynamically find the suitable combination of their involvement so as to improve the system reliability while following the changes in their status. Focusing on the above scenario, we propose a distributed algorithm for resources allocation that is run by devices that can perform the same task required by the applications, allowing for a flexible and dynamic binding of the requested services with the physical IoT devices. It is based on a consensus approach, which maximizes the lifetime of groups of nodes involved and ensures the fulfillment of the requested Quality of Information (QoI) requirements. Experiments have been conducted with real devices, showing an improvement of device lifetime of more than 20 % , with respect to a uniform distribution of tasks.

  12. Advances in hybrid MR–PET at 3 T and 9.4 T in humans

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jon Shah, N., E-mail: n.j.shah@fz-juelich.de [Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine-4, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich (Germany); Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, JARA, RWTH Aachen University Aachen (Germany); Mauler, Jörg [Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine-4, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich (Germany); Neuner, Irene [Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine-4, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich (Germany); Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen (Germany); Oros-Peusquens, Ana-Maria; Romanzetti, Sandro; Vahedipour, Kaveh; Felder, Jörg; Celik, Avdo [Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine-4, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich (Germany); Iida, Hidehiro [Department of Investigative Radiology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, 5-7-1, Fujishirodai, Suita, Osaka, 565-8565 (Japan); Langen, Karl-Josef; Herzog, Hans [Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine-4, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich (Germany)

    2013-02-21

    Hybrid MR–PET data acquisition in simultaneous mode confers a number of advantages at 3 T and 9.4 T. From an MR perspective, the potential for ultra-high resolution structural imaging is discussed and example images of the cerebellum with an isotropic resolution of 320 μm are presented. Further, metabolic imaging is discussed and high-resolution images of the sodium distribution are demonstrated. Examples of tumour imaging on a 3 T MR–PET system are included and discussed.

  13. Advances in hybrid MR–PET at 3 T and 9.4 T in humans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jon Shah, N.; Mauler, Jörg; Neuner, Irene; Oros-Peusquens, Ana-Maria; Romanzetti, Sandro; Vahedipour, Kaveh; Felder, Jörg; Celik, Avdo; Iida, Hidehiro; Langen, Karl-Josef; Herzog, Hans

    2013-01-01

    Hybrid MR–PET data acquisition in simultaneous mode confers a number of advantages at 3 T and 9.4 T. From an MR perspective, the potential for ultra-high resolution structural imaging is discussed and example images of the cerebellum with an isotropic resolution of 320 μm are presented. Further, metabolic imaging is discussed and high-resolution images of the sodium distribution are demonstrated. Examples of tumour imaging on a 3 T MR–PET system are included and discussed

  14. Hepatic Iron Quantification on 3 Tesla (3T Magnetic Resonance (MR: Technical Challenges and Solutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Anwar

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available MR has become a reliable and noninvasive method of hepatic iron quantification. Currently, most of the hepatic iron quantification is performed on 1.5 T MR, and the biopsy measurements have been paired with R2 and R2* values for 1.5 T MR. As the use of 3T MR scanners is steadily increasing in clinical practice, it has become important to evaluate the practicality of calculating iron burden at 3T MR. Hepatic iron quantification on 3T MR requires a better understanding of the process and more stringent technical considerations. The purpose of this work is to focus on the technical challenges in establishing a relationship between T2* values at 1.5 T MR and 3T MR for hepatic iron concentration (HIC and to develop an appropriately optimized MR protocol for the evaluation of T2* values in the liver at 3T magnetic field strength. We studied 22 sickle cell patients using multiecho fast gradient-echo sequence (MFGRE 3T MR and compared the results with serum ferritin and liver biopsy results. Our study showed that the quantification of hepatic iron on 3T MRI in sickle cell disease patients correlates well with clinical blood test results and biopsy results. 3T MR liver iron quantification based on MFGRE can be used for hepatic iron quantification in transfused patients.

  15. Triiodothyronine modulates the expression of leptin and adiponectin in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Miriane de; de Síbio, Maria Teresa; Olimpio, Regiane Marques Castro; Moretto, Fernanda Cristina Fontes; Luvizotto, Renata de Azevedo Melo; Nogueira, Celia Regina

    2015-01-01

    To study the effect of different doses of triiodothyronine on gene expression of the adipokines leptin and adiponectin, at different times, and to evaluate the difference in expression between the two adipokines in each group. 3T3-L1 adipocytes were incubated with triiodothyronine at physiological dose (10nM) and supraphysiological doses (100nM or 1,000nM), or without triiodothyronine (control, C) for 0.5, 6, or 24 hours. Leptin and adiponectin mRNA was detected using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). One-way analyses of variance, Tukey's test or Student's t test, were used to analyze data, and significance level was set at 5%. Leptin levels decreased in the 1,000nM-dose group after 0.5 hour. Adiponectin levels dropped in the 10nM-dose group, but increased at the 100nM dose. After 6 hours, both genes were suppressed in all hormone concentrations. After 24 hours, leptin levels increased at 10, 100 and 1,000nM groups as compared to the control group; and adiponectin levels increased only in the 100nM group as compared to the control group. These results demonstrated fast actions of triiodothyronine on the leptin and adiponectin expression, starting at 0.5 hour, at a dose of 1,000nM for leptin and 100nM for adiponectin. Triiodothyronine stimulated or inhibited the expression of adipokines in adipocytes at different times and doses which may be useful to assist in the treatment of obesity, assuming that leptin is increased and adiponectin is decreased, in obesity cases.

  16. Working with Windows Vista at CERN - (IT3T/2007/3)

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2007-01-01

    IT3T/2007/3 - Travailler sur Windows Vista au CERN La présentation fournira une introduction à Windows Vista et montrera les nouvelles fonctionnalités comme le nouveau interface d’utilisateur : Windows Aero, le nouveau Windows Desktop Search et les divers améliorations de sécurité comme User Account Control. IT3T/2007/3 - Working with Windows Vista at CERN The presentation will provide a introduction to Windows Vista and demonstrate the new features such as the new Graphical User Interface including Windows Aero, the new Windows Desktop Search and various Security enhancements like the User Account Control.

  17. A Real-Time Accurate Model and Its Predictive Fuzzy PID Controller for Pumped Storage Unit via Error Compensation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianzhong Zhou

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Model simulation and control of pumped storage unit (PSU are essential to improve the dynamic quality of power station. Only under the premise of the PSU models reflecting the actual transient process, the novel control method can be properly applied in the engineering. The contributions of this paper are that (1 a real-time accurate equivalent circuit model (RAECM of PSU via error compensation is proposed to reconcile the conflict between real-time online simulation and accuracy under various operating conditions, and (2 an adaptive predicted fuzzy PID controller (APFPID based on RAECM is put forward to overcome the instability of conventional control under no-load conditions with low water head. Respectively, all hydraulic factors in pipeline system are fully considered based on equivalent lumped-circuits theorem. The pretreatment, which consists of improved Suter-transformation and BP neural network, and online simulation method featured by two iterative loops are synthetically proposed to improve the solving accuracy of the pump-turbine. Moreover, the modified formulas for compensating error are derived with variable-spatial discretization to improve the accuracy of the real-time simulation further. The implicit RadauIIA method is verified to be more suitable for PSUGS owing to wider stable domain. Then, APFPID controller is constructed based on the integration of fuzzy PID and the model predictive control. Rolling prediction by RAECM is proposed to replace rolling optimization with its computational speed guaranteed. Finally, the simulation and on-site measurements are compared to prove trustworthy of RAECM under various running conditions. Comparative experiments also indicate that APFPID controller outperforms other controllers in most cases, especially low water head conditions. Satisfying results of RAECM have been achieved in engineering and it provides a novel model reference for PSUGS.

  18. The c-index is not proper for the evaluation of $t$-year predicted risks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanche, Paul; Kattan, Michael W; Gerds, Thomas A

    2018-02-16

    We show that the widely used concordance index for time to event outcome is not proper when interest is in predicting a $t$-year risk of an event, for example 10-year mortality. In the situation with a fixed prediction horizon, the concordance index can be higher for a misspecified model than for a correctly specified model. Impropriety happens because the concordance index assesses the order of the event times and not the order of the event status at the prediction horizon. The time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve does not have this problem and is proper in this context.

  19. Esophageal motion characteristics in thoracic esophageal cancer: Impact of clinical stage T4 versus stages T1-T3

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuta Kobayashi, MS

    2016-10-01

    Conclusions: The EM and the ITV margins in cT4 were significantly smaller than those in cT1-T3. The NM and the ITV margins of abdominal LNs were much larger than those of cervicothoracic LNs and the esophagus. In clinical radiation therapy planning for esophageal cancer, we should take cT stage into consideration.

  20. Time to Detection with BacT/Alert FA Plus Compared to BacT/Alert FA Blood Culture Media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nutman, A; Fisher Even-Tsur, S; Shapiro, G; Braun, T; Schwartz, D; Carmeli, Y

    2016-09-01

    Rapid identification of the causative pathogen in patients with bacteremia allows adjustment of antibiotic therapy and improves patient outcomes. We compared in vitro and real-life time to detection (TTD) of two blood culture media, BacT/Alert FA (FA) and BacT/Alert FA Plus (FA Plus), for the nine most common species of bacterial pathogens recovered from blood samples. Experimental data from simulated cultures was compared with microbiology records of TTD for both culture media with growth of the species of interest in clinical blood cultures. In the experimental conditions, median TTD was 3.8 hours (23.9 %) shorter using FA Plus media. The magnitude of reduction differed between species. Similarly, in real life data, FA Plus had shorter TTD than FA media; however, the difference between culture media was smaller, and median TTD was only 1 hour (8.5 %) less. We found shorter TTD with BacT/Alert FA Plus culture media, both experimentally and in real-life conditions and unrelated to antibiotic neutralization, highlighting the importance of appropriate blood culture media selection.

  1. RESEARCHING ON REAL 3D MODELING CONSTRUCTED WITH THE OBLIQUE PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND TERRESTRIAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Han

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available With the rapid development of the oblique photogrammetry, many cities have built some real 3D model with this technology. Although it has the advantages of short period, high efficiency and good air angle effect, the near ground view angle of these real 3D models are not very good. With increasing development of smart cities, the requirements of reality, practicality and accuracy on real 3D models are becoming higher. How to produce and improve the real 3D models quickly has become one of the hot research directions of geospatial information. To meet this requirement In this paper, Combined with the characteristics of current oblique photogrammetry modeling and the terrestrial photogrammetry, we proposed a new technological process, which consists of close range sensor design, data acquisition and processing. The proposed method is being tested by using oblique photography images acquired. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

  2. T1R3 homomeric sweet taste receptor regulates adipogenesis through Gαs-mediated microtubules disassembly and Rho activation in 3T3-L1 cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yosuke Masubuchi

    Full Text Available We previously reported that 3T3-L1 cells express a functional sweet taste receptor possibly as a T1R3 homomer that is coupled to Gs and negatively regulates adipogenesis by a Gαs-mediated but cAMP-independent mechanism. Here, we show that stimulation of this receptor with sucralose or saccharin induced disassembly of the microtubules in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, which was attenuated by overexpression of the dominant-negative mutant of Gαs (Gαs-G226A. In contrast, overexpression of the constitutively active mutant of Gαs (Gαs-Q227L as well as treatment with cholera toxin or isoproterenol but not with forskolin caused disassembly of the microtubules. Sweetener-induced microtubule disassembly was accompanied by activation of RhoA and Rho-associated kinase (ROCK. This was attenuated with by knockdown of GEF-H1, a microtubule-localized guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rho GTPase. Furthermore, overexpression of the dominant-negative mutant of RhoA (RhoA-T19N blocked sweetener-induced dephosphorylation of Akt and repression of PPARγ and C/EBPα in the early phase of adipogenic differentiation. These results suggest that the T1R3 homomeric sweet taste receptor negatively regulates adipogenesis through Gαs-mediated microtubule disassembly and consequent activation of the Rho/ROCK pathway.

  3. Evaluación de la capacidad de reconocimiento de los anticuerpos monoclonales conjugados: IOR T3, T4 Y T8 Assessment of recognition ability of conjugate monoclonal antibodies: IOR T3, T4 and T8

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liliana Pérez Toledo

    2000-04-01

    Full Text Available En la infección por VIH la evaluación secuencial de los valores de linfocitos CD3, CD4 y CD8 aportan información para el establecimiento del estado clínico y el pronóstico de los pacientes. Disponer de reactivos óptimos, producidos en nuestro país, para su uso en citometría de flujo, implica un ahorro sin que se afecte la calidad. El Laboratorio Diagnóstico del Instituto de Medicina Tropical (IPK correlacionó el porcentaje de linfocitos reconocidos por los anticuerpos monoclonales (AcMs conjugados producidos por el Centro de Inmunología Molecular (CIM (CIMAB SA, La Habana, Cuba [ior T3, T4 y T8] frente a sus similares de la casa comercial DAKO AG (Dinamarca, en muestras de pacientes en diferentes estadios de la enfermedad, tomados aleatoriamente. Los resultados del coeficiente de correlación para cada AcM utilizando una regresión simple, fueron los siguientes: CD3=0,932; CD4=0,986; CD8=0,958. Con este estudio se demostró que los AcMs conjugados de la serie ior (CIMAB SA se comportan, en cuanto a porcentaje de reconocimiento, de forma similar a los de la casa comercial DAKO, lo que posibilita el diagnóstico y monitoreo de los pacientes VIH/SIDA cubanosIn VIH infection, sequential assessment of CD3, CD4, and CD8 lymphocytes values, provide information to stablishment of clinical status and prognosis of patients. Availability of optimal reagents of national manufacture to use in flow cytometry, means a saving without to affect quality. Diagnostic Laboratory of "Pedro Kourí" Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK to correlates percentage of lymphocytes recognized by conjugate monoclonal antibodies (MAB, produced by Center of Molecular Immunology (CMI (CIMAB S.A. Havana, Cuba [ior T3, T4, and T8] versus homologous of DAKO AG commercial firm (Denmark in randomized patient´s samples in different diseases stage. Results of correlation coefficient to each MAB, using single regression were as follow: CD3=0,932; CD4=0,986; CD8=0,958. This

  4. Production of d, t, 3He, anti d, anti t and anti 3He by 200 GeV protons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bozzoli, W.; Giacomelli, G.; Rimondi, F.; Zylberajch, S.; Lesquoy, E.; Meunier, R.; Moscoso, L.; Muller, A.; Bussiere, A.

    1978-01-01

    Data are presented on the yields of d, t, 3 He, anti d, anti t, and anti 3 He with laboratory momenta between 12 and 37 GeV/c produced by 200 GeV protons on beryllium and aluminium. The production yield of nuclei depends significantly on the target nucleus, while the anti d production is independent of target material. The mass dependence of the production cross section is exponential for both nuclei and antinuclei

  5. High-resolution MR imaging of the knee at 3 T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Niitsu, M.; Nakai, T.; Ikeda, K.; Tang, G.Y.; Yoshioka, H.; Itai, Y. [Tsukuba Univ., Ibaraki (Japan). Dept. of Radiology

    2000-07-01

    In order to examine the practical feasibility of using a 3.0-T MR unit to obtain high-quality, high-resolution images of the knee joint, one human cadaveric and 5 porcine knees were imaged with the 3.0-T unit. Sets of T1-weighted spin echo images were obtained with in-plane resolution of 0.195x0.39 mm and an acquisition time of approximately 5 min. Two porcine knees were also imaged with the 1.0-T unit with an identical imaging protocol and the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios were measured on images at 3 T and 1 T. The 3-T MR system provided detailed delineation of the knees. Deep layers of the medial collateral ligament and associated fine fibers beneath the medial and lateral collateral ligament were demarcated. We observed precise demonstration of the tibial attachment of the anterior cruciate ligament, irregularity of the meniscal free edge, and conjoint tendon formation together with the lateral collateral ligament and the biceps femoris tendon. Compared to the 1-T unit, the S/N ratio with the 3-T unit was increased by a factor of 1.39 to 1.72. Due to the potential advantage of obtaining detailed images, the 3-T MR system suggests a practical utility for fine demonstration of the knee morphology.

  6. High-resolution MR imaging of the knee at 3 T

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niitsu, M.; Nakai, T.; Ikeda, K.; Tang, G.Y.; Yoshioka, H.; Itai, Y.

    2000-01-01

    In order to examine the practical feasibility of using a 3.0-T MR unit to obtain high-quality, high-resolution images of the knee joint, one human cadaveric and 5 porcine knees were imaged with the 3.0-T unit. Sets of T1-weighted spin echo images were obtained with in-plane resolution of 0.195x0.39 mm and an acquisition time of approximately 5 min. Two porcine knees were also imaged with the 1.0-T unit with an identical imaging protocol and the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios were measured on images at 3 T and 1 T. The 3-T MR system provided detailed delineation of the knees. Deep layers of the medial collateral ligament and associated fine fibers beneath the medial and lateral collateral ligament were demarcated. We observed precise demonstration of the tibial attachment of the anterior cruciate ligament, irregularity of the meniscal free edge, and conjoint tendon formation together with the lateral collateral ligament and the biceps femoris tendon. Compared to the 1-T unit, the S/N ratio with the 3-T unit was increased by a factor of 1.39 to 1.72. Due to the potential advantage of obtaining detailed images, the 3-T MR system suggests a practical utility for fine demonstration of the knee morphology

  7. Thyroid hormone uptake and T4 derived T3 formation in different skeletal muscle types of normal and hyperthyroid rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hardeveld, C. van; Kassenaar, A.A.H.

    1978-01-01

    In this study hind-limb perfusion was used to investigate conversion of T 4 to T 3 in skeletal muscle tissue. For this purpose the rats were depleted of thyroid hormones by thyroid ablation with 0.75 mCi 131 I and were perfused 2 weeks later, when the skeletal muscle tissue consumed oxygen at a normal rate due to one subcutaneous dose of 10 μg T 3 /100 g b. w. 3 days before the perfusion experiments were started. T 4 * of high specific activity (> 2000 μCi/μg) was added to the perfusate. In the muscle (mixed type) a mean T 4 → T 3 conversion of 2% (range 0.5-3.9) was found after 120 min of perfusion. T 3 generation from T 4 in skeletal muscle did not correspond with T 3 muscle uptake. This observation makes a significant overestimation of T 3 by selective uptake of a small contamination of T 3 * in the T 4 * preparation highly improbable. In red muscle the T 4 and T 3 uptake was about 50 % higher than in white muscle. The observed Tetracsup(c) and T 3 sup(c) were significantly higher in red than in white muscle. The uptake of thyroid hormones by both muscle types was not changed in hyperthyroid rats. The Tetrac and T 3 formation from T 4 , however, was increased in red muscles of hyperthyroid rats. The results show that thyroid hormone metabolism can vary markedly depending upon the type of muscle studied and they present a basis for a better understanding of clinical and biochemical evidence for a different susceptibility of red and white muscle fibers to thyroid hormones. (Abbreviations: *= 125 I; **= 131 I; T 3 sup(c)=T 4 derived T 3 ; Tetracsup(c)=T 4 derived Tetrac) (author)

  8. On the Physiology of Normal Swallowing as Revealed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Real Time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arno Olthoff

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to assess the physiology of normal swallowing using recent advances in real-time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI. Therefore ten young healthy subjects underwent real-time MRI and flexible endoscopic evaluations of swallowing (FEES with thickened pineapple juice as oral contrast bolus. MRI movies were recorded in sagittal, coronal, and axial orientations during successive swallows at about 25 frames per second. Intermeasurement variation was analyzed and comparisons between real-time MRI and FEES were performed. Twelve distinct swallowing events could be quantified by real-time MRI (start time, end time, and duration. These included five valve functions: oro-velar opening, velo-pharyngeal closure, glottal closure, epiglottic retroflexion, and esophageal opening; three bolus transports: oro-velar transit, pharyngeal delay, pharyngeal transit; and four additional events: laryngeal ascent, laryngeal descent, vallecular, and piriform sinus filling and pharyngeal constriction. Repetitive measurements confirmed the general reliability of the MRI method with only two significant differences for the start times of the velo-pharyngeal closure (t(8=-2.4, P≤0.046 and laryngeal ascent (t(8=-2.6, P≤0.031. The duration of the velo-pharyngeal closure was significantly longer in real-time MRI compared to FEES (t(8=-3.3, P≤0.011. Real-time MRI emerges as a simple, robust, and reliable tool for obtaining comprehensive functional and anatomical information about the swallowing process.

  9. T2 Mapping of the Sacroiliac Joints With 3-T MRI: A Preliminary Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lefebvre, Guillaume; Bergère, Antonin; Rafei, Mazen El; Duhamel, Alain; Teixeira, Pedro; Cotten, Anne

    2017-08-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of T2 relaxation time measurements of the sacroiliac joints. The sacroiliac joints of 40 patients were imaged by 3-T MRI using an oblique axial multislice multiecho spin-echo T2-weighted sequence. Manual plotting and automatic subdivision of ROIs allowed us to obtain T2 values for up to 48 different areas per patient (posterior and anterior parts, sacral, intermediate, and iliac parts). Intraand interobserver reproducibility of T2 values were calculated after independent assessment by two musculoskeletal radiologists. A total of 1656 measurement sites could be analyzed. Mean (± SD) T2 values were 40.6 ± 6.7 ms and 41.2 ± 6.3 ms for observer 1 and 39.9 ± 6.6 ms for observer 2. The intraobserver intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.72 (95% CI, 0.70-0.74), and the interobserver intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.68-0.72). Our study shows the feasibility of T2 relaxation time measurements at the sacroiliac joints.

  10. Basic and clinical investigation of T3 immunoassay kit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konishi, Junji; Nakajima, Akiko; Morita, Rikushi; Endo, Keigo; Ikekubo, Katsuji

    1976-01-01

    T 3 immunoassay kit was investigated basically and clinically. A good result was obtained at the prescribed incubation temperature and for 16 hours of incubation time. Moreover, it was thought to be possible that incubation time could be shortened to 1 - 4 hours at 37 0 C. Specificity of antibody was good. Recovery of added T 3 was 100+-5 (S.D.) % on an average and parallel of dilution curve of high T 3 serum was also good. Variation coefficient of accuracy of this kit was 1.5 - 2.1 % and that of reproducibility was 1.3 - 6.6 %. Mild hemolysis did not affect measurement value. Serum T 3 level in normals, untreated patients with Basedow's disease and patients with primary hypothyroidism was 142+-21 ng/100 ml, 452+-156 ng/100 ml and 67+-17 ng/100 ml, respectively. Serum T 3 level in patients with Hashimoto's disease was distributed to a wide extent, but that of patients with goiter and simple goiter ranged within normal range. On the other side, serum T 3 level of normal pregnant woman was high and that of patients with anorexia nervosa showed low level. From the above mentioned results, it was concluded that this kit was simple in method and good in sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility and it was also useful for clinical applications. (M. Tsunoda)

  11. Musculoskeletal MRI at 3.0 T and 7.0 T: a comparison of relaxation times and image contrast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, Caroline D; Saranathan, Manojkumar; Bangerter, Neal K; Hargreaves, Brian A; Gold, Garry E

    2013-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the relaxation times of musculoskeletal tissues at 3.0 T and 7.0 T, and to use these measurements to select appropriate parameters for musculoskeletal protocols at 7.0 T. We measured the T₁ and T₂ relaxation times of cartilage, muscle, synovial fluid, bone marrow and subcutaneous fat at both 3.0 T and 7.0 T in the knees of five healthy volunteers. The T₁ relaxation times were measured using a spin-echo inversion recovery sequence with six inversion times. The T₂ relaxation times were measured using a spin-echo sequence with seven echo times. The accuracy of both the T₁ and T₂ measurement techniques was verified in phantoms at both magnetic field strengths. We used the measured relaxation times to help design 7.0 T musculoskeletal protocols that preserve the favorable contrast characteristics of our 3.0 T protocols, while achieving significantly higher resolution at higher SNR efficiency. The T₁ relaxation times in all tissues at 7.0 T were consistently higher than those measured at 3.0 T, while the T₂ relaxation times at 7.0 T were consistently lower than those measured at 3.0 T. The measured relaxation times were used to help develop high resolution 7.0 T protocols that had similar fluid-to-cartilage contrast to that of the standard clinical 3.0 T protocols for the following sequences: proton-density-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE), T₂-weighted FSE, and 3D-FSE-Cube. The T₁ and T₂ changes were within the expected ranges. Parameters for musculoskeletal protocols at 7.0 T can be optimized based on these values, yielding improved resolution in musculoskeletal imaging with similar contrast to that of standard 3.0 T clinical protocols. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. HUBUNGAN KANDUNGAN KLOR SERUM DENGAN HORMON T3/T4 PADA ANAK SEKOLAH DI DAERAH GONDOK ENDEMIK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sukati Saidin

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available ASSOCIATION OF SERUM CHLOR CONTENT WITH T3/T4 HORMONEIN SCHOOL CHILDREN IN IODINE DEFICIENCY REGION.Background: The National Mapping Survey of IDD (1998 found that 7% of sub districts In Indonesia was regarded as severe endemic goitre area (TGR>30%. The high TGR prevalence, beside as a result of low iodized salt consumption (< 30 ppm, It was assumed as the effect of exposure of goitrogenic agent such as chlorine. Based on observation in Karawang sub district showed people had food habit to consume fish contaminated by insecticide used for killing milk fish predator or salted fish which had also contaminated by insecticide used during process of fish drying. Insecticide raw material consists of chlorine which can not be broken by heat or oxidation. Previous study by Gaitan E. (1986 found that chlorine component could inhibit iodine metabolism to form mono and di-iodotyrosine as precursor of T3 and T4 hormones.Objectives: The aim of this study was to find an association of serum chlorine as a reflection of chlorine consumption from daily food with T3 and T4 hormone.Methods: Research design was case control. Study was conducted in Karawang district, West Java. The subject were elementary school children in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades with positive goitre at grade I and II by palpation. Sample size was 140 children divided into two groups, case group (70 children and control group (70 children. Main data collected was chlorine consumption from daily food, serum chlorine, serum T3 and T4 hormones as well as anthropometries.Results: The result showed that chlorine consumption from food was relatively greater in case group (135.9 ugr/day than in control group (129.9 ug/day but statistically it was not significant. Serum chlorine content in case group (1 14.8 mmol/L was significantly higher than in control group (102.1 mmol/L. Serum T4 hormone in case group (7.3 ug/dl was significantly lower than in control group (9.5 ug/dl. Serum T3 hormone in

  13. Local Two-Photon Couplings and the J=0 Fixed Pole in Real and Virtual Compton Scattering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brodsky, Stanley J.; Llanes-Estrada, Felipe J.; Szczepaniak, Adam P.

    2008-12-05

    The local coupling of two photons to the fundamental quark currents of a hadron gives an energy-independent contribution to the Compton amplitude proportional to the charge squared of the struck quark, a contribution which has no analog in hadron scattering reactions. We show that this local contribution has a real phase and is universal, giving the same contribution for real or virtual Compton scattering for any photon virtuality and skewness at fixed momentum transfer squared t. The t-dependence of this J = 0 fixed Regge pole is parameterized by a yet unmeasured even charge-conjugation form factor of the target nucleon. The t = 0 limit gives an important constraint on the dependence of the nucleon mass on the quark mass through the Weisberger relation. We discuss how this 1=x form factor can be extracted from high energy deeply virtual Compton scattering and examine predictions given by models of the H generalized parton distribution.

  14. Non-water-suppressed 1 H FID-MRSI at 3T and 9.4T.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Paul; Nassirpour, Sahar; Avdievitch, Nikolai; Henning, Anke

    2018-08-01

    This study investigates metabolite concentrations using metabolite-cycled 1 H free induction decay (FID) magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) at ultra-high fields. A non-lipid-suppressed and slice-selective ultra-short echo time (TE) 1 H FID MRSI sequence was combined with a low-specific absorption rate (SAR) asymmetric inversion adiabatic pulse to enable non-water-suppressed metabolite mapping using metabolite-cycling at 9.4T. The results were compared to a water-suppressed FID MRSI sequence, and the same study was performed at 3T for comparison. The scan times for performing single-slice metabolite mapping with a nominal voxel size of 0.4 mL were 14 and 17.5 min on 3T and 9.4T, respectively. The low-SAR asymmetric inversion adiabatic pulse enabled reliable non-water-suppressed metabolite mapping using metabolite cycling at both 3T and 9.4T. The spectra and maps showed good agreement with the water-suppressed FID MRSI ones at both field strengths. A quantitative analysis of metabolite ratios with respect to N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) was performed. The difference in Cre/NAA was statistically significant, ∼0.1 higher for the non-water-suppressed case than for water suppression (from 0.73 to 0.64 at 3T and from 0.69 to 0.59 at 9.4T). The difference is likely because of chemical exchange effects of the water suppression pulses. Small differences in mI/NAA were also statistically significant, however, are they are less reliable because the metabolite peaks are close to the water peak that may be affected by the water suppression pulses or metabolite-cycling inversion pulse. We showed the first implementation of non-water-suppressed metabolite-cycled 1 H FID MRSI at ultra-high fields. An increase in Cre/NAA was seen for the metabolite-cycled case. The same methodology was further applied at 3T and similar results were observed. Magn Reson Med 80:442-451, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society

  15. Real-time 3D-surface-guided head refixation useful for fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Shidong; Liu Dezhi; Yin Gongjie; Zhuang Ping; Geng, Jason

    2006-01-01

    Accurate and precise head refixation in fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy has been achieved through alignment of real-time 3D-surface images with a reference surface image. The reference surface image is either a 3D optical surface image taken at simulation with the desired treatment position, or a CT/MRI-surface rendering in the treatment plan with corrections for patient motion during CT/MRI scans and partial volume effects. The real-time 3D surface images are rapidly captured by using a 3D video camera mounted on the ceiling of the treatment vault. Any facial expression such as mouth opening that affects surface shape and location can be avoided using a new facial monitoring technique. The image artifacts on the real-time surface can generally be removed by setting a threshold of jumps at the neighboring points while preserving detailed features of the surface of interest. Such a real-time surface image, registered in the treatment machine coordinate system, provides a reliable representation of the patient head position during the treatment. A fast automatic alignment between the real-time surface and the reference surface using a modified iterative-closest-point method leads to an efficient and robust surface-guided target refixation. Experimental and clinical results demonstrate the excellent efficacy of <2 min set-up time, the desired accuracy and precision of <1 mm in isocenter shifts, and <1 deg. in rotation

  16. A Mechanism-Based Model for the Prediction of the Metabolic Sites of Steroids Mediated by Cytochrome P450 3A4

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zi-Ru Dai

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Early prediction of xenobiotic metabolism is essential for drug discovery and development. As the most important human drug-metabolizing enzyme, cytochrome P450 3A4 has a large active cavity and metabolizes a broad spectrum of substrates. The poor substrate specificity of CYP3A4 makes it a huge challenge to predict the metabolic site(s on its substrates. This study aimed to develop a mechanism-based prediction model based on two key parameters, including the binding conformation and the reaction activity of ligands, which could reveal the process of real metabolic reaction(s and the site(s of modification. The newly established model was applied to predict the metabolic site(s of steroids; a class of CYP3A4-preferred substrates. 38 steroids and 12 non-steroids were randomly divided into training and test sets. Two major metabolic reactions, including aliphatic hydroxylation and N-dealkylation, were involved in this study. At least one of the top three predicted metabolic sites was validated by the experimental data. The overall accuracy for the training and test were 82.14% and 86.36%, respectively. In summary, a mechanism-based prediction model was established for the first time, which could be used to predict the metabolic site(s of CYP3A4 on steroids with high predictive accuracy.

  17. Predicting the future of sports organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jugoslav Vojinovic

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The current crisis of sport in Serbia justifies its prediction of real potential future of sport organizations. Sample of respondents (N=277 was divided in two subsamples: 113 professional persons involved in the management of sports clubs ("experimental" sample and 164 individuals ("control" sample. The results of structural analysis showed that experimental sample based its vision on the staff as a determinant of the system, which is providing creativity as a characteristic of the organizational culture of the club. Control subsample of respondents could indicate some characteristic variables to predict the future of clubs, but can't say a clear prediction system based on a long sequence of reasoning. We can conclude that the mentioned two sub-samples are differerent in terms of the ability to orient to predict the future of their clubs on the basis of assessment of the key variables that shape the future scenarios.

  18. Improved feature selection based on genetic algorithms for real time disruption prediction on JET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rattá, G.A.; Vega, J.; Murari, A.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► A new signal selection methodology to improve disruption prediction is reported. ► The approach is based on Genetic Algorithms. ► An advanced predictor has been created with the new set of signals. ► The new system obtains considerably higher prediction rates. - Abstract: The early prediction of disruptions is an important aspect of the research in the field of Tokamak control. A very recent predictor, called “Advanced Predictor Of Disruptions” (APODIS), developed for the “Joint European Torus” (JET), implements the real time recognition of incoming disruptions with the best success rate achieved ever and an outstanding stability for long periods following training. In this article, a new methodology to select the set of the signals’ parameters in order to maximize the performance of the predictor is reported. The approach is based on “Genetic Algorithms” (GAs). With the feature selection derived from GAs, a new version of APODIS has been developed. The results are significantly better than the previous version not only in terms of success rates but also in extending the interval before the disruption in which reliable predictions are achieved. Correct disruption predictions with a success rate in excess of 90% have been achieved 200 ms before the time of the disruption. The predictor response is compared with that of JET's Protection System (JPS) and the ADODIS predictor is shown to be far superior. Both systems have been carefully tested with a wide number of discharges to understand their relative merits and the most profitable directions of further improvements.

  19. Characterizing the utility of the TMPA real-time product for hydrologic predictions over global river basins across scales

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, H.; Zhang, S.; Nijssen, B.; Zhou, T.; Voisin, N.; Sheffield, J.; Lee, K.; Shukla, S.; Lettenmaier, D. P.

    2017-12-01

    Despite its errors and uncertainties, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis real-time product (TMPA-RT) has been widely used for hydrological monitoring and forecasting due to its timely availability for real-time applications. To evaluate the utility of TMPA-RT in hydrologic predictions, many studies have compared modeled streamflows driven by TMPA-RT against gauge data. However, because of the limited availability of streamflow observations in data sparse regions, there is still a lack of comprehensive comparisons for TMPA-RT based hydrologic predictions at the global scale. Furthermore, it is expected that its skill is less optimal at the subbasin scale than the basin scale. In this study, we evaluate and characterize the utility of the TMPA-RT product over selected global river basins during the period of 1998 to 2015 using the TMPA research product (TMPA-RP) as a reference. The Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model, which was calibrated and validated previously, is adopted to simulate streamflows driven by TMPA-RT and TMPA-RP, respectively. The objective of this study is to analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of the hydrologic predictions by answering the following questions: (1) How do the precipitation errors associated with the TMPA-RT product transform into streamflow errors with respect to geographical and climatological characteristics? (2) How do streamflow errors vary across scales within a basin?

  20. Predicting tDCS treatment outcomes of patients with major depressive disorder using automated EEG classification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Kaysi, Alaa M; Al-Ani, Ahmed; Loo, Colleen K; Powell, Tamara Y; Martin, Donel M; Breakspear, Michael; Boonstra, Tjeerd W

    2017-01-15

    Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Standard tDCS treatment involves numerous sessions running over a few weeks. However, not all participants respond to this type of treatment. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of identifying MDD patients that respond to tDCS treatment based on resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) recorded prior to treatment commencing. We used machine learning to predict improvement in mood and cognition during tDCS treatment from baseline EEG power spectra. Ten participants with a current diagnosis of MDD were included. Power spectral density was assessed in five frequency bands: delta (0.5-4Hz), theta (4-8Hz), alpha (8-12Hz), beta (13-30Hz) and gamma (30-100Hz). Improvements in mood and cognition were assessed using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale and Symbol Digit Modalities Test, respectively. We trained the classifiers using three algorithms (support vector machine, extreme learning machine and linear discriminant analysis) and a leave-one-out cross-validation approach. Mood labels were accurately predicted in 8 out of 10 participants using EEG channels FC4-AF8 (accuracy=76%, p=0.034). Cognition labels were accurately predicted in 10 out of 10 participants using channels pair CPz-CP2 (accuracy=92%, p=0.004). Due to the limited number of participants (n=10), the presented results mainly aim to serve as a proof of concept. These finding demonstrate the feasibility of using machine learning to identify patients that will respond to tDCS treatment. These promising results warrant a larger study to determine the clinical utility of this approach. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. FOXP3 Expression in GARP-Transduced Helper T Cells Is Not Associated with FOXP3 TSDR Demethylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kehrmann, Jan; Zeschnigk, Michael; Buer, Jan; Probst-Kepper, Michael

    2011-10-01

    AIM: Glycoprotein A repetitions predominant (GARP or LRRC32) represents a human regulatory CD4+ CD25(hi) FOXP3+ T (T(reg)) cell-specific receptor that controls FOXP3. Ectopic expression of GARP in helper T (T(h)) cells has been shown to be sufficient for the induction of FOXP3 and generation of a stable regulatory phenotype. Since expression of FOXP3 in Treg cells is epigenetically controlled by a conserved motif, the so-called T(reg)-specific demethylated region (TSDR), we asked whether GARP-mediated upregulation of FOXP3 in Th cells is similarly accompanied by demethylation of the TSDR. METHODS: DNA methylation of the FOXP3 TSDR was analyzed by direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products from bisulfite-treated genomic DNA. RESULTS: Although GARP-transduced T(h) cells exhibit constitutive FOXP3 expression and a regulatory phenotype, the FOXP3 TSDR is completely methylated as in naive T(h) cells. GARP-mediated FOXP3 upregulation in T(h) cells is not associated with T(reg)-specific demethylation of the FOXP3 TSDR. CONCLUSION: Although GARP-engineered T(h) cells exhibit stable FOXP3 expression and a phenotypic reprogramming towards T(reg) cells in vitro, these cells do not completely mimic the epigenotype of natural T(reg) cells. Thus, concepts based on the genetic modification of T(h) cells as cellular therapies to treat autoimmune diseases or to control transplantation tolerance should be critically tested before any clinical application.

  2. Dexamethasone/1alpha-25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-treated dendritic cells suppress colitis in the SCID T-cell transfer model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Anders Elm; Schmidt, Esben Gjerløff Wedebye; Gad, Monika

    2008-01-01

    severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice adoptively transferred with CD4(+) CD25(-) T cells from the development of wasting disease and colitis. We therefore established an in vitro test that could predict the in vivo function of DCs and improve strategies for the preparation of immunomodulatory DCs...... in this model. Based on these in vitro findings, we here evaluate three methods for DC generation including short-term and long-term IL-10 exposure or DC exposure to dexamethasone in combination with vitamin D3 (Dex/D3). All DCs resulted in lower CD4(+) CD25(-) T-cell enteroantigen-specific responses in vitro...

  3. Toward real-time temperature monitoring in fat and aqueous tissue during magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound using a three-dimensional proton resonance frequency T1 method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diakite, Mahamadou; Odéen, Henrik; Todd, Nick; Payne, Allison; Parker, Dennis L

    2014-07-01

    To present a three-dimensional (3D) segmented echoplanar imaging (EPI) pulse sequence implementation that provides simultaneously the proton resonance frequency shift temperature of aqueous tissue and the longitudinal relaxation time (T1 ) of fat during thermal ablation. The hybrid sequence was implemented by combining a 3D segmented flyback EPI sequence, the extended two-point Dixon fat and water separation, and the double flip angle T1 mapping techniques. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) heating experiments were performed at three different acoustic powers on excised human breast fat embedded in ex vivo porcine muscle. Furthermore, T1 calibrations with temperature in four different excised breast fat samples were performed, yielding an estimate of the average and variation of dT1 /dT across subjects. The water only images were used to mask the complex original data before computing the proton resonance frequency shift. T1 values were calculated from the fat-only images. The relative temperature coefficients were found in five fat tissue samples from different patients and ranged from 1.2% to 2.6%/°C. The results demonstrate the capability of real-time simultaneous temperature mapping in aqueous tissue and T1 mapping in fat during HIFU ablation, providing a potential tool for treatment monitoring in organs with large fat content, such as the breast. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Real Time 3D Facial Movement Tracking Using a Monocular Camera

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanchao Dong

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The paper proposes a robust framework for 3D facial movement tracking in real time using a monocular camera. It is designed to estimate the 3D face pose and local facial animation such as eyelid movement and mouth movement. The framework firstly utilizes the Discriminative Shape Regression method to locate the facial feature points on the 2D image and fuses the 2D data with a 3D face model using Extended Kalman Filter to yield 3D facial movement information. An alternating optimizing strategy is adopted to fit to different persons automatically. Experiments show that the proposed framework could track the 3D facial movement across various poses and illumination conditions. Given the real face scale the framework could track the eyelid with an error of 1 mm and mouth with an error of 2 mm. The tracking result is reliable for expression analysis or mental state inference.

  5. Membrane-bound Dickkopf-1 in Foxp3+ regulatory T cells suppresses T-cell-mediated autoimmune colitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chae, Wook-Jin; Park, Jong-Hyun; Henegariu, Octavian; Yilmaz, Saliha; Hao, Liming; Bothwell, Alfred L M

    2017-10-01

    Induction of tolerance is a key mechanism to maintain or to restore immunological homeostasis. Here we show that Foxp3 + regulatory T (Treg) cells use Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) to regulate T-cell-mediated tolerance in the T-cell-mediated autoimmune colitis model. Treg cells from DKK-1 hypomorphic doubleridge mice failed to control CD4 + T-cell proliferation, resulting in CD4 T-cell-mediated autoimmune colitis. Thymus-derived Treg cells showed a robust expression of DKK-1 but not in naive or effector CD4 T cells. DKK-1 expression in Foxp3 + Treg cells was further increased upon T-cell receptor stimulation in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, Foxp3 + Treg cells expressed DKK-1 in the cell membrane and the functional inhibition of DKK-1 using DKK-1 monoclonal antibody abrogated the suppressor function of Foxp3 + Treg cells. DKK-1 expression was dependent on de novo protein synthesis and regulated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway but not by the canonical Wnt pathway. Taken together, our results highlight membrane-bound DKK-1 as a novel Treg-derived mediator to maintain immunological tolerance in T-cell-mediated autoimmune colitis. © 2017 The Authors. Immunology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. An IoT Based Predictive Connected Car Maintenance Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rohit Dhall

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Internet of Things (IoT is fast emerging and becoming an almost basic necessity in general life. The concepts of using technology in our daily life is not new, but with the advancements in technology, the impact of technology in daily activities of a person can be seen in almost all the aspects of life. Today, all aspects of our daily life, be it health of a person, his location, movement, etc. can be monitored and analyzed using information captured from various connected devices. This paper discusses one such use case, which can be implemented by the automobile industry, using technological advancements in the areas of IoT and Analytics. ‘Connected Car’ is a terminology, often associated with cars and other passenger vehicles, which are capable of internet connectivity and sharing of various kinds of data with backend applications. The data being shared can be about the location and speed of the car, status of various parts/lubricants of the car, and if the car needs urgent service or not. Once data are transmitted to the backend services, various workflows can be created to take necessary actions, e.g. scheduling a service with the car service provider, or if large numbers of care are in the same location, then the traffic management system can take necessary action. ’Connected cars’ can also communicate with each other, and can send alerts to each other in certain scenarios like possible crash etc. This paper talks about how the concept of ‘connected cars’ can be used to perform ‘predictive car maintenance’. It also discusses how certain technology components, i.e., Eclipse Mosquito and Eclipse Paho can be used to implement a predictive connected car use case.

  7. STAT3-mediated constitutive expression of SOCS-3 in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brender, C; Nielsen, M; Kaltoft, K

    2001-01-01

    ) obtained from affected skin from a patient with mycosis fungoides (MF) and from peripheral blood from a patient with Sezary syndrome (SS). In contrast, constitutive SOCS-3 expression is not found in the leukemic Jurkat T-cell line, the MOLT-4 acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line, and the monocytic......, it has been hypothesized that an aberrant SOCS expression plays a role in neoplastic transformation. This study reports on a constitutive SOCS-3 expression in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) cell lines. SOCS-3 protein is constitutively expressed in tumor cell lines (but not in nonmalignant T cells...... leukemic cell line U937. Expression of SOCS-3 coincides with a constitutive activation of STAT3 in CTCL tumor cells, and stable transfection of CTCL tumor cells with a dominant negative STAT3 strongly inhibits SOCS-3 expression, whereas transfection with wild-type STAT3 does not. Moreover, the reduced SOCS...

  8. A Modular IoT Platform for Real-Time Indoor Air Quality Monitoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohieddine Benammar

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The impact of air quality on health and on life comfort is well established. In many societies, vulnerable elderly and young populations spend most of their time indoors. Therefore, indoor air quality monitoring (IAQM is of great importance to human health. Engineers and researchers are increasingly focusing their efforts on the design of real-time IAQM systems using wireless sensor networks. This paper presents an end-to-end IAQM system enabling measurement of CO2, CO, SO2, NO2, O3, Cl2, ambient temperature, and relative humidity. In IAQM systems, remote users usually use a local gateway to connect wireless sensor nodes in a given monitoring site to the external world for ubiquitous access of data. In this work, the role of the gateway in processing collected air quality data and its reliable dissemination to end-users through a web-server is emphasized. A mechanism for the backup and the restoration of the collected data in the case of Internet outage is presented. The system is adapted to an open-source Internet-of-Things (IoT web-server platform, called Emoncms, for live monitoring and long-term storage of the collected IAQM data. A modular IAQM architecture is adopted, which results in a smart scalable system that allows seamless integration of various sensing technologies, wireless sensor networks (WSNs and smart mobile standards. The paper gives full hardware and software details of the proposed solution. Sample IAQM results collected in various locations are also presented to demonstrate the abilities of the system.

  9. Antigen-specific cytotoxic T cell and antigen-specific proliferating T cell clones can be induced to cytolytic activity by monoclonal antibodies against T3

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Spits, H.; Yssel, H.; Leeuwenberg, J.; de Vries, J. E.

    1985-01-01

    T3 is a human differentiation antigen expressed exclusively on mature T cells. In this study it is shown that anti-T3 monoclonal antibodies, in addition to their capacity to induce T cells to proliferate, are able to induce antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte clones to mediate antigen

  10. 17 CFR 275.206(3)-3T - Temporary rule for principal trades with certain advisory clients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... trades with certain advisory clients. 275.206(3)-3T Section 275.206(3)-3T Commodity and Securities... 1940 § 275.206(3)-3T Temporary rule for principal trades with certain advisory clients. (a) An..., sells to or purchases from an advisory client any security if: (1) The investment adviser exercises no...

  11. An Arrival and Departure Time Predictor for Scheduling Communication in Opportunistic IoT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pozza, Riccardo; Georgoulas, Stylianos; Moessner, Klaus; Nati, Michele; Gluhak, Alexander; Krco, Srdjan

    2016-01-01

    In this article, an Arrival and Departure Time Predictor (ADTP) for scheduling communication in opportunistic Internet of Things (IoT) is presented. The proposed algorithm learns about temporal patterns of encounters between IoT devices and predicts future arrival and departure times, therefore future contact durations. By relying on such predictions, a neighbour discovery scheduler is proposed, capable of jointly optimizing discovery latency and power consumption in order to maximize communication time when contacts are expected with high probability and, at the same time, saving power when contacts are expected with low probability. A comprehensive performance evaluation with different sets of synthetic and real world traces shows that ADTP performs favourably with respect to previous state of the art. This prediction framework opens opportunities for transmission planners and schedulers optimizing not only neighbour discovery, but the entire communication process. PMID:27827909

  12. An Arrival and Departure Time Predictor for Scheduling Communication in Opportunistic IoT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pozza, Riccardo; Georgoulas, Stylianos; Moessner, Klaus; Nati, Michele; Gluhak, Alexander; Krco, Srdjan

    2016-11-04

    In this article, an Arrival and Departure Time Predictor (ADTP) for scheduling communication in opportunistic Internet of Things (IoT) is presented. The proposed algorithm learns about temporal patterns of encounters between IoT devices and predicts future arrival and departure times, therefore future contact durations. By relying on such predictions, a neighbour discovery scheduler is proposed, capable of jointly optimizing discovery latency and power consumption in order to maximize communication time when contacts are expected with high probability and, at the same time, saving power when contacts are expected with low probability. A comprehensive performance evaluation with different sets of synthetic and real world traces shows that ADTP performs favourably with respect to previous state of the art. This prediction framework opens opportunities for transmission planners and schedulers optimizing not only neighbour discovery, but the entire communication process.

  13. High-resolution intracranial vessel wall MRI in an elderly asymptomatic population: comparison of 3T and 7T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harteveld, Anita A.; Kolk, Anja G. van der; Dieleman, Nikki; Siero, Jeroen C.W.; Luijten, Peter R.; Zwanenburg, Jaco J.M.; Hendrikse, Jeroen [University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Radiology, Postbox 85500, Utrecht (Netherlands); Worp, H.B. van der; Frijns, Catharina J.M. [University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht (Netherlands); Kuijf, Hugo J. [University Medical Center Utrecht, Image Sciences Institute, Utrecht (Netherlands)

    2017-04-15

    Several intracranial vessel wall sequences have been described in recent literature, with either 3-T or 7-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the current study, we compared 3-T and 7-T MRI in visualising both the intracranial arterial vessel wall and vessel wall lesions. Twenty-one elderly asymptomatic volunteers were scanned by 3-T and 7-T MRI with an intracranial vessel wall sequence, both before and after contrast administration. Two raters scored image quality, and presence and characteristics of vessel wall lesions. Vessel wall visibility was equal or significantly better at 7 T for the studied arterial segments, even though there were more artefacts hampering assessment. The better visualisation of the vessel wall at 7 T was most prominent in the proximal anterior cerebral circulation and the posterior cerebral artery. In the studied elderly asymptomatic population, 48 vessel-wall lesions were identified at 3 T, of which 7 showed enhancement. At 7 T, 79 lesions were identified, of which 29 showed enhancement. Seventy-one percent of all 3-T lesions and 59 % of all 7-T lesions were also seen at the other field strength. Despite the large variability in detected lesions at both field strengths, we believe 7-T MRI has the highest potential to identify the total burden of intracranial vessel wall lesions. (orig.)

  14. Initial experience with 3D isotropic high-resolution 3 T MR arthrography of the wrist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutherland, John K; Nozaki, Taiki; Kaneko, Yasuhito; J Yu, Hon; Rafijah, Gregory; Hitt, David; Yoshioka, Hiroshi

    2016-01-16

    Our study was performed to evaluate the image quality of 3 T MR wrist arthrograms with attention to ulnar wrist structures, comparing image quality of isotropic 3D proton density fat suppressed turbo spin echo (PDFS TSE) sequence versus standard 2D 3 T sequences as well as comparison with 1.5 T MR arthrograms. Eleven consecutive 3 T MR wrist arthrograms were performed and the following sequences evaluated: 3D isotropic PDFS, repetition time/echo time (TR/TE) 1400/28.3 ms, voxel size 0.35x0.35x0.35 mm, acquisition time 5 min; 2D coronal sequences with slice thickness 2 mm: T1 fat suppressed turbo spin echo (T1FS TSE) (TR/TE 600/20 ms); proton density (PD) TSE (TR/TE 3499/27 ms). A 1.5 T group of 18 studies with standard sequences were evaluated for comparison. All MR imaging followed fluoroscopically guided intra-articular injection of dilute gadolinium contrast. Qualitative assessment related to delineation of anatomic structures between 1.5 T and 3 T MR arthrograms was carried out using Mann-Whitney test and the differences in delineation of anatomic structures among each sequence in 3 T group were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Quantitative assessment of mean relative signal intensity (SI) and relative contrast measurements was performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Mean qualitative scores for 3 T sequences were significantly higher than 1.5 T (p < 0.01), with isotropic 3D PDFS sequence having highest mean qualitative scores (p < 0.05). Quantitative analysis demonstrated no significant difference in relative signal intensity among the 3 T sequences. Significant differences were found in relative contrast between fluid-bone and fluid-fat comparing 3D and 2D PDFS (p < 0.01). 3D isotropic PDFS sequence showed promise in both qualitative and quantitative assessment, suggesting this may be useful for MR wrist arthrograms at 3 T. Primary reasons for diagnostic potential include the ability to make reformations in any

  15. Real-time quasi-3D tomographic reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buurlage, Jan-Willem; Kohr, Holger; Palenstijn, Willem Jan; Joost Batenburg, K.

    2018-06-01

    Developments in acquisition technology and a growing need for time-resolved experiments pose great computational challenges in tomography. In addition, access to reconstructions in real time is a highly demanded feature but has so far been out of reach. We show that by exploiting the mathematical properties of filtered backprojection-type methods, having access to real-time reconstructions of arbitrarily oriented slices becomes feasible. Furthermore, we present , software for visualization and on-demand reconstruction of slices. A user of can interactively shift and rotate slices in a GUI, while the software updates the slice in real time. For certain use cases, the possibility to study arbitrarily oriented slices in real time directly from the measured data provides sufficient visual and quantitative insight. Two such applications are discussed in this article.

  16. Artificial intelligence may help in predicting the need for additional surgery after endoscopic resection of T1 colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichimasa, Katsuro; Kudo, Shin-Ei; Mori, Yuichi; Misawa, Masashi; Matsudaira, Shingo; Kouyama, Yuta; Baba, Toshiyuki; Hidaka, Eiji; Wakamura, Kunihiko; Hayashi, Takemasa; Kudo, Toyoki; Ishigaki, Tomoyuki; Yagawa, Yusuke; Nakamura, Hiroki; Takeda, Kenichi; Haji, Amyn; Hamatani, Shigeharu; Mori, Kensaku; Ishida, Fumio; Miyachi, Hideyuki

    2018-03-01

     Decisions concerning additional surgery after endoscopic resection of T1 colorectal cancer (CRC) are difficult because preoperative prediction of lymph node metastasis (LNM) is problematic. We investigated whether artificial intelligence can predict LNM presence, thus minimizing the need for additional surgery.  Data on 690 consecutive patients with T1 CRCs that were surgically resected in 2001 - 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. We divided patients into two groups according to date: data from 590 patients were used for machine learning for the artificial intelligence model, and the remaining 100 patients were included for model validation. The artificial intelligence model analyzed 45 clinicopathological factors and then predicted positivity or negativity for LNM. Operative specimens were used as the gold standard for the presence of LNM. The artificial intelligence model was validated by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for predicting LNM, and comparing these data with those of the American, European, and Japanese guidelines.  Sensitivity was 100 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 72 % to 100 %) in all models. Specificity of the artificial intelligence model and the American, European, and Japanese guidelines was 66 % (95 %CI 56 % to 76 %), 44 % (95 %CI 34 % to 55 %), 0 % (95 %CI 0 % to 3 %), and 0 % (95 %CI 0 % to 3 %), respectively; and accuracy was 69 % (95 %CI 59 % to 78 %), 49 % (95 %CI 39 % to 59 %), 9 % (95 %CI 4 % to 16 %), and 9 % (95 %CI 4 % - 16 %), respectively. The rates of unnecessary additional surgery attributable to misdiagnosing LNM-negative patients as having LNM were: 77 % (95 %CI 62 % to 89 %) for the artificial intelligence model, and 85 % (95 %CI 73 % to 93 %; P  artificial intelligence significantly reduced unnecessary additional surgery after endoscopic resection of T1 CRC without missing LNM positivity. © Georg

  17. The development of T3-RIA, T4-RIA and TSH-IRMA for in vitro testing of thyroid function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borza, V.; Neacsu, G.; Chariton, Despina

    1998-01-01

    Thyroxine (T 4 ) and triiodothyronine (T 3 ) are two principal thyroid hormones; the release of this hormones and control of different stages of their synthesis are performed by thyrotropin (TSH), secreted by pituitary gland. Also, T 3 and T 4 exert negative feed-back on the pituitary, inhibiting the release of TSH. The measurement of T 3 , T 4 content in un-extracted serum, correlated with TSH values are useful results for investigating the pituitary-thyroid axis. This paper describes radioimmunological procedures for the measurement of T 3 and T 4 using as separation method of the bound and free radiolabeled antigen, the precipitation of antigen-antibody complex by polyethyleneglycol (PEG). Antisera against T 3 , T 4 were produced by immunizing sheep with conjugates of the hormones and bovine albumin; T 3 and T 4 standards were made in horse serum free of these hormones. Binding of T 3 and T 4 to TBG in serum was inhibited by addition of 8-aniline-1-naphthalene-sulfonic acid (ANS). The separation of antigen-antibody complex was carried out using 25.5% PEG 6000. In order to develop a simple T 3 solid phase radioimmunoassay, in this paper the immobilization of anti-T 3 antibodies on polystyrene tubes is presented. The best results were obtained with an exposure time of anti-T 3 antibodies (diluted in buffer solution, pH 8.4-8.6) of 40 h at 4 o C. Also, in this study the preparation of 125 I labeled monoclonal antibody (Mab)-anti-TSH is described, which will be used as a component of a TSH-IRMA kit; this kit is to be realized in our department. 125 I - Mab anti-TSH has the following characteristics: specific activity = 20 - 24 μCi/μg and radioactive concentration ≅ 25 μCi/ml; also, the immunological properties of tracer were verified. The major results of this activity is that the total dependence on important kits will be eliminated and also, the costs will be reduced. (authors)

  18. Garantías de los derechos reales mediante el sistema de registro y de seguro de título

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norma Loureiro Russo

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available El concepto de seguridad jurídica tiene tal amplitud que trasciende cualquier funciónjurídica, ubicándose en la aplicacíón del derecho todo.Cabe destacar en ese concepto, sus valores esenciales y constitutivos, tales como la justicia y la seguridad, siendo la certeza uno de sus ingredientes. (...Contenido: Seguridad jurídica. Función notarial y seguridad jurídica. La publicidad registral y la seguridad jurídica. Esencia. Materia. Fines. Oponibilidad. Legitimidad.Garantía de los derechos reales y seguro de títulos. Origen del contrato de seguro de título. Concepto. Conclusiones

  19. T2* measurement of the knee articular cartilage in osteoarthritis at 3T

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Newbould, Rexford D.; Miller, Sam R.; Toms, Laurence D.; Swann, Peter; Tielbeek, Jeroen A. W.; Gold, Garry E.; Strachan, Robin K.; Taylor, Peter C.; Matthews, Paul M.; Brown, Andrew P.

    2012-01-01

    To measure reproducibility, longitudinal and cross-sectional differences in T2* maps at 3 Tesla (T) in the articular cartilage of the knee in subjects with osteoarthritis (OA) and healthy matched controls. MRI data and standing radiographs were acquired from 33 subjects with OA and 21 healthy

  20. Transcriptional activation of prostate specific homeobox gene NKX3-1 in subsets of T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefan Nagel

    Full Text Available Homeobox genes encode transcription factors impacting key developmental processes including embryogenesis, organogenesis, and cell differentiation. Reflecting their tight transcriptional control, homeobox genes are often embedded in large non-coding, cis-regulatory regions, containing tissue specific elements. In T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL homeobox genes are frequently deregulated by chromosomal aberrations, notably translocations adding T-cell specific activatory elements. NKX3-1 is a prostate specific homeobox gene activated in T-ALL patients expressing oncogenic TAL1 or displaying immature T-cell characteristics. After investigating regulation of NKX3-1 in primary cells and cell lines, we report its ectopic expression in T-ALL cells independent of chromosomal rearrangements. Using siRNAs and expression profiling, we exploited NKX3-1 positive T-ALL cell lines as tools to investigate aberrant activatory mechanisms. Our data confirmed NKX3-1 activation by TAL1/GATA3/LMO and identified LYL1 as an alternative activator in immature T-ALL cells devoid of GATA3. Moreover, we showed that NKX3-1 is directly activated by early T-cell homeodomain factor MSX2. These activators were regulated by MLL and/or by IL7-, BMP4- and IGF2-signalling. Finally, we demonstrated homeobox gene SIX6 as a direct leukemic target of NKX3-1 in T-ALL. In conclusion, we identified three major mechanisms of NKX3-1 regulation in T-ALL cell lines which are represented by activators TAL1, LYL1 and MSX2, corresponding to particular T-ALL subtypes described in patients. These results may contribute to the understanding of leukemic transcriptional networks underlying disturbed T-cell differentiation in T-ALL.

  1. Long-term bleeding risk prediction in 'real world' patients with atrial fibrillation: Comparison of the HAS-BLED and ABC-Bleeding risk scores. The Murcia Atrial Fibrillation Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esteve-Pastor, María Asunción; Rivera-Caravaca, José Miguel; Roldan, Vanessa; Vicente, Vicente; Valdés, Mariano; Marín, Francisco; Lip, Gregory Y H

    2017-10-05

    Risk scores in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) based on clinical factors alone generally have only modest predictive value for predicting high risk patients that sustain events. Biomarkers might be an attractive prognostic tool to improve bleeding risk prediction. The new ABC-Bleeding score performed better than HAS-BLED score in a clinical trial cohort but has not been externally validated. The aim of this study was to analyze the predictive performance of the ABC-Bleeding score compared to HAS-BLED score in an independent "real-world" anticoagulated AF patients with long-term follow-up. We enrolled 1,120 patients stable on vitamin K antagonist treatment. The HAS-BLED and ABC-Bleeding scores were quantified. Predictive values were compared by c-indexes, IDI, NRI, as well as decision curve analysis (DCA). Median HAS-BLED score was 2 (IQR 2-3) and median ABC-Bleeding was 16.5 (IQR 14.3-18.6). After 6.5 years of follow-up, 207 (2.84 %/year) patients had major bleeding events, of which 65 (0.89 %/year) had intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) and 85 (1.17 %/year) had gastrointestinal bleeding events (GIB). The c-index of HAS-BLED was significantly higher than ABC-Bleeding for major bleeding (0.583 vs 0.518; p=0.025), GIB (0.596 vs 0.519; p=0.017) and for the composite of ICH-GIB (0.593 vs 0.527; p=0.030). NRI showed a significant negative reclassification for major bleeding and for the composite of ICH-GIB with the ABC-Bleeding score compared to HAS-BLED. Using DCAs, the use of HAS-BLED score gave an approximate net benefit of 4 % over the ABC-Bleeding score. In conclusion, in the first "real-world" validation of the ABC-Bleeding score, HAS-BLED performed significantly better than the ABC-Bleeding score in predicting major bleeding, GIB and the composite of GIB and ICH.

  2. Argus developer in practice real estate development modeling in the real world

    CERN Document Server

    Havard, Tim M

    2014-01-01

    First ""missing manual"" for Argus Developer--case studies show readers how to analyze a development, something Argus manuals don't do. Argus Developer is by far the leading program for real estate developers worldwide The book is an education in real estate finance as well as the program Author teaches seminars and consults with people using the program--back of room sales likely Author has three other books on real estate development Possibility that Argus gets behind the project The book will contain dozens of screenshots

  3. Expression of Nanog gene promotes NIH3T3 cell proliferation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Jingyu; Wang Xia; Chen Bing; Suo Guangli; Zhao Yanhong; Duan Ziyuan; Dai Jianwu

    2005-01-01

    Cells are the functional elements in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. A large number of cells are usually needed for these purposes. However, there are numbers of limitations for in vitro cell proliferation. Nanog is an important self-renewal determinant in embryonic stem cells. However, it remains unknown whether Nanog will influence the cell cycle and cell proliferation of mature cells. In this study, we expressed Nanog in NIH3T3 cells and showed that expression of Nanog in NIH3T3 promoted cells to enter into S phase and enhanced cell proliferation. This suggests that Nanog gene might function in a similar fashion in mature cells as in ES cells. In addition, it may provide an approach for in vitro cell expansion

  4. Promising half-metallicity in ductile NbF3: a first-principles prediction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Bo; Wang, Junru; Liu, Xiaobiao; Zhao, Mingwen

    2018-02-14

    Materials with half-metallicity are long desired in spintronics. Using first-principles calculations, we predicted that the already-synthesized NbF 3 crystal is a promising half-metal with a large exchange splitting and stable ferromagnetism. The mechanical stability, ductility and softness of the NbF 3 crystal were confirmed by its elastic constants and moduli. The Curie temperature (T C = 120 K) estimated from the Monte Carlo simulations based on the 3D Ising model is above the liquid nitrogen temperature (78 K). The ferromagnetism and half-metallicity can be preserved on the surfaces of NbF 3 . The NbOF 2 formed by substituting F with O atoms, however, has an antiferromagnetic ground state and a normal metallic band structure. This work opens an avenue for half-metallic materials and may find applications in spintronic devices.

  5. Alterations in expression of senescence marker protein-30 gene by 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sar, Pranati; Rath, Bandita; Subudhi, Umakanta; Chainy, Gagan Bihari Nityananda; Supakar, Prakash Chandra

    2007-09-01

    Thyroid hormone (T3) is essential for normal development, differentiation, and metabolic balance of the body. A toxic dose of T(3) in animals increases the basal metabolic rate and reactive oxygen species production, resulting more oxidative stress through Ca(2+) influx to cytoplasm. Senescence Marker Protein-30 (SMP30) is preferentially expressed in the liver and protects cells against various injuries by enhancement of Ca(2+) efflux to either extra cellular space or intraorganellar spaces through membrane Ca(2+) pump activity. In this paper we report an alteration in the level of SMP30 gene expression using RT-PCR and western blot analysis in T(3) treated female Wistar rats. The results indicate that there is an induction of SMP30 expression during early hours of T(3 )treatment and it declines in severe hyperthyroidism. Therefore, we speculate that SMP30 is regulated by T(3) and might play a protective role in hyperthyroidism.

  6. Preparation of quality control samples for thyroid hormones T3 and T4 in radioimmunoassay techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, F.O.A.

    2006-03-01

    Today, the radioimmunoassay becomes one of the best techniques for quantitative analysis of very low concentration of different substances. RIA is being widely used in medical and research laboratories. To maintain high specificity and accuracy in RIA and other related techniques the quality controls must be introduced. In this dissertation quality control samples for thyroid hormones (Triiodothyronine T3 and Thyroxin T4), using RIA techniques. Ready made chinese T4, T3 RIA kits were used. IAEA statistical package were selected.(Author)

  7. Value of 3.0 T MR imaging in refractory partial epilepsy and negative 1.5 T MRI.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Dang Khoa; Rochette, Emilie; Leroux, Jean-Maxime; Beaudoin, Gilles; Cossette, Patrick; Lassonde, Maryse; Guilbert, François

    2010-10-01

    High-field 3.0 T MR scanners provide an improved signal-to-noise ratio which can be translated in higher image resolution, possibly allowing critical detection of subtle epileptogenic lesions missed on standard-field 1.0-1.5 T MRIs. In this study, the authors explore the potential value of re-imaging at 3.0 T patients with refractory partial epilepsy and negative 1.5 T MRI. We retrospectively identified all patients with refractory partial epilepsy candidate for surgery who had undergone a 3.0 T MR study after a negative 1.5 T MR study. High-field 3.0 T MRIs were reviewed qualitatively by neuroradiologists experienced in interpreting epilepsy studies with access to clinical information. Relevance and impact on clinical management were assessed by an epileptologist. Between November 2006 and August 2009, 36 patients with refractory partial epilepsy candidate for surgery underwent 3.0 T MR study after a 1.5 T MR study failed to disclose a relevant epileptogenic lesion. A potential lesion was found only in two patients (5.6%, 95% CI: 1.5-18.1%). Both were found to have hippocampal atrophy congruent with other presurgical localization techniques which resulted in omission of an invasive EEG study and direct passage to surgery. The frequency of detection of a new lesion by re-imaging at 3.0 T patients with refractory partial epilepsy candidate for surgery was found to be low, but seems to offer the potential of a significant clinical impact for selected patients. This finding needs to be validated in a prospective controlled study. Copyright © 2010 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. T-CREST: Time-predictable multi-core architecture for embedded systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schoeberl, Martin; Abbaspourseyedi, Sahar; Jordan, Alexander

    2015-01-01

    -core architectures that are optimized for the WCET instead of the average-case execution time. The resulting time-predictable resources (processors, interconnect, memory arbiter, and memory controller) and tools (compiler, WCET analysis) are designed to ease WCET analysis and to optimize WCET performance. Compared...... domain shows that the WCET can be reduced for computation-intensive tasks when distributing the tasks on several cores and using the network-on-chip for communication. With three cores the WCET is improved by a factor of 1.8 and with 15 cores by a factor of 5.7.The T-CREST project is the result...

  9. Development of a real-time detection strategy for process monitoring during nuclear fuel reprocessing using the UREX+3a method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goddard, Braden; Charlton, William S.; McDeavitt, Sean M.

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → HPGe detectors are suitable for UREX+3a real-time spectroscopy. → HPGe N-type detectors may be suitable for a reprocessing facility. → Gamma ray self-shielding does not occur for pipe diameters less than 2 in. - Abstract: Reprocessing nuclear fuel is becoming more viable in the United States due to the anticipated increase in construction of nuclear power plants, the growing stockpile of existing used nuclear fuel, and a public desire to reduce the amount of this fuel. A new reprocessing facility will likely have state of the art controls and monitoring methods to safeguard special nuclear materials, as well as to provide real-time monitoring for process control. The focus of this research was to create a proof of concept to enable the development of a detection strategy that uses well established gamma and neutron measurement methods to characterize samples from the Uranium Extraction Plus 3a (UREX+3a) reprocessing method using a variety of detector types and measurement times. A facility that implemented real-time gamma detection equipment could improve product quality control and provide additional benefits, such as waste volume reduction. In addition to the spectral analyses, it was determined by Monte Carlo N Particle (MCNP) simulations that there is no noticeable self-shielding for internal pipe diameters less than 5.08 cm, indicating that no self-shielding correction factors are needed. Further, it was determined that High Purity Germanium (HPGe) N-type detectors have the high gamma ray energy resolution and neutron damage resistance that would be required in a reprocessing facility. Finally, the gamma ray spectra for the measured samples were simulated using MCNP and then the model was extended to predict the responses from an actual reprocessing scenario from UREX+3a applied to fuel that had a decay time of 3 years. The 3-year decayed fuel was more representative of commercially reprocessed fuel than the acquired UREX+3a

  10. Selenium deficiency inhibits the conversion of thyroidal thyroxine (T4) to triiodothyronine (T3) in chicken thyroids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Shi-lei; Wang, Cong-wu; Tan, Si-ran; Liang, Yang; Yao, Hai-dong; Zhang, Zi-wei; Xu, Shi-wen

    2014-12-01

    Selenium (Se) influences the metabolism of thyroid hormones in mammals. However, the role of Se deficiency in the regulation of thyroid hormones in chickens is not well known. In the present study, we examined the levels of thyroidal triiodothyronine (T3), thyroidal thyroxine (T4), free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone in the serum and the mRNA expression levels of 25 selenoproteins in chicken thyroids. Then, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to analyze the relationships between the selenoproteins. The results indicated that Se deficiency influenced the conversion of T4 to T3 and induced the accumulation of T4 and FT4. In addition, the mRNA expression levels of the selenoproteins were generally decreased by Se deficiency. The PCA showed that eight selenoproteins (deiodinase 1 (Dio1), Dio2, Dio3, thioredoxin reductase 2 (Txnrd2), selenoprotein i (Seli), selenoprotein u (Selu), glutathione peroxidase 1 (Gpx1), and Gpx2) have similar trends, which indicated that they may play similar roles in the metabolism of thyroid hormones. The results showed that Se deficiency inhibited the conversion of T4 to T3 and decreased the levels of the crucial metabolic enzymes of the thyroid hormones, Dio1, Dio2, and Dio3, in chickens. In addition, the decreased selenoproteins (Dio1, Dio2, Dio3, Txnrd2, Seli, Selu, Gpx1, and Gpx2) induced by Se deficiency may indirectly limit the conversion of T4 to T3 in chicken thyroids. The information presented in this study is helpful to understand the role of Se in the thyroid function of chickens.

  11. Role of Admission Troponin-T and Serial Troponin-T Testing in Predicting Outcomes in Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vallabhajosyula, Saraschandra; Sakhuja, Ankit; Geske, Jeffrey B; Kumar, Mukesh; Poterucha, Joseph T; Kashyap, Rahul; Kashani, Kianoush; Jaffe, Allan S; Jentzer, Jacob C

    2017-09-09

    Troponin-T elevation is seen commonly in sepsis and septic shock patients admitted to the intensive care unit. We sought to evaluate the role of admission and serial troponin-T testing in the prognostication of these patients. This was a retrospective cohort study from 2007 to 2014 on patients admitted to the intensive care units at the Mayo Clinic with severe sepsis and septic shock. Elevated admission troponin-T and significant delta troponin-T were defined as ≥0.01 ng/mL and ≥0.03 ng/mL in 3 hours, respectively. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included 1-year mortality and lengths of stay. During this 8-year period, 944 patients met the inclusion criteria with 845 (90%) having an admission troponin-T ≥0.01 ng/mL. Serial troponin-T values were available in 732 (78%) patients. Elevated admission troponin-T was associated with older age, higher baseline comorbidity, and severity of illness, whereas significant delta troponin-T was associated with higher severity of illness. Admission log 10 troponin-T was associated with unadjusted in-hospital (odds ratio 1.6; P =0.003) and 1-year mortality (odds ratio 1.3; P =0.04), but did not correlate with length of stay. Elevated delta troponin-T and log 10 delta troponin-T were not significantly associated with any of the primary or secondary outcomes. Admission log 10 troponin-T remained an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 1.4; P =0.04) and 1-year survival (hazard ratio 1.3; P =0.008). In patients with sepsis and septic shock, elevated admission troponin-T was associated with higher short- and long-term mortality. Routine serial troponin-T testing did not add incremental prognostic value in these patients. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

  12. Chronophysiological modifications of the triiodothyronine's peripheral metabolism(T3)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, Tomas; Degrossi, O.J.; Altschuler, Noe; Garcia del Rio, Hernan

    1984-01-01

    An interesting aspect relative to the thyroid function consists in determining the variations produced by the age. Though this relation has been referred to T 4 related with age, there are no differences about T 3 kinetics. For this purpose, different parameters were studied in 68 euthyroid controls of both sexs, in good nutritional state and normal activity, whose ages oscillate between 6 and 83 years old. A kinetic study method of single i.v. T 3 -I 125 injection was used, employing 0,5 μCi/Kg of body weight with maximum activity of 10 μCi to 10 years old; 15 μCi to 15 years old and 30 μCi above this age. Determinations of T 4 , T 3 and TSH serum by radioimmunoassay were carried out. From these studies, the following conclusions were obtained: T 4 and TSH are within the normal values, while a decrease of T 3 related with age was observed. Parallely to said decrease, a prolongation of plasmatic half time and a decrease of the daily value production, which is expressed statistically by a double exponential function are appreciated. The first one, which is of fast slope, corresponds to subjects below 10 years old and the second one, which is slower, starts from that age to the seventh decade of life. (M.E.L.) [es

  13. Anti-Obesity Effects of Starter Fermented Kimchi on 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Kyung-Hee; Song, Jia-Le; Park, Eui-Seong; Ju, Jaehyun; Kim, Hee-Young; Park, Kun-Young

    2015-01-01

    The anti-obesity effects of starter (Leuconostoc mesenteroides+Lactobacillus plantarum) fermented kimchi on 3T3-L1 adipocyte were studied using naturally fermented kimchi (NK), a functional kimchi (FK, NK supplemented with green tea), and FK supplemented with added starters (FKS). Oil red O staining and cellular levels of triglyceride (TG) and glycerol were used to evaluate the in vitro anti-obesity effects of these kimchis in 3T3-L1 cells. The expressions of adipogenesis/lipogenesis-related genes of peroxisome proliferator-active receptor (PPAR)-γ, CCAAT/enhance-binding protein (C/EBP)-α, and fatty acid synthase (FAS) were determined by RT-PCR. Kimchis, especially FKS, markedly decreased TG levels and increased levels of intracellular glycerol and lipid lipolysis. In addition, FKS also reduced the mRNA levels of PPAR-γ, C/EBP-α, and FAS, which are related to adipogenesis/lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. These results suggest the anti-obesity effects of FKS were to due to enhanced lipolysis and reduced adipogenesis/lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. PMID:26770918

  14. Effects of ethiodol on T3 kinetics in endemic goiter area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, Tomas; Degrossi, O.J.; Zaninovich, A.A.; Altschuler, Noe; Degrossi, E.B.

    1986-01-01

    T3 kinetics were carried out in 32 children (11-15 years old) of a mild endemic goiter area. The incidence of goiter of the whole school population was 19% (Ia or Ib degree of the WHO). The mean urinary iodine was 84 μ g/d+-3. Six months before this investigation, 10 of the children received 2 ml of ethiodol by mouth and the other 22 (control group-CG) a placebo. The kinetics studies were carried out using less than 0,5 μ Ci of I-125 per Kg b.w. and the single injection method, non compartimental analysis. The CG shows, distribution volumen (V) 20.1+-0.6; serum T3 (sT3) 1.55 ng/ml+-0.03; plasma T3 T1/2 21.6+-0.6 and production rate (PR) 27.4μ g/d+-1.2. The treated group (TG): V, 17.3+-0.6; sT3 1.48 ng/ml+-0.09; T1/2 17.6+-0.6 and PR 25.9μ g/d+-1.4. The TG, after 6 months of ethiodol administration, showed a decrease of the distribution volume and a slight reduction in serum T3 values. As a consequence a significant diminution on the T3 extrathyroidal pool and an increase on the T3 plasma clearance (0.68 l/h+-0.01 in CG versus 0.73+-0.3 in TG) were observed. The production ratewas similar in both groups. These results indicate that the administration of ethiodol to children of a not severe endemic goiter area, produces moderate changes in the different parameters of T3 peripheral metabolism, which compensate each other and lead to similar final values on T3-PR, that were previously normal in these cases. This mechanism reflects the role of thyroid homeostasis in maintaining euthyroidism in these children of an endemic goiter area with decreased iodine supply. (Author) [es

  15. Induction and prevention of low-T3 syndrome in exercising women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loucks, A B; Callister, R

    1993-05-01

    To investigate the influence of exercise on thyroid metabolism, 46 healthy young regularly menstruating sedentary women were randomly assigned to a 3 x 2 experimental design of aerobic exercise and energy availability treatments. Energy availability was defined as dietary energy intake minus energy expenditure during exercise. After 4 days of treatments, low energy availability (8 vs. 30 kcal.kg body wt-1.day-1) had reduced 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) by 15% and free T3 (fT3) by 18% and had increased thyroxine (T4) by 7% and reverse T3 (rT3) by 24% (all P Exercise quantity (0 vs. 1,300 kcal/day) and intensity (40 vs. 70% of aerobic capacity) did not affect any thyroid hormone (all P > 0.10). That is, low-T3 syndrome was induced by the energy cost of exercise and was prevented in exercising women by increasing dietary energy intake. Selective observation of low-T3 syndrome in amenorrheic and not in regularly menstruating athletes suggests that exercise may compromise the availability of energy for reproductive function in humans. If so, athletic amenorrhea might be prevented or reversed through dietary reform without reducing exercise quantity or intensity.

  16. Pancreatic Duct in Autoimmune Pancreatitis: Intraindividual Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Pancreatography at 1.5 T and 3.0 T.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jin Hee; Byun, Jae Ho; Kim, Myung-Hwan; Lee, Sung Koo; Kim, Song Cheol; Kim, Hyoung Jung; Lee, Seung Soo; Kim, So Yeon; Lee, Moon-Gyu

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this study was to intraindividually compare magnetic resonance pancreatography (MRP) image quality at 1.5 T and 3.0 T when demonstrating main pancreatic duct (MPD) abnormalities in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). Thirty prospectively enrolled patients with AIP underwent MRP at both 1.5 T and 3.0 T followed by endoscopic retrograde pancreatography before treatment. Two readers independently analyzed the MRP images and graded the visualization of MPD strictures and full-length MPD, using endoscopic retrograde pancreatography as the reference standard, as well as overall image artifacts on a 4-point scale. The contrast between the MPD and periductal area was calculated using a region-of-interest measurement. Visualization scores of MPD strictures and full-length MPD, and summed scores of each qualitative analysis, were significantly greater at 3.0-T MRP than at 1.5-T MRP for both readers (P ≤ 0.02). There were less image artifacts at 3.0 T compared with 1.5 T (P ≤ 0.052). The contrast between the MPD and periductal area was significantly greater at 3.0-T MRP than at 1.5-T MRP (P 3.0 T was superior to 1.5-T MRP for demonstrating MPD abnormalities in AIP, with better image contrast and fewer image artifacts. Consequently, 3.0-T MRP may be useful for the diagnosis and management of patients with AIP.

  17. DynaMIT2.0: architecture design and preliminary results on real-time data fusion for traffic prediction and crisis management

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lu, Yang; Pereira, Francisco Camara; Seshadri, Ravi

    2015-01-01

    The ability to monitor and predict in real-time the state of the transportation network is a valuable tool for both transportation administrators and travellers. While many solutions exist for this task, they are generally much more successful in recurrent scenarios than in non-recurrent ones...

  18. Inter-algorithm lesion volumetry comparison of real and 3D simulated lung lesions in CT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robins, Marthony; Solomon, Justin; Hoye, Jocelyn; Smith, Taylor; Ebner, Lukas; Samei, Ehsan

    2017-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to establish volumetric exchangeability between real and computational lung lesions in CT. We compared the overall relative volume estimation performance of segmentation tools when used to measure real lesions in actual patient CT images and computational lesions virtually inserted into the same patient images (i.e., hybrid datasets). Pathologically confirmed malignancies from 30 thoracic patient cases from Reference Image Database to Evaluate Therapy Response (RIDER) were modeled and used as the basis for the comparison. Lesions included isolated nodules as well as those attached to the pleura or other lung structures. Patient images were acquired using a 16 detector row or 64 detector row CT scanner (Lightspeed 16 or VCT; GE Healthcare). Scans were acquired using standard chest protocols during a single breath-hold. Virtual 3D lesion models based on real lesions were developed in Duke Lesion Tool (Duke University), and inserted using a validated image-domain insertion program. Nodule volumes were estimated using multiple commercial segmentation tools (iNtuition, TeraRecon, Inc., Syngo.via, Siemens Healthcare, and IntelliSpace, Philips Healthcare). Consensus based volume comparison showed consistent trends in volume measurement between real and virtual lesions across all software. The average percent bias (+/- standard error) shows -9.2+/-3.2% for real lesions versus -6.7+/-1.2% for virtual lesions with tool A, 3.9+/-2.5% and 5.0+/-0.9% for tool B, and 5.3+/-2.3% and 1.8+/-0.8% for tool C, respectively. Virtual lesion volumes were statistically similar to those of real lesions (.05 in most cases. Results suggest that hybrid datasets had similar inter-algorithm variability compared to real datasets.

  19. Real T1 relaxation time measurement and diurnal variation analysis of intervertebral discs in a healthy population of 50 volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galley, J.; Maestretti, G.; Koch, G.; Hoogewoud, H-M.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: To measure the real T1 relaxation time of the lumbar intervertebral discs in a young and healthy population, using different inversion recovery times, and assess diurnal variation. Material and methods: Intervertebral discs from D12 to S1 of 50 healthy volunteers from 18 to 25 years old were evaluated twice the same day, in the morning and in the late afternoon. Dedicated MRI sequences with different inversion recovery times (from 100 to 2500 ms) were used to calculate the real T1 relaxation time. Three regions of interest (ROIs) were defined in each disc, the middle representing the nucleus pulposus (NP) and the outer parts the annulus fibrosus (AF) anterior and posterior. Diurnal variation and differences between each disc level were analyzed. Results: T1 mean values in the NP were 1142 ± 12 ms in the morning and 1085 ± 13 ms in the afternoon, showing a highly significant decrease of 57 ms (p < 0.001). A highly significant difference between the levels of the spine was found. The mean T1 of the anterior part of the AF was 577 ± 9 ms in the morning and 554 ± 8 ms in the afternoon. For the posterior part, the mean values were 633 ± 8 ms in the morning and 581 ± 7 ms in the evening. It shows a highly significant decrease of 23 ms for the anterior part and 51 ms for the posterior part (all p < 0.001). Conclusion: T1 mapping is a promising method of intervertebral disc evaluation. Significant diurnal variation and difference between levels of the lumbar spine were demonstrated. A potential use for longitudinal study in post-operative follow up or sport medicine needs to be evaluated.

  20. Real T1 relaxation time measurement and diurnal variation analysis of intervertebral discs in a healthy population of 50 volunteers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Galley, J., E-mail: galleyjulien@gmail.com [Department of Radiology, HFR Fribourg, Hôpital Cantonal (Switzerland); Maestretti, G. [Department of Orthopedic Surgery, HFR Fribourg, Hôpital Cantonal (Switzerland); Koch, G.; Hoogewoud, H-M. [Department of Radiology, HFR Fribourg, Hôpital Cantonal (Switzerland)

    2017-02-15

    Purpose: To measure the real T1 relaxation time of the lumbar intervertebral discs in a young and healthy population, using different inversion recovery times, and assess diurnal variation. Material and methods: Intervertebral discs from D12 to S1 of 50 healthy volunteers from 18 to 25 years old were evaluated twice the same day, in the morning and in the late afternoon. Dedicated MRI sequences with different inversion recovery times (from 100 to 2500 ms) were used to calculate the real T1 relaxation time. Three regions of interest (ROIs) were defined in each disc, the middle representing the nucleus pulposus (NP) and the outer parts the annulus fibrosus (AF) anterior and posterior. Diurnal variation and differences between each disc level were analyzed. Results: T1 mean values in the NP were 1142 ± 12 ms in the morning and 1085 ± 13 ms in the afternoon, showing a highly significant decrease of 57 ms (p < 0.001). A highly significant difference between the levels of the spine was found. The mean T1 of the anterior part of the AF was 577 ± 9 ms in the morning and 554 ± 8 ms in the afternoon. For the posterior part, the mean values were 633 ± 8 ms in the morning and 581 ± 7 ms in the evening. It shows a highly significant decrease of 23 ms for the anterior part and 51 ms for the posterior part (all p < 0.001). Conclusion: T1 mapping is a promising method of intervertebral disc evaluation. Significant diurnal variation and difference between levels of the lumbar spine were demonstrated. A potential use for longitudinal study in post-operative follow up or sport medicine needs to be evaluated.