WorldWideScience

Sample records for strong lateral variations

  1. Lateral temperature variations at the core-mantle boundary deduced from the magnetic field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloxham, Jeremy; Jackson, Andrew

    1990-01-01

    Recent studies of the secular variation of the earth's magnetic field over periods of a few centuries have suggested that the pattern of fluid motion near the surface of earth's outer core may be strongly influenced by lateral temperature variations in the lowermost mantle. This paper introduces a self-consistent method for finding the temperature variations near the core surface by assuming that the dynamical balance there is geostrophic and that lateral density variations there are thermal in origin. As expected, the lateral temperature variations are very small. Some agreement is found between this pattern and the pattern of topography of the core-mantle boundary, but this does not conclusively answer to what extent core surface motions are controlled by the mantle, rather than being determined by processes in the core.

  2. Illness as a source of variation of laterality in lions (Panthera leo).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zucca, Paolo; Baciadonna, Luigi; Masci, Stefano; Mariscoli, Massimo

    2011-05-01

    Brain asymmetry--i.e. the specialisation of each cerebral hemisphere for sensorimotor processing mechanisms and for specific cognitive functions-is widely distributed among vertebrates. Several factors, such as embryological manipulations, sex, age, and breeds, can influence the maintenance, strength, and direction of laterality within a certain vertebrate species. Brain lateralisation is a universal phenomenon characterising not only cerebral control of cognitive or emotion-related functions but also cerebral regulation of somatic processes, and its evolution is strongly influenced by social selection pressure. Diseases are well known to be a cost of sociality but their role in influencing behaviour has received very little attention. The present study investigates the influence of illness conditions as a source of variation on laterality in a social keystone vertebrate predator model, the lion. In a preliminary stage, the clinical conditions of 24 adult lions were assessed. The same animals were scored for forelimb preference when in the quadrupedal standing position. Lions show a marked forelimb preference with a population bias towards the use of the right forelimb. Illness conditions strongly influenced the strength of laterality bias, with a significant difference between clinically healthy and sick lions. According to these results, health conditions should be recognised as an important source of variation in brain lateralisation.

  3. Solvability of Extended General Strongly Mixed Variational Inequalities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balwant Singh Thakur

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a new class of extended general strongly mixed variational inequalities is introduced and studied in Hilbert spaces. An existence theorem of solution is established and using resolvent operator technique, a new iterative algorithm for solving the extended general strongly mixed variational inequality is suggested. A convergence result for the iterative sequence generated by the new algorithm is also established.

  4. Waveform inversion of lateral velocity variation from wavefield source location perturbation

    KAUST Repository

    Choi, Yun Seok

    2013-09-22

    It is challenge in waveform inversion to precisely define the deep part of the velocity model compared to the shallow part. The lateral velocity variation, or what referred to as the derivative of velocity with respect to the horizontal distance, with well log data can be used to update the deep part of the velocity model more precisely. We develop a waveform inversion algorithm to obtain the lateral velocity variation by inverting the wavefield variation associated with the lateral shot location perturbation. The gradient of the new waveform inversion algorithm is obtained by the adjoint-state method. Our inversion algorithm focuses on resolving the lateral changes of the velocity model with respect to a fixed reference vertical velocity profile given by a well log. We apply the method on a simple-dome model to highlight the methods potential.

  5. Cholecystokinin A receptor (CCKAR gene variation is associated with language lateralization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian Ocklenburg

    Full Text Available Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder associated with atypical handedness and language lateralization. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these functional changes are still poorly understood. Therefore, the present study was aimed at investigating whether variation in schizophrenia-related genes modulates individual lateralization patterns. To this end, we genotyped 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms that have previously been linked to schizophrenia on a meta-analysis level in a sample of 444 genetically unrelated healthy participants and examined the association of these polymorphisms with handedness, footedness and language lateralization. We found a significant association of the cholecystokinin-A receptor (CCKAR gene variation rs1800857 and language lateralization assessed using the dichotic listening task. Individuals carrying the schizophrenia risk allele C of this polymorphism showed a marked reduction of the typical left-hemispheric dominance for language processing. Since the cholecystokinin A receptor is involved in dopamine release in the central nervous system, these findings suggest that genetic variation in this receptor may modulate language lateralization due to its impact on dopaminergic pathways.

  6. The effect of lateral variations of friction on crustal faulting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Cocco

    1994-06-01

    Full Text Available We propose that lateral variations in fault friction control the heterogeneity of slip observed in large earthquakes, We model these variations using a rate and state-dependent friction law, where we differentiate velocity-weakening into strong and weak-seismic fields, and velocity-strengthening into compliant and viscous fields. The strong-seismic field comprises the seismic slip concentrations, or asperities. The two «intermediate» frictional fields, weak-seismic and compliant, modulate both the tectonic loading and the dynamic rupture process. During the interseismic period, the compliant and viscous regions slip aseismically while the strong-seismic regions remain locked, evolving into stress concentrations that fail only in main shocks. The weak-seismic regions contain most of the interseismic activity and aftershocks, but also «creep seismically», that is, most of the weak-seismic area slips aseismically, actuating the seismicity on the remaining area. This «mixed» frictional behavior can be obtained from a sufficiently heterogenous distribution for the critical slip distance. The interseismic slip provides an inherent rupture resistance: dynamic rupture fronts decelerate as they penetrate into these unloaded compliant or creeping weak-seismic areas, diffusing into broad areas of accelerated afterslip. Aftershocks occur in both the weak-seismic and compliant areas around the fault, but most of the stress is diffused through aseismic slip. Rapid afterslip on these peripheral areas can also produce aftershocks within the main shock rupture area, by reloading weak fault areas that slipped in the main shock and then healed. We test this frictional model by comparing the interevent seismicity and aftershocks to the coseismic slip distribution for the 1966 Parkfield, 1979 Coyote Lake, and 1984 Morgan Hill earthquakes.

  7. Lateral variations of the Guerrero-Oaxaca subduction zone (Mexico) derived from weak seismicity (Mb3.5+) detected on a single array at teleseismic distance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Letort, Jean; Retailleau, Lise; Boué, Pierre; Radiguet, Mathilde; Gardonio, Blandine; Cotton, Fabrice; Campillo, Michel

    2018-05-01

    Detections of pP and sP phase arrivals (the so-called depth phases) at teleseismic distance provide one of the best ways to estimate earthquake focal depth, as the P-pP and the P-sP delays are strongly dependent on the depth. Based on a new processing workflow and using a single seismic array at teleseismic distance, we can estimate the depth of clusters of small events down to magnitude Mb 3.5. Our method provides a direct view of the relative variations of the seismicity depth from an active area. This study focuses on the application of this new methodology to study the lateral variations of the Guerrero subduction zone (Mexico) using the Eielson seismic array in Alaska (USA). After denoising the signals, 1232 Mb 3.5 + events were detected, with clear P, pP, sP and PcP arrivals. A high-resolution view of the lateral variations of the depth of the seismicity of the Guerero-Oaxaca area is thus obtained. The seismicity is shown to be mainly clustered along the interface, coherently following the geometry of the plate as constrained by the receiver-function analysis along the Meso America Subduction Experiment profile. From this study, the hypothesis of tears on the western part of Guerrero and the eastern part of Oaxaca are strongly confirmed by dramatic lateral changes in the depth of the earthquake clusters. The presence of these two tears might explain the observed lateral variations in seismicity, which is correlated with the boundaries of the slow slip events.

  8. Seasonal variation of water quality in a lateral hyporheic zone with response to dam operations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, X.; Chen, L.; Zhao, J.

    2015-12-01

    Aquatic environment of lateral hyporheic zone in a regulated river were investigated seasonally under fluctuated water levels induced by dam operations. Groundwater levels variations in preassembled wells and changes in electronic conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, water temperature and pH in the hyporheic zone were examined as environmental performance indicators for the water quality. Groundwater tables in wells were highly related to the river water levels that showed a hysteresis pattern, and the lag time is associated with the distances from wells to the river bank. The distribution of DO and EC were strongly related to the water temperature, indicating that the cold water released from up-reservoir could determine the biochemistry process in the hyporheic zone. Results also showed that the hyporheic water was weakly alkaline in the study area but had a more or less uniform spatial distribution. Dam release-storage cycles were the dominant factor in changing lateral hyporheic flow and water quality.

  9. A comprehensive analysis of rare genetic variation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Sarah; Shatunov, Aleksey; Sproviero, William; Jones, Ashley R; Shoai, Maryam; Hughes, Deborah; Al Khleifat, Ahmad; Malaspina, Andrea; Morrison, Karen E; Shaw, Pamela J; Shaw, Christopher E; Sidle, Katie; Orrell, Richard W; Fratta, Pietro; Hardy, John; Pittman, Alan; Al-Chalabi, Ammar

    2017-06-01

    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease of motor neurons. About 25 genes have been verified as relevant to the disease process, with rare and common variation implicated. We used next generation sequencing and repeat sizing to comprehensively assay genetic variation in a panel of known amyotrophic lateral sclerosis genes in 1126 patient samples and 613 controls. About 10% of patients were predicted to carry a pathological expansion of the C9orf72 gene. We found an increased burden of rare variants in patients within the untranslated regions of known disease-causing genes, driven by SOD1, TARDBP, FUS, VCP, OPTN and UBQLN2. We found 11 patients (1%) carried more than one pathogenic variant (P = 0.001) consistent with an oligogenic basis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These findings show that the genetic architecture of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is complex and that variation in the regulatory regions of associated genes may be important in disease pathogenesis. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain.

  10. Waveform inversion of lateral velocity variation from wavefield source location perturbation

    KAUST Repository

    Choi, Yun Seok; Alkhalifah, Tariq Ali

    2013-01-01

    It is challenge in waveform inversion to precisely define the deep part of the velocity model compared to the shallow part. The lateral velocity variation, or what referred to as the derivative of velocity with respect to the horizontal distance

  11. Lateral structural variation within the overlying plate and its correlation to the Tonankai earthquake

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujie, G.; Nakanishi, A.; Park, J.; Obana, K.; Kodaira, S.; Kaneda, Y.

    2009-12-01

    Destructive interplate earthquakes have repeatedly occurred every 100-150 years beneath the Kumano-nada, off the Kii peninsula owing to the subduction of the Philippine Sea plate beneath the southwest Japan arc. The last great interplate earthquakes in this seismogenic subduction zone was the 1944 Tonankai earthquakes, and a number of coseismic slip distribution models derived from seismic and tsunami data show remarkable lateral variations along the trough axis. In 2006 and 2007, we conducted extensive wide-angle seismic refraction and reflection surveys in the entire rupture zone of the 1944 Tonankai earthquake. We designed two along-trough and two across-trench seismic survey lines and deployed a number of OBSs (Ocean Bottom Seismometers) with a spacing of 5km and fired an airgun array with a total volume of 200L at every 0.2km. The quality of the obtained wide-angle seismic record section is substantially good and we observed remarkable regional variation in the amplitude of refraction and reflection phases. For example, in some record sections, we can trace seismic signals up to the offset of more than 100 km, but in other sections, the airgun signals become dim at the offset of less than 30km. Such regional variation in the amplitude indicates the lateral variation of the seismic attenuation structure. For revealing lateral structural variation, we developed seismic structure models by the following approach. First, we applied the first arrival tomography for developing P-wave velocity structure models. Then, we imaged structural boundaries by the reflection traveltime mapping method. Finally, we developed seismic attenuation models by using raypaths and amplitude of first arrivals. Our seismic structure models showed remarkable along-trench structural variation. In the P-wave velocity models, we found a height on the subducting Philippine plate at the eastern end of the Kumano basin (south-east off Shima peninsula). In the western area (i.e. Kumano Basin

  12. Moveout analysis of wide-azimuth data in the presence of lateral velocity variation

    KAUST Repository

    Takanashi, Mamoru

    2012-05-01

    Moveout analysis of wide-azimuth reflection data seldom takes into account lateral velocity variations on the scale of spreadlength. However, velocity lenses (such as channels and reefs) in the overburden can cause significant, laterally varying errors in the moveout parameters and distortions in data interpretation. Here, we present an analytic expression for the normal-moveout (NMO) ellipse in stratified media with lateral velocity variation. The contribution of lateral heterogeneity (LH) is controlled by the second derivatives of the interval vertical traveltime with respect to the horizontal coordinates, along with the depth and thickness of the LH layer. This equation provides a quick estimate of the influence of velocity lenses and can be used to substantially mitigate the lens-induced distortions in the effective and interval NMO ellipses. To account for velocity lenses in nonhyperbolic moveout inversion of wide-azimuth data, we propose a prestack correction algorithm that involves computation of the lens-induced traveltime distortion for each recorded trace. The overburden is assumed to be composed of horizontal layers (one of which contains the lens), but the target interval can be laterally heterogeneous with dipping or curved interfaces. Synthetic tests for horizontally layered models confirm that our algorithm accurately removes lens-related azimuthally varying traveltime shifts and errors in the moveout parameters. The developed methods should increase the robustness of seismic processing of wide-azimuth surveys, especially those acquired for fracture-characterization purposes. © 2012 Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

  13. Moveout analysis of wide-azimuth data in the presence of lateral velocity variation

    KAUST Repository

    Takanashi, Mamoru; Tsvankin, Ilya

    2012-01-01

    Moveout analysis of wide-azimuth reflection data seldom takes into account lateral velocity variations on the scale of spreadlength. However, velocity lenses (such as channels and reefs) in the overburden can cause significant, laterally varying errors in the moveout parameters and distortions in data interpretation. Here, we present an analytic expression for the normal-moveout (NMO) ellipse in stratified media with lateral velocity variation. The contribution of lateral heterogeneity (LH) is controlled by the second derivatives of the interval vertical traveltime with respect to the horizontal coordinates, along with the depth and thickness of the LH layer. This equation provides a quick estimate of the influence of velocity lenses and can be used to substantially mitigate the lens-induced distortions in the effective and interval NMO ellipses. To account for velocity lenses in nonhyperbolic moveout inversion of wide-azimuth data, we propose a prestack correction algorithm that involves computation of the lens-induced traveltime distortion for each recorded trace. The overburden is assumed to be composed of horizontal layers (one of which contains the lens), but the target interval can be laterally heterogeneous with dipping or curved interfaces. Synthetic tests for horizontally layered models confirm that our algorithm accurately removes lens-related azimuthally varying traveltime shifts and errors in the moveout parameters. The developed methods should increase the robustness of seismic processing of wide-azimuth surveys, especially those acquired for fracture-characterization purposes. © 2012 Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

  14. Dynamic Variation in Pleasure in Children Predicts Nonlinear Change in Lateral Frontal Brain Electrical Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Light, Sharee N.; Coan, James A.; Frye, Corrina; Goldsmith, H. Hill; Davidson, Richard J.

    2009-01-01

    Individual variation in the experience and expression of pleasure may relate to differential patterns of lateral frontal activity. Brain electrical measures have been used to study the asymmetric involvement of lateral frontal cortex in positive emotion, but the excellent time resolution of these measures has not been used to capture…

  15. Strong Convergence Theorems for Variational Inequalities and Split Equality Problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Jing Wu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Let H1, H2, and H3 be real Hilbert spaces, let C⊆H1, Q⊆H2 be two nonempty closed convex sets, and let A:H1→H3, B:H2→H3 be two bounded linear operators. The split equality problem (SEP is to find x∈C, y∈Q such that Ax=By. Let H=H1×H2; consider f:H→H a contraction with coefficient 00, and M:H→H is a β-inverse strongly monotone mapping. Let 0<γ<γ̅/α, S=C×Q and G:H→H3 be defined by restricting to H1 is A and restricting to H2 is -B, that is, G has the matrix form G=[A,-B]. It is proved that the sequence {wn}={(xn,yn}⊆H generated by the iterative method wn+1=PS[αnγf(wn+(I-αnTPS(I-γnG*GPS(wn-λnMwn] converges strongly to w̃ which solves the SEP and the following variational inequality: 〈(T-λfw̃,w-w̃〉≥0 and 〈Mw̃,w-w̃〉≥0 for all w∈S. Moreover, if we take M=G*G:H→H,  γn=0, then M is a β-inverse strongly monotone mapping, and the sequence {wn} generated by the iterative method wn+1=αnγf(wn+(I-αnTPS(wn-λnG*Gwn converges strongly to w̃ which solves the SEP and the following variational inequality: 〈(T-λfw̃,w-w̃〉≥0 for all w∈S.

  16. Background levels of methane in Mars’ atmosphere show strong seasonal variations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webster, Christopher R.; Mahaffy, Paul R.; Atreya, Sushil K.; Moores, John E.; Flesch, Gregory J.; Malespin, Charles; McKay, Christopher P.; Martinez, German; Smith, Christina L.; Martin-Torres, Javier; Gomez-Elvira, Javier; Zorzano, Maria-Paz; Wong, Michael H.; Trainer, Melissa G.; Steele, Andrew; Archer, Doug; Sutter, Brad; Coll, Patrice J.; Freissinet, Caroline; Meslin, Pierre-Yves; Gough, Raina V.; House, Christopher H.; Pavlov, Alexander; Eigenbrode, Jennifer L.; Glavin, Daniel P.; Pearson, John C.; Keymeulen, Didier; Christensen, Lance E.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Navarro-Gonzalez, Rafael; Pla-García, Jorge; Rafkin, Scot C. R.; Vicente-Retortillo, Álvaro; Kahanpää, Henrik; Viudez-Moreiras, Daniel; Smith, Michael D.; Harri, Ari-Matti; Genzer, Maria; Hassler, Donald M.; Lemmon, Mark; Crisp, Joy; Sander, Stanley P.; Zurek, Richard W.; Vasavada, Ashwin R.

    2018-06-01

    Variable levels of methane in the martian atmosphere have eluded explanation partly because the measurements are not repeatable in time or location. We report in situ measurements at Gale crater made over a 5-year period by the Tunable Laser Spectrometer on the Curiosity rover. The background levels of methane have a mean value 0.41 ± 0.16 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) (95% confidence interval) and exhibit a strong, repeatable seasonal variation (0.24 to 0.65 ppbv). This variation is greater than that predicted from either ultraviolet degradation of impact-delivered organics on the surface or from the annual surface pressure cycle. The large seasonal variation in the background and occurrences of higher temporary spikes (~7 ppbv) are consistent with small localized sources of methane released from martian surface or subsurface reservoirs.

  17. General strongly nonlinear variational inequalities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siddiqi, A.H.; Ansari, Q.H.

    1990-07-01

    In this paper we develop iterative algorithms for finding approximate solutions for new classes of variational and quasi-variational inequalities which include, as special case, some known results in this field. It is shown that the solutions of the iterative schemes converge to the exact solutions. (author). 15 refs

  18. Rare genetic variation in UNC13A may modify survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gaastra, Benjamin; Shatunov, Aleksey; Pulit, Sara; Jones, Ashley R; Sproviero, William; Gillett, Alexandra; Chen, Zhongbo; Kirby, Janine; Fogh, Isabella; Powell, John F; Leigh, P Nigel; Morrison, Karen E; Shaw, Pamela J; Shaw, Christopher E; van den Berg, Leonard H; Veldink, Jan H; Lewis, Cathryn M; Al-Chalabi, Ammar

    2016-01-01

    Our objective was to identify whether rare genetic variation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) candidate survival genes modifies ALS survival. Candidate genes were selected based on evidence for modifying ALS survival. Each tail of the extreme 1.5% of survival was selected from the UK MND DNA

  19. Lateral variation of seismic attenuation in Sikkim Himalaya

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thirunavukarasu, Ajaay; Kumar, Ajay; Mitra, Supriyo

    2017-01-01

    We use data from local earthquakes (mb ≥ 3.0) recorded by the Sikkim broad-band seismograph network to study the frequency-dependent attenuation of the crust and uppermost mantle. These events have been relocated using body wave phase data from local and regional seismograms. The decay of coda amplitudes at a range of central frequencies (1 to 12 Hz) has been measured for 74 earthquake-receiver pairs. These measurements are combined to estimate the frequency-dependent coda Q of the form Q( f) = Q0 f η. The estimated Q0 values range from 80 to 200, with an average of 123 ± 29; and η ranges from 0.92 to 1.04, with an average of 0.98 ± 0.04. To study the lateral variation of Q0 and η, we regionalized the measured Q values by combining all the earthquake-receiver path measurements through a back projection algorithm. We consider a single back-scatter model for the coda waves with elliptical sampling and parametrize the sampled area using 0.2° square grids. A nine-point spatial smoothening (similar to spatial Gaussian filter) is applied to stabilize the inversion. This is done at every frequency to observe the spatial variation of Q( f) and subsequently combined to obtain η variations. Results of our study reveal that the Sikkim Himalaya is characterized by low Q0 (80-100) compared to the foreland basin to its south (150-200) and the Nepal Himalaya to its west (140-160). The low Q and high η in Sikkim Himalaya is attributed to extrinsic scattering attenuation from structural heterogeneity and active faults within the crust, and intrinsic attenuation due to anelasticity in the hotter lithosphere beneath the actively deforming mountain belt. Similar low Q and high η values had also been observed in northwest and Garhwal-Kumaun Himalaya.

  20. Strongly nonlinear parabolic variational inequalities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Browder, F E; Brézis, H

    1980-02-01

    An existence and uniqueness result is established for a general class of variational inequalities for parabolic partial differential equations of the form partial differentialu/ partial differentialt + A(u) + g(u) = f with g nondecreasing but satisfying no growth condition. The proof is based upon a type of compactness result for solutions of variational inequalities that should find a variety of other applications.

  1. Alternation vs. Allomorphic Variation in Old English Word-Formation: Evidence from the Derivational Paradigm of Strong Verbs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Urraca Carmen Novo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This article addresses the question of Old English alternations with a view to identifying instances of allomorphic variation attributable to the loss of motivation and the subsequent morphologization of alternations. The focus is on the strong verb and its derivatives, in such a way that the alternations in which the strong verb partakes can be predicted on the basis of phonological principles, whereas allomorphic variation with respect to the strong verb base is unpredictable. Out of 304 derivational paradigms based on strong verbs and comprising 4,853 derivatives, 478 instances have been found of phonologically motivated vocalic alternations. The conclusion is reached that the most frequent alternations are those that have /a/ as source and those with /y/ as target, because /a/ is the point of departure of i-mutation and /y/ its point of arrival. Sixteen instances of allomorphic variation have also been found, of which /e/ ~ /eo/, /e/ ~ /ea/ and /i/ ~ /e/ are relatively frequent.

  2. Phase modulation of mid-infrared radiation in double-quantum-well structures under a lateral electric field

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balagula, R. M.; Vinnichenko, M. Ya.; Makhov, I. S.; Sofronov, A. N., E-mail: sofronov@rphf.spbstu.ru; Firsov, D. A.; Vorobjev, L. E. [Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (Russian Federation)

    2017-03-15

    The modulation of polarized radiation by GaAs/AlGaAs structures with tunnel-coupled double quantum wells in a strong lateral electric field is studied. The spectra of the variation in the refractive index under a lateral electric field in the vicinity of the intersubband resonance are experimentally investigated.

  3. Strain localization at the margins of strong lithospheric domains: insights from analogue models

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Calignano, Elisa; Sokoutis, Dimitrios; Willingshofer, Ernst; Gueydan, Frederic; Cloetingh, Sierd

    The lateral variation of the mechanical properties of continental lithosphere is an important factor controlling the localization of deformation and thus the deformation history and geometry of intra-plate mountain belts. A series of three-layer lithospheric-scale analog models, with a strong domain

  4. Longitudinal variation in lateral trapping of fine sediment in tidal estuaries: observations and a 3D exploratory model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wei; de Swart, Huib E.

    2018-03-01

    This study investigates the longitudinal variation of lateral entrapment of suspended sediment, as is observed in some tidal estuaries. In particular, field data from the Yangtze Estuary are analysed, which reveal that in one cross-section, two maxima of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) occur close to the south and north sides, while in a cross-section 2 km down-estuary, only one SSC maximum on the south side is present. This pattern is found during both spring tide and neap tide, which are characterised by different intensities of turbulence. To understand longitudinal variation in lateral trapping of sediment, results of a new three-dimensional exploratory model are analysed. The hydrodynamic part contains residual flow due to fresh water input, density gradients and Coriolis force and due to channel curvature-induced leakage. Moreover, the model includes a spatially varying eddy viscosity that accounts for variation of intensity of turbulence over the spring-neap cycle. By imposing morphodynamic equilibrium, the two-dimensional distribution of sediment in the domain is obtained analytically by a novel procedure. Results reveal that the occurrence of the SSC maxima near the south side of both cross-sections is due to sediment entrapment by lateral density gradients, while the second SSC maximum near the north side of the first cross-section is by sediment transport due to curvature-induced leakage. Coriolis deflection of longitudinal flow also contributes the trapping of sediment near the north side. This mechanism is important in the upper estuary, where the flow due to lateral density gradients is weak.

  5. Influence of Poisson's ratio variation on lateral spring constant of atomic force microscopy cantilevers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yeh, M.-K.; Tai, N.-Ha; Chen, B.-Y.

    2008-01-01

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) can be used to measure the surface morphologies and the mechanical properties of nanostructures. The force acting on the AFM cantilever can be obtained by multiplying the spring constant of AFM cantilever and the corresponding deformation. To improve the accuracy of force experiments, the spring constant of AFM cantilever must be calibrated carefully. Many methods, such as theoretical equations, the finite element method, and the use of reference cantilever, were reported to obtain the spring constant of AFM cantilevers. For the cantilever made of single crystal, the Poisson's ratio varies with different cantilever-crystal angles. In this paper, the influences of Poisson's ratio variation on the lateral spring constant and axial spring constant of rectangular and V-shaped AFM cantilevers, with different tilt angles and normal forces, were investigated by the finite element analysis. When the cantilever's tilt angle is 20 deg. and the Poisson's ratio varies from 0.02 to 0.4, the finite element results show that the lateral spring constants decrease 11.75% for the rectangular cantilever with 1 μN landing force and decrease 18.60% for the V-shaped cantilever with 50 nN landing force, respectively. The influence of Poisson's ratio variation on axial spring constant is less than 3% for both rectangular and V-shaped cantilevers. As the tilt angle increases, the axial spring constants for rectangular and V-shaped cantilevers decrease substantially. The results obtained can be used to improve the accuracy of the lateral force measurement when using atomic force microscopy

  6. The P413L chromogranin B variation in French patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blasco, Hélène; Corcia, Philippe; Veyrat-Durebex, Charlotte; Coutadeur, Cathleen; Fournier, Clémentine; Camu, William; Gordon, Paul; Praline, Julien; Andres, Christian R; Vourc'h, Patrick

    2011-05-01

    Chromogranins interact with mutant forms of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) responsible for a portion of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A particular variation (P413L) in the chromogranin B gene, CHGB, has been recently associated with an earlier age at onset in both familial and sporadic ALS. The aim of our study was to evaluate the P413L chromogranin variation in French patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We developed a High Resolution DNA Melting (HRM) protocol to analyse the P413L variation in the CHGB gene in 540 French patients with sporadic ALS and 504 controls. The clinical characteristics of patients were analysed in relation to their genotype. Results showed that our study on a large cohort of French-Caucasian patients with SALS and controls failed to confirm an increased frequency of the 413L variant in SALS patients. This frequency was 5.3% in the SALS population and 5.5% in the control group. Moreover, we did not observe a previous observation of a difference of age at onset between T-allele carriers and non-carriers (median age of onset 60.4 vs. 62.0 years of age, respectively). Thus, our findings do not support the 413L variant of rs742710 as a risk factor for sporadic ALS in the French population.

  7. Neutral genetic variation in adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) affects brain-to-body trade-off and brain laterality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heath, Daniel D.; Higgs, Dennis M.

    2017-01-01

    Low levels of heterozygosity can have detrimental effects on life history and growth characteristics of organisms but more subtle effects such as those on trade-offs of expensive tissues and morphological laterality, especially of the brain, have not been explicitly tested. The objective of the current study was to investigate how estimated differences in heterozygosity may potentially affect brain-to-body trade-offs and to explore how these heterozygosity differences may affect differential brain growth, focusing on directional asymmetry in adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) using the laterality and absolute laterality indices. Level of inbreeding was estimated as mean microsatellite heterozygosity resulting in four ‘inbreeding level groups’ (Very High, High, Medium, Low). A higher inbreeding level corresponded with a decreased brain-to-body ratio, thus a decrease in investment in brain tissue, and also showed a decrease in the laterality index for the cerebellum, where the left hemisphere was larger than the right across all groups. These results begin to show the role that differences in heterozygosity may play in differential tissue investment and in morphological laterality, and may be useful in two ways. Firstly, the results may be valuable for restocking programmes that wish to emphasize brain or body growth when crossing adults to generate individuals for release, as we show that genetic variation does affect these trade-offs. Secondly, this study is one of the first examinations to test the hypothesized relationship between genetic variation and laterality, finding that in Chinook salmon there is potential for an effect of inbreeding on lateralized morphology, but not in the expected direction. PMID:29308240

  8. Simultaneous inversion for hypocenters and lateral velocity variation: An iterative solution with a layered model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hawley, B.W.; Zandt, G.; Smith, R.B.

    1981-08-10

    An iterative inversion technique has been developed that uses the direct P and S wave arrival times from local earthquakes to compute simultaneously a three-dimensional velocity structure and relocated hypocenters. Crustal structure is modeled by subdiving flat layers into rectangular blocks. An interpolation function is used to smoothly vary velocities between blocks, allowing ray trace calculations of travel times in a three-dimensional medium. Tests using synthetic data from known models show that solutions are reasonably independent of block size and spatial distribution but are sensitive to the choice of layer thicknesses. Application of the technique to observed earthquake data from north-central Utah shown the following: (1) lateral velcoity variations in the crust as large as 7% occur over 30-km distance, (2) earthquake epicenters computed with the three-dimensional velocity structure were shifted an average of 3.0 km from location determined assuming homogeneous flat layered models, and (3) the laterally varying velocity structure correlates with anomalous variations in the local gravity and aeromagnetic fields, suggesting that the new velocity information can be valuable in acquiring a better understanding of crustal structure.

  9. Finite-Temperature Variational Monte Carlo Method for Strongly Correlated Electron Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takai, Kensaku; Ido, Kota; Misawa, Takahiro; Yamaji, Youhei; Imada, Masatoshi

    2016-03-01

    A new computational method for finite-temperature properties of strongly correlated electrons is proposed by extending the variational Monte Carlo method originally developed for the ground state. The method is based on the path integral in the imaginary-time formulation, starting from the infinite-temperature state that is well approximated by a small number of certain random initial states. Lower temperatures are progressively reached by the imaginary-time evolution. The algorithm follows the framework of the quantum transfer matrix and finite-temperature Lanczos methods, but we extend them to treat much larger system sizes without the negative sign problem by optimizing the truncated Hilbert space on the basis of the time-dependent variational principle (TDVP). This optimization algorithm is equivalent to the stochastic reconfiguration (SR) method that has been frequently used for the ground state to optimally truncate the Hilbert space. The obtained finite-temperature states allow an interpretation based on the thermal pure quantum (TPQ) state instead of the conventional canonical-ensemble average. Our method is tested for the one- and two-dimensional Hubbard models and its accuracy and efficiency are demonstrated.

  10. Limits on cosmological variation of strong interaction and quark masses from big bang nucleosynthesis, cosmic, laboratory and Oklo data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flambaum, V.V.; Shuryak, E.V.

    2002-01-01

    Recent data on the cosmological variation of the electromagnetic fine structure constant from distant quasar (QSO) absorption spectra have inspired a more general discussion of the possible variation of other constants. We discuss the variation of strong scale and quark masses. We derive limits on their relative change from (i) primordial big bang nucleosynthesis, (ii) the Oklo natural nuclear reactor, (iii) quasar absorption spectra, and (iv) laboratory measurements of hyperfine intervals

  11. Lateral variations in upper-mantle seismic anisotropy in the Pacific from inversion of a surface-wave dispersion dataset

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eddy, C. L.; Ekstrom, G.; Nettles, M.; Gaherty, J. B.

    2017-12-01

    We present a three-dimensional model of the anisotropic velocity structure of the Pacific lithosphere and asthenosphere. The presence of seismic anisotropy in the oceanic upper mantle provides information about the geometry of flow in the mantle, the nature of the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary, and the possible presence of partial melt in the asthenosphere. Our dataset consists of fundamental-mode dispersion for Rayleigh and Love waves measured between 25-250 s with paths crossing the Pacific Ocean. We invert the phase anomaly measurements directly for three-dimensional anisotropic velocity structure. Our models are radially anisotropic and include the full set of elastic parameters that describe azimuthal variations in velocity (e.g. Gc, Gs). We investigate the age dependence of seismic velocity and radial anisotropy and find that there are significant deviations from the velocities predicted by a simple oceanic plate cooling model. We observe strong radial anisotropy with vsh > vsv in the asthenosphere of the central Pacific. We investigate the radial anisotropy in the shallow lithosphere, where previous models have reported conflicting results. There is a contrast in both upper-mantle isotropic velocities and radial anisotropy between the Pacific and Nazca plates, across the East Pacific Rise. We also investigate lateral variations in azimuthal anisotropy throughout the Pacific upper mantle and find that there are large areas over which the anisotropy fast axis does not align with absolute plate motion, suggesting the presence of small-scale convection or pressure-driven flow beneath the base of the oceanic plate.

  12. Strong convergence with a modified iterative projection method for hierarchical fixed point problems and variational inequalities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim Karahan

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Let C be a nonempty closed convex subset of a real Hilbert space H. Let {T_{n}}:C›H be a sequence of nearly nonexpansive mappings such that F:=?_{i=1}^{?}F(T_{i}?Ø. Let V:C›H be a ?-Lipschitzian mapping and F:C›H be a L-Lipschitzian and ?-strongly monotone operator. This paper deals with a modified iterative projection method for approximating a solution of the hierarchical fixed point problem. It is shown that under certain approximate assumptions on the operators and parameters, the modified iterative sequence {x_{n}} converges strongly to x^{*}?F which is also the unique solution of the following variational inequality: ?0, ?x?F. As a special case, this projection method can be used to find the minimum norm solution of above variational inequality; namely, the unique solution x^{*} to the quadratic minimization problem: x^{*}=argmin_{x?F}?x?². The results here improve and extend some recent corresponding results of other authors.

  13. The impact of lateral variations in lithospheric thickness on glacial isostatic adjustment in West Antarctica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nield, Grace A.; Whitehouse, Pippa L.; van der Wal, Wouter; Blank, Bas; O'Donnell, John Paul; Stuart, Graham W.

    2018-04-01

    Differences in predictions of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) for Antarctica persist due to uncertainties in deglacial history and Earth rheology. The Earth models adopted in many GIA studies are defined by parameters that vary in the radial direction only and represent a global average Earth structure (referred to as 1D Earth models). Over-simplifying actual Earth structure leads to bias in model predictions in regions where Earth parameters differ significantly from the global average, such as West Antarctica. We investigate the impact of lateral variations in lithospheric thickness on GIA in Antarctica by carrying out two experiments that use different rheological approaches to define 3D Earth models that include spatial variations in lithospheric thickness. The first experiment defines an elastic lithosphere with spatial variations in thickness inferred from seismic studies. We compare the results from this 3D model with results derived from a 1D Earth model that has a uniform lithospheric thickness defined as the average of the 3D lithospheric thickness. Irrespective of deglacial history and sub-lithospheric mantle viscosity, we find higher gradients of present-day uplift rates (i.e. higher amplitude and shorter wavelength) in West Antarctica when using the 3D models, due to the thinner-than-1D-average lithosphere prevalent in this region. The second experiment uses seismically-inferred temperature as input to a power-law rheology thereby allowing the lithosphere to have a viscosity structure. Modelling the lithosphere with a power-law rheology results in behaviour that is equivalent to a thinner-lithosphere model, and it leads to higher amplitude and shorter wavelength deformation compared with the first experiment. We conclude that neglecting spatial variations in lithospheric thickness in GIA models will result in predictions of peak uplift and subsidence that are biased low in West Antarctica. This has important implications for ice-sheet modelling

  14. Variations of Background Seismic Noise Before Strong Earthquakes, Kamchatka.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasimova, V.; Kopylova, G.; Lyubushin, A.

    2017-12-01

    The network of broadband seismic stations of Geophysical Service (Russian Academy of Science) works on the territory of Kamchatka peninsula in the Far East of Russia. We used continuous records on Z-channels at 21 stations for creation of background seismic noise time series in 2011-2017. Average daily parameters of multi-fractal spectra of singularity have been calculated at each station using 1-minute records. Maps and graphs of their spatial distribution and temporal changes were constructed at time scales from days to several years. The analysis of the coherent behavior of the time series of the statistics was considered. The technique included the splitting of seismic network into groups of stations, taking into account the coastal effect, the network configuration and the main tectonic elements of Kamchatka. Then the time series of median values of noise parameters from each group of stations were made and the frequency-time diagrams of the evolution of the spectral measure of the coherent behavior of four time series were analyzed. The time intervals and frequency bands of the maximum values showing the increase of coherence in the changes of all statistics were evaluated. The strong earthquakes with magnitudes M=6.9-8.3 occurred near the Kamchatka peninsula during the observations. The synchronous variations of the background noise parameters and increase in the coherent behavior of the median values of statistical parameters was shown before two earthquakes 2013 (February 28, Mw=6.9; May 24, Mw=8.3) within 3-9 months and before earthquake of January 30, 2016, Mw=7.2 within 3-6 months. The maximum effect of increased coherence in the range of periods 4-5.5 days corresponds to the time of preparation of two strong earthquakes in 2013 and their aftershock processes. Peculiarities in changes of statistical parameters at stages of preparation of strong earthquakes indicate the attenuation in high-amplitude outliers and the loss of multi-fractal properties in

  15. Lateral variations in foreland flexure of a rifted continental margin: The Aquitaine Basin (SW France)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angrand, P.; Ford, M.; Watts, A. B.

    2017-12-01

    We study the effects of the inherited Aptian to Cenomanian rift on crustal rheology and evolution of the Late Cretaceous to Neogene flexural Aquitaine foreland basin, northern Pyrenees. We use surface and subsurface geological data to define the crustal geometry and the post-rift thermal subsidence, and Bouguer gravity anomalies and flexural modeling to study the lateral variation of the elastic thickness, flexure of the European plate and controlling loads. The Aquitaine foreland can be divided along-strike into three sectors. The eastern foreland is un-rifted and is associated with a simple flexural subsidence. The central sector is affected by crustal stretching and the observed foreland base is modeled by combining topographic and buried loads, with post-rift thermal subsidence. In the western sector the foreland basin geometry is mainly controlled by post-rift thermal subsidence. These three sectors are separated by major lineaments, which affect both crustal and foreland geometry. These lineaments seem to be part of a larger structural pattern that includes the Toulouse and Pamplona Faults. The European foreland shows lateral variations in flexural behavior: the relative role of surface and sub-surface (i.e., buried) loading varies along-strike and the elastic thickness values decrease from the north-east to the south-west where the plate is the most stretched. We suggest that foreland basins are influenced by the thermal state of the underlying lithosphere if it was initiated soon after rifting and that thermal cooling can contribute significantly to subsidence.

  16. Immune gene expression in Bombus terrestris: signatures of infection despite strong variation among populations, colonies, and sister workers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franziska S Brunner

    Full Text Available Ecological immunology relies on variation in resistance to parasites. Colonies of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris vary in their susceptibility to the trypanosome gut parasite Crithidia bombi, which reduces colony fitness. To understand the possible origin of this variation in resistance we assayed the expression of 28 immunologically important genes in foraging workers. We deliberately included natural variation of the host "environment" by using bees from colonies collected in two locations and sampling active foraging workers that were not age controlled. Immune gene expression patterns in response to C. bombi showed remarkable variability even among genetically similar sisters. Nevertheless, expression varied with parasite exposure, among colonies and, perhaps surprisingly, strongly among populations (collection sites. While only the antimicrobial peptide abaecin is universally up regulated upon exposure, linear discriminant analysis suggests that the overall exposure effect is driven by a combination of several immune pathways and further immune functions such as ROS regulation. Also, the differences among colonies in their immune gene expression profiles provide clues to the mechanistic basis of well-known inter-colony variation in susceptibility to this parasite. Our results show that transcriptional responses to parasite exposure can be detected in ecologically heterogeneous groups despite strong background noise.

  17. Anisotropy in electromagnetic field variations and its implication for lateral inhomogeneity of the electrical conductivity structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Honkura, Y.; Watanabe, N.; Kaneko, Y.; Oshima, S.

    1989-03-01

    Two-dimensional analyses of magnetotelluric data provide information on anisotropic response for two different polarization cases; the so-called B-polarization and E-polarization cases. Similar anisotropy should also be observed in the horizontal components of magnetic field variations. On the assumption that a reference station provides the normal magnetic field, transfer functions for the horizontal magnetic fields can be derived in a fashion similar to the impedance analysis for magnetotelluric data. We applied this method to magnetic data obtained at some observation sites in a geothermal area in Japan. Transfer functions for the horizontal magnetic fields exhibit a strong anisotropy with the preferred direction nearly perpendicular to that for the electric field. This result implies the existence of strong electric currents flowing in the direction perpendicular to the above preferred direction for the magnetic field. The present method was also applied to the horizontal components of magnetic field variations observed at the seafloor. In this case, a magnetic observatory on land was taken as the reference station, and attenuation of the amplitude of horizontal magnetic field variation was examined. Anisotropy in attenuation was then found with the preferred direction perpendicular to the axis of the Okinawa trough where the seafloor measurement was undertaken.

  18. Variation in Lateral Plate Quality in Threespine Stickleback from Fresh, Brackish and Marine Water: A Micro-Computed Tomography Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabeth Wiig

    Full Text Available It is important to understand the drivers leading to adaptive phenotypic diversity within and among species. The threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus has become a model system for investigating the genetic and phenotypic responses during repeated colonization of fresh waters from the original marine habitat. During the freshwater colonization process there has been a recurrent and parallel reduction in the number of lateral bone plates, making it a suitable system for studying adaptability and parallel evolution.The aim of this study was to investigate an alternative evolutionary path of lateral plate reduction, where lateral plates are reduced in size rather than number.A total of 72 threespine stickleback individuals from freshwater (n = 54, brackish water (n = 27 and marine water (n = 9 were analysed using microcomputed tomography (μCT to determine variation in size, thickness and structure of the lateral plates. Furthermore, whole-body bone volume, and bone volume, bone surface and porosity of lateral plate number 4 were quantified in all specimens from each environment.The results showed a significant difference in plate size (area and volume among populations, where threespine stickleback from polymorphic freshwater and brackish water populations displayed lateral plates reduced in size (area and volume compared to marine stickleback.Reduction of lateral plates in threespine stickleback in fresh and brackish water occurs by both plate loss and reduction in plate size (area and volume.

  19. Lateral variation in upper mantle temperature and composition beneath mid-ocean ridges inferred from shear-wave propagation, geoid, and bathymetry. Ph.D. Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheehan, Anne Francis

    1991-01-01

    Resolution of both the extent and mechanism of lateral heterogeneity in the upper mantle constraints the nature and scales of mantle convection. Oceanic regions are of particular interest as they are likely to provide the closest glimpse at the patterns of temperature anomalies and convective flow in the upper mantle because of their young age and simple crustal structure relative to continental regions. Lateral variations were determined in the seismic velocity and attenuation structure of the lithosphere and astenosphere beneath the oceans, and these seismological observations were combined with the data and theory of geoid and bathymetry anomalies in order to test and improve current models for seafloor spreading and mantle convection. Variations were determined in mantle properties on a scale of about 1000 km, comparable to the thickness of the upper mantle. Seismic velocity, geoid, and bathymetry anomalies are all sensitive to variations in upper mantle density, and inversions were formulated to combine quantitatively these different data and to search for a common origin. Variations in mantle density can be either of thermal or compositional origin and are related to mantle convection or differentiation.

  20. PRDM9 variation strongly influences recombination hot-spot activity and meiotic instability in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berg, Ingrid L; Neumann, Rita; Lam, Kwan-Wood G; Sarbajna, Shriparna; Odenthal-Hesse, Linda; May, Celia A; Jeffreys, Alec J

    2010-10-01

    PRDM9 has recently been identified as a likely trans regulator of meiotic recombination hot spots in humans and mice. PRDM9 contains a zinc finger array that, in humans, can recognize a short sequence motif associated with hot spots, with binding to this motif possibly triggering hot-spot activity via chromatin remodeling. We now report that human genetic variation at the PRDM9 locus has a strong effect on sperm hot-spot activity, even at hot spots lacking the sequence motif. Subtle changes within the zinc finger array can create hot-spot nonactivating or enhancing variants and can even trigger the appearance of a new hot spot, suggesting that PRDM9 is a major global regulator of hot spots in humans. Variation at the PRDM9 locus also influences aspects of genome instability-specifically, a megabase-scale rearrangement underlying two genomic disorders as well as minisatellite instability-implicating PRDM9 as a risk factor for some pathological genome rearrangements.

  1. Variations of the attachment of the superior head of human lateral pterygoid muscle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antonopoulou, Maria; Iatrou, Ioannis; Paraschos, Alexandros; Anagnostopoulou, Sophia

    2013-09-01

    The superior head of the lateral pterygoid muscle (LPM), is closely related to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and plays a role in the aetiology of temporomandibular disorders. Increased activity of this muscle has been implicated in the anterior displacement of the TMJ disc. However, there is uncertainty about the manner of the LPM attachment to the disc-condyle complex. The aim of this study was to investigate the exact anatomy of the attachment of the superior head of the LPM (SLPM) to the disc-condyle complex of the TMJ. Thirty-six TMJs were examined - both sides of 18 Greek cadavers (eight males and 10 females, mean age 79.6 years). Examination of the attachment of the SLPM was undertaken viewed under the dissecting microscope. Variation in the attachment of the SLPM was categorized into three types: in type I, the SLPM inserted into the condyle and the disc-capsule complex (55.5%). In type II, the SLPM only inserted into the condyle (27.8%). In type III, the SLPM inserted purely into the disc-capsule complex (16.7%). This study demonstrates that there are three different attachment types of the SLPM to the disc-condyle complex. The type III variation could be involved in the TMJ pathology. The knowledge of the variations of the SLPM attachment could be useful for precise surgical and pharmaceutical approaches. Copyright © 2012 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Modeling cavities exhibiting strong lateral confinement using open geometry Fourier modal method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Häyrynen, Teppo; Gregersen, Niels

    2016-04-01

    We have developed a computationally efficient Fourier-Bessel expansion based open geometry formalism for modeling the optical properties of rotationally symmetric photonic nanostructures. The lateral computation domain is assumed infinite so that no artificial boundary conditions are needed. Instead, the leakage of the modes due to an imperfect field confinement is taken into account by using a basis functions that expand the whole infinite space. The computational efficiency is obtained by using a non-uniform discretization in the frequency space in which the lateral expansion modes are more densely sampled around a geometry specific dominant transverse wavenumber region. We will use the developed approach to investigate the Q factor and mode confinement in cavities where top DBR mirror has small rectangular defect confining the modes laterally on the defect region.

  3. Relative contributions of synoptic and intraseasonal variations to strong cold events over eastern China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Lei; Wu, Renguang; Jiao, Yang

    2018-06-01

    The present study investigates the relative roles of intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) and synoptic variations in strong cold events over eastern China during the boreal winter. The ISOs and synoptic variations explain about 55% and 20% of the total area-mean temperature anomaly in eastern China, respectively. The advection of synoptic winds on synoptic temperature gradients has a leading contribution to the temperature decrease before the cold events and thus the synoptic variations are important in determining the time of peak cold anomalies. The ISOs have a larger role in sustaining the cold events. The height anomalies associated with ISOs and synoptic variations are manifested as Rossby wave trains propagating along the polar front jet over the Eurasian continent before the cold events. They both contribute to the deepening of the East Asian trough and the development of cold events. Compared to the ISO wave train, the synoptic wave train has a smaller spatial scale and moves faster. There are obvious intraseasonal signals in the stratosphere about 1 week before the cold events over eastern China. Large negative height anomalies associated with the weakening of the polar vortex are observed over the North Atlantic. These anomalies move eastwards and propagate downwards after reaching the west coast of Europe. The downward moving stratospheric signal triggers height anomalies in the troposphere over the entrance region of the polar front jet. Then the anomalies propagate towards East Asia along the wave train, contributing to the intensification of the Siberian high and the East Asian trough and the occurrence of cold events over eastern China.

  4. Variation in armour of three-spine stickleback

    OpenAIRE

    Wiig, Elisabeth

    2014-01-01

    The three-spine stickleback is an adaptable fish with variation in morphology and behaviour, inhabiting saltwater, brackish water and fresh water. It is armoured with 30-35 bone plates along its lateral line. In addition, it is equipped with three spines on its back and two pelvic spine. These features constitute an excellent anti-predator defence system. Yet, there is a strong selection for reduction in armour of three-spine stickleback in freshwater stickleback. In this project, the bone st...

  5. Modeling cavities exhibiting strong lateral confinement using open geometry Fourier modal method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Häyrynen, Teppo; Gregersen, Niels

    2016-01-01

    We have developed a computationally efficient Fourier-Bessel expansion based open geometry formalism for modeling the optical properties of rotationally symmetric photonic nanostructures. The lateral computation domain is assumed infinite so that no artificial boundary conditions are needed. Instead,...... around a geometry specific dominant transverse wavenumber region. We will use the developed approach to investigate the Q factor and mode confinement in cavities where top DBR mirror has small rectangular defect confining the modes laterally on the defect region....

  6. Smile esthetics: Impact of variations in the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the maxillary lateral incisors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Taki, Amjad; Hamdan, Ahmad Mohammad; Mustafa, Ziad; Hassan, Mawada; Abu-Alhuda, Sami

    2017-01-01

    Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the perception of trained dental professionals and laypersons toward the esthetic impact of variations in the vertical position, width, and gingival height of the maxillary lateral incisor. Materials and Methods: The present study analyzed the perspective of smile photographs by dental professionals such as “fifty orthodontics and fifty general dental practitioners (GDPs)” as well as fifty laypersons, consisting of an equal number of male and female participants. Photographs edited to depict alteration of golden proportion, incisal length, and gingival height of lateral incisor. SPSS software was used to analyze the data and determine the significant difference within all the participants, at 0.05% level (95% confidence interval). Results: There was no significant difference in ranking between the genders. Golden proportion of 62%–67% were ranked the highest by orthodontists, whereas GDPs and laypersons preferred 67%. Regarding gingival display, corrected height of −0.5 and −1 mm received highest ranking from all the three groups. In case of lateral incisal length, −0.5 mm was ranked highest by laypersons, in contrast to −1 mm by orthodontists and GDPs. Conclusion: Specific differences were observed in the ranking of smile esthetics by health-care professionals and laypersons. Golden proportion of 62% and 67% were ranked the highest by orthodontists, whereas GDPs and laypersons preferred 67%. Corrected gingival height of −0.5 and −1 mm received highest ranking from all the three groups. In case of lateral incisal length, −0.5 mm was ranked highest by laypersons, in contrast to −1 mm by orthodontists and GDPs. PMID:29279680

  7. Individual variations in maternal care early in life correlate with later life decision-making and c-fos expression in prefrontal subregions of rats.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hasselt, F.N.; Visser, L.; Tieskens, J.M.; Cornelisse, S.; Baars, A.M.; Lavrijsen, M.; Krugers, H.J.; van den Bos, R.; Joëls, M.

    2012-01-01

    Early life adversity affects hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, alters cognitive functioning and in humans is thought to increase the vulnerability to psychopathology-e.g. depression, anxiety and schizophrenia- later in life. Here we investigated whether subtle natural variations among

  8. Individual variations in maternal care early in life correlate with later life decision-making and c-fos expression in prefrontal subregions of rats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hasselt, F.N.; de Visser, L.; Tieskens, J.M.; Cornelisse, S.; Baars, A.M.; Lavrijsen, M.; Krugers, H.J.; van den Bos, R.; Joëls, M.

    2012-01-01

    Early life adversity affects hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, alters cognitive functioning and in humans is thought to increase the vulnerability to psychopathology--e.g. depression, anxiety and schizophrenia--later in life. Here we investigated whether subtle natural variations among

  9. Analysis of dryout behaviour in laterally non-homogeneous debris beds using the MEWA-2D code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rahman, Saidur; Buerger, Manfred; Buck, Michael; Pohlner, Georg; Kulenovic, Rudi; Nayak, Arun Kumar; Sehgal, Bal Raj

    2009-01-01

    The present study analyses the impact of lateral non-homogeneities on the coolability of heated, initially water filled debris beds. Debris beds which may be formed in a postulated severe accident in light water reactors can not be expected to have a homogeneous structure. Lateral non-homogeneities are given e.g. already by a variation in height as in a heap of debris. Internally, less porous or more porous region may occur, the latter even as downcomer-like structures are considered to favour supply of water to the bed and thus coolability. In previous work it has been shown that such non-homogeneities are often strongly enhancing coolability, as compared to earlier investigations on laterally homogeneous beds. The present contribution aims at extending the view by analysing further cases of non-homogeneities with the MEWA-2D code. Especially, effects of capillary forces are considered in contrast to earlier analysis. Part of the paper deals with specific experiments performed in the POMECO facility at KTH in which a laterally stratified debris bed has been considered, whereby especially a strong jump of porosity, from 0.26 to 0.38, has been established. Astonishingly, under top as well as bottom flooding, dryout in these experiments occurred first in the lateral layer with higher porosity. Understanding is now provided by the effect of capillary forces: water is drawn from this layer to the less porous one. This effect improves the cooling in the less porous layer while it reduces coolability of the more porous layer. No real loop behaviour of inflow via the higher porosities with subsequent upflow in the less porous layer establishes here, in contrast to expectations. Other cases (different lateral heating in an otherwise homogeneous bed, closed downcomer in a homogeneous bed and heap-like debris) show, on the other hand, strongly improved coolability by such loops establishing due to the lateral differences in void and the corresponding pressure differences

  10. Talar anchor placement for modified Brostrom lateral ankle stabilization procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angirasa, Arush K; Barrett, Michael J

    2008-01-01

    The modified Brostrom procedure has been a proven procedure with excellent utility in the treatment of lateral ankle instability within limitation. Multiple variations of the original technique have been described in the literature to date. Included in these variations are differences in anchor placement, suture technique, or both. In this research study, we propose placing a bone screw anchor into the lateral shoulder of the talus rather than the typical placement at the lateral malleolus for anatomic reconstruction of the lateral ankle ligaments.

  11. Laterality strength is linked to stress reactivity in Port Jackson sharks (Heterodontus portusjacksoni).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrnes, Evan E; Vila Pouca, Catarina; Brown, Culum

    2016-05-15

    Cerebral lateralization is an evolutionarily deep-rooted trait, ubiquitous among the vertebrates and present even in some invertebrates. Despite the advantages of cerebral lateralization in enhancing cognition and facilitating greater social cohesion, large within population laterality variation exists in many animal species. It is proposed that this variation is maintained due links with inter-individual personality trait differences. Here we explored for lateralization in Port Jackson sharks (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) using T-maze turn and rotational swimming tasks. Additionally, we explored for a link between personality traits, boldness and stress reactivity, and cerebral lateralization. Sharks demonstrated large individual and sex biased laterality variation, with females demonstrating greater lateralization than males overall. Stress reactivity, but not boldness, was found to significantly correlate with lateralization strength. Stronger lateralized individuals were more reactive to stress. Demonstrating laterality in elasmobranchs for the first time indicates ancient evolutionary roots of vertebrate lateralization approximately 240 million years old. Greater lateralization in female elasmobranchs may be related enhancing females' ability to process multiple stimuli during mating, which could increase survivability and facilitate insemination. Despite contrasting evidence in teleost fishes, the results of this study suggest that stress reactivity, and other personality traits, may be linked to variation in lateralization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Individual variations in maternal care early in life correlate with later life decision-making and c-fos expression in prefrontal subregions of rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felisa N van Hasselt

    Full Text Available Early life adversity affects hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, alters cognitive functioning and in humans is thought to increase the vulnerability to psychopathology--e.g. depression, anxiety and schizophrenia--later in life. Here we investigated whether subtle natural variations among individual rat pups in the amount of maternal care received, i.e. differences in the amount of licking and grooming (LG, correlate with anxiety and prefrontal cortex-dependent behavior in young adulthood. Therefore, we examined the correlation between LG received during the first postnatal week and later behavior in the elevated plus maze and in decision-making processes using a rodent version of the Iowa Gambling Task (rIGT. In our cohort of male and female animals a high degree of LG correlated with less anxiety in the elevated plus maze and more advantageous choices during the last 10 trials of the rIGT. In tissue collected 2 hrs after completion of the task, the correlation between LG and c-fos expression (a marker of neuronal activity was established in structures important for IGT performance. Negative correlations existed between rIGT performance and c-fos expression in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, prelimbic cortex, infralimbic cortex and insular cortex. The insular cortex correlations between c-fos expression and decision-making performance depended on LG background; this was also true for the lateral orbitofrontal cortex in female rats. Dendritic complexity of insular or infralimbic pyramidal neurons did not or weakly correlate with LG background. We conclude that natural variations in maternal care received by pups may significantly contribute to later-life decision-making and activity of underlying brain structures.

  13. Lagrangian Studies of Lateral Mixing

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-09-19

    Final Technical 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 01/01/2009 – 12/31/2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Lagrangian Studies of Lateral Mixing 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER...public release; distribution is unlimited. 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT The Lateral Mixing Experiment (LATMIX) focused on mixing and...anomalies. LATMIX2 targeted the wintertime Gulf Stream, where deep mixed layers, strong lateral density gradients (Gulf Stream north wall) and the

  14. The influence of sex hormones on brain lateralization : Research Programme

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beking, Tess; Geuze, Reint; Groothuis, Antonius

    2015-01-01

    Between and within sexes individuals differ in lateralization of brain and behaviour that might affect cognitive performance. There is long standing debate to what extent variation in lateralization is due to variation in early or late exposure to sex hormones. We will use two unique data sets to

  15. Maternal differential treatment in later life families and within-family variations in adult sibling closeness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilligan, Megan; Suitor, J Jill; Nam, Sangbo

    2015-01-01

    In this article, we explore within-family differences in the closeness of sibling ties in adulthood. Specifically, we consider the sibship as a network and investigate the ways in which perceptions of mothers' differential treatment play a role in within-family variations in sibling closeness in midlife. Data were analyzed from 2,067 adult sibling dyads nested within 216 later life families, collected as part of the Within-Family Differences Study-II. Respondents reported the greatest closeness to siblings whom they perceived as favored by their mothers when they were not favored themselves, whereas respondents were less likely to choose siblings whom they perceived as disfavored by their mothers when they did not perceive themselves as disfavored. Variability in the strength of sibling ties within families suggests that some individuals receive greater benefits from this relationship than do their brothers and sisters. These findings shed new light on such within-family variations in sibling closeness by identifying how specific patterns of maternal differential treatment draw offspring toward some siblings and away from others. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Lateral root development in the maize (Zea mays) lateral rootless1 mutant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Husakova, Eva; Hochholdinger, Frank; Soukup, Ales

    2013-07-01

    The maize lrt1 (lateral rootless1) mutant is impaired in its development of lateral roots during early post-embryonic development. The aim of this study was to characterize, in detail, the influences that the mutation exerts on lateral root initiation and the subsequent developments, as well as to describe the behaviour of the entire plant under variable environmental conditions. Mutant lrt1 plants were cultivated under different conditions of hydroponics, and in between sheets of moist paper. Cleared whole mounts and anatomical sections were used in combination with both selected staining procedures and histochemical tests to follow root development. Root surface permeability tests and the biochemical quantification of lignin were performed to complement the structural data. The data presented suggest a redefinition of lrt1 function in lateral roots as a promoter of later development; however, neither the complete absence of lateral roots nor the frequency of their initiation is linked to lrt1 function. The developmental effects of lrt1 are under strong environmental influences. Mutant primordia are affected in structure, growth and emergence; and the majority of primordia terminate their growth during this last step, or shortly thereafter. The lateral roots are impaired in the maintenance of the root apical meristem. The primary root shows disturbances in the organization of both epidermal and subepidermal layers. The lrt1-related cell-wall modifications include: lignification in peripheral layers, the deposition of polyphenolic substances and a higher activity of peroxidase. The present study provides novel insights into the function of the lrt1 gene in root system development. The lrt1 gene participates in the spatial distribution of initiation, but not in its frequency. Later, the development of lateral roots is strongly affected. The effect of the lrt1 mutation is not as obvious in the primary root, with no influences observed on the root apical meristem

  17. Lateral root development in the maize (Zea mays) lateral rootless1 mutant

    Science.gov (United States)

    Husakova, Eva; Hochholdinger, Frank; Soukup, Ales

    2013-01-01

    Background and Aims The maize lrt1 (lateral rootless1) mutant is impaired in its development of lateral roots during early post-embryonic development. The aim of this study was to characterize, in detail, the influences that the mutation exerts on lateral root initiation and the subsequent developments, as well as to describe the behaviour of the entire plant under variable environmental conditions. Methods Mutant lrt1 plants were cultivated under different conditions of hydroponics, and in between sheets of moist paper. Cleared whole mounts and anatomical sections were used in combination with both selected staining procedures and histochemical tests to follow root development. Root surface permeability tests and the biochemical quantification of lignin were performed to complement the structural data. Key Results The data presented suggest a redefinition of lrt1 function in lateral roots as a promoter of later development; however, neither the complete absence of lateral roots nor the frequency of their initiation is linked to lrt1 function. The developmental effects of lrt1 are under strong environmental influences. Mutant primordia are affected in structure, growth and emergence; and the majority of primordia terminate their growth during this last step, or shortly thereafter. The lateral roots are impaired in the maintenance of the root apical meristem. The primary root shows disturbances in the organization of both epidermal and subepidermal layers. The lrt1-related cell-wall modifications include: lignification in peripheral layers, the deposition of polyphenolic substances and a higher activity of peroxidase. Conclusions The present study provides novel insights into the function of the lrt1 gene in root system development. The lrt1 gene participates in the spatial distribution of initiation, but not in its frequency. Later, the development of lateral roots is strongly affected. The effect of the lrt1 mutation is not as obvious in the primary root, with no

  18. Strongly coupled single-phase flow problems: Effects of density variation, hydrodynamic dispersion, and first order decay

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oldenburg, C.M.; Pruess, K. [Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    1995-03-01

    We have developed TOUGH2 modules for strongly coupled flow and transport that include full hydrodynamic dispersion. T2DM models tow-dimensional flow and transport in systems with variable salinity, while T32DMR includes radionuclide transport with first-order decay of a parent-daughter chain of radionuclide components in variable salinity systems. T2DM has been applied to a variety of coupled flow problems including the pure solutal convection problem of Elder and the mixed free and forced convection salt-dome flow problem. In the Elder and salt-dome flow problems, density changes of up to 20% caused by brine concentration variations lead to strong coupling between the velocity and brine concentration fields. T2DM efficiently calculates flow and transport for these problems. We have applied T2DMR to the dispersive transport and decay of radionuclide tracers in flow fields with permeability heterogeneities and recirculating flows. Coupling in these problems occurs by velocity-dependent hydrodynamic dispersion. Our results show that the maximum daughter species concentration may occur fully within a recirculating or low-velocity region. In all of the problems, we observe very efficient handling of the strongly coupled flow and transport processes.

  19. Variational Boussinesq model for strongly nonlinear dispersive waves

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lawrence, C.; Adytia, D.; van Groesen, E.

    2018-01-01

    For wave tank, coastal and oceanic applications, a fully nonlinear Variational Boussinesq model with optimized dispersion is derived and a simple Finite Element implementation is described. Improving a previous weakly nonlinear version, high waves over flat and varying bottom are shown to be

  20. Strong rightward lateralization of the dorsal attentional network in left-handers with right sighting-eye: an evolutionary advantage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petit, Laurent; Zago, Laure; Mellet, Emmanuel; Jobard, Gaël; Crivello, Fabrice; Joliot, Marc; Mazoyer, Bernard; Tzourio-Mazoyer, Nathalie

    2015-03-01

    Hemispheric lateralization for spatial attention and its relationships with manual preference strength and eye preference were studied in a sample of 293 healthy individuals balanced for manual preference. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to map this large sample while performing visually guided saccadic eye movements. This activated a bilateral distributed cortico-subcortical network in which dorsal and ventral attentional/saccadic pathways elicited rightward asymmetrical activation depending on manual preference strength and sighting eye. While the ventral pathway showed a strong rightward asymmetry irrespective of both manual preference strength and eye preference, the dorsal frontoparietal network showed a robust rightward asymmetry in strongly left-handers, even more pronounced in left-handed subjects with a right sighting-eye. Our findings brings support to the hypothesis that the origin of the rightward hemispheric dominance for spatial attention may have a manipulo-spatial origin neither perceptual nor motor per se but rather reflecting a mechanism by which a spatial context is mapped onto the perceptual and motor activities, including the exploration of the spatial environment with eyes and hands. Within this context, strongly left-handers with a right sighting-eye may benefit from the advantage of having the same right hemispheric control of their dominant hand and visuospatial attention processing. We suggest that this phenomenon explains why left-handed right sighting-eye athletes can outperform their competitors in sporting duels and that the prehistoric and historical constancy of the left-handers ratio over the general population may relate in part on the hemispheric specialization of spatial attention. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Adatom-induced lateral inhomogeneity of quantum well states in metal multilayers

    KAUST Repository

    Schwingenschlö gl, Udo; Berndt, Richard; Di Paola, Cono; Uchihashi, Takashi

    2010-01-01

    The influence of Co adatoms on the quantum well states (QWSs) existing in Cu/Co(100) multilayers is investigated by means of ab initio calculations. The typical oscillations of the density of states at the Fermi level as a function of the number of Cu layers are found to be strongly perturbed by the presence of adatoms on the surface. In a lateral direction, the QWSs exhibit atomic-scale variations, which depend on the number of Cu layers. These results suggest that the phase accumulation model, which is often used for analyzing QWS, is not sufficient to interpret electronic features near adatoms and call for experimental real-space investigations of QWS.

  2. Adatom-induced lateral inhomogeneity of quantum well states in metal multilayers

    KAUST Repository

    Schwingenschlögl, Udo

    2010-07-13

    The influence of Co adatoms on the quantum well states (QWSs) existing in Cu/Co(100) multilayers is investigated by means of ab initio calculations. The typical oscillations of the density of states at the Fermi level as a function of the number of Cu layers are found to be strongly perturbed by the presence of adatoms on the surface. In a lateral direction, the QWSs exhibit atomic-scale variations, which depend on the number of Cu layers. These results suggest that the phase accumulation model, which is often used for analyzing QWS, is not sufficient to interpret electronic features near adatoms and call for experimental real-space investigations of QWS.

  3. Remagnetization effects due to lateral displacement above a PMG on bulk HTS magnet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, W.; Wang, J. S.; Ma, G. T.; Zheng, J.; Ren, J. F.; Li, L. L.; Yang, X. F.; Ye, C. Q.; Wang, S. Y.

    2012-12-01

    For a high-Tc superconducting (HTS) maglev system with large force requirements, the use of magnetized bulk high-Tc superconductor magnets (MBSCMs) is a good candidate because of its strong flux pinning ability and corresponding high trapped flux. Different from the rare-earth permanent magnet (PM), the trapped flux of a MBSCM is sustained by the supercurrent produced by a magnetizing process, so the trapped flux is sensitive to variations of the supercurrent. The lateral displacement of a MBSCM above a PM guideway (PMG) will provide disturbance of the applied field and then alter the supercurrent as a process of remagnetization. Different magnetization histories will bring different remagnetization characteristics and consequently diverse levitation performances for a MBSCM during the lateral displacements. When the MBSCMs are applied into the HTS maglev system, the influence of lateral displacements on levitation performance should be taken into consideration. This article investigates the remagnetization characteristics of a MBSCM when it is subject to the lateral displacements above a PMG with different trapped magnetic flux and opposite magnetization polarities. Relevant analyses about the internal supercurrent configuration based on the critical state model are also included to better understand the remagnetization characteristic of a MBSCM.

  4. Regional variation in the mechanical properties of the vertebral column during lateral bending in Morone saxatilis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nowroozi, B N; Brainerd, E L

    2012-10-07

    Unlike mammalian, disc-shaped intervertebral joints (IVJs), the IVJs in fishes are biconid structures, filled with fluid and thought to act as hydrostatic hinge joints during swimming. However, it remains unclear which IVJ structures are dominant in mechanical resistance to forces in fishes, and whether variation in these tissues might impact the function of the vertebral column along its length. Here, we measured the dynamic mechanical behaviour of IVJs from striped bass, Morone saxatilis. During lateral bending, angular stiffness was significantly lower in the caudal and cervical regions, relative to the abdominal region. The neutral zone, defined as the range of motion (ROM) at bending moments less than 0.001 Nm, was longer in the caudal relative to the abdominal IVJs. Hysteresis was 30-40% in all regions, suggesting that IVJs may play a role in energy dissipation during swimming. Cutting the vertical septum had no statistically significant effect, but cutting the encapsulating tissues caused a sharp decline in angular stiffness and a substantial increase in ROM and hysteresis. We conclude that stiffness decreases and ROM increases from cranial to caudal in striped bass, and that the encapsulating tissues play a prominent role in mechanical variation along the length of the vertebral column.

  5. Strong correlation in acene sheets from the active-space variational two-electron reduced density matrix method: effects of symmetry and size.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelzer, Kenley; Greenman, Loren; Gidofalvi, Gergely; Mazziotti, David A

    2011-06-09

    Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of organic molecules with importance in several branches of science, including medicine, combustion chemistry, and materials science. The delocalized π-orbital systems in PAHs require highly accurate electronic structure methods to capture strong electron correlation. Treating correlation in PAHs has been challenging because (i) traditional wave function methods for strong correlation have not been applicable since they scale exponentially in the number of strongly correlated orbitals, and (ii) alternative methods such as the density-matrix renormalization group and variational two-electron reduced density matrix (2-RDM) methods have not been applied beyond linear acene chains. In this paper we extend the earlier results from active-space variational 2-RDM theory [Gidofalvi, G.; Mazziotti, D. A. J. Chem. Phys. 2008, 129, 134108] to the more general two-dimensional arrangement of rings--acene sheets--to study the relationship between geometry and electron correlation in PAHs. The acene-sheet calculations, if performed with conventional wave function methods, would require wave function expansions with as many as 1.5 × 10(17) configuration state functions. To measure electron correlation, we employ several RDM-based metrics: (i) natural-orbital occupation numbers, (ii) the 1-RDM von Neumann entropy, (iii) the correlation energy per carbon atom, and (iv) the squared Frobenius norm of the cumulant 2-RDM. The results confirm a trend of increasing polyradical character with increasing molecular size previously observed in linear PAHs and reveal a corresponding trend in two-dimensional (arch-shaped) PAHs. Furthermore, in PAHs of similar size they show significant variations in correlation with geometry. PAHs with the strictly linear geometry (chains) exhibit more electron correlation than PAHs with nonlinear geometries (sheets).

  6. Lateral Variations of Interplate Coupling along the Mexican Subduction Interface: Relationships with Long-Term Morphology and Fault Zone Mechanical Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rousset, Baptiste; Lasserre, Cécile; Cubas, Nadaya; Graham, Shannon; Radiguet, Mathilde; DeMets, Charles; Socquet, Anne; Campillo, Michel; Kostoglodov, Vladimir; Cabral-Cano, Enrique; Cotte, Nathalie; Walpersdorf, Andrea

    2016-10-01

    Although patterns of interseismic strain accumulation above subduction zones are now routinely characterised using geodetic measurements, their physical origin, persistency through time, and relationships to seismic hazard and long-term deformation are still debated. Here, we use GPS and morphological observations from southern Mexico to explore potential mechanical links between variations in inter-SSE (in between slow slip events) coupling along the Mexico subduction zone and the long-term topography of the coastal regions from Guerrero to Oaxaca. Inter-SSE coupling solutions for two different geometries of the subduction interface are derived from an inversion of continuous GPS time series corrected from slow slip events. They reveal strong along-strike variations in the shallow coupling (i.e. at depths down to 25 km), with high-coupling zones (coupling >0.7) alternating with low-coupling zones (coupling 0.7) and transitions to uncoupled, steady slip at a relatively uniform ˜ 175-km inland from the trench. Along-strike variations in the coast-to-trench distances are strongly correlated with the GPS-derived forearc coupling variations. To explore a mechanical explanation for this correlation, we apply Coulomb wedge theory, constrained by local topographic, bathymetric, and subducting-slab slopes. Critical state areas, i.e. areas where the inner subduction wedge deforms, are spatially correlated with transitions at shallow depth between uncoupled and coupled areas of the subduction interface. Two end-member models are considered to explain the correlation between coast-to-trench distances and along-strike variations in the inter-SSE coupling. The first postulates that the inter-SSE elastic strain is partitioned between slip along the subduction interface and homogeneous plastic permanent deformation of the upper plate. In the second, permanent plastic deformation is postulated to depend on frictional transitions along the subduction plate interface. Based on the

  7. Lateralization of Resting State Networks and Relationship to Age and Gender

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agcaoglu, O.; Miller, R.; Mayer, A.R.; Hugdahl, K.; Calhoun, V.D.

    2014-01-01

    Brain lateralization is a widely studied topic, however there has been little work focused on lateralization of intrinsic networks (regions showing similar patterns of covariation among voxels) in the resting brain. In this study, we evaluate resting state network lateralization in an age and gender-balanced functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) dataset comprising over 600 healthy subjects ranging in age from 12 to 71. After establishing sample-wide network lateralization properties, we continue with an investigation of age and gender effects on network lateralization. All data was gathered on the same scanner and preprocessed using an automated pipeline (Scott et al., 2011). Networks were extracted via group independent component analysis (gICA) (Calhoun, Adali, Pearlson, & Pekar, 2001). Twenty-eight resting state networks discussed in previous (Allen et al., 2011) work were re-analyzed with a focus on lateralization. We calculated homotopic voxelwise measures of laterality in addition to a global lateralization measure, called the laterality cofactor, for each network. As expected, many of the intrinsic brain networks were lateralized. For example, the visual network was strongly right lateralized, auditory network and default mode networks were mostly left lateralized. Attentional and frontal networks included nodes that were left lateralized and other nodes that were right lateralized. Age was strongly related to lateralization in multiple regions including sensorimotor network regions precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus and supramarginal gyrus; and visual network regions lingual gyrus; attentional network regions inferior parietal lobule, superior parietal lobule and middle temporal gyrus; and frontal network regions including the inferior frontal gyrus. Gender showed significant effects mainly in two regions, including visual and frontal networks. For example, the inferior frontal gyrus was more right lateralized in males. Significant effects of age

  8. Lateralization of resting state networks and relationship to age and gender.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agcaoglu, O; Miller, R; Mayer, A R; Hugdahl, K; Calhoun, V D

    2015-01-01

    Brain lateralization is a widely studied topic, however there has been little work focused on lateralization of intrinsic networks (regions showing similar patterns of covariation among voxels) in the resting brain. In this study, we evaluate resting state network lateralization in an age and gender-balanced functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) dataset comprising over 600 healthy subjects ranging in age from 12 to 71. After establishing sample-wide network lateralization properties, we continue with an investigation of age and gender effects on network lateralization. All data was gathered on the same scanner and preprocessed using an automated pipeline (Scott et al., 2011). Networks were extracted via group independent component analysis (gICA) (Calhoun et al., 2001). Twenty-eight resting state networks discussed in previous (Allen et al., 2011) work were re-analyzed with a focus on lateralization. We calculated homotopic voxelwise measures of laterality in addition to a global lateralization measure, called the laterality cofactor, for each network. As expected, many of the intrinsic brain networks were lateralized. For example, the visual network was strongly right lateralized, auditory network and default mode networks were mostly left lateralized. Attentional and frontal networks included nodes that were left lateralized and other nodes that were right lateralized. Age was strongly related to lateralization in multiple regions including sensorimotor network regions precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus and supramarginal gyrus; and visual network regions lingual gyrus; attentional network regions inferior parietal lobule, superior parietal lobule and middle temporal gyrus; and frontal network regions including the inferior frontal gyrus. Gender showed significant effects mainly in two regions, including visual and frontal networks. For example, the inferior frontal gyrus was more right lateralized in males. Significant effects of age were found in

  9. Vertical and lateral heterogeneous integration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geske, Jon; Okuno, Yae L.; Bowers, John E.; Jayaraman, Vijay

    2001-09-01

    A technique for achieving large-scale monolithic integration of lattice-mismatched materials in the vertical direction and the lateral integration of dissimilar lattice-matched structures has been developed. The technique uses a single nonplanar direct-wafer-bond step to transform vertically integrated epitaxial structures into lateral epitaxial variation across the surface of a wafer. Nonplanar wafer bonding is demonstrated by integrating four different unstrained multi-quantum-well active regions lattice matched to InP on a GaAs wafer surface. Microscopy is used to verify the quality of the bonded interface, and photoluminescence is used to verify that the bonding process does not degrade the optical quality of the laterally integrated wells. The authors propose this technique as a means to achieve greater levels of wafer-scale integration in optical, electrical, and micromechanical devices.

  10. Variation in worldwide incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marin, Benoît; Boumédiene, Farid; Logroscino, Giancarlo; Couratier, Philippe; Babron, Marie-Claude; Leutenegger, Anne Louise; Copetti, Massimilano; Preux, Pierre-Marie; Beghi, Ettore

    2017-02-01

    To assess the worldwide variation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) incidence, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based data published to date. We reviewed Medline and Embase up to June 2015 and included all population-based studies of newly diagnosed ALS cases, using multiple sources for case ascertainment. ALS crude and standardized incidence (on age and sex using the US 2010 population) were calculated. Random effect meta-analysis and meta-regression were performed using the subcontinent as the main study level covariate. Sources of heterogeneity related to the characteristics of the study population and the study methodology were investigated. Among 3216 records, 44 studies were selected, covering 45 geographical areas in 11 sub-continents. A total of 13 146 ALS cases and 825 million person-years of follow-up (PYFU) were co-nsidered. The overall pooled worldwide crude ALS incidence was at 1.75 (1.55-1.96)/100 000 PYFU; 1.68 (1.50-1.85)/100 000 PYFU after standardization. Heterogeneity was identified in ALS standardized incidence between North Europe [1.89 (1.46-2.32)/100 000 PYFU] and East Asia [0.83 (0.42-1.24)/100 000 PYFU, China and Japan P = 0.001] or South Asia [0.73 (0.58-0.89)/100 000/PYFU Iran, P = 0.02]. Conversely, homogeneous rates have been reported in populations from Europe, North America and New Zealand [pooled ALS standardized incidence of 1.81 (1.66-1.97)/100 000 PYFU for those areas]. This review confirms a heterogeneous distribution worldwide of ALS, and sets the scene to sustain a collaborative study involving a wide international consortium to investigate the link between ancestry, environment and ALS incidence. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

  11. An Equation Governing Ultralow-Velocity Zones: Implications for Holes in the ULVZ, Lateral Chemical Reactions at the Core-Mantle Boundary, and Damping of Heat Flux Variations in the Core

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernlund, J. W.; Matsui, H.

    2017-12-01

    Ultralow-velocity zones (ULVZ) are increasingly illuminated by seismology, revealing surprising diversity in size, shape, and physical characteristics. The only viable hypotheses are that ULVZs are a compositionally distinct FeO-enriched dense material, which could have formed by fractional crystallization of a basal magma ocean, segregation of subducted banded iron formations, precipitation of solids from the outer core, partial melting and segregation of iron-rich melts from subducted basalts, or most likely a combination of many different processes. But many questions remain: Are ULVZ partially molten in some places, and not in others? Are ULVZ simply the thicker portions of an otherwise global thin layer, covering the entire CMB and thus blocking or moderating chemical interactions between the core and overlying mantle? Is such a layer inter-connected and able to conduct electrical currents that allow electro-magnetic coupling of core and mantle angular momentum? Are they being eroded and shrinking in size due to viscous entrainment, or is more material being added to ULVZ over time? Here we derive an advection-diffusion-like equation that governs the dynamical evolution of a chemically distinct ULVZ. Analysis of this equation shows that ULVZ should become readily swept aside by viscous mantle flows at the CMB, exposing "ordinary mantle" to the top of the core, thus inducing chemical heterogeneity that drives lateral CMB chemical reactions. These reactions are correlated with heat flux, thus maintaining large-scale pressure variations atop the core that induce cyclone-like flows centered around ULVZ and ponded subducted slabs. We suggest that turbulent diffusion across adjacent cyclone streams inside a stratified region atop the core readily accommodates lateral transport and re-distribution of components such as O and Si, in addition to heat. Our model implies that the deeper core is at least partly shielded from the influence of strong heat flux variations at

  12. Lateral variation in crustal and mantle structure in Bay of Bengal based on surface wave data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Amit; Mukhopadhyay, Sagarika; Kumar, Naresh; Baidya, P. R.

    2018-01-01

    Surface waves generated by earthquakes that occurred near Sumatra, Andaman-Nicobar Island chain and Sunda arc are used to estimate crustal and upper mantle S wave velocity structure of Bay of Bengal. Records of these seismic events at various stations located along the eastern coast of India and a few stations in the north eastern part of India are selected for such analysis. These stations lie within regional distance of the selected earthquakes. The selected events are shallow focused with magnitude greater than 5.5. Data of 65, 37, 36, 53 and 36 events recorded at Shillong, Bokaro, Visakhapatnam, Chennai and Trivandrum stations respectively are used for this purpose. The ray paths from the earthquake source to the recording stations cover different parts of the Bay of Bengal. Multiple Filtering Technique (MFT) is applied to compute the group velocities of surface waves from the available data. The dispersion curves thus obtained for this data set are within the period range of 15-120 s. Joint inversion of Rayleigh and Love wave group velocity is carried out to obtain the subsurface information in terms of variation of S wave velocity with depth. The estimated S wave velocity at a given depth and layer thickness can be considered to be an average value for the entire path covered by the corresponding ray paths. However, we observe variation in the value of S wave velocity and layer thickness from data recorded at different stations, indicating lateral variation in these two parameters. Thick deposition of sediments is observed along the paths followed by surface waves to Shillong and Bokaro stations. Sediment thickness keeps on decreasing as the surface wave paths move further south. Based on velocity variation the sedimentary layer is further divided in to three parts; on top lay unconsolidated sediment, underlain by consolidated sediment. Below this lies a layer which we consider as meta-sediments. The thickness and velocity of these layers decrease from north

  13. Lateral shifting in one dimensional chiral photonic crystal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    You Yuan, E-mail: yctcyouyuan@163.com [School of Physics and Electronics, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng, 224002 Jiangsu (China); Chen Changyuan [School of Physics and Electronics, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng, 224002 Jiangsu (China)

    2012-07-01

    We report the lateral shifts of the transmitted waves in a one dimensional chiral photonic crystal by using the stationary-phase approach. It is revealed that two kinds of lateral shifts are observed due to the existence of cross coupling in chiral materials, which is different from what has been observed in previous non-chiral photonic crystals. Unlike the chiral slab, the positions of lateral shift peaks are closely related to the band edges of band gap characteristics of periodic structure and lateral shifts can be positive as well as negative. Besides, the lateral shifts show a strong dependence on the chiral factor, which varies the lateral shift peaks in both magnitudes and positions. These features are desirable for future device applications.

  14. Lateral shifting in one dimensional chiral photonic crystal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    You Yuan; Chen Changyuan

    2012-01-01

    We report the lateral shifts of the transmitted waves in a one dimensional chiral photonic crystal by using the stationary-phase approach. It is revealed that two kinds of lateral shifts are observed due to the existence of cross coupling in chiral materials, which is different from what has been observed in previous non-chiral photonic crystals. Unlike the chiral slab, the positions of lateral shift peaks are closely related to the band edges of band gap characteristics of periodic structure and lateral shifts can be positive as well as negative. Besides, the lateral shifts show a strong dependence on the chiral factor, which varies the lateral shift peaks in both magnitudes and positions. These features are desirable for future device applications.

  15. Strong geographical variation in wing aspect ratio of a damselfly, Calopteryx maculata (Odonata: Zygoptera

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher Hassall

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Geographical patterns in body size have been described across a wide range of species, leading to the development of a series of fundamental biological rules. However, shape variables are less well-described despite having substantial consequences for organism performance. Wing aspect ratio (AR has been proposed as a key shape parameter that determines function in flying animals, with high AR corresponding to longer, thinner wings that promote high manoeuvrability, low speed flight, and low AR corresponding to shorter, broader wings that promote high efficiency long distance flight. From this principle it might be predicted that populations living in cooler areas would exhibit low AR wings to compensate for reduced muscle efficiency at lower temperatures. I test this hypothesis using the riverine damselfly, Calopteryx maculata, sampled from 34 sites across its range margin in North America. Nine hundred and seven male specimens were captured from across the 34 sites (mean = 26.7 ± 2.9 SE per site, dissected and measured to quantify the area and length of all four wings. Geometric morphometrics were employed to investigate geographical variation in wing shape. The majority of variation in wing shape involved changes in wing aspect ratio, confirmed independently by geometric morphometrics and wing measurements. There was a strong negative relationship between wing aspect ratio and the maximum temperature of the warmest month which varies from west-east in North America, creating a positive relationship with longitude. This pattern suggests that higher aspect ratio may be associated with areas in which greater flight efficiency is required: regions of lower temperatures during the flight season. I discuss my findings in light of research of the functional ecology of wing shape across vertebrate and invertebrate taxa.

  16. Denervation of the lateral humeral epicondyle for treatment of chronic lateral epicondylitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rose, Nicholas E; Forman, Scott K; Dellon, A Lee

    2013-02-01

    Chronic lateral epicondylitis remains a treatment challenge. Traditional surgical treatments for lateral epicondylitis involve variations of the classic Nirschl lateral release. Anatomic studies reveal that the posterior branch or branches of the posterior cutaneous nerve of the forearm consistently innervate the lateral humeral epicondyle. We undertook the present study to determine the effectiveness of denervation of the lateral humeral epicondyle in treating chronic lateral epicondylitis. An institutional review board-approved prospective study included 30 elbows in 26 patients. Inclusion criteria included failure to respond to nonoperative treatment for more than 6 months and improvement in grip strength and in visual analog pain scale after diagnostic nerve block of the posterior branches of the posterior cutaneous nerve of the forearm proximal to the lateral humeral epicondyle. We excluded patients who had undergone previous surgery for lateral epicondylitis. Outcome measures included visual analog pain scale and grip strength testing. Denervation surgery involved identification and transection of the posterior cutaneous nerve of the forearm branches with implantation into the triceps. The presence of radial tunnel syndrome was noted but did not affect inclusion criteria; if it was present, we did not correct it surgically. We used no postoperative splinting and permitted immediate return to activities of daily living. At a mean of 28 months of follow-up, the average visual analog scale score decreased from 7.9 to 1.9. Average grip strength with the elbow extended improved from 13 to 24 kg. A total of 80% of patients had good or excellent results, as defined by an improvement of 5 or more points on the visual analog scale for pain. Denervation of the lateral epicondyle was effective in relieving pain in 80% of patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis who had a positive response to a local anesthetic block of the posterior branches of the posterior

  17. Maxillary lateral incisors with two canals and two separate curved roots

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ajit George Mohan

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Variation in the roots and root canal anatomy seems to be the norm rather than an exception. For a successful endodontic treatment, a clinician should have a thorough knowledge of the internal and external dental anatomy and its variations. Maxillary lateral incisors usually exhibit single canal with a single root. In this case, clinical examination and radiographs clearly demonstrates the presence of two root canals with two separate curved roots. This case report emphasizes the need for attention during endodontic management of maxillary lateral incisors.

  18. Frequency variations of discrete cranial traits in major human populations. I. Supernumerary ossicle variations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanihara, T; Ishida, H

    2001-06-01

    Four supernumerary ossicle variations-the ossicle at the lambda, the parietal notch bone, the asterionic bone, and the occipitomastoid bone-were examined for laterality differences, intertrait correlations, sex differences, and between group variations in the samples from around the world. Significant laterality differences were not detected in almost all samples. In some pairs of traits, significant association of occurrence were found. Several geographic samples were sexually dimorphic with respect to the asterionic bone and to a lesser extent for the parietal notch bone. East/Northeast Asians including the Arctic populations in general had lower frequencies of the 4 accessory ossicles. Australians, Melanesians and the majority of the New World peoples, on the other hand, generally had high frequencies. In the western hemisphere of the Old World, Subsaharan Africans had relatively high frequencies. Except for the ossicle at the lambda, the distribution pattern in incidence showed clinal variation from south to north. Any identifiable adaptive value related to environmental or subsistence factors may be expressed in such clinal variation. This may allow us to hypothesise that not only mechanical factors but a founder effect, genetic drift, and population structure could have been the underlying causes for interregional variation and possible clines in the incidences of the accessory ossicles.

  19. Differential bilingual laterality: mythical monster found in Wales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Judith; Workman, Lance; Mayer, Peter; Crowley, Kevin

    2002-11-01

    Paradis (1992) likens studies of bilingual laterality to reported sightings of the Loch Ness Monster, in that although some studies claim differential laterality much conflicting research evidence does not-and like the mythical Scottish monster, what reason have we to suspect that any such phenomenon might exist? This study reexamines differential bilingual laterality using four groups of English-Welsh bilinguals which differ in their age of acquisition and in their environment of acquisition. Using a split visual field paradigm we present evidence which, supports the notion of greater right hemisphere processing in a later learned language. Our findings also suggest the pattern of lateralization in bilinguals is strongly affected by the specific language environment during development such that the shift toward greater right hemisphere involvement for the later learned language will be more pronounced in individuals which are brought up in areas where that language is not regularly heard.

  20. Lateral surface superlattices in strained InGaAs layers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milton, B.

    2000-08-01

    Lateral Surface Superlattices were fabricated by etching in strained InGaAs layers above a GaAs/AlGaAs 2DEG channel. These were etched both by dry plasma wet chemical etching to produce periods of 100nm, 200nm and 300nm. These superlattices were fabricated on Hall bars to allow four terminal measurement and a blanket gate was placed on top, to allow variations in the carrier concentration. The magnetoresistance effects of these superlattices were studied at varying values of gate voltage, which varies the carrier concentration and the electrostatic periodic potential and at temperatures down to 45mK in a dilution refrigerator. From the oscillations observed in the magnetoresistance trace's it is possible to calculate the magnitude of the periodic potential. This showed that the etched, strained InGaAs was producing an anisotropic piezoelectric potential, along with an isotropic electrostatic potential. The variation in period allowed a study of the change of this piezoelectric potential with the period as well as a study of the interactions between the electrostatic and piezoelectric potentials. Further, at the lowest temperatures a strong interaction was observed between the Commensurability Oscillations, caused by the periodic potential, and the Shubnikov-de Haas Oscillations due to the Landau. Levels. This interaction was studied as it varied with temperature and carrier concentration. (author)

  1. Hemingway's Scar and His Strong Will

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    许颖

    2009-01-01

    Hemingway's inner world is not balanced He had a strong will,and on the other hand,he is hurt severely.Based on the analysis of Hemingway's experience and his works,the paper aims to study Hemingway's life attitude:Men,all sooner or later,go down to defeat:it is how they face the ordeal that determines their status.

  2. On the relationship between degree of hand-preference and degree of language lateralization

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Somers, Metten; Ophoff, Roel A; Boks, Marco P; Fleer, Willemien; de Visser, Kees C L; Kahn, René S; Sommer, Iris E; Aukes, M.F.

    2015-01-01

    Language lateralization and hand-preference show inter-individual variation in the degree of lateralization to the left- or right, but their relation is not fully understood. Disentangling this relation could aid elucidating the mechanisms underlying these traits. The relation between degree of

  3. A Rare Variation of the Human Median Nerve Direction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barfi

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction The brachial plexus, a complex network of nerves, innervates to the upper limbs. Variation in the course of the nerves in the upper limb is common. Case Presentation This paper describes two cases of upper limb variations in a cadaver dissected at Lorestan University of Medical Sciences. In the first variation, the median nerve in the arm has a different route, so that the median moves deep into the brachialis muscle. In the latter case, after piercing the coracobrachialis muscle a musculocutaneous nerve exists between the brachialis and biceps and goes to the lateral region of the forearm. This is known as the lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm nerve, and innervates the skin of the lateral part of the forearm and the dorsal part of the hand. Conclusions Because of the possibility of damage to the brachial plexus branches is high in upper limb injuries and surgeries, full knowledge of normal anatomy and variations of these branches is essential for orthopedic specialists, neurosurgeons, radiologists, and anatomists.

  4. Evaluation of a positioning method for equine lateral stifle scintigrams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mathis Marion

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The current lack of a standardized protocol for positioning of the gamma camera relative to the horse limb in a lateral stifle scintigram, and thus the reliance on subjective positioning, may be a cause of diagnostic error and inter-operator variability due to variations of the view angle. The aims of this study were to develop a reliable method to obtain a lateral scintigram of the equine stifle based on fixed anatomical landmarks and measure the resulting foot to gamma camera angle on sequential measurements of the same horse and of different horses Methods Technetium filled capsules were glued on the skin on sites adjacent to the origin of the medial and lateral femorotibial collateral ligaments in 22 horses using ultrasound guidance. A lateral view of the stifle was defined as the image where the two radioactive point sources were aligned vertically (point sources guided method. Five sequential lateral acquisitions (one to five of the stifle with the point sources vertically aligned were acquired in each horse, and the angle between the mid-sagittal foot-axis and the vertical axis of the gamma camera (FC angle was measured for each of these acquisitions Results For acquisition group one to five, the mean of the means FC angle was 91.6 ± 2° (2SD and the coefficient of variation (COV was 1.1%. In the 22 horses the 95% CI for the mean FC angles was 91.6° ± 12.1° (2SD and the COV was 6.6%. Conclusions The use of point sources to guide gamma camera position results in less variation in the lateral scintigram than if the distal limb is used as guidance due to a difference in FC angle between horses. The point source guided positioning method is considered suitable as a reference standard method to obtain lateral scintigrams of the equine stifle, and it will be of value in clinical scintigraphy and research. The use of alignment of specifically located point sources may also be applied in other regions to

  5. Laterality influences schooling position in rainbowfish, Melanotaenia spp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bibost, Anne-Laurence; Brown, Culum

    2013-01-01

    Cerebral lateralization is a widespread trait among animals, is often manifested as side biases in behaviour (laterality) and has been suggested to provide fitness benefits. Here we examined the influence of laterality on the organisation of fish schools using rainbowfish (Melanotaenia spp) as model species. The pattern and strength of laterality for each individual was determined by examining eye preferences whilst examining their reflection in a mirror. Schools of four fish of known laterality were then created and the preferred position for each fish within the school was repeatedly observed in a flume. Fish which showed right eye preferences in the mirror test preferentially adopted a position on the left side of the school. Conversely, fish that showed left eye preferences in the mirror test or where non-lateralised preferentially adopted a position slightly to the right side of the school. However, this general pattern varied depending on the species and sex of the school. Our results strongly implicate individual laterality in the geometry of school formation.

  6. Strong environmental coupling in a Josephson parametric amplifier

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mutus, J. Y.; White, T. C.; Barends, R.; Chen, Yu; Chen, Z.; Chiaro, B.; Dunsworth, A.; Jeffrey, E.; Kelly, J.; Neill, C.; O'Malley, P. J. J.; Roushan, P.; Sank, D.; Vainsencher, A.; Wenner, J.; Cleland, A. N.; Martinis, John M.; Megrant, A.; Sundqvist, K. M.

    2014-01-01

    We present a lumped-element Josephson parametric amplifier designed to operate with strong coupling to the environment. In this regime, we observe broadband frequency dependent amplification with multi-peaked gain profiles. We account for this behavior using the “pumpistor” model which allows for frequency dependent variation of the external impedance. Using this understanding, we demonstrate control over the complexity of gain profiles through added variation in the environment impedance at a given frequency. With strong coupling to a suitable external impedance, we observe a significant increase in dynamic range, and large amplification bandwidth up to 700 MHz giving near quantum-limited performance.

  7. A lack of cerebral lateralization in schizophrenia is within the normal variation in brain maturation but indicates late, slow maturation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saugstad, L F

    1999-10-19

    The planum temporale (PT) bias, PT leftward, PT symmetry, and PT rightward reversal and sidedness preference, consistent right-handedness, ambilaterality, and consistent left-handedness are placed on a continuum mirroring the normal variation in rate of brain maturation. Maturational rate declines as we pass from PT leftward bias and consistent right-handedness to PT reversal and consistent left-handedness. Concomitantly, we expect an increased prevalence of males due to their pubertal age being about 2 years later than that of females, and a shift in cognitive profile from higher verbal scores than performance scores on the WAIS to higher performance than verbal scores. Three disorders fulfilling the criteria of late CNS maturation apart from the corresponding cognitive profile were studied: infantile autism (IA), schizophrenia (S), and developmental dyslexia (DD). These disorders have in common deficits in cognition, perception, and somatomotor function. The deficits range from an arrest in brain development (which is evident in infancy superimposed on late maturation in IA) to overall delayed brain and somatic development in S (culminating in postpubertal psychotic episodes and persistent and generalized residual deficits). Finally, reading inability, problems in perception (vision and hearing) and in motor coordination, particularly between the two hemispheres, characterize DD. Enhancing brain maturation and the prevalence of 'normal' cerebral asymmetry--laterality is preferable if we want to reduce the risk of developing the above-mentioned disorders. It is suggested that in the past environmental challenges have favored early maturation, with its abundant neuronal population, arborization and excessive density of synapses and cerebral excitability which has powered evolution through the mechanism of natural selection. Early maturation is obtainable through optimal nutrition, including a satisfactory amount of marine fat (PUFA), before and during pregnancy and

  8. Lateral convection and diffusion of sediment in straight rivers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Henrik Bo; Fredsøe, Jørgen

    1998-01-01

    and a higher level of turbulence at the channel centre, than in the near bank zones, which means that the ability to support suspended sediment will decrease from the channel centre. The two turbulence models give different estimates for the lateral transport, which mainly are caused by turbulence generated......The lateral transport of suspended sediment in a straight river cross section with a parabolic shaped bed is studied be use of a k-e and a full Reynolds stress turbulence model. Due to depth variations a lateral transport of suspended sediment is generated. This is mainly caused by the slopping bed...... secondary flow cells in the Reynolds stress model. The flow cells make zones with alternately high and low sediment concentration, and thereby much higher local gradients in the lateral direction. Both models found a net inward lateral transport. The transport by convection was found more dominant than...

  9. Subducted slabs and lateral viscosity variations: effects on the long-wavelength geoid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tosi, Nicola; Čadek, Ondřej; Martinec, Zdeněk

    2009-11-01

    The characteristic broad local maxima exhibited by the long-wavelength geoid over subduction zones are investigated with a numerical model of mantle flow. In a spherical axisymmetric geometry, a synthetic model of buoyancy driven subduction is used to test the effects on the geoid caused by the depth of penetration of the lithosphere into the mantle, by the viscosity stratification and by lateral viscosity variations (LVV) in the lithosphere, upper and lower mantle. The presence of anomalous slab density in the lower mantle guarantees geoid amplitudes comparable with the observations, favouring the picture of slabs that penetrate the transition zone and sink into the deep mantle. The viscosity of the lower mantle controls the long-wavelength geoid to the first order, ensuring a clear positive signal when it is at least 30-times greater than the upper-mantle viscosity. The presence of LVV in the lithosphere, in the form of weak plate margins, helps to increase the contribution of the surface topography, causing a pronounced reduction of the geoid. Localized LVV associated with the cold slab play a secondary role if they are in the upper mantle. On the other hand, highly viscous slabs in the lower mantle exert a large influence on the geoid. They cause its amplitude to increase dramatically, way beyond the values typically observed over subduction zones. Long-wavelength flow becomes less vigorous as the slab viscosity increases. Deformation in the upper mantle becomes more localized and power is transferred to short wavelengths, causing the long-wavelength surface topography to diminish and the total geoid to increase. Slabs may be then weakened in the lower mantle or retain their high viscosity while other mechanisms act to lower the geoid. It is shown that a phase change from perovskite to post-perovskite above the core-mantle boundary can cause the geoid to reduce significantly, thereby helping to reconcile models and observations.

  10. Strongly intensive quantities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorenstein, M. I.; Gazdzicki, M.

    2011-01-01

    Analysis of fluctuations of hadron production properties in collisions of relativistic particles profits from use of measurable intensive quantities which are independent of system size variations. The first family of such quantities was proposed in 1992; another is introduced in this paper. Furthermore we present a proof of independence of volume fluctuations for quantities from both families within the framework of the grand canonical ensemble. These quantities are referred to as strongly intensive ones. Influence of conservation laws and resonance decays is also discussed.

  11. Growing Strong and Healthy with Mister Bone: An Educational Program to Have Strong Bones Later in Life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbara Pampaloni

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Optimal peak bone mass and bone health later in life are favored by a sufficient calcium intake in infancy, childhood and adolescence. The purpose of this study was to test a new educational program created to monitor and to improve calcium and vitamin D intake in children. Nutritional habits in children were evaluated through a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ to assess the intake of calcium, vitamin D, dairy products, and total caloric energy at baseline and after seven months of exposure to a unique educational program applied between November 2013 and May 2014 in 176 schoolchildren (48% male, 52% female attending the fourth and fifth grades of two selected primary schools in Florence, Italy. A significant increase of calcium (from 870 ± 190 to 1100 ± 200 mg/day, p < 0.05, and vitamin D (from 3.6 ± 1.53 to 4.1 ± 2 µg/day intake in children was documented after the educational program. The amount of specific foods important for bone health consumed, such as milk and vegetables, increased significantly, both in male and female children (p < 0.05. The proposed educational program appears to be effective in modifying calcium intake in children, with a significant increase in the consumption of dairy products and vegetables, but without a significant change in the total caloric intake.

  12. Upper mantle compositional variations and discontinuity topography imaged beneath Australia from Bayesian inversion of surface-wave phase velocities and thermochemical modeling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Khan, A.; Zunino, Andrea; Deschamps, F.

    2013-01-01

    Here we discuss the nature of velocity heterogeneities seen in seismic tomography images of Earth's mantle whose origins and relation to thermochemical variations are yet to be understood. We illustrate this by inverting fundamental-mode and higher-order surface-wave phase velocities for radial....../Fe and Mg/Si values relative to surrounding mantle. Correlated herewith are thermal variations that closely follow surface tectonics. We also observe a strong contribution to lateral variations in structure and topography across the “410 km” seismic discontinuity from thermochemically induced phase......-wave tomography models with other regional models is encouraging. Radial anisotropy is strongest at 150/200 km depth beneath oceanic/continental areas, respectively, and appears weak and homogeneous below. Finally, geoid anomalies are computed for a subset of sampled model and compared to observations....

  13. On the consequences of strong stable stratification at the top of earth's outer core

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloxham, Jeremy

    1990-01-01

    The consequences of strong stable stratification at the top of the earth's fluid outer core are considered, concentrating on the generation of the geomagnetic secular variation. It is assumed that the core near the core-mantle boundary is both strongly stably stratified and free of Lorentz forces: it is found that this set of assumptions severely limits the class of possible motions, none of which is compatible with the geomagnetic secular variation. Relaxing either assumption is adequate: tangentially geostrophic flows are consistent with the secular variation if the assumption that the core is strongly stably stratified is relaxed (while retaining the assumption that Lorentz forces are negligible); purely toroidal flows may explain the secular variation if Lorentz forces are included.

  14. Splines and variational methods

    CERN Document Server

    Prenter, P M

    2008-01-01

    One of the clearest available introductions to variational methods, this text requires only a minimal background in calculus and linear algebra. Its self-contained treatment explains the application of theoretic notions to the kinds of physical problems that engineers regularly encounter. The text's first half concerns approximation theoretic notions, exploring the theory and computation of one- and two-dimensional polynomial and other spline functions. Later chapters examine variational methods in the solution of operator equations, focusing on boundary value problems in one and two dimension

  15. Lateral variations in vegetation in the Himalaya since the Miocene and implications for climate evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vögeli, Natalie; Najman, Yani; van der Beek, Peter; Huyghe, Pascale; Wynn, Peter M.; Govin, Gwladys; van der Veen, Iris; Sachse, Dirk

    2017-08-01

    The Himalaya has a major influence on global and regional climate, in particular on the Asian monsoon system. The foreland basin of the Himalaya contains a record of tectonics and paleoclimate since the Miocene. Previous work on the evolution of vegetation and climate has focused on the central and western Himalaya, where a shift from C3 to C4 vegetation has been observed at ∼7 Ma and linked to increased seasonality, but the climatic evolution of the eastern part of the orogen is less well understood. In order to track vegetation as a marker of monsoon intensity and seasonality, we analyzed δ13 C and δ18 O values of soil carbonate and associated δ13 C values of bulk organic carbon from previously dated sedimentary sections exposing the syn-orogenic detrital Dharamsala and Siwalik Groups in the west, and, for the first time, the Siwalik Group in the east of the Himalayan foreland basin. Sedimentary records span from 20 to 1 Myr in the west (Joginder Nagar, Jawalamukhi, and Haripur Kolar sections) and from 13 to 1 Myr in the east (Kameng section), respectively. The presence of soil carbonate in the west and its absence in the east is a first indication of long-term lateral climatic variation, as soil carbonate requires seasonally arid conditions to develop. δ13 C values in soil carbonate show a shift from around -10‰ to -2‰ at ∼7 Ma in the west, which is confirmed by δ13 C analyses on bulk organic carbon that show a shift from around -23‰ to -19‰ at the same time. Such a shift in isotopic values is likely to be associated with a change from C3 to C4 vegetation. In contrast, δ13 C values of bulk organic carbon remain at ∼ - 23 ‰ in the east. Thus, our data show that the current east-west variation in climate was established at 7 Ma. We propose that the regional change towards a more seasonal climate in the west is linked to a decrease of the influence of the Westerlies, delivering less winter precipitation to the western Himalaya, while the east

  16. Muscle sparing lateral thoracotomy: the standard incision for thoracic procedures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mihai Dumitrescu

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Lateral thoracotomy is a versatile approach with many variations and is currently the most widely used incision in thoracic surgery. In the current article we are presenting the muscle-sparing lateral thoracotomy in the lateral decubitus position which we consider to be the “standard” for lateral thoracotomies. Indications, surgical technique and pitfalls are described alongside our experience with thoracic drainage. Although there is no consensus regarding the name of this incision, some authors call it “axillary thoracotomy” while others call it a “modified lateral thoracotomy”, they all agree on one aspect – the importance of muscle sparing – which makes it the go-to thoracotomy for both small and large procedures involving the lung. Lateral muscle sparing thoracotomy allows for good exposure of the pulmonary hilum, fissures, apex and diaphragm. The approach is easy and quick to perform while at the same time ensuring faster postoperative recovery by sparing the latissimus dorsi muscle, better cosmetics and lower postoperative pain score when compared to the posterolateral or classical lateral thoracotomies.

  17. Lateral protonic/electronic hybrid oxide thin-film transistor gated by SiO2 nanogranular films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Li Qiang; Chao, Jin Yu; Xiao, Hui

    2014-01-01

    Ionic/electronic interaction offers an additional dimension in the recent advancements of condensed materials. Here, lateral gate control of conductivities of indium-zinc-oxide (IZO) films is reported. An electric-double-layer (EDL) transistor configuration was utilized with a phosphorous-doped SiO 2 nanogranular film to provide a strong lateral electric field. Due to the strong lateral protonic/electronic interfacial coupling effect, the IZO EDL transistor could operate at a low-voltage of 1 V. A resistor-loaded inverter is built, showing a high voltage gain of ∼8 at a low supply voltage of 1 V. The lateral ionic/electronic coupling effects are interesting for bioelectronics and portable electronics

  18. Nonlinear wave collapse and strong turbulence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robinson, P.A.

    1997-01-01

    The theory and applications of wave self-focusing, collapse, and strongly nonlinear wave turbulence are reviewed. In the last decade, the theory of these phenomena and experimental realizations have progressed rapidly. Various nonlinear wave systems are discussed, but the simplest case of collapse and strong turbulence of Langmuir waves in an unmagnetized plasma is primarily used in explaining the theory and illustrating the main ideas. First, an overview of the basic physics of linear waves and nonlinear wave-wave interactions is given from an introductory perspective. Wave-wave processes are then considered in more detail. Next, an introductory overview of the physics of wave collapse and strong turbulence is provided, followed by a more detailed theoretical treatment. Later sections cover numerical simulations of Langmuir collapse and strong turbulence and experimental applications to space, ionospheric, and laboratory plasmas, including laser-plasma and beam-plasma interactions. Generalizations to self-focusing, collapse, and strong turbulence of waves in other systems are also discussed, including nonlinear optics, solid-state systems, magnetized auroral and astrophysical plasmas, and deep-water waves. The review ends with a summary of the main ideas of wave collapse and strong-turbulence theory, a collection of open questions in the field, and a brief discussion of possible future research directions. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

  19. Function Lateralization via Measuring Coherence Laterality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ze; Mechanic-Hamilton, Dawn; Pluta, John; Glynn, Simon; Detre, John A.

    2009-01-01

    A data-driven approach for lateralization of brain function based on the spatial coherence difference of functional MRI (fMRI) data in homologous regions-of-interest (ROI) in each hemisphere is proposed. The utility of using coherence laterality (CL) to determine function laterality was assessed first by examining motor laterality using normal subjects’ data acquired both at rest and with a simple unilateral motor task and subsequently by examining mesial temporal lobe memory laterality in normal subjects and patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. The motor task was used to demonstrate that CL within motor ROI correctly lateralized functional stimulation. In patients with unilateral epilepsy studied during a scene-encoding task, CL in a hippocampus-parahippocampus-fusiform (HPF) ROI was concordant with lateralization based on task activation, and the CL index (CLI) significantly differentiated the right side group to the left side group. By contrast, normal controls showed a symmetric HPF CLI distribution. Additionally, similar memory laterality prediction results were still observed using CL in epilepsy patients with unilateral seizures after the memory encoding effect was removed from the data, suggesting the potential for lateralization of pathological brain function based on resting fMRI data. A better lateralization was further achieved via a combination of the proposed approach and the standard activation based approach, demonstrating that assessment of spatial coherence changes provides a complementary approach to quantifying task-correlated activity for lateralizing brain function. PMID:19345736

  20. Strong influence of periodic boundary conditions on lateral diffusion in lipid bilayer membranes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Camley, Brian A. [Center for Theoretical Biological Physics and Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, California 92093 (United States); Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States); Lerner, Michael G. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana 47374 (United States); Laboratory of Computational Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 (United States); Pastor, Richard W. [Laboratory of Computational Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 (United States); Brown, Frank L. H. [Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States)

    2015-12-28

    The Saffman-Delbrück hydrodynamic model for lipid-bilayer membranes is modified to account for the periodic boundary conditions commonly imposed in molecular simulations. Predicted lateral diffusion coefficients for membrane-embedded solid bodies are sensitive to box shape and converge slowly to the limit of infinite box size, raising serious doubts for the prospects of using detailed simulations to accurately predict membrane-protein diffusivities and related transport properties. Estimates for the relative error associated with periodic boundary artifacts are 50% and higher for fully atomistic models in currently feasible simulation boxes. MARTINI simulations of LacY membrane protein diffusion and LacY dimer diffusion in DPPC membranes and lipid diffusion in pure DPPC bilayers support the underlying hydrodynamic model.

  1. Strong influence of periodic boundary conditions on lateral diffusion in lipid bilayer membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Camley, Brian A.; Lerner, Michael G.; Pastor, Richard W.; Brown, Frank L. H.

    2015-01-01

    The Saffman-Delbrück hydrodynamic model for lipid-bilayer membranes is modified to account for the periodic boundary conditions commonly imposed in molecular simulations. Predicted lateral diffusion coefficients for membrane-embedded solid bodies are sensitive to box shape and converge slowly to the limit of infinite box size, raising serious doubts for the prospects of using detailed simulations to accurately predict membrane-protein diffusivities and related transport properties. Estimates for the relative error associated with periodic boundary artifacts are 50% and higher for fully atomistic models in currently feasible simulation boxes. MARTINI simulations of LacY membrane protein diffusion and LacY dimer diffusion in DPPC membranes and lipid diffusion in pure DPPC bilayers support the underlying hydrodynamic model

  2. Lateral variations of radiobiological properties of therapeutic fields of 1H, 4He, 12C and 16O ions studied with Geant4 and microdosimetric kinetic model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dewey, Sophie; Burigo, Lucas; Pshenichnov, Igor; Mishustin, Igor; Bleicher, Marcus

    2017-07-01

    As known, in cancer therapy with ion beams the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of ions changes in the course of their propagation in tissues. Such changes are caused not only by increasing the linear energy transfer (LET) of beam particles with the penetration depth towards the Bragg peak, but also by nuclear reactions induced by beam nuclei leading to the production of various secondary particles. Although the changes of RBE along the beam axis have been studied quite well, much less attention has been paid to the evolution of RBE in the transverse direction, perpendicular to the beam axis. In order to fill this gap, we simulated radiation fields of 1H, 4He, 12C and 16O nuclei of 20 mm in diameter by means of a Geant4-based Monte Carlo model for heavy-ion therapy connected with the modified microdosimetric kinetic model to describe the response of normal ((α/β)_x-rays=3.8 Gy) and early-responding ((α/β)_x-rays=10 Gy) tissues. Depth and radial distributions of saturation-corrected dose-mean lineal energy, RBE and RBE-weighted dose are investigated for passive beam shaping and active beam scanning. The field of 4He has a small lateral spread as compared with 1H field, and it is characterised by a modest lateral variation of RBE suggesting the use of fixed RBE values across the field transverse cross section at each depth. Reduced uncertainties of RBE on the boundary of a 4He treatment field can be advantageous in a specific case of an organ at risk located in lateral proximity to the target volume. It is found that the lateral distributions of RBE calculated for 12C and 16O fields demonstrate fast variations in the radial direction due to changes of dose and composition of secondary fragments in the field penumbra. Nevertheless, the radiation fields of all four projectiles at radii larger than 20 mm can be characterized by a common RBE value defined by tissue radiosensitivity. These findings can help, in particular, in accessing the transverse

  3. Strong paleoearthquakes along the Talas-Fergana Fault, Kyrgyzstan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.M. Korzhenkov

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The Talas-Fergana Fault, the largest strike-slip structure in Centred. Asia, forms an obliquely oriented boundary between the northeastern and southwestern parts of the Tianshan mountain belt. The fault underwent active right-lateral strike-slip during the Paleozoic, with right-lateral movements being rejuvenated in the Late Cenozoic. Tectonic movements along the intracontinental strike-slip faults contribute to absorb part of the regional crustal shortening linked to the India-Eurasia collision; knowledge of strike-slip motions along the Talas-Fergana Fault are necessary for a complete assessment of the active deformation of the Tianshan orogen. To improve our understanding of the intracontinental deformation of the Tianshan mountain belt and the occurrence of strong earthquakes along the whole length of the Talas-Fergana Fault, we identify features of relief arising during strong paleoearthquakes along the Talas-Fergana Fault, fault segmentation, the length of seismogenic ruptures, and the energy and age of ancient catastrophes. We show that during neotectonic time the fault developed as a dextral strike-slip fault, with possible dextral displacements spreading to secondary fault planes north of the main fault trace. We determine rates of Holocene and Late Pleistocene dextral movements, and our radiocarbon dating indicates tens of strong earthquakes occurring along the fault zone during arid interval of 15800 years. The reoccurrence of strong earthquakes along the Talas-Fergana Fault zone during the second half of the Holocene is about 300 years. The next strong earthquake along the fault will most probably occur along its southeastern chain during the next several decades. Seismotectonic deformation parameters indicate that M > 7 earthquakes with oscillation intensity I > IX have occurred.

  4. Lateral variations in the crustal structure of the Indo-Eurasian collision zone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilligan, Amy; Priestley, Keith

    2018-05-01

    The processes involved in continental collisions remain contested, yet knowledge of these processes is crucial to improving our understanding of how some of the most dramatic features on Earth have formed. As the largest and highest orogenic plateau on Earth today, Tibet is an excellent natural laboratory for investigating collisional processes. To understand the development of the Tibetan Plateau we need to understand the crustal structure beneath both Tibet and the Indian Plate. Building on previous work, we measure new group velocity dispersion curves using data from regional earthquakes (4424 paths) and ambient noise data (5696 paths), and use these to obtain new fundamental mode Rayleigh Wave group velocity maps for periods from 5-70 s for a region including Tibet, Pakistan and India. The dense path coverage at the shortest periods, due to the inclusion of ambient noise measurements, allows features of up to 100 km scale to be resolved in some areas of the collision zone, providing one of the highest resolution models of the crust and uppermost mantle across this region. We invert the Rayleigh wave group velocity maps for shear wave velocity structure to 120 km depth and construct a 3D velocity model for the crust and uppermost mantle of the Indo-Eurasian collision zone. We use this 3D model to map the lateral variations in the crust and in the nature of the crust-mantle transition (Moho) across the Indo-Eurasian collision zone. The Moho occurs at lower shear velocities below north eastern Tibet than it does beneath western and southern Tibet and below India. The east-west difference across Tibet is particularly apparent in the elevated velocities observed west of 84° E at depths exceeding 90 km. This suggests that Indian lithosphere underlies the whole of the Plateau in the west, but possibly not in the east. At depths of 20-40 km our crustal model shows the existence of a pervasive mid-crustal low velocity layer (˜10% decrease in velocity, Vs Vsv. The

  5. Rare anatomical variation of the musculocutaneous nerve - case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergio Ricardo Rios Nascimento

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The clinical and surgical importance of anatomical knowledge of the musculocutaneous nerve and its variations is due to the fact that one of the complications in many upper-limb surgical procedures involves injury to this nerve. During routine dissection of the right upper limb of a male cadaver, we observed an anatomical variation of this nerve. The musculocutaneous nerve originated in the lateral cord and continued laterally, passing under the coracobrachialis muscle and then continuing until its first branch to the biceps brachialis muscle. Just after this, it supplied another two branches, i.e. the lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm and a branch to the brachialis muscle, and then it joined the median nerve. The median nerve followed the arm medially to the region of the cubital fossa and then gave rise to the anterior intermediate nerve of the forearm. The union between the musculocutaneous nerve and the median nerve occurred approximately at the midpoint of the arm and the median nerve. Given that either our example is not covered by the classifications found in the literature or that it fits into more than one variation proposed, without us finding something truly similar, we consider this variation to be rare.

  6. Variation of the critical slab thickness with the degree of strongly anisotropic scattering in one-speed neutron transport theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yildiz, C.

    1998-01-01

    The critical slab problem is studied in one-speed neutron transport theory using a linearly anisotropic kernel which combines forward and backward scattering. It is shown that, the recently observed non-monotonic variation of the thickness also exists in this strongly anisotropic case. In addition, the influence of the linear anisotropy on the critical thickness is analysed in detail. Numerical analysis for the critical thickness are performed using the spherical harmonics method and results are tabulated for selected illustrative cases as a function of different degrees of anisotropic scattering. Finally, some results are discussed and compared with those already obtained by other methods, the agreement is satisfactory. The spherical harmonic method gives generally accurate results in one dimensional geometry, and it is very suitable for the numerical solution of the neutron transport equation with linearly anisotropic scattering

  7. Variation in Susceptibility to Wheat dwarf virus among Wild and Domesticated Wheat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nygren, Jim; Shad, Nadeem; Kvarnheden, Anders; Westerbergh, Anna

    2015-01-01

    We investigated the variation in plant response in host-pathogen interactions between wild (Aegilops spp., Triticum spp.) and domesticated wheat (Triticum spp.) and Wheat dwarf virus (WDV). The distribution of WDV and its wild host species overlaps in Western Asia in the Fertile Crescent, suggesting a coevolutionary relationship. Bread wheat originates from a natural hybridization between wild emmer wheat (carrying the A and B genomes) and the wild D genome donor Aegilops tauschii, followed by polyploidization and domestication. We studied whether the strong selection during these evolutionary processes, leading to genetic bottlenecks, may have resulted in a loss of resistance in domesticated wheat. In addition, we investigated whether putative fluctuations in intensity of selection imposed on the host-pathogen interactions have resulted in a variation in susceptibility to WDV. To test our hypotheses we evaluated eighteen wild and domesticated wheat taxa, directly or indirectly involved in wheat evolution, for traits associated with WDV disease such as leaf chlorosis, different growth traits and WDV content. The plants were exposed to viruliferous leafhoppers (Psammotettix alienus) in a greenhouse trial and evaluated at two time points. We found three different plant response patterns: i) continuous reduction in growth over time, ii) weak response at an early stage of plant development but a much stronger response at a later stage, and iii) remission of symptoms over time. Variation in susceptibility may be explained by differences in the intensity of natural selection, shaping the coevolutionary interaction between WDV and the wild relatives. However, genetic bottlenecks during wheat evolution have not had a strong impact on WDV resistance. Further, this study indicates that the variation in susceptibility may be associated with the genome type and that the ancestor Ae. tauschii may be useful as genetic resource for the improvement of WDV resistance in wheat. PMID

  8. Variation in susceptibility to Wheat dwarf virus among wild and domesticated wheat.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jim Nygren

    Full Text Available We investigated the variation in plant response in host-pathogen interactions between wild (Aegilops spp., Triticum spp. and domesticated wheat (Triticum spp. and Wheat dwarf virus (WDV. The distribution of WDV and its wild host species overlaps in Western Asia in the Fertile Crescent, suggesting a coevolutionary relationship. Bread wheat originates from a natural hybridization between wild emmer wheat (carrying the A and B genomes and the wild D genome donor Aegilops tauschii, followed by polyploidization and domestication. We studied whether the strong selection during these evolutionary processes, leading to genetic bottlenecks, may have resulted in a loss of resistance in domesticated wheat. In addition, we investigated whether putative fluctuations in intensity of selection imposed on the host-pathogen interactions have resulted in a variation in susceptibility to WDV. To test our hypotheses we evaluated eighteen wild and domesticated wheat taxa, directly or indirectly involved in wheat evolution, for traits associated with WDV disease such as leaf chlorosis, different growth traits and WDV content. The plants were exposed to viruliferous leafhoppers (Psammotettix alienus in a greenhouse trial and evaluated at two time points. We found three different plant response patterns: i continuous reduction in growth over time, ii weak response at an early stage of plant development but a much stronger response at a later stage, and iii remission of symptoms over time. Variation in susceptibility may be explained by differences in the intensity of natural selection, shaping the coevolutionary interaction between WDV and the wild relatives. However, genetic bottlenecks during wheat evolution have not had a strong impact on WDV resistance. Further, this study indicates that the variation in susceptibility may be associated with the genome type and that the ancestor Ae. tauschii may be useful as genetic resource for the improvement of WDV resistance in

  9. The circadian variation of premature atrial contractions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Bjørn Strøier; Kumarathurai, Preman; Nielsen, Olav W

    2016-01-01

    AIMS: The aim of the study was to assess a possible circadian variation of premature atrial contractions (PACs) in a community-based population and to determine if the daily variation could be used to assess a more vulnerable period of PACs in predicting later incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF...... variation in heart rate. After adjusting for relevant risk factors, the risk of AF was equal in all time intervals throughout the day. CONCLUSION: Premature atrial contractions showed a circadian variation in subjects with frequent PACs. No specific time interval of the day was more predictive of AF than...

  10. Lateral protonic/electronic hybrid oxide thin-film transistor gated by SiO{sub 2} nanogranular films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Li Qiang, E-mail: lqzhu@nimte.ac.cn; Chao, Jin Yu; Xiao, Hui [Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201 (China)

    2014-12-15

    Ionic/electronic interaction offers an additional dimension in the recent advancements of condensed materials. Here, lateral gate control of conductivities of indium-zinc-oxide (IZO) films is reported. An electric-double-layer (EDL) transistor configuration was utilized with a phosphorous-doped SiO{sub 2} nanogranular film to provide a strong lateral electric field. Due to the strong lateral protonic/electronic interfacial coupling effect, the IZO EDL transistor could operate at a low-voltage of 1 V. A resistor-loaded inverter is built, showing a high voltage gain of ∼8 at a low supply voltage of 1 V. The lateral ionic/electronic coupling effects are interesting for bioelectronics and portable electronics.

  11. Including lateral interactions into microkinetic models of catalytic reactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hellman, Anders; Honkala, Johanna Karoliina

    2007-01-01

    In many catalytic reactions lateral interactions between adsorbates are believed to have a strong influence on the reaction rates. We apply a microkinetic model to explore the effect of lateral interactions and how to efficiently take them into account in a simple catalytic reaction. Three differ...... different approximations are investigated: site, mean-field, and quasichemical approximations. The obtained results are compared to accurate Monte Carlo numbers. In the end, we apply the approximations to a real catalytic reaction, namely, ammonia synthesis....

  12. A lateral cephalometric study of craniofacial variation in Korean child twins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Sang Rae; You, Dong Soo [College of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1974-11-15

    A study was performed to investigate the degree of similarities and differences in components of craniofacial complex between Korean twins and normal children by lateral cephalometric analysis. Dimensions of S-N, S-Ba, N-Ba, Go-Me, Ar-Go and Ar-Me were plotted against linear measurement and angles of N-S-Ba and gonial against angular measurement in twins and control groups. The lateral cephalograms of twin were composed of 88 twins aged from 7 to 12:44 males aged 10.65 and 44 females aged 9. 55, while those of 50 normalities were composed of 25 male and 25 female aged 10.9 respectively. In order to analyze growth proportion and sexual differences, twins were divided into 3 groups according to two year age intervals and the author compared male with female in 3 groups. For the purpose of observing similarities and differences in twins and normalities by sex, total twins were compared with normalities. The obtained results were as follows: 1. There was no difference in craniofacial complex between twins and normalities. 2. In general, the measurements of male were larger than those of female in both twins and normalities, but there were no statistical significances of sexual differences in both groups. 3. The growth proportion of mandible by aging was larger than that of face in twins. 4. The growth pattern of gonial angle showed slight reducing tendency in twin by aging. 5. There was little difference in the growth proportion of both male and female.

  13. A lateral cephalometric study of craniofacial variation in Korean child twins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Sang Rae; You, Dong Soo

    1974-01-01

    A study was performed to investigate the degree of similarities and differences in components of craniofacial complex between Korean twins and normal children by lateral cephalometric analysis. Dimensions of S-N, S-Ba, N-Ba, Go-Me, Ar-Go and Ar-Me were plotted against linear measurement and angles of N-S-Ba and gonial against angular measurement in twins and control groups. The lateral cephalograms of twin were composed of 88 twins aged from 7 to 12:44 males aged 10.65 and 44 females aged 9. 55, while those of 50 normalities were composed of 25 male and 25 female aged 10.9 respectively. In order to analyze growth proportion and sexual differences, twins were divided into 3 groups according to two year age intervals and the author compared male with female in 3 groups. For the purpose of observing similarities and differences in twins and normalities by sex, total twins were compared with normalities. The obtained results were as follows: 1. There was no difference in craniofacial complex between twins and normalities. 2. In general, the measurements of male were larger than those of female in both twins and normalities, but there were no statistical significances of sexual differences in both groups. 3. The growth proportion of mandible by aging was larger than that of face in twins. 4. The growth pattern of gonial angle showed slight reducing tendency in twin by aging. 5. There was little difference in the growth proportion of both male and female.

  14. Development of Lateral Prestress in High-Strength Concrete-Filled FRP Tubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vincent, T.; Ozbakkaloglu, T.

    2018-02-01

    This paper reports on an experimental investigation into the axial and lateral strain development of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) confined high-strength concrete (HSC) with prestressed FRP shells. A total of 24 aramid FRP (AFRP)-confined concrete specimens were manufactured as concrete-filled FRP tubes (CFFTs) with instrumentation to measure the strain variations during application of prestress, removal of end constraints and progressive prestress losses. Prestressed CFFT specimens were prepared with three different dose rates of expansive mineral admixture to create a range of lateral prestress applied to AFRP tubes manufactured with sheet thicknesses of 0.2 or 0.3 mm/ply and referred to as lightly- or well-confined, respectively. In addition to these three levels of prestress, non-prestressed companion specimens were manufactured and tested to determine baseline performance. The experimental results from this study indicate that lateral prestressing of CFFTs manufactured with HSC can be achieved by varying the expansive mineral admixture dose rate with a lateral prestress of up to 7.3 MPa recorded in this study. Significant strain variations were measured during removal of the end constraints with up to 700 microstrain recorded in the axial direction. Finally, the measurement of prestress losses for the month following prestress application revealed minimal progressive losses, with only 250 and 100 με recorded for the axial and hoop strains, respectively.

  15. Spatial MEG laterality maps for language: clinical applications in epilepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Arcy, Ryan C N; Bardouille, Timothy; Newman, Aaron J; McWhinney, Sean R; Debay, Drew; Sadler, R Mark; Clarke, David B; Esser, Michael J

    2013-08-01

    Functional imaging is increasingly being used to provide a noninvasive alternative to intracarotid sodium amobarbitol testing (i.e., the Wada test). Although magnetoencephalography (MEG) has shown significant potential in this regard, the resultant output is often reduced to a simplified estimate of laterality. Such estimates belie the richness of functional imaging data and consequently limit the potential value. We present a novel approach that utilizes MEG data to compute "complex laterality vectors" and consequently "laterality maps" for a given function. Language function was examined in healthy controls and in people with epilepsy. When compared with traditional laterality index (LI) approaches, the resultant maps provided critical information about the magnitude and spatial characteristics of lateralized function. Specifically, it was possible to more clearly define low LI scores resulting from strong bilateral activation, high LI scores resulting from weak unilateral activation, and most importantly, the spatial distribution of lateralized activation. We argue that the laterality concept is better presented with the inherent spatial sensitivity of activation maps, rather than being collapsed into a one-dimensional index. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Clonal variation in lateral and basal rooting of Populus irrigated with landfill leachate

    Science.gov (United States)

    R.S. Zalesny Jr.; J.A. Zalesny

    2011-01-01

    Successful establishment and productivity of Populus depends upon adventitious rooting from: 1) lateral roots that develop from either preformed or induced primordia and 2) basal roots that differentiate from callus at the base of the cutting in response to wounding. Information is needed for phytotechnologies about the degree to which ...

  17. Electromotive force in strongly compressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokoi, N.

    2017-12-01

    Variable density fluid turbulence is ubiquitous in geo-fluids, not to mention in astrophysics. Depending on the source of density variation, variable density fluid turbulence may be divided into two categories: the weak compressible (entropy mode) turbulence for slow flow and the strong compressible (acoustic mode) turbulence for fast flow. In the strong compressible turbulence, the pressure fluctuation induces a strong density fluctuation ρ ', which is represented by the density variance ( denotes the ensemble average). The turbulent effect on the large-scale magnetic-field B induction is represented by the turbulent electromotive force (EMF) (u': velocity fluctuation, b': magnetic-field fluctuation). In the usual treatment in the dynamo theory, the expression for the EMF has been obtained in the framework of incompressible or weak compressible turbulence, where only the variation of the mean density , if any, is taken into account. We see from the equation of the density fluctuation ρ', the density variance is generated by the large mean density variation ∂ coupled with the turbulent mass flux . This means that in the region where the mean density steeply changes, the density variance effect becomes relevant for the magnetic field evolution. This situation is typically the case for phenomena associated with shocks and compositional discontinuities. With the aid of the analytical theory of inhomogeneous compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence, the expression for the turbulent electromotive force is investigated. It is shown that, among others, an obliqueness (misalignment) between the mean density gradient ∂ and the mean magnetic field B may contribute to the EMF as ≈χ B×∂ with the turbulent transport coefficient χ proportional to the density variance (χ ). This density variance effect is expected to strongly affect the EMF near the interface, and changes the transport properties of turbulence. In the case of an interface under the MHD slow

  18. Dynamic change in size of the lateral ventricle evaluated by cine MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abe, Toshi

    1990-01-01

    CSF pulsation suggests variation in the size of the cerebral ventricle during the cardiac cycle. CINE MRI, which is a useful technique for observation of the pulsatile CSF flow, demonstrates a dynamic change in size of the lateral ventricle. CINE MRI was performed on a 0.5 tesla MR imaging system (SMT-50, SHIMADZU). Sixteen different phased images during cardiac cycle were made by a gradient acho technique (STAGE: Short Tip Angle Gradient Echo, TE=14 msec, Flip Angle=30deg). From the measurement of the lateral ventricular areas of two different phases of CINE MRI during cadiac cycle, variation rate of cerebral ventricular area (VRCVA) was calculated. Twenty-five normal volunteers (14 younger adults aged 27-44 years, 11 older adults aged 56-73 years) and six cases of marked diffuse cerebral atrophy were studied. The results included: The mean VRCVA of younger adults was 14.4% (at right body of lateral ventricle) ∼ 30.0% (at left anterior horn of lateral ventricle). The mean VRCVA of younger adults is higher than the mean VRCVA of older adults. In the cases of marked diffuse cerebral atrophy, the mean VRCVA was very lower than the mean VRCVA of older adults. VRCVA of lateral ventricle calculated from CINE MRI seemed to have a good relationship to the brain elasticity. This noninvasive method would be used as an indication of the elastic response of the ventricles and the surrounding brain. (J.P.N.)

  19. Possible test of the strong principle of equivalence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brecher, K.

    1978-01-01

    We suggest that redshift determinations of X-ray and γ-ray lines produced near the surface of neutron stars which arise from different physical processes could provide a significant test of the strong principle of equivalence for strong gravitational fields. As a complement to both the high-precision weak-field solar-system experiments and the cosmological time variation searches, such observations could further test the hypothesis that physics is locally the same at all times and in all places

  20. Lateral dimension-dependent antibacterial activity of graphene oxide sheets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shaobin; Hu, Ming; Zeng, Tingying Helen; Wu, Ran; Jiang, Rongrong; Wei, Jun; Wang, Liang; Kong, Jing; Chen, Yuan

    2012-08-21

    Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising precursor to produce graphene-family nanomaterials for various applications. Their potential health and environmental impacts need a good understanding of their cellular interactions. Many factors may influence their biological interactions with cells, and the lateral dimension of GO sheets is one of the most relevant material properties. In this study, a model bacterium, Escherichia coli ( E. coli ), was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of well-dispersed GO sheets, whose lateral size differs by more than 100 times. Our results show that the antibacterial activity of GO sheets toward E. coli cells is lateral size dependent. Larger GO sheets show stronger antibacterial activity than do smaller ones, and they have different time- and concentration-dependent antibacterial activities. Large GO sheets lead to most cell loss after 1 h incubation, and their concentration strongly influences antibacterial activity at relative low concentration (oxidation capacity toward glutathione is similar, consistent with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy results. This suggests the lateral size-dependent antibacterial activity of GO sheets is caused by neither their aggregation states, nor oxidation capacity. Atomic force microscope analysis of GO sheets and cells shows that GO sheets interact strongly with cells. Large GO sheets more easily cover cells, and cells cannot proliferate once fully covered, resulting in the cell viability loss observed in the followed colony counting test. In contrast, small GO sheets adhere to the bacterial surfaces, which cannot effectively isolate cells from environment. This study highlights the importance of tailoring the lateral dimension of GO sheets to optimize the application potential with minimal risks for environmental health and safety.

  1. Advantages of later motherhood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myrskylä, M; Barclay, K; Goisis, A

    2017-01-01

    In high-income countries childbearing has been increasingly postponed since the 1970s and it is crucial to understand the consequences of this demographic shift. The literature has tended to characterize later motherhood as a significant health threat for children and parents. We contribute to this debate by reviewing recent evidence suggesting that an older maternal age can also have positive effects. Literature linking the age at parenthood with the sociodemographic characteristics of the parents, with macrolevel interactions, and with subjective well-being. Comprehensive review of the existing literature. Recent studies show that there can also be advantages associated with later motherhood. First, whilst in past older mothers had low levels of education and large families, currently older mothers tend to have higher education and smaller families than their younger peers. Consequently, children born to older mothers in the past tended to have worse outcomes than children born to younger mothers, whilst the opposite is true in recent cohorts. Second, postponement of childbearing means that the child is born at a later date and in a later birth cohort, and may benefit from secular changes in the macroenvironment. Evidence shows that when the positive trends in the macroenvironment are strong they overweigh the negative effects of reproductive ageing. Third, existing studies show that happiness increases around and after childbirth among older mothers, whereas for younger mothers the effect does not exist or is short-lived. There are important sociodemographic pathways associated with postponement of childbearing which might compensate or even more than compensate for the biological disadvantages associated with reproductive ageing.

  2. Post-seismic relaxation theory on laterally heterogeneous viscoelastic model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollitz, F.F.

    2003-01-01

    Investigation was carried out into the problem of relaxation of a laterally heterogeneous viscoelastic Earth following an impulsive moment release event. The formal solution utilizes a semi-analytic solution for post-seismic deformation on a laterally homogeneous Earth constructed from viscoelastic normal modes, followed by application of mode coupling theory to derive the response on the aspherical Earth. The solution is constructed in the Laplace transform domain using the correspondence principle and is valid for any linear constitutive relationship between stress and strain. The specific implementation described in this paper is a semi-analytic discretization method which assumes isotropic elastic structure and a Maxwell constitutive relation. It accounts for viscoelastic-gravitational coupling under lateral variations in elastic parameters and viscosity. For a given viscoelastic structure and minimum wavelength scale, the computational effort involved with the numerical algorithm is proportional to the volume of the laterally heterogeneous region. Examples are presented of the calculation of post-seismic relaxation with a shallow, laterally heterogeneous volume following synthetic impulsive seismic events, and they illustrate the potentially large effect of regional 3-D heterogeneities on regional deformation patterns.

  3. Aperture averaging in strong oceanic turbulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gökçe, Muhsin Caner; Baykal, Yahya

    2018-04-01

    Receiver aperture averaging technique is employed in underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) systems to mitigate the effects of oceanic turbulence, thus to improve the system performance. The irradiance flux variance is a measure of the intensity fluctuations on a lens of the receiver aperture. Using the modified Rytov theory which uses the small-scale and large-scale spatial filters, and our previously presented expression that shows the atmospheric structure constant in terms of oceanic turbulence parameters, we evaluate the irradiance flux variance and the aperture averaging factor of a spherical wave in strong oceanic turbulence. Irradiance flux variance variations are examined versus the oceanic turbulence parameters and the receiver aperture diameter are examined in strong oceanic turbulence. Also, the effect of the receiver aperture diameter on the aperture averaging factor is presented in strong oceanic turbulence.

  4. Lateral displacement of the right kidney by the colon: an anatomic variation demonstrated by CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silverman, P.M.; Kelvin, F.M.; Korobkin, M.

    1983-01-01

    Lateral displacement of the kidney on a urogram can be caused by a variety of retroperitoneal abnormalities, including enlarged lymph nodes, primary or metastatic neoplasm, aortic aneurysm, hematoma, abscess, or even benign accumulations of fat. CT commonly is used to evaluate the cause of renal displacement and often suggests the correct etiology. An unusual case is reported in which CT demonstrated that lateral displacement of the right kidney was caused by insinuation of an otherwise normal right colon between the kidney and the right psoas muscle. The authors are not aware of any previous report of this benign anatomic variant

  5. Modeling the blockage of Lg waves from 3-D variations in crustal structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanborn, Christopher J.; Cormier, Vernon F.

    2018-05-01

    Comprised of S waves trapped in Earth's crust, the high frequency (2-10 Hz) Lg wave is important to discriminating earthquakes from explosions by comparing its amplitude and waveform to those of Pg and Pn waves. Lateral variations in crustal structure, including variations in crustal thickness, intrinsic attenuation, and scattering, affect the efficiency of Lg propagation and its consistency as a source discriminant at regional (200-1500 km) distances. To investigate the effects of laterally varying Earth structure on the efficiency of propagation of Lg and Pg, we apply a radiative transport algorithm to model complete, high-frequency (2-4 Hz), regional coda envelopes. The algorithm propagates packets of energy with ray theory through large-scale 3-D structure, and includes stochastic effects of multiple-scattering by small-scale heterogeneities within the large-scale structure. Source-radiation patterns are described by moment tensors. Seismograms of explosion and earthquake sources are synthesized in canonical models to predict effects on waveforms of paths crossing regions of crustal thinning (pull-apart basins and ocean/continent transitions) and thickening (collisional mountain belts), For paths crossing crustal thinning regions, Lg is amplified at receivers within the thinned region but strongly disrupted and attenuated at receivers beyond the thinned region. For paths crossing regions of crustal thickening, Lg amplitude is attenuated at receivers within the thickened region, but experiences little or no reduction in amplitude at receivers beyond the thickened region. The length of the Lg propagation within a thickened region and the complexity of over- and under-thrust crustal layers, can produce localized zones of Lg amplification or attenuation. Regions of intense scattering within laterally homogeneous models of the crust increase Lg attenuation but do not disrupt its coda shape.

  6. Only 7% of the variation in feed efficiency in veal calves can be predicted from variation in feeding motivation, digestion, metabolism, immunology, and behavioral traits in early life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, M S; van den Borne, J J G C; van Reenen, C G; Gerrits, W J J

    2017-10-01

    High interindividual variation in growth performance is commonly observed in veal calf production and appears to depend on milk replacer (MR) composition. Our first objective was to examine whether variation in growth performance in healthy veal calves can be predicted from early life characterization of these calves. Our second objective was to determine whether these predictions differ between calves that are fed a high- or low-lactose MR in later life. A total of 180 male Holstein-Friesian calves arrived at the facilities at 17 ± 3.4 d of age, and blood samples were collected before the first feeding. Subsequently, calves were characterized in the following 9 wk (period 1) using targeted challenges related to traits within each of 5 categories: feeding motivation, digestion, postabsorptive metabolism, behavior and stress, and immunology. In period 2 (wk 10-26), 130 calves were equally divided over 2 MR treatments: a control MR that contained lactose as the only carbohydrate source and a low-lactose MR in which 51% of the lactose was isocalorically replaced by glucose, fructose, and glycerol (2:1:2 ratio). Relations between early life characteristics and growth performance in later life were assessed in 117 clinically healthy calves. Average daily gain (ADG) in period 2 tended to be greater for control calves (1,292 ± 111 g/d) than for calves receiving the low-lactose MR (1,267 ± 103 g/d). Observations in period 1 were clustered per category using principal component analysis, and the resulting principal components were used to predict performance in period 2 using multiple regression procedures. Variation in observations in period 1 predicted 17% of variation in ADG in period 2. However, this was mainly related to variation in solid feed refusals. When ADG was adjusted to equal solid feed intake, only 7% of the variation in standardized ADG in period 2, in fact reflecting feed efficiency, could be explained by early life measurements. This indicates that >90

  7. Controlled structures in laterally patterned barrier discharges by illumination of the semiconductor electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wild, R; Schumann, T; Stollenwerk, L

    2014-01-01

    In this contribution, we present a possibility to actively control emerging patterns in laterally extended barrier discharges. One of the barriers is a high-ohmic semiconductive GaAs electrode. As the electrode is illuminated from its plasma-far side, the voltage inside the plasma gap is increased. If the gap voltage becomes higher than the ignition voltage of the gas, a discharge is started. A corresponding electrical model is given. The lateral resolution of control for a laterally homogeneous discharge is investigated. It is found that the luminescence of the discharge is controlled by both a variation of illumination power density and a variation of the applied voltage. However, during an increase in the applied voltage, the discharge may become larger than the area of illumination. Further, an investigation of the patterned discharge control shows that the number of current spots depends on the illumination power density and the area of illumination. The behaviour of current spot appearance suggests an inhibitory influence, preventing a discharge in its immediate surrounding and limiting the total number of current spots. (paper)

  8. Fuzzy Sliding Mode Lateral Control of Intelligent Vehicle Based on Vision

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linhui Li

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The lateral control of intelligent vehicle is studied in this paper, with the intelligent vehicle DLUIV-1 based on visual navigation as the object of research. Firstly, the lateral control model based on visual preview is established. The kinematics model based on visual preview, including speed and other factors, is used to calculate the lateral error and direction error. Secondly, according to the characteristics of lateral control, an efficient strategy of intelligent vehicle lateral mode is proposed. The integration of the vehicle current lateral error and direction error is chosen as the parameter of the sliding mode switching function to design the sliding surface. The control variables are adjusted according to the fuzzy control rules to ensure that they meet the existence and reaching condition. The sliding mode switching function is regarded as the control objective, to ensure the stability of the steering wheel rotation. Simulation results show that the lateral controller can guarantee high path-tracking accuracy and strong robustness for the change of model parameters.

  9. Terahertz emission of Bloch oscillators excited by electromagnetic field in lateral semiconductor superlattices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dodin, E.P.; Zharov, A.A.

    2003-01-01

    The effect of the strong high-frequency electromagnetic field on the lateral semiconductor superlattice is considered on the basis of the quasi-classical theory on the electron transport in the self-consistent wave arrangement. It is theoretically identified, that the lateral superlattice in the strong feed-up wave field may emit the terahertz radiation wave trains, which are associated with the periodical excitation of the Bloch oscillations in the superlattice. The conditions, required for the Bloch oscillators radiation observation, are determined. The spectral composition of the radiation, passing through the superlattice, and energy efficiency of multiplying the frequency, related to the Bloch oscillator excitation, are calculated [ru

  10. Band engineering in transition metal dichalcogenides: Stacked versus lateral heterostructures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Yuzheng; Robertson, John

    2016-01-01

    We calculate a large difference in the band alignments for transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) heterojunctions when arranged in the stacked layer or lateral (in-plane) geometries, using direct supercell calculations. The stacked case follows the unpinned limit of the electron affinity rule, whereas the lateral geometry follows the strongly pinned limit of alignment of charge neutrality levels. TMDs therefore provide one of the few clear tests of band alignment models, whereas three-dimensional semiconductors give less stringent tests because of accidental chemical trends in their properties.

  11. The role of copy number variation in susceptibility to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: genome-wide association study and comparison with published loci.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Louise V Wain

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The genetic contribution to sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS has not been fully elucidated. There are increasing efforts to characterise the role of copy number variants (CNVs in human diseases; two previous studies concluded that CNVs may influence risk of sporadic ALS, with multiple rare CNVs more important than common CNVs. A little-explored issue surrounding genome-wide CNV association studies is that of post-calling filtering and merging of raw CNV calls. We undertook simulations to define filter thresholds and considered optimal ways of merging overlapping CNV calls for association testing, taking into consideration possibly overlapping or nested, but distinct, CNVs and boundary estimation uncertainty.In this study we screened Illumina 300K SNP genotyping data from 730 ALS cases and 789 controls for copy number variation. Following quality control filters using thresholds defined by simulation, a total of 11321 CNV calls were made across 575 cases and 621 controls. Using region-based and gene-based association analyses, we identified several loci showing nominally significant association. However, the choice of criteria for combining calls for association testing has an impact on the ranking of the results by their significance. Several loci which were previously reported as being associated with ALS were identified here. However, of another 15 genes previously reported as exhibiting ALS-specific copy number variation, only four exhibited copy number variation in this study. Potentially interesting novel loci, including EEF1D, a translation elongation factor involved in the delivery of aminoacyl tRNAs to the ribosome (a process which has previously been implicated in genetic studies of spinal muscular atrophy were identified but must be treated with caution due to concerns surrounding genomic location and platform suitability.Interpretation of CNV association findings must take into account the effects of filtering and combining

  12. Supporting aboriginal knowledge and practice in health care: lessons from a qualitative evaluation of the strong women, strong babies, strong culture program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowell, Anne; Kildea, Sue; Liddle, Marlene; Cox, Barbara; Paterson, Barbara

    2015-02-05

    The Strong Women, Strong Babies, Strong Culture Program (the Program) evolved from a recognition of the value of Aboriginal knowledge and practice in promoting maternal and child health (MCH) in remote communities of the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. Commencing in 1993 it continues to operate today. In 2008, the NT Department of Health commissioned an evaluation to identify enabling factors and barriers to successful implementation of the Program, and to identify potential pathways for future development. In this paper we focus on the evaluation findings related specifically to the role of Aborignal cultural knowledge and practice within the Program. A qualitative evaluation utilised purposive sampling to maximise diversity in program history and Aboriginal culture. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 76 participants were recorded in their preferred language with a registered Interpreter when required. Thematic analysis of data was verified or modified through further discussions with participants and members of the evaluation team. Although the importance of Aboriginal knowledge and practice as a fundamental component of the Program is widely acknowledged, there has been considerable variation across time and location in the extent to which these cultural dimensions have been included in practice. Factors contributing to this variation are complex and relate to a number of broad themes including: location of control over Program activities; recognition and respect for Aboriginal knowledge and practice as a legitimate component of health care; working in partnership; communication within and beyond the Program; access to transport and working space; and governance and organisational support. We suggest that inclusion of Aboriginal knowledge and practice as a fundamental component of the Program is key to its survival over more than twenty years despite serious challenges. Respect for the legitimacy of Aboriginal knowledge and practice within health

  13. Abnormal functional motor lateralization in healthy siblings of patients with schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altamura, Mario; Fazio, Leonardo; De Salvia, Michela; Petito, Annamaria; Blasi, Giuseppe; Taurisano, Paolo; Romano, Raffaella; Gelao, Barbara; Bellomo, Antonello; Bertolino, Alessandro

    2012-07-30

    Earlier neuroimaging studies of motor function in schizophrenia have demonstrated reduced functional lateralization in the motor network during motor tasks. Here, we used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging during a visually guided motor task in 18 clinically unaffected siblings of patients with schizophrenia and 24 matched controls to investigate if abnormal functional lateralization is related to genetic risk for this brain disorder. Whereas activity associated with motor task performance was mainly contralateral with only a marginal ipsilateral component in healthy participants, unaffected siblings had strong bilateral activity with significantly greater response in ipsilateral and contralateral premotor areas as well as in contralateral subcortical motor regions relative to controls. Reduced lateralization in siblings was also identified with a measure of laterality quotient. These findings suggest that abnormal functional lateralization of motor circuitry is related to genetic risk of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Relationships between Nutrient Heterogeneity, Root Growth, and Hormones: Evidence for Interspecific Variation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Jia; Jones, Robert H; Mou, Pu

    2018-02-28

    (1) Background: Plant roots respond to nutrients through root architecture that is regulated by hormones. Strong inter-specific variation in root architecture has been well documented, but physiological mechanisms that may control the variation have not. (2) Methods: We examined correlations between root architecture and hormones to seek clues on mechanisms behind root foraging behavior. In the green house at Beijing Normal University, hydroponic culture experiments were used to examine the root responses of four species- Callistephus chinensis , Solidago canadensis , Ailanthus altissima , Oryza sativa- to two nitrogen types (NO₃ - or NH₄⁺), three nitrogen concentrations (low, medium, and high concentrations of 0.2, 1, and 18 mM, respectively) and two ways of nitrogen application (stable vs. variable). The plants were harvested after 36 days to measure root mass, 1st order root length, seminal root length for O. sativa , density of the 1st order laterals, seminal root number for O. sativa , the inter-node length of the 1st order laterals, and root hormone contents of indole-3-acetic acid, abscisic acid, and cytokinins (zeatin + zeatinriboside). (3) Results: Species differed significantly in their root architecture responses to nitrogen treatments. They also differed significantly in hormone responses to the nitrogen treatments. Additionally, the correlations between root architecture and hormone responses were quite variable across the species. Each hormone had highly species-specific relationships with root responses. (4) Conclusions: Our finding implies that a particular root foraging behavior is probably not controlled by the same biochemical pathway in all species.

  15. Relationships between Nutrient Heterogeneity, Root Growth, and Hormones: Evidence for Interspecific Variation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jia Dong

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available (1 Background: Plant roots respond to nutrients through root architecture that is regulated by hormones. Strong inter-specific variation in root architecture has been well documented, but physiological mechanisms that may control the variation have not. (2 Methods: We examined correlations between root architecture and hormones to seek clues on mechanisms behind root foraging behavior. In the green house at Beijing Normal University, hydroponic culture experiments were used to examine the root responses of four species—Callistephus chinensis, Solidago canadensis, Ailanthus altissima, Oryza sativa—to two nitrogen types (NO3− or NH4+, three nitrogen concentrations (low, medium, and high concentrations of 0.2, 1, and 18 mM, respectively and two ways of nitrogen application (stable vs. variable. The plants were harvested after 36 days to measure root mass, 1st order root length, seminal root length for O. sativa, density of the 1st order laterals, seminal root number for O. sativa, the inter-node length of the 1st order laterals, and root hormone contents of indole-3-acetic acid, abscisic acid, and cytokinins (zeatin + zeatinriboside. (3 Results: Species differed significantly in their root architecture responses to nitrogen treatments. They also differed significantly in hormone responses to the nitrogen treatments. Additionally, the correlations between root architecture and hormone responses were quite variable across the species. Each hormone had highly species-specific relationships with root responses. (4 Conclusions: Our finding implies that a particular root foraging behavior is probably not controlled by the same biochemical pathway in all species.

  16. The interaction of genetics and environmental toxicants in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: results from animal models

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Roger B. Sher

    2017-01-01

    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that results in the progres-sive death of motor neurons, leading to paralysis and eventual death. There is presently no cure for ALS, and only two drugs are available, neither of which provide significant extension of life. The wide variation in onset and progression of the disease, both in sporadic and even in strongly penetrant monogenic famil-ial forms of ALS, indicate that in addition to background genetic variation impacting the disease process, environmental exposures are likely contributors. Epidemiological evidence worldwide implicates exposures to bacterial toxins, heavy metals, pesticides, and trauma as probable environmental factors. Here, we review current advances in gene-environment interactions in ALS animal models. We report our recent discov-eries in a zebrafish model of ALS in relation to exposure to the cyanobacterial toxin BMAA, and discuss several results from mouse models that show interactions with exposure to mercury and statin drugs, both leading to acceleration of the disease process. The increasing research into this combinatorial gene-environ-ment process is just starting, but shows early promise to uncover the underlying biochemical pathways that instigate the initial motor neuron defects and lead to their rapidly progressive dysfunction.

  17. SEISMIC BEHAVIOR OF STEEL MONORAIL BRIDGES UNDER TRAIN LOAD DURING STRONG EARTHQUAKES

    OpenAIRE

    KIM, C. W.; KAWATANI, M.; KANBARA, T.; NISHIMURA, N.

    2013-01-01

    This paper investigated dynamic responses of steel monorail bridges incorporating train-bridge interaction under strong earthquakes. Two types of steel monorail bridges were considered in the study: a conventional type with steel track-girder; an advanced type with composite track-girder and simplified lateral bracing system. During strong earthquakes, monorail train was assumed standing on the track-girder of monorail bridges. Observations through the analytical study showed that considering...

  18. Inter-fraction variations in respiratory motion models

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McClelland, J R; Modat, M; Ourselin, S; Hawkes, D J [Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London (United Kingdom); Hughes, S; Qureshi, A; Ahmad, S; Landau, D B, E-mail: j.mcclelland@cs.ucl.ac.uk [Department of Oncology, Guy' s and St Thomas' s Hospitals NHS Trust, London (United Kingdom)

    2011-01-07

    Respiratory motion can vary dramatically between the planning stage and the different fractions of radiotherapy treatment. Motion predictions used when constructing the radiotherapy plan may be unsuitable for later fractions of treatment. This paper presents a methodology for constructing patient-specific respiratory motion models and uses these models to evaluate and analyse the inter-fraction variations in the respiratory motion. The internal respiratory motion is determined from the deformable registration of Cine CT data and related to a respiratory surrogate signal derived from 3D skin surface data. Three different models for relating the internal motion to the surrogate signal have been investigated in this work. Data were acquired from six lung cancer patients. Two full datasets were acquired for each patient, one before the course of radiotherapy treatment and one at the end (approximately 6 weeks later). Separate models were built for each dataset. All models could accurately predict the respiratory motion in the same dataset, but had large errors when predicting the motion in the other dataset. Analysis of the inter-fraction variations revealed that most variations were spatially varying base-line shifts, but changes to the anatomy and the motion trajectories were also observed.

  19. Lateralization of magnetic compass orientation in a migratory bird

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiltschko, Wolfgang; Traudt, Joachim; Güntürkün, Onur; Prior, Helmut; Wiltschko, Roswitha

    2002-10-01

    Lateralization of brain functions, once believed to be a human characteristic, has now been found to be widespread among vertebrates. In birds, asymmetries of visual functions are well studied, with each hemisphere being specialized for different tasks. Here we report lateralized functions of the birds' visual system associated with magnetoperception, resulting in an extreme asymmetry of sensing the direction of the magnetic field. We found that captive migrants tested in cages with the magnetic field as the only available orientation cue were well oriented in their appropriate migratory direction when using their right eye only, but failed to show a significant directional preference when using their left eye. This implies that magnetoreception for compass orientation, assumed to take place in the eyes alongside the visual processes, is strongly lateralized, with a marked dominance of the right eye/left brain hemisphere.

  20. Habitat-related specialization of lateral-line system morphology in a habitat-generalist and a habitat-specialist New Zealand eleotrid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderpham, J P; Nakagawa, S; Senior, A M; Closs, G P

    2016-04-01

    An investigation of intraspecific habitat-related patterns of variation in oculoscapular lateral-line superficial neuromasts (SN) identified a decrease in the ratio of total SNs to pores, and a trend towards decreased asymmetry in SNs in the habitat-generalist common bully Gobiomorphus cotidianus from fluvial habitats compared to lacustrine habitats, suggesting habitat-related phenotypic variability. A greater ratio of pores to SNs, as well as less variation in the total number and asymmetry of SNs observed in the fluvial habitat-specialist redfin bully Gobiomorphus huttoni may provide further evidence of variations in the oculoscapular lateral-line morphology of fluvial habitat G. cotidianus individuals serving as adaptations to more turbulent environments. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  1. Large spin current injection in nano-pillar-based lateral spin valve

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nomura, Tatsuya [Department of Physics, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Fukuoka, 819-0395 (Japan); Ohnishi, Kohei; Kimura, Takashi, E-mail: t-kimu@phys.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Physics, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Fukuoka, 819-0395 (Japan); Research Center for Quantum Nano-Spin Sciences, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Fukuoka, 819-0395 (Japan)

    2016-08-26

    We have investigated the influence of the injection of a large pure spin current on a magnetization process of a non-locally located ferromagnetic dot in nano-pillar-based lateral spin valves. Here, we prepared two kinds of the nano-pillar-type lateral spin valve based on Py nanodots and CoFeAl nanodots fabricated on a Cu film. In the Py/Cu lateral spin valve, although any significant change of the magnetization process of the Py nanodot has not been observed at room temperature. The magnetization reversal process is found to be modified by injecting a large pure spin current at 77 K. Switching the magnetization by the nonlocal spin injection has also been demonstrated at 77 K. In the CoFeAl/Cu lateral spin valve, a room temperature spin valve signal was strongly enhanced from the Py/Cu lateral spin valve because of the highly spin-polarized CoFeAl electrodes. The room temperature nonlocal switching has been demonstrated in the CoFeAl/Cu lateral spin valve.

  2. Gaussian mixture modeling of hemispheric lateralization for language in a large sample of healthy individuals balanced for handedness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazoyer, Bernard; Zago, Laure; Jobard, Gaël; Crivello, Fabrice; Joliot, Marc; Perchey, Guy; Mellet, Emmanuel; Petit, Laurent; Tzourio-Mazoyer, Nathalie

    2014-01-01

    Hemispheric lateralization for language production and its relationships with manual preference and manual preference strength were studied in a sample of 297 subjects, including 153 left-handers (LH). A hemispheric functional lateralization index (HFLI) for language was derived from fMRI acquired during a covert sentence generation task as compared with a covert word list recitation. The multimodal HFLI distribution was optimally modeled using a mixture of 3 and 4 Gaussian functions in right-handers (RH) and LH, respectively. Gaussian function parameters helped to define 3 types of language hemispheric lateralization, namely "Typical" (left hemisphere dominance with clear positive HFLI values, 88% of RH, 78% of LH), "Ambilateral" (no dominant hemisphere with HFLI values close to 0, 12% of RH, 15% of LH) and "Strongly-atypical" (right-hemisphere dominance with clear negative HFLI values, 7% of LH). Concordance between dominant hemispheres for hand and for language did not exceed chance level, and most of the association between handedness and language lateralization was explained by the fact that all Strongly-atypical individuals were left-handed. Similarly, most of the relationship between language lateralization and manual preference strength was explained by the fact that Strongly-atypical individuals exhibited a strong preference for their left hand. These results indicate that concordance of hemispheric dominance for hand and for language occurs barely above the chance level, except in a group of rare individuals (less than 1% in the general population) who exhibit strong right hemisphere dominance for both language and their preferred hand. They call for a revisit of models hypothesizing common determinants for handedness and for language dominance.

  3. Gaussian mixture modeling of hemispheric lateralization for language in a large sample of healthy individuals balanced for handedness.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bernard Mazoyer

    Full Text Available Hemispheric lateralization for language production and its relationships with manual preference and manual preference strength were studied in a sample of 297 subjects, including 153 left-handers (LH. A hemispheric functional lateralization index (HFLI for language was derived from fMRI acquired during a covert sentence generation task as compared with a covert word list recitation. The multimodal HFLI distribution was optimally modeled using a mixture of 3 and 4 Gaussian functions in right-handers (RH and LH, respectively. Gaussian function parameters helped to define 3 types of language hemispheric lateralization, namely "Typical" (left hemisphere dominance with clear positive HFLI values, 88% of RH, 78% of LH, "Ambilateral" (no dominant hemisphere with HFLI values close to 0, 12% of RH, 15% of LH and "Strongly-atypical" (right-hemisphere dominance with clear negative HFLI values, 7% of LH. Concordance between dominant hemispheres for hand and for language did not exceed chance level, and most of the association between handedness and language lateralization was explained by the fact that all Strongly-atypical individuals were left-handed. Similarly, most of the relationship between language lateralization and manual preference strength was explained by the fact that Strongly-atypical individuals exhibited a strong preference for their left hand. These results indicate that concordance of hemispheric dominance for hand and for language occurs barely above the chance level, except in a group of rare individuals (less than 1% in the general population who exhibit strong right hemisphere dominance for both language and their preferred hand. They call for a revisit of models hypothesizing common determinants for handedness and for language dominance.

  4. Laterality of Grooming and Tool Use in a Group of Captive Bonobos (Pan paniscus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brand, Colin M; Marchant, Linda F; Boose, Klaree J; White, Frances J; Rood, Tabatha M; Meinelt, Audra

    2017-01-01

    Humans exhibit population level handedness for the right hand; however, the evolution of this behavioral phenotype is poorly understood. Here, we compared the laterality of a simple task (grooming) and a complex task (tool use) to investigate whether increasing task difficulty elicited individual hand preference among a group of captive bonobos (Pan paniscus). Subjects were 17 bonobos housed at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Laterality of grooming was recorded using group scans; tool use was recorded using all-occurrence sampling. Grooming was characterized as unimanual or bimanual, and both tasks were scored as right-handed or left-handed. Most individuals did not exhibit significant hand preference for unimanual or bimanual (asymmetrical hand use) grooming, although 1 individual was lateralized for each. For the 8 subjects who engaged in termite fishing enough for statistical testing, 7 individuals exhibited significant laterality and strong individual hand preference. Four subjects preferred their left hand, 3 preferred their right, and 1 had no preference. Grooming, a simple behavior, was not lateralized in this group, yet a more complex behavior revealed a strong individual hand preference, and these results are congruent with other recent findings that demonstrate complex tasks elicit hand preference in bonobos. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  5. Modelling lateral beam quality variations in pencil kernel based photon dose calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nyholm, T; Olofsson, J; Ahnesjoe, A; Karlsson, M

    2006-01-01

    Standard treatment machines for external radiotherapy are designed to yield flat dose distributions at a representative treatment depth. The common method to reach this goal is to use a flattening filter to decrease the fluence in the centre of the beam. A side effect of this filtering is that the average energy of the beam is generally lower at a distance from the central axis, a phenomenon commonly referred to as off-axis softening. The off-axis softening results in a relative change in beam quality that is almost independent of machine brand and model. Central axis dose calculations using pencil beam kernels show no drastic loss in accuracy when the off-axis beam quality variations are neglected. However, for dose calculated at off-axis positions the effect should be considered, otherwise errors of several per cent can be introduced. This work proposes a method to explicitly include the effect of off-axis softening in pencil kernel based photon dose calculations for arbitrary positions in a radiation field. Variations of pencil kernel values are modelled through a generic relation between half value layer (HVL) thickness and off-axis position for standard treatment machines. The pencil kernel integration for dose calculation is performed through sampling of energy fluence and beam quality in sectors of concentric circles around the calculation point. The method is fully based on generic data and therefore does not require any specific measurements for characterization of the off-axis softening effect, provided that the machine performance is in agreement with the assumed HVL variations. The model is verified versus profile measurements at different depths and through a model self-consistency check, using the dose calculation model to estimate HVL values at off-axis positions. A comparison between calculated and measured profiles at different depths showed a maximum relative error of 4% without explicit modelling of off-axis softening. The maximum relative error

  6. Modeling of Driver Steering Operations in Lateral Wind Disturbances toward Driver Assistance System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurata, Yoshinori; Wada, Takahiro; Kamiji, Norimasa; Doi, Shun'ichi

    Disturbances decrease vehicle stability and increase driver's mental and physical workload. Especially unexpected disturbances such as lateral winds have severe effect on vehicle stability and driver's workload. This study aims at building a driver model of steering operations in lateral wind toward developing effective driver assistance system. First, the relationship between the driver's lateral motion and its reactive quick steering behavior is investigated using driving simulator with lateral 1dof motion. In the experiments, four different wind patterns are displayed by the simulator. As the results, strong correlation was found between the driver's head lateral jerk by the lateral disturbance and the angular acceleration of the steering wheel. Then, we build a mathematical model of driver's steering model from lateral disturbance input to steering torque of the reactive quick feed-forward steering based on the experimental results. Finally, validity of the proposed model is shown by comparing the steering torque of experimental results and that of simulation results.

  7. Strong piezoelectricity in bioinspired peptide nanotubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kholkin, Andrei; Amdursky, Nadav; Bdikin, Igor; Gazit, Ehud; Rosenman, Gil

    2010-02-23

    We show anomalously strong shear piezoelectric activity in self-assembled diphenylalanine peptide nanotubes (PNTs), indicating electric polarization directed along the tube axis. Comparison with well-known piezoelectric LiNbO(3) and lateral signal calibration yields sufficiently high effective piezoelectric coefficient values of at least 60 pm/V (shear response for tubes of approximately 200 nm in diameter). PNTs demonstrate linear deformation without irreversible degradation in a broad range of driving voltages. The results open up a wide avenue for developing new generations of "green" piezoelectric materials and piezonanodevices based on bioactive tubular nanostructures potentially compatible with human tissue.

  8. A neural network model of lateralization during letter identification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shevtsova, N; Reggia, J A

    1999-03-01

    The causes of cerebral lateralization of cognitive and other functions are currently not well understood. To investigate one aspect of function lateralization, a bihemispheric neural network model for a simple visual identification task was developed that has two parallel interacting paths of information processing. The model is based on commonly accepted concepts concerning neural connectivity, activity dynamics, and synaptic plasticity. A combination of both unsupervised (Hebbian) and supervised (Widrow-Hoff) learning rules is used to train the model to identify a small set of letters presented as input stimuli in the left visual hemifield, in the central position, and in the right visual hemifield. Each visual hemifield projects onto the contralateral hemisphere, and the two hemispheres interact via a simulated corpus callosum. The contribution of each individual hemisphere to the process of input stimuli identification was studied for a variety of underlying asymmetries. The results indicate that multiple asymmetries may cause lateralization. Lateralization occurred toward the side having larger size, higher excitability, or higher learning rate parameters. It appeared more intensively with strong inhibitory callosal connections, supporting the hypothesis that the corpus callosum plays a functionally inhibitory role. The model demonstrates clearly the dependence of lateralization on different hemisphere parameters and suggests that computational models can be useful in better understanding the mechanisms underlying emergence of lateralization.

  9. Solidification behaviors of a single-crystal superalloy under lateral constraints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhuangqi Hu; Huaming Wang

    1993-01-01

    The effect of lateral constraints ahead of solidification interface on the solidification behaviors of a newly developed hot corrosion resistant single-crystal nickel-base superalloy was investigated under commercial single-crystal production conditions. The lateral constraints or section variations ahead of solidification front were found to have drastic influences both on the modes of solidification and the profiles of solute segregation. As lateral constraints were imposed ahead of the directionally solidifying interface, the solidification microstructure of the single-crystal superalloy changed suddenly, through a γ/γ' eutectic-free zone which is characterized by an extremely-fine and highly-developed dendrite network, from the original well-branched dendritic structure to a fine cellular-dendrite or regular cell structure, accompanying which the primary arm spacing, the severity of segregation and the amount of microporosity decreased remarkably. The newly formed cellular dendrite or cell structure transforms always gradually to the initial coarse dendrite structure as the lateral constraint is finally released whether gradually or sharply. Moreover, an abnormal porosity zone was readily observed in the initial section beneath and away from the eutectic-free zone. The solidification microstructural changes were attributed to the drastic dynamical changes in local solidification cooling conditions and in momentum transport during solidification due to the presence of lateral constraint

  10. Solar UV radiation variations and their stratospheric and climatic effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donnelly, R. F.; Heath, D. F.

    1985-01-01

    Nimbus-7 SBUV measurements of the short-term solar UV variations caused by solar rotation and active-region evolution have determined the amplitude and wavelength dependence for the active-region component of solar UV variations. Intermediate-term variations lasting several months are associated with rounds of major new active regions. The UV flux stays near the peak value during the current solar cycle variation for more than two years and peaks about two years later than the sunspot number. Nimbus-7 measurements have observed the concurrent stratospheric ozone variations caused by solar UV variations. There is now no doubt that solar UV variations are an important cause of short- and long-term stratospheric variations, but the strength of the coupling to the troposphere and to climate has not yet been proven.

  11. All concha bullosa: an undefined abnormality of the lateral nasal wall.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toplu, Yuksel; Bayindir, Tuba; Karatas, Erkan; Akarcay, Mustafa

    2013-01-01

    Pneumatization of the turbinates, are the anatomic variations of lateral nasal wall. Turbinate pneumatization, refers to the existence of air cell inside the turbinates. Pneumatization of the middle turbinate is common, whereas rare in the superior and especially inferior turbinate. In this report we presented a case who has bilaterally pneumatization of all conchas.

  12. Large Positive and Negative Lateral Shifts from an Anisotropic Metamaterial Slab Backed by a Metal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Min, Cheng; Rong, Chen

    2009-01-01

    The lateral shift of a light beam at the surface of an anisotropic metamaterial (AMM) slab backed by a metal is investigated. Analytical expressions of the lateral shifts are derived using the stationary-phase method, in the case that total refection does and does not occur at the first interface. The sign of the lateral shift in two situations is discussed, and the necessary conditions for the lateral shift to be positive or negative are given. It is shown that the thickness and physical parameters of the AMM slab and the incident angle of the light beam strongly affect the properties of the lateral shift. Numerical results validate these conclusions. The lossy effect of the metamaterial on the lateral shift is also investigated

  13. Eye laterality: a comprehensive analysis in refractive surgery candidates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linke, Stephan J; Druchkiv, Vasyl; Steinberg, Johannes; Richard, Gisbert; Katz, Toam

    2013-08-01

    To explore eye laterality (higher refractive error in one eye) and its association with refractive state, spherical/astigmatic anisometropia, age and sex in refractive surgery candidates. Medical records of 12 493 consecutive refractive surgery candidates were filtered. Refractive error (subjective and cycloplegic) was measured in each subject and correlated with eye laterality. Only subjects with corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) of >20/22 in each eye were enrolled to exclude amblyopia. Associations between eye laterality and refractive state were analysed by means of t-test, chi-squared test, Spearman's correlation and multivariate logistic regression analysis, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in spherical equivalent between right (-3.47 ± 2.76 D) and left eyes (-3.47 ± 2.76 D, p = 0.510; Pearson's r = 0.948, p laterality for anisometropia >2.5 D in myopic (-5.64 ± 2.5 D versus -4.92 ± 2.6 D; p = 0.001) and in hyperopic (4.44 ± 1.69 D versus 3.04 ± 1.79 D; p = 0.025) subjects, (II) a tendency for left eye cylindrical laterality in myopic subjects, and (III) myopic male subjects had a higher prevalence of left eye laterality. (IV) Age did not show any significant impact on laterality. Over the full refractive spectrum, this study confirmed previously described strong interocular refractive correlation but revealed a statistically significant higher rate of right eye laterality for anisometropia >2.5 D. In general, our results support the use of data from one eye only in studies of ocular refraction. © 2013 The Authors. Acta Ophthalmologica © 2013 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation.

  14. Vascular Variations Associated with Intracranial Aneurysms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orakdogen, Metin; Emon, Selin Tural; Somay, Hakan; Engin, Taner; Is, Merih; Hakan, Tayfun

    2017-01-01

    To investigate the vascular variations in patients with intracranial aneurysm in circle of Willis. We used the data on 128 consecutive intracranial aneurysm cases. Cerebral angiography images were analyzed retrospectively. Arteries were grouped as anterior cerebral arterial system (ACS), posterior cerebral arterial system (PCS) and middle cerebral arterial system (MCS) for grouping vascular variations. Lateralization, being single/multiple, gender; and also any connection with accompanying aneurysms" number, localization, dimension, whether bleeding/incidental aneurysm has been inspected. Variations were demonstrated in 57.8% of the cases. The most common variation was A1 variation (34.4%). The rate of variations was 36.7%, 24.2% and 10.2% respectively in ACS, PCS and MCS. MCS variations were significantly higher in males. Anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysm observance rates were significantly higher and posterior communicating artery (PCoA) aneurysm and middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm observance rates were significantly lower when compared to "no ACS variation detected" cases. In "PCS variation detected" cases, PCoA aneurysm observance rates and coexistence of multiple variations were significantly higher. The rate of vascular variations in patients with aneurysms was 57.8%. Arterial hypoplasia and aplasia were the most common variations. ACS was the most common region that variations were located in; they were mostly detected on the right side. Coexistence of ACoA aneurysm was higher than PCoA and MCA aneurysms. In the PCS variations group, PCoA aneurysms were the most common aneurysms that accompanying the variation and multiple variations were more common than in the other two groups. The variations in MCS were most common in males.

  15. Simultaneous Study of Intake and In-Cylinder IC Engine Flow Fields to Provide an Insight into Intake Induced Cyclic Variations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Justham, T; Jarvis, S; Clarke, A; Garner, C P; Hargrave, G K; Halliwell, N A

    2006-01-01

    Simultaneous intake and in-cylinder digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) experimental data is presented for a motored spark ignition (SI) optical internal combustion (IC) engine. Two individual DPIV systems were employed to study the inter-relationship between the intake and in-cylinder flow fields at an engine speed of 1500 rpm. Results for the intake runner velocity field at the time of maximum intake valve lift are compared to incylinder velocity fields later in the same engine cycle. Relationships between flow structures within the runner and cylinder were seen to be strong during the intake stroke but less significant during compression. Cyclic variations within the intake runner were seen to affect the large scale bulk flow motion. The subsequent decay of the large scale motions into smaller scale turbulent structures during the compression stroke appear to reduce the relationship with the intake flow variations

  16. Simultaneous Study of Intake and In-Cylinder IC Engine Flow Fields to Provide an Insight into Intake Induced Cyclic Variations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Justham, T; Jarvis, S; Clarke, A; Garner, C P; Hargrave, G K; Halliwell, N A [Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU (United Kingdom)

    2006-07-15

    Simultaneous intake and in-cylinder digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) experimental data is presented for a motored spark ignition (SI) optical internal combustion (IC) engine. Two individual DPIV systems were employed to study the inter-relationship between the intake and in-cylinder flow fields at an engine speed of 1500 rpm. Results for the intake runner velocity field at the time of maximum intake valve lift are compared to incylinder velocity fields later in the same engine cycle. Relationships between flow structures within the runner and cylinder were seen to be strong during the intake stroke but less significant during compression. Cyclic variations within the intake runner were seen to affect the large scale bulk flow motion. The subsequent decay of the large scale motions into smaller scale turbulent structures during the compression stroke appear to reduce the relationship with the intake flow variations.

  17. Simultaneous Study of Intake and In-Cylinder IC Engine Flow Fields to Provide an Insight into Intake Induced Cyclic Variations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Justham, T.; Jarvis, S.; Clarke, A.; Garner, C. P.; Hargrave, G. K.; Halliwell, N. A.

    2006-07-01

    Simultaneous intake and in-cylinder digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) experimental data is presented for a motored spark ignition (SI) optical internal combustion (IC) engine. Two individual DPIV systems were employed to study the inter-relationship between the intake and in-cylinder flow fields at an engine speed of 1500 rpm. Results for the intake runner velocity field at the time of maximum intake valve lift are compared to incylinder velocity fields later in the same engine cycle. Relationships between flow structures within the runner and cylinder were seen to be strong during the intake stroke but less significant during compression. Cyclic variations within the intake runner were seen to affect the large scale bulk flow motion. The subsequent decay of the large scale motions into smaller scale turbulent structures during the compression stroke appear to reduce the relationship with the intake flow variations.

  18. Trends and barriers to lateral gene transfer in prokaryotes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popa, Ovidiu; Dagan, Tal

    2011-10-01

    Gene acquisition by lateral gene transfer (LGT) is an important mechanism for natural variation among prokaryotes. Laboratory experiments show that protein-coding genes can be laterally transferred extremely fast among microbial cells, inherited to most of their descendants, and adapt to a new regulatory regime within a short time. Recent advance in the phylogenetic analysis of microbial genomes using networks approach reveals a substantial impact of LGT during microbial genome evolution. Phylogenomic networks of LGT among prokaryotes reconstructed from completely sequenced genomes uncover barriers to LGT in multiple levels. Here we discuss the kinds of barriers to gene acquisition in nature including physical barriers for gene transfer between cells, genomic barriers for the integration of acquired DNA, and functional barriers for the acquisition of new genes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. The role of implanted gas and lateral stress in blister formation mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, J.H.

    1978-01-01

    In this paper the parts played by gas and lateral stress in blister formation on metal surfaces after helium implantation are critically reviewed. Although measurements show the existence of lateral stresses in implanted surfaces, an analysis indicates that these stresses can play little part in blister formation. Conversely, there is a strong case for a gas driven model. One possible mechanism, that involving the interbubble fracture of overpressurised helium bubbles, is outlined and revised to take recent measurements into account. (Auth.)

  20. Case Report: Multiple anatomical variations in the arm in an Indian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Additionally, a small slip of accessory fibers of biceps brachii was found arising from the main bulk of the muscle and inserted on to the deep fascia of the lateral cubital region. We present multiple variations in the same limb some of which have not been reported yet. Awareness of these rare variations is therefore necessary ...

  1. Cosmetic Lateral Canthoplasty: Preserving the Lateral Canthal Angle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeon-Jun Kim

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Cosmetic lateral canthoplasty, in which the size of the eye is increased by extending the palpebral fissure and decreasing the degree of the eye slant, has become a prevalent procedure for East Asians. However, it is not uncommon for there to be complications or unfavorable results after the surgery. With this in mind, the authors have designed a surgical method to reduce complications in cosmetic lateral canthoplasty by preserving the lateral canthal angle. We discuss here the anatomy required for surgery, the surgical methods, and methods for reducing complications during cosmetic lateral canthoplasty.

  2. Lateral Concepts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gad, Christopher; Bruun Jensen, casper

    2016-01-01

    This essay discusses the complex relation between the knowledges and practices of the researcher and his/her informants in terms of lateral concepts. The starting point is that it is not the prerogative of the (STS) scholar to conceptualize the world; all our “informants” do it too. This creates...... the possibility of enriching our own conceptual repertoires by letting them be inflected by the concepts of those we study. In a broad sense, the lateral means that there is a many-to-many relation between domains of knowledge and practice. However, each specific case of the lateral is necessarily immanent...... to a particular empirical setting and form of inquiry. In this sense lateral concepts are radically empirical since it locates concepts within the field. To clarify the meaning and stakes of lateral concepts, we first make a contrast between lateral anthropology and Latour’s notion of infra-reflexivity. We end...

  3. Explicit strong stability preserving multistep Runge–Kutta methods

    KAUST Repository

    Bresten, Christopher; Gottlieb, Sigal; Grant, Zachary; Higgs, Daniel; Ketcheson, David I.; Né meth, Adrian

    2015-01-01

    High-order spatial discretizations of hyperbolic PDEs are often designed to have strong stability properties, such as monotonicity. We study explicit multistep Runge-Kutta strong stability preserving (SSP) time integration methods for use with such discretizations. We prove an upper bound on the SSP coefficient of explicit multistep Runge-Kutta methods of order two and above. Numerical optimization is used to find optimized explicit methods of up to five steps, eight stages, and tenth order. These methods are tested on the linear advection and nonlinear Buckley-Leverett equations, and the results for the observed total variation diminishing and/or positivity preserving time-step are presented.

  4. Explicit strong stability preserving multistep Runge–Kutta methods

    KAUST Repository

    Bresten, Christopher

    2015-10-15

    High-order spatial discretizations of hyperbolic PDEs are often designed to have strong stability properties, such as monotonicity. We study explicit multistep Runge-Kutta strong stability preserving (SSP) time integration methods for use with such discretizations. We prove an upper bound on the SSP coefficient of explicit multistep Runge-Kutta methods of order two and above. Numerical optimization is used to find optimized explicit methods of up to five steps, eight stages, and tenth order. These methods are tested on the linear advection and nonlinear Buckley-Leverett equations, and the results for the observed total variation diminishing and/or positivity preserving time-step are presented.

  5. An Improved Car-Following Model Accounting for Impact of Strong Wind

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dawei Liu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to investigate the effect of strong wind on dynamic characteristic of traffic flow, an improved car-following model based on the full velocity difference model is developed in this paper. Wind force is introduced as the influence factor of car-following behavior. Among three components of wind force, lift force and side force are taken into account. The linear stability analysis is carried out and the stability condition of the newly developed model is derived. Numerical analysis is made to explore the effect of strong wind on spatial-time evolution of a small perturbation. The results show that the strong wind can significantly affect the stability of traffic flow. Driving safety in strong wind is also studied by comparing the lateral force under different wind speeds with the side friction of vehicles. Finally, the fuel consumption of vehicle in strong wind condition is explored and the results show that the fuel consumption decreased with the increase of wind speed.

  6. Turbulent structure and dynamics of swirled, strongly pulsed jet diffusion flames

    KAUST Repository

    Liao, Ying-Hao; Hermanson, James C.

    2013-01-01

    The structure and dynamics of swirled, strongly pulsed, turbulent jet diffusion flames were examined experimentally in a co-flow swirl combustor. The dynamics of the large-scale flame structures, including variations in flame dimensions, the degree

  7. Cortical Asymmetries during Hand Laterality Task Vary with Hand Laterality: A fMRI Study in 295 Participants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mellet, Emmanuel; Mazoyer, Bernard; Leroux, Gaelle; Joliot, Marc; Tzourio-Mazoyer, Nathalie

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to characterize, using fMRI, the functional asymmetries of hand laterality task (HLT) in a sample of 295 participants balanced for handedness. During HLT, participants have to decide whether the displayed picture of a hand represent a right or a left hand. Pictures of hands’ back view were presented for 150 ms in the right or left hemifield. At the whole hemisphere level, we evidenced that the laterality of the hand and of the hemifield in which the picture was displayed combined their effects on the hemispheric asymmetry in an additive way. We then identified a set of 17 functional homotopic regions of interest (hROIs) including premotor, motor, somatosensory and parietal regions, whose activity and asymmetry varied with the laterality of the presented hands. When the laterality of a right hand had to be evaluated, these areas showed stronger leftward asymmetry, the hROI located in the primary motor area showing a significant larger effect than all other hROIs. In addition a subset of six parietal regions involved in visuo-motor integration together with two postcentral areas showed a variation in asymmetry with hemifield of presentation. Finally, while handedness had no effect at the hemispheric level, two regions located in the parietal operculum and intraparietal sulcus exhibited larger leftward asymmetry with right handedness independently of the hand of presentation. The present results extend those of previous works in showing a shift of asymmetries during HLT according to the hand presented in sensorimotor areas including primary motor cortex. This shift was not affected by manual preference. They also demonstrate that the coordination of visual information and handedness identification of hands relied on the coexistence of contralateral motor and visual representations in the superior parietal lobe and the postcentral gyrus. PMID:27999536

  8. A New Approximation Method for Solving Variational Inequalities and Fixed Points of Nonexpansive Mappings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Klin-eam Chakkrid

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A new approximation method for solving variational inequalities and fixed points of nonexpansive mappings is introduced and studied. We prove strong convergence theorem of the new iterative scheme to a common element of the set of fixed points of nonexpansive mapping and the set of solutions of the variational inequality for the inverse-strongly monotone mapping which solves some variational inequalities. Moreover, we apply our main result to obtain strong convergence to a common fixed point of nonexpansive mapping and strictly pseudocontractive mapping in a Hilbert space.

  9. Absence of the musculocutaneous nerve with innervation of coracobrachialis, biceps brachii, brachialis and the lateral border of the forearm by branches from the lateral cord of the brachial plexus

    Science.gov (United States)

    NAKATANI, TOSHIO; TANAKA, SHIGENORI; MIZUKAMI, SHIGEKI

    1997-01-01

    Anomalies of the brachial plexus and its terminal branches are not uncommon. Variations in the course and branches of the musculocutaneous nerve have been noted (Clemente, 1985; Bergman et al. 1988) and its absence was reported by Le Minor (1990). Several anomalies were present in the left plexus of a 59-y-old Japanese man (Fig.). There were no anterior and posterior divisions of the middle trunk, although there were communications between the posterior, medial and lateral cords. The musculocutaneous nerve was absent (Le Minor, 1990) and the medial and lateral roots of the median nerve did not unite in the axillary fossa but in the upper arm about 5 cm distal to the lower border of latissimus dorsi (Adachi, 1928; Buch-Hansen, 1955). The hitherto unreported findings were branches arising directly from the lateral cord to supply coracobrachialis, both heads of biceps brachii and brachialis. The lateral cutaneous nerve of the forearm was derived from the lateral cord with a small contribution from the medial root of the median nerve. Since there were communications between the posterior cord (a continuation of the middle trunk) and the medial and lateral cords, it is theoretically possibly, but not proven, that the root values of branches innervating the flexor muscles of the arm and forearm and the skin of lateral border of the forearm were normal. PMID:9419004

  10. Anatomic variation of cranial parasympathetic ganglia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Selma Siéssere

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Having broad knowledge of anatomy is essential for practicing dentistry. Certain anatomical structures call for detailed studies due to their anatomical and functional importance. Nevertheless, some structures are difficult to visualize and identify due to their small volume and complicated access. Such is the case of the parasympathetic ganglia located in the cranial part of the autonomic nervous system, which include: the ciliary ganglion (located deeply in the orbit, laterally to the optic nerve, the pterygopalatine ganglion (located in the pterygopalatine fossa, the submandibular ganglion (located laterally to the hyoglossus muscle, below the lingual nerve, and the otic ganglion (located medially to the mandibular nerve, right beneath the oval foramen. The aim of this study was to present these structures in dissected anatomic specimens and perform a comparative analysis regarding location and morphology. The proximity of the ganglia and associated nerves were also analyzed, as well as the number and volume of fibers connected to them. Human heads were dissected by planes, partially removing the adjacent structures to the point we could reach the parasympathetic ganglia. With this study, we concluded that there was no significant variation regarding the location of the studied ganglia. Morphologically, our observations concur with previous classical descriptions of the parasympathetic ganglia, but we observed variations regarding the proximity of the otic ganglion to the mandibular nerve. We also observed that there were variations regarding the number and volume of fiber bundles connected to the submandibular, otic, and pterygopalatine ganglia.

  11. Mode instability in one-dimensional anharmonic lattices: Variational equation approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshimura, K.

    1999-03-01

    The stability of normal mode oscillations has been studied in detail under the single-mode excitation condition for the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam-β lattice. Numerical experiments indicate that the mode stability depends strongly on k/N, where k is the wave number of the initially excited mode and N is the number of degrees of freedom in the system. It has been found that this feature does not change when N increases. We propose an average variational equation - approximate version of the variational equation - as a theoretical tool to facilitate a linear stability analysis. It is shown that this strong k/N dependence of the mode stability can be explained from the view point of the linear stability of the relevant orbits. We introduce a low-dimensional approximation of the average variational equation, which approximately describes the time evolution of variations in four normal mode amplitudes. The linear stability analysis based on this four-mode approximation demonstrates that the parametric instability mechanism plays a crucial role in the strong k/N dependence of the mode stability.

  12. Diurnal variations of Titan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, J.; Galand, M.; Yelle, R. V.; Vuitton, V.; Wahlund, J.-E.; Lavvas, P. P.; Mueller-Wodarg, I. C. F.; Kasprzak, W. T.; Waite, J. H.

    2009-04-01

    We present our analysis of the diurnal variations of Titan's ionosphere (between 1,000 and 1,400 km) based on a sample of Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) measurements in the Open Source Ion (OSI) mode obtained from 8 close encounters of the Cassini spacecraft with Titan. Though there is an overall ion depletion well beyond the terminator, the ion content on Titan's nightside is still appreciable, with a density plateau of ~700 cm-3 below ~1,300 km. Such a plateau is associated with the combination of distinct diurnal variations of light and heavy ions. Light ions (e.g. CH5+, HCNH+, C2H5+) show strong diurnal variation, with clear bite-outs in their nightside distributions. In contrast, heavy ions (e.g. c-C3H3+, C2H3CNH+, C6H7+) present modest diurnal variation, with significant densities observed on the nightside. We propose that the distinctions between light and heavy ions are associated with their different chemical loss pathways, with the former primarily through "fast" ion-neutral chemistry and the latter through "slow" electron dissociative recombination. The INMS data suggest day-to-night transport as an important source of ions on Titan's nightside, to be distinguished from the conventional scenario of auroral ionization by magnetospheric particles as the only ionizing source on the nightside. This is supported by the strong correlation between the observed night-to-day ion density ratios and the associated ion lifetimes. We construct a time-dependent ion chemistry model to investigate the effects of day-to-night transport on the ionospheric structures of Titan. The predicted diurnal variation has similar general characteristics to those observed, with some apparent discrepancies which could be reconciled by imposing fast horizontal thermal winds in Titan's upper atmosphere.

  13. Convex Minimization with Constraints of Systems of Variational Inequalities, Mixed Equilibrium, Variational Inequality, and Fixed Point Problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lu-Chuan Ceng

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We introduce and analyze one iterative algorithm by hybrid shrinking projection method for finding a solution of the minimization problem for a convex and continuously Fréchet differentiable functional, with constraints of several problems: finitely many generalized mixed equilibrium problems, finitely many variational inequalities, the general system of variational inequalities and the fixed point problem of an asymptotically strict pseudocontractive mapping in the intermediate sense in a real Hilbert space. We prove strong convergence theorem for the iterative algorithm under suitable conditions. On the other hand, we also propose another iterative algorithm by hybrid shrinking projection method for finding a fixed point of infinitely many nonexpansive mappings with the same constraints, and derive its strong convergence under mild assumptions.

  14. Solid-state dewetting and island morphologies in strongly anisotropic materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang, Wei; Wang, Yan; Zhao, Quan; Srolovitz, David J.; Bao, Weizhu

    2016-01-01

    We propose a sharp-interface continuum model based on a thermodynamic variational approach to investigate the strong anisotropic effect on solid-state dewetting including contact line dynamics. For sufficiently strong surface energy anisotropy, we show that multiple equilibrium shapes may appear that cannot be described by the widely employed Winterbottom construction, i.e., the modified Wulff construction for an island on a substrate. We repair the Winterbottom construction to include multiple equilibrium shapes and employ our evolution model to demonstrate that all such shapes are dynamically accessible.

  15. Levitation and lateral forces between a point magnetic dipole and a superconducting sphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Khateeb, H M; Alqadi, M K; Alzoubi, F Y; Albiss, B; Hasan, M K; Ayoub, N Y

    2016-01-01

    The dipole–dipole interaction model is employed to investigate the angular dependence of the levitation and lateral forces acting on a small magnet in an anti-symmetric magnet/superconducting sphere system. Breaking the symmetry of the system enables us to study the lateral force which is important in the stability of the magnet above a superconducting sphere in the Meissner state. Under the assumption that the lateral displacement of the magnet is small compared to the physical dimensions of our proposed system, analytical expressions are obtained for the levitation and lateral forces as a function of the geometrical parameters of the superconductor as well as the height, the lateral displacement, and the orientation of the magnetic moment of the magnet. The dependence of the levitation force on the height of the levitating magnet is similar to that in the symmetric magnet/superconducting sphere system within the range of proposed lateral displacements. It is found that the levitation force is linearly dependent on the lateral displacement whereas the lateral force is independent of this displacement. A sinusoidal variation of both forces as a function of the polar and azimuthal angles specifying the orientation of the magnetic moment is observed. The relationship between the stability and the orientation of the magnetic moment is discussed for different orientations. (paper)

  16. A comparison of two methods for earthquake source inversion using strong motion seismograms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. C. Beroza

    1994-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we compare two time-domain inversion methods that have been widely applied to the problem of modeling earthquake rupture using strong-motion seismograms. In the multi-window method, each point on the fault is allowed to rupture multiple times. This allows flexibility in the rupture time and hence the rupture velocity. Variations in the slip-velocity function are accommodated by variations in the slip amplitude in each time-window. The single-window method assumes that each point on the fault ruptures only once, when the rupture front passes. Variations in slip amplitude are allowed and variations in rupture velocity are accommodated by allowing the rupture time to vary. Because the multi-window method allows greater flexibility, it has the potential to describe a wider range of faulting behavior; however, with this increased flexibility comes an increase in the degrees of freedom and the solutions are comparatively less stable. We demonstrate this effect using synthetic data for a test model of the Mw 7.3 1992 Landers, California earthquake, and then apply both inversion methods to the actual recordings. The two approaches yield similar fits to the strong-motion data with different seismic moments indicating that the moment is not well constrained by strong-motion data alone. The slip amplitude distribution is similar using either approach, but important differences exist in the rupture propagation models. The single-window method does a better job of recovering the true seismic moment and the average rupture velocity. The multi-window method is preferable when rise time is strongly variable, but tends to overestimate the seismic moment. Both methods work well when the rise time is constant or short compared to the periods modeled. Neither approach can recover the temporal details of rupture propagation unless the distribution of slip amplitude is constrained by independent data.

  17. Systematic spatial bias in DNA microarray hybridization is caused by probe spot position-dependent variability in lateral diffusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steger, Doris; Berry, David; Haider, Susanne; Horn, Matthias; Wagner, Michael; Stocker, Roman; Loy, Alexander

    2011-01-01

    The hybridization of nucleic acid targets with surface-immobilized probes is a widely used assay for the parallel detection of multiple targets in medical and biological research. Despite its widespread application, DNA microarray technology still suffers from several biases and lack of reproducibility, stemming in part from an incomplete understanding of the processes governing surface hybridization. In particular, non-random spatial variations within individual microarray hybridizations are often observed, but the mechanisms underpinning this positional bias remain incompletely explained. This study identifies and rationalizes a systematic spatial bias in the intensity of surface hybridization, characterized by markedly increased signal intensity of spots located at the boundaries of the spotted areas of the microarray slide. Combining observations from a simplified single-probe block array format with predictions from a mathematical model, the mechanism responsible for this bias is found to be a position-dependent variation in lateral diffusion of target molecules. Numerical simulations reveal a strong influence of microarray well geometry on the spatial bias. Reciprocal adjustment of the size of the microarray hybridization chamber to the area of surface-bound probes is a simple and effective measure to minimize or eliminate the diffusion-based bias, resulting in increased uniformity and accuracy of quantitative DNA microarray hybridization.

  18. Sparse Spike Inversion Predicts Lateral Variation of Porosity La méthode Sparse Spike Inversion de prévision des variations latérales de porosité

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alam A.

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available The sparse spike inversion method estimates from deconvolved seismic data that reflectivity which has the minimum sum of absolute values subject to two constraints. First, the reflectivity spectrum matches the seismic data spectrum over a specified bandwidth. Second, the impedance function resulting from integration of the reflectivity passes through a set of impedance windows, specified at interpreted horizon times. We use an interactive workstation to identify the phase of the residual wavelet, set horizon impedance constraints and monitor impedance of a large data set run in batch mode. The result is a laterally continuous estimate of the impedance function. The 1989 EAEG Inversion Workshop provided a 2-D, relative-amplitude-processed stack section. A limestone reservoir with an average reflection time of 890 ms and a temporal thickness of about 20 ms appears on the stack as an event with a laterally changing waveform and amplitude. These changes are considered to be a result of the interference between reflections from the top and bottom of the reservoir which has laterally varying porosity and thickness. Four wells are located on this line, but the impedance log for Well 1 was the only one supplied to calibrate the inversion. Other wells were blind , i. e. those wells for which logs were unavailable prior to the inversion workshop. The object of the study was to delineate the reservoir and predict impedances and porosities in the three blind wells. We applied the sparse-spike method to the stack section. The interpretation of thickness and impedance from the estimated impedance section agreed with, the lithologic description of the reservoir presented by organizers during the workshop. Also, the wall-to-wall relative variations of estimated impedance in the reservoir followed the pattern of actual impedance variation among the known well and the three blind wells. After the workshop, we used the porosity for Well 1 to perform a porosity

  19. Variation in maternal and anxiety-like behavior associated with discrete patterns of oxytocin and vasopressin 1a receptor density in the lateral septum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curley, JP; Jensen, CL; Franks, B; Champagne, FA

    2012-01-01

    The relationship between anxiety and maternal behavior has been explored across species using a variety of approaches, yet there is no clear consensus on the nature or direction of this relationship. In the current study, we have assessed stable individual differences in anxiety-like behavior in a large cohort (n=57) of female F2 hybrid mice. Using open-field behavior as a continuous and categorical (high vs. low) measure we examined the relationship between the anxiety-like behavior of virgin F2 females and the subsequent maternal behavior of these females. In addition, we quantified oxytocin (OTR) and vasopressin (V1a) receptor density within the lateral septum to determine the possible correlation with anxiety-like and maternal behavior. We find that, though activity levels within the open-field do predict latency to engage in pup retrieval, anxiety-like measures on this test are otherwise not associated with subsequent maternal behavior. OTR density in the dorsal lateral septum was found to be negatively correlated with activity levels in the open-field and positively correlated with frequency of nursing behavior. V1a receptor density was significantly correlated with postpartum licking/grooming of pups. Though we do not find support for the hypothesis that individual differences in trait anxiety predict variation in maternal behavior, we do find evidence for the role of OTR and V1a receptors in predicting maternal behavior in mice and suggest possible methodological issues (such as distinguishing between trait and state anxiety) that will be a critical consideration for subsequent studies of the anxiety-maternal behavior relationship. PMID:22300676

  20. A Survey of Fellowship-Trained Upper Extremity Surgeons on Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niedermeier, Steven R; Crouser, Nisha; Speeckaert, Amy; Goyal, Kanu S

    2018-04-01

    The aim of the study is to investigate current management strategies for lateral epicondylitis by fellowship-trained upper extremity surgeons. A 17-question survey of treatment approaches and outcomes related to lateral epicondylitis was sent to 3354 surgeons using the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons member databases. Six hundred twelve upper extremity surgeons completed the survey. The 6 most frequently prescribed nonoperative treatments for lateral epicondylitis were home exercise program/stretching (81%), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (75%), steroid injection (71%), counterforce bracing (68%), formal physical therapy (65%), and wrist brace (47%). Less commonly performed nonoperative treatment measures included platelet-rich plasma injection (16%), Tenex procedure (6%), and iontophoresis (2%). There is a lack of consensus in the literature for the management of lateral epicondylitis, which is reflected by individual variation in clinical treatment among the experts. Future prospective randomized control studies are needed to establish evidence-based practice standards for this common diagnosis.

  1. Strong Selection Significantly Increases Epistatic Interactions in the Long-Term Evolution of a Protein.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aditi Gupta

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Epistatic interactions between residues determine a protein's adaptability and shape its evolutionary trajectory. When a protein experiences a changed environment, it is under strong selection to find a peak in the new fitness landscape. It has been shown that strong selection increases epistatic interactions as well as the ruggedness of the fitness landscape, but little is known about how the epistatic interactions change under selection in the long-term evolution of a protein. Here we analyze the evolution of epistasis in the protease of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 using protease sequences collected for almost a decade from both treated and untreated patients, to understand how epistasis changes and how those changes impact the long-term evolvability of a protein. We use an information-theoretic proxy for epistasis that quantifies the co-variation between sites, and show that positive information is a necessary (but not sufficient condition that detects epistasis in most cases. We analyze the "fossils" of the evolutionary trajectories of the protein contained in the sequence data, and show that epistasis continues to enrich under strong selection, but not for proteins whose environment is unchanged. The increase in epistasis compensates for the information loss due to sequence variability brought about by treatment, and facilitates adaptation in the increasingly rugged fitness landscape of treatment. While epistasis is thought to enhance evolvability via valley-crossing early-on in adaptation, it can hinder adaptation later when the landscape has turned rugged. However, we find no evidence that the HIV-1 protease has reached its potential for evolution after 9 years of adapting to a drug environment that itself is constantly changing. We suggest that the mechanism of encoding new information into pairwise interactions is central to protein evolution not just in HIV-1 protease, but for any protein adapting to a changing

  2. Can Population-Level Laterality Stem from Social Pressures? Evidence from Cheek Kissing in Humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapelain, Amandine; Pimbert, Pauline; Aube, Lydiane; Perrocheau, Océane; Debunne, Gilles; Bellido, Alain; Blois-Heulin, Catherine

    2015-01-01

    Despite extensive research, the origins and functions of behavioural laterality remain largely unclear. One of the most striking unresolved issues is the fact that laterality generally occurs at the population-level. Why would the majority of the individuals of a population exhibit the same laterality, while individual-level laterality would yet provide the advantages in terms of improving behavioural efficiency? Are social pressures the key factor? Can social pressures induce alignment of laterality between the individuals of a population? Can the effect of social pressures overpass the effect of other possible determining factors (e.g. genes)? We tested this important new hypothesis in humans, for the first time. We asked whether population-level laterality could stem from social pressures. Namely, we assessed social pressures on laterality in an interactive social behaviour: kissing on the cheek as a greeting. We performed observations in 10 cities of France. The observations took place in spots where people of the city meet and greet each other. We showed that: a) there is a population-level laterality for cheek kissing, with the majority of individuals being aligned in each city, and b) there is a variation between populations, with a laterality that depends on the city. These results were confirmed by our complementary data from questionnaires and internet surveys. These findings show that social pressures are involved in determining laterality. They demonstrate that population-level laterality can stem from social pressures.

  3. Can Population-Level Laterality Stem from Social Pressures? Evidence from Cheek Kissing in Humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amandine Chapelain

    Full Text Available Despite extensive research, the origins and functions of behavioural laterality remain largely unclear. One of the most striking unresolved issues is the fact that laterality generally occurs at the population-level. Why would the majority of the individuals of a population exhibit the same laterality, while individual-level laterality would yet provide the advantages in terms of improving behavioural efficiency? Are social pressures the key factor? Can social pressures induce alignment of laterality between the individuals of a population? Can the effect of social pressures overpass the effect of other possible determining factors (e.g. genes? We tested this important new hypothesis in humans, for the first time. We asked whether population-level laterality could stem from social pressures. Namely, we assessed social pressures on laterality in an interactive social behaviour: kissing on the cheek as a greeting. We performed observations in 10 cities of France. The observations took place in spots where people of the city meet and greet each other. We showed that: a there is a population-level laterality for cheek kissing, with the majority of individuals being aligned in each city, and b there is a variation between populations, with a laterality that depends on the city. These results were confirmed by our complementary data from questionnaires and internet surveys. These findings show that social pressures are involved in determining laterality. They demonstrate that population-level laterality can stem from social pressures.

  4. Equilibrium and stability in strongly inhomogeneous plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mynick, H.E.

    1978-10-01

    The equilibrium of strongly inhomogeneous, collisionless, slab plasmas, is studied using a generalized version of a formalism previously developed, which permits the generation of self-consistent equilibria, for plasmas with arbitrary magnetic shear, and variation of magnetic field strength. A systematic procedure is developed for deriving the form of the guiding-center Hamiltonian K, for finite eta, in an axisymmetric geometry. In the process of obtaining K, an expression for the first adiabatic invariant (the gyroaction) is obtained, which generalizes the usual expression 1/2 mv/sub perpendicular/ 2 /Ω/sub c/ (Ω/sub c/ = eB/mc), to finite eta and magnetic shear. A formalism is developed for the study of the stability of strongly-inhomogeneous, magnetized slab plasmas; it is then applied to the ion-drift-cyclotron instability

  5. The laterality of the gallop gait in Thoroughbred racehorses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulette Cully

    Full Text Available Laterality can be observed as side biases in locomotory behaviour which, in the horse, manifest inter alia as forelimb preferences, most notably in the gallop. The current study investigated possible leading-leg preferences at the population and individual level in Thoroughbred racehorses (n = 2095 making halt-to-gallop transitions. Videos of flat races in the UK (n = 350 were studied to record, for each horse, the lead-leg preference of the initial stride into gallop from the starting stalls. Races from clockwise (C and anti-clockwise (AC tracks were chosen alternately at random to ensure equal representation. Course direction, horse age and sex, position relative to the inside rail and finishing position were also noted. On C courses, the left/right ratio was 1.15, which represents a significant bias to the left (z = -2.29, p = 0.022, while on AC courses it was 0.92 (z = 0.51, p = 0.610. In both course directions, there was no significant difference between winning horses that led with the left leading leg versus the right (C courses, z = -1.32, p = 0.19 and AC courses, z = -0.74, p = 0.46. Of the 2,095 horses studied 51.26% led with their L fore and 48.74% with their R, with no statistically significant difference (z = -1.16, p = 0.25. Therefore, there was no evidence of a population level motor laterality. Additionally, 22 male and 22 female horses were randomly chosen for repeated measures of leading leg preference. A laterality index was calculated for each of the 44 horses studied using the repeated measures: 22 exhibited right laterality (of which two were statistically significant and 21 exhibited left laterality (eight being statistically significant; one horse was ambilateral. Using these data, left lateralized horses were more strongly lateralized on an individual level than the right lateralized horses (t = 2.28, p = 0.03, DF = 34 and mares were more left lateralized than males (t = 2.4, p = 0.03, DF = 19.

  6. The laterality of the gallop gait in Thoroughbred racehorses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cully, Paulette; Lancaster, Bryony

    2018-01-01

    Laterality can be observed as side biases in locomotory behaviour which, in the horse, manifest inter alia as forelimb preferences, most notably in the gallop. The current study investigated possible leading-leg preferences at the population and individual level in Thoroughbred racehorses (n = 2095) making halt-to-gallop transitions. Videos of flat races in the UK (n = 350) were studied to record, for each horse, the lead-leg preference of the initial stride into gallop from the starting stalls. Races from clockwise (C) and anti-clockwise (AC) tracks were chosen alternately at random to ensure equal representation. Course direction, horse age and sex, position relative to the inside rail and finishing position were also noted. On C courses, the left/right ratio was 1.15, which represents a significant bias to the left (z = –2.29, p = 0.022), while on AC courses it was 0.92 (z = 0.51, p = 0.610). In both course directions, there was no significant difference between winning horses that led with the left leading leg versus the right (C courses, z = –1.32, p = 0.19 and AC courses, z = –0.74, p = 0.46). Of the 2,095 horses studied 51.26% led with their L fore and 48.74% with their R, with no statistically significant difference (z = -1.16, p = 0.25). Therefore, there was no evidence of a population level motor laterality. Additionally, 22 male and 22 female horses were randomly chosen for repeated measures of leading leg preference. A laterality index was calculated for each of the 44 horses studied using the repeated measures: 22 exhibited right laterality (of which two were statistically significant) and 21 exhibited left laterality (eight being statistically significant); one horse was ambilateral. Using these data, left lateralized horses were more strongly lateralized on an individual level than the right lateralized horses (t = 2.28, p = 0.03, DF = 34) and mares were more left lateralized than males (t = 2.4, p = 0.03, DF = 19). PMID:29883459

  7. On the variation of the gravitational constant G

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Sabbata, V.

    1980-01-01

    We consider the variation of the gravitational constant G starting from Dirac's large number hypothesis. After a brief description of the various gravitational theories which, other than General Relativity, incorporate the variation of G, we consider the geophysical and astrophysical consequences of the variation of G and the present status of the performed experiments. Finally, a short account on strong gravity is given which seems to provide a basis for Dirac's large number hypothesis. (author)

  8. Numerical estimation of aircrafts' unsteady lateral-directional stability derivatives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maričić N.L.

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available A technique for predicting steady and oscillatory aerodynamic loads on general configuration has been developed. The prediction is based on the Doublet-Lattice Method, Slender Body Theory and Method of Images. The chord and span wise loading on lifting surfaces and longitudinal bodies (in horizontal and vertical plane load distributions are determined. The configuration may be composed of an assemblage of lifting surfaces (with control surfaces and bodies (with circular cross sections and a longitudinal variation of radius. Loadings predicted by this method are used to calculate (estimate steady and unsteady (dynamic lateral-directional stability derivatives. The short outline of the used methods is given in [1], [2], [3], [4] and [5]. Applying the described methodology software DERIV is developed. The obtained results from DERIV are compared to NASTRAN examples HA21B and HA21D from [4]. In the first example (HA21B, the jet transport wing (BAH wing is steady rolling and lateral stability derivatives are determined. In the second example (HA21D, lateral-directional stability derivatives are calculated for forward- swept-wing (FSW airplane in antisymmetric quasi-steady maneuvers. Acceptable agreement is achieved comparing the results from [4] and DERIV.

  9. Sequential induction of auxin efflux and influx carriers regulates lateral root emergence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Péret, Benjamin; Middleton, Alistair M; French, Andrew P; Larrieu, Antoine; Bishopp, Anthony; Njo, Maria; Wells, Darren M; Porco, Silvana; Mellor, Nathan; Band, Leah R; Casimiro, Ilda; Kleine-Vehn, Jürgen; Vanneste, Steffen; Sairanen, Ilkka; Mallet, Romain; Sandberg, Göran; Ljung, Karin; Beeckman, Tom; Benkova, Eva; Friml, Jiří; Kramer, Eric; King, John R; De Smet, Ive; Pridmore, Tony; Owen, Markus; Bennett, Malcolm J

    2013-10-22

    In Arabidopsis, lateral roots originate from pericycle cells deep within the primary root. New lateral root primordia (LRP) have to emerge through several overlaying tissues. Here, we report that auxin produced in new LRP is transported towards the outer tissues where it triggers cell separation by inducing both the auxin influx carrier LAX3 and cell-wall enzymes. LAX3 is expressed in just two cell files overlaying new LRP. To understand how this striking pattern of LAX3 expression is regulated, we developed a mathematical model that captures the network regulating its expression and auxin transport within realistic three-dimensional cell and tissue geometries. Our model revealed that, for the LAX3 spatial expression to be robust to natural variations in root tissue geometry, an efflux carrier is required--later identified to be PIN3. To prevent LAX3 from being transiently expressed in multiple cell files, PIN3 and LAX3 must be induced consecutively, which we later demonstrated to be the case. Our study exemplifies how mathematical models can be used to direct experiments to elucidate complex developmental processes.

  10. Urbanization signatures in strong versus weak precipitation over the Pearl River Delta metropolitan regions of China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Weibiao; Chen Sheng; Wen Zhiping; Wang Baomin; Chen Guixing; Sha Weimin; Luo Cong; Feng Yerong

    2011-01-01

    We assess the issues of urban effects on the precipitation over the Pearl River Delta (PRD) metropolitan regions of China. The spatial and temporal variations of strong versus weak precipitation over the PRD and surrounding nonurban areas are investigated. The results show that the urbanization signatures in strong precipitation are significantly different from those in weak precipitation over the urban areas. The PRD experiences more strong precipitation but less weak precipitation compared to surrounding nonurban regions. In addition, the strong precipitation over the PRD displays a pronounced seasonal variation. The seasonality of weak precipitation, however, is much weaker over the PRD compared to the surrounding nonurban regions. Moreover, a strengthening in the precipitation intensity, a reduction in the rainfall frequency and an increase in the convective precipitation as well as the afternoon precipitation are found over the urban areas, which are probably associated with the abundance in strong precipitation and the deficit in weak precipitation over the PRD.

  11. Being born under adverse economic conditions leads to a higher cardiovascular mortality rate later in life: evidence based on individuals born at different stages of the business cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Berg, Gerard J; Doblhammer-Reiter, Gabriele; Christensen, Kaare

    2011-05-01

    We connect the recent medical and economic literatures on the long-run effects of early-life conditions by analyzing the effects of economic conditions on the individual cardiovascular (CV) mortality rate later in life, using individual data records from the Danish Twin Registry covering births since the 1870s and including the cause of death. To capture exogenous variation of conditions early in life, we use the state of the business cycle around birth. We find significant negative effects of economic conditions around birth on the individual CV mortality rate at higher ages. There is no effect on the cancer-specific mortality rate. From variation within and between monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs born under different conditions, we conclude that the fate of an individual is more strongly determined by genetic and household-environmental factors if early-life conditions are poor. Individual-specific qualities come more to fruition if the starting position in life is better.

  12. Wave Tank Studies of Strong Modulation of Wind Ripples Due To Long Waves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ermakov, S.; Sergievskaya, I.; Shchegolkov, Yu.

    Modulation of wind capillary-gravity ripples due to long waves has been studied in wave tank experiment at low wind speeds using Ka-band radar. The experiments were carried out both for clean water and the water surface covered with surfactant films. It is obtained that the modulation of radar signals is quite strong and can increase with surfactant concentration and fetch. It is shown that the hydrodynamic Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) calculated for free wind ripples and taking into account the kinematic (straining) effect, variations of the wind stress and variations of surfactant concentration strongly underestimates experimental MTF-values. The effect of strong modulation is assumed to be connected with nonlinear harmonics of longer dm-cm- scale waves - bound waves ("parasitic ripples"). The intensity of bound waves depends strongly on the amplitude of decimetre-scale waves, therefore even weak modulation of the dm-scale waves due to long waves results to strong ("cascade") modulation of bound waves. Modulation of the system of "free/bound waves" is estimated using results of wave tank studies of bound waves generation and is shown to be in quali- tative agreement with experiment. This work was supported by MOD, UK via DERA Winfrith (Project ISTC 1774P) and by RFBR (Project 02-05-65102).

  13. Dynamics of long-period irregular pulsations in high latitudes during strong magnetic storms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurazhkovskaya, N.A.; Klajn, B.I.

    1995-01-01

    Effects of strong magnetic storms within np type high-latitudinal long-period irregular pulsations at Mirny studied using data obtained at observatory of the magnetosphere south hemisphere. Variation of long-period irregular pulsation amplitude is shown to depend essentially on duration of storm initial phase and on the nature of solar wind heterogeneity enabling growth of strong storm. 14 refs

  14. VARIATIONAL ANATOMY OF PROFUNDA FEMORIS ARTERY AND ITS BRANCHES: A CADAVERIC STUDY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tapan Kumar

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Accurate knowledge of anatomical variations regarding origins of the profunda femoris, medial and lateral femoral circumflex femoral arteries are important for clinicians in the present modern era of interventional radiology. Our aim of this study was to observe and identify the variations in origin of the Profunda femoris artery and its circumflex br anches. MATERIALS & METHODS: 66 femoral triangles were dissected on 33 cadavers (Both sides. The profunda femoris vessel and its medial and lateral circumflex arteries were dissected and identified. The distance of the site of origin of Profunda Femoris A rtery was measured from mid - inguinal point (MIP in centimetres with scale, thread, and digital callipers. The sites of origin of Medial Circumflex Femoral Artery and Lateral Circumflex Femoral Artery were also studied and the distances of origin of each of them were measured from the origin of the Profunda Femoris Artery and from the mid - inguinal point. All the data were interpreted in tables. RESULTS : The data from the study was analyzed using statistical methods and analyzed by using the statistical pa ckage SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16.0 for windows in present study for analyzing the data contingency table were created first and then analyzed by using the Pearson’s chi - square test. The present study encountered that, in appr oximately 50% cases the profunda femoris artery originated from the lateral aspect of the common femoral artery. The lateral and medial circumflex femoral artery commonly originated from the profunda femoris nearly close to its origin from common femoral a rtery. CONCLUSION: This knowledge of variation and position would be very useful in preventing the iatrogenic injury to these vessels during surgical procedures of the femoral triangle. So, this study would be useful for the clinician for surgical and therapeutic interventi on.

  15. Gravity variation before the Akto Ms6.7 earthquake, Xinjiang

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hongtao Hao

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The relationship between gravity variation and the Akto Ms6.7 earthquake on November 11, 2016, was studied by use of mobile gravity observation data from the China continental structural environmental monitoring network. The result revealed that before the Akto earthquake, a high positive gravity variation was observed in the Pamir tectonic knots region (within a maximum magnitude of approximately +80 microgal, which was consistent with the existing knowledge of gravity abnormality and the locations of strong earthquakes. In view of the recent strong seismic activities in the Pamir tectonic knots region, as well as the strong upward crust movement and compressive strain, it is believed that gravity change in the Pamir tectonic knots region reflects the recent strong seismic activities and crust movement.

  16. On Lateral Viscosity Contrast in the Mantle and the Rheology of Low-Frequency Geodynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivins, Erik R.; Sammis, Charles G.

    1995-01-01

    Mantle-wide heterogeneity is largely controlled by deeply penetrating thermal convective currents. These thermal currents are likely to produce significant lateral variation in rheology, and this can profoundly influence overall material behaviour. How thermally related lateral viscosity variations impact models of glacio-isostatic and tidal deformation is largely unknown. An important step towards model improvement is to quantify, or bound, the actual viscosity variations that characterize the mantle. Simple scaling of viscosity to shear-wave velocity fluctuations yields map-views of long- wavelength viscosity variation. These give a general quantitative description and aid in estimating the depth dependence of rheological heterogeneity throughout the mantle. The upper mantle is probably characterized by two to four orders of magnitude variation (peak-to-peak). Discrepant time-scales for rebounding Holocene shorelines of Hudson Bay and southern Iceland are consistent with this characterization. Results are given in terms of a local average viscosity ratio, (Delta)eta(bar)(sub i), of volumetric concentration, phi(sub i). For the upper mantle deeper than 340 km the following reasonable limits are estimated for (delta)eta(bar) approx. equal 10(exp -2): 0.01 less than or equal to phi less than or equal to 0.15. A spectrum of ratios (Delta)eta(bar)(sub i) less than 0.1 at concentration level eta(sub i) approx. equal 10(exp -6) - 10(exp -1) in the lower mantle implies a spectrum of shorter time-scale deformational response modes for second-degree spherical harmonic deformations of the Earth. Although highly uncertain, this spectrum of spatial variation allows a purely Maxwellian viscoelastic rheology simultaneously to explain all solid tidal dispersion phenomena and long-term rebound-related mantle viscosity. Composite theory of multiphase viscoelastic media is used to demonstrate this effect.

  17. A theoretical study of exciton energy levels in laterally coupled quantum dots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barticevic, Z; Pacheco, M; Duque, C A; Oliveira, L E

    2009-01-01

    A theoretical study of the electronic and optical properties of laterally coupled quantum dots, under applied magnetic fields perpendicular to the plane of the dots, is presented. The exciton energy levels of such laterally coupled quantum-dot systems, together with the corresponding wavefunctions and eigenvalues, are obtained in the effective-mass approximation by using an extended variational approach in which the magnetoexciton states are simultaneously obtained. One achieves the expected limits of one single quantum dot, when the distance between the dots is zero, and of two uncoupled quantum dots, when the distance between the dots is large enough. Moreover, present calculations-with appropriate structural dimensions of the two-dot system-are shown to be in agreement with measurements in self-assembled laterally aligned GaAs quantum-dot pairs and naturally/accidentally occurring coupled quantum dots in GaAs/GaAlAs quantum wells.

  18. Motor laterality as an indicator of speech laterality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flowers, Kenneth A; Hudson, John M

    2013-03-01

    The determination of speech laterality, especially where it is anomalous, is both a theoretical issue and a practical problem for brain surgery. Handedness is commonly thought to be related to speech representation, but exactly how is not clearly understood. This investigation analyzed handedness by preference rating and performance on a reliable task of motor laterality in 34 patients undergoing a Wada test, to see if they could provide an indicator of speech laterality. Hand usage preference ratings divided patients into left, right, and mixed in preference. Between-hand differences in movement time on a pegboard task determined motor laterality. Results were correlated (χ2) with speech representation as determined by a standard Wada test. It was found that patients whose between-hand difference in speed on the motor task was small or inconsistent were the ones whose Wada test speech representation was likely to be ambiguous or anomalous, whereas all those with a consistently large between-hand difference showed clear unilateral speech representation in the hemisphere controlling the better hand (χ2 = 10.45, df = 1, p laterality are related where they both involve a central control of motor output sequencing and that a measure of that aspect of the former will indicate the likely representation of the latter. A between-hand measure of motor laterality based on such a measure may indicate the possibility of anomalous speech representation. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

  19. Hybrid Iterative Scheme for Triple Hierarchical Variational Inequalities with Mixed Equilibrium, Variational Inclusion, and Minimization Constraints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lu-Chuan Ceng

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We introduce and analyze a hybrid iterative algorithm by combining Korpelevich's extragradient method, the hybrid steepest-descent method, and the averaged mapping approach to the gradient-projection algorithm. It is proven that, under appropriate assumptions, the proposed algorithm converges strongly to a common element of the fixed point set of finitely many nonexpansive mappings, the solution set of a generalized mixed equilibrium problem (GMEP, the solution set of finitely many variational inclusions, and the solution set of a convex minimization problem (CMP, which is also a unique solution of a triple hierarchical variational inequality (THVI in a real Hilbert space. In addition, we also consider the application of the proposed algorithm to solving a hierarchical variational inequality problem with constraints of the GMEP, the CMP, and finitely many variational inclusions.

  20. OsORC3 is required for lateral root development in rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xinai; Shi, Jing; Hao, Xi; Liu, Huili; Shi, Jianghua; Wu, Yunrong; Wu, Zhongchang; Chen, Mingxiu; Wu, Ping; Mao, Chuanzao

    2013-04-01

    The origin recognition complex (ORC) is a pivotal element in DNA replication, heterochromatin assembly, checkpoint regulation and chromosome assembly. Although the functions of the ORC have been determined in yeast and model animals, they remain largely unknown in the plant kingdom. In this study, Oryza sativa Origin Recognition Complex subunit 3 (OsORC3) was cloned using map-based cloning procedures, and functionally characterized using a rice (Oryza sativa) orc3 mutant. The mutant showed a temperature-dependent defect in lateral root (LR) development. Map-based cloning showed that a G→A mutation in the 9th exon of OsORC3 was responsible for the mutant phenotype. OsORC3 was strongly expressed in regions of active cell proliferation, including the primary root tip, stem base, lateral root primordium, emerged lateral root primordium, lateral root tip, young shoot, anther and ovary. OsORC3 knockdown plants lacked lateral roots and had a dwarf phenotype. The root meristematic zone of ORC3 knockdown plants exhibited increased cell death and reduced vital activity compared to the wild-type. CYCB1;1::GUS activity and methylene blue staining showed that lateral root primordia initiated normally in the orc3 mutant, but stopped growing before formation of the stele and ground tissue. Our results indicate that OsORC3 plays a crucial role in the emergence of lateral root primordia. © 2013 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  1. Setup Variations in Radiotherapy of Esophageal Cancer: Evaluation by Daily Megavoltage Computed Tomographic Localization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Y.-J.; Han Chunhui; Liu An; Schultheiss, Timothy E.; Kernstine, Kemp H.; Shibata, Stephen; Vora, Nayana L.; Pezner, Richard D.; Wong, Jeffrey Y.C.

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: To use pretreatment megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) scans to evaluate setup variations in anterior-posterior (AP), lateral, and superior-inferior (SI) directions and rotational variations, including pitch, roll, and yaw, for esophageal cancer patients treated with helical tomotherapy. Methods and Materials: Ten patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer treated by combined chemoradiation using helical tomotherapy were selected. After patients were positioned using their skin tattoos/marks, MVCT scans were performed before every treatment and automatically registered to planning kilovoltage CT scans according to bony landmarks. Image registration data were used to adjust patient setups before treatment. A total of 250 MVCT scans were analyzed. Correlations between setup variations and body habitus, including height, weight, relative weight change, body surface area, and patient age, were evaluated. Results: The standard deviations for systematic setup corrections in AP, lateral, and SI directions and pitch, roll, and yaw rotations were 1.5, 3.7, and 4.8 mm and 0.5 deg., 1.2 deg., and 0.8 deg., respectively. The appropriate averages of random setup variations in AP, lateral, and SI directions and pitch, roll, and yaw rotations were 2.9, 5.2, and 4.4 mm, and 1.0 deg., 1.2 deg., and 1.1 deg., respectively. Setup variations were stable throughout the entire course of radiotherapy in all three translational and three rotational displacements, with little change in magnitude. No significant correlations were found between setup variations and body habitus variables. Conclusions: Daily MVCT scans before each treatment can effectively detect setup errors and thereby reduce planning target volume (PTV) margins. This will reduce radiation dose to critical organs and may translate into lower treatment-related toxicities

  2. Variations in the geomagnetic and gravitational background associated with two strong earthquakes of the May 2012 sequence in the Po Valley Plain (Italy).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Straser, Valentino

    2013-04-01

    Reawakening of seismic activity in the Emilian Po Valley Plain (Italy) resulted in 2,492 earthquakes over five and a half months: 2,270 with M= 7. The mainshock was recorded during the night of 20 May 2012, at 04:03:52 Italian time (02:03:52 UTC) with epicentre in Finale Emilia, at a depth of 6.3km, by the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology (INGV). A long sequence of telluric shocks occurred in the same seismic district in the areas between the provinces of Modena, Ferrara, Mantua, Reggio Emilia, Bologna and Rovigo. In addition to the general devastation plus damage to civil and industrial buildings and the historical heritage, the earthquakes resulted in a total of 27 victims. Concomitant with the two strongest quakes, recorded on 20 and 29 May 2012, respectively, as in the case of others, variations were noted in the geomagnetic background by the LTPA monitoring station in Rome (Italy). The geomagnetic background variations were associated with the appearance of radio-anomalies in a frequency range from 0.1 to 3.0Hz, as well as gravimetric variations found around 60km from the epicentre. The peak accelerations, detected in correspondence with the strongest shocks on 20 and 29 May 2012, were respectively 0.31g and 0.29g. The appearance of the radio-anomalies coincided, from a temporal point of view, with average gravimetric variations of approximately 30µGal around the epicentre areas, concurrent with the mainshock. In this study, both the appearance of radio-anomalies and the gravitational variations recorded before strong earthquakes were related to the dynamics of the fault and a progressive reduction in granulometry in the core of the fracture, until the point of dislocation was reached. The intense friction in the fault and the damping factors produced before the shock are hypothesized as being proportional to the number of radio-anomalies measured. The radio anomaly is an unknown radio emission that has no characteristics (duration

  3. Hydrogen atoms in a strong magnetic field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, R.R. dos.

    1975-07-01

    The energies and wave functions of the 14 lowest states of a Hydrogen atom in a strong magnetic field are calculated, using a variational scheme. The equivalence between the atomic problem and the problems related with excitons and impurities in semiconductors in the presence of a strong magnetic field are shown. The calculations of the energies and wave functions have been divided in two regions: the first, for the magnetic field ranging between zero and 10 9 G; in the second the magnetic field ranges between 10 9 and 10 11 G. The results have been compared with those obtained by previous authors. The computation time necessary for the calculations is small. Therefore this is a convenient scheme to obtain the energies and wave functions for the problem. Transition probabilities, wavelengths and oscillator strengths for some allowed transitions are also calculated. (Author) [pt

  4. Lateral mobility of minibasins during shortening: Insights from the SE Precaspian Basin, Kazakhstan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duffy, Oliver B.; Fernandez, Naiara; Hudec, Michael R.; Jackson, Martin P. A.; Burg, George; Dooley, Tim P.; Jackson, Christopher A.-L.

    2017-04-01

    Minibasin provinces are widespread and can be found in all types of salt tectonic settings, many of which are prone to shortening. Previous studies of how minibasin provinces shorten assume that the salt between the minibasins is homogeneous and that the base of salt is flat or of low relief, such that minibasins are free to move laterally. Here we investigate how minibasin provinces respond to shortening when the lateral mobility of the minibasins is restricted by intra-salt sediment bodies, in order to gain a greater understanding of the controls on the structural styles and modes of tectono-stratigraphic evolution exhibited in minibasin provinces. We examine a borehole-constrained, 3D seismic reflection dataset from the SE Precaspian Basin (onshore western Kazakhstan). The study area is characterised by large, supra-salt minibasins and an array of smaller intra-salt sediment packages distributed between these larger minibasins. We first outline the evidence of episodic shortening between the Late Triassic and present, after the onset of supra-salt minibasin subsidence. Next, we document spatial variations in shortening style, showing how these relate to the concentration of intra-salt sediment packages. Finally, we develop synoptic models showing how intra-salt sediment packages influence both the lateral mobility of minibasins during shortening and the resultant structural style, and we compare and contrast our findings with existing models and other natural examples of shortened minibasin provinces. We conclude that minibasin provinces may have different degrees of lateral mobility depending on the presence, or absence, of intrasalt barriers, and that these variations provide a first-order control on basin-shortening style and tectono-stratigraphic evolution.

  5. Spectrally and spatially resolved photoluminescence. Lateral fluctuations and depth profiles of Cu(In,Ga)Se2-absorbers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neumann, Oliver

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this thesis is the development and refinement of photoluminescence (PL) methods for inhomogeneous absorbers to identify lateral fluctuations and depth-dependent variations of spectroscopic, optical and opto-electronic properties in the submicron/micron range. The first approach deals with the spectral investigation of PL emission from the front and the rear side of an absorber, whereas the second idea is about the analysis of PL spectra from the front side of the absorber for different absorber thicknesses. Another technique for determination of depth-dependent variations are confocal PL measurements at cross sections of absorbers. The last concept pursues the study of lateral fluctuations with an optical near-field microscope on specially prepared absorbers. These four strategies are demonstrated with samples based on Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 .

  6. Asymmetric ramification of deep femoral artery: Incidental detection of an anatomic variation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamit Serdar Başbuğ

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The origin of the deep femoral artery (DFA is most commonly located posterolaterally constituting the 40% of all studied specimens. Second most common course is the posterior origin (37%, that is followed by the lateral (12%, posteromedial (12% and medial (2% origins respectively. In this case report, we presented a case with a lateral originated DFA which is the third common anatomic variation. This case is especially important that it demonstrates the branching behaviors of vascular structures may differ between the right and the left limbs creating an asymmetry between the both sides of the same patient. Clinicians should be aware of anatomic variation during the cardiac catheterization, trans-arterial interventions, arteriography and the surgical dissections of the groin region.

  7. Comment on ``Annual variation of geomagnetic activity'' by Alicia L. Clúa de Gonzales et al.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonnemann, G. R.

    2002-10-01

    Clúa de Gonzales et al. (J. Atmos. Terr. Phys. 63 (2001) 367) analyzed the monthly means of the geomagnetic /aa-index available since 1868 and found enhanced geomagnetic activity in July outside of the known seasonal course of semiannual variation. They pointed out that this behavior is mainly caused by the high values of the geomagnetic activity. Their analysis confirmed results obtained from an analysis of Ap-values nearly 30 years ago but widely unknown to the scientific community. At that time the entire year was analyzed using running means of the activity values averaged to the same date. Aside from the July period, the calculations revealed distinct deviations from the seasonal course-called geomagnetic singularities. The most marked singularity occurs from the middle of March to the end of March characterized by a strong increase from, on average, relatively calm values to the actually strongest ones during the entire year. Some typical time patterns around and after equinox are repeated half a year later. An analysis in 1998 on the basis of the available /aa-values confirmed the findings derived from Ap-values and the local activity index Ak from Niemegk, Germany available since 1890. The new results will be presented and discussed. Special attention is paid to the statistical problem of the persistence of geomagnetic perturbations. The main problem under consideration is that the variation of the mean activity is not caused by an accidental accumulation of strong perturbations occurring within certain intervals of days. We assume that the most marked variations of the mean value are not accidental and result from internal processes within the earth's atmosphere but different, particularly small-scale features, are most probably accidental.

  8. Unusual Branching Pattern of the Lateral Cord of the Brachial Plexus Associated with Neurovascular Compression; Case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hitendra K. Loh

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The brachial plexus consists of a network of nerves that innervates the upper limbs and its musculature. We report a rare formation of the lateral cord of the brachial plexus observed during the dissection of a 47-year-old male cadaver at the Department of Anatomy, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College, New Delhi, India, in 2016. The lateral cord was exceptionally long with twin lateral pectoral nerves and twin lateral roots of the median nerve. The proximal lateral root of the median nerve was thin in comparison to the medial root of the median nerve. The distal lateral root of the median nerve was thicker and followed an unusual course through the coracobrachialis muscle. In the lower third of the arm, the median nerve and the brachial artery—along with its vena comitans—spanned through the brachialis muscle. Surgeons, anaesthesiologists, radiologists and anatomists should be aware of such anatomical variations as they may result in neurovascular compression.

  9. Integrated vehicle's lateral safety: the LATERAL SAFE experience

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Amditis, A.; Floudas, N.; Kaiser-Dieckhoff, U.; Hackbarth, T.; Broek, S.P. van den; Miglietta, M.; Danielson, L.; Gemou, M.; Bekiaris, E.

    2008-01-01

    The applications developed and the evaluation results of the EU funded automotive safety PReVENT IP subproject LATERAL SAFE are described. The data synthesis algorithms that aim at achieving a reliable representation of the objects and their kinematics, in the lateral and rear fields of the host

  10. Seasonal variation in sports participation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schüttoff, Ute; Pawlowski, Tim

    2018-02-01

    This study explores indicators describing socio-demographics, sports participation characteristics and motives which are associated with variation in sports participation across seasons. Data were drawn from the German Socio-Economic Panel which contains detailed information on the sports behaviour of adults in Germany. Overall, two different measures of seasonal variation are developed and used as dependent variables in our regression models. The first variable measures the coefficient of (seasonal) variation in sport-related energy expenditure per week. The second variable measures whether activity drops below the threshold as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Results suggest that the organisational setting, the intensity and number of sports practised, and the motive for participation are strongly correlated with the variation measures used. For example, both, participation in a sports club and a commercial facility, are associated with reduced seasonal variation and a significantly higher probability of participating at a volume above the WHO threshold across all seasons. These findings give some impetus for policymaking and the planning of sports programmes as well as future research directions.

  11. Extent and Morbidity of Lateralization of a Trochanteric Fixation Nail Blade.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandifer, Phillip A; Hulick, Robert M; Graves, Matthew L; Spitler, Clay A; Russell, George V; Hydrick, Josie M; Jones, LaRita C; Bergin, Patrick F

    2017-09-01

    This study examined the incidence and risk factors associated with lateral helical blade migration and trochanteric pain with the trochanteric fixation nail. A retrospective review was performed of 141 cases of pertrochanteric femur fracture treated with a trochanteric fixation nail at a level I trauma center over a period of 42 months. Exclusion criteria included follow-up of less than 60 days, preexisting osteonecrosis of the femoral head, and prophylactic trochanteric fixation nail treatment. Patient demographics, operative findings, and radiographic findings were recorded. Medical records were reviewed to identify symptomatic hardware. Overall, 27 patients (19.1%) were symptomatic, and 3 (2.1%) required revision surgery for blade prominence. Of the patients, 42 (30%) had lateralization of greater than 1 cm, and 16 of these (38.1%) were symptomatic (Pfractures showing lateralization of greater than 1 cm. The quality of calcar reduction nearly reached statistical significance, and 44.8% of patients who had inadequate reduction had lateralization of greater than 1 cm compared with 26.4% of patients who had adequate reduction (P=.054). Lateralization of greater than 1 cm was directly associated with the presence of symptoms (Ptrochanteric pain (P=.007). Multivariate analysis showed that increasing tip-apex distance, inadequate calcar reduction, and greater fracture severity were predictive of excessive lateralization of greater than 1 cm. Nearly 20% of patients had lateral hip pain associated with cephalomedullary fixation. Final lateralization of the helical blade of greater than 1 cm was a very strong predictor of symptoms. During preoperative counseling, surgeons should caution patients about this relatively frequent and likely underreported complication. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(5):e886-e891.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

  12. Preliminary study of lateral variation in crustal structure of Northeast China from teleseismic receiver functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Youlin; Liu, Ruifeng; Huang, Zhibin; Sun, Li

    2011-02-01

    We conducted comprehensive receiver function analyses for a large amount of high-quality broadband teleseismic waveforms data recorded at 19 China National Digital Seismic Network (CNDSN) stations deployed in Northeast China. An advanced H- κ domain search method was adopted to accurately estimate the crustal thickness and ν P/ ν S ratio. The crust has an average thickness of about 34.4 km. The thinnest crust occurs in the central region of Northeast China, while the thickest crust is beneath the Yanshan belt. The ν P/ ν S ratio is relatively uniform with an average of about 1.733. The highest ν P/ ν S ratio is found beneath the Changbaishan, likely associated with its volcanic activities. We found significant lateral heterogeneity beneath three stations CN2, MDJ, and MIH located along the Suolon suture from the back-zimuthal dependence of Moho depth. The velocity modeling from receiver functions indicated complicated Earth structure beneath these stations with large crust-mantle transition zone, noticeable velocity jump in upper mantle, and low velocity zone in middle crust. Dipping velocity interface in the crust with strike approximately parallel to the Suolon suture and down-dip to the south or southeast might explain the observed lateral heterogeneity.

  13. A anatomic evaluation of the lateral femoral circumflex artery system by using Multi detector-row CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haraguchi, Kazunari; Kadota, Satoshi; Hosaka, Yoshiaki

    2010-01-01

    Flaps that are pedicled by perforators of the lateral femoral circumflex artery (LFCA) system have many advantages, including the transplantation of large and reliable skin with long pedicles and a large diameter, and little invasion of the donor sites. However, preoperative planning has been difficult because the perforators have many anatomic variations. We used multi detector-row CT for anatomical evaluation of the lateral femoral circumflex artery system. The patterns of LFCA from the main vessels were classified into three types and vessels coursing toward the lateral thigh region were classified into three groups. The distance from the anterior superior iliac spine to the lateral femoral circumflex artery showed no significant difference between men and women. We were able to evaluate vessels with a 2-mm diameter in the lateral femoral circumflex artery system, indicating that accurate evaluation and low invasive examination of the lateral femoral circumflex artery system, including the perforator area, can be achieved by adjusting the image conditions and the injection rate of the contrast dye. (author)

  14. Seasonal Variation of Submesoscale Flow Features in a Mesoscale Eddy-dominant Region in the East Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Yeon S.; Choi, Byoung-Ju; Park, Young-Gyu

    2018-03-01

    Seasonal changes in the distribution of submesoscale (SM) flow features were examined using a fine-resolution numerical simulation. The SM flows are expected to be strong where mesoscale (MS) eddies actively develop and also when the mixed layer depth (MLD) is deep due to enhanced baroclinic instability. In the East Sea (ES), MS eddies more actively develop in summer while the MLD is deeper in winter, which provided the motivation to conduct this study to test the effects of MLD and MS eddies on the SM activity in this region. Finite-scale Liapunov exponents and the vertical velocity components were employed to analyze the SM activities. It was found that the SM intensity was marked by seasonality: it is stronger in winter when the mixed layer is deep but weaker in summer - despite the greater eddy kinetic energy. This is because in summer the mixed layer is so thin that there is not enough available potential energy. When the SM activity was quantified based on parameterization, (MLD × density gradient), it was determined that the seasonal variation of MLD plays a more important role than the lateral density gradient variation on SM flow motion in the ES.

  15. New strong motion network in Georgia: basis for specifying seismic hazard

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kvavadze, N.; Tsereteli, N. S.

    2017-12-01

    Risk created by hazardous natural events is closely related to sustainable development of the society. Global observations have confirmed tendency of growing losses resulting from natural disasters, one of the most dangerous and destructive if which are earthquakes. Georgia is located in seismically active region. So, it is imperative to evaluate probabilistic seismic hazard and seismic risk with proper accuracy. National network of Georgia includes 35 station all of which are seismometers. There are significant gaps in strong motion recordings, which essential for seismic hazard assessment. To gather more accelerometer recordings, we have built a strong motion network distributed on the territory of Georgia. The network includes 6 stations for now, with Basalt 4x datalogger and strong motion sensor Episensor ES-T. For each site, Vs30 and soil resonance frequencies have been measured. Since all but one station (Tabakhmelam near Tbilisi), are located far from power and internet lines special system was created for instrument operation. Solar power is used to supply the system with electricity and GSM/LTE modems for internet access. VPN tunnel was set up using Raspberry pi, for two-way communication with stations. Tabakhmela station is located on grounds of Ionosphere Observatory, TSU and is used as a hub for the network. This location also includes a broadband seismometer and VLF electromagnetic waves observation antenna, for possible earthquake precursor studies. On server, located in Tabakhmela, the continues data is collected from all the stations, for later use. The recordings later will be used in different seismological and engineering problems, namely selecting and creating GMPE model for Caucasus, for probabilistic seismic hazard and seismic risk evaluation. These stations are a start and in the future expansion of strong motion network is planned. Along with this, electromagnetic wave observations will continue and additional antennas will be implemented

  16. Giant magnetoresistance in lateral metallic nanostructures for spintronic applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahnd, G; Vila, L; Pham, V T; Marty, A; Beigné, C; Vergnaud, C; Attané, J P

    2017-08-25

    In this letter, we discuss the shift observed in spintronics from the current-perpendicular-to-plane geometry towards lateral geometries, illustrating the new opportunities offered by this configuration. Using CoFe-based all-metallic LSVs, we show that giant magnetoresistance variations of more than 10% can be obtained, competitive with the current-perpendicular-to-plane giant magnetoresistance. We then focus on the interest of being able to tailor freely the geometries. On the one hand, by tailoring the non-magnetic parts, we show that it is possible to enhance the spin signal of giant magnetoresistance structures. On the other hand, we show that tailoring the geometry of lateral structures allows creating a multilevel memory with high spin signals, by controlling the coercivity and shape anisotropy of the magnetic parts. Furthermore, we study a new device in which the magnetization direction of a nanodisk can be detected. We thus show that the ability to control the magnetic properties can be used to take advantage of all the spin degrees of freedom, which are usually occulted in current-perpendicular-to-plane devices. This flexibility of lateral structures relatively to current-perpendicular-to-plane structures is thus found to offer a new playground for the development of spintronic applications.

  17. Response format, magnitude of laterality effects, and sex differences in laterality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voyer, Daniel; Doyle, Randi A

    2012-01-01

    The present study examined the evidence for the claim that response format might affect the magnitude of laterality effects by means of a meta-analysis. The analysis included the 396 effect sizes drawn from 266 studies retrieved by Voyer (1996) and relevant to the main effect of laterality and sex differences in laterality for verbal and non-verbal tasks in the auditory, tactile, and visual sensory modality. The response format used in specific studies was the only moderator variable of interest in the present analysis, resulting in four broad response categories (oral, written, computer, and pointing). A meta-analysis analogue to ANOVA showed no significant influence of response format on either the main effect of laterality or sex differences in laterality when all sensory modalities were combined. However, when modalities were considered separately, response format affected the main effect of laterality in the visual modality, with a clear advantage for written responses. Further pointed analyses revealed some specific differences among response formats. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for the measurement of laterality.

  18. INTERNAL-CYCLE VARIATION OF SOLAR DIFFERENTIAL ROTATION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, K. J.; Xie, J. L.; Shi, X. J.

    2013-01-01

    The latitudinal distributions of the yearly mean rotation rates measured by Suzuki in 1998 and 2012 and Pulkkinen and Tuominen in 1998 are utilized to investigate internal-cycle variation of solar differential rotation. The rotation rate at the solar equator seems to have decreased since cycle 10 onward. The coefficient B of solar differential rotation, which represents the latitudinal gradient of rotation, is found to be smaller in the several years after the minimum of a solar cycle than in the several years after the maximum time of the cycle, and it peaks several years after the maximum time of the solar cycle. The internal-cycle variation of the solar rotation rates looks similar in profile to that of the coefficient B. A new explanation is proposed to address such a solar-cycle-related variation of the solar rotation rates. Weak magnetic fields may more effectively reflect differentiation at low latitudes with high rotation rates than at high latitudes with low rotation rates, and strong magnetic fields may more effectively repress differentiation at relatively low latitudes than at high latitudes. The internal-cycle variation is inferred as the result of both the latitudinal migration of the surface torsional pattern and the repression of strong magnetic activity in differentiation.

  19. Robust mesoscopic superposition of strongly correlated ultracold atoms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hallwood, David W.; Ernst, Thomas; Brand, Joachim

    2010-01-01

    We propose a scheme to create coherent superpositions of annular flow of strongly interacting bosonic atoms in a one-dimensional ring trap. The nonrotating ground state is coupled to a vortex state with mesoscopic angular momentum by means of a narrow potential barrier and an applied phase that originates from either rotation or a synthetic magnetic field. We show that superposition states in the Tonks-Girardeau regime are robust against single-particle loss due to the effects of strong correlations. The coupling between the mesoscopically distinct states scales much more favorably with particle number than in schemes relying on weak interactions, thus making particle numbers of hundreds or thousands feasible. Coherent oscillations induced by time variation of parameters may serve as a 'smoking gun' signature for detecting superposition states.

  20. Key scattering mechanisms limiting the lateral transport in a modulation-doped polar heterojunction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tien, Nguyen Thanh, E-mail: nttien@ctu.edu.vn; Thao, Pham Thi Bich [College of Natural Sciences, Can Tho University, 3-2 Road, Can Tho City (Viet Nam); Thao, Dinh Nhu [Center for Theoretical and Computational Physics, College of Education, Hue University, 34 Le Loi Street, Hue City (Viet Nam); Quang, Doan Nhat [Institute of Physics, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, 10 Dao Tan Street, Hanoi (Viet Nam)

    2016-06-07

    We present a study of the lateral transport of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in a modulation-doped polar heterojunction (HJ). In contrast to previous studies, we assume that the Coulomb correlation among ionized impurities and among charged dislocations in the HJ is so strong that the 2DEG low-temperature mobility is not limited by impurity and dislocation scattering. The mobility, however, is specified by alloy disorder scattering and combined roughness scattering, which is the total effect induced by both the potential barrier and polarization roughness. The obtained results show that the alloy disorder and combined roughness scattering strongly depend on the alloy content and on the near-interface electron distribution. Our theory is capable of explaining the bell-shaped dependence of the lateral mobility on alloy content observed in AlGaN/GaN and on 2DEG density observed in AlN/GaN, which have not previously been explained.

  1. Coupled variations of fundamental couplings and primordial nucleosynthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coc, Alain; Nunes, Nelson J.; Olive, Keith A.; Uzan, Jean-Philippe; Vangioni, Elisabeth

    2006-10-01

    The effect of variations of the fundamental nuclear parameters on big-bang nucleosynthesis are modeled and discussed in detail taking into account the interrelations between the fundamental parameters arising in unified theories. Considering only 4 He, strong constraints on the variation of the neutron lifetime, neutron-proton mass difference are set. These constraints are then translated into constraints on the time variation of the Yukawa couplings and the fine structure constant. Furthermore, we show that a variation of the deuterium binding energy is able to reconcile the 7 Li abundance deduced from the WMAP analysis with its spectroscopically determined value while maintaining concordance with D and 4 He. (authors)

  2. Seasonal variations of the high-latitude F region for

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sojka, J.J.; Schunk, R.W.; Raitt, W.J.

    1982-01-01

    We combined a plasma convection model with an inosphere-atmospheric composition model in order to study the seasonal variations of the high-latitude F region for strong convection. Our numerical study produced time-dependent, three-dimensional, ion density distributions for the ions NO + , O 2 + , N 2 + , O + , N + , and He + . We covered the high-latitude ionosphere above 42 0 N magnetic latitude and at altitudes between 160 and 800 km for a time period of one complete day. From our study we found the following: (1) For strong convection, the high-altitude ionosphere exhibits a significant UT variation both during winter and summer. (2) In general, the electron density is lower in winter than in summer. However, at certain universal times the electron density in the dayside polar cap is larger in winter than in summer owing to the effect of the mid-latitude 'winter anomaly' in combination with strong antisunward convection. (3) In both summer and winter, the major region of low electron density is associated with the main or mid-latitudde trough. The trough is deeper and its local time extend is much greater in winter than in summer. (4) Typically, the electron density exhibits a much larger variation with altitude in winter than in summer. (5) The ion composition and molecular/atomic ion transition altitude are highly UT dependent in both summer and winter. (6) The ion composition also displays a significant seasonal variation. However, at a given location the seasonal variation can be opposite at different universal times. (7) High-speed convection cells should display a marked seasonal variation, with a much larger concentration of molecular ions near the F region peak in summer than in winter

  3. Solutions to variational inequalities of parabolic type

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Yuanguo

    2006-09-01

    The existence of strong solutions to a kind of variational inequality of parabolic type is investigated by the theory of semigroups of linear operators. As an application, an abstract semi permeable media problem is studied.

  4. Gravity and Displacement Variations in the Areas of Strong Earthquakes in the East of Russia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timofeev, V. Yu.; Kalish, E. N.; Stus', Yu. F.; Ardyukov, D. G.; Valitov, M. G.; Timofeev, A. V.; Nosov, D. A.; Sizikov, I. S.; Boiko, E. V.; Gornov, P. Yu.; Kulinich, R. G.; Kolpashchikova, T. N.; Proshkina, Z. N.; Nazarov, E. O.; Kolmogorov, V. G.

    2018-05-01

    The modern gravimetry methods are capable of measuring gravity with an accuracy of up to 10-10 of the normal value, which is commensurate with the accuracy of the up-to-date methods of displacement measurements by satellite geodesy. Significant changes, e.g., in the coseismic displacements of the Earth's surface are recorded in the zones of large earthquakes. These changes should manifest themselves in the variations of gravity. Absolute measurements have been conducted by various modifications of absolute ballistic gravimeters GABL since the mid-1970s at the Klyuchi point (Novosibirsk) in the south of the West Siberian plate. Monitoring observations have been taking place in the seismically active regions since the 1990s. In this paper we consider the results of the long-term measurements of the variations in gravity and recent crustal displacements for different types of earthquakes (the zones of shear, extension, and compression). In the seismically active areas in the east of Russia, the longest annual series of absolute measurements starting from 1992 was recorded in the southeastern segment of Baikal region. In this area, the Kultuk earthquake with magnitude 6.5 occurred on August 27, 2008, at a distance of 25 km from the observation point of the Talaya seismic station. The measurements in Gornyi (Mountainous) Altai have been conducted since 2000. A strikeslip earthquake with magnitude 7.5 took place in the southern segment of the region on September 27, 2003. The effects of the catastrophic M = 9.0 Tohoku, Japan, earthquake of March 11, 2011 were identified in Primor'e in the far zone of the event. The empirical data are consistent with the results of modeling based on the seismological data. The coseismic variations in gravity are caused by the combined effect of the changes in the elevation of the observation point and crustal deformation.

  5. On exterior variational calculus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aldrovandi, R.; Kraenkel, R.A.

    1987-01-01

    Exterior variational calculus is introduced through examples in field theory. It provides a very simple technique to decide on the existence of Lagrangians for given equations of motions and, in the case, to find them. Only local aspects are discussed but the analogy to exterior calculus on finite dimensional manifolds is complete, strongly suggesting its suitability to the study of topological aspects. (Author) [pt

  6. A Study of the Lateral Stability of Self-Propelled Fruit Harvesters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maurizio Cutini

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Self-propelled fruit harvesters (SPFHs are agricultural machines designed to facilitate fruit picking and other tasks requiring operators to stay close to the foliage or to the upper part of the canopy. They generally consist of a chassis with a variable height working platform that can be equipped with lateral extending platforms. The positioning of additional masses (operators, fruit bins and the maximum height of the platform (up to three meters above the ground strongly affect machine stability. Since there are no specific studies on the lateral stability of SPFHs, this study aimed to develop a specific test procedure to fill this gap. A survey of the Italian market found 20 firms manufacturing 110 different models of vehicles. Observation and monitoring of SPFHs under real operational conditions revealed the variables mostly likely to affect lateral stability: the position and mass of the operators and the fruit bin on the platform. Two SPFHs were tested in the laboratory to determine their centre of gravity and lateral stability in four different settings reproducing operational conditions. The test setting was found to affect the stability angle. Lastly, the study identified two specific settings reproducing real operational conditions most likely to affect the lateral stability of SPFHs: these should be used as standard, reproducible settings to enable a comparison of results.

  7. The interplay between subduction and lateral extrusion: A case study for the European Eastern Alps based on analogue models

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Gelder, I. E.; Willingshofer, E.; Sokoutis, D.; Cloetingh, S. A. P. L.

    2017-08-01

    A series of analogue experiments simulating intra-continental subduction contemporaneous with lateral extrusion of the upper plate are performed to study the interference between these two processes at crustal levels and in the lithospheric mantle. The models demonstrate that intra-continental subduction and coeval lateral extrusion of the upper plate are compatible processes leading to similar deformation structures within the extruding region as compared to the classical setup, lithosphere-scale indentation. Strong coupling across the subduction boundary allows for the transfer of stresses to the upper plate, where strain regimes are characterized by crustal thickening near a confined margin and dominated by lateral displacement of material near a weak lateral confinement. The strain regimes propagate laterally during ongoing convergence creating an area of overlap characterized by transpression. When subduction is oblique to the convergence direction, the upper plate is less deformed and as a consequence the amount of lateral extrusion decreases. In addition, strain is partitioned along the oblique plate boundary resulting in less subduction in expense of right lateral displacement close to the weak lateral confinement. Both oblique and orthogonal subduction models have a strong resemblance to lateral extrusion tectonics of the Eastern Alps (Europe), where subduction of the adjacent Adriatic plate beneath the Eastern Alps is debated. Our results imply that subduction of Adria is a valid mechanisms to induce extrusion-type deformation within the Eastern Alps lithosphere. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the Oligocene to Late Miocene structural evolution of the Eastern Alps reflects a phase of oblique subduction followed by a later stage of orthogonal subduction conform a Miocene shift in the plate motion of Adria. Oblique subduction also provides a viable mechanism to explain the rapid decrease in slab length of the Adriatic plate beneath the Eastern Alps

  8. Morphological Observation on Floral Variations of the Genus Cuscuta in Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gwo-Ing Liao

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available The variations in floral structure of Cuscuta in Taiwan were studied with special reference to C. campestris. The variations of the floral structure were described and illustrated by using light and scanning electron microscopy. The variations including the following: (1 the absence of floral organs; (2 the abnormal fusion of floral organs; (3 petaloid stamens; (4 the lack of distinctive anther lobes; (5 the unusual protrusions on ovaries; and (6 the extrusion of ovule on ovary surfaces. The variations occur in early developmental stages when the primordia of floral organ were initiated. The findings that the abnormal position of the ovule and the lateral fusion of the scale with the filament or the petal in the species of Cuscuta are first time reported here.

  9. Capacities for population-genetic variation and ecological adaptations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marinković Dragoslav

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available In contemporary science of population genetics it is equally complex and important to visualize how adaptive limits of individual variation are determined, as well as to describe the amount and sort of this variation. Almost all century the scientists devoted their efforts to explain the principles and structure of biological variation (genetic, developmental, environmental, interactive, etc., basing its maintenance within existing limits mostly on equilibria proclaimed by Hardy-Weinberg rules. Among numerous model-organisms that have been used to prove these rules and demonstrate new variants within mentioned concepts, Drosophila melanogaster is a kind of queen that is used in thousands of experiments for almost exactly 100 years (CARPENTER 1905, with which numerous discoveries and principles were determined that later turned out to be applicable to all other organisms. It is both, in nature and in laboratory, that Drosophilids were used to demonstrate the basic principles of population-genetic variation that was later applied to other species of animals. In ecological-genetic variation their richness in different environments could be used as an exact indicator of the status of a determined habitat, and its population-genetic structure may definitely point out to a possibility that specific resources of the environment start to be in danger to deteriorate, or to disappear in the near future. This paper shows clear-cut differences among environmental habitats, when populations of Drosophilidae are quantitatively observed in different wild, semi-domestic and domestic environments, demonstrating a highly expressed mutual dependence of these two parameters. A crucial approach is how to estimate the causes that determine the limits of biological, i.e. of individual and population-genetic variation. The realized, i.e. adaptive variation, is much lesser than a total possible variation of a polygenic trait, and in this study, using a moderately

  10. (Lack of) Corticospinal facilitation in association with hand laterality judgments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferron, Lucas; Tremblay, François

    2017-07-01

    In recent years, mental practice strategies have drawn much interest in the field of rehabilitation. One form of mental practice particularly advocated involves judging the laterality of images depicting body parts. Such laterality judgments are thought to rely on implicit motor imagery via mental rotation of one own's limb. In this study, we sought to further characterize the involvement of the primary motor cortex (M1) in hand laterality judgments (HLJ) as performed in the context of an application designed for rehabilitation. To this end, we measured variations in corticospinal excitability in both hemispheres with motor evoked potentials (MEPs) while participants (n = 18, young adults) performed either HLJ or a mental counting task. A third condition (foot observation) provided additional control. We hypothesized that HLJ would lead to a selective MEP facilitation when compared to the other tasks and that this facilitation would be greater on the right than the left hemisphere. Contrary to our predictions, we found no evidence of task effects and hemispheric effects for the HLJ task. Significant task-related MEP facilitation was detected only for the mental counting task. A secondary experiment performed in a subset of participants (n = 6) to further test modulation during HLJ yielded the same results. We interpret the lack of facilitation with HLJ in the light of evidence that participants may rely on alternative strategies when asked to judge laterality when viewing depictions of body parts. The use of visual strategies notably would reduce the need to engage in mental rotation, thus reducing M1 involvement. These results have implications for applications of laterality tasks in the context of the rehabilitation program.

  11. An attempt to estimate isotropic and anisotropic lateral structure of the Earth by spectral inversion incorporating mixed coupling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oda, Hitoshi

    2005-02-01

    We present a way to calculate free oscillation spectra for an aspherical earth model, which is constructed by adding isotropic and anisotropic velocity perturbations to the seismic velocity parameters of a reference earth model, and examine the effect of the velocity perturbations on the free oscillation spectrum. Lateral variations of the velocity perturbations are parametrized as an expansion in generalized spherical harmonics. We assume weak hexagonal anisotropy for the seismic wave anisotropy in the upper mantle, where the hexagonal symmetry axes are horizontally distributed. The synthetic spectra show that the velocity perturbations cause not only strong self-coupling among singlets of a multiplet but also mixed coupling between toroidal and spheroidal multiplets. Both the couplings give rise to an amplitude anomaly on the vertical component spectrum. In this study, we identify the amplitude anomaly resulting from the mixed coupling as quasi-toroidal mode. Excitation of the quasi-toroidal mode by a vertical strike-slip fault is largest on nodal lines of the Rayleigh wave, decreases with increasing azimuth angle and becomes smallest on loop lines. This azimuthal dependence of the spectral amplitude is quite similar to the Love wave radiation pattern. In addition, the amplitude spectrum of the quasi-toroidal mode is more sensitive to the anisotropic velocity perturbation than to the isotropic velocity perturbation. This means that the mode spectrum allowing for the mixed-coupling effect may provide constraints on the anisotropic lateral structure as well as the isotropic lateral structure. An inversion method, called mixed-coupling spectral inversion, is devised to retrieve the isotropic and anisotropic velocity perturbations from the free oscillation spectra incorporating the quasi-toroidal mode. We confirm that the spectral inversion method correctly recovers the isotropic and anisotropic lateral structure. Moreover introducing the mixed-coupling effect in the

  12. Integrated vehicle’s lateral safety: the LATERAL SAFE experience

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Amditis, A.; Floudas, N.; Kaiser-Dieckhoff, U.; Hackbarth, T.; Broek, S.P. van den; Miglietta, M.; Danielson, L.; Gemou, M.; Bekiaris, E.

    2008-01-01

    The applications developed and the evaluation results of the EU funded automotive safety PReVENT IP subproject LATERAL SAFE are described. The data synthesis algorithms that aim at achieving a reliable representation of the objects and their kinematics, in the lateral and rear fields of the host

  13. Lateral positioning for critically ill adult patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hewitt, Nicky; Bucknall, Tracey; Faraone, Nardene M

    2016-05-12

    Critically ill patients require regular body position changes to minimize the adverse effects of bed rest, inactivity and immobilization. However, uncertainty surrounds the effectiveness of lateral positioning for improving pulmonary gas exchange, aiding drainage of tracheobronchial secretions and preventing morbidity. In addition, it is unclear whether the perceived risk levied by respiratory and haemodynamic instability upon turning critically ill patients outweighs the respiratory benefits of side-to-side rotation. Thus, lack of certainty may contribute to variation in positioning practice and equivocal patient outcomes. To evaluate effects of the lateral position compared with other body positions on patient outcomes (mortality, morbidity and clinical adverse events) in critically ill adult patients. (Clinical adverse events include hypoxaemia, hypotension, low oxygen delivery and global indicators of impaired tissue oxygenation.) We examined single use of the lateral position (i.e. on the right or left side) and repeat use of the lateral position (i.e. lateral positioning) within a positioning schedule. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2015, Issue 5), MEDLINE (1950 to 23 May 2015), the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) (1937 to 23 May 2015), the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED) (1984 to 23 May 2015), Latin American Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) (1901 to 23 May 2015), Web of Science (1945 to 23 May 2015), Index to Theses in Great Britain and Ireland (1950 to 23 May 2015), Trove (2009 to 23 May 2015; previously Australasian Digital Theses Program (1997 to December 2008)) and Proquest Dissertations and Theses (2009 to 23 May 2015; previously Proquest Digital Dissertations (1980 to 23 May 2015)). We handsearched the reference lists of potentially relevant reports and two nursing journals. We included randomized and quasi-randomized trials examining effects of

  14. Left preference for sport tasks does not necessarily indicate left-handedness: sport-specific lateral preferences, relationship with handedness and implications for laterality research in behavioural sciences.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florian Loffing

    Full Text Available In the elite domain of interactive sports, athletes who demonstrate a left preference (e.g., holding a weapon with the left hand in fencing or boxing in a 'southpaw' stance seem overrepresented. Such excess indicates a performance advantage and was also interpreted as evidence in favour of frequency-dependent selection mechanisms to explain the maintenance of left-handedness in humans. To test for an overrepresentation, the incidence of athletes' lateral preferences is typically compared with an expected ratio of left- to right-handedness in the normal population. However, the normal population reference values did not always relate to the sport-specific tasks of interest, which may limit the validity of reports of an excess of 'left-oriented' athletes. Here we sought to determine lateral preferences for various sport-specific tasks (e.g., baseball batting, boxing in the normal population and to examine the relationship between these preferences and handedness. To this end, we asked 903 participants to indicate their lateral preferences for sport-specific and common tasks using a paper-based questionnaire. Lateral preferences varied considerably across the different sport tasks and we found high variation in the relationship between those preferences and handedness. In contrast to unimanual tasks (e.g., fencing or throwing, for bimanually controlled actions such as baseball batting, shooting in ice hockey or boxing the incidence of left preferences was considerably higher than expected from the proportion of left-handedness in the normal population and the relationship with handedness was relatively low. We conclude that (i task-specific reference values are mandatory for reliably testing for an excess of athletes with a left preference, (ii the term 'handedness' should be more cautiously used within the context of sport-related laterality research and (iii observation of lateral preferences in sports may be of limited suitability for the

  15. Left preference for sport tasks does not necessarily indicate left-handedness: sport-specific lateral preferences, relationship with handedness and implications for laterality research in behavioural sciences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loffing, Florian; Sölter, Florian; Hagemann, Norbert

    2014-01-01

    In the elite domain of interactive sports, athletes who demonstrate a left preference (e.g., holding a weapon with the left hand in fencing or boxing in a 'southpaw' stance) seem overrepresented. Such excess indicates a performance advantage and was also interpreted as evidence in favour of frequency-dependent selection mechanisms to explain the maintenance of left-handedness in humans. To test for an overrepresentation, the incidence of athletes' lateral preferences is typically compared with an expected ratio of left- to right-handedness in the normal population. However, the normal population reference values did not always relate to the sport-specific tasks of interest, which may limit the validity of reports of an excess of 'left-oriented' athletes. Here we sought to determine lateral preferences for various sport-specific tasks (e.g., baseball batting, boxing) in the normal population and to examine the relationship between these preferences and handedness. To this end, we asked 903 participants to indicate their lateral preferences for sport-specific and common tasks using a paper-based questionnaire. Lateral preferences varied considerably across the different sport tasks and we found high variation in the relationship between those preferences and handedness. In contrast to unimanual tasks (e.g., fencing or throwing), for bimanually controlled actions such as baseball batting, shooting in ice hockey or boxing the incidence of left preferences was considerably higher than expected from the proportion of left-handedness in the normal population and the relationship with handedness was relatively low. We conclude that (i) task-specific reference values are mandatory for reliably testing for an excess of athletes with a left preference, (ii) the term 'handedness' should be more cautiously used within the context of sport-related laterality research and (iii) observation of lateral preferences in sports may be of limited suitability for the verification of

  16. Left Preference for Sport Tasks Does Not Necessarily Indicate Left-Handedness: Sport-Specific Lateral Preferences, Relationship with Handedness and Implications for Laterality Research in Behavioural Sciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loffing, Florian; Sölter, Florian; Hagemann, Norbert

    2014-01-01

    In the elite domain of interactive sports, athletes who demonstrate a left preference (e.g., holding a weapon with the left hand in fencing or boxing in a ‘southpaw’ stance) seem overrepresented. Such excess indicates a performance advantage and was also interpreted as evidence in favour of frequency-dependent selection mechanisms to explain the maintenance of left-handedness in humans. To test for an overrepresentation, the incidence of athletes' lateral preferences is typically compared with an expected ratio of left- to right-handedness in the normal population. However, the normal population reference values did not always relate to the sport-specific tasks of interest, which may limit the validity of reports of an excess of ‘left-oriented’ athletes. Here we sought to determine lateral preferences for various sport-specific tasks (e.g., baseball batting, boxing) in the normal population and to examine the relationship between these preferences and handedness. To this end, we asked 903 participants to indicate their lateral preferences for sport-specific and common tasks using a paper-based questionnaire. Lateral preferences varied considerably across the different sport tasks and we found high variation in the relationship between those preferences and handedness. In contrast to unimanual tasks (e.g., fencing or throwing), for bimanually controlled actions such as baseball batting, shooting in ice hockey or boxing the incidence of left preferences was considerably higher than expected from the proportion of left-handedness in the normal population and the relationship with handedness was relatively low. We conclude that (i) task-specific reference values are mandatory for reliably testing for an excess of athletes with a left preference, (ii) the term ‘handedness’ should be more cautiously used within the context of sport-related laterality research and (iii) observation of lateral preferences in sports may be of limited suitability for the

  17. Identifying the Tunneling Site in Strong-Field Ionization of H_{2}^{+}.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Kunlong; Barth, Ingo

    2017-12-15

    The tunneling site of the electron in a molecule exposed to a strong laser field determines the initial position of the ionizing electron and, as a result, has a large impact on the subsequent ultrafast electron dynamics on the polyatomic Coulomb potential. Here, the tunneling site of the electron of H_{2}^{+} ionized by a strong circularly polarized (CP) laser pulse is studied by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. We show that the electron removed from the down-field site is directly driven away by the CP field and the lateral photoelectron momentum distribution (LPMD) exhibits a Gaussian-like distribution, whereas the corresponding LPMD of the electron removed from the up-field site differs from the Gaussian shape due to the Coulomb focusing and scattering by the down-field core. Our current study presents the direct evidence clarifying a long-standing controversy over the tunneling site in H_{2}^{+} and raises the important role of the tunneling site in strong-field molecular ionization.

  18. A rare variation of the digastric muscle

    Science.gov (United States)

    KALNIEV, MANOL; KRASTEV, DIMO; KRASTEV, NIKOLAY; VIDINOV, KALIN; VELTCHEV, LUDMIL; APOSTOLOV, ALEXANDER; MILEVA, MILKA

    2013-01-01

    The digastric muscle is composed by two muscle bellies: an anterior and a posterior, joined by an intermediate tendon. This muscle is situated in the anterior region of the neck. The region between the hyoid bone and the mandible is divided by an anterior belly into two triangles: the submandibular situated laterally and the submental triangle which is located medially. We found that the anatomical variations described in the literature relate mainly to the anterior belly and consist of differences in shape and attachment of the muscle. During routine dissection in February 2013 in the section hall of the Department of Anatomy and Histology in Medical University – Sofia we came across a very interesting variation of the digastric muscle. The digastric muscles that presented anatomical variations were photographed using a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 camera, with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens. We found out bilateral variation of the digastric muscle in one cadaver. The anterior bellies were very thin and insert to the hyoid bone. Two anterior bellies connect each other and thus they formed a loop. The anatomical variations observed of our study related only to the anterior belly, as previously described by other authors. It is very important to consider the occurrence of the above mentioned variations in the digastric muscle when surgical procedures are performed on the anterior region of the neck. PMID:26527971

  19. Strong-coupling polaron effect in quantum dots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Kadi; Gu Shiwei

    1993-11-01

    Strong-coupling polaron in a parabolic quantum dot is investigated by the Landau-Pekar variational treatment. The polaron binding energy and the average number of virtual phonons around the electron as a function of the effective confinement length of the quantum dot are obtained in Gaussian function approximation. It is shown that both the polaron binding energy and the average number of virtual phonons around the electron decrease by increasing the effective confinement length. The results indicate that the polaronic effects are more pronounced in quantum dots than those in two-dimensional and three-dimensional cases. (author). 15 refs, 4 figs

  20. Sex hormones in early infancy seem to predict aspects of later language development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaadt, Gesa; Hesse, Volker; Friederici, Angela D

    2015-02-01

    Sex differences in the development of cognitive behavior such as language have long been of great research interest. Lately, researchers have started to associate language function and brain differences with diverse sex hormones (e.g., testosterone/estradiol). However, results concerning the impact of early postnatal sex hormone concentration on the child's later language development are rare. Here, we analyze the impact of testosterone and estradiol in girls and boys as well as their neurophysiological phonemic discrimination at age 5months on language development at age 4years. Interestingly, we found strong positive estradiol and negative testosterone impact on later language performance at age 4years, which was true for both girls and boys. These results demonstrate that postnatal sex hormone surge might be viewed as one factor determining later language development, independent of gender. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Ethylene-auxin interactions regulate lateral root initiation and emergence in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivanchenko, Maria G; Muday, Gloria K; Dubrovsky, Joseph G

    2008-07-01

    Plant root systems display considerable plasticity in response to endogenous and environmental signals. Auxin stimulates pericycle cells within elongating primary roots to enter de novo organogenesis, leading to the establishment of new lateral root meristems. Crosstalk between auxin and ethylene in root elongation has been demonstrated, but interactions between these hormones in root branching are not well characterized. We find that enhanced ethylene synthesis, resulting from the application of low concentrations of the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), promotes the initiation of lateral root primordia. Treatment with higher doses of ACC strongly inhibits the ability of pericycle cells to initiate new lateral root primordia, but promotes the emergence of existing lateral root primordia: behaviour that is also seen in the eto1 mutation. These effects are correlated with decreased pericycle cell length and increased lateral root primordia cell width. When auxin is applied simultaneously with ACC, ACC is unable to prevent the auxin stimulation of lateral root formation in the root tissues formed prior to ACC exposure. However, in root tissues formed after transfer to ACC, in which elongation is reduced, auxin does not rescue the ethylene inhibition of primordia initiation, but instead increases it by several fold. Mutations that block auxin responses, slr1 and arf7 arf19, render initiation of lateral root primordia insensitive to the promoting effect of low ethylene levels, and mutations that inhibit ethylene-stimulated auxin biosynthesis, wei2 and wei7, reduce the inhibitory effect of higher ethylene levels, consistent with ethylene regulating root branching through interactions with auxin.

  2. Indoor positioning using differential Wi-Fi lateration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Retscher, Guenther; Tatschl, Thomas

    2017-12-01

    For Wi-Fi positioning usually location fingerprinting or (tri)lateration are employed whereby the received signal strengths (RSSs) of the surrounding Wi-Fi Access Points (APs) are scanned on the mobile devices and used to perform localization. Within the scope of this study, the position of a mobile user is determined on the basis of lateration. Two new differential approaches are developed and compared to two common models, i.e., the one-slope and multi-wall model, for the conversion of the measured RSS of the Wi-Fi signals into ranges. The two novel methods are termed DWi-Fi as they are derived either from the well-known DGPS or VLBI positioning principles. They make use of a network of reference stations deployed in the area of interest. From continuous RSS observations on these reference stations correction parameters are derived and applied by the user in real-time. This approach leads to a reduced influence of temporal and spatial variations and various propagation effects on the positioning result. In practical use cases conducted in a multi-storey office building with three different smartphones, it is proven that the two DWi-Fi approaches outperform the common models as static positioning yielded to position errors of about 5 m in average under good spatial conditions.

  3. Asymptotic dependence of Gross–Tulub polaron ground-state energy in the strong coupling region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N.I. Kashirina

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The properties of translationally invariant polaron functional have been investigated in the region of strong and extremely strong coupling. It has been shown that the Gross–Tulub polaron functional obtained earlier using the methods of field theory was derived only for the region , where is the Fröhlich constant of the electron-phonon coupling. Various representations of exact and approximate polaron functionals have been considered. Asymptotic dependences of the polaron energy have been obtained using a functional extending the Gross–Tulub functional to the region of extremely strong coupling. The asymptotic dependence of polaron energies for an extremely strong coupling are (for the one-parameter variational function fk, and (for a two-parameter function . It has been shown that the virial theorem 1:3:4 holds for the two-parameter function . Minimization of the approximate functional obtained by expanding the exact Gross–Tulub functional in a series on leads to a quadratic dependence of the polaron energy. This approximation is justified for . For a two-parameter function , the corresponding dependence has the form . However, the use of approximate functionals, in contrast to the strict variational procedure, when the exact polaron functional varies, does not guarantee obtaining the upper limit for the polaron energy.

  4. Recent strong inter-decadal change of Meiyu in 121-year variations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xu Qun

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The strongest change in Meiyu periods in the mid-lower Yangtze Basin (MLY since 1885 occurred in the late 1970s: a stage of weak Meiyu from 1958 to 1978 abruptly transformed into a stage of plentiful Meiyu from 1979 to 1999. The average Meiyu amount of the latter 21 years increased by 66% compared with that of the former 21 years, accompanied by a significant increase in the occurrence of summer floods in the MLY. This change was closely related with the frequent phenomenon of postponed Meiyu ending dates (MED and later onset dates of high summer (ODHS in the MLY. To a considerable degree, this reflects an abrupt change of the summer climate in East China. Further analysis showed that the preceding factors contributing to inter-annual changes in Meiyu in the two 21-year stages delimited above were also very different from each other. The causes of change were associated with the following: China's industrialization has greatly accelerated since the 1970s, accompanied by an increase in atmospheric pollution and a reduction of the solar radiation reaching the ground. The sand area of North China has also expanded due to overgrazing. The enhanced greenhouse effect is manifested in warm winters (especially in February. Meanwhile, the January precipitation of the MLY has for the most part increased, and El Niño events have occurred more frequently since the late 1970s. A correlative scatter diagram consisting of these five factors mentioned above clearly shows that the two stages with opposite Meiyu characteristics are grouped in two contrasting locations with very different environmental (land-atmosphere conditions. It is quite possible that we are now entering a new stage of lesser Meiyu, beginning in 2000.

  5. Magneto-exciton transitions in laterally coupled quantum dots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barticevic, Zdenka; Pacheco, Monica; Duque, Carlos A.; Oliveira, Luiz E.

    2008-03-01

    We present a study of the electronic and optical properties of laterally coupled quantum dots. The excitonic spectra of this system under the effects of an external magnetic field applied perpendicular to the plane of the dots is obtained, with the potential of every individual dot taken as the superposition of a quantum well potential along the axial direction with a lateral parabolic confinement potential, and the coupled two- dot system then modeled by a superposition of the potentials of each dot, with their minima at different positions and truncated at the intersection plane. The wave functions and eigenvalues are obtained in the effective-mass approximation by using an extended variational approach in which the magneto- exciton states are simultaneously obtained [1]. The allowed magneto-exciton transitions are investigated by using circularly polarized radiation in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field. We present results on the excitonic absorption coefficient as a function of the photon energy for different geometric quantum-dot confinement and magnetic-field values. Reference: [1] Z. Barticevic, M. Pacheco, C. A. Duque and L. E. Oliveira, Phys. Rev. B 68, 073312 (2003).

  6. Current issues in ALS epidemiology: Variation of ALS occurrence between populations and physical activity as a risk factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luna, J; Logroscino, G; Couratier, P; Marin, B

    2017-05-01

    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare neurodegenerative disease with a fatal outcome. This review aims to report key epidemiological features of ALS in relation to the hypothesis of variation between populations, to summarize environmental hypothesis and to highlight current issues that deserve much considerations. Epidemiological ALS studies have shown a variation of incidence, mortality and prevalence between geographical areas and different populations. These data could support the notion that genetic factors, especially populations' ancestries, along with environmental and lifestyle factors, play a significant role in the occurrence of the disease. To date, there is no strong evidence to confirm an association between a particular environmental factor and ALS. Physical activity (PA) has been extensively evaluated. Recent studies support with the best evidence level that PA in general population is not a risk factor for ALS. However, further research is needed to clarify the association of PA in some occupations and some athletic activities. Epidemiological research based on multicenter international collaboration is essential to provide new data on ALS especially in some regions of the world that are to date poorly represented in the ALS literature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  7. Left ventricular filling pressure by septal and lateral E/e' equally predict cardiovascular events in the general population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Joanna Nan; Biering-Sørensen, Tor; Jørgensen, Peter Godsk

    2017-01-01

    /e'lateral were equally strong predictors of cardiac events; in age- and sex-adjusted models they did not differ in AUC (septal: 0.8385, lateral: 0.8389; p = 0.94) or in continuous NRI (p = 0.84). Models using E/e'average did not improve AUC or NRI, and the intra-individual difference between sites had...... no predictive value (p = 0.79). E/e'septal was generally higher than E/e'lateral, thus age- and sex-specific normal values were reported for both sites for a population free of cardiac events during 10 years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Septal and lateral E/e' are equally useful in predicting cardiac events...

  8. Interaction Between Downwelling Flow and the Laterally-Varying Thickness of the North American Lithosphere Inferred from Seismic Anisotropy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behn, M. D.; Conrad, C. P.; Silver, P. G.

    2005-12-01

    Shear flow in the asthenosphere tends to align olivine crystals in the direction of shear, producing a seismically anisotropic asthenosphere that can be detected using a number of seismic techniques (e.g., shear-wave splitting (SWS) and surface waves). In the ocean basins, where the asthenosphere has a relatively uniform thickness and lithospheric anisotropy appears to be small, observed azimuthal anisotropy is well fit by asthenospheric shear flow in global flow models driven by a combination of plate motions and mantle density heterogeneity. In contrast, beneath the continents both the lithospheric ceiling and asthenospheric thickness may vary considerably across cratonic regions and ocean-continent boundaries. To examine the influence of a continental lithosphere with variable thickness on predictions of continental seismic anisotropy, we impose lateral variations in lithospheric viscosity in global models of mantle flow driven by plate motions and mantle density heterogeneity. For the North American continent, the Farallon slab descends beneath a deep cratonic root, producing downwelling flow in the upper mantle and convergent flow beneath the cratonic lithosphere. We evaluate both the orientation of the predicted azimuthal anisotropy and the depth dependence of radial anisotropy for this downwelling flow and find that the inclusion of a strong continental root provides an improved fit to observed SWS observations beneath the North American craton. Thus, we hypothesize that at least some continental anisotropy is associated with sub-lithospheric viscous shear, although fossil anisotropy in the lithospheric layer may also contribute significantly. Although we do not observe significant variations in the direction of predicted anisotropy with depth, we do find that the inclusion of deep continental roots pushes the depth of the anisotropy layer deeper into the upper mantle. We test several different models of laterally-varying lithosphere and asthenosphere

  9. First-episode types in bipolar disorder: predictive associations with later illness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldessarini, R J; Tondo, L; Visioli, C

    2014-05-01

    Characteristics of initial illness in bipolar disorder (BD) may predict later morbidity. We reviewed computerized clinical records and life charts of DSM-IV-TR BD-I or BD-II patients at affiliated mood-disorder centers to ascertain relationships of initial major illnesses to later morbidity and other clinical characteristics. Adult BD patient-subjects (N=1081; 59.8% BD-I; 58.1% women; 43% ever hospitalized) were followed 15.7±12.8 years after onsets ranking: depression (59%)>mania (13%)>psychosis (8.0%)≥anxiety (7.6%)≥hypomania (6.7%)>mixed states (5.5%). Onset types differed in clinical characteristics and strongly predicted later morbidity. By initial episode types, total time-ill ranked: mania≥hypomania≥mixed-states≥psychosis>depression>anxiety. Depression was most prevalent long-term, overall; its ratio to mania-like illness (D/M, by per cent-time-ill) ranked by onset type: anxiety (4.75)>depression (3.27)>mixed states (1.39)>others (allanxiety (38.8%), depression (30.8%), or mixed onsets (13.3%); both were predicted by initial mania depression sequences. First-lifetime illnesses and cycles predicted later morbidity patterns among BD patients, indicating value of early morbidity for prognosis and long-term planning. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Lateralized eye use towards video stimuli in bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Frohnwieser

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Lateralized eye use is thought to increase brain efficiency, as the two hemispheres process different information perceived by the eyes. It has been observed in a wide variety of vertebrate species and, in general, information about conspecifics appears to elicit a left eye preference whilst information about prey elicits the opposite. In reptiles, this phenomenon has only been investigated using live conspecifics in agonistic contexts, and so it is not clear whether it can be found when using video stimuli. Here, bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps were presented with videos of female conspecifics and prey that either moved or were stationary, along with a control video of an empty background. Females exhibited a left eye bias towards conspecifics but males did not; however, both sexes looked at conspecifics significantly longer than prey. Further, animals used their left eye significantly longer when viewing moving stimuli of both categories. These results suggest that, in lizards, lateralized eye use when viewing conspecifics may be controlled by sex, and strongly influenced by stimulus movement. This study, therefore, provides important insights into the role of lateralized processing in lizard perception, and sets the scene for future work investigating the role of sex on perception of conspecifics and the role of motion in lateralized eye use.

  11. Lateralization for visual processes: eye preference in Campbell's monkeys (Cercopithecus c. campbelli).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapelain, Amandine S; Blois-Heulin, Catherine

    2009-01-01

    Brain lateralization has been the matter of extensive research over the last centuries, but it remains an unsolved issue. While hand preferences have been extensively studied, very few studies have investigated laterality of eye use in non-human primates. We examined eye preference in 14 Campbell's monkeys (Cercopithecus c. campbelli). We assessed eye preference to look at a seed placed inside a tube using monocular vision. Eye use was recorded for 100 independent and non-rewarded trials per individual. All of the 14 monkeys showed very strong preferences in the choice of the eye used to look inside the tube (mean preference: 97.6%). Eight subjects preferred the right eye and six subjects preferred the left eye. The results are discussed in light of previous data on eye preference in primates, and compared to data on hand preference from these subjects. Our findings would support the hypothesis for an early emergence of lateralization for perceptual processes compared to manual motor functions.

  12. Latitudinal and longitudinal variation in aerosol characteristics from ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The physical and chemical properties of aerosols are strong ... Keywords. Aerosol optical characteristics; latitudinal and longitudinal variations; Bay of Bengal; Arabian Sea; pre- ...... of global sources of atmospheric soil dust identified with the ...

  13. Crop physiological analysis of seed quality variation in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Muasya, R.M.

    2001-01-01

    <strong>

    Keywords> : Physiological maturity, harvest maturity, earliness, common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., morphological markers, variation, moisture content, dry weight, viability, vigour, electrical conductivity, tetrazolium, seed lot, seed

  14. Variable electronic properties of lateral phosphorene-graphene heterostructures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Xiaoqing; Liu, Lin; Du, Yu; Gu, Juan; Xu, Jian-Bin; Yakobson, Boris I

    2015-12-21

    Phosphorene and graphene have a tiny lattice mismatch along the armchair direction, which can result in an atomically sharp in-plane interface. The electronic properties of the lateral heterostructures of phosphorene/graphene are investigated by the first-principles method. Here, we demonstrate that the electronic properties of this type of heterostructure can be highly tunable by the quantum size effects and the externally applied electric field (Eext). At strong Eext, Dirac Fermions can be developed with Fermi velocities around one order smaller than that of graphene. Undoped and hydrogen doped configurations demonstrate three drastically different electronic phases, which reveal the strongly tunable potential of this type of heterostructure. Graphene is a naturally better electrode for phosphorene. The transport properties of two-probe devices of graphene/phosphorene/graphene exhibit tunnelling transport characteristics. Given these results, it is expected that in-plane heterostructures of phosphorene/graphene will present abundant opportunities for applications in optoelectronic and electronic devices.

  15. Lateral prefrontal cortex is organized into parallel dorsal and ventral streams along the rostro-caudal axis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blumenfeld, Robert S; Nomura, Emi M; Gratton, Caterina; D'Esposito, Mark

    2013-10-01

    Anatomical connectivity differences between the dorsal and ventral lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the non-human primate strongly suggests that these regions support different functions. However, after years of study, it remains unclear whether these regions are functionally distinct. In contrast, there has been a groundswell of recent studies providing evidence for a rostro-caudal functional organization, along the lateral as well as dorsomedial frontal cortex. Thus, it is not known whether dorsal and ventral regions of lateral PFC form distinct functional networks and how to reconcile any dorso-ventral organization with the medio-lateral and rostro-caudal axes. Here, we used resting-state connectivity data to identify parallel dorsolateral and ventrolateral streams of intrinsic connectivity with the dorsomedial frontal cortex. Moreover, we show that this connectivity follows a rostro-caudal gradient. Our results provide evidence for a novel framework for the intrinsic organization of the frontal cortex that incorporates connections between medio-lateral, dorso-ventral, and rostro-caudal axes.

  16. Lateral Casimir-Polder forces by breaking time-reversal symmetry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oude Weernink, Ricardo R. Q. P. T.; Barcellona, Pablo; Buhmann, Stefan Yoshi

    2018-03-01

    We examine the lateral Casimir-Polder force acting on a circular rotating emitter near a dielectric plane surface. As the circular motion breaks time-reversal symmetry, the spontaneous emission in a direction parallel to the surface is in general anisotropic. We show that a lateral force arises which can be interpreted as a recoil force because of this asymmetric emission. The force is an oscillating function of the distance between the emitter and the surface, and the lossy character of the dielectric strongly influences the results in the near-field regime. The force exhibits also a population-induced dynamics, decaying exponentially with respect to time on time scales of the inverse of the spontaneous decay rate. We propose that this effect could be detected measuring the velocity acquired by the emitter, following different cycles of excitation and spontaneous decay. Our results are expressed in terms of the Green's tensor and can therefore easily be applied to more complex geometries.

  17. [Brain lateralization and seizure semiology: ictal clinical lateralizing signs].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horváth, Réka; Kalmár, Zsuzsanna; Fehér, Nóra; Fogarasi, András; Gyimesi, Csilla; Janszky, József

    2008-07-30

    Clinical lateralizing signs are the phenomena which can unequivocally refer to the hemispheric onset of epileptic seizures. They can improve the localization of epileptogenic zone during presurgical evaluation, moreover, their presence can predict a success of surgical treatment. Primary sensory phenomena such as visual aura in one half of the field of vision or unilateral ictal somatosensory sensation always appear on the contralateral to the focus. Periictal unilateral headache, although it is an infrequent symptom, is usually an ipsilateral sign. Primary motor phenomena like epileptic clonic, tonic movements, the version of head ubiquitously appear contralateral to the epileptogenic zone. Very useful lateralization sign is the ictal hand-dystonia which lateralizes to the contralateral hemisphere in nearly 100%. The last clonus of the secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizure lateralizes to the ipsilateral hemisphere in 85%. The fast component of ictal nystagmus appears in nearly 100% on the contralateral side of the epileptic focus. Vegetative symptoms during seizures arising from temporal lobe such as spitting, nausea, vomiting, urinary urge are typical for seizures originating from non-dominant (right) hemisphere. Ictal pallor and cold shivers are dominant hemispheric lateralization signs. Postictal unilateral nose wiping refers to the ipsilateral hemispheric focus compared to the wiping hand. Ictal or postictal aphasia refers to seizure arising from dominant hemisphere. Intelligable speech during complex partial seizures appears in non-dominant seizures. Automatism with preserved consciousness refers to the seizures of non-dominant temporal lobe.

  18. Tyre-road friction coefficient estimation based on tyre sensors and lateral tyre deflection: modelling, simulations and experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Sanghyun; Erdogan, Gurkan; Hedrick, Karl; Borrelli, Francesco

    2013-05-01

    The estimation of the tyre-road friction coefficient is fundamental for vehicle control systems. Tyre sensors enable the friction coefficient estimation based on signals extracted directly from tyres. This paper presents a tyre-road friction coefficient estimation algorithm based on tyre lateral deflection obtained from lateral acceleration. The lateral acceleration is measured by wireless three-dimensional accelerometers embedded inside the tyres. The proposed algorithm first determines the contact patch using a radial acceleration profile. Then, the portion of the lateral acceleration profile, only inside the tyre-road contact patch, is used to estimate the friction coefficient through a tyre brush model and a simple tyre model. The proposed strategy accounts for orientation-variation of accelerometer body frame during tyre rotation. The effectiveness and performance of the algorithm are demonstrated through finite element model simulations and experimental tests with small tyre slip angles on different road surface conditions.

  19. Population genomic analysis suggests strong influence of river network on spatial distribution of genetic variation in invasive saltcedar across the southwestern United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Soo-Rang; Jo, Yeong-Seok; Park, Chan-Ho; Friedman, Jonathan M.; Olson, Matthew S.

    2018-01-01

    Understanding the complex influences of landscape and anthropogenic elements that shape the population genetic structure of invasive species provides insight into patterns of colonization and spread. The application of landscape genomics techniques to these questions may offer detailed, previously undocumented insights into factors influencing species invasions. We investigated the spatial pattern of genetic variation and the influences of landscape factors on population similarity in an invasive riparian shrub, saltcedar (Tamarix L.) by analysing 1,997 genomewide SNP markers for 259 individuals from 25 populations collected throughout the southwestern United States. Our results revealed a broad-scale spatial genetic differentiation of saltcedar populations between the Colorado and Rio Grande river basins and identified potential barriers to population similarity along both river systems. River pathways most strongly contributed to population similarity. In contrast, low temperature and dams likely served as barriers to population similarity. We hypothesize that large-scale geographic patterns in genetic diversity resulted from a combination of early introductions from distinct populations, the subsequent influence of natural selection, dispersal barriers and founder effects during range expansion.

  20. Yolk testosterone affects growth and promotes individual-level consistency in behavioral lateralization of yellow-legged gull chicks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Possenti, Cristina Daniela; Romano, Andrea; Caprioli, Manuela; Rubolini, Diego; Spiezio, Caterina; Saino, Nicola; Parolini, Marco

    2016-04-01

    Behavioral lateralization is common in animals and may be expressed at the individual- and at the population-level. The ontogenetic processes that control lateralization, however, are largely unknown. Well-established sex-dependence in androgen physiology and sex-dependent variation in lateralization have led to the hypothesis that testosterone (T) has organizational effects on lateralization. The effects of T exposure in early life on lateralization can be efficiently investigated by manipulating T levels in the cleidoic eggs of birds, because the embryo is isolated from maternal and sibling physiological interference, but this approach has been adopted very rarely. In the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) we increased yolk T concentration within the physiological limits and tested the effects on the direction of lateralization in two functionally fundamental behaviors (begging for parental care and escape to cover) of molecularly sexed hatchlings. We also speculated that T may intervene in regulating consistency, rather than direction of lateralization, and therefore tested if T affected the 'repeatability' of lateral preference in consecutive behavioral trials. T treatment had no effect on the direction of lateralization, but enhanced the consistency of lateral preference in escape responses. Sex did not predict lateralization. Neither behavior was lateralized at the population-level. We therefore showed for the first time in any species an effect of egg T on consistency in lateralization. The implications of the effect of T for the evolution of trade-offs in maternal allocation of egg hormones, and the evolutionary interpretations of findings from our studies on lateralization among unmanipulated birds are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. MR imaging assessment of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle: prevalence of segmental anomalous origins in children and young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hee Kyung; Laor, Tal; Racadio, Judy M

    2008-12-01

    Variations in the lower extremity musculature have been identified, including an anomalous origin of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. Anomalies of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle (LGN) have been less frequently described, especially in children. To describe the MR imaging appearance, frequency and clinical symptoms associated with anatomic variations of the LGN in children and young adults. A retrospective review of 465 knee MR imaging examinations was performed. The site of origin of the LGN was identified as either normal, lateral segmental anomalous origin (LSAO), or medial accessory anomalous origin (MAAO). The clinical indication for imaging was recorded. An anatomic variation of the LGN was identified in 16 patients (3.4%). Nine patients had LSAO, and five of these had symptoms referable to or abnormalities of the patella. Seven patients had MAAO, and three of these had chronic nontraumatic knee pain. Anatomic variations of the LGN are not rare in young patients, occurring with a frequency of 3.4% in our series. It is unknown whether these anomalies play a role in the etiology of patellofemoral pain or unexplained joint pain in children.

  2. MR imaging assessment of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle: prevalence of segmental anomalous origins in children and young adults

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Hee Kyung; Laor, Tal; Racadio, Judy M.

    2008-01-01

    Variations in the lower extremity musculature have been identified, including an anomalous origin of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. Anomalies of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle (LGN) have been less frequently described, especially in children. To describe the MR imaging appearance, frequency and clinical symptoms associated with anatomic variations of the LGN in children and young adults. A retrospective review of 465 knee MR imaging examinations was performed. The site of origin of the LGN was identified as either normal, lateral segmental anomalous origin (LSAO), or medial accessory anomalous origin (MAAO). The clinical indication for imaging was recorded. An anatomic variation of the LGN was identified in 16 patients (3.4%). Nine patients had LSAO, and five of these had symptoms referable to or abnormalities of the patella. Seven patients had MAAO, and three of these had chronic nontraumatic knee pain. Anatomic variations of the LGN are not rare in young patients, occurring with a frequency of 3.4% in our series. It is unknown whether these anomalies play a role in the etiology of patellofemoral pain or unexplained joint pain in children. (orig.)

  3. MR imaging assessment of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle: prevalence of segmental anomalous origins in children and young adults

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Hee Kyung; Laor, Tal; Racadio, Judy M. [Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati, OH (United States)

    2008-12-15

    Variations in the lower extremity musculature have been identified, including an anomalous origin of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. Anomalies of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle (LGN) have been less frequently described, especially in children. To describe the MR imaging appearance, frequency and clinical symptoms associated with anatomic variations of the LGN in children and young adults. A retrospective review of 465 knee MR imaging examinations was performed. The site of origin of the LGN was identified as either normal, lateral segmental anomalous origin (LSAO), or medial accessory anomalous origin (MAAO). The clinical indication for imaging was recorded. An anatomic variation of the LGN was identified in 16 patients (3.4%). Nine patients had LSAO, and five of these had symptoms referable to or abnormalities of the patella. Seven patients had MAAO, and three of these had chronic nontraumatic knee pain. Anatomic variations of the LGN are not rare in young patients, occurring with a frequency of 3.4% in our series. It is unknown whether these anomalies play a role in the etiology of patellofemoral pain or unexplained joint pain in children. (orig.)

  4. Causes and significance of variation in mammalian basal metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raichlen, David A; Gordon, Adam D; Muchlinski, Magdalena N; Snodgrass, J Josh

    2010-02-01

    Mammalian basal metabolic rates (BMR) increase with body mass, whichs explains approximately 95% of the variation in BMR. However, at a given mass, there remains a large amount of variation in BMR. While many researchers suggest that the overall scaling of BMR with body mass is due to physiological constraints, variation at a given body mass may provide clues as to how selection acts on BMR. Here, we examine this variation in BMR in a broad sample of mammals and we test the hypothesis that, across mammals, body composition explains differences in BMR at a given body mass. Variation in BMR is strongly correlated with variation in muscle mass, and both of these variables are correlated with latitude and ambient temperature. These results suggest that selection alters BMR in response to thermoregulatory pressures, and that selection uses muscle mass as a means to generate this variation.

  5. Survival-variation within and between functional categories of the African multimammate rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Julliard, Romain; Leirs, Herwig; Stenseth, Nils Chr.

    1999-01-01

    in the population immediately after their first capture; (iv) subadults survival in later months is, however, positively related to density; and (v) adult survival shows negative density-dependence. 3. Both density-dependent and density-independent factors simultaneously determine stage-dependent survival variation...

  6. Laterality and Lateralization in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Using a Standardized Neuro-Psychomotor Assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paquet, A; Golse, B; Girard, M; Olliac, B; Vaivre-Douret, L

    2017-01-01

    A detailed assessment of laterality in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was realized, including handedness and other measures (muscle tone, manual performance, dominant eye), using a standardized battery for the developmental assessment of neuro-psychomotor functions. The results of the laterality tests relating to cerebral hemisphere organization (spontaneous gestural laterality and tonic laterality) were different in ASD children, and indicate that the cerebral organization could be disrupted. These assessments, added to the observations of usual laterality most often reported in the literature, provide better understanding of the developmental organization from the pathophysiological point of view in children with ASD.

  7. Modeling and control of lateral vibration of an axially translating flexible link

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shin, Heon Seop; Rhim, Sung Soo [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-01-15

    Manipulators used for the transportation of large panel-shape payloads often adopt long and slender links (or forks) with translational joins to carry the payloads. As the size of the payload increases, the length of the links also increases to hold the payload securely. The increased length of the link inevitably amplifies the effect of the flexure in the link. Intuitively, the translational motion of the link in its longitudinal direction should have no effect on the lateral vibration of the link because of the orthogonality between the direction of the translational motion and the lateral vibration. If, however, the link was flexible and translated horizontally (perpendicular to the gravitational field) the asymmetric deflection of the link caused by gravity would break the orthogonality between the two directions, and the longitudinal motion of the link would excite lateral motion in the link. In this paper, the lateral oscillatory motion of the flexible link in a large-scale solar cell panel handling robot is investigated where the links carry the panel in its longitudinal direction. The Newtonian approach in conjunction with the assumed modes method is used for derivation of the equation of motion for the flexible forks where non-zero control force is applied at the base of the link. The analysis illustrates the effect of longitudinal motion on the lateral vibration and dynamic stiffening effect (variation of the natural frequency) of the link due to the translational velocity. Lateral vibration behavior is simulated using the derived equations of the motion. A robust vibration control scheme, the input shaping filter technique, is implemented on the model and the effectiveness of the scheme is verified numerically.

  8. Modeling and control of lateral vibration of an axially translating flexible link

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, Heon Seop; Rhim, Sung Soo

    2015-01-01

    Manipulators used for the transportation of large panel-shape payloads often adopt long and slender links (or forks) with translational joins to carry the payloads. As the size of the payload increases, the length of the links also increases to hold the payload securely. The increased length of the link inevitably amplifies the effect of the flexure in the link. Intuitively, the translational motion of the link in its longitudinal direction should have no effect on the lateral vibration of the link because of the orthogonality between the direction of the translational motion and the lateral vibration. If, however, the link was flexible and translated horizontally (perpendicular to the gravitational field) the asymmetric deflection of the link caused by gravity would break the orthogonality between the two directions, and the longitudinal motion of the link would excite lateral motion in the link. In this paper, the lateral oscillatory motion of the flexible link in a large-scale solar cell panel handling robot is investigated where the links carry the panel in its longitudinal direction. The Newtonian approach in conjunction with the assumed modes method is used for derivation of the equation of motion for the flexible forks where non-zero control force is applied at the base of the link. The analysis illustrates the effect of longitudinal motion on the lateral vibration and dynamic stiffening effect (variation of the natural frequency) of the link due to the translational velocity. Lateral vibration behavior is simulated using the derived equations of the motion. A robust vibration control scheme, the input shaping filter technique, is implemented on the model and the effectiveness of the scheme is verified numerically.

  9. The lateralization of intrinsic networks in the aging brain implicates the effects of cognitive training

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng eLuo

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Lateralization of function is an important organization of human brain. The distribution of intrinsic networks in the resting brain is strongly related to the cognitive function, gender and age. In this study, the longitudinal design with one year duration was used to evaluate the cognitive training effects on the lateralization of intrinsic networks among healthy older adults. The subjects were divided into two groups randomly: one with multi-domain cognitive training in three month, the other as a wait-list control group. Resting state fMRI data were acquired before training and one year after training. We analyzed the functional lateralization in ten common resting state fMRI networks. We observed statically significant training effects on the lateralization of two important RSNs related to high-level cognition: right- and left- frontoparietal networks. Especially, the lateralization of left-frontoparietal network were retained well in training group, but decreased in control group. The increased lateralization with aging was observed on the cerebellum network, in which the lateralization was significantly increased in control group although the same change tendency was observed in training group. These findings indicate that the lateralization of the high-level cognitive intrinsic networks is sensitive to the multi-domain cognitive training. This study provides a neuroimaging evidence to support that the cognitive training should have advantages to the cognitive decline in healthy older adults.

  10. Lateral stress-induced propagation characteristics in photonic crystal fibres

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Tian Hong-Da; Yu Zhong-Yuan; Han Li-Hong; Liu Yu-Min

    2009-01-01

    Using the finite element method, this paper investigates lateral stress-induced propagation characteristics in a pho-tonic crystal fibre of hexagonal symmetry. The results of simulation show the strong stress dependence of effective index of the fundamental guided mode, phase modal birefringence and confinement loss. It also finds that the contribution of the geometrical effect that is related only to deformation of the photonic crystal fibre and the stress-related contribution to phase modal birefringence and confinement loss are entirely different. Furthermore, polarization-dependent stress sensitivity of confinement loss is proposed in this paper.

  11. Charging dynamics and strong localization of a two-dimensional electron cloud

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dianoux, R; Smilde, H J H; Marchi, F; Buffet, N; Mur, P; Comin, F; Chevrier, J

    2007-01-01

    The dynamics of charge injection in silicon nanocrystals embedded in a silicon dioxide matrix is studied using electrostatic force microscopy. We show that the presence of silicon nanocrystals with a density of 10 11 cm -2 is essential for strong localization of charges, and results in exceptional charge retention properties compared to nanocrystal-free SiO 2 samples. In both systems, a logarithmic dependence of the diameter of the charged area on the injection time is experimentally observed on a timescale between 0.1 and 10 s (voltage≤10 V). A field-emission injection, limited by Coulomb blockade and a lateral charge spreading due to a repulsive radial electric field are used to model the sample charging. Once the tip is retracted, the electron cloud is strongly confined in the nanocrystals and remains static

  12. Intra-continental subduction and contemporaneous lateral extrusion of the upper plate: insights into Alps-Adria interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Gelder, Inge; Willingshofer, Ernst; Sokoutis, Dimitrios; Cloetingh, Sierd

    2017-04-01

    A series of physical analogue experiments were performed to simulate intra-continental subduction contemporaneous with lateral extrusion of the upper plate to study the interferences between these two processes at crustal levels and in the lithospheric mantle. The lithospheric-scale models are specifically designed to represent the collision of the Adriatic microplate with the Eastern Alps, simulated by an intra-continental weak zone to initiate subduction and a weak confined margin perpendicular to the direction of convergence in order to allow for extrusion of the lithosphere. The weak confined margin is the analog for the opening of the Pannonian back-arc basin adjacent to the Eastern Alps with the direction of extension perpendicular to the strike of the orogen. The models show that intra-continental subduction and coeval lateral extrusion of the upper plate are compatible processes. The obtained deformation structures within the extruding region are similar compared to the classical setup where lateral extrusion is provoked by lithosphere-scale indentation. In the models a strong coupling across the subduction boundary allows for the transfer of abundant stresses to the upper plate, leading to laterally varying strain regimes that are characterized by crustal thickening near a confined margin and dominated by lateral displacement of material near a weak lateral confinement. During ongoing convergence the strain regimes propagate laterally, thereby creating an area of overlap characterized by transpression. In models with oblique subduction, with respect to the convergence direction, less deformation of the upper plate is observed and as a consequence the amount of lateral extrusion decreases. Additionally, strain is partitioned along the oblique plate boundary leading to less subduction in expense of right lateral displacement close to the weak lateral confinement. Both oblique and orthogonal subduction models have a strong resemblance to lateral extrusion

  13. Sensitivity analysis of uranium solubility under strongly oxidizing conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, L.; Neretnieks, I.

    1999-01-01

    To evaluate the effect of geochemical conditions in the repository on the solubility of uranium under strongly oxidizing conditions, a mathematical model has been developed to determine the solubility, by utilizing a set of nonlinear algebraic equations to describe the chemical equilibria in the groundwater environment. The model takes into account the predominant precipitation-dissolution reactions, hydrolysis reactions and complexation reactions that may occur under strongly oxidizing conditions. The model also includes the solubility-limiting solids induced by the presence of carbonate, phosphate, silicate, calcium, and sodium in the groundwater. The thermodynamic equilibrium constants used in the solubility calculations are essentially taken from the NEA Thermochemical Data Base of Uranium, with some modification and some uranium minerals added, such as soddyite, rutherfordite, uranophane, uranyl orthophosphate, and becquerelite. By applying this model, the sensitivities of uranium solubility to variations in the concentrations of various groundwater component species are systematically investigated. The results show that the total analytical concentrations of carbonate, phosphate, silicate, and calcium in deep groundwater play the most important role in determining the solubility of uranium under strongly oxidizing conditions

  14. LATERAL SURVIVAL: AN OT ACCOUNT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moira Yip

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available When laterals are the targets of phonological processes, laterality may or may not survive. In a fixed feature geometry, [lateral] should be lost if its superordinate node is eliminated by either the spreading of a neighbouring node, or by coda neutralization. So if [lateral] is under Coronal (Blevins 1994, it should be lost under Place assimilation, and if [lateral] is under Sonorant Voicing (Rice & Avery 1991 it should be lost by rules that spread voicing. Yet in some languages lateral survives such spreading intact. Facts like these argue against a universal attachment of [lateral] under either Coronal or Sonorant Voicing, and in favour of an account in terms of markedness constraints on feature-co-occurrence (Padgett 2000. The core of an OT account is that IFIDENTLAT is ranked above whatever causes neutralization, such as SHARE-F or *CODAF. laterality will survive. If these rankings are reversed, we derive languages in which laterality is lost. The other significant factor is markedness. High-ranked feature co-occurrence constraints like *LATDORSAL can block spreading from affecting laterals at all.

  15. Optical processing of holographic lateral shear interferograms recorded by displacing an object

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lyalikov, A M

    2008-01-01

    A new approach is considered which is used in holographic lateral shear interferometry and allows the combination of the displacement of a phase object under study during the recording of holographic interferograms with the optical processing of displaced and optically conjugate holographic interferograms. Depending on the method of optical processing of such a pair of holographic interferograms, several aberration-free interference patterns are observed, which reflect with different sensitivities variations in the light wave phase caused by the phase object. Due to the lateral shear, which is equal to or exceeds the linear size of the object, the interference patterns of the object are identical to interference patterns obtained in a two-beam, reference-wave interferometer. The possibility of using this method to control optical inhomogeneities in active crystals in solid-state lasers is studied experimentally. (interferometry)

  16. Prostate Contouring Variation: Can It Be Fixed?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khoo, Eric L.H.; Schick, Karlissa; Plank, Ashley W.; Poulsen, Michael; Wong, Winnie W.G.; Middleton, Mark; Martin, Jarad M.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To assess whether an education program on CT and MRI prostate anatomy would reduce inter- and intraobserver prostate contouring variation among experienced radiation oncologists. Methods and Materials: Three patient CT and MRI datasets were selected. Five radiation oncologists contoured the prostate for each patient on CT first, then MRI, and again between 2 and 4 weeks later. Three education sessions were then conducted. The same contouring process was then repeated with the same datasets and oncologists. The observer variation was assessed according to changes in the ratio of the encompassing volume to intersecting volume (volume ratio [VR]), across sets of target volumes. Results: For interobserver variation, there was a 15% reduction in mean VR with CT, from 2.74 to 2.33, and a 40% reduction in mean VR with MRI, from 2.38 to 1.41 after education. A similar trend was found for intraobserver variation, with a mean VR reduction for CT and MRI of 9% (from 1.51 to 1.38) and 16% (from 1.37 to 1.15), respectively. Conclusion: A well-structured education program has reduced both inter- and intraobserver prostate contouring variations. The impact was greater on MRI than on CT. With the ongoing incorporation of new technologies into routine practice, education programs for target contouring should be incorporated as part of the continuing medical education of radiation oncologists.

  17. Multistep Hybrid Extragradient Method for Triple Hierarchical Variational Inequalities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhao-Rong Kong

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We consider a triple hierarchical variational inequality problem (THVIP, that is, a variational inequality problem defined over the set of solutions of another variational inequality problem which is defined over the intersection of the fixed point set of a strict pseudocontractive mapping and the solution set of the classical variational inequality problem. Moreover, we propose a multistep hybrid extragradient method to compute the approximate solutions of the THVIP and present the convergence analysis of the sequence generated by the proposed method. We also derive a solution method for solving a system of hierarchical variational inequalities (SHVI, that is, a system of variational inequalities defined over the intersection of the fixed point set of a strict pseudocontractive mapping and the solution set of the classical variational inequality problem. Under very mild conditions, it is proven that the sequence generated by the proposed method converges strongly to a unique solution of the SHVI.

  18. Quantitative assessment of contact and non-contact lateral force calibration methods for atomic force microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tran Khac, Bien Cuong; Chung, Koo-Hyun, E-mail: khchung@ulsan.ac.kr

    2016-02-15

    Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has been widely used for measuring friction force at the nano-scale. However, one of the key challenges faced by AFM researchers is to calibrate an AFM system to interpret a lateral force signal as a quantifiable force. In this study, five rectangular cantilevers were used to quantitatively compare three different lateral force calibration methods to demonstrate the legitimacy and to establish confidence in the quantitative integrity of the proposed methods. The Flat-Wedge method is based on a variation of the lateral output on a surface with flat and changing slopes, the Multi-Load Pivot method is based on taking pivot measurements at several locations along the cantilever length, and the Lateral AFM Thermal-Sader method is based on determining the optical lever sensitivity from the thermal noise spectrum of the first torsional mode with a known torsional spring constant from the Sader method. The results of the calibration using the Flat-Wedge and Multi-Load Pivot methods were found to be consistent within experimental uncertainties, and the experimental uncertainties of the two methods were found to be less than 15%. However, the lateral force sensitivity determined by the Lateral AFM Thermal-Sader method was found to be 8–29% smaller than those obtained from the other two methods. This discrepancy decreased to 3–19% when the torsional mode correction factor for an ideal cantilever was used, which suggests that the torsional mode correction should be taken into account to establish confidence in Lateral AFM Thermal-Sader method. - Highlights: • Quantitative assessment of three lateral force calibration methods for AFM. • Advantages and disadvantages of three different lateral force calibration method. • Implementation of Multi-Load Pivot method as non-contact calibration technique. • The torsional mode correction for Lateral AFM Thermal-Sader method.

  19. Quantitative assessment of contact and non-contact lateral force calibration methods for atomic force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tran Khac, Bien Cuong; Chung, Koo-Hyun

    2016-01-01

    Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has been widely used for measuring friction force at the nano-scale. However, one of the key challenges faced by AFM researchers is to calibrate an AFM system to interpret a lateral force signal as a quantifiable force. In this study, five rectangular cantilevers were used to quantitatively compare three different lateral force calibration methods to demonstrate the legitimacy and to establish confidence in the quantitative integrity of the proposed methods. The Flat-Wedge method is based on a variation of the lateral output on a surface with flat and changing slopes, the Multi-Load Pivot method is based on taking pivot measurements at several locations along the cantilever length, and the Lateral AFM Thermal-Sader method is based on determining the optical lever sensitivity from the thermal noise spectrum of the first torsional mode with a known torsional spring constant from the Sader method. The results of the calibration using the Flat-Wedge and Multi-Load Pivot methods were found to be consistent within experimental uncertainties, and the experimental uncertainties of the two methods were found to be less than 15%. However, the lateral force sensitivity determined by the Lateral AFM Thermal-Sader method was found to be 8–29% smaller than those obtained from the other two methods. This discrepancy decreased to 3–19% when the torsional mode correction factor for an ideal cantilever was used, which suggests that the torsional mode correction should be taken into account to establish confidence in Lateral AFM Thermal-Sader method. - Highlights: • Quantitative assessment of three lateral force calibration methods for AFM. • Advantages and disadvantages of three different lateral force calibration method. • Implementation of Multi-Load Pivot method as non-contact calibration technique. • The torsional mode correction for Lateral AFM Thermal-Sader method.

  20. Usefulness of a Lateral Thoracodorsal Flap after Breast Conserving Surgery in Laterally Located Breast Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jung Dug Yang

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundBreast-conserving surgery is widely accepted as an appropriate method in breast cancer, and the lateral thoracodorsal flap provides a simple, reliable technique, especially when a mass is located in the lateral breast. This study describes the usefulness of a lateral thoracodorsal flap after breast conserving surgery in laterally located breast cancer.MethodsFrom September 2008 to February 2013, a lateral thoracodorsal flap was used in 20 patients with laterally located breast cancer treated at our institution. The technique involves a local medially based, wedge shaped, fasciocutaneous transposition flap from the lateral region of the thoracic area. Overall satisfaction and aesthetic satisfaction surveys were conducted with the patients during a 6-month postoperative follow-up period. Aesthetic results in terms of breast shape and symmetry were evaluated by plastic surgeons.ResultsThe average specimen weight was 76.8 g. The locations of the masses were the upper lateral quadrant (n=15, the lower lateral quadrant (n=2, and the central lateral area (n=3. Complications developed in four of the cases, partial flap necrosis in one, wound dehiscence in one, and fat necrosis in two. The majority of the patients were satisfied with their cosmetic outcomes.ConclusionsPartial breast reconstruction using a lateral thoracodorsal flap is well matched with breast color and texture, and the surgery is less aggressive than other techniques with few complications. Therefore, the lateral thoracodorsal flap can be a useful, reliable technique in correcting breast deformity after breast conserving surgery, especially in laterally located breast cancer.

  1. Usefulness of a Lateral Thoracodorsal Flap after Breast Conserving Surgery in Laterally Located Breast Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ho Yong Park

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Background Breast-conserving surgery is widely accepted as an appropriate method in breast cancer, and the lateral thoracodorsal flap provides a simple, reliable technique, especially when a mass is located in the lateral breast. This study describes the usefulness of a lateral thoracodorsal flap after breast conserving surgery in laterally located breast cancer.Methods From September 2008 to February 2013, a lateral thoracodorsal flap was used in 20 patients with laterally located breast cancer treated at our institution. The technique involves a local medially based, wedge shaped, fasciocutaneous transposition flap from the lateral region of the thoracic area. Overall satisfaction and aesthetic satisfaction surveys were conducted with the patients during a 6-month postoperative follow-up period. Aesthetic results in terms of breast shape and symmetry were evaluated by plastic surgeons.Results The average specimen weight was 76.8 g. The locations of the masses were the upper lateral quadrant (n=15, the lower lateral quadrant (n=2, and the central lateral area (n=3. Complications developed in four of the cases, partial flap necrosis in one, wound dehiscence in one, and fat necrosis in two. The majority of the patients were satisfied with their cosmetic outcomes.Conclusions Partial breast reconstruction using a lateral thoracodorsal flap is well matched with breast color and texture, and the surgery is less aggressive than other techniques with few complications. Therefore, the lateral thoracodorsal flap can be a useful, reliable technique in correcting breast deformity after breast conserving surgery, especially in laterally located breast cancer.

  2. Charge Diffusion Variations in Pan-STARRS1 CCDs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magnier, Eugene A.; Tonry, J. L.; Finkbeiner, D.; Schlafly, E.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H. A.; Hodapp, K. W.; Kaiser, N.; Kudritzki, R.-P.; Metcalfe, N.; Wainscoat, R. J.; Waters, C. Z.

    2018-06-01

    Thick back-illuminated deep-depletion CCDs have superior quantum efficiency over previous generations of thinned and traditional thick CCDs. As a result, they are being used for wide-field imaging cameras in several major projects. We use observations from the Pan-STARRS 3π survey to characterize the behavior of the deep-depletion devices used in the Pan-STARRS 1 Gigapixel Camera. We have identified systematic spatial variations in the photometric measurements and stellar profiles that are similar in pattern to the so-called “tree rings” identified in devices used by other wide-field cameras (e.g., DECam and Hypersuprime Camera). The tree-ring features identified in these other cameras result from lateral electric fields that displace the electrons as they are transported in the silicon to the pixel location. In contrast, we show that the photometric and morphological modifications observed in the GPC1 detectors are caused by variations in the vertical charge transportation rate and resulting charge diffusion variations.

  3. Lateral epicondylitis and beyond: imaging of lateral elbow pain with clinical-radiologic correlation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kotnis, Nikhil A.; Chiavaras, Mary M.; Harish, Srinivasan

    2012-01-01

    The diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis is often straightforward and can be made on the basis of clinical findings. However, radiological assessment is valuable where the clinical picture is less clear or where symptoms are refractory to treatment. Demographics, aspects of clinical history, or certain physical signs may suggest an alternate diagnosis. Knowledge of the typical clinical presentation and imaging findings of lateral epicondylitis, in addition to other potential causes of lateral elbow pain, is necessary. These include entrapment of the posterior interosseous and lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerves, posterolateral rotatory instability, posterolateral plica syndrome, Panner's disease, osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum, radiocapitellar overload syndrome, occult fractures and chondral-osseous impaction injuries, and radiocapitellar arthritis. Knowledge of these potential masquerades of lateral epicondylitis and their characteristic clinical and imaging features is essential for accurate diagnosis. The goal of this review is to provide an approach to the imaging of lateral elbow pain, discussing the relevant anatomy, various causes, and discriminating factors, which will allow for an accurate diagnosis. (orig.)

  4. The concept of transcortical cell assemblies: a key to the understanding of cortical lateralization and interhemispheric interaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pulvermüller, F; Mohr, B

    1996-01-01

    According to Hebb, elements of higher cognitive processes, such as concepts, words and mental images, are realized in the brain as cortical cell assemblies, i.e. large and strongly connected neuron populations that form functional units. Neurons belonging to such assemblies may be scattered over wide cortical areas, and some cell assemblies may even comprise neurons of both hemispheres (transcortical assemblies). If full activation (ignition) of an assembly leads to fast circulation of neuronal activity in the assembly, this process should be visible in high-frequency cortical responses. Some evidence will be reviewed that cell assembly ignition indeed leads to changes in high-frequency cortical responses which can be recorded in the EEG and MEG. Within the cell assembly-framework, the question of cortical laterality translates into the question of how neurons of transcortical assemblies are balanced between the hemispheres. This approach allows for different degrees of laterality. Recent evidence is summarized that the degree of laterality indeed differs between language units. For example, the cortical representation of certain words appears to be strongly lateralized to the left hemisphere while those of others are less lateralized. If neurons of both hemispheres are part of one assembly bihemispheric processing should lead to a processing advantage compared to processing in the dominant hemisphere alone. The latter appears to be the case for lexical processing, as revealed by recent behavioral studies. In conclusion, the cell assembly-framework suggests a more fine-grained description of the issue of cortical laterality; it is not appropriate to ask whether "modules" supporting higher cortical functions are located either in the left or right hemisphere. Rather, it appears fruitful to ask how the neurons of transcortical cell assemblies are balanced between the hemispheres.

  5. Diurnal changes of earthquake activity and geomagnetic Sq-variations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Duma

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Statistic analyses demonstrate that the probability of earthquake occurrence in many earthquake regions strongly depends on the time of day, that is on Local Time (e.g. Conrad, 1909, 1932; Shimshoni, 1971; Duma, 1997; Duma and Vilardo, 1998. This also applies to strong earthquake activity. Moreover, recent observations reveal an involvement of the regular diurnal variations of the Earth’s magnetic field, commonly known as Sq-variations, in this geodynamic process of changing earthquake activity with the time of day (Duma, 1996, 1999. In the article it is attempted to quantify the forces which result from the interaction between the induced Sq-variation currents in the Earth’s lithosphere and the regional Earth’s magnetic field, in order to assess the influence on the tectonic stress field and on seismic activity. A reliable model is obtained, which indicates a high energy involved in this process. The effect of Sq-induction is compared with the results of the large scale electromagnetic experiment "Khibiny" (Velikhov, 1989, where a giant artificial current loop was activated in the Barents Sea.

  6. Optogenetic Activation of a Lateral Hypothalamic-Ventral Tegmental Drive-Reward Pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gigante, Eduardo D; Benaliouad, Faiza; Zamora-Olivencia, Veronica; Wise, Roy A

    2016-01-01

    Electrical stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus can motivate feeding or can serve as a reward in its own right. It remains unclear whether the same or independent but anatomically overlapping circuitries mediate the two effects. Electrical stimulation findings implicate medial forebrain bundle (MFB) fibers of passage in both effects, and optogenetic studies confirm a contribution from fibers originating in the lateral hypothalamic area and projecting to or through the ventral tegmental area. Here we report that optogenetic activation of ventral tegmental fibers from cells of origin in more anterior or posterior portions of the MFB failed to induce either reward or feeding. The feeding and reward induced by optogenetic activation of fibers from the lateral hypothalamic cells of origin were influenced similarly by variations in stimulation pulse width and pulse frequency, consistent with the hypothesis of a common substrate for the two effects. There were, however, several cases where feeding but not self-stimulation or self-stimulation but not feeding were induced, consistent with the hypothesis that distinct but anatomically overlapping systems mediate the two effects. Thus while optogenetic stimulation provides a more selective tool for characterizing the mechanisms of stimulation-induced feeding and reward, it does not yet resolve the question of common or independent substrates.

  7. A new ‘superassemblage’ model explaining proximal-to-distal and lateral facies changes in fluvial environments, based on the Proterozoic Sanjauli Formation (Lesser Himalaya, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ananya Mukhopadhyay

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Facies analysis of fluvial deposits of the Proterozoic Sanjauli Formation in the Lesser Himalaya was combined with an architectural analysis. On this basis, a model was developed that may be applied to other fluvial systems as well, whether old or recent. The new model, which might be considered as an assemblage of previous models, explains lateral variations in architecture and facies but is not in all respects consistent with the standard fluvial models. The Sanjauli fluvial model is unique in that it deals with lateral facies variations due to shifts of the base-level along with fluctuations in accommodation space owing to changes in palaeoclimate.

  8. Assessment of the hemispheric lateralization of grapheme-color synesthesia with Stroop-type tests.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mathieu J Ruiz

    Full Text Available Grapheme-color synesthesia, the idiosyncratic, arbitrary association of colors to letters or numbers, develops in childhood once reading is mastered. Because language processing is strongly left-lateralized in most individuals, we hypothesized that grapheme-color synesthesia could be left-lateralized as well. We used synesthetic versions of the Stroop test with colored letters and numbers presented either in the right or the left visual field of thirty-four synesthetes. Interference by synesthetic colors was stronger for stimuli in the right hemifield (first experiment, color naming task. Synesthetes were also faster in the right hemifield when naming the synesthetic color of graphemes (second experiment. Overall, the lateralization effect was 7 ms (the 95% confidence interval was [1.5 12] ms, a delay compatible with an additional callosal transfer for stimuli presented in the left hemifield. Though weak, this effect suggests that the association of synesthetic colors to graphemes may be preferentially processed in the left hemisphere. We speculate that this left-lateralization could be a landmark of synesthetic grapheme-color associations, if not found for color associations learnt by non-synesthete adults.

  9. Automated image analysis of lateral lumber X-rays by a form model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahnken, A.H.; Kohnen, M.; Steinberg, S.; Wein, B.B.; Guenther, R.W.

    2001-01-01

    Development of a software for fully automated image analysis of lateral lumbar spine X-rays. Material and method: Using the concept of active shape models, we developed a software that produces a form model of the lumbar spine from lateral lumbar spine radiographs and runs an automated image segmentation. This model is able to detect lumbar vertebrae automatically after the filtering of digitized X-ray images. The model was trained with 20 lateral lumbar spine radiographs with no pathological findings before we evaluated the software with 30 further X-ray images which were sorted by image quality ranging from one (best) to three (worst). There were 10 images for each quality. Results: Image recognition strongly depended on image quality. In group one 52 and in group two 51 out of 60 vertebral bodies including the sacrum were recognized, but in group three only 18 vertebral bodies were properly identified. Conclusion: Fully automated and reliable recognition of vertebral bodies from lateral spine radiographs using the concept of active shape models is possible. The precision of this technique is limited by the superposition of different structures. Further improvements are necessary. Therefore standardized image quality and enlargement of the training data set are required. (orig.) [de

  10. EFFECTIVENESS OF MEDIAL TO LATERAL TAPING WITH EXERCISE PROGRAMME IN SUBJECTS WITH LATERAL EPICONDYLITIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bhavana Dattaram Desai

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Medial to lateral tapping and exercise programme has been found to be effective in Lateral epicondylitis. The purpose to find the combined effect of Medial to lateral tapping with exercise programme for subjects with lateral epicondylitis on pain intensity and functional ability. Method: An experimental study design, selected 40 subjects with Lateral epicondylitis randomized 20 subjects each into Study and Control group. Control group received only exercise programme while study group received combined medial to lateral tapping with exercise programme thrice a week for 4 weeks. Pain intensity was measured using Visual analogue scale and functional ability was measured using Patient Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation questionnaire before and after 4 weeks of treatment. Results: When the post-intervention means were compared between Study and Control group after 4 weeks of treatment found statistically significant difference in the improvement in outcomes measures in means of VAS and PRTEE before and after intervention within the groups. Conclusion: It is concluded that the Medial to lateral tapping with exercise programme is more effective than the exercise programme in reduction of pain and improve functional abilities for subjects with Lateral epicondylitis.

  11. Compressive Strength of Volcanic Ash/Ordinary Portland Cement Laterized Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olusola K. O.

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates the effect of partial replacement of cement with volcanic ash (VA on the compressive strength of laterized concrete. A total of 192 cubes of 150mm dimensions were cast and cured in water for 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of hydration with cement replacement by VA and sand replacement by laterite both ranging from 0 to 30% respectively, while a control mix of 28-day target strength of 25 N/mm2 was adopted. The results show that the density and compressive strength of concrete decreased with increase in volcanic ash content. The 28-day, density dropped from 2390 kg/m3 to 2285 kg/m3 (i.e. 4.4% loss and the compressive strength from 25.08 N/mm2 to 17.98 N/mm2 (i.e. 28% loss for 0-30% variation of VA content with no laterite introduced. The compressive strength also decreased with increase in laterite content; the strength of the laterized concrete however increases as the curing age progresses.

  12. <strong>Anonysense>: privacy-aware people-centric sensingstrong>

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Triandopoulos, Nikolaos; Cornelius, Cory; Kapadia, Apu

    2008-01-01

    applications. For example, users' mobile phones may contribute data to community-oriented information services, from city-wide pollution monitoring to enterprise-wide detection of unauthorized Wi-Fi access points. This people-centric mobile-sensing model introduces a new security challenge in the design...... of mobile systems: protecting the privacy of participants while allowing their devices to reliably contribute high-quality data to these large-scale applications. We describe AnonySense, a privacy-aware architecture for realizing pervasive applications based on collaborative, opportunistic sensing...... by personal mobile devices. AnonySense allows applications to submit sensing tasks that will be distributed across anonymous participating mobile devices, later receiving verified, yet anonymized, sensor data reports back from the field, thus providing the first secure implementation of this participatory...

  13. Morphological variation and habitat modification are strongly correlated for the autogenic ecosystem engineer Spartina anglica (common cordgrass)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hulzen, J.B.; Van Soelen, J.; Bouma, T.J.

    2007-01-01

    We explored to what extent morphological variation and habitat modification are correlated for an autogenic ecosystem engineer, which is an organism that modifies its habitat via its own physical structures. The intertidal salt marsh species Spartina anglica is well known for its capacity to enhance

  14. Lateral epicondylitis and beyond: imaging of lateral elbow pain with clinical-radiologic correlation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kotnis, Nikhil A. [McMaster University, Departments of Radiology, Hamilton, ON (Canada); Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Department of Medical Physics and Medical Imaging, Sheffield (United Kingdom); Chiavaras, Mary M. [McMaster University, Departments of Radiology, Hamilton, ON (Canada); Harish, Srinivasan [McMaster University, Departments of Radiology, Hamilton, ON (Canada); St. Joseph' s Healthcare, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hamilton, ON (Canada)

    2012-04-15

    The diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis is often straightforward and can be made on the basis of clinical findings. However, radiological assessment is valuable where the clinical picture is less clear or where symptoms are refractory to treatment. Demographics, aspects of clinical history, or certain physical signs may suggest an alternate diagnosis. Knowledge of the typical clinical presentation and imaging findings of lateral epicondylitis, in addition to other potential causes of lateral elbow pain, is necessary. These include entrapment of the posterior interosseous and lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerves, posterolateral rotatory instability, posterolateral plica syndrome, Panner's disease, osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum, radiocapitellar overload syndrome, occult fractures and chondral-osseous impaction injuries, and radiocapitellar arthritis. Knowledge of these potential masquerades of lateral epicondylitis and their characteristic clinical and imaging features is essential for accurate diagnosis. The goal of this review is to provide an approach to the imaging of lateral elbow pain, discussing the relevant anatomy, various causes, and discriminating factors, which will allow for an accurate diagnosis. (orig.)

  15. Lateral Vibration of Hydroelectric Generating Set with Different Supporting Condition of Thrust Pad

    OpenAIRE

    Si, Xiaohui; Lu, Wenxiu; Chu, Fulei

    2011-01-01

    The variations of the supporting condition, which change the stiffness of tilting pad thrust bearing, may alter the dynamic behavior of the rotor system. The effects of supporting condition of thrust pad on the lateral vibration of a hydroelectric generating set are investigated in this paper. The action of a thrust bearing is described as moments acting on the thrust collar, and the tilting stiffness coefficients of thrust bearing are calculated. A model based on typical beam finite element ...

  16. Short-time variations of the ground water level

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nilsson, Lars Y.

    1977-09-01

    Investigations have demonstrated that the ground water level of aquifers in the Swedish bedrock shows shorttime variations without changing their water content. The ground water level is among other things affected by regular tidal movements occuring in the ''solid'' crust of the earth variations in the atmospheric pressure strong earthquakes occuring in different parts of the world These effects proves that the system of fissures in the bedrock are not stable and that the ground water flow is influenced by both water- and airfilled fissures

  17. Communication: A Jastrow factor coupled cluster theory for weak and strong electron correlation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neuscamman, Eric

    2013-01-01

    We present a Jastrow-factor-inspired variant of coupled cluster theory that accurately describes both weak and strong electron correlation. Compatibility with quantum Monte Carlo allows for variational energy evaluations and an antisymmetric geminal power reference, two features not present in traditional coupled cluster that facilitate a nearly exact description of the strong electron correlations in minimal-basis N 2 bond breaking. In double-ζ treatments of the HF and H 2 O bond dissociations, where both weak and strong correlations are important, this polynomial cost method proves more accurate than either traditional coupled cluster or complete active space perturbation theory. These preliminary successes suggest a deep connection between the ways in which cluster operators and Jastrow factors encode correlation

  18. The diagnostic validity of musculoskeletal ultrasound in lateral epicondylalgia: a systematic review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dones, Valentin C III; Grimmer, Karen; Thoirs, Kerry; Suarez, Consuelo G; Luker, Julie

    2014-01-01

    Ultrasound is considered a reliable, widely available, non-invasive and inexpensive imaging technique for assessing soft tissue involvement in Lateral epicondylalgia. Despite the number of diagnostic studies for Lateral Epicondylalgia, there is no consensus in the current literature on the best abnormal ultrasound findings that confirm lateral epicondylalgia. Eligible studies identified by searching electronic databases, scanning reference lists of articles and chapters on ultrasound in reference books, and consultation of experts in sonography. Three reviewers (VCDIII, KP, KW) independently searched the databases using the agreed search strategy, and independently conducted all stages of article selection. Two reviewers (VCDIII, KP) then screened titles and abstracts to remove obvious irrelevance. Potentially relevant full text publications which met the inclusion criteria were reviewed by the primary investigator (VCDIII) and another reviewer (CGS). Among the 15 included diagnostic studies in this review, seven were Level II diagnostic accuracy studies for chronic lateral epicondylalgia based on the National Health and Medical Research Council Hierarchy of Evidence. Based from the pooled sensitivity of abnormal ultrasound findings with homogenous results (p > 0.05), the hypoechogenicity of the common extensor origin has the best combination of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. It is moderately sensitive [Sensitivity: 0.64 (0.56-0.72)] and highly specific [Specificity: 0.82 (0.72-0.90)] in determining elbows with lateral epicondylalgia. Additionally, bone changes on the lateral epicondyle [Sensitivity: 0.56 (0.50-0.62)] were moderately sensitive to chronic LE. Conversely, neovascularity [Specificity: 1.00 (0.97-1.00)], calcifications [Specificity: 0.97 (0.94-0.99)] and cortical irregularities [Specificity: 0.96 (0.88-0.99)] have strong specificity for chronic lateral epicondylalgia. There is insufficient evidence supporting the use of Power Doppler

  19. Deep convolutional neural networks as strong gravitational lens detectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, C.; Geiger, M.; Kuntzer, T.; Kneib, J.-P.

    2018-03-01

    Context. Future large-scale surveys with high-resolution imaging will provide us with approximately 105 new strong galaxy-scale lenses. These strong-lensing systems will be contained in large data amounts, however, which are beyond the capacity of human experts to visually classify in an unbiased way. Aim. We present a new strong gravitational lens finder based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The method was applied to the strong-lensing challenge organized by the Bologna Lens Factory. It achieved first and third place, respectively, on the space-based data set and the ground-based data set. The goal was to find a fully automated lens finder for ground-based and space-based surveys that minimizes human inspection. Methods: We compared the results of our CNN architecture and three new variations ("invariant" "views" and "residual") on the simulated data of the challenge. Each method was trained separately five times on 17 000 simulated images, cross-validated using 3000 images, and then applied to a test set with 100 000 images. We used two different metrics for evaluation, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) score, and the recall with no false positive (Recall0FP). Results: For ground-based data, our best method achieved an AUC score of 0.977 and a Recall0FP of 0.50. For space-based data, our best method achieved an AUC score of 0.940 and a Recall0FP of 0.32. Adding dihedral invariance to the CNN architecture diminished the overall score on space-based data, but achieved a higher no-contamination recall. We found that using committees of five CNNs produced the best recall at zero contamination and consistently scored better AUC than a single CNN. Conclusions: We found that for every variation of our CNN lensfinder, we achieved AUC scores close to 1 within 6%. A deeper network did not outperform simpler CNN models either. This indicates that more complex networks are not needed to model the simulated lenses. To verify this, more

  20. Spanwise drag variation on low Re wings -- revisited

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Shanling; Spedding, Geoffrey

    2011-11-01

    Aerodynamic performance measurement and prediction of airfoils and wings at chord Reynolds numbers below 105 is both difficult and increasingly important in application to small-scale aircraft. Not only are the aerodynamics strongly affected by the dynamics of the unstable laminar boundary layer but the flow is decreasingly likely to be two-dimensional as Re decreases. The spanwise variation of the flow along a two-dimensional geometry is often held to be responsible for the large variations in measured profile drag coefficient. Here we measure local two-dimensional drag coefficients along a finite wing using non-intrusive PIV methods. Variations in Cd (y) can be related to local flow variations on the wing itself. Integrated values can be compared with force balance data, and the proper description of drag components at low Re will be discussed.

  1. Non-commuting variations in mathematics and physics a survey

    CERN Document Server

    Preston, Serge

    2016-01-01

    This text presents and studies the method of so –called noncommuting variations in Variational Calculus. This method was pioneered by Vito Volterra who noticed that the conventional Euler-Lagrange (EL-) equations are not applicable in Non-Holonomic Mechanics and suggested to modify the basic rule used in Variational Calculus. This book presents a survey of Variational Calculus with non-commutative variations and shows that most basic properties of conventional Euler-Lagrange Equations are, with some modifications, preserved for EL-equations with K-twisted (defined by K)-variations. Most of the book can be understood by readers without strong mathematical preparation (some knowledge of Differential Geometry is necessary). In order to make the text more accessible the definitions and several necessary results in Geometry are presented separately in Appendices I and II Furthermore in Appendix III a short presentation of the Noether Theorem describing the relation between the symmetries of the differential equa...

  2. Laterally loaded masonry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raun Gottfredsen, F.

    In this thesis results from experiments on mortar joints and masonry as well as methods of calculation of strength and deformation of laterally loaded masonry are presented. The strength and deformation capacity of mortar joints have been determined from experiments involving a constant compressive...... stress and increasing shear. The results show a transition to pure friction as the cohesion is gradually destroyed. An interface model of a mortar joint that can take into account this aspect has been developed. Laterally loaded masonry panels have also been tested and it is found to be characteristic...... that laterally loaded masonry exhibits a non-linear load-displacement behaviour with some ductility....

  3. A comparison of brain activity associated with language production in brain tumor patients with left and right sided language laterality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jansma, J M; Ramsey, N; Rutten, G J

    2015-12-01

    Language dominance is an important factor for clinical decision making in brain tumor surgery. Functional MRI can provide detailed information about the organization of language in the brain. One often used measure derived from fMRI data is the laterality index (LI). The LI is typically based on the ratio between left and right brain activity in a specific region associated with language. Nearly all fMRI language studies show language-related activity in both hemispheres, and as a result the LI shows a large range of values. The clinical significance of the variation in language laterality as measured with the LI is still under debate. In this study, we tested two hypotheses in relation to the LI, measured in Broca's region, and it's right hemisphere homologue: 1: the level of activity in Broca's and it's right hemisphere homologue is mirrored for subjects with an equal but opposite LI; 2: the whole brain language activation pattern differs between subjects with an equal but opposite LI. One hundred sixty-three glioma and meningioma patients performed a verb generation task as part of a standard clinical protocol. We calculated the LI in the pars orbitalis, pars triangularis and pars opercularis of the left inferior frontal gyrus, referred to as Broca's region from here on. In our database, 21 patients showed right lateralized activity, with a moderate average level (-0.32). A second group of 21 patients was selected from the remaining group, for equal but opposite LI (0.32). We compared the level and distribution of activity associated with language production in the left and right hemisphere in these two groups. Patients with left sided laterality showed a significantly higher level of activity in Broca's region than the patients with right sided laterality. However, both groups showed no difference in level of activity in Broca's homologue region in the right hemisphere. Also, we did not see any difference in the pattern of activity between patients with left

  4. Lateral loadings on snubber assemblies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raphael, L.S.

    1981-01-01

    This paper examines the installation of snubber assemblies in power plants with respect to transverse or lateral loads as well as axial loads. Evaluation of the effects of low level, lateral loads was performed by analytical means. At higher loadings, the snubber assembly could no longer be treated as a column; therefore, the effects of lateral loadings was determined by test. The test consisted of applying both lateral and axial loads simultaneously. Results of both the analysis and the test showed that the application of lateral loads had a considerable effect on the snubber assemblies

  5. Recalcitrant Lateral Premalleolar Bursitis of the Ankle Associated with Lateral Ankle Instability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masashi Naito

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Lateral premalleolar bursitis of the ankle is a rarely reported disorder in the English literature although it is not uncommon in Asian countries where people commonly sit on their feet. Here, we present the case of a 66-year-old woman with recalcitrant lateral premalleolar bursitis associated with lateral ankle instability which was successfully treated with surgical resection of the bursa and repair of the anterior talofibular ligament. Operative findings revealed a communication between the bursa and articular cavity of the ankle joint via the sheath of the extensor digitorum longus tendon, which was considered to act as a check valve leading to a large and recalcitrant bursitis. This report provides a novel concept about the etiology of recalcitrant lateral premalleolar bursitis of the ankle.

  6. Iatrogenic injury in the lateral segment of the liver after pancreatoduodenectomy: Early follow up CT features and clinical implications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Yaena; Yu, Jeong Sik; Chung, Jae Joon; Kim, Joo Hee; Cho, Eun Suk; Ahn, Jhii Hyun; Kim, Ki Whang [Yonsei Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-05-15

    To investigate the incidence, predisposing factors and image features of iatrogenically induced focal parenchymal changes in the lateral segment of the liver after a pancreatoduodenectomy. A follow up CT taken on the seventh day after an uneventful pancreatoduodenectomy were retrospectively reviewed for 123 patients for newly developed focal hepatic lesions. The location, size, and shape of the lesions were analyzed along with preoperative anatomic variation of the hepatic artery, for the degree of intrahepatic bile duct dilatation and procedure duration. Other than two patients with hepatic metastases, 13 (10.6%) patients showed newly developed irregular (n = 9), linear (n = 2) or wedge like (n = 2) hypovascular areas (1.4-8.5 cm; mean, 2.8 cm) in the posterior subcapsular portion of the lateral segment. There were only two patients (15.4%) with an aberrant origin of the segmental hepatic artery from the left gastric artery, and the degree of bile duct dilatation was nonspecific for the 13 subjected patients. Mean procedure time was not significantly different between the subjected patients and the others (541 min vs. 507 min; p = 0.160). Focal iatrogenic injury in the lateral segment after a pancreatoduodenectomy would not be a common event regardless of preoperative vascular anatomic variation, bile duct dilatation, or procedure duration.

  7. Iatrogenic injury in the lateral segment of the liver after pancreatoduodenectomy: Early follow up CT features and clinical implications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Yaena; Yu, Jeong Sik; Chung, Jae Joon; Kim, Joo Hee; Cho, Eun Suk; Ahn, Jhii Hyun; Kim, Ki Whang

    2012-01-01

    To investigate the incidence, predisposing factors and image features of iatrogenically induced focal parenchymal changes in the lateral segment of the liver after a pancreatoduodenectomy. A follow up CT taken on the seventh day after an uneventful pancreatoduodenectomy were retrospectively reviewed for 123 patients for newly developed focal hepatic lesions. The location, size, and shape of the lesions were analyzed along with preoperative anatomic variation of the hepatic artery, for the degree of intrahepatic bile duct dilatation and procedure duration. Other than two patients with hepatic metastases, 13 (10.6%) patients showed newly developed irregular (n = 9), linear (n = 2) or wedge like (n = 2) hypovascular areas (1.4-8.5 cm; mean, 2.8 cm) in the posterior subcapsular portion of the lateral segment. There were only two patients (15.4%) with an aberrant origin of the segmental hepatic artery from the left gastric artery, and the degree of bile duct dilatation was nonspecific for the 13 subjected patients. Mean procedure time was not significantly different between the subjected patients and the others (541 min vs. 507 min; p = 0.160). Focal iatrogenic injury in the lateral segment after a pancreatoduodenectomy would not be a common event regardless of preoperative vascular anatomic variation, bile duct dilatation, or procedure duration

  8. The ecological importance of intraspecific variation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Des Roches, Simone; Post, David M; Turley, Nash E; Bailey, Joseph K; Hendry, Andrew P; Kinnison, Michael T; Schweitzer, Jennifer A; Palkovacs, Eric P

    2018-01-01

    Human activity is causing wild populations to experience rapid trait change and local extirpation. The resulting effects on intraspecific variation could have substantial consequences for ecological processes and ecosystem services. Although researchers have long acknowledged that variation among species influences the surrounding environment, only recently has evidence accumulated for the ecological importance of variation within species. We conducted a meta-analysis comparing the ecological effects of variation within a species (intraspecific effects) with the effects of replacement or removal of that species (species effects). We evaluated direct and indirect ecological responses, including changes in abundance (or biomass), rates of ecological processes and changes in community composition. Our results show that intraspecific effects are often comparable to, and sometimes stronger than, species effects. Species effects tend to be larger for direct ecological responses (for example, through consumption), whereas intraspecific effects and species effects tend to be similar for indirect responses (for example, through trophic cascades). Intraspecific effects are especially strong when indirect interactions alter community composition. Our results summarize data from the first generation of studies examining the relative ecological effects of intraspecific variation. Our conclusions can help inform the design of future experiments and the formulation of strategies to quantify and conserve biodiversity.

  9. Advances in surface wave methods: Cascaded MASW-SASW

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Westerhoff, R.S.; Brouwer, J.H.; Meekes, J.A.C.

    2005-01-01

    The application of the MASW method in areas that show strong lateral variations in subsurface properties is limited. Traditional SASW may yield a better lateral resolution but the dispersion curves (and thus the subsurface models) obtained with the method may be poor. The joint application of MASW

  10. Dark matter and dark energy from the solution of the strong CP problem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mainini, Roberto; Bonometto, Silvio A

    2004-09-17

    The Peccei-Quinn (PQ) solution of the strong CP problem requires the existence of axions, which are viable candidates for dark matter. If the Nambu-Goldstone potential of the PQ model is replaced by a potential V(|Phi|) admitting a tracker solution, the scalar field |Phi| can account for dark energy, while the phase of Phi yields axion dark matter. If V is a supergravity (SUGRA) potential, the model essentially depends on a single parameter, the energy scale Lambda. Once we set Lambda approximately equal to 10(10) GeV at the quark-hadron transition, |Phi| naturally passes through values suitable to solve the strong CP problem, later growing to values providing fair amounts of dark matter and dark energy.

  11. Segmental sensory disturbance in brain stem infarctions of the lateral lower pons and lateral medulla

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumoto, Sadayuki; Yamasaki, Masahiro; Maya, Kiyomi; Imai, Terukuni; Okuda, Bungo.

    1987-01-01

    We reported on seven cases of brainstem infarctions of the lateral lower pons and lateral medulla, the sensory deficit manifested over the trunk or the leg namely segmental sensory disturbances. All patients showed dissociated sensory disturbance of pain and temperature with retained deep sensations except two cases in which touch was also slightly impaired. The sensory distribution was classified into two types. The first ''crossed type'', ipsilatral face and contralateral trunk and leg below the level was involved in 4 cases, and the second ''unilateral type'' contralateral face and trunk above the level in 3 cases. Clinico-anatomical evaluation was executed by MRI. Lesions were detected in the lateral lower pons in two cases and in the lateral medulla in one case. The location of lesions by MRI revealed more lateral lesions showed ''crossed type'' of segmental sensory disturbance and more medial lesions ''unilateral type''. It was shown that the segmental sensory disturbance could be explained by the partial involvement of the lateral spinothalamic tract, which is arranged with the fibers from the sacral segments most lateral. We considered it very important to differentiate the segmental sensory disturbance by brainstem lesion in practical clinical diagnosis. We also emphasize the type of segmental sensory disturbance could be a localizing sign in the lateral brainstem as such, ''crossed type'' indicating the lesion of the lateral portion and ''unilateral type'' the medial portion of the lateral lower brainstem. (author)

  12. Studies on diversion cross-flow between two parallel channels communicating by a lateral slot. II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tapucu, A.; Merilo, M.

    1977-01-01

    The axial pressure variations of two parallel channels with single phase flows communicating by a long lateral slot have been studied experimentally. Using mass and momentum conservation principles, the axial pressure variations have been derived in terms of two parameters ksub(d) and ksub(r), for donor and recipient channels, respectively. These parameters include the combined effect of fluid transferred from donor to recipient channel, and drag force brought on by the connection gap, and are functions of the velocities and slot geometry parameters. A pressure difference oscillation between channels along the slot has been detected which is sinusoidal with wave lengths which seem to be a function of the gap clearance. (Auth.)

  13. Percutaneous lateral ligament reconstruction with allograft for chronic lateral ankle instability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Youn, Hyunkook; Kim, Yong Sang; Lee, Jongseok; Choi, Woo Jin; Lee, Jin Woo

    2012-02-01

    The majority of lateral ankle instability can be treated successfully with conservative method. However, if such treatments fail, surgical treatment should be considered. A wide variety of procedures have been introduced to treat chronic lateral ankle instability. The percutaneous method avoids dissection which is associated with open surgery and can lead to excessive morbidity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of percutaneous lateral ligament reconstruction with an allograft in the treatment of chronic lateral ankle instability. Between October 2006 and April 2009, percutaneous lateral ligament reconstruction using an allograft was performed on 15 ankles in 13 patients for chronic lateral ankle instability. The patients included in this study satisfied at least one of the following criteria: a previously failed reconstruction of the ligament, severe ankle instability (more than 15 degrees of talar tilt, more than 10 mm of anterior drawer), general laxity of ligaments, body mass index (BMI) higher than 25. The mean followup period was 18.1 (range, 12 to 40) months. The grafted tendon was secured by double tenodeses at both the talus and calcaneus or triple tenodeses which included a fibular tenodesis. The clinical outcomes were evaluated with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain, Karlsson-Peterson ankle score, and patients' subjective satisfaction. The radiological results were evaluated using the varus tilting angle and the anterior displacement distance. The VAS improved from preoperative 3.7 ±2.2 to 1.6 ±1.3 at the last followup (p = 0.002). The Karlsson-Peterson ankle score increased from 54.2 ±8.8 to 80.9 ±7.2 (p = 0.001). Patients were satisfied in 13 cases (86.7%) with excellent or good results. Radiologically, the mean varus tilting angle was 15.5 ±4.4 degrees preoperatively and 7.3 ±3.6 at the last followup (p = 0.001). The anterior drawer distance was 10.1 ±3.3 mm preoperatively and 7.2 ±2.7 mm at

  14. Mesospheric temperature estimation from meteor decay times of weak and strong meteor trails

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jeong-Han; Kim, Yong Ha; Jee, Geonhwa; Lee, Changsup

    2012-11-01

    Neutral temperatures near the mesopause region were estimated from the decay times of the meteor echoes observed by a VHF meteor radar during a period covering 2007 to 2009 at King Sejong Station (62.22°S, 58.78°W), Antarctica. While some previous studies have used all meteor echoes to determine the slope from a height profile of log inverse decay times for temperature estimation, we have divided meteor echoes into weak and strong groups of underdense meteor trails, depending on the strength of estimated relative electron line densities within meteor trails. We found that the slopes from the strong group are inappropriate for temperature estimation because the decay times of strong meteors are considerably scattered, whereas the slopes from the weak group clearly define the variation of decay times with height. We thus utilize the slopes only from the weak group in the altitude region between 86 km and 96 km to estimate mesospheric temperatures. The meteor estimated temperatures show a typical seasonal variation near the mesopause region and the monthly mean temperatures are in good agreement with SABER temperatures within a mean difference of 4.8 K throughout the year. The meteor temperatures, representing typically the region around the altitude of 91 km, are lower on average by 2.1 K than simultaneously measured SATI OH(6-2) rotational temperatures during winter (March-October).

  15. Hybrid Steepest-Descent Methods for Triple Hierarchical Variational Inequalities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. C. Ceng

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We introduce and analyze a relaxed iterative algorithm by combining Korpelevich’s extragradient method, hybrid steepest-descent method, and Mann’s iteration method. We prove that, under appropriate assumptions, the proposed algorithm converges strongly to a common element of the fixed point set of infinitely many nonexpansive mappings, the solution set of finitely many generalized mixed equilibrium problems (GMEPs, the solution set of finitely many variational inclusions, and the solution set of general system of variational inequalities (GSVI, which is just a unique solution of a triple hierarchical variational inequality (THVI in a real Hilbert space. In addition, we also consider the application of the proposed algorithm for solving a hierarchical variational inequality problem with constraints of finitely many GMEPs, finitely many variational inclusions, and the GSVI. The results obtained in this paper improve and extend the corresponding results announced by many others.

  16. [Lateral epicondylitis: conservative - operative].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altintas, Burak; Greiner, Stefan

    2016-10-01

    Lateral epicondylitis is a common disease of the common extensor origin at the lateral humerus. Despite its common self-limitation it can lead to chronic therapy-resistant pain with remarkable functional disability of the affected arm. Different conservative and operative treatment options of lateral epicondylitis are described and compared regarding benefits and risks. Additionally, recent surgical techniques and their complications are mentioned. Based on the current literature, it is shown which treatment option can be recommended. This review was based on the literature analysis in PubMed regarding "conservative and operative therapy of lateral epicondylitis" as well as the clinical experience of the authors. Conservative treatment is the primary choice for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis if concomitant pathologies such as instability among others can be excluded. It should include strengthening against resistance with eccentric stretching of the extensor group. In persistent cases, operative treatment is warranted. Resection of the pathologic tissue at the extensor origin with debridement and refixation of the healthy tendinous tissue yields good results. Most patients with lateral epicondylitis can be treated conservatively with success. Radiological evaluation should be performed in therapy-resistant cases. In the case of partial or complete rupture of the extensor origin, operative therapy is indicated.

  17. Hyperpolarizabilities of one and two electron ions under strongly coupled plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sen, Subhrangsu; Mandal, Puspajit; Kumar Mukherjee, Prasanta; Fricke, Burkhard

    2013-01-01

    Systematic investigations on the hyperpolarizabilities of hydrogen and helium like ions up to nuclear charge Z = 7 under strongly coupled plasma environment have been performed. Variation perturbation theory has been adopted to evaluate such properties for the one and two electron systems. For the two electron systems coupled Hartree-Fock theory, which takes care of partial electron correlation effects, has been utilised. Ion sphere model of the strongly coupled plasma, valid for ionic systems only, has been adopted for estimating the effect of plasma environment on the hyperpolarizability. The calculated free ion hyperpolarizability for all the systems is in good agreement with the existing data. Under confinement hyperpolarizabilities of one and two electron ions show interesting trend with respect to plasma coupling strength.

  18. Motivational incentives lead to a strong increase in lateral prefrontal activity after self-control exertion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luethi, Matthias S; Friese, Malte; Binder, Julia; Boesiger, Peter; Luechinger, Roger; Rasch, Björn

    2016-10-01

    Self-control is key to success in life. Initial acts of self-control temporarily impair subsequent self-control performance. Why such self-control failures occur is unclear, with prominent models postulating a loss of a limited resource vs a loss of motivation, respectively. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify the neural correlates of motivation-induced benefits on self-control. Participants initially exerted or did not exert self-control. In a subsequent Stroop task, participants performed worse after exerting self-control, but not if they were motivated to perform well by monetary incentives. On the neural level, having exerted self-control resulted in decreased activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus. Increasing motivation resulted in a particularly strong activation of this area specifically after exerting self-control. Thus, after self-control exertion participants showed more prefrontal neural activity without improving performance beyond baseline level. These findings suggest that impaired performance after self-control exertion may not exclusively be due to a loss of motivation. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Photon Splitting in a Strong Magnetic Field: Recalculation and Comparison with Previous Calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adler, S.L.; Schubert, C.

    1996-01-01

    We recalculate the amplitude for photon splitting in a strong magnetic field below the pair production threshold, using the world line path integral variant of the Bern-Kosower formalism. Numerical comparison (using programs that we have made available for public access on the Internet) shows that the results of the recalculation are identical to the earlier calculations of Adler and later of Stoneham, and to the recent recalculation by Baier, Milstein, and Shaisultanov. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

  20. Effect of a bulky lateral substitution by chlorine atom and methoxy group on self-assembling properties of lactic acid derivatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stojanović, Maja; Bubnov, Alexej; Obadović, Dušanka Ž.; Hamplová, Věra; Cvetinov, Miroslav; Kašpar, Miroslav

    2014-01-01

    Several chiral liquid crystalline materials derived from the lactic acid have been studied with the aim to establish the effect of bulky lateral substituents on their self-assembling properties. A chlorine atom and methoxy group have been used as lateral substituents in ortho position to ether group position on phenyl ring far from the chiral centre. All the studied materials possess tilted ferroelectric smectic C* phase in a broad temperature range. In dependence on the molecular structure namely type of lateral substituent and length of the chiral chain, the cholesteric mesophase, orthogonal paraelectric smectic A* and crystal mesophases have been detected. Lateral chlorine substitution results in decrease of both the clearing point and crystallisation temperature as well as in a distinct increase of spontaneous polarization. Bulky methoxy substitution slightly suppresses the spontaneous polarisation but strongly increases the melting point that results in monotropic peculiarity of the SmC* phase. Mesomorphic, spontaneous, structural and dielectric properties of the substituted compounds were established and compared to those of the non-substituted ones in order to contribute to better understanding of the structure–property relationship for such chiral self-assembling materials. - Highlights: • Chiral liquid crystalline materials derived from the lactic acid have been studied. • Effect of bulky lateral substituents on self-assembling properties has been established. • Bulky methoxy substitution suppresses spontaneous polarisation but increases the melting point. • The compounds might have a strong potential for many advanced electro-optic applications

  1. Prediction of strongly-heated gas flows in a vertical tube using explicit algebraic stress/heat-flux models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baek, Seong Gu; Park, Seung O.

    2003-01-01

    This paper provides the assessment of prediction performance of explicit algebraic stress and heat-flux models under conditions of mixed convective gas flows in a strongly-heated vertical tube. Two explicit algebraic stress models and four algebraic heat-flux models are selected for assessment. Eight combinations of explicit algebraic stress and heat-flux models are used in predicting the flows experimentally studied by Shehata and McEligot (IJHMT 41(1998) p.4333) in which property variation was significant. Among the various model combinations, the Wallin and Johansson (JFM 403(2000) p. 89) explicit algebraic stress model-Abe, Kondo, and Nagano (IJHFF 17(1996) p. 228) algebraic heat-flux model combination is found to perform best. We also found that the dimensionless wall distance y + should be calculated based on the local property rather than the property at the wall for property-variation flows. When the buoyancy or the property variation effects are so strong that the flow may relaminarize, the choice of the basic platform two-equation model is a most important factor in improving the predictions

  2. Fundamental Frequency Variation of Neonatal Spontaneous Crying Predicts Language Acquisition in Preterm and Term Infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shinya, Yuta; Kawai, Masahiko; Niwa, Fusako; Imafuku, Masahiro; Myowa, Masako

    2017-01-01

    Spontaneous cries of infants exhibit rich melodic features (i.e., time variation of fundamental frequency [ F 0 ]) even during the neonatal period, and the development of these characteristics might provide an essential base for later expressive prosody in language. However, little is known about the melodic features of spontaneous cries in preterm infants, who have a higher risk of later language-related problems. Thus, the present study investigated how preterm birth influenced melodic features of spontaneous crying at term-equivalent age as well as how these melodic features related to language outcomes at 18 months of corrected age in preterm and term infants. At term, moderate-to-late preterm (MLP) infants showed spontaneous cries with significantly higher F 0 variation and melody complexity than term infants, while there were no significant differences between very preterm (VP) and term infants. Furthermore, larger F 0 variation within cry series at term was significantly related to better language and cognitive outcomes, particularly expressive language skills, at 18 months. On the other hand, no other melodic features at term predicted any developmental outcomes at 18 months. The present results suggest that the additional postnatal vocal experience of MLP preterm infants increased F 0 variation and the complexity of spontaneous cries at term. Additionally, the increases in F 0 variation may partly reflect the development of voluntary vocal control, which, in turn, contributes to expressive language in infancy.

  3. Attaining the canopy in dry and moist tropical forests: strong differences in tree growth trajectories reflect variation in growing conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brienen, Roel J W; Zuidema, Pieter A; Martínez-Ramos, Miguel

    2010-06-01

    Availability of light and water differs between tropical moist and dry forests, with typically higher understorey light levels and lower water availability in the latter. Therefore, growth trajectories of juvenile trees--those that have not attained the canopy--are likely governed by temporal fluctuations in light availability in moist forests (suppressions and releases), and by spatial heterogeneity in water availability in dry forests. In this study, we compared juvenile growth trajectories of Cedrela odorata in a dry (Mexico) and a moist forest (Bolivia) using tree rings. We tested the following specific hypotheses: (1) moist forest juveniles show more and longer suppressions, and more and stronger releases; (2) moist forest juveniles exhibit wider variation in canopy accession pattern, i.e. the typical growth trajectory to the canopy; (3) growth variation among dry forest juveniles persists over longer time due to spatial heterogeneity in water availability. As expected, the proportion of suppressed juveniles was higher in moist than in dry forest (72 vs. 17%). Moist forest suppressions also lasted longer (9 vs. 5 years). The proportion of juveniles that experienced releases in moist forest (76%) was higher than in dry forest (41%), and releases in moist forests were much stronger. Trees in the moist forest also had a wider variation in canopy accession patterns compared to the dry forest. Our results also showed that growth variation among juvenile trees persisted over substantially longer periods of time in dry forest (>64 years) compared to moist forest (12 years), most probably because of larger persistent spatial variation in water availability. Our results suggest that periodic increases in light availability are more important for attaining the canopy in moist forests, and that spatial heterogeneity in water availability governs long-term tree growth in dry forests.

  4. THE BOSS EMISSION-LINE LENS SURVEY. II. INVESTIGATING MASS-DENSITY PROFILE EVOLUTION IN THE SLACS+BELLS STRONG GRAVITATIONAL LENS SAMPLE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bolton, Adam S.; Brownstein, Joel R.; Shu Yiping; Arneson, Ryan A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, 115 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Kochanek, Christopher S. [Department of Astronomy and Center for Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Schlegel, David J. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Eisenstein, Daniel J. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, MS 20, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Wake, David A. [Department of Astronomy, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520 (United States); Connolly, Natalia [Department of Physics, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323 (United States); Maraston, Claudia [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3FX (United Kingdom); Weaver, Benjamin A., E-mail: bolton@astro.utah.edu [Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics, New York University, New York, NY 10003 (United States)

    2012-09-20

    We present an analysis of the evolution of the central mass-density profile of massive elliptical galaxies from the SLACS and BELLS strong gravitational lens samples over the redshift interval z Almost-Equal-To 0.1-0.6, based on the combination of strong-lensing aperture mass and stellar velocity-dispersion constraints. We find a significant trend toward steeper mass profiles (parameterized by the power-law density model with {rho}{proportional_to}r {sup -{gamma}}) at later cosmic times, with magnitude d < {gamma} > /dz = -0.60 {+-} 0.15. We show that the combined lens-galaxy sample is consistent with a non-evolving distribution of stellar velocity dispersions. Considering possible additional dependence of <{gamma} > on lens-galaxy stellar mass, effective radius, and Sersic index, we find marginal evidence for shallower mass profiles at higher masses and larger sizes, but with a significance that is subdominant to the redshift dependence. Using the results of published Monte Carlo simulations of spectroscopic lens surveys, we verify that our mass-profile evolution result cannot be explained by lensing selection biases as a function of redshift. Interpreted as a true evolutionary signal, our result suggests that major dry mergers involving off-axis trajectories play a significant role in the evolution of the average mass-density structure of massive early-type galaxies over the past 6 Gyr. We also consider an alternative non-evolutionary hypothesis based on variations in the strong-lensing measurement aperture with redshift, which would imply the detection of an 'inflection zone' marking the transition between the baryon-dominated and dark-matter halo-dominated regions of the lens galaxies. Further observations of the combined SLACS+BELLS sample can constrain this picture more precisely, and enable a more detailed investigation of the multivariate dependences of galaxy mass structure across cosmic time.

  5. HIV prevalence is strongly associated with geographical variations in male circumcision and foreskin cutting in Papua New Guinea: an ecological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacLaren, David J; McBride, W John H; Kelly, Gerard C; Muller, Reinhold; Tommbe, Rachael; Kaldor, John M; Vallely, Andrew J

    2015-11-01

    To examine the correlation between HIV prevalence and male circumcision and other foreskin cutting practices across the four regions of Papua New Guinea (PNG). An ecological substudy using unique data from an interdisciplinary research programme to evaluate the acceptability, sociocultural context and public health impact of male circumcision for HIV prevention in PNG. Published data describing (a) self-reported circumcision status by region from the 'Acceptability and Feasibility of Male Circumcision for HIV prevention in PNG' study and (b) HIV prevalence by region from PNG National Department of Health were used to correlate male circumcision and other foreskin cutting practices and HIV prevalence. Maps were constructed to visually represent variations across the four regions of PNG. Regions of PNG with the highest HIV prevalence had the lowest prevalence of male circumcision and other forms of foreskin cutting and vice versa. Male circumcision and dorsal longitudinal cuts were strongly associated with HIV prevalence and able to explain 99% of the observed geographical variability in HIV prevalence in PNG (pPNG appears to be closely correlated with the regional distribution of male circumcision and dorsal longitudinal foreskin cuts. Further research is warranted to investigate causality of this correlation as well as the potential of dorsal longitudinal cuts to confer protection against HIV acquisition in heterosexual men. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  6. Genetic and Phenotypic Analysis of Lateral Root Development in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Napsucialy-Mendivil, Selene; Dubrovsky, Joseph G

    2018-01-01

    Root system formation to a great extent depends on lateral root (LR) formation. In Arabidopsis thaliana, LRs are initiated within a parent root in pericycle that is an external tissue of the stele. LR initiation takes place in a strictly acropetal pattern, whereas posterior lateral root primordium (LRP) formation is asynchronous. In this chapter, we focus on methods of genetic and phenotypic analysis of LR initiation, LRP morphogenesis, and LR emergence in Arabidopsis. We provide details on how to make cleared root preparations and how to identify the LRP stages. We also pay attention to the categorization of the LRP developmental stages and their variations and to the normalization of the number of LRs and LRPs formed, per length of the primary root, and per number of cells produced within a root. Hormonal misbalances and mutations affect LRP morphogenesis significantly, and the evaluation of LRP abnormalities is addressed as well. Finally, we deal with various molecular markers that can be used for genetic and phenotypic analyses of LR development.

  7. Hemispheric lateralization for early auditory processing of lexical tones: dependence on pitch level and pitch contour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiao-Dong; Wang, Ming; Chen, Lin

    2013-09-01

    In Mandarin Chinese, a tonal language, pitch level and pitch contour are two dimensions of lexical tones according to their acoustic features (i.e., pitch patterns). A change in pitch level features a step change whereas that in pitch contour features a continuous variation in voice pitch. Currently, relatively little is known about the hemispheric lateralization for the processing of each dimension. To address this issue, we made whole-head electrical recordings of mismatch negativity in native Chinese speakers in response to the contrast of Chinese lexical tones in each dimension. We found that pre-attentive auditory processing of pitch level was obviously lateralized to the right hemisphere whereas there is a tendency for that of pitch contour to be lateralized to the left. We also found that the brain responded faster to pitch level than to pitch contour at a pre-attentive stage. These results indicate that the hemispheric lateralization for early auditory processing of lexical tones depends on the pitch level and pitch contour, and suggest an underlying inter-hemispheric interactive mechanism for the processing. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Motor neuron disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) arising from longstanding primary lateral sclerosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bruyn, R. P.; Koelman, J. H.; Troost, D.; de Jong, J. M.

    1995-01-01

    Three men were initially diagnosed as having primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), but eventually developed amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) after 7.5, 9, and at least 27 years. Non-familial ALS and PLS might be different manifestations of a single disease or constitute completely distinct entities.

  9. Strong Depletion in Hybrid Perovskite p-n Junctions Induced by Local Electronic Doping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ou, Qingdong; Zhang, Yupeng; Wang, Ziyu; Yuwono, Jodie A; Wang, Rongbin; Dai, Zhigao; Li, Wei; Zheng, Changxi; Xu, Zai-Quan; Qi, Xiang; Duhm, Steffen; Medhekar, Nikhil V; Zhang, Han; Bao, Qiaoliang

    2018-04-01

    A semiconductor p-n junction typically has a doping-induced carrier depletion region, where the doping level positively correlates with the built-in potential and negatively correlates with the depletion layer width. In conventional bulk and atomically thin junctions, this correlation challenges the synergy of the internal field and its spatial extent in carrier generation/transport. Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, a class of crystalline ionic semiconductors, are promising alternatives because of their direct badgap, long diffusion length, and large dielectric constant. Here, strong depletion in a lateral p-n junction induced by local electronic doping at the surface of individual CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskite nanosheets is reported. Unlike conventional surface doping with a weak van der Waals adsorption, covalent bonding and hydrogen bonding between a MoO 3 dopant and the perovskite are theoretically predicted and experimentally verified. The strong hybridization-induced electronic coupling leads to an enhanced built-in electric field. The large electric permittivity arising from the ionic polarizability further contributes to the formation of an unusually broad depletion region up to 10 µm in the junction. Under visible optical excitation without electrical bias, the lateral diode demonstrates unprecedented photovoltaic conversion with an external quantum efficiency of 3.93% and a photodetection responsivity of 1.42 A W -1 . © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Lateralization of the Huggins pitch

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Peter Xinya; Hartmann, William M.

    2004-05-01

    The lateralization of the Huggins pitch (HP) was measured using a direct estimation method. The background noise was initially N0 or Nπ, and then the laterality of the entire stimulus was varied with a frequency-independent interaural delay, ranging from -1 to +1 ms. Two versions of the HP boundary region were used, stepped phase and linear phase. When presented in isolation, without the broadband background, the stepped boundary can be lateralized on its own but the linear boundary cannot. Nevertheless, the lateralizations of both forms of HP were found to be almost identical functions both of the interaural delay and of the boundary frequency over a two-octave range. In a third experiment, the same listeners lateralized sine tones in quiet as a function of interaural delay. Good agreement was found between lateralizations of the HP and of the corresponding sine tones. The lateralization judgments depended on the boundary frequency according to the expected hyperbolic law except when the frequency-independent delay was zero. For the latter case, the dependence on boundary frequency was much slower than hyperbolic. [Work supported by the NIDCD grant DC 00181.

  11. <strong>Mini-project>

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katajainen, Jyrki

    2008-01-01

    In this project the goal is to develop the safe * family of containers for the CPH STL. The containers to be developed should be safer and more reliable than any of the existing implementations. A special focus should be put on strong exception safety since none of the existing prototypes available...

  12. A prospective study on the variation in falling and fall risk among community-dwelling older citizens in 12 European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franse, Carmen B; Rietjens, Judith Ac; Burdorf, Alex; van Grieken, Amy; Korfage, Ida J; van der Heide, Agnes; Mattace Raso, Francesco; van Beeck, Ed; Raat, Hein

    2017-06-30

    The rate of falling among older citizens appears to vary across different countries, but the underlying aspects causing this variation are unexplained. We aim to describe between-country variation in falling and explore whether intrinsic fall risk factors can explain possible variation. Prospective study on data from the cross-national Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Twelve European countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland). Community-dwelling persons aged ≥65 years (n=18 596). Socio-demographic factors (age, gender, education level and living situation) and intrinsic fall risk factors (less than good self-rated health (SRH), mobility limitations, limitations with activities of daily living (ADL), dizziness, impaired vision, depression and impaired cognition) were assessed in a baseline interview. Falling was assessed 2 years later by asking whether the participant had fallen within the 6 months prior to the follow-up interview. There was significant between-country variation in the rate of falling (varying from 7.9% in Switzerland to 16.2% in the Czech Republic). The prevalence of intrinsic fall risk factors varied twofold to fourfold between countries. Associations between factors age ≥80 years, less than good SRH, mobility limitations, ADL limitations, dizziness and depression, and falling were different between countries (pfalling largely persisted after adjusting for socio-demographic differences but strongly attenuated after adjusting for differences in intrinsic fall risk factors. There is considerable variation in the rate of falling between European countries, which can largely be explained by between-country variation in the prevalence of intrinsic fall risk factors. There are also country-specific variations in the association between these intrinsic risk factors and falling. These findings emphasise the importance of addressing

  13. Characterization of an ancient lepidopteran lateral gene transfer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Wheeler

    Full Text Available Bacteria to eukaryote lateral gene transfers (LGT are an important potential source of material for the evolution of novel genetic traits. The explosion in the number of newly sequenced genomes provides opportunities to identify and characterize examples of these lateral gene transfer events, and to assess their role in the evolution of new genes. In this paper, we describe an ancient lepidopteran LGT of a glycosyl hydrolase family 31 gene (GH31 from an Enterococcus bacteria. PCR amplification between the LGT and a flanking insect gene confirmed that the GH31 was integrated into the Bombyx mori genome and was not a result of an assembly error. Database searches in combination with degenerate PCR on a panel of 7 lepidopteran families confirmed that the GH31 LGT event occurred deep within the Order approximately 65-145 million years ago. The most basal species in which the LGT was found is Plutella xylostella (superfamily: Yponomeutoidea. Array data from Bombyx mori shows that GH31 is expressed, and low dN/dS ratios indicates the LGT coding sequence is under strong stabilizing selection. These findings provide further support for the proposition that bacterial LGTs are relatively common in insects and likely to be an underappreciated source of adaptive genetic material.

  14. Strong and consistent natural selection associated with armour reduction in sticklebacks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LE Rouzic, Arnaud; Østbye, Kjartan; Klepaker, Tom O; Hansen, Thomas F; Bernatchez, Louis; Schluter, Dolph; Vøllestad, L Asbjørn

    2011-06-01

    Measuring the strength of natural selection is tremendously important in evolutionary biology, but remains a challenging task. In this work, we analyse the characteristics of selection for a morphological change (lateral-plate reduction) in the threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus. Adaptation to freshwater, leading with the reduction or loss of the bony lateral armour, has occurred in parallel on numerous occasions in this species. Completely-plated and low-plated sticklebacks were introduced into a pond, and the phenotypic changes were tracked for 20 years. Fish from the last generation were genotyped for the Ectodysplasin-A (Eda) locus, the major gene involved in armour development. We found a strong fitness advantage for the freshwater-type fish (on average, 20% fitness advantage for the freshwater morph, and 92% for the freshwater genotype). The trend is best explained by assuming that this fitness advantage is maximum at the beginning of the invasion and decreases with time. Such fitness differences provide a quantifiable example of rapid selection-driven phenotypic evolution associated with environmental change in a natural population. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  15. Hypermetabolism is a deleterious prognostic factor in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jésus, P; Fayemendy, P; Nicol, M; Lautrette, G; Sourisseau, H; Preux, P-M; Desport, J-C; Marin, B; Couratier, P

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in order to determine their nutritional, neurological and respiratory parameters, and survival according to metabolic level. Nutritional assessment included resting energy expenditure (REE) measured by indirect calorimetry [hypermetabolism if REE variation (ΔREE) > 10%] and fat mass (FM) using impedancemetry. Neurological assessment included the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised score. Survival analysis used the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox model. A total of 315 patients were analysed. Median age at diagnosis was 65.9 years and 55.2% of patients were hypermetabolic. With regard to the metabolic level (ΔREE: 20%), patients with ΔREE > 20% initially had a lower FM(29.7% vs. 32.1% in those with ΔREE ≤10%; P = 0.0054). During follow-up, the median slope of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised tended to worsen more in patients with ΔREE > 20% (-1.4 vs. -1.0 points/month in those with ΔREE ≤10%; P = 0.07). Overall median survival since diagnosis was 18.4 months. ΔREE > 20% tended to increase the risk of dying compared with ΔREE ≤10% (hazard ratio, 1.33; P = 0.055). In multivariate analysis, an increased REE:FM ratio was independently associated with death (hazard ratio, 1.005; P = 0.001). Hypermetabolism is present in more than half of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It modifies the body composition at diagnosis, and patients with hypermetabolism >20% have a worse prognosis than those without hypermetabolism. © 2017 EAN.

  16. Spatial transformation abilities and their relation to later mathematics performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frick, Andrea

    2018-04-10

    Using a longitudinal approach, this study investigated the relational structure of different spatial transformation skills at kindergarten age, and how these spatial skills relate to children's later mathematics performance. Children were tested at three time points, in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade (N = 119). Exploratory factor analyses revealed two subcomponents of spatial transformation skills: one representing egocentric transformations (mental rotation and spatial scaling), and one representing allocentric transformations (e.g., cross-sectioning, perspective taking). Structural equation modeling suggested that egocentric transformation skills showed their strongest relation to the part of the mathematics test tapping arithmetic operations, whereas allocentric transformations were strongly related to Numeric-Logical and Spatial Functions as well as geometry. The present findings point to a tight connection between early mental transformation skills, particularly the ones requiring a high level of spatial flexibility and a strong sense for spatial magnitudes, and children's mathematics performance at the beginning of their school career.

  17. Age-related variation in foraging behaviour in the wandering albatross at South Georgia: no evidence for senescence.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hannah Froy

    Full Text Available Age-related variation in demographic rates is now widely documented in wild vertebrate systems, and has significant consequences for population and evolutionary dynamics. However, the mechanisms underpinning such variation, particularly in later life, are less well understood. Foraging efficiency is a key determinant of fitness, with implications for individual life history trade-offs. A variety of faculties known to decline in old age, such as muscular function and visual acuity, are likely to influence foraging performance. We examine age-related variation in the foraging behaviour of a long-lived, wide-ranging oceanic seabird, the wandering albatross Diomedea exulans. Using miniaturised tracking technologies, we compared foraging trip characteristics of birds breeding at Bird Island, South Georgia. Based on movement and immersion data collected during the incubation phase of a single breeding season, and from extensive tracking data collected in previous years from different stages of the breeding cycle, we found limited evidence for age-related variation in commonly reported trip parameters, and failed to detect signs of senescent decline. Our results contrast with the limited number of past studies that have examined foraging behaviour in later life, since these have documented changes in performance consistent with senescence. This highlights the importance of studies across different wild animal populations to gain a broader perspective on the processes driving variation in ageing rates.

  18. Genetic variation of milk fatty acid composition between and within dairy cattle breeds

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maurice - Van Eijndhoven, M.H.T.

    2014-01-01

    <strong>Abstract>

    Maurice – Van Eijndhoven, M.H.T. (2014). Genetic variation of milk fatty acid composition between and within dairy cattle breeds. PhD thesis, Wageningen University, the Netherlands

    Fat is one of the main components in bovine milk and comprises a large

  19. Lateral collateral ligament (image)

    Science.gov (United States)

    The lateral collateral ligament connects the end of the femur (thigh) to the top of the fibula (the thin bone that runs next to the shin bone). The lateral collateral ligament provides stability against varus stress. Varus stress ...

  20. Modeling multi-lateral wells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Su, H. J.; Fong, W. S. [Chevron Petroleum Technology Company (United States)

    1998-12-31

    A method for modeling multi-lateral wells by using a computational scheme embedded in a general-purpose, finite difference simulator was described. The calculation of wellbore pressure profile for each lateral included the frictional pressure drop along the wellbore and proper fluid mixing at lateral connection points. To obtain a good production profile the Beggs and Brill correlation, a homogenous flow model, and the model proposed by Ouyang et al, which includes an acceleration term and accounts for the lubrication effect due to radial influx, were implemented. Well performance prediction results were compared using the three models. The impact of different tubing sizes on the well performance and the prediction contribution from each lateral were also studied. Results of the study in the hypothetical example and under normal field operating conditions were reviewed. 7 refs., 10 tabs., 3 figs.

  1. Anomalously high variation in postnatal development is ancestral for dinosaurs but lost in birds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffin, Christopher T.; Nesbitt, Sterling J.

    2016-12-01

    Compared with all other living reptiles, birds grow extremely fast and possess unusually low levels of intraspecific variation during postnatal development. It is now clear that birds inherited their high rates of growth from their dinosaurian ancestors, but the origin of the avian condition of low variation during development is poorly constrained. The most well-understood growth trajectories of later Mesozoic theropods (e.g., Tyrannosaurus, Allosaurus) show similarly low variation to birds, contrasting with higher variation in extant crocodylians. Here, we show that deep within Dinosauria, among the earliest-diverging dinosaurs, anomalously high intraspecific variation is widespread but then is lost in more derived theropods. This style of development is ancestral for dinosaurs and their closest relatives, and, surprisingly, this level of variation is far higher than in living crocodylians. Among early dinosaurs, this variation is widespread across Pangaea in the Triassic and Early Jurassic, and among early-diverging theropods (ceratosaurs), this variation is maintained for 165 million years to the end of the Cretaceous. Because the Late Triassic environment across Pangaea was volatile and heterogeneous, this variation may have contributed to the rise of dinosaurian dominance through the end of the Triassic Period.

  2. Naturally occurring genetic variation affecting the expression of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in Drosophila melanogaster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laurie-Ahlberg, C C; Bewley, G C

    1983-10-01

    Genetic variation among second and third chromosomes from natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster affects the activity level of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.8; GPDH) at both the larval and the adult stages. The genetic effects, represented by differences among chromosome substitution lines with coisogenic backgrounds, are very repeatable over time and are generally substantially larger than environmental and measurement error effects. Neither the GPDH allozyme, the geographic origin, nor the karyotype of the chromosome contributes significantly to GPDH activity variation. The strong relationship between GPDH activity level and GPDH-specific CRM level, as well as our failure to find any thermostability variation among the lines, indicates that most, if not all, of the activity variation is due to variation in the steady-state quantity of enzyme rather than in its catalytic properties. The lack of a strong relationship between adult and larval activity levels suggests the importance of stage- or isozyme-specific effects.

  3. Lateral movements in Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities due to frontiers. Experimental study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Binda, L.; Fernández, D.; El Hasi, C.; Zalts, A.; D'Onofrio, A.

    2018-01-01

    Lateral movements of the fingers in Rayleigh-Taylor hydrodynamic instabilities at the interface between two fluids are studied. We show that transverse movements appear when a physical boundary is present; these phenomena have not been explained until now. The boundary prevents one of the fluids from crossing it. Such frontiers can be buoyancy driven as, for example, the frontier to the passage of a less dense solution through a denser solution or when different aggregation states coexist (liquid and gaseous phases). An experimental study of the lateral movement velocity of the fingers was performed for different Rayleigh numbers (Ra), and when oscillations were detected, their amplitudes were studied. Liquid-liquid (L-L) and gas-liquid (G-L) systems were analysed. Aqueous HCl and Bromocresol Green (sodium salt, NaBCG) solutions were used in L-L experiments, and CO2 (gas) and aqueous NaOH, NaHCO3, and CaCl2 solutions were employed for the G-L studies. We observed that the lateral movement of the fingers and finger collapses near the interface are more notorious when Ra increases. The consequences of this, for each experience, are a decrease in the number of fingers and an increase in the velocity of the lateral finger movement close to the interface as time evolves. We found that the amplitude of the oscillations did not vary significantly within the considered Ra range. These results have an important implication when determining the wave number of instabilities in an evolving system. The wave number could be strongly diminished if there is a boundary.

  4. Dynamics of the sub-Ohmic spin-boson model: A time-dependent variational study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Ning; Duan Liwei; Zhao Yang; Li Xin

    2013-01-01

    The Dirac-Frenkel time-dependent variation is employed to probe the dynamics of the zero temperature sub-Ohmic spin-boson model with strong friction utilizing the Davydov D 1 ansatz. It is shown that initial conditions of the phonon bath have considerable influence on the dynamics. Counterintuitively, even in the very strong coupling regime, quantum coherence features still manage to survive under the polarized bath initial condition, while such features are absent under the factorized bath initial condition. In addition, a coherent-incoherent transition is found at a critical coupling strength α≈ 0.1 for s= 0.25 under the factorized bath initial condition. We quantify how faithfully our ansatz follows the Schrödinger equation, finding that the time-dependent variational approach is robust for strong dissipation and deep sub-Ohmic baths (s≪ 1).

  5. Landscape runoff, precipitation variation and reservoir limnology

    OpenAIRE

    Geraldes, Ana Maria

    2010-01-01

    Landscape runoff potential impact on reservoir limnology was indirectly evaluated by assessing the effect of precipitation variation on several water quality parameters, on Anabaena (Cyanophyta) and crustacean zooplankton abundances. The obtained results showed that total phosphorus increased with strong precipitation events whereas water transparency presented an opposite trend. Wet periods followed by long dry periods favored Anabaena dominance, which induced a...

  6. Varying couplings in the early universe: Correlated variations of α and G

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martins, C. J. A. P.; Menegoni, Eloisa; Galli, Silvia; Mangano, Gianpiero; Melchiorri, Alessandro

    2010-01-01

    The cosmic microwave background anisotropies provide a unique opportunity to constrain simultaneous variations of the fine-structure constant α and Newton's gravitational constant G. Those correlated variations are possible in a wide class of theoretical models. In this brief paper we show that the current data, assuming that particle masses are constant, give no clear indication for such variations, but already prefer that any relative variations in α should be of the same sign of those of G for variations of ∼1%. We also show that a cosmic complementarity is present with big bang nucleosynthesis and that a combination of current CMB and big bang nucleosynthesis data strongly constraints simultaneous variations in α and G. We finally discuss the future bounds achievable by the Planck satellite mission.

  7. Technical performance and match-to-match variation in elite football teams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hongyou; Gómez, Miguel-Angel; Gonçalves, Bruno; Sampaio, Jaime

    2016-01-01

    Recent research suggests that match-to-match variation adds important information to performance descriptors in team sports, as it helps measure how players fine-tune their tactical behaviours and technical actions to the extreme dynamical environments. The current study aims to identify the differences in technical performance of players from strong and weak teams and to explore match-to-match variation of players' technical match performance. Performance data of all the 380 matches of season 2012-2013 in the Spanish First Division Professional Football League were analysed. Twenty-one performance-related match actions and events were chosen as variables in the analyses. Players' technical performance profiles were established by unifying count values of each action or event of each player per match into the same scale. Means of these count values of players from Top3 and Bottom3 teams were compared and plotted into radar charts. Coefficient of variation of each match action or event within a player was calculated to represent his match-to-match variation of technical performance. Differences in the variation of technical performances of players across different match contexts (team and opposition strength, match outcome and match location) were compared. All the comparisons were achieved by the magnitude-based inferences. Results showed that technical performances differed between players of strong and weak teams from different perspectives across different field positions. Furthermore, the variation of the players' technical performance is affected by the match context, with effects from team and opposition strength greater than effects from match location and match outcome.

  8. Inter- and intraspecific variation in leaf economic traits in wheat and maize.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Adam R; Hale, Christine E; Cerabolini, Bruno E L; Cornelissen, Johannes H C; Craine, Joseph; Gough, William A; Kattge, Jens; Tirona, Cairan K F

    2018-02-01

    Leaf Economics Spectrum (LES) trait variation underpins multiple agroecological processes and many prominent crop yield models. While there are numerous independent studies assessing trait variation in crops, to date there have been no comprehensive assessments of intraspecific trait variation (ITV) in LES traits for wheat and maize: the world's most widespread crops. Using trait databases and peer-reviewed literature, we compiled over 700 records of specific leaf area (SLA), maximum photosynthetic rates ( A max ) and leaf nitrogen (N) concentrations, for wheat and maize. We evaluated intraspecific LES trait variation, and intraspecific trait-environment relationships. While wheat and maize occupy the upper 90th percentile of LES trait values observed across a global species pool, ITV ranged widely across the LES in wheat and maize. Fertilization treatments had strong impacts on leaf N, while plant developmental stage (here standardized as the number of days since planting) had strong impacts on A max ; days since planting, N fertilization and irrigation all influenced SLA. When controlling for these factors, intraspecific responses to temperature and precipitation explained 39.4 and 43.7 % of the variation in A max and SLA, respectively, but only 5.4 % of the variation in leaf N. Despite a long history of domestication in these species, ITV in wheat and maize among and within cultivars remains large. Intraspecific trait variation is a critical consideration to refine regional to global models of agroecosystem structure, function and food security. Considerable opportunities and benefits exist for consolidating a crop trait database for a wider range of domesticated plant species.

  9. All-inside, anatomical lateral ankle stabilization for revision and complex primary lateral ankle stabilization: a technique guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prissel, Mark A; Roukis, Thomas S

    2014-12-01

    Lateral ankle instability is a common mechanical problem that often requires surgical management when conservative efforts fail. Historically, myriad open surgical approaches have been proposed. Recently, consideration for arthroscopic management of lateral ankle instability has become popular, with promising results. Unfortunately, recurrent inversion ankle injury following lateral ankle stabilization can occur and require revision surgery. To date, arthroscopic management for revision lateral ankle stabilization has not been described. We present a novel arthroscopic technique combining an arthroscopic lateral ankle stabilization kit with a suture anchor ligament augmentation system for revision as well as complex primary lateral ankle stabilization. © 2014 The Author(s).

  10. Spatial and temporal small-scale variation in groundwater quality of a shallow sandy aquifer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjerg, Poul Løgstrup; Christensen, Thomas Højlund

    1992-01-01

    The groundwater quality of a shallow unconfined sandy aquifer has been characterized for pH, alkalinity, chloride, nitrate, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium in terms of vertical and horizontal variations (350 groundwater samples). The test area is located within a farmland lot....... The geology of the area described on the basis of 31 sediment cores appears relatively homogeneous. Large vertical and horizontal variations were observed. The vertical variations are strongly affected by the deviating composition of the agricultural infiltration water. The horizontal variations show very...

  11. Reciprocal neural response within lateral and ventral medial prefrontal cortex during hot and cold reasoning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goel, Vinod; Dolan, Raymond J

    2003-12-01

    Logic is widely considered the basis of rationality. Logical choices, however, are often influenced by emotional responses, sometimes to our detriment, sometimes to our advantage. To understand the neural basis of emotionally neutral ("cold") and emotionally salient ("hot") reasoning we studied 19 volunteers using event-related fMRI, as they made logical judgments about arguments that varied in emotional saliency. Despite identical logical form and content categories across "hot" and "cold" reasoning conditions, lateral and ventral medial prefrontal cortex showed reciprocal response patterns as a function of emotional saliency of content. "Cold" reasoning trials resulted in enhanced activity in lateral/dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (L/DLPFC) and suppression of activity in ventral medial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC). By contrast, "hot" reasoning trials resulted in enhanced activation in VMPFC and suppression of activation in L/DLPFC. This reciprocal engagement of L/DLPFC and VMPFC provides evidence for a dynamic neural system for reasoning, the configuration of which is strongly influenced by emotional saliency.

  12. Triple Hierarchical Variational Inequalities with Constraints of Mixed Equilibria, Variational Inequalities, Convex Minimization, and Hierarchical Fixed Point Problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lu-Chuan Ceng

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We introduce and analyze a hybrid iterative algorithm by virtue of Korpelevich's extragradient method, viscosity approximation method, hybrid steepest-descent method, and averaged mapping approach to the gradient-projection algorithm. It is proven that under appropriate assumptions, the proposed algorithm converges strongly to a common element of the fixed point set of infinitely many nonexpansive mappings, the solution set of finitely many generalized mixed equilibrium problems (GMEPs, the solution set of finitely many variational inequality problems (VIPs, the solution set of general system of variational inequalities (GSVI, and the set of minimizers of convex minimization problem (CMP, which is just a unique solution of a triple hierarchical variational inequality (THVI in a real Hilbert space. In addition, we also consider the application of the proposed algorithm to solve a hierarchical fixed point problem with constraints of finitely many GMEPs, finitely many VIPs, GSVI, and CMP. The results obtained in this paper improve and extend the corresponding results announced by many others.

  13. Language, gesture, and handedness: Evidence for independent lateralized networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Häberling, Isabelle S; Corballis, Paul M; Corballis, Michael C

    2016-09-01

    Language, gesture, and handedness are in most people represented in the left cerebral hemisphere. To explore the relations among these attributes, we collected fMRI images in a large sample of left- and right-handers while they performed language tasks and watched action sequences. Regions of interest included the frontal and parietal areas previously identified as comprising an action-observation network, and the frontal and temporal areas comprising the primary areas for language production and comprehension. All of the language areas and most of the action-observation areas showed an overall left-hemispheric bias, despite the participation of equal numbers of left- and right-handers. A factor analysis of the laterality indices derived from the different areas during the tasks indicated three independent networks, one associated with language, one associated with handedness, and one representing action observation independent of handedness. Areas 44 and 45, which together make up Broca's area, were part of the language and action-observation networks, but were not included in the part of the action observation network that was related to handedness, which in turn was strongly linked to areas in the parietal lobe. These results suggest an evolutionary scenario in which the primate mirror neuron system (MNS) became increasingly lateralized, and later fissioned onto subsystems with one mediating language and the other mediating the execution and observation of manual actions. The second network is further subdivided into one dependent on hand preference and one that is not, providing new insight into the tripartite system of language, handedness, and praxis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Anatomical variations in dorsal metatarsal arteries with surgical significance: A cadaveric study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Preeti Shivshankar Awari

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Based on angiosome concept to revascularize a particular artery, the microvascular and reconstructive surgeons must know the anatomy and variations in the arteries in that specific region of the body to achieve better results. Nowadays, dorsal metatarsal artery (DMTA perforator flaps and toe grafts are becoming popular which also demand adequate information about normal anatomy and variants in these arteries for fruitful results. Materials and Methods: The authors studied normal anatomy and variations in the origin of DMTAs in 50 lower extremities of 25 embalmed cadavers. Results: The authors found many variations as the absence of DMTAs, origin of the DMTA from the deep plantar arch. The places wherever the arcuate artery was absent the lateral tarsal artery gave rise to dorsal metatarsal arteries. Conclusion: Being familiar with the incidence of anatomical variations in the origin of the DMTAs can increase vigilance in vascular and reconstructive surgeries leading to better prognosis. surgeries leading to better prognosis.

  15. Size and strain tunable band alignment of black-blue phosphorene lateral heterostructures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yan; Ma, Fei

    2017-05-17

    Single-element lateral heterostructures composed of black and blue phosphorene are not only free from lattice mismatch but also exhibit rich physical properties related to the seamlessly stitched interfaces, providing the building blocks for designing atomically thin devices. Using first-principles calculations, we investigate the influence of interface structure, size effect and strain engineering on the electronic structure, effective masses and band alignment of black-blue phosphorene lateral heterostructures. The lateral heterostructure with an octatomic-ring interface presents a strong metallic feature due to the interface states, while a metal-semiconductor transition takes place in the system with a hexatomic-ring interface upon hydrogen passivation. Following a reciprocal scaling law, the band gap is tuned in a wide energy range by synchronously increasing the widths of black and blue phosphorene or by only widening that of black phosphorene. Moreover, type-II band alignment is observed in the width ranges of 2.0-3.1 nm and 3.7-4.2 nm, out of which it is type-I. However, the band gap and effective masses show small changes if only the width of blue phosphorene is altered. When the lateral heterostructure is tensile loaded, the effective mass ratio of hole to electron is enlarged by an order of magnitude at a strain of 4% along the zigzag direction. Meanwhile, the band alignment undergoes a crossover from type-I to type-II at a strain of 2%, facilitating efficient electron-hole separation for light detection and harvesting.

  16. Strong persistent growth differences govern individual performance and population dynamics in a tropical forest understorey palm

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jansen, M.; Zuidema, P.A.; Anten, N.P.R.; Martínez-Ramos, M.

    2012-01-01

    1. Persistent variation in growth rate between individual plants can have strong effects on population dynamics as fast growers reach the reproductive size at an earlier age and thus potentially contribute more to population growth than slow growers. In tropical forests, such persistent growth

  17. Laterization of epileptiform discharges in patients with epilepsy and precocious destructive brain insults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teixeira Ricardo A.

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Unilateral destructive brain lesions of early development can result in compensatory thickening of the ipsilateral cranial vault. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of these bone changes among patients with epilepsy and precocious destructive lesions, and whether a relationship exists between these changes and epileptiform discharges lateralization. Fifty-one patients had their ictal / interictal scalp EEG and skull thickness symmetry on MRI analyzed. Patients were divided into three main groups according to the topographic distribution of the lesion on the MRI: hemispheric (H (n=9; main arterial territory (AT (n=25; arterial borderzone (Bdz (n=17. The EEG background activity was abnormal in 26 patients and were more frequent among patients of group H (p= 0.044. Thickening of the skull was more frequent among patients of group H (p= 0.004. Five patients (9.8% showed discordant lateralization between epileptiform discharges and structural lesion (four of them with an abnormal background, and only two of them with skull changes. In one of these patients, ictal SPECT provided strong evidence for scalp EEG false lateralization. The findings suggest that compensatory skull thickening in patients with precocious destructive brain insults are more frequent among patients with unilateral and large lesions. However, EEG lateralization discordance among these patients seems to be more related to EEG background abnormalities and extent of cerebral damage than to skull changes.

  18. Magnetic hyperthermia properties of nanoparticles inside lysosomes using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations: Influence of key parameters and dipolar interactions, and evidence for strong spatial variation of heating power

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, R. P.; Carrey, J.; Respaud, M.

    2014-12-01

    Understanding the influence of dipolar interactions in magnetic hyperthermia experiments is of crucial importance for fine optimization of nanoparticle (NP) heating power. In this study we use a kinetic Monte Carlo algorithm to calculate hysteresis loops that correctly account for both time and temperature. This algorithm is shown to correctly reproduce the high-frequency hysteresis loop of both superparamagnetic and ferromagnetic NPs without any ad hoc or artificial parameters. The algorithm is easily parallelizable with a good speed-up behavior, which considerably decreases the calculation time on several processors and enables the study of assemblies of several thousands of NPs. The specific absorption rate (SAR) of magnetic NPs dispersed inside spherical lysosomes is studied as a function of several key parameters: volume concentration, applied magnetic field, lysosome size, NP diameter, and anisotropy. The influence of these parameters is illustrated and comprehensively explained. In summary, magnetic interactions increase the coercive field, saturation field, and hysteresis area of major loops. However, for small amplitude magnetic fields such as those used in magnetic hyperthermia, the heating power as a function of concentration can increase, decrease, or display a bell shape, depending on the relationship between the applied magnetic field and the coercive/saturation fields of the NPs. The hysteresis area is found to be well correlated with the parallel or antiparallel nature of the dipolar field acting on each particle. The heating power of a given NP is strongly influenced by a local concentration involving approximately 20 neighbors. Because this local concentration strongly decreases upon approaching the surface, the heating power increases or decreases in the vicinity of the lysosome membrane. The amplitude of variation reaches more than one order of magnitude in certain conditions. This transition occurs on a thickness corresponding to approximately

  19. A Pascalian lateral drift sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jansen, H.

    2016-01-01

    A novel concept of a layer-wise produced semiconductor sensor for precise particle tracking is proposed herein. In contrast to common semiconductor sensors, local regions with increased doping concentration deep in the bulk termed charge guides increase the lateral drift of free charges on their way to the read-out electrode. This lateral drift enables charge sharing independent of the incident position of the traversing particle. With a regular grid of charge guides the lateral charge distribution resembles a normalised Pascal's triangle for particles that are stopped in depths lower than the depth of the first layer of the charge guides. For minimum ionising particles a sum of binomial distributions describes the lateral charge distribution. This concept decouples the achievable sensor resolution from the pitch size as the characteristic length is replaced by the lateral distance of the charge guides.

  20. A Pascalian lateral drift sensor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jansen, H., E-mail: hendrik.jansen@desy.de

    2016-09-21

    A novel concept of a layer-wise produced semiconductor sensor for precise particle tracking is proposed herein. In contrast to common semiconductor sensors, local regions with increased doping concentration deep in the bulk termed charge guides increase the lateral drift of free charges on their way to the read-out electrode. This lateral drift enables charge sharing independent of the incident position of the traversing particle. With a regular grid of charge guides the lateral charge distribution resembles a normalised Pascal's triangle for particles that are stopped in depths lower than the depth of the first layer of the charge guides. For minimum ionising particles a sum of binomial distributions describes the lateral charge distribution. This concept decouples the achievable sensor resolution from the pitch size as the characteristic length is replaced by the lateral distance of the charge guides.

  1. Gas-liquid flow splitting in T-junction with inclined lateral arm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Le-le; Liu, Shuo; Li, Hua; Zhang, Jian; Wu, Ying-xiang; Xu, Jing-yu

    2018-02-01

    This paper studies the gas-liquid flow splitting in T-junction with inclined lateral arm. The separation mechanism of the T-junction is related to the pressure distribution in the T-junction. It is shown that the separation efficiency strongly depends on the inclination angle, when the angle ranges from 0° to 30°, while not so strongly for angles in the range from 30° to 90° Increasing the number of connecting tubes is helpful for the gas-liquid separation, and under the present test conditions, with four connecting tubes, a good separation performance can be achieved. Accordingly, a multi-tube Y-junction separator with four connecting tubes is designed for the experimental investigation. A good agreement between the simulated and measured data shows that there is an optimal split ratio to achieve the best performance for the multi-tube Y-junction separator.

  2. Spectral and diurnal variations in clear sky planetary albedo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briegleb, B.; Ramanathan, V.

    1982-01-01

    Spectral and diurnal variations in the clear sky planetary albedo of the earth are calculated using a radiative transfer model to obtain January and July values for a 5 deg x 5 deg global grid. The model employs observed climatological values of temperatures, humidities, snow and sea-ice cover. The diurnal cycle of clear sky albedo is calculated in the following intervals: 0.2-0.5, 0.5-0.7, and 0.7-4 microns. Observed ozone distribution is specified as a function of latitude and season. The 0.2-0.5 micron spectral albedo is 10-20% higher than the total albedo for all latitudes because of Rayleigh scattering; the 0.5-0.7 micron albedo differs from the total albedo by 1-2% for most latitudes, while the 0.7-4 micron albedo is 5-10% lower than the total because of strong atmospheric absorption. Planetary albedo decreases from morning to local noon, with diurnal variations being particularly strong over water.

  3. CpDNA haplotype variation reveals strong human influence on oak stands of the Veluwe forest in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buiteveld, J.; Koelewijn, H.P.

    2006-01-01

    We examined chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) variation in 78 oak stands of an important forest complex (the Veluwe) in The Netherlands. Based on historical maps and information oak stands were classified as planted or autochthonous. A genetic study by means of cpDNA haplotype characterisation was carried out

  4. Laterality and mental disorders in the postgenomic age--A closer look at schizophrenia and language lateralization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ocklenburg, Sebastian; Güntürkün, Onur; Hugdahl, Kenneth; Hirnstein, Marco

    2015-12-01

    Most people are right-handed and show left-hemispheric language lateralization, but a minority exhibits left-handedness and right-hemispheric language lateralization. This atypical laterality pattern is observed significantly more often in schizophrenia patients than in the general population, which led several authors to conclude that there is a genetic link between laterality and schizophrenia. It has even been suggested that a failure in the lateralization process, orchestrated by genes, could be the primary cause of schizophrenia. However, the molecular genetic evidence for a link between laterality and schizophrenia is weak. Recent genetic evidence indicates that schizophrenia is not a single disorder but a group of heritable disorders caused by different genotypic networks leading to distinct clinical symptoms. To uncover the link between schizophrenia and laterality we therefore suggest a paradigm shift where genetics are not mapped on schizophrenia as a whole but on discrete schizophrenia symptoms. In addition, we provide a critical evaluation of current theories on the genetic link between schizophrenia and brain asymmetry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. LATERAL ANKLE INJURY

    OpenAIRE

    Pollard, Henry; Sim, Patrick; McHardy, Andrew

    2002-01-01

    Background: Injury to the ankle joint is the most common peripheral joint injury. The sports that most commonly produce high ankle injury rates in their participating athletes include: basketball, netball, and the various codes of football. Objective: To provide an up to date understanding of manual therapy relevant to lateral ligament injury of the ankle. A discussion of the types of ligament injury and common complicating factors that present with lateral ankle pain is presented along with ...

  6. Genetic variation in adaptability and pleiotropy in budding yeast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jerison, Elizabeth R; Kryazhimskiy, Sergey; Mitchell, James Kameron; Bloom, Joshua S; Kruglyak, Leonid; Desai, Michael M

    2017-08-17

    Evolution can favor organisms that are more adaptable, provided that genetic variation in adaptability exists. Here, we quantify this variation among 230 offspring of a cross between diverged yeast strains. We measure the adaptability of each offspring genotype, defined as its average rate of adaptation in a specific environmental condition, and analyze the heritability, predictability, and genetic basis of this trait. We find that initial genotype strongly affects adaptability and can alter the genetic basis of future evolution. Initial genotype also affects the pleiotropic consequences of adaptation for fitness in a different environment. This genetic variation in adaptability and pleiotropy is largely determined by initial fitness, according to a rule of declining adaptability with increasing initial fitness, but several individual QTLs also have a significant idiosyncratic role. Our results demonstrate that both adaptability and pleiotropy are complex traits, with extensive heritable differences arising from naturally occurring variation.

  7. Relationships between hand laterality and verbal and spatial skills in 436 healthy adults balanced for handedness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mellet, E; Jobard, G; Zago, L; Crivello, F; Petit, L; Joliot, M; Mazoyer, B; Tzourio-Mazoyer, N

    2014-01-01

    The relationship between manual laterality and cognitive skills remains highly controversial. Some studies have reported that strongly lateralised participants had higher cognitive performance in verbal and visuo-spatial domains compared to non-lateralised participants; however, others found the opposite. Moreover, some have suggested that familial sinistrality and sex might interact with individual laterality factors to alter cognitive skills. The present study addressed these issues in 237 right-handed and 199 left-handed individuals. Performance tests covered various aspects of verbal and spatial cognition. A principal component analysis yielded two verbal and one spatial factor scores. Participant laterality assessments included handedness, manual preference strength, asymmetry of motor performance, and familial sinistrality. Age, sex, education level, and brain volume were also considered. No effect of handedness was found, but the mean factor scores in verbal and spatial domains increased with right asymmetry in motor performance. Performance was reduced in participants with a familial history of left-handedness combined with a non-maximal preference strength in the dominant hand. These results elucidated some discrepancies among previous findings in laterality factors and cognitive skills. Laterality factors had small effects compared to the adverse effects of age for spatial cognition and verbal memory, the positive effects of education for all three domains, and the effect of sex for spatial cognition.

  8. The effect of regional variation of seismic wave attenuation on the strong ground motion from earthquakes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chung, D H; Bernreuter, D L

    1981-10-01

    Attenuation is caused by geometric spreading and absorption. Geometric spreading is almost independent of crustal geology and physiographic region, but absorption depends strongly on crustal geology and the state of the earth's upper mantle. Except for very high frequency waves, absorption does not affect ground motion at distances less than about 25 to 50 km. Thus, in the near-field zone, the attenuation in the eastern United States is similar to that in the western United States. Beyond the near field, differences in ground motion can best be accounted for by differences in attenuation caused by differences in absorption. The stress drop of eastern earthquakes may be higher than for western earthquakes of the same seismic moment, which would affect the high-frequency spectral content. But we believe this factor is of much less significance than differences in absorption in explaining the differences in ground motion between the East and the West. The characteristics of strong ground motion in the conterminous United States are discussed in light of these considerations, and estimates are made of the epicentral ground motions in the central and eastern United States. (author)

  9. Seasonal variations of indoor radon concentrations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Majborn, B.

    1990-01-01

    Seasonal variations of indoor radon concentrations have been studied in a cluster of 10 single-family houses. Eight of the houses are of a similar construction with slab-on-grade foundations. The remaining two houses have different substructures, one of them having a crawl space, and the other having partly a basement and partly a crawl space. A 'normal' seasonal variation of the radon concentration with a maximum in winter and a minimum in summer was observed in most of the houses. In these houses the variation showed a strong correlation with the indoor-outdoor temperature difference on a 2-month basis. However, deviating seasonal variations were observed in some of the houses, notably in the two houses having different substructures. This paper reports that a re-examination of the data obtained in a previous study indicates that winter/summer ratios of indoor radon concentrations in Danish houses depend on the house substructure. The mean winter/summer ratios were about 2.1 for houses with slab-on-grade foundations, 1.5 for houses having a basement, and 1.0 for houses with a crawl space (geometric mean values). However, a study with more houses in each substructure category will be needed to show whether or not the indicated differences are generally valid for Danish houses

  10. Structural genomic variations and Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandrés-Ciga, Sara; Ruz, Clara; Barrero, Francisco J; Escamilla-Sevilla, Francisco; Pelegrina, Javier; Vives, Francisco; Duran, Raquel

    2017-10-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, whose prevalence is projected to be between 8.7 and 9.3 million by 2030. Until about 20 years ago, PD was considered to be the textbook example of a "non-genetic" disorder. Nowadays, PD is generally considered a multifactorial disorder that arises from the combination and complex interaction of genes and environmental factors. To date, a total of 7 genes including SNCA, LRRK2, PARK2, DJ-1, PINK 1, VPS35 and ATP13A2 have been seen to cause unequivocally Mendelian PD. Also, variants with incomplete penetrance in the genes LRRK2 and GBA are considered to be strong risk factors for PD worldwide. Although genetic studies have provided valuable insights into the pathogenic mechanisms underlying PD, the role of structural variation in PD has been understudied in comparison with other genomic variations. Structural genomic variations might substantially account for such genetic substrates yet to be discovered. The present review aims to provide an overview of the structural genomic variants implicated in the pathogenesis of PD.

  11. The epidemiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonvicini, Francesca; Vinceti, Marco; Marcello, Norina; Rodolfi, Rossella; Rinaldi, Manuela

    2008-12-01

    Incidence and mortality rates of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) vary between countries, and in some studies appear to increase over time. We performed a study to assess ALS incidence in a northern Italy area over a 10-year period. We identified the new cases of probable or definite ALS diagnosed among residents in Reggio Emilia province between 1996 and 2005 using several sources of data, such as death certificates, clinical records, hospital discharge registers and drug prescriptions. A total of 94 newly-diagnosed patients were identified. The average standardized incidence in the period was 2.0 and 1.0 cases/100,000/year, using the Italian and the world population, respectively, as reference. There was no variation in rates over time. Incidence was 1.3 in males and 0.8 in females. No cases were observed in patients under 35 years of age. Incidence increased after the age of 55 years, reaching a peak in the group aged 70-74 years and declining thereafter. We concluded that ALS incidence in this population was similar to that observed in other Italian regions and European countries, and no variation was identified during the study period.

  12. BOW. A computer code to predict lateral deflections of composite beams. A computer code to predict lateral deflections of composite beams

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tayal, M.

    1987-08-15

    Arrays of tubes are used in many engineered structures, such as in nuclear fuel bundles and in steam generators. The tubes can bend (bow) due to in-service temperatures and loads. Assessments of bowing of nuclear fuel elements can help demonstrate the integrity of fuel and of surrounding components, as a function of operating conditions such as channel power. The BOW code calculates the bending of composite beams such as fuel elements, due to gradients of temperature and due to hydraulic forces. The deflections and rotations are calculated in both lateral directions, for given conditions of temperatures. Wet and dry operation of the sheath can be simulated. Bow accounts for the following physical phenomena: circumferential and axial variations in the temperatures of the sheath and of the pellet; cracking of pellets; grip and slip between the pellets and the sheath; hydraulic drag; restraints from endplates, from neighbouring elements, and from the pressure-tube; gravity; concentric or eccentric welds between endcap and endplate; neutron flux gradients; and variations of material properties with temperature. The code is based on fundamental principles of mechanics. The governing equations are solved numerically using the finite element method. Several comparisons with closed-form equations show that the solutions of BOW are accurate. BOW`s predictions for initial in-reactor bow are also consistent with two post-irradiation measurements.

  13. Existence and convergence theorems for a class of multi-valued variational inclusions in Banach spaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chidume, C.E.; Zegeye, H.; Kazmi, K.R.

    2002-07-01

    An existence theorem for a new class of multi-valued variational inclusion problems is established in smooth Banach spaces. Further, it is shown that a sequence of a Mann-type iteration algorithm is strongly convergent to the solutions in this class of variational inclusion problems. (author)

  14. Absence of the musculocutaneous nerve: a rare anatomical variation with possible clinical-surgical implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Humberto Tavares Guerreiro Fregnani

    Full Text Available CONTEXT: The musculocutaneous nerve is one of the terminal branches of the lateral fasciculus of the brachial plexus, and is responsible for innervation of the flexor musculature of the elbow and for skin sensitivity on the lateral surface of the forearm. Its absence has been described previously, but its real prevalence is unknown. CASE REPORT: A case of absence of the musculocutaneous nerve that was observed during the dissection of the right arm of a male cadaver is described. The area of innervation was supplied by the median nerve. From this, three branches emerged: one to the coracobrachialis muscle, another to the biceps brachii muscle and the third to the brachialis muscle. This last branch continued as a lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve. This is an anatomical variation that has clinical-surgical implications, considering that injury to the median nerve in this case would have caused unexpected paralysis of the flexor musculature of the elbow and hypoesthesia of the lateral surface of the forearm.

  15. Strongly Deterministic Population Dynamics in Closed Microbial Communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zak Frentz

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Biological systems are influenced by random processes at all scales, including molecular, demographic, and behavioral fluctuations, as well as by their interactions with a fluctuating environment. We previously established microbial closed ecosystems (CES as model systems for studying the role of random events and the emergent statistical laws governing population dynamics. Here, we present long-term measurements of population dynamics using replicate digital holographic microscopes that maintain CES under precisely controlled external conditions while automatically measuring abundances of three microbial species via single-cell imaging. With this system, we measure spatiotemporal population dynamics in more than 60 replicate CES over periods of months. In contrast to previous studies, we observe strongly deterministic population dynamics in replicate systems. Furthermore, we show that previously discovered statistical structure in abundance fluctuations across replicate CES is driven by variation in external conditions, such as illumination. In particular, we confirm the existence of stable ecomodes governing the correlations in population abundances of three species. The observation of strongly deterministic dynamics, together with stable structure of correlations in response to external perturbations, points towards a possibility of simple macroscopic laws governing microbial systems despite numerous stochastic events present on microscopic levels.

  16. Lateral Erosion Encourages Vertical Incision in a Bimodal Alluvial River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gran, K. B.

    2015-12-01

    Sand can have a strong impact on gravel transport, increasing gravel transport rates by orders of magnitude as sand content increases. Recent experimental work by others indicates that adding sand to an armored bed can even cause armor to break-up and mobilize. These two elements together help explain observations from a bimodal sand and gravel-bedded river, where lateral migration into sand-rich alluvium breaks up the armor layer, encouraging further incision into the bed. Detailed bedload measurements were coupled with surface and subsurface grain size analyses and cross-sectional surveys in a seasonally-incised channel carved into the upper alluvial fan of the Pasig-Potrero River at Mount Pinatubo, Philippines. Pinatubo erupted in 1991, filling valleys draining the flanks of the volcano with primarily sand-sized pyroclastic flow debris. Twenty years after the eruption, sand-rich sediment inputs are strongly seasonal, with most sediment input to the channel during the rainy season. During the dry season, flow condenses from a wide braided planform to a single-thread channel in most of the upper basin, extending several km onto the alluvial fan. This change in planform creates similar unit discharge ranges in summer and winter. Lower sediment loads in the dry season drive vertical incision until the bed is sufficiently armored. Incision proceeds downstream in a wave, with increasing sediment transport rates and decreasing grain size with distance downstream, eventually reaching a gravel-sand transition and return to a braided planform. Incision depths in the gravel-bedded section exceeded 3 meters in parts of a 4 km-long study reach, a depth too great to be explained by predictions from simple winnowing during incision. Instead, lateral migration into sand-rich alluvium provides sufficient fine sediment to break up the armor surface, allowing incision to start anew and increasing the total depth of the seasonally-incised valley. Lateral migration is recorded in a

  17. Comparison of earthquake source parameters and interseismic plate coupling variations in global subduction zones (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilek, S. L.; Moyer, P. A.; Stankova-Pursley, J.

    2010-12-01

    Geodetically determined interseismic coupling variations have been found in subduction zones worldwide. These coupling variations have been linked to heterogeneities in interplate fault frictional conditions. These connections to fault friction imply that observed coupling variations are also important in influencing details in earthquake rupture behavior. Because of the wealth of newly available geodetic models along many subduction zones, it is now possible to examine detailed variations in coupling and compare to seismicity characteristics. Here we use a large catalog of earthquake source time functions and slip models for moderate to large magnitude earthquakes to explore these connections, comparing earthquake source parameters with available models of geodetic coupling along segments of the Japan, Kurile, Kamchatka, Peru, Chile, and Alaska subduction zones. In addition, we use published geodetic results along the Costa Rica margin to compare with source parameters of small magnitude earthquakes recorded with an onshore-offshore network of seismometers. For the moderate to large magnitude earthquakes, preliminary results suggest a complex relationship between earthquake parameters and estimates of strongly and weakly coupled segments of the plate interface. For example, along the Kamchatka subduction zone, these earthquakes occur primarily along the transition between strong and weak coupling, with significant heterogeneity in the pattern of moment scaled duration with respect to the coupling estimates. The longest scaled duration event in this catalog occurred in a region of strong coupling. Earthquakes along the transition between strong and weakly coupled exhibited the most complexity in the source time functions. Use of small magnitude (0.5 earthquake spectra, with higher corner frequencies and higher mean apparent stress for earthquakes that occur in along the Osa Peninsula relative to the Nicoya Peninsula, mimicking the along-strike variations in

  18. Intraspecific Trait Variation and Coordination: Root and Leaf Economics Spectra in Coffee across Environmental Gradients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isaac, Marney E; Martin, Adam R; de Melo Virginio Filho, Elias; Rapidel, Bruno; Roupsard, Olivier; Van den Meersche, Karel

    2017-01-01

    Hypotheses on the existence of a universal "Root Economics Spectrum" (RES) have received arguably the least attention of all trait spectra, despite the key role root trait variation plays in resource acquisition potential. There is growing interest in quantifying intraspecific trait variation (ITV) in plants, but there are few studies evaluating (i) the existence of an intraspecific RES within a plant species, or (ii) how a RES may be coordinated with other trait spectra within species, such as a leaf economics spectrum (LES). Using Coffea arabica (Rubiaceae) as a model species, we measured seven morphological and chemical traits of intact lateral roots, which were paired with information on four key LES traits. Field collections were completed across four nested levels of biological organization. The intraspecific trait coefficient of variation (cv) ranged from 25 to 87% with root diameter and specific root tip density showing the lowest and highest cv, respectively. Between 27 and 68% of root ITV was explained by site identity alone for five of the seven traits measured. A single principal component explained 56.2% of root trait covariation, with plants falling along a RES from resource acquiring to conserving traits. Multiple factor analysis revealed significant orthogonal relationships between root and leaf spectra. RES traits were strongly orthogonal with respect to LES traits, suggesting these traits vary independently from one another in response to environmental cues. This study provides among the first evidence that plants from the same species differentiate from one another along an intraspecific RES. We find that in one of the world's most widely cultivated crops, an intraspecific RES is orthogonal to an intraspecific LES, indicating that above and belowground responses of plants to managed (or natural) environmental gradients are likely to occur independently from one another.

  19. Photoemission in case of a strongly asymmetric X-ray dinamic diffraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kruglov, M.V.; Sazontov, E.A.; Solomin, I.K.

    1985-01-01

    Possibility has been studied of utilizing strongly asymmet-- ric reflections, in particular in case when the reflected wave slips at a small angle along the surface, for investigating the structural violations of the surface crystal layers. Angular dependence extrinsic photoeffect (ADEP) in the region of X-ray incedence angles close to the Bragg diffraction angle was studied in this paper conformably to crystals with a distorted surface layer. Measurements were conducted with ideal germanium crystals using CuKsub(α) radiation reflections (220) and silicon crystals using CrKsub(α) radiation reflections (22O). It is shown that, in investigating deformed surface layers with low thichkness and large variation of interplanar space, as compared to the basic crystal matric, application of strongly asymmetric reflections anables to increase the sensitivity and information content of the method of abnormal ADEP

  20. Left hemispheric dominance of vestibular processing indicates lateralization of cortical functions in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Best, Christoph; Lange, Elena; Buchholz, Hans-Georg; Schreckenberger, Mathias; Reuss, Stefan; Dieterich, Marianne

    2014-11-01

    Lateralization of cortical functions such as speech dominance, handedness and processing of vestibular information are present not only in humans but also in ontogenetic older species, e.g. rats. In human functional imaging studies, the processing of vestibular information was found to be correlated with the hemispherical dominance as determined by the handedness. It is located mainly within the right hemisphere in right handers and within the left hemisphere in left handers. Since dominance of vestibular processing is unknown in animals, our aim was to study the lateralization of cortical processing in a functional imaging study applying small-animal positron emission tomography (microPET) and galvanic vestibular stimulation in an in vivo rat model. The cortical and subcortical network processing vestibular information could be demonstrated and correlated with data from other animal studies. By calculating a lateralization index as well as flipped region of interest analyses, we found that the vestibular processing in rats follows a strong left hemispheric dominance independent from the "handedness" of the animals. These findings support the idea of an early hemispheric specialization of vestibular cortical functions in ontogenetic older species.

  1. Developmental constraints revealed by co-variation within and among molar rows in two murine rodents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renaud, Sabrina; Pantalacci, Sophie; Quéré, Jean-Pierre; Laudet, Vincent; Auffray, Jean-Christophe

    2009-01-01

    Morphological integration corresponds to interdependency between characters that can arise from several causes. Proximal causes of integration include that different phenotypic features may share common genetic sets and/or interact during their development. Ultimate causes may be the prolonged effect of selection favoring integration of functionally interacting characters, achieved by the molding of these proximal causes. Strong and direct interactions among successive teeth of a molar row are predicted by genetic and developmental evidences. Functional constraints related to occlusion, however, should have selected more strongly for a morphological integration of occluding teeth and a corresponding evolution of the underlying developmental and genetic pathways. To investigate how these predictions match the patterns of phenotypic integration, we studied the co-variation among the six molars of the murine molar row, focusing on two populations of house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) and wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus). The size and shape of the three upper and lower molars were quantified and compared. Our results evidenced similar patterns in both species, size being more integrated than shape among all the teeth, and both size and shape co-varying strongly between adjacent teeth, but also between occluding teeth. Strong co-variation within each molar row is in agreement with developmental models showing a cascade influence of the first molar on the subsequent molars. In contrast, the strong co-variation between molars of the occluding tooth rows confirms that functional constraints molded patterns of integration and probably the underlying developmental pathways despite the low level of direct developmental interactions occurring among molar rows. These patterns of co-variation are furthermore conserved between the house mouse and the wood mouse that diverged >10 Ma, suggesting that they may constitute long-running constraints to the diversification of the murine

  2. Validity of 2D lateral cephalometry in orthodontics: a systematic review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Lateral cephalometric radiography is commonly used as a standard tool in orthodontic assessment and treatment planning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the available scientific literature and existing evidence for the validation of using lateral cephalometric imaging for orthodontic treatment planning. The secondary objective was to determine the accuracy and reliability of this technique. We did not attempt to evaluate the value of this radiographic technique for other purposes. A literature search was performed using specific keywords on electronic databases: Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science. Two reviewers selected relevant articles, corresponding to predetermined inclusion criteria. The electronic search was followed by a hand search of the reference lists of relevant papers. Two reviewers assessed the level of evidence of relevant publications as high, moderate or low. Based on this, the evidence grade for diagnostic efficacy was rated as strong, moderately strong, limited or insufficient. The initial search revealed 784 articles listed in MEDLINE (Ovid), 1,034 in Scopus and 264 articles in the Web of Science. Only 17 articles met the inclusion criteria and were selected for qualitative synthesis. Results showed seven studies on the role of cephalometry in orthodontic treatment planning, eight concerning cephalometric measurements and landmark identification and two on cephalometric analysis. It is surprising that, notwithstanding the 968 articles published in peer-reviewed journals, scientific evidence on the usefulness of this radiographic technique in orthodontics is still lacking, with contradictory results. More rigorous research on a larger study population should be performed to achieve full evidence on this topic. PMID:24325757

  3. Describing a Strongly Correlated Model System with Density Functional Theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Jing; Proynov, Emil; Yu, Jianguo; Pachter, Ruth

    2017-07-06

    The linear chain of hydrogen atoms, a basic prototype for the transition from a metal to Mott insulator, is studied with a recent density functional theory model functional for nondynamic and strong correlation. The computed cohesive energy curve for the transition agrees well with accurate literature results. The variation of the electronic structure in this transition is characterized with a density functional descriptor that yields the atomic population of effectively localized electrons. These new methods are also applied to the study of the Peierls dimerization of the stretched even-spaced Mott insulator to a chain of H 2 molecules, a different insulator. The transitions among the two insulating states and the metallic state of the hydrogen chain system are depicted in a semiquantitative phase diagram. Overall, we demonstrate the capability of studying strongly correlated materials with a mean-field model at the fundamental level, in contrast to the general pessimistic view on such a feasibility.

  4. Effect of Ice-Shell Thickness Variations on the Tidal Deformation of Enceladus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choblet, G.; Cadek, O.; Behounkova, M.; Tobie, G.; Kozubek, T.

    2015-12-01

    Recent analysis of Enceladus's gravity and topography has suggested that the thickness of the ice shell significantly varies laterally - from 30-40 km in the south polar region to 60 km elsewhere. These variations may influence the activity of the geysers and increase the tidal heat production in regions where the ice shell is thinned. Using a model including a regional or global subsurface ocean and Maxwell viscoelasticity, we investigate the impact of these variations on the tidal deformation of the moon and its heat production. For that purpose, we use different numerical approaches - finite elements, local application of 1d spectral method, and a generalized spectral method. Results obtained with these three approaches for various models of ice-shell thickness variations are presented and compared. Implications of a reduced ice shell thickness for the south polar terrain activity are discussed.

  5. Medial versus lateral supraspinatus tendon properties: implications for double-row rotator cuff repair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Vincent M; Wang, Fan Chia; McNickle, Allison G; Friel, Nicole A; Yanke, Adam B; Chubinskaya, Susan; Romeo, Anthony A; Verma, Nikhil N; Cole, Brian J

    2010-12-01

    Rotator cuff repair retear rates range from 25% to 90%, necessitating methods to improve repair strength. Although numerous laboratory studies have compared single-row with double-row fixation properties, little is known regarding regional (ie, medial vs lateral) suture retention properties in intact and torn tendons. A torn supraspinatus tendon will have reduced suture retention properties on the lateral aspect of the tendon compared with the more medial musculotendinous junction. Controlled laboratory study. Human supraspinatus tendons (torn and intact) were randomly assigned for suture retention mechanical testing, ultrastructural collagen fibril analysis, or histologic testing after suture pullout testing. For biomechanical evaluation, sutures were placed either at the musculotendinous junction (medial) or 10 mm from the free margin (lateral), and tendons were elongated to failure. Collagen fibril assessments were performed using transmission electron microscopy. Intact tendons showed no regional differences with respect to suture retention properties. In contrast, among torn tendons, the medial region exhibited significantly higher stiffness and work values relative to the lateral region. For the lateral region, work to 10-mm displacement (1592 ± 261 N-mm) and maximum load (265 ± 44 N) for intact tendons were significantly higher (P .05). Regression analyses for the intact and torn groups revealed generally low correlations between donor age and the 3 biomechanical indices. For both intact and torn tendons, the mean fibril diameter and area density were greater in the medial region relative to the lateral (P ≤ .05). In the lateral tendon, but not the medial region, torn specimens showed a significantly lower fibril area fraction (48.3% ± 3.8%) than intact specimens (56.7% ± 3.6%, P row after double-row repair. Larger diameter collagen fibrils as well as greater fibril area fraction in the medial supraspinatus tendon may provide greater resistance to

  6. Dependent vs. independent juvenile survival: contrasting drivers of variation and the buffering effect of parental care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dybala, Kristen E; Gardali, Thomas; Eadie, John M

    2013-07-01

    Juvenile survival is often found to be more sensitive than adult survival to variation in environmental conditions, and variation in juvenile survival can have significant impacts on population growth rates and viability. Therefore, understanding the population-level effects of environmental changes requires understanding the effects on juvenile survival. We hypothesized that parental care will buffer the survival of dependent juveniles from variation in environmental conditions, while the survival of independent juveniles will respond more strongly to environmental variation and, in turn, drive the overall variation in annual juvenile survival. We tested this parental-care hypothesis using a 30-year mark-recapture data set to model the survival of juvenile Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) during the dependent and independent stages. We examined the effects of weather, density, and cohort mean fledge date and body mass on annual variation in survival during the first 12 weeks after fledging, as well as effects of individual fledge date and body mass on individual variation in survival. The primary driver of annual variation in juvenile survival was precipitation during the previous rainy season, consistent with an effect on food availability, which had a strong positive effect on the survival of independent juveniles, but no effect on dependent juveniles. We also found strong support for effects of body mass and fledge date on individual survival probability, including striking differences in the effect of fledge date by stage. Our results provided evidence that different mechanisms influence juvenile survival during each stage of fledgling development, and that parental care buffers the survival of dependent juveniles from variation in environmental conditions. Consequently, variation in juvenile survival was driven by independent juveniles, not dependent juveniles, and studies focused only on survival during the dependent stage may not be able to detect the

  7. -MoS2 Lateral Heterojunctions

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Ming-yang

    2018-02-28

    2D layered heterostructures have attracted intensive interests due to their unique optical, transport, and interfacial properties. The laterally stitched heterojunction based on dissimilar 2D transition metal dichalcogenides forms an intrinsic p–n junction without the necessity of applying an external voltage. However, no scalable processes are reported to construct the devices with such lateral heterostructures. Here, a scalable strategy, two-step and location-selective chemical vapor deposition, is reported to synthesize self-aligned WSe2–MoS2 monolayer lateral heterojunction arrays and demonstrates their light-emitting devices. The proposed fabrication process enables the growth of high-quality interfaces and the first successful observation of electroluminescence at the WSe2–MoS2 lateral heterojunction. The electroluminescence study has confirmed the type-I alignment at the interface rather than commonly believed type-II alignment. This self-aligned growth process paves the way for constructing various 2D lateral heterostructures in a scalable manner, practically important for integrated 2D circuit applications.

  8. The ontogenesis of lateralized behavior in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wells, Deborah L; Millsopp, Sarah

    2012-02-01

    For the first time, the development of paw preferences in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, is explored. Twelve cats were tested at ages 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year on a challenge requiring them to use one of their paws to retrieve food. To control for repeated testing of the same cats at different ages, the subjects' paw preferences were compared with those of cats tested just once, at 6 months (n = 11) or 1 year (n = 14) of age. Analysis revealed a significant effect of age on the distribution of cats' paw preferences. Cats were significantly more likely to be ambilateral than paw preferent at 12 weeks and at 6 months but more likely to display a lateral bias in paw use at 1 year. There was a significant positive correlation between cats' paw preferences at 6 months and at 1 year. Lateralized behavior was strongly sex related. Females had a greater preference for using their right paw; males were significantly more inclined to adopt their left. Analysis revealed no significant difference in the direction or strength of paw preferences of cats tested longitudinally or cross-sectionally at 6 months or 1 year of age. Findings indicate that cats develop paw preferences by 1 year and hint at a relative stability in preferred paw use over time. The strong sex effect observed strengthens the case for the influence of a biological mechanism in the emergence of motor asymmetry in cats.

  9. The pace of vocabulary growth helps predict later vocabulary skill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowe, Meredith L.; Raudenbush, Stephen W.; Goldin-Meadow, Susan

    2011-01-01

    Children vary widely in the rate at which they acquire words—some start slow and speed up, others start fast and continue at a steady pace. Do early developmental variations of this sort help predict vocabulary skill just prior to kindergarten entry? This longitudinal study starts by examining important predictors (SES, parent input, child gesture) of vocabulary growth between 14 and 46 months (n=62), and then uses growth estimates to predict children's vocabulary at 54 months. Velocity and acceleration in vocabulary development at 30 months predicted later vocabulary, particularly for children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Understanding the pace of early vocabulary growth thus improves our ability to predict school readiness, and may help identify children at risk for starting behind. PMID:22235920

  10. The devil is in the details: genetic variation in introduced populations and its contributions to invasion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dlugosch, Katrina M; Anderson, Samantha R; Braasch, Joseph; Cang, F Alice; Gillette, Heather D

    2015-05-01

    The influence of genetic variation on invasion success has captivated researchers since the start of the field of invasion genetics 50 years ago. We review the history of work on this question and conclude that genetic variation-as surveyed with molecular markers-appears to shape invasion rarely. Instead, there is a significant disconnect between marker assays and ecologically relevant genetic variation in introductions. We argue that the potential for adaptation to facilitate invasion will be shaped by the details of genotypes affecting phenotypes, and we highlight three areas in which we see opportunities to make powerful new insights. (i) The genetic architecture of adaptive variation. Traits shaped by large-effect alleles may be strongly impacted by founder events yet more likely to respond to selection when genetic drift is strong. Large-effect loci may be especially relevant for traits involved in biotic interactions. (ii) Cryptic genetic variation exposed during invasion. Introductions have strong potential to uncover masked variation due to alterations in genetic and ecological environments. (iii) Genetic interactions during admixture of multiple source populations. As divergence among sources increases, positive followed by increasingly negative effects of admixture should be expected. Although generally hypothesized to be beneficial during invasion, admixture is most often reported among sources of intermediate divergence, supporting the possibility that incompatibilities among divergent source populations might be limiting their introgression. Finally, we note that these details of invasion genetics can be coupled with comparative demographic analyses to link genetic changes to the evolution of invasiveness itself. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Anatomical variations of the iliolumbar vein with application to the anterior retroperitoneal approach to the lumbar spine: a cadaver study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unruh, Kenneth P; Camp, Christopher L; Zietlow, Scott P; Huddleston, Paul M

    2008-10-01

    Objectives of this study include identification of lumbosacral venous variations, designation of a critical area of dissection for surgical exposure, and comparison between both male/female and right/left-sided anatomy. Attempts were made to provide anatomic nomenclature that accurately describes these structures. Thirty-eight iliolumbar venous systems in 20 cadavers (11 females/9 males) were dissected. Each system was identified as one of three patterns of variation: common venous trunk (combining ascending lumbar and iliolumbar venous systems) with distal veins, common venous trunk without distal veins, and venous systems without a common venous trunk. Dimensions including distances to the inferior vena cava (IVC) confluence, the obturator nerve, and the lumbosacral trunk, and venous stem length were obtained to aid surgical dissection. Differences between males and females and those between right and left sides were compared. Anterior lumbosacral venous variations could be organized into three groups. A Type 1 venous system (common venous trunk with distal veins) was most common (53% of systems). The anatomical name "lateral lumbosacral veins" adequately describes the anatomical location of these veins and does not assume a direction of venous flow or the lack of individual distal veins. A critical area bordered by the obturator nerve anteriorly, the psoas muscle laterally, the spinal column medially, and sacrum posteriorly within 8.2 cm of the IVC confluence should be defined to adequately dissect the lateral lumbosacral veins. Differences in male and female lateral lumbosacral venous anatomy do not alter surgeon's approach to the anterior lumbar spine. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  12. Lateral Epicondylitis and Physical Exposure at Work? A Review of Prospective Studies and Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Descatha, Alexis; Albo, Francesco; Leclerc, Annette; Carton, Matthieu; Godeau, Diane; Roquelaure, Yves; Petit, Audrey; Aublet-Cuvelier, Agnès

    2016-11-01

    In view of recent published studies, a meta-analysis was undertaken on prospective studies in order to assess any association between lateral epicondylitis and physical exposure at work. Using the key words "lateral epicondylitis" AND "occupational" AND ("cohort" OR "longitudinal," OR "incidence") without limitations on the language or year of publication, original prospective studies were selected from 4 databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Base de Données de Santé Publique) after 2 rounds (valid design, valid association reported, and valid work exposure). Relevant associations between physical exposure at work and incident lateral epicondylitis were extracted from the articles, and a meta-risk was calculated using the generic variance approach (meta-odds ratios [meta-ORs]). From 2001 to 2014, 5 prospective studies were included. Among 6,922 included subjects (and 3,449 who were followed), 256 cases of incident lateral epicondylitis were diagnosed 2.5-6 years after baseline. All the published studies found a significant estimation of relative risk for a positive association between combined biomechanic exposure involving the wrist and/or elbow and incidence of lateral epicondylitis. The overall meta-OR was 2.6 (95% confidence interval 1.9-3.5), with a low heterogeneity (Q = 1.4, P > 0.05). Funnel plots and Egger's test did not suggest major publication bias. The results of this meta-analysis strongly support the hypothesis of an association between biomechanic exposure involving the wrist and/or elbow at work and incidence of lateral epicondylitis. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

  13. Lateral Variations of the Mantle Transition Zone Structure beneath the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau Revealed by P-wave Receiver Functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Y.; Ai, Y.; Jiang, M.; He, Y.; Chen, Q.

    2017-12-01

    The deep structure of the southeastern Tibetan plateau is of great scientific importance to a better understanding of the India-Eurasia collision as well as the evolution of the magnificent Tibetan plateau. In this study, we collected 566 permanent and temporary seismic stations deployed in SE Tibet, with a total of 77853 high quality P-wave receiver functions been extracted by maximum entropy deconvolution method. On the basis of the Common Conversion Point (CCP) stacking technique, we mapped the topography of the 410km and 660km discontinuities (hereinafter called the `410' and the `660'), and further investigated the lateral variation of the mantle transition zone (MTZ) thickness beneath this region. The background velocity model deduced from H-κ stacking results and a previous body-wave tomographic research was applied for the correction of the crustal and upper mantle heterogeneities beneath SE Tibet for CCP stacking. Our results reveal two significantly thickened MTZ anomalies aligned nearly in the south-north direction. The magnitude of both anomalies are 30km above the global average of 250km. The southern anomaly located beneath the Dianzhong sub-block and the Indo-China block is characterized by a slightly deeper `410' and a greater-than-normal `660', while the northern anomaly beneath western Sichuan has an uplifted `410' and a depressed `660'. Combining with previous studies in the adjacent region, we suggest that slab break-off may occurred during the eastward subduction of the Burma plate, with the lower part of the cold slab penetrated into the MTZ and stagnated at the bottom of the `660' which may cause the southern anomaly in our receiver function images. The origin of the Tengchong volcano is probably connected to the upwelling of the asthenospheric material caused by the slab break-off or to the ascending of the hot and wet material triggered by the dehydration of stagnant slab in the MTZ. The anomaly in the north, on the other hand, might be

  14. Comparison of predicted and measured variations of indoor radon concentration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arvela, H.; Voutilainen, A.; Maekelaeinen, I.; Castren, O.; Winqvist, K.

    1988-01-01

    Prediction of the variations of indoor radon concentration were calculated using a model relating indoor radon concentration to radon entry rate, air infiltration and meteorological factors. These calculated variations have been compared with seasonal variations of 33 houses during 1-4 years, with winter-summer concentration ratios of 300 houses and the measured diurnal variation. In houses with a slab in ground contact the measured seasonal variations are quite often in agreement with variations predicted for nearly pure pressure difference driven flow. The contribution of a diffusion source is significant in houses with large porous concrete walls against the ground. Air flow due to seasonally variable thermal convection within eskers strongly affects the seasonal variations within houses located thereon. Measured and predicted winter-summer concentration ratios demonstrate that, on average, the ratio is a function of radon concentration. The ratio increases with increasing winter concentration. According to the model the diurnal maximum caused by a pressure difference driven flow occurs in the morning, a finding which is in agreement with the measurements. The model presented can be used for differentiating between factors affecting radon entry into houses. (author)

  15. Strong SH-to-Love wave scattering off the Southern California Continental Borderland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Chunquan; Zhan, Zhongwen; Hauksson, Egill; Cochran, Elizabeth S.

    2017-01-01

    Seismic scattering is commonly observed and results from wave propagation in heterogeneous medium. Yet, deterministic characterization of scatterers associated with lateral heterogeneities remains challenging. In this study, we analyze broadband waveforms recorded by the Southern California Seismic Network and observe strongly scattered Love waves following the arrival of teleseismic SH wave. These scattered Love waves travel approximately in the same (azimuthal) direction as the incident SH wave at a dominant period of ~10 s but at an apparent velocity of ~3.6 km/s as compared to the ~11 km/s for the SH wave. Back-projection suggests that this strong scattering is associated with pronounced bathymetric relief in the Southern California Continental Borderland, in particular the Patton Escarpment. Finite-difference simulations using a simplified 2-D bathymetric and crustal model are able to predict the arrival times and amplitudes of major scatterers. The modeling suggests a relatively low shear wave velocity in the Continental Borderland.

  16. Heavy quark energy loss far from equilibrium in a strongly coupled collision

    CERN Document Server

    Chesler, Paul M; Rajagopal, Krishna

    2013-01-01

    We compute and study the drag force acting on a heavy quark propagating through the matter produced in the collision of two sheets of energy in a strongly coupled gauge theory that can be analyzed holographically. Although this matter is initially far from equilibrium, we find that the equilibrium expression for heavy quark energy loss in a homogeneous strongly coupled plasma with the same instantaneous energy density or pressure as that at the location of the quark describes many qualitative features of our results. One interesting exception is that there is a time delay after the initial collision before the heavy quark energy loss becomes significant. At later times, once a liquid plasma described by viscous hydrodynamics has formed, expressions based upon assuming instantaneous homogeneity and equilibrium provide a semi-quantitative description of our results - as long as the rapidity of the heavy quark is not too large. For a heavy quark with large rapidity, the gradients in the velocity of the hydrodyna...

  17. Revealing metabolomic variations in Cortex Moutan from different root parts using HPLC-MS method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Chaoni; Wu, Man; Chen, Yongyong; Zhang, Yajun; Zhao, Xinfeng; Zheng, Xiaohui

    2015-01-01

    The distribution of metabolites in the different root parts of Cortex Moutan (the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews) is not well understood, therefore, scientific evidence is not available for quality assessment of Cortex Moutan. To reveal metabolomic variations in Cortex Moutan in order to gain deeper insights to enable quality control. Metabolomic variations in the different root parts of Cortex Moutan were characterised using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and multivariate data analysis. The discriminating metabolites in different root parts were evaluated by the one-way analysis of variance and a fold change parameter. The metabolite profiles of Cortex Moutan were largely dominated by five primary and 41 secondary metabolites . Higher levels of malic acid, gallic acid and mudanoside-B were mainly observed in the second lateral roots, whereas dihydroxyacetophenone, benzoyloxypaeoniflorin, suffruticoside-A, kaempferol dihexoside, mudanpioside E and mudanpioside J accumulated in the first lateral and axial roots. The highest contents of paeonol, galloyloxypaeoniflorin and procyanidin B were detected in the axial roots. Accordingly, metabolite compositions of Cortex Moutan were found to vary among different root parts. The axial roots have higher quality than the lateral roots in Cortex Moutan due to the accumulation of bioactive secondary metabolites associated with plant physiology. These findings provided important scientific evidence for grading Cortex Moutan on the general market. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Lateral Preoptic Control of the Lateral Habenula through Convergent Glutamate and GABA Transmission

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David J. Barker

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Summary: The lateral habenula (LHb is a brain structure that participates in cognitive and emotional processing and has been implicated in several mental disorders. Although one of the largest inputs to the LHb originates in the lateral preoptic area (LPO, little is known about how the LPO participates in the regulation of LHb function. Here, we provide evidence that the LPO exerts bivalent control over the LHb through the convergent transmission of LPO glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA onto single LHb neurons. In vivo, both LPO-glutamatergic and LPO-GABAergic inputs to the LHb are activated by aversive stimuli, and their predictive cues yet produce opposing behaviors when stimulated independently. These results support a model wherein the balanced response of converging LPO-glutamate and LPO-GABA are necessary for a normal response to noxious stimuli, and an imbalance in LPO→LHb glutamate or GABA results in the type of aberrant processing that may underlie mental disorders. : Barker et al. show that distinct populations of lateral preoptic area glutamate and GABA neurons synapse together on single lateral habenula neurons and find that this “convergent neurotransmission” allows preoptic area neurons to exert bivalent control over single lateral habenula neurons and drive opposing motivational states. Keywords: preoptic, habenula, reward, aversion, synapse, glutamate, GABA, stress, calcium imaging, optogenetics, electron microscopy

  19. Comparative morphology of the mechanosensory lateral line system in a clade of New Zealand triplefin fishes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wellenreuther, Maren; Brock, Michelle; Montgomery, John; Clements, Kendall D

    2010-01-01

    The mechanoreceptive lateral line system in fishes detects hydrodynamic stimuli and plays a critical role in many fundamental behaviours, including orientation to water currents and the detection of stationary objects, prey and predators. Interspecific variation in lateral line structure may result from a process of functional adaptation, with the background level of hydrodynamic activity proposed as an important selective pressure. Here we use the eight species of the ecologically diverse New Zealand marine triplefin fish of the genus Forsterygion and one species from the sister genus Notoclinops to investigate interspecific differences in lateral line morphology and to assess the relationship between lateral line characteristics and exposure to wave energy (fetch/depth ratio). Overall, the results show that lateral line traits are divergent between species, and these differences could in part be related to the wave exposure of the habitats that the species occupy. Specifically, numbers of canal neuromasts differed significantly between species, and most canal groupings increased in neuromast number with fetch/depth ratio, while the number and area of some superficial neuromast groupings decreased significantly with exposure. Distribution of superficial neuromasts along the trunk in the semi-pelagic and paedomorphic species F. maryannae differed from the other, demersal species, which may be associated with the unique lifestyle of this species and/or developmental processes. Canal architecture also differed considerably between species, but displayed no relationship with fetch/depth ratio. The results from this study indicate that some interspecific differences in lateral line organs may be a by-product of selection for habitat divergence. Future work should explore additional causal factors that might have influenced the evolution of lateral morphology in these species, including phylogenetic and allometric effects. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  20. Simplified analysis of laterally loaded pile groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F.M. Abdrabbo

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The response of laterally loaded pile groups is a complicated soil–structure interaction problem. Although fairly reliable methods are developed to predicate the lateral behavior of single piles, the lateral response of pile groups has attracted less attention due to the required high cost and complication implication. This study presents a simplified method to analyze laterally loaded pile groups. The proposed method implements p-multiplier factors in combination with the horizontal modulus of subgrade reaction. Shadowing effects in closely spaced piles in a group were taken into consideration. It is proven that laterally loaded piles embedded in sand can be analyzed within the working load range assuming a linear relationship between lateral load and lateral displacement. The proposed method estimates the distribution of lateral loads among piles in a pile group and predicts the safe design lateral load of a pile group. The benefit of the proposed method is in its simplicity for the preliminary design stage with a little computational effort.

  1. Enhanced ULF radiation observed by DEMETER two months around the strong 2010 Haiti earthquake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. A. Athanasiou

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we study the energy of ULF electromagnetic waves that were recorded by the satellite DEMETER, during its passing over Haiti before and after a destructive earthquake. This earthquake occurred on 12 January 2010, at geographic Latitude 18.46° and Longitude 287.47°, with Magnitude 7.0 R. Specifically, we are focusing on the variations of energy of Ez-electric field component concerning a time period of 100 days before and 50 days after the strong earthquake. In order to study these variations, we have developed a novel method that can be divided in two stages: first we filter the signal, keeping only the ultra low frequencies and afterwards we eliminate its trend using techniques of Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA, combined with a third-degree polynomial filter. As it is shown, a significant increase in energy is observed for the time interval of 30 days before the earthquake. This result clearly indicates that the change in the energy of ULF electromagnetic waves could be related to strong precursory earthquake phenomena. Moreover, changes in energy associated with strong aftershock activity were also observed 25 days after the earthquake. Finally, we present results concerning the comparison between changes in energy during night and day passes of the satellite over Haiti, which showed differences in the mean energy values, but similar results as far as the rate of the energy change is concerned.

  2. Speckle Noise Reduction via Nonconvex High Total Variation Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yulian Wu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We address the problem of speckle noise removal. The classical total variation is extensively used in this field to solve such problem, but this method suffers from the staircase-like artifacts and the loss of image details. In order to resolve these problems, a nonconvex total generalized variation (TGV regularization is used to preserve both edges and details of the images. The TGV regularization which is able to remove the staircase effect has strong theoretical guarantee by means of its high order smooth feature. Our method combines the merits of both the TGV method and the nonconvex variational method and avoids their main drawbacks. Furthermore, we develop an efficient algorithm for solving the nonconvex TGV-based optimization problem. We experimentally demonstrate the excellent performance of the technique, both visually and quantitatively.

  3. Influence of lateral displacement on the levitation performance of a magnetized bulk high-Tc superconductor magnet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, W.; Wang, J.S.; Ma, G.T.; Zheng, J.; Tuo, X.G.; Li, L.L.; Ye, C.Q.; Liao, X.L.; Wang, S.Y.

    2012-01-01

    Compared with the permanent magnet, the magnetized bulk high-T c superconductor magnet (MBSCM) can trap higher magnetic field due to its strong flux pinning ability, so it is a good candidate to improve the levitation performance of high-T c superconductive (HTS) maglev system. The trapped magnetic flux of a MBSCM is sustained by the inductive superconducting current produced by the magnetizing process and is susceptible to the current intensity as well as configuration. In the HTS maglev system, the lateral displacement is an important process to change the superconducting current within a MBSCM and then affects its levitation performance, which is essential for the traffic ability in curve-way, the loading capacity of lateral impact and so on. The research about influence of lateral displacement on the levitation performance of MBSCM is necessary when MBSCM is applied on the HTS maglev vehicle. The experimental investigations about the influence of lateral displacement on the levitation performance of a MBSCM with different trapped fluxes and applied fields are processed in this article. The analyses and conclusions of this article are useful for the practical application of MBSCM in HTS maglev system.

  4. Variabilidad lateral para evaluar la velocidad de respuesta de una carta de control de procesos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alicia Quintana

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available La Ingeniería Industrial juega actualmente un rol esencial en el monitoreo de procesos que siguen la metodología Six Sigma. Las Cartas de Control Estadístico permiten monitorearlos periódicamente. La velocidad de su respuesta es evaluada mediante la Longitud de Corrida y merece atención especial, juega un papel determinante en la búsqueda de una carta que se ajuste a las características de producción. La elevada dispersión y marcada asimetría de la Longitud de Corrida hacen que la Variabilidad Total (Coeficiente de Variación no describa adecuadamente la dispersión de aquella longitud. En publicaciones anteriores, los autores propusieron variabilidades laterales acordes a cada estado del proceso. El objetivo del trabajo es evaluar cuantitativamente las ventajas de su uso. El método empleado fue el análisis de la razón variabilidad lateral/variabilidad total en cartas seleccionadas. Los resultados alcanzados evidencian tales ventajas, se hacen más notorias en el uso de muestras y en el interés por los corrimientos grandes en la media del proceso. Se ilustran dos casos donde se destacan las diferencias entre los criterios convencional y no convencional para evaluar la velocidad de respuesta de una carta. Industrial Engineering currently plays an essential role in the processes monitoring that follow the Six Sigma methodology. Statistical Control Charts allow to monitor them periodically. Its response speed is evaluated by the Run Length and deserves special attention, it plays a decisive role in the search for a Control Chart according to the characteristics of production. The high dispersion and strong skewness of the Run Length do that the Total Variability (Coefficient of Variation does not adequately describe the dispersion of that length. In previous publications, the authors proposed lateral variabilities suitable for each state of the process. The aim of this work is to evaluate quantitatively the advantages of its use. The

  5. Seismic Evidence for Possible Slab Melting from Strong Scattering Waves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng-Horng Lin

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Slab melting in young and hot subduction zones has been studied using geochemical observations and thermal modelling, but there are few data from seismic studies to confirm slab melting. Also the detailed geometry in the deep part of the melting slab is often ambiguous in that the intraslab earthquakes within the Wadati-Benioff zone are only limited to shallower depths. To improve our understanding of both the seismic features and geometry found in a young and hot subducted slab, I analyzed anomalous moonquake-like seismograms that were generated by an intermediate-depth earthquake recorded in central Japan. For this study, possible reflected (or scattered sources were examined using detailed analyses of particle motions and a grid search for travel-time differences between the direct and later P-waves. The results show that using strong seismic scattering, slab melting is likely occurring in the deeper, flexing part of the subducted Philippine Sea plate. Because the subducted Philippine Sea plate in central Japan is young and therefore hot, partial melting might have taken place to produce abundant melting spots in the subducted slab. Melting spots, identified as ¡§bright spots,¡¨ could efficiently reflect or scatter seismic energy and generate many later phases with large amplitudes.

  6. Lateral spin-orbit coupling and the Kondo effect in quantum dots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vernek, Edson; Ngo, Anh; Ulloa, Sergio

    2010-03-01

    We present studies of the Coulomb blockade and Kondo regimes of transport of a quantum dot connected to current leads through spin-polarizing quantum point contacts (QPCs) [1]. This configuration, arising from the effect of lateral spin-orbit fields, results in spin-polarized currents even in the absence of external magnetic fields and greatly affects the correlations in the dot. Using an equation-of-motion technique and numerical renormalization group calculations we obtain the conductance and spin polarization for this system under different parameter regimes. Our results show that both the Coulomb blockade and Kondo regimes exhibit non-zero spin-polarized conductance. We analyze the role that the spin-dependent tunneling amplitudes of the QPC play in determining the charge and net magnetic moment in the dot. We find that the Kondo regime exhibits a strongly dependent Kondo temperature on the QPC polarizability. These effects, controllable by lateral gate voltages, may provide a new approach for exploring Kondo correlations, as well as possible spin devices. Supported by NSF DMR-MWN and PIRE. [1] P. Debray et al., Nature Nanotech. 4, 759 (2009).

  7. Impact of contra-lateral breast reshaping on mammographic surveillance in women undergoing breast reconstruction following mastectomy for breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nava, Maurizio B; Rocco, Nicola; Catanuto, Giuseppe; Falco, Giuseppe; Capalbo, Emanuela; Marano, Luigi; Bordoni, Daniele; Spano, Andrea; Scaperrotta, Gianfranco

    2015-08-01

    The ultimate goal of breast reconstruction is to achieve symmetry with the contra-lateral breast. Contra-lateral procedures with wide parenchymal rearrangements are suspected to impair mammographic surveillance. This study aims to evaluate the impact on mammographic detection of mastopexies and breast reductions for contralateral adjustment in breast reconstruction. We retrospectively evaluated 105 women affected by uni-lateral breast cancer who underwent mastectomy and immediate two-stage reconstruction between 2002 and 2007. We considered three groups according to the contra-lateral reshaping technique: mastopexy or breast reduction with inferior dermoglandular flap (group 1); mastopexy or breast reduction without inferior dermoglandular flap (group 2); no contra-lateral reshaping (group 3). We assessed qualitative mammographic variations and breast density in the three groups. Statistically significant differences have been found when comparing reshaped groups with non reshaped groups regarding parenchymal distortions, skin thickening and stromal edema, but these differences did not affect cancer surveillance. The surveillance mammography diagnostic accuracy in contra-lateral cancer detection was not significantly different between the three groups (p = 0.56), such as the need for MRI for equivocal findings at mammographic contra-lateral breast (p = 0.77) and the need for core-biopsies to confirm mammographic suspect of contra-lateral breast cancer (p = 0.90). This study confirms previous reports regarding the safety of mastopexies and breast reductions when performed in the setting of contra-lateral breast reshaping after breast reconstruction. Mammographic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity are not affected by the glandular re-arrangement. These results provide a further validation of the safety of current reconstructive paradigms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Lateral interactions and non-equilibrium in surface kinetics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menzel, Dietrich

    2016-08-01

    Work modelling reactions between surface species frequently use Langmuir kinetics, assuming that the layer is in internal equilibrium, and that the chemical potential of adsorbates corresponds to that of an ideal gas. Coverage dependences of reacting species and of site blocking are usually treated with simple power law coverage dependences (linear in the simplest case), neglecting that lateral interactions are strong in adsorbate and co-adsorbate layers which may influence kinetics considerably. My research group has in the past investigated many co-adsorbate systems and simple reactions in them. We have collected a number of examples where strong deviations from simple coverage dependences exist, in blocking, promoting, and selecting reactions. Interactions can range from those between next neighbors to larger distances, and can be quite complex. In addition, internal equilibrium in the layer as well as equilibrium distributions over product degrees of freedom can be violated. The latter effect leads to non-equipartition of energy over molecular degrees of freedom (for products) or non-equal response to those of reactants. While such behavior can usually be described by dynamic or kinetic models, the deeper reasons require detailed theoretical analysis. Here, a selection of such cases is reviewed to exemplify these points.

  9. Topographically Driven Lateral Water Fluxes and Their Influence on Carbon Assimilation of a Black Spruce Ecosystem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Govind, A.; Chen, J. M.; Margolis, H.; Bernier, P. Y.

    2006-12-01

    Current estimates of ecophysiological indicators overlook the effects of topographically-driven lateral flow of soil water. We hypothesize that topographically driven lateral water flows over the landscape have significant influence on the terrestrial carbon cycle. To this end, we simulated the hydrological controls on carbon cycle processes in a black spruce forest in central Quebec, Canada, using the Boreal Ecosystem Productivity Simulator (BEPS) at a daily time step. We accounted for lateral surface and subsurface flows in BEPS by incorporating a distributed, process-oriented hydrological procedure. The results show that modeled dynamics of ecophysiological processes such as evapotranspiration (ET) and photosynthesis (GPP) are consistent with the spatial variation of land cover, topography, soil texture, and leaf area index. Simulated ET and GPP averaged within the footprint of an eddy covariance tower in the watershed agree well with flux measurements with R2=0.77 and 0.83 for ET and GPP, respectively. For ET simulation, much of the remaining discrepancies are found in the winter when the model underestimates snow sublimation. For GPP, there is an underestimation in the fall coinciding with a mid growing season drought, showing the high sensitivity of the model to the soil water status. The key processes controlling primary production were hydraulic limitations for water transfer from soil, roots, stems and leaves through stomatal conductance. Therefore, a further understanding of soil water dynamics is warranted. Comparison with the soil water content of the footprint- averaged unsaturated zone showed that the model captured the annual trend. We also simulated the variations in the water table as well as the mid growing season drought, with a reasonable accuracy(R2=0.68). The foot print average water budget reveals that the annual precipitation of 835mm is partitioned into 282mm of ET, 541 mm of subsurface runoff, and 6 mm of storage change. To test the

  10. Experimental and theoretical analysis of the dominant lateral waveguiding mechanism in 975 nm high power broad area diode lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crump, P; Böldicke, S; Schultz, C M; Ekhteraei, H; Wenzel, H; Erbert, G

    2012-01-01

    For maximum fibre-coupled power, high power broad area diode lasers must operate with small lateral far field angles at high continuous wave (CW) powers. However, these structures are laterally multi-moded, with low beam quality and wide emission angles. In order to experimentally determine the origin of the low beam quality, spectrally resolved near and far field measurements were performed for a diode laser with 50 µm stripe width. Within the range measured (CW optical output powers to 1.5 W) the laser is shown to operate in just six stable lateral modes, with spatially periodic profiles. Comparisons of the measured profiles with the results of two-dimensional modal simulation demonstrate that current-induced thermal lensing dominates the lateral waveguiding, in spite of the presence of both strong built-in index guiding and gain guiding. No evidence is seen for filamentation. Building on the diagnosis, proposals are presented for improvements to beam quality. (paper)

  11. Bernoulli Variational Problem and Beyond

    KAUST Repository

    Lorz, Alexander

    2013-12-17

    The question of \\'cutting the tail\\' of the solution of an elliptic equation arises naturally in several contexts and leads to a singular perturbation problem under the form of a strong cut-off. We consider both the PDE with a drift and the symmetric case where a variational problem can be stated. It is known that, in both cases, the same critical scale arises for the size of the singular perturbation. More interesting is that in both cases another critical parameter (of order one) arises that decides when the limiting behaviour is non-degenerate. We study both theoretically and numerically the values of this critical parameter and, in the symmetric case, ask if the variational solution leads to the same value as for the maximal solution of the PDE. Finally we propose a weak formulation of the limiting Bernoulli problem which incorporates both Dirichlet and Neumann boundary condition. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

  12. Later abortions and mental health: psychological experiences of women having later abortions--a critical review of research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinberg, Julia R

    2011-01-01

    Some abortion policies in the U.S. are based on the notion that abortion harms women's mental health. The American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Abortion and Mental Health concluded that first-trimester abortions do not harm women's mental health. However, the APA task force does not make conclusions regarding later abortions (second trimester or beyond) and mental health. This paper critically evaluates studies on later abortion and mental health in order to inform both policy and practice. Using guidelines outlined by Steinberg and Russo (2009), post 1989 quantitative studies on later abortion and mental health were evaluated on the following qualities: 1) composition of comparison groups, 2) how prior mental health was assessed, and 3) whether common risk factors were controlled for in analyses if a significant relationship between abortion and mental health was found. Studies were evaluated with respect to the claim that later abortions harm women's mental health. Eleven quantitative studies that compared the mental health of women having later abortions (for reasons of fetal anomaly) with other groups were evaluated. Findings differed depending on the comparison group. No studies considered the role of prepregnancy mental health, and one study considered whether factors common among women having later abortions and mental health problems drove the association between later abortion and mental health. Policies based on the notion that later abortions (because of fetal anomaly) harm women's mental health are unwarranted. Because research suggests that most women who have later abortions do so for reasons other than fetal anomaly, future investigations should examine women's psychological experiences around later abortions. Copyright © 2011 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Prolonged lateral steep position impairs respiratory mechanics during continuous lateral rotation therapy in respiratory failure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schellongowski, Peter; Losert, Heidrun; Locker, Gottfried J; Laczika, Klaus; Frass, Michael; Holzinger, Ulrike; Bojic, Andja; Staudinger, Thomas

    2007-04-01

    To establish whether prolonged lateral steep position during continuous rotation therapy leads to improvement on pulmonary gas exchange, respiratory mechanics and hemodynamics. Prospective observational study. Intensive care unit of a university hospital. Twelve consecutive patients suffering from acute lung injury or adult respiratory distress syndrome undergoing continuous rotation therapy. Blood gas analysis, static lung compliance, blood pressure, cardiac index and pulmonary shunt fraction were measured in supine as well as in left and right lateral steep position at 62 degrees during continuous rotation therapy (phase I). Rotation was then stopped for 30 min with the patients in supine position, left and right lateral steep position, and the same measurements were performed every 10 min (phase II). Phase I and II revealed no significant changes in PaO(2)/FiO(2) ratio, mean arterial blood pressure, pulmonary shunt fraction, or cardiac index. Significantly lower static compliance was observed in lateral steep position than in supine position (pposition than in left and right lateral steep position (ppositioning impairs the compliance of the respiratory system. Prolonged lateral steep position does not lead to benefits with respect to oxygenation or hemodynamics. Individual response to the different positions is unpredictable. The pauses in "extreme" positions should be as short as possible.

  14. Arcuate fasciculus laterality by diffusion tensor imaging correlates with language laterality by functional MRI in preadolescent children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sreedharan, Ruma Madhu; Menon, Amitha C; James, Jija S; Kesavadas, Chandrasekharan; Thomas, Sanjeev V

    2015-03-01

    Language lateralization is unique to humans. Functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) enable the study of language areas and white matter fibers involved in language, respectively. The objective of this study was to correlate arcuate fasciculus (AF) laterality by diffusion tensor imaging with that by fMRI in preadolescent children which has not yet been reported. Ten children between 8 and 12 years were subjected to fMRI and DTI imaging using Siemens 1.5 T MRI. Two language fMRI paradigms--visual verb generation and word pair task--were used. Analysis was done using SPM8 software. In DTI, the fiber volume of the arcuate fasciculus (AFV) and fractional anisotropy (FA) was measured. The fMRI Laterality Index (fMRI-LI) and DTI Laterality Index (DTI-LI) were calculated and their correlation assessed using the Pearson Correlation Index. Of ten children, mean age 10.6 years, eight showed left lateralization while bilateral language lateralization was seen in two. AFV by DTI was more on the left side in seven of the eight children who had left lateralization by fMRI. DTI could not trace the AF in one child. Of the two with bilateral language lateralization on fMRI, one showed larger AFV on the right side while the other did not show any asymmetry. There was a significant correlation (p laterality in children with a high degree of correlation between the two imaging modalities.

  15. Relação entre o ligamento patelofemoral lateral e a largura da faceta patelar lateral Relationship between the lateral patellofemoral ligament and the width of the lateral patellar facet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo Schmidt Navarro

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar a relação entre o comprimento e largura do ligamento patelofemoral lateral (LPFL e a largura da faceta articular patelar lateral (FAPL em cadáveres. A instabilidade patelofemoral está intimamente relacionada com a morfologia patelar e com a tensão das estruturas retinaculares laterais. Estudos evidenciam que quanto mais larga a faceta patelar lateral e quanto mais tenso o retináculo lateral, maior a propensão do desenvolvimento de uma enfermidade na articulação patelofemoral. MÉTODOS: Foram dissecados 20 joelhos em 20 cadáveres. Identificamos as peças quanto ao gênero, idade, lado dissecado, comprimento e largura do LPFL e a largura da FAPL. Foi utilizado o nível de significância estatística de 5% (0,050 e a aplicação da análise de correlação de Spearman. RESULTADOS: O LPFL apresentou em média 16,05 milímetros de largura (desvio-padrão 2,48 e 42,10 milímetros de comprimento (desvio-padrão 8,84. A largura da FAPL variou de 23 a 37 milímetros (média 28,1. A relação entre a largura da FAPL e a largura do LPFL é estatisticamente não-significante (p=0,271, enquanto que a relação entre a largura FAPL e o comprimento do LPFL é estatisticamente significante (p=0,009. CONCLUSÃO: O comprimento do LPFL e a largura FAPL apresentam valores inversamente proporcionais.OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study, with cadavers, is to evaluate the relationship between the width and length of the lateral patellofemoral ligament (LPFL and the size of the lateral patellar articulate facet (LPAF. Patellofemoral instability is closely related to patellar morphology and the lateral retinacular layers. Studies evidence that the wider the lateral patellar facet and the more strained the lateral retinacule, the greater the tendency for development of pathology in the patellofemoral joint. METHODS: 20 knees were dissected in 20 cadavers. The parts were identified according to gender, age, dissected side, length and width of LPFL

  16. Cerebral laterality for language is related to adult salivary testosterone levels but not digit ratio (2D:4D) in men: A functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papadatou-Pastou, Marietta; Martin, Maryanne

    2017-03-01

    The adequacy of three competing theories of hormonal effects on cerebral laterality are compared using functional transcranial Doppler sonography (fTCD). Thirty-three adult males participated in the study (21 left-handers). Cerebral lateralization was measured by fTCD using an extensively validated word generation task. Adult salivary testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) concentrations were measured by luminescence immunoassay and prenatal T exposure was indirectly estimated by the somatic marker of 2nd to 4th digit length ratio (2D:4D). A significant quadratic relationship between degree of cerebral laterality for language and adult T concentrations was observed, with enhanced T levels for strong left hemisphere dominance and strong right hemisphere dominance. No systematic effects on laterality were found for cortisol or 2D:4D. Findings suggest that higher levels of T are associated with a relatively attenuated degree of interhemispheric sharing of linguistic information, providing support for the callosal and the sexual differentiation hypotheses rather than the Geschwind, Behan and Galaburda (GBG) hypothesis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Optimized Whole-Mount In Situ Immunolocalization for Arabidopsis thaliana Root Meristems and Lateral Root Primordia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karampelias, Michael; Tejos, Ricardo; Friml, Jiří; Vanneste, Steffen

    2018-01-01

    Immunolocalization is a valuable tool for cell biology research that allows to rapidly determine the localization and expression levels of endogenous proteins. In plants, whole-mount in situ immunolocalization remains a challenging method, especially in tissues protected by waxy layers and complex cell wall carbohydrates. Here, we present a robust method for whole-mount in situ immunolocalization in primary root meristems and lateral root primordia in Arabidopsis thaliana. For good epitope preservation, fixation is done in an alkaline paraformaldehyde/glutaraldehyde mixture. This fixative is suitable for detecting a wide range of proteins, including integral transmembrane proteins and proteins peripherally attached to the plasma membrane. From initiation until emergence from the primary root, lateral root primordia are surrounded by several layers of differentiated tissues with a complex cell wall composition that interferes with the efficient penetration of all buffers. Therefore, immunolocalization in early lateral root primordia requires a modified method, including a strong solvent treatment for removal of hydrophobic barriers and a specific cocktail of cell wall-degrading enzymes. The presented method allows for easy, reliable, and high-quality in situ detection of the subcellular localization of endogenous proteins in primary and lateral root meristems without the need of time-consuming crosses or making translational fusions to fluorescent proteins.

  18. Development of Variational Guiding Center Algorithms for Parallel Calculations in Experimental Magnetic Equilibria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ellison, C. Leland [PPPL; Finn, J. M. [LANL; Qin, H. [PPPL; Tang, William M. [PPPL

    2014-10-01

    Structure-preserving algorithms obtained via discrete variational principles exhibit strong promise for the calculation of guiding center test particle trajectories. The non-canonical Hamiltonian structure of the guiding center equations forms a novel and challenging context for geometric integration. To demonstrate the practical relevance of these methods, a prototypical variational midpoint algorithm is applied to an experimental magnetic equilibrium. The stability characteristics, conservation properties, and implementation requirements associated with the variational algorithms are addressed. Furthermore, computational run time is reduced for large numbers of particles by parallelizing the calculation on GPU hardware.

  19. Relation of extended Van Hove singularities to high-temperature superconductivity within strong-coupling theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Radtke, R.J.; Norman, M.R.

    1994-01-01

    Recent angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES) experiments have indicated that the electronic dispersion in some of the cuprates possesses an extended saddle point near the Fermi level which gives rise to a density of states that diverges like a power law instead of the weaker logarithmic divergence usually considered. We investigate whether this strong singularity can give rise to high transition temperatures by computing the critical temperature T c and isotope effect coefficient α within a strong-coupling Eliashberg theory which accounts for the full energy variation of the density of states. Using band structures extracted from ARPES measurements, we demonstrate that, while the weak-coupling solutions suggest a strong influence of the strength of the Van Hove singularity on T c and α, strong-coupling solutions show less sensitivity to the singularity strength and do not support the hypothesis that band-structure effects alone can account for either the large T c 's or the different T c 's within the copper oxide family. This conclusion is supported when our results are plotted as a function of the physically relevant self-consistent coupling constant, which shows universal behavior at very strong coupling

  20. Strong correlation effects on the d-wave superconductor- spectral weight analysis by variational wave functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chou, C-P; Lee, T K; Ho, C-M

    2009-01-01

    We examine the strong correlation effects of the d-wave superconducting state by including the Gutzwiller projection for no electron double occupancy at each lattice site. The spectral weights (SW's) for adding and removing an electron on the projected superconducting state, the ground state of the 2-dimensional t-t'-t - J model with moderate doped holes describing the high T c cuprates, are studied numerically on finite lattices and compared with the observation made by low-temperature tunneling (particle asymmetry of tunneling conductance) and angle-resolved photoemission (SW transfer from the projected Fermi liquid state) spectroscopies. The contrast with the d-wave case without projection is alo presented.

  1. Linear force and moment equations for an annular smooth shaft seal perturbed both angularly and laterally

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenwick, J.; Dijulio, R.; Ek, M. C.; Ehrgott, R.

    1982-01-01

    Coefficients are derived for equations expressing the lateral force and pitching moments associated with both planar translation and angular perturbations from a nominally centered rotating shaft with respect to a stationary seal. The coefficients for the lowest order and first derivative terms emerge as being significant and are of approximately the same order of magnitude as the fundamental coefficients derived by means of Black's equations. Second derivative, shear perturbation, and entrance coefficient variation effects are adjudged to be small.

  2. Hemispheric Laterality in Music and Math

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szirony, Gary Michael; Burgin, John S.; Pearson, L. Carolyn

    2008-01-01

    Hemispheric laterality may be a useful concept in teaching, learning, training, and in understanding more about human development. To address this issue, a measure of hemispheric laterality was compared to musical and mathematical ability. The Human Information Processing Survey (HIPS) instrument, designed to measure hemispheric laterality, was…

  3. Dissociating frontal regions that co-lateralize with different ventral occipitotemporal regions during word processing☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seghier, Mohamed L.; Price, Cathy J.

    2013-01-01

    The ventral occipitotemporal sulcus (vOT) sustains strong interactions with the inferior frontal cortex during word processing. Consequently, activation in both regions co-lateralize towards the same hemisphere in healthy subjects. Because the determinants of lateralisation differ across posterior, middle and anterior vOT subregions, we investigated whether lateralisation in different inferior frontal regions would co-vary with lateralisation in the three different vOT subregions. A whole brain analysis found that, during semantic decisions on written words, laterality covaried in (1) posterior vOT and the precentral gyrus; (2) middle vOT and the pars opercularis, pars triangularis, and supramarginal gyrus; and (3) anterior vOT and the pars orbitalis, middle frontal gyrus and thalamus. These findings increase the spatial resolution of our understanding of how vOT interacts with other brain areas during semantic categorisation on words. PMID:23728081

  4. A cross-linguistic evaluation of script-specific effects on fMRI lateralization in late second language readers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maki Sophia Koyama

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Behavioral and neuroimaging studies have provided evidence that reading is strongly left lateralized, and this pattern of functional lateralization can be indicative of reading competence. However, it remains unclear whether functional lateralization differs between the first (L1 and second (L2 languages in bilingual L2 readers. This question is particularly important when the particular script, or orthography, learned by the L2 readers is markedly different from their L1 script. In this study, we quantified functional lateralization in brain regions involved in visual word recognition for participants’ L1 and L2 scripts, with a particular focus on the effects of L1-L2 script differences in the visual complexity and orthographic depth of the script. Two different groups of late L2 learners participated in an fMRI experiment: L1 readers of Japanese who learnt to read alphabetic English and L1 readers of English who learnt to read both Japanese syllabic Kana and logographic Kanji. The results showed weaker leftward lateralization in the posterior lateral occipital complex (pLOC for logographic Kanji compared with syllabic and alphabetic scripts in both L1 and L2 readers of Kanji. When both L1 and L2 scripts were non-logographic, where symbols are mapped onto sounds, functional lateralization did not significantly differ between L1 and L2 scripts in any region, in any group. Our findings indicate that weaker leftward lateralization for logographic reading reflects greater requirement of the right hemisphere for processing visually complex logographic Kanji symbols, irrespective of whether Kanji is the readers’ L1 or L2, rather than characterizing the efforts of L2 readers to accommodate to the L2 script Finally, brain-behavior analysis revealed that functional lateralization for L2 reading predicted L2 reading competency.

  5. Unitary Dynamics of Strongly Interacting Bose Gases with the Time-Dependent Variational Monte Carlo Method in Continuous Space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carleo, Giuseppe; Cevolani, Lorenzo; Sanchez-Palencia, Laurent; Holzmann, Markus

    2017-07-01

    We introduce the time-dependent variational Monte Carlo method for continuous-space Bose gases. Our approach is based on the systematic expansion of the many-body wave function in terms of multibody correlations and is essentially exact up to adaptive truncation. The method is benchmarked by comparison to an exact Bethe ansatz or existing numerical results for the integrable Lieb-Liniger model. We first show that the many-body wave function achieves high precision for ground-state properties, including energy and first-order as well as second-order correlation functions. Then, we study the out-of-equilibrium, unitary dynamics induced by a quantum quench in the interaction strength. Our time-dependent variational Monte Carlo results are benchmarked by comparison to exact Bethe ansatz results available for a small number of particles, and are also compared to quench action results available for noninteracting initial states. Moreover, our approach allows us to study large particle numbers and general quench protocols, previously inaccessible beyond the mean-field level. Our results suggest that it is possible to find correlated initial states for which the long-term dynamics of local density fluctuations is close to the predictions of a simple Boltzmann ensemble.

  6. Diagnosis of laterality in the school environment

    OpenAIRE

    Šnajdrová, Veronika

    2011-01-01

    This bachelor thesis contains theoretical principals of expressions of the dominance of the brain hemispheres - laterality. It solves the development of laterality, its genotype and phenotype, levels, laterality types and species, refers to the educational consequences of the improper educational influence on genotype laterality and subsequent corrections. It also deals with the diagnosis of laterality, especially from a position of a teacher. The basic idea of this work is to support the nat...

  7. Handedness and the fringe of consciousness: strong handers ruminate while mixed handers self-reflect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niebauer, Christopher Lee

    2004-12-01

    Previous research found that mixed handers (i.e., those that are more ambidextrous) were more likely than strong handers to update their beliefs (Niebauer, Aselage, & Schutte, 2002). It was assumed that this was due to greater degrees of communication between the two cerebral hemispheres in mixed handers. Niebauer and Garvey (2004) made connections between this model of updating beliefs and metacognitive processing. The current work proposes that variations in interhemispheric interaction (as measured by degree of handedness) contribute to differences in consciousness, specifically when consciousness is used in rumination versus the metacognitive task of self-reflection. Using the Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire (Trapnell & Campbell, 1999), predictions were supported such that strong handedness was associated with self-rumination; whereas, mixed handedness was associated with increased self-reflection p valuesmetacognition, updating beliefs, and self-reflection. Several studies are reviewed suggesting that mixed handers experience fringe consciousness to a greater degree than strong handers.

  8. Pedestrian-induced lateral forces on footbridges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ingolfsson, Einar Thor; Georgakis, Christos T.; Jönsson, Jeppe

    2012-01-01

    of the underlying pavement. An extensive experimental analysis has been carried out to determine the lateral forces generated by pedestrians when walking on a laterally moving treadmill. Two different conditions are investigated; initially the treadmill is fixed and then it is laterally driven in a sinusoidal...... motion at varying combinations of frequencies (0.33-1.07 Hz) and amplitudes (4.5-48 mm). The component of the pedestrian-induced force which is caused by the laterally moving surface is herewith quantified through equivalent velocity and acceleration proportional coefficients. It is shown that large...

  9. Pedestrian-induced lateral forces on footbridges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ingólfsson, Einar Thór; Georgakis, Christos T.; Jönsson, Jeppe

    2011-01-01

    of the underlying pavement. An extensive experimental analysis has been carried out to determine the lateral forces generated by pedestrians when walking on a laterally moving treadmill. Two different conditions are investigated; initially the treadmill is fixed and then it is laterally driven in a sinusoidal...... motion at varying combinations of frequencies (0.33-1.07 Hz) and amplitudes (4.5-48 mm). The component of the pedestrian-induced force which is caused by the laterally moving surface is herewith quantified through equivalent velocity and acceleration proportional coefficients. It is shown that large...

  10. geomagnetic secular variation and the 1969–1970 secular jerk

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Preferred Customer

    The plots of D rather strongly suggest the presence of a jerk around 1980 at most of the stations. Key words/phrases: Magnetic observatories, polynomial fitting, residuals, secular variation, secular jerk. INTRODUCTION. The magnetic field of the Earth has been observed to exhibit changes of remarkably wide spectral.

  11. Marked lateral deviation of the phrenic nerve due to variant origin and course of the thyrocervical trunk: a cadaveric study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogami, Keiko; Saiki, K; Okamoto, K; Wakebe, T; Manabe, Y; Imamura, T; Tsurumoto, T

    2016-05-01

    Phrenic nerve impairment can often lead to serious respiratory disorders under various pathological conditions. During routine dissection of an 88-year-old Japanese male cadaver, a victim of heart failure, we recognized an extremely rare variation of the right thyrocervical trunk arising from the subclavian artery laterally to the anterior scalene muscle. In addition to that, the ipsilateral phrenic nerve was drawn and displaced remarkably laterad by this vessel. We examined all of the branches arising from subclavian arteries, phrenic nerves and diaphragm muscles. The embryological background of this arterial variation is considered. The marked displacement with prolonged strain had a potential to cause phrenic nerve impairment with an atrophic change of the diaphragm muscle. Recently many image diagnostic technologies have been developed and are often used. However, it is still possible that rare variations like this case may be overlooked and can only be recognized by intimate regional examination while keeping these rare variations in mind.

  12. Audiometric asymmetry and tinnitus laterality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Betty S; Sweetow, Robert W; Cheung, Steven W

    2012-05-01

    To identify an optimal audiometric asymmetry index for predicting tinnitus laterality. Retrospective medical record review. Data from adult tinnitus patients (80 men and 44 women) were extracted for demographic, audiometric, tinnitus laterality, and related information. The main measures were sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Three audiometric asymmetry indices were constructed using one, two, or three frequency elements to compute the average interaural threshold difference (aITD). Tinnitus laterality predictive performance of a particular index was assessed by increasing the cutoff or minimum magnitude of the aITD from 10 to 35 dB in 5-dB steps to determine its ROC curve. Single frequency index performance was inferior to the other two (P .05). Two adjoining frequency elements with aITD ≥ 15 dB performed optimally for predicting tinnitus laterality (sensitivity = 0.59, specificity = 0.71, and PPV = 0.76). Absolute and relative magnitudes of hearing loss in the poorer ear were uncorrelated with tinnitus distress. An optimal audiometric asymmetry index to predict tinnitus laterality is one whereby 15 dB is the minimum aITD of two adjoining frequencies, inclusive of the maximal ITD. Tinnitus laterality dependency on magnitude of interaural asymmetry may inform design and interpretation of neuroimaging studies. Monaural acoustic tinnitus therapy may be an initial consideration for asymmetric hearing loss meeting the criterion of aITD ≥ 15 dB. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

  13. Genetic interaction of two abscisic acid signaling regulators, HY5 and FIERY1, in mediating lateral root formation

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Hao

    2011-01-01

    Root architecture is continuously shaped in a manner that helps plants to better adapt to the environment. Gene regulation at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional levels largely controls this environmental response. Recently, RNA silencing has emerged as an important player in gene regulation and is involved in many aspects of plant development, including lateral root formation. In a recent study, we found that FIERY1, a bifunctional abiotic stress and abscisic acid (ABA) signaling regulator and an endogenous RNA silencing suppressor, mediates auxin response during lateral root formation in Arabidopsis. We proposed that FRY1 regulates lateral root development through its activity on adenosine 3,5-bisphosphate (PAP), a strong inhibitor of exoribonucleases (XRNs). Interestingly, some of the phenotypes of fry1, such as enhanced response to light in repressing hypocotyl elongation and hypersensitivity to ABA in lateral root growth, are opposite to those of another light- and ABA-signaling mutant, hy5. Here we analyzed the hy5 fry1 double mutant for root and hypocotyl growth. We found that the hy5 mutation can suppress the enhanced light sensitivity in fry1 hypocotyl elongation and restore the lateral root formation. The genetic interaction between HY5 and FRY1 indicates that HY5 and FRY1 may act in overlapping pathways that mediate light signaling and lateral root development. © 2011 Landes Bioscience.

  14. Looking for very low tectonic deformation in GNSS time series impacted by strong hydrological signal in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pastier, Anne-Morwenn; Dauteuil, Olivier; Murray-Hudson, Michael; Makati, Kaelo; Moreau, Frédérique; Crave, Alain; Longuevergne, Laurent; Walpersdorf, Andrea

    2017-04-01

    Located in northern Botswana, the Okavango Delta is a vast wetland, fed from the Angolan highlands and constrained by a half-graben in the Kalahari depression. Since the 70's, the Okavango graben is usually considered as the terminus of the East African Rift System. But a recent geodetic study showed there has been no extension on the tectonic structure over the past 5 years, and recent geophysical studies began to call this hypothesis into question. The deformation in the area could instead be related to far-field deformation accommodation due to the motion of the Kalahari craton relative to the rest of the Nubian plate and to the opening of the Rift Valley. Getting to the vertical deformation isn't trivial. The GNSS time series show a strong annual deformation of the ground surface (3 cm of amplitude). On the vertical component, this periodic signal is so strong that it hides the tectonic long-term deformation, while this information would give a crucial insight on the geodynamic process at play. This periodic signal is related to the seasonal loading of water due to the rainy season. This hypothesis is corroborated by the modeling of the surface deformation based on the GRACE satellites data, interpreted as the variation of groundwater amount. In the Okavango Delta, the peak of water level isn't paced with the local precipitations, but is driven by a flood pulse coming from the Angolan Highlands. The migration of this massive water body isn't visible at first order in GRACE data. Yet, local precipitations are supposed to undergo too much evapotranspiration to be significant in the hydrological balance. Thus this later water body isn't supposed to produce a mass anomaly in GRACE time series. This paradox could highlight a relationship not yet defined between groundwater and local rainfall. The wide spatial resolution of GRACE data (about 300 km) doesn't allow a modeling accurate enough to give access to the slow tectonic deformation, nor to determine the

  15. Work-related risk factors for lateral epicondylitis and other cause of elbow pain in the working population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herquelot, Eleonore; Bodin, Julie; Roquelaure, Yves; Ha, Catherine; Leclerc, Annette; Goldberg, Marcel; Zins, Marie; Descatha, Alexis

    2013-04-01

    This study was designed to assess the relationship between work-related combined physical and psychosocial factors and elbow disorders (lateral epicondylitis and non-specific disorders without lateral epicondylitis) in the working population. A total of 3,710 workers (58% men) in a French region in 2002-2005 participated in physical examinations by occupational health physicians and assessed their personal factors and work exposure by self-administered questionnaire. Statistical associations between elbow disorders and risks factors were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. A total of 389 (10.5%) workers had elbow pain without lateral epicondylitis and 90 (2.4%) workers had lateral epicondylitis. Age, body mass index (>25), and low social support (only for men) were significant risks factors. Hard perceived physical exertion combined with elbow flexion/extension (>2 hr/day) and wrist bending (>2 hr/day) was a strong significant risk factor for elbow pain and epicondylitis: among men, adjusted Odds Ratio (ORa) = 2.6 (1.9-3.7) and ORa = 5.6 (2.8-11.3), respectively; among women, ORa = 1.4 (0.9-2.2) and ORa = 2.9 (1.3-6.5). This study emphasizes the strength of the associations between combined physical exertion and elbow movements and lateral epicondylitis. Certain observed differences in associations with lateral epicondylitis and elbow pain only indicate the need for additional longitudinal studies on different stages of elbow disorders and known risk factors. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Executive Function Buffers the Association between Early Math and Later Academic Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew D. Ribner

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Extensive evidence has suggested that early academic skills are a robust indicator of later academic achievement; however, there is mixed evidence of the effectiveness of intervention on academic skills in early years to improve later outcomes. As such, it is clear there are other contributing factors to the development of academic skills. The present study tests the role of executive function (EF (a construct made up of skills complicit in the achievement of goal-directed tasks in predicting 5th grade math and reading ability above and beyond math and reading ability prior to school entry, and net of other cognitive covariates including processing speed, vocabulary, and IQ. Using a longitudinal dataset of N = 1292 participants representative of rural areas in two distinctive geographical parts of the United States, the present investigation finds EF at age 5 strongly predicts 5th grade academic skills, as do cognitive covariates. Additionally, investigation of an interaction between early math ability and EF reveals the magnitude of the association between early math and later math varies as a function of early EF, such that participants who have high levels of EF can “catch up” to peers who perform better on assessments of early math ability. These results suggest EF is pivotal to the development of academic skills throughout elementary school. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.

  17. Variation of precipitation in Langtang Valley,Himalayas

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2001-01-01

    The variation of the δ 18O in precipitation and the relationship with precipitation amountat Kyangjin Base House and Yala Glacier Camp in Langtang Valley, Nepal Himalayas were ana-lyzed. The variations of the δ 18O with precipitation had great scatter, and the correlations betweenthe δ18O and precipitation changed with time on the synoptic scale. On the seasonal scale, therewas marked amount effect at Kyangjin Base House. However, the δ18O-precipitation gradient wassmaller than that on the synoptic scale. Because of the maintenance of the basic equilibrium be-tween stable isotopic compositions in atmospheric vapor and precipitation, the evaporation en-richment was light during the rainy season. Therefore, the variation of stable isotopic compositionsin precipitation was independent on the sampling intervals. Simulations show that the rainfall inLangtang Valley was not the outcome of the initial condensation of ocean vapor that originatedfrom low latitudes. The stable isotopic compositions in precipitation were greatly depleted due tothe strong rainout of the vapor from oceans as the vapor was raised over the Himalayas

  18. Estimation of longitudinal force, lateral vehicle speed and yaw rate for four-wheel independent driven electric vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Te; Xu, Xing; Chen, Long; Jiang, Haobing; Cai, Yingfeng; Li, Yong

    2018-02-01

    Accurate estimation of longitudinal force, lateral vehicle speed and yaw rate is of great significance to torque allocation and stability control for four-wheel independent driven electric vehicle (4WID-EVs). A fusion method is proposed to estimate the longitudinal force, lateral vehicle speed and yaw rate for 4WID-EVs. The electric driving wheel model (EDWM) is introduced into the longitudinal force estimation, the longitudinal force observer (LFO) is designed firstly based on the adaptive high-order sliding mode observer (HSMO), and the convergence of LFO is analyzed and proved. Based on the estimated longitudinal force, an estimation strategy is then presented in which the strong tracking filter (STF) is used to estimate lateral vehicle speed and yaw rate simultaneously. Finally, co-simulation via Carsim and Matlab/Simulink is carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The performance of LFO in practice is verified by the experiment on chassis dynamometer bench.

  19. No variation and low synonymous substitution rates in coral mtDNA despite high nuclear variation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hellberg Michael E

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA of most animals evolves more rapidly than nuclear DNA, and often shows higher levels of intraspecific polymorphism and population subdivision. The mtDNA of anthozoans (corals, sea fans, and their kin, by contrast, appears to evolve slowly. Slow mtDNA evolution has been reported for several anthozoans, however this slow pace has been difficult to put in phylogenetic context without parallel surveys of nuclear variation or calibrated rates of synonymous substitution that could permit quantitative rate comparisons across taxa. Here, I survey variation in the coding region of a mitochondrial gene from a coral species (Balanophyllia elegans known to possess high levels of nuclear gene variation, and estimate synonymous rates of mtDNA substitution by comparison to another coral (Tubastrea coccinea. Results The mtDNA surveyed (630 bp of cytochrome oxidase subunit I was invariant among individuals sampled from 18 populations spanning 3000 km of the range of B. elegans, despite high levels of variation and population subdivision for allozymes over these same populations. The synonymous substitution rate between B. elegans and T. coccinea (0.05%/site/106 years is similar to that in most plants, but 50–100 times lower than rates typical for most animals. In addition, while substitutions to mtDNA in most animals exhibit a strong bias toward transitions, mtDNA from these corals does not. Conclusion Slow rates of mitochondrial nucleotide substitution result in low levels of intraspecific mtDNA variation in corals, even when nuclear loci vary. Slow mtDNA evolution appears to be the basal condition among eukaryotes. mtDNA substitution rates switch from slow to fast abruptly and unidirectionally. This switch may stem from the loss of just one or a few mitochondrion-specific DNA repair or replication genes.

  20. Long-term trends of foE and geomagnetic activity variations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Mikhailov

    2003-03-01

    Full Text Available A relationship between foE trends and geomagnetic activity long-term variations has been revealed for the first time. By analogy with earlier obtained results on the foF2 trends it is possible to speak about the geomagnetic control of the foE long-term trends as well. Periods of increasing geomagnetic activity correspond to negative foE trends, while these trends are positive for the decreasing phase of geomagnetic activity. This "natural" relationship breaks down around 1970 (on some stations later when pronounced positive foE trends have appeared on most of the stations considered. The dependence of foE trends on geomagnetic activity can be related with nitric oxide variations at the E-layer heights. The positive foE trends that appeared after the "break down" effect may also be explained by the [NO] decrease which is not related to geomagnetic activity variations. But negative trends or irregular foE variations on some stations for the same time period require some different mechanism. Chemical pollution of the lower thermosphere due to the anthropogenic activity may be responsible for such abnormal foE behavior after the end of the 1960s.Key words. Ionosphere (ionosphere-atmosphere interactions; ionospheric disturbances

  1. The impact of gene expression variation on the robustness and evolvability of a developmental gene regulatory network.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David A Garfield

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Regulatory interactions buffer development against genetic and environmental perturbations, but adaptation requires phenotypes to change. We investigated the relationship between robustness and evolvability within the gene regulatory network underlying development of the larval skeleton in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. We find extensive variation in gene expression in this network throughout development in a natural population, some of which has a heritable genetic basis. Switch-like regulatory interactions predominate during early development, buffer expression variation, and may promote the accumulation of cryptic genetic variation affecting early stages. Regulatory interactions during later development are typically more sensitive (linear, allowing variation in expression to affect downstream target genes. Variation in skeletal morphology is associated primarily with expression variation of a few, primarily structural, genes at terminal positions within the network. These results indicate that the position and properties of gene interactions within a network can have important evolutionary consequences independent of their immediate regulatory role.

  2. The ultraviolet variations of iota Cas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molnar, M. R.; Mallama, A. D.; Soskey, D. G.; Holm, A. V.

    1976-01-01

    The Ap variable star iota Cas was observed with the photometers on OAO-2 covering the spectral range 1430-4250 A. The ultraviolet light curves show a double wave with primary minimum and maximum at phase ? 0.00 and 0.35, respectively. Secondary minimum light is at phase ? 0.65 with secondary maximum at phase ? 0.85. The light curves longward of 3150 A vary in opposition to those shortward of this 'null region'. Ground-based coude spectra show that the Fe II and Cr II line strengths have a double-wave variation such that maximum strength occurs at minimum ultraviolet light. We suggest that the strong ultraviolet opacities due to photoionization and line blanketing by these metals may cause the observed photometric variations. We have also constructed an oblique-rotator model which shows iron and chromium lying in a great circle band rather than in circular spots.

  3. DOG1 expression is predicted by the seed-maturation envornment and contributes to geographical variation in germination in Arabidopsis thaliana

    OpenAIRE

    Chiang, G.C.K.; Bartsch, M.; Barua, D.; Nakabayashi, K.; Debieu, M.; Kronholm, I.; Koornneef, M.; Soppe, W.J.J.; Donohue, K.; Meaux, De, J.

    2011-01-01

    Seasonal germination timing of Arabidopsis thaliana strongly influences overall life history expression and is the target of intense natural selection. This seasonal germination timing depends strongly on the interaction between genetics and seasonal environments both before and after seed dispersal. DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 (DOG1) is the first gene that has been identified to be associated with natural variation in primary dormancy in A. thaliana. Here, we report interaccession variation in DO...

  4. Assessment of language lateralization with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salagierska-Barwinska, A.; Goraj, B.

    2004-01-01

    fMRI offers powerful methods to delineate which brain regions are engaged in language processing in the intact brain. Until now hemisphere dominance for language has been usually assessed by means of the intraoperative methods: the Wada test or electrocortical stimulation mapping. Recently functional MRI becomes the valuable method in determining hemisphere dominance for language. fMRI study was proved to be concordant with invasive measures. fMRI was carried out in 30 healthy selected participants (15 females: 10 strongly right-handed and 5 strongly left-handed; 15 males: 10 strongly right-handed and 5 strongly left-handed). The subject's handedness was assessed by standardized psychological tests inter alia the 'lateralization inventory'. Two different language tasks were used: a verb generation task and a phonological task. Subjects were scanned,while performing experimental block. The block contained alternately 8 active (language task) and 8 control conditions. Statistical analysis of evoked blood oxygenation level-dependent BOLD) responses, measured with echo planar imagining (1.5 T) were used. During a verb generation task in strongly right or left handed subjects the inferior frontal region was activated on the side opposite to the subject's handedness determined by the psychological test. Our fMRI studies demonstrated no gender effects on brain during these language tasks. Our study suggests that fMRI is a good device for the study of the language organization. The advantage of fMRI is its capacity for exact localization of activated areas. fMRI together with adequate neurolinguistic test could be promising routine preoperative tool in identification hemisphere dominance for language. These results encourage to further investigation for evaluating correlation in patients with brain injuries. (author)

  5. Genetic variation in dieback resistance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lobo, Albin; Hansen, Jon Kehlet; McKinney, Lea Vig

    2014-01-01

    -eastern Zealand, Denmark, and confirmed the presence of substantial genetic variation in ash dieback susceptibility. The average crown damage increased in the trial from 61% in 2009 to 66% in 2012 and 72% in 2014, while the estimated heritability was 0.42 in both 2009 and 2012 but increased to 0.53 in 2014....... Genetic correlation between assessments was 0.88 between 2009 and 2012 and 0.91 between 2009 and 2014, suggesting fairly good possibilities for early selection of superior genotypes in the presence of high infection levels in the trial. The level of crown damage had strong negative effect on growth...

  6. Tradução e validação da versão brasileira da escala de gravidade na esclerose lateral amiotrófica (Egela Translation and validation of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis severity scale (ALSSS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Núbia Maria Freire Vieira Lima

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo do trabalho foi traduzir a Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Severity Scale para o português, como Escala de gravidade da esclerose lateral amiotrófica (Egela, além de validar e estudar sua confiabilidade. A escala foi submetida à versão e retroversão por tradutores bilíngües e três fisioterapeutas treinaram para padronizar sua aplicação. Foram avaliados 22 pacientes (5 mulheres, 17 homens, média de idade 45,9 anos pela Egela e pela medida de independência funcional (MIF; 11 foram examinados para classificação de disfagia. Os coeficientes de correlação intraclasse dos domínios da Egela foram acima de 0,89. Foi constatada alta consistência interna em todos os seus domínios e para cada avaliador; foram encontradas fortes correlações entre a MIF motora e o escore espinhal da Egela (r=0.87 e pThe purpose was to translate the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Severity Scale (ALSSS into Portuguese, to validate it and assess its reliability. The scale was submitted to bilingual translators, its abbreviation in Portuguese being Egela; three physical therapists were trained for its application. Twenty-two patients (5 women, 17 men, mean age 45.9 were evaluated by the Egela and by the functional independence measure (FIM; 11 of them were assessed for dysphagia classification. In all ALSSS domains the intraclass correlation coefficients were over 0.89; high internal consistency was found in all scale domains and for each examiner. Strong correlations were found between motor FIM and spinal ALSSS (r=0.87; p<0.0001, ALSSS swallow domain and both dysphagia classifications (r=-0.88; p=0.0015, and ALSSS speech domain and expression FIM (r=0.76; p<0.001. The Portuguese version of ALSSS showed significant inter-examiner reliability and internal consistency, as well as strong correlations with FIM scores, thus proving a valid and reliable tool for assessing patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

  7. Ventriculoscopic surgery for arachnoid cysts in the lateral ventricle: a comparative study of 21 consecutive cases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shou, Xuefei; Zhao, Yao; Li, Shiqi; Wang, Yongfei

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate neuronavigation-guided ventriculoscopic technique in the treatment of arachnoid cysts in the lateral ventricle. Methods: Between January 2008 to November 2011, twenty-one neuronavigationguided ventriculoscopic surgery were performed for the treatment of symptomatic arachnoid cysts in 21 patients (14 male and 7 female patients, mean age 24.1 years [ranged 1.5-61 years]) Clinical presentations varied from headache, vomiting, hemiparesis and seizure. The trajectory of ventriculoscopy was dynamically monitored and guided in real time by neuronavigation system. Cysts fenestrations were performed in fourteen cases, and cysts resection in seven cases, respectively. All patients were prospectively had a regular follow-up. Results: After operation, all patients achieved symptom resolution without surgical mortality and morbidity. Aseptic meningitis was noted in four cases with cyst resection, and all recovered quickly without advanced treatments. However, a later ependymal adhesion, occurred in one case during follow-up period. Conclusion: The combination of ventriculoscopy and neuronavigation is an accurate, effective and safe approach for the treatment of the patients with arachnoid cysts in the lateral ventricle, especially, for overcoming the topographic variation caused by intraventricular pathologies. Cystoventriculostomy is the best choice. PMID:26885002

  8. Laterality patterns of brain functional connectivity: gender effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomasi, Dardo; Volkow, Nora D

    2012-06-01

    Lateralization of brain connectivity may be essential for normal brain function and may be sexually dimorphic. Here, we study the laterality patterns of short-range (implicated in functional specialization) and long-range (implicated in functional integration) connectivity and the gender effects on these laterality patterns. Parallel computing was used to quantify short- and long-range functional connectivity densities in 913 healthy subjects. Short-range connectivity was rightward lateralized and most asymmetrical in areas around the lateral sulcus, whereas long-range connectivity was rightward lateralized in lateral sulcus and leftward lateralizated in inferior prefrontal cortex and angular gyrus. The posterior inferior occipital cortex was leftward lateralized (short- and long-range connectivity). Males had greater rightward lateralization of brain connectivity in superior temporal (short- and long-range), inferior frontal, and inferior occipital cortices (short-range), whereas females had greater leftward lateralization of long-range connectivity in the inferior frontal cortex. The greater lateralization of the male's brain (rightward and predominantly short-range) may underlie their greater vulnerability to disorders with disrupted brain asymmetries (schizophrenia, autism).

  9. Arcuate fasciculus laterality by diffusion tensor imaging correlates with language laterality by functional MRI in preadolescent children

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sreedharan, Ruma Madhu; Menon, Amitha C.; Thomas, Sanjeev V.; James, Jija S.; Kesavadas, Chandrasekharan

    2015-01-01

    Language lateralization is unique to humans. Functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) enable the study of language areas and white matter fibers involved in language, respectively. The objective of this study was to correlate arcuate fasciculus (AF) laterality by diffusion tensor imaging with that by fMRI in preadolescent children which has not yet been reported. Ten children between 8 and 12 years were subjected to fMRI and DTI imaging using Siemens 1.5 T MRI. Two language fMRI paradigms - visual verb generation and word pair task - were used. Analysis was done using SPM8 software. In DTI, the fiber volume of the arcuate fasciculus (AFV) and fractional anisotropy (FA) was measured. The fMRI Laterality Index (fMRI-LI) and DTI Laterality Index (DTI-LI) were calculated and their correlation assessed using the Pearson Correlation Index. Of ten children, mean age 10.6 years, eight showed left lateralization while bilateral language lateralization was seen in two. AFV by DTI was more on the left side in seven of the eight children who had left lateralization by fMRI. DTI could not trace the AF in one child. Of the two with bilateral language lateralization on fMRI, one showed larger AFV on the right side while the other did not show any asymmetry. There was a significant correlation (p < 0.02) between fMRI-LI and DTI-LI. Group mean of AFV by DTI was higher on the left side (2659.89 ± 654.75 mm 3 ) as compared to the right (1824.11 ± 582.81 mm 3 ) (p < 0.01). Like fMRI, DTI also reveals language laterality in children with a high degree of correlation between the two imaging modalities. (orig.)

  10. Arcuate fasciculus laterality by diffusion tensor imaging correlates with language laterality by functional MRI in preadolescent children

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sreedharan, Ruma Madhu [Government Medical College Hospital, Department of Radiology, Trivandrum, Kerala (India); Menon, Amitha C.; Thomas, Sanjeev V. [Sree Chitra, Thirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Department of Neurology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala (India); James, Jija S.; Kesavadas, Chandrasekharan [SCTIMST, Department of Imaging Science and Interventional Radiology, Trivandrum, Kerala (India)

    2015-03-01

    Language lateralization is unique to humans. Functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) enable the study of language areas and white matter fibers involved in language, respectively. The objective of this study was to correlate arcuate fasciculus (AF) laterality by diffusion tensor imaging with that by fMRI in preadolescent children which has not yet been reported. Ten children between 8 and 12 years were subjected to fMRI and DTI imaging using Siemens 1.5 T MRI. Two language fMRI paradigms - visual verb generation and word pair task - were used. Analysis was done using SPM8 software. In DTI, the fiber volume of the arcuate fasciculus (AFV) and fractional anisotropy (FA) was measured. The fMRI Laterality Index (fMRI-LI) and DTI Laterality Index (DTI-LI) were calculated and their correlation assessed using the Pearson Correlation Index. Of ten children, mean age 10.6 years, eight showed left lateralization while bilateral language lateralization was seen in two. AFV by DTI was more on the left side in seven of the eight children who had left lateralization by fMRI. DTI could not trace the AF in one child. Of the two with bilateral language lateralization on fMRI, one showed larger AFV on the right side while the other did not show any asymmetry. There was a significant correlation (p < 0.02) between fMRI-LI and DTI-LI. Group mean of AFV by DTI was higher on the left side (2659.89 ± 654.75 mm{sup 3}) as compared to the right (1824.11 ± 582.81 mm{sup 3}) (p < 0.01). Like fMRI, DTI also reveals language laterality in children with a high degree of correlation between the two imaging modalities. (orig.)

  11. Evidence for developmental programming of cerebral laterality in humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Jones

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Adverse fetal environments are associated with depression, reduced cognitive ability and increased stress responsiveness in later life, but underlying mechanisms are unknown. Environmental pressures on the fetus, resulting from variations in placental function and maternal nutrition, health and stress might alter neurodevelopment, promoting the development of some brain regions over others. As asymmetry of cerebral activity, with greater right hemisphere activity, has been associated with psychopathology, we hypothesized that regional specialization during fetal life might be reflected persistently in the relative activity of the cerebral hemispheres. We tested this hypothesis in 140 healthy 8-9 year-old children, using tympanic membrane temperature to assess relative blood flow to the cerebral hemispheres at rest and following psychosocial stress (Trier Social Stress Test for Children. Their birth weight and placental weight had already been measured when their mothers took part in a previous study of pregnancy outcomes. We found that children who had a smaller weight at birth had evidence of greater blood flow to the right hemisphere than to the left hemisphere (r = -.09, P = .29 at rest; r = -.18, P = .04 following stress. This finding was strengthened if the children had a relatively low birth weight for their placental weight (r = -.17, P = .05 at rest; r = -.31, P = .0005 following stress. Our findings suggest that lateralization of cerebral activity is influenced persistently by early developmental experiences, with possible consequences for long-term neurocognitive function.

  12. Variations of Blood Pressure in Stroke Unit Patients May Result from Alternating Body Positions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aries, M.J.H.; Elting, Jan Willem; Stewart, Roy E.; de Keyser, Jacques; Thien, Theo; Kremer, Berry P.; Vroomen, Patrick C. A. J.

    Background: Blood pressure (BP) is one of the major vital parameters monitored in the stroke unit. The accuracy of indirect BP measurement is strongly influenced by the position of both patient and arm during the measurement. Acute stroke patients are often nursed in lateral decubitus positions. The

  13. Dopa decarboxylase (Ddc) affects variation in Drosophila longevity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Luca, Maria; Roshina, Nataliya V; Geiger-Thornsberry, Gretchen L; Lyman, Richard F; Pasyukova, Elena G; Mackay, Trudy F C

    2003-08-01

    Mutational analyses in model organisms have shown that genes affecting metabolism and stress resistance regulate life span, but the genes responsible for variation in longevity in natural populations are largely unidentified. Previously, we mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting variation in longevity between two Drosophila melanogaster strains. Here, we show that the longevity QTL in the 36E;38B cytogenetic interval on chromosome 2 contains multiple closely linked QTLs, including the Dopa decarboxylase (Ddc) locus. Complementation tests to mutations show that Ddc is a positional candidate gene for life span in these strains. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) mapping in a sample of 173 alleles from a single population shows that three common molecular polymorphisms in Ddc account for 15.5% of the genetic contribution to variance in life span from chromosome 2. The polymorphisms are in strong LD, and the effects of the haplotypes on longevity suggest that the polymorphisms are maintained by balancing selection. DDC catalyzes the final step in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin. Thus, these data implicate variation in the synthesis of bioamines as a factor contributing to natural variation in individual life span.

  14. Seismic noise level variation in South Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheen, D.; Shin, J.

    2008-12-01

    The variations of seismic background noise in South Korea have been investigated by means of power spectral analysis. The Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) and the Korea Meteorological Administation (KMA) have national wide seismic networks in South Korea, and, in the end of 2007, there are 30 broadband stations which have been operating for more than a year. In this study, we have estimated the power spectral density of seismic noise for 30 broadband stations from 2005 to 2007. Since we estimate PSDs from a large dataset of continuous waveform in this study, a robust PSD estimate of McNamara and Buland (2004) is used. In the frequency range 1-5 Hz, the diurnal variations of noise are observed at most of stations, which are especially larger at coastal stations and at insular than at inland. Some stations shows daily difference of diurnal variations, which represents that cultural activities contribute to the noise level of a station. The variation of number of triggered stations, however, shows that cultural noise has little influence on the detection capability of seismic network in South Korea. Seasonal variations are observed well in the range 0.1-0.5 Hz, while much less found in the frequency range 1-5 Hz. We observed that strong peaks in the range 0.1-0.5 Hz occur at the summer when Pacific typhoons are close to the Korean Peninsula.

  15. Discrepancy variation of dinucleotide microsatellite repeats in eukaryotic genomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HUAN GAO

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available To address whether there are differences of variation among repeat motif types and among taxonomic groups, we present here an analysis of variation and correlation of dinucleotide microsatellite repeats in eukaryotic genomes. Ten taxonomic groups were compared, those being primates, mammalia (excluding primates and rodentia, rodentia, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles, insects, molluscs, plants and fungi, respectively. The data used in the analysis is from the literature published in the Journal of Molecular Ecology Notes. Analysis of variation reveals that there are no significant differences between AC and AG repeat motif types. Moreover, the number of alleles correlates positively with the copy number in both AG and AC repeats. Similar conclusions can be obtained from each taxonomic group. These results strongly suggest that the increase of SSR variation is almost linear with the increase of the copy number of each repeat motif. As well, the results suggest that the variability of SSR in the genomes of low-ranking species seem to be more than that of high-ranking species, excluding primates and fungi.

  16. Genome Wide Distributions and Functional Characterization of Copy Number Variations between Chinese and Western Pigs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hongyang Wang

    Full Text Available Copy number variations (CNVs refer to large insertions, deletions and duplications in the genomic structure ranging from one thousand to several million bases in size. Since the development of next generation sequencing technology, several methods have been well built for detection of copy number variations with high credibility and accuracy. Evidence has shown that CNV occurring in gene region could lead to phenotypic changes due to the alteration in gene structure and dosage. However, it still remains unexplored whether CNVs underlie the phenotypic differences between Chinese and Western domestic pigs. Based on the read-depth methods, we investigated copy number variations using 49 individuals derived from both Chinese and Western pig breeds. A total of 3,131 copy number variation regions (CNVRs were identified with an average size of 13.4 Kb in all individuals during domestication, harboring 1,363 genes. Among them, 129 and 147 CNVRs were Chinese and Western pig specific, respectively. Gene functional enrichments revealed that these CNVRs contribute to strong disease resistance and high prolificacy in Chinese domestic pigs, but strong muscle tissue development in Western domestic pigs. This finding is strongly consistent with the morphologic characteristics of Chinese and Western pigs, indicating that these group-specific CNVRs might have been preserved by artificial selection for the favored phenotypes during independent domestication of Chinese and Western pigs. In this study, we built high-resolution CNV maps in several domestic pig breeds and discovered the group specific CNVs by comparing Chinese and Western pigs, which could provide new insight into genomic variations during pigs' independent domestication, and facilitate further functional studies of CNV-associated genes.

  17. Root water uptake and lateral interactions among root systems in a temperate forest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agee, E.; He, L.; Bisht, G.; Gough, C. M.; Couvreur, V.; Matheny, A. M.; Bohrer, G.; Ivanov, V. Y.

    2016-12-01

    A growing body of research has highlighted the importance of root architecture and hydraulic properties to the maintenance of the transpiration stream under water limitation and drought. Detailed studies of single plant systems have shown the ability of root systems to adjust zones of uptake due to the redistribution of local water potential gradients, thereby delaying the onset of stress under drying conditions. An open question is how lateral interactions and competition among neighboring plants impact individual and community resilience to water stress. While computational complexity has previously hindered the implementation of microscopic root system structure and function in larger scale hydrological models, newer hybrid approaches allow for the resolution of these properties at the plot scale. Using a modified version of the PFLOTRAN model, which represents the 3-D physics of variably saturated soil, we model root water uptake in a one-hectare temperate forest plot under natural and synthetic forcings. Two characteristic hydraulic architectures, tap roots and laterally sprawling roots, are implemented in an ensemble of simulations. Variations of root architecture, their hydraulic properties, and degree of system interactions produce variable local response to water limitation and provide insights on individual and community response to changing meteorological conditions. Results demonstrate the ability of interacting systems to shift areas of active uptake based on local gradients, allowing individuals to meet water demands despite competition from their peers. These results further illustrate how inter- and intra-species variations in root properties may influence not only individual response to water stress, but also help quantify the margins of resilience for forest ecosystems under changing climate.

  18. Compressive neuropathy of the first branch of the lateral plantar nerve: a study by magnetic resonance imaging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rogéria Nobre Rodrigues

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To assess the prevalence of isolated findings of abnormalities leading to entrapment of the lateral plantar nerve and respective branches in patients complaining of chronic heel pain, whose magnetic resonance imaging exams have showed complete selective fatty atrophy of the abductor digiti quinti muscle. Materials and Methods: Retrospective, analytical, and cross-sectional study. The authors selected magnetic resonance imaging of hindfoot of 90 patients with grade IV abductor digiti quinti muscle atrophy according to Goutallier and Bernageau classification. Patients presenting with minor degrees of fatty muscle degeneration (below grade IV and those who had been operated on for nerve decompression were excluded. Results: A female prevalence (78.8% was observed, and a strong correlation was found between fatty muscle atrophy and plantar fasciitis in 21.2%, and ankle varices, in 16.8% of the patients. Conclusion: Fatty atrophy of the abductor digiti quinti muscle is strongly associated with neuropathic alterations of the first branch of the lateral plantar nerve. The present study showed a significant association between plantar fasciitis and ankle varices with grade IV atrophy of the abductor digiti quinti muscle.

  19. Variations in the male genitalia of Aedes (Stegomyia Albopictus (Skuse from Chandigarh and its surrounding areas (Diptera: Culicidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sagandeep Kaur

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is the most dominant species of subgenus Stegomyia and is medically important from the standpoint of transmitting wide range of human pathogens of deadly diseases like dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya. During present investigations, it has been observed that IX tergum in the male genitalia of Aedes albopictus varies greatly. It shows variations with respect to the presence or absence of lateral projections on the IX tergum, as well as in the shape and size of median and lateral projections. The shape of IX tergum in the male genitalia of Aedes species is of great taxonomic importance as it is a diagnostic character of the species. These variations have been observed both in natural populations collected from various breeding sites as well as in the adults reared in laboratory. The observed differences have not been noticed by any of the previous workers.

  20. Genetic causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: new genetic analysis methodologies entailing new opportunities and challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marangi, Giuseppe; Traynor, Bryan J.

    2018-01-01

    The genetic architecture of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is being increasingly understood. In this far-reaching review, we examine what is currently known about ALS genetics and how these genes were initially identified. We also discuss the various types of mutations that might underlie this fatal neurodegenerative condition and outline some of the strategies that might be useful in untangling them. These include expansions of short repeat sequences, common and low-frequency genetic variations, de novo mutations, epigenetic changes, somatic mutations, epistasis, oligogenic and polygenic hypotheses. PMID:25316630

  1. The right hippocampus leads the bilateral integration of gamma-parsed lateralized information

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benito, Nuria; Martín-Vázquez, Gonzalo; Makarova, Julia; Makarov, Valeri A; Herreras, Oscar

    2016-01-01

    It is unclear whether the two hippocampal lobes convey similar or different activities and how they cooperate. Spatial discrimination of electric fields in anesthetized rats allowed us to compare the pathway-specific field potentials corresponding to the gamma-paced CA3 output (CA1 Schaffer potentials) and CA3 somatic inhibition within and between sides. Bilateral excitatory Schaffer gamma waves are generally larger and lead from the right hemisphere with only moderate covariation of amplitude, and drive CA1 pyramidal units more strongly than unilateral waves. CA3 waves lock to the ipsilateral Schaffer potentials, although bilateral coherence was weak. Notably, Schaffer activity may run laterally, as seen after the disruption of the connecting pathways. Thus, asymmetric operations promote the entrainment of CA3-autonomous gamma oscillators bilaterally, synchronizing lateralized gamma strings to converge optimally on CA1 targets. The findings support the view that interhippocampal connections integrate different aspects of information that flow through the left and right lobes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.16658.001 PMID:27599221

  2. Variational principles for locally variational forms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brajercik, J.; Krupka, D.

    2005-01-01

    We present the theory of higher order local variational principles in fibered manifolds, in which the fundamental global concept is a locally variational dynamical form. Any two Lepage forms, defining a local variational principle for this form, differ on intersection of their domains, by a variationally trivial form. In this sense, but in a different geometric setting, the local variational principles satisfy analogous properties as the variational functionals of the Chern-Simons type. The resulting theory of extremals and symmetries extends the first order theories of the Lagrange-Souriau form, presented by Grigore and Popp, and closed equivalents of the first order Euler-Lagrange forms of Hakova and Krupkova. Conceptually, our approach differs from Prieto, who uses the Poincare-Cartan forms, which do not have higher order global analogues

  3. Variations in the Parameters of Background Seismic Noise during the Preparation Stages of Strong Earthquakes in the Kamchatka Region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasimova, V. A.; Kopylova, G. N.; Lyubushin, A. A.

    2018-03-01

    The results of the long (2011-2016) investigation of background seismic noise (BSN) in Kamchatka by the method suggested by Doct. Sci. (Phys.-Math.) A.A. Lyubushin with the use of the data from the network of broadband seismic stations of the Geophysical Survey of the Russian Academy of Sciences are presented. For characterizing the BSN field and its variability, continuous time series of the statistical parameters of the multifractal singularity spectra and wavelet expansion calculated from the records at each station are used. These parameters include the generalized Hurst exponent α*, singularity spectrum support width Δα, wavelet spectral exponent β, minimal normalized entropy of wavelet coefficients En, and spectral measure of their coherent behavior. The peculiarities in the spatiotemporal distribution of the BSN parameters as a probable response to the earthquakes with M w = 6.8-8.3 that occurred in Kamchatka in 2013 and 2016 are considered. It is established that these seismic events were preceded by regular variations in the BSN parameters, which lasted for a few months and consisted in the reduction of the median and mean α*, Δα, and β values estimated over all the stations and in the increase of the En values. Based on the increase in the spectral measure of the coherent behavior of the four-variate time series of the median and mean values of the considered statistics, the effect of the enhancement of the synchronism in the joint (collective) behavior of these parameters during a certain period prior to the mantle earthquake in the Sea of Okhotsk (May 24, 2013, M w = 8.3) is diagnosed. The procedures for revealing the precursory effects in the variations of the BSN parameters are described and the examples of these effects are presented.

  4. Laterality of radiographic osteoarthritis of the knee.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Komatsu, Daigo; Ikeuchi, Kazuma; Kojima, Toshihisa; Takegami, Yasuhiko; Amano, Takafumi; Tsuboi, Masaki; Ishiguro, Naoki; Hasegawa, Yukiharu

    2017-05-01

    There are few reports of the laterality in radiological knee osteoarthritis (ROA). This study aimed to evaluate laterality in terms of the minimum joint space width (mJSW) and osteophyte areas (OFs) in a cross-sectorial general population screen and elucidate the association between laterality and risk of osteoarthritis. We enrolled 330 participants (mean age 64.6 years) and examined the presence of ROA (Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≧ 2) laterality in terms of the mJSW and OF on the medial tibia using auto-measuring software. Moreover, we examined the association between laterality and leg dominance. The right and left medial mJSWs were 4.02 ± 0.98 mm and 4.05 ± 1.01 mm, respectively, showing no laterality; the laterals were also similar. The participants who had osteophytes ≥1 mm 2 in the right, left, and bilateral knees were 15, 37, and 57 respectively, with osteophytes being significantly more common in the left knee. The OF was significantly larger in the left knee. Conversely, the medial and lateral mJSWs and OF did not differ according to leg dominance. The prevalence of ROA was higher and the OF was more pronounced in the left knee. However, the mJSW showed no laterality. Additionally, the mJSW and OF showed no differences according to leg dominance.

  5. Electrophoresis in strong electric fields.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barany, Sandor

    2009-01-01

    Two kinds of non-linear electrophoresis (ef) that can be detected in strong electric fields (several hundred V/cm) are considered. The first ("classical" non-linear ef) is due to the interaction of the outer field with field-induced ionic charges in the electric double layer (EDL) under conditions, when field-induced variations of electrolyte concentration remain to be small comparatively to its equilibrium value. According to the Shilov theory, the non-linear component of the electrophoretic velocity for dielectric particles is proportional to the cubic power of the applied field strength (cubic electrophoresis) and to the second power of the particles radius; it is independent of the zeta-potential but is determined by the surface conductivity of particles. The second one, the so-called "superfast electrophoresis" is connected with the interaction of a strong outer field with a secondary diffuse layer of counterions (space charge) that is induced outside the primary (classical) diffuse EDL by the external field itself because of concentration polarization. The Dukhin-Mishchuk theory of "superfast electrophoresis" predicts quadratic dependence of the electrophoretic velocity of unipolar (ionically or electronically) conducting particles on the external field gradient and linear dependence on the particle's size in strong electric fields. These are in sharp contrast to the laws of classical electrophoresis (no dependence of V(ef) on the particle's size and linear dependence on the electric field gradient). A new method to measure the ef velocity of particles in strong electric fields is developed that is based on separation of the effects of sedimentation and electrophoresis using videoimaging and a new flowcell and use of short electric pulses. To test the "classical" non-linear electrophoresis, we have measured the ef velocity of non-conducting polystyrene, aluminium-oxide and (semiconductor) graphite particles as well as Saccharomice cerevisiae yeast cells as a

  6. Winter-to-winter variations in indoor radon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mose, D.G.; Mushrush, G.W.; Kline, S.W.

    1989-01-01

    Indoor radon concentrations in northern Virginia and central Maryland show a strong dependence on weather. Winter tends to be associated with higher than average indoor radon, and summer with lower than average. However, compared to the winter of 1986-1987, the winter of 1987-1988 was warmer and drier. Consequently, winter-to-winter indoor radon decreased by about 25%. This winter-to-winter decrease is unexpectedly large, and simulates winter-to-summer variations that have been reported

  7. Associations between schizotypy and cerebral laterality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Haeme R P; Waldie, Karen E

    2017-03-01

    Atypical lateralization for language has been found in schizophrenia, suggesting that language and thought disorders on the schizophrenia spectrum may be due to left hemispheric dysfunction. However, research with those with non-clinical schizotypy has been inconsistent, with some studies finding reduced or reversed language laterality (particularly with positive schizotypal traits), and others finding typical left hemispheric specialization. The aim of the current study was to use both a behavioural (dual reading-finger tapping) task and an functional magnetic resonance imaging lexical decision task to investigate language laterality in a university sample of high- and low-schizotypal adults. Findings revealed no evidence for atypical lateralization in our sample for both overall schizotypy (measured by the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences) and positive schizotypy (measured by the Unusual Experiences subscale) groups. Our findings provide further evidence that non-clinical schizotypy is not associated with atypical language laterality.

  8. Reliable lateral and vertical manipulations of a single Cu adatom on a Cu(111) surface with multi-atom apex tip: semiempirical and first-principles simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie Yiqun; Liu Qingwei; Zhang Peng; Wang Songyou; Li Yufen; Gan Fuxi; Zhuang Jun; Zhang Wenqing; Zhuang Min

    2008-01-01

    We study the reliability of the lateral manipulation of a single Cu adatom on a Cu(111) surface with single-atom, dimer and trimer apex tips using both semiempirical and first-principles simulations. The dependence of the manipulation reliability on tip height is investigated. For the single-atom apex tip the manipulation reliability increases monotonically with decreasing tip height. For the dimer and trimer apex tips the manipulation reliability is greatly improved compared to that for the single-atom apex tip over a certain tip-height range. Two kinds of mechanism are found responsible for this improvement. One is the so-called enhanced interaction mechanism in which the lateral tip-adatom interaction in the manipulation direction is improved. The other is the suspended atom mechanism in which the relative lateral trapping ability of the tip is improved due to the strong vertical attraction of the tip on the adatom. Both mechanisms occur in the manipulations with the trimer apex tip, while in those with the dimer apex tip only the former is effective. Moreover, we present a method to realize reversible vertical manipulation of a single atom on a Cu(111) surface with the trimer apex tip, based on its strong vertical and lateral attraction on the adatom

  9. Interplay between strong correlation and adsorption distances: Co on Cu(001)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahlke, Marc Philipp; Karolak, Michael; Herrmann, Carmen

    2018-01-01

    Adsorbed transition metal atoms can have partially filled d or f shells due to strong on-site Coulomb interaction. Capturing all effects originating from electron correlation in such strongly correlated systems is a challenge for electronic structure methods. It requires a sufficiently accurate description of the atomistic structure (in particular bond distances and angles), which is usually obtained from first-principles Kohn-Sham density functional theory (DFT), which due to the approximate nature of the exchange-correlation functional may provide an unreliable description of strongly correlated systems. To elucidate the consequences of this popular procedure, we apply a combination of DFT with the Anderson impurity model (AIM), as well as DFT + U for a calculation of the potential energy surface along the Co/Cu(001) adsorption coordinate, and compare the results with those obtained from DFT. The adsorption minimum is shifted towards larger distances by applying DFT+AIM, or the much cheaper DFT +U method, compared to the corresponding spin-polarized DFT results, by a magnitude comparable to variations between different approximate exchange-correlation functionals (0.08 to 0.12 Å). This shift originates from an increasing correlation energy at larger adsorption distances, which can be traced back to the Co 3 dx y and 3 dz2 orbitals being more correlated as the adsorption distance is increased. We can show that such considerations are important, as they may strongly affect electronic properties such as the Kondo temperature.

  10. Analysis of conformational variations of the cricoid cartilages in Thoroughbred horses using computed tomography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahlberg, J A; Valdes-Martinez, A; Boston, R C; Parente, E J

    2011-03-01

    Loss of arytenoid abduction is a common post operative complication of laryngoplasty without a definitive cause. It has been a clinical impression during laryngoplasty surgery that there is great conformational variability along the caudal edge of the Thoroughbred cricoid cartilage that could impact post operative retention of suture position. A change in suture position would probably lead to some loss of abduction. Defining any structural variability of the cricoid would be an initial step in determining whether this variability could impact on the retention of suture position. Anatomical variations in the larynx of Thoroughbred horses may be detected and measured using objective analysis and computed tomography. Larynges were harvested from 15 mature Thoroughbred horses. Helical CT scans were performed on each specimen. Three independent observers performed a series of measurements on 2D and 3D reconstruction images using digital software. Measurements included the lateral cricoid angle, the caudal cricoid prominences, the distance to the cricoid slope, the angle of the cricoarytenoid joints (CAJ), the cricoid thickness and the suture angle. Mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation and linear regression analysis were performed among all observers and all measurements. Notable conformational differences were evident on the 3D reconstructions. The highest degree of variability was found in 3 measurements: the distance to the lateral cricoid slope, the lateral cricoid angle and the cricoid thickness. A larger left CAJ angle directly and significantly correlated with a larger suture angle. There are notable conformational differences among cricoid specimens in the Thoroughbred larynx. The morphometric differences identified may impact on optimal prosthesis placement and long-term retention. Since a larger lateral cricoid angle may facilitate abduction loss secondary to a displaced and loosened suture, alternative techniques for suture placement may be of

  11. Self-caring in later life

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fristrup, Tine; Grut, Sara

    2015-01-01

    . The phenomenon of gerontopedagogicalisation is a process of becoming a juvenile and entrepreneurial self in later life, conceptualised as performAGE (Fristrup, 2012a). PerformAGE is an approach to understanding the different ways of performing age in later life which favours the performing of this juvenile...

  12. Right away: A late, right-lateralized category effect complements an early, left-lateralized category effect in visual search.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Constable, Merryn D; Becker, Stefanie I

    2017-10-01

    According to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, learned semantic categories can influence early perceptual processes. A central finding in support of this view is the lateralized category effect-namely, the finding that categorically different colors (e.g., blue and green hues) can be discriminated faster than colors within the same color category (e.g., different hues of green), especially when they are presented in the right visual field. Because the right visual field projects to the left hemisphere, this finding has been popularly couched in terms of the left-lateralization of language. However, other studies have reported bilateral category effects, which has led some researchers to question the linguistic origins of the effect. Here we examined the time course of lateralized and bilateral category effects in the classical visual search paradigm by means of eyetracking and RT distribution analyses. Our results show a bilateral category effect in the manual responses, which is combined of an early, left-lateralized category effect and a later, right-lateralized category effect. The newly discovered late, right-lateralized category effect occurred only when observers had difficulty locating the target, indicating a specialization of the right hemisphere to find categorically different targets after an initial error. The finding that early and late stages of visual search show different lateralized category effects can explain a wide range of previously discrepant findings.

  13. Fennel pondweed: a world citizen : geographic variation in life-cycle characteristics of the clonal water plant Potamogeton pectinatus L.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pilon, J.

    2002-01-01

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    The performance of broadly distributed plants is potentially constrained by geographic variation in climatic

  14. Studying the influence of strong meteorological disturbances in the Earth's lower atmosphere on variations of ionospheric parameters in the Asian region of Russia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chernigovskaya, Marina; Kurkin, Vladimir; Orlov, Igor; Oinats, Alexey; Sharkov, Eugenii

    2010-05-01

    Short-period temporal variations of ionospheric parameters were analyzed to study probabilities of manifestation of strong meteorological disturbances in the Earth's lower atmosphere in variations of upper atmosphere parameters in a zone far removed from a disturbance source. In the analysis, we used data on maximum observed frequencies (MOF) of oblique sounding (OS) signals along Norilsk-Irkutsk, Magadan-Irkutsk, and Khabarovsk-Irkutsk paths in East Siberia and the Far East. These data were obtained during solar minimum at equinoxes (March, September) in 2008-2009. Analyzing effects of wave disturbances in ionospheric parameters, we take into account helio-geomagnetic and meteorological conditions in regions under study to do an effective separation between disturbances associated with magnetospheric-ionospheric coupling and those induced by the influence of the lower atmosphere on the upper one. The frequency analysis we conducted revealed time intervals with higher intensity of short-period oscillations which may have been interpreted as manifestation of large-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) whose sources were internal gravity waves (IGWs) with periods of 1-5 hours. The complex analysis of helio-geomagnetic, ionospheric, and atmospheric data as well as data on tropical cyclones established that the detected TIDs were unrelated to helio-geomagnetic disturbances (2008-2009 exhibited solar minimum and quiet geomagnetic conditions). The analysis of other potential sources of the observed short-period wave disturbances shows that observed TIDs do not always coincide in time with passage of local meteorological fronts through the region of subionospheric points of OS paths and are not associated with passage of solar terminator. An attempt was made to connect a number of detected TIDs with ionospheric responses to tropical cyclones (TC) which were in active phase in the north-west of the Pacific Ocean during the periods considered. A considerable

  15. Heritable variation in maternally derived yolk androgens, thyroid hormones and immune factors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ruuskanen, S; Gienapp, P; Groothuis, T G G; Schaper, S V; Darras, V M; Pereira, C.; Vries, de Bonnie; Visser, Marcel

    2016-01-01

    Maternal reproductive investment can critically influence offspring phenotype, and thus these maternal effects are expected to be under strong natural selection. Knowledge on the extent of heritable variation in the physiological mechanisms underlying maternal effects is however limited. In birds,

  16. Spin relaxation through Kondo scattering in Cu/Py lateral spin valves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batley, J. T.; Rosaond, M. C.; Ali, M.; Linfield, E. H.; Burnell, G.; Hickey, B. J.

    Within non-magnetic metals it is reasonable to expect the Elliot-Yafet mechanism to govern spin-relaxation and thus the temperature dependence of the spin diffusion length might be inversely proportional to resistivity. However, in lateral spin valves, measurements have found that at low temperatures the spin diffusion length unexpectedly decreases. We have fabricated lateral spin valves from Cu with different concentrations of magnetic impurities. Through temperature dependent charge and spin transport measurements we present clear evidence linking the presence of the Kondo effect within Cu to the suppression of the spin diffusion length below 30 K. We have calculated the spin-relaxation rate and isolated the contribution from magnetic impurities. At very low temperatures electron-electron interactions play a more prominent role in the Kondo effect. Well below the Kondo temperature a strong-coupling regime exists, where the moments become screened and the magnetic dephasing rate is reduced. We also investigate the effect of this low temperature regime (>1 K) on a pure spin current. This work shows the dominant role of Kondo scattering, even in low concentrations of order 1 ppm, within pure spin transport.

  17. Determinants of intra-specific variation in basal metabolic rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konarzewski, Marek; Książek, Aneta

    2013-01-01

    Basal metabolic rate (BMR) provides a widely accepted benchmark of metabolic expenditure for endotherms under laboratory and natural conditions. While most studies examining BMR have concentrated on inter-specific variation, relatively less attention has been paid to the determinants of within-species variation. Even fewer studies have analysed the determinants of within-species BMR variation corrected for the strong influence of body mass by appropriate means (e.g. ANCOVA). Here, we review recent advancements in studies on the quantitative genetics of BMR and organ mass variation, along with their molecular genetics. Next, we decompose BMR variation at the organ, tissue and molecular level. We conclude that within-species variation in BMR and its components have a clear genetic signature, and are functionally linked to key metabolic process at all levels of biological organization. We highlight the need to integrate molecular genetics with conventional metabolic field studies to reveal the adaptive significance of metabolic variation. Since comparing gene expressions inter-specifically is problematic, within-species studies are more likely to inform us about the genetic underpinnings of BMR. We also urge for better integration of animal and medical research on BMR; the latter is quickly advancing thanks to the application of imaging technologies and 'omics' studies. We also suggest that much insight on the biochemical and molecular underpinnings of BMR variation can be gained from integrating studies on the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which appears to be the major regulatory pathway influencing the key molecular components of BMR.

  18. Heat-flow and lateral seismic-velocity heterogeneities near Deep Sea Drilling Project-Ocean Drilling Program Site 504

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowell, Robert P.; Stephen, Ralph A.

    1991-11-01

    Both conductive heat-flow and seismic-velocity data contain information relating to the permeability of the oceanic crust. Deep Sea Drilling Project-Ocean Drilling Program Site 504 is the only place where both detailed heat-flow and seismic-velocity field studies have been conducted at the same scale. In this paper we examine the correlation between heat flow and lateral heterogeneities in seismic velocity near Site 504. Observed heterogeneities in seismic velocity, which are thought to be related to variations in crack density in the upper 500 m of the basaltic crust, show little correlation with the heat-flow pattern. This lack of correlation highlights some of the current difficulties in using seismic-velocity data to infer details of spatial variations in permeability that are significant in controlling hydrothermal circulation.

  19. Diagnostic ultrasound imaging for lateral epicondylalgia: a case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heales, Luke James; Broadhurst, Nathan; Mellor, Rebecca; Hodges, Paul William; Vicenzino, Bill

    2014-11-01

    Lateral epicondylalgia (LE) is clinically diagnosed as pain over the lateral elbow that is provoked by gripping. Usually, LE responds well to conservative intervention; however, those who fail such treatment require further evaluation, including musculoskeletal ultrasound. Previous studies of musculoskeletal ultrasound have methodological flaws, such as lack of assessor blinding and failure to control for participant age, sex, and arm dominance. The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic use of blinded ultrasound imaging in people with clinically diagnosed LE compared with that in a control group matched for age, sex, and arm dominance. Participants (30 with LE and 30 controls) underwent clinical examination as the criterion standard test. Unilateral LE was defined as pain over the lateral epicondyle, which was provoked by palpation, resisted wrist and finger extension, and gripping. Controls without symptoms were matched for age, sex, and arm dominance. Ultrasound investigations were performed by two sonographers using a standardized protocol. Grayscale images were assessed for signs of tendon pathology and rated on a four-point ordinal scale. Power Doppler was used to assess neovascularity and rated on a five-point ordinal scale. The combination of grayscale and power Doppler imaging revealed an overall sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 47%. The positive and negative likelihood ratios for combined grayscale and power Doppler imaging were 1.69 and 0.21, respectively. Although ultrasound imaging helps confirm the absence of LE, when findings are negative for tendinopathic changes, the high prevalence of tendinopathic changes in pain-free controls challenges the specificity of the measure. The validity of ultrasound imaging to confirm tendon pathology in clinically diagnosed LE requires further study with strong methodology.

  20. Variations of the high-level Balmer line spectrum of the helium-strong star σ Orionis E

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, M. A.; Bohlender, D. A.

    2007-12-01

    Using the high-level Balmer lines and continuum, we trace the density structure of two magnetospheric disk segments of the prototypical Bp star σ Orionis E (B2p) as these segments occult portions of the star during the rotational cycle. High-resolution spectra of the Balmer lines ≥H9 and Balmer edge were obtained on seven nights in January-February 2007 at an average sampling of 0.01 cycles. We measured equivalent width variations due to the star occultations by two disk segments 0.4 cycles apart and constructed differential spectra of the migrations of the corresponding absorptions across the Balmer line profiles. We first estimated the rotational and magnetic obliquity angles. We then simulated the observed Balmer jump variation using the model atmosphere codes synspec/circus and evaluated the disk geometry and gas thermodynamics. We find that the two occultations are caused by two disk segments. The first of these transits quickly, indicating that the segment resides in a range of distances, perhaps 2.5-6 R*, from the star. The second consists of a more slowly moving segment situated closer to the surface and causing two semi-resolved absorbing maxima. During its transit this segment brushes across the star's “lower” limb. Judging from the line visibility up to H23-H24 during the occultations, both disk segments have mean densities near 1012 cm-3 and are opaque in the lines and continuum. They have semiheights less than 1/2 R*, and their temperatures are near 10 500 K and 12 000 K, respectively. In all, the disks of Bp stars have a much more complicated geometry than has been anticipated, as evidenced by their (sometimes) non-coplanarity, de-centerness, and from star to star, differences in disk height. Based on observations obtained at the the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, National Research Council of Canada.

  1. Strong Generative Capacity and the Empirical Base of Linguistic Theory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dennis Ott

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This Perspective traces the evolution of certain central notions in the theory of Generative Grammar (GG. The founding documents of the field suggested a relation between the grammar, construed as recursively enumerating an infinite set of sentences, and the idealized native speaker that was essentially equivalent to the relation between a formal language (a set of well-formed formulas and an automaton that recognizes strings as belonging to the language or not. But this early view was later abandoned, when the focus of the field shifted to the grammar's strong generative capacity as recursive generation of hierarchically structured objects as opposed to strings. The grammar is now no longer seen as specifying a set of well-formed expressions and in fact necessarily constructs expressions of any degree of intuitive “acceptability.” The field of GG, however, has not sufficiently acknowledged the significance of this shift in perspective, as evidenced by the fact that (informal and experimentally-controlled observations about string acceptability continue to be treated as bona fide data and generalizations for the theory of GG. The focus on strong generative capacity, it is argued, requires a new discussion of what constitutes valid empirical evidence for GG beyond observations pertaining to weak generation.

  2. Explaining growth variation over large spatial scales: Effects of temperature and food on walleye growth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mosgaard, Thomas; Venturelli, Paul; Lester, Nigel P.

    2012-01-01

    freshwater fish species in North America. We then use length at age data from yellow perch (Perca flavescens) to identify the mechanisms behind the remaining variation in the length at age – temperature relationship for walleye. A positive perch – walleye relationship indicates that the mechanism behind......Most fishes exhibit strong spatial variation in growth. Because fish growth and production are tightly linked, quantifying and explaining variation in growth can mean the difference between successful management and unforeseen collapse. However, disentangling the factors that are responsible...

  3. Anatomic Variation of the Median Nerve Associated with an Anomalous Muscle of the Forearm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atoni, Atoni Dogood; Oyinbo, Charles Aidemise

    2017-03-01

    Documented anatomical variations are important not only for the study of the subject of anatomy, but also in clinical situation. This knowledge would aid surgeons in planning a preoperative strategy for surgical procedures and reconstructive surgery. The right forearm of a 35-year-old embalmed male cadaver present a splitting of the median nerve in the proximal 1/3 of the forearm to form medial and lateral divisions that accommodate an anomalous muscle. The split median nerve reunites at the distal 1/3 and continues as a single nerve. The anomalous muscle arises by muscle fibers from flexor digitorum superficialis and inserted by tendon into flexor digitorum profundus. There was no such variation in the left forearm. The knowledge of such anatomical variations is important to clinicians and surgeons in interpreting atypical clinical presentations and avoiding unusual injury during surgery.

  4. Anatomic Variation of the Median Nerve Associated with an Anomalous Muscle of the Forearm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atoni Atoni Dogood

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Documented anatomical variations are important not only for the study of the subject of anatomy, but also in clinical situation. This knowledge would aid surgeons in planning a preoperative strategy for surgical procedures and reconstructive surgery. The right forearm of a 35-year-old embalmed male cadaver present a splitting of the median nerve in the proximal 1/3 of the forearm to form medial and lateral divisions that accommodate an anomalous muscle. The split median nerve reunites at the distal 1/3 and continues as a single nerve. The anomalous muscle arises by muscle fibers from flexor digitorum superficialis and inserted by tendon into flexor digitorum profundus. There was no such variation in the left forearm. The knowledge of such anatomical variations is important to clinicians and surgeons in interpreting atypical clinical presentations and avoiding unusual injury during surgery.

  5. Brain and behavioral lateralization in invertebrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frasnelli, Elisa

    2013-12-11

    Traditionally, only humans were thought to exhibit brain and behavioral asymmetries, but several studies have revealed that most vertebrates are also lateralized. Recently, evidence of left-right asymmetries in invertebrates has begun to emerge, suggesting that lateralization of the nervous system may be a feature of simpler brains as well as more complex ones. Here I present some examples in invertebrates of sensory and motor asymmetries, as well as asymmetries in the nervous system. I illustrate two cases where an asymmetric brain is crucial for the development of some cognitive abilities. The first case is the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, which has asymmetric odor sensory neurons and taste perception neurons. In this worm left/right asymmetries are responsible for the sensing of a substantial number of salt ions, and lateralized responses to salt allow the worm to discriminate between distinct salt ions. The second case is the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, where the presence of asymmetry in a particular structure of the brain is important in the formation or retrieval of long-term memory. Moreover, I distinguish two distinct patterns of lateralization that occur in both vertebrates and invertebrates: individual-level and population-level lateralization. Theoretical models on the evolution of lateralization suggest that the alignment of lateralization at the population level may have evolved as an evolutionary stable strategy in which individually asymmetrical organisms must coordinate their behavior with that of other asymmetrical organisms. This implies that lateralization at the population-level is more likely to have evolved in social rather than in solitary species. I evaluate this new hypothesis with a specific focus on insects showing different level of sociality. In particular, I present a series of studies on antennal asymmetries in honeybees and other related species of bees, showing how insects may be extremely useful to test the evolutionary

  6. Brain and behavioural lateralization in invertebrates.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisa eFrasnelli

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Traditionally, only humans were thought to exhibit brain and behavioural asymmetries, but several studies have revealed that most vertebrates are also lateralized. Recently, evidence of left-right asymmetries in invertebrates has begun to emerge, suggesting that lateralization of the nervous system may be a feature of simpler brains as well as more complex ones. Here I present some examples in invertebrates of sensory and motor asymmetries, as well as asymmetries in the nervous system. I illustrate two cases where an asymmetric brain is crucial for the development of some cognitive abilities. The first case is the nematode C. elegans, which has asymmetric odour sensory neurons and taste perception neurons. In this worm left/right asymmetries are responsible for the sensing of a substantial number of salt ions, and lateralized responses to salt allow the worm to discriminate between distinct salt ions. The second case is the fruit fly D. melanogaster, where the presence of asymmetry in a particular structure of the brain is important in the formation or retrieval of long-term memory. Moreover, I distinguish two distinct patterns of lateralization that occur in both vertebrates and invertebrates: individual-level and population-level lateralization. Theoretical models on the evolution of lateralization suggest that the alignment of lateralization at the population level may have evolved as an evolutionary stable strategy in which individually-asymmetrical organisms must coordinate their behaviour with that of other asymmetrical organisms. This implies that lateralization at the population-level is more likely to have evolved in social rather than in solitary species. I evaluate this new hypothesis with specific focus on insects showing different level of sociality. In particular, I present a series of studies on antennal asymmetries in honeybees and other related species of bees, showing how insects may be extremely useful to test evolutionary

  7. Left-handedness and language lateralization in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szaflarski, Jerzy P; Rajagopal, Akila; Altaye, Mekibib; Byars, Anna W; Jacola, Lisa; Schmithorst, Vincent J; Schapiro, Mark B; Plante, Elena; Holland, Scott K

    2012-01-18

    This fMRI study investigated the development of language lateralization in left- and righthanded children between 5 and 18 years of age. Twenty-seven left-handed children (17 boys, 10 girls) and 54 age- and gender-matched right-handed children were included. We used functional MRI at 3T and a verb generation task to measure hemispheric language dominance based on either frontal or temporo-parietal regions of interest (ROIs) defined for the entire group and applied on an individual basis. Based on the frontal ROI, in the left-handed group, 23 participants (85%) demonstrated left-hemispheric language lateralization, 3 (11%) demonstrated symmetric activation, and 1 (4%) demonstrated right-hemispheric lateralization. In contrast, 50 (93%) of the right-handed children showed left-hemispheric lateralization and 3 (6%) demonstrated a symmetric activation pattern, while one (2%) demonstrated a right-hemispheric lateralization. The corresponding values for the temporo-parietal ROI for the left-handed children were 18 (67%) left-dominant, 6 (22%) symmetric, 3 (11%) right-dominant and for the right-handed children 49 (91%), 4 (7%), 1 (2%), respectively. Left-hemispheric language lateralization increased with age in both groups but somewhat different lateralization trajectories were observed in girls when compared to boys. The incidence of atypical language lateralization in left-handed children in this study was similar to that reported in adults. We also found similar rates of increase in left-hemispheric language lateralization with age between groups (i.e., independent of handedness) indicating the presence of similar mechanisms for language lateralization in left- and right-handed children. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Herniographic appearance of the lateral inguinal fossa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ekberg, O.; Kesek, P.

    1987-01-01

    Herniography frequently reveals clinically undetected groin hernia. Thereby herniography contributes to the clinical work-up in patients with obscure groin pain. However, the distinction between clinically important and unimportant abnormalities within the lateral inguinal fossa can be difficult. This study was therefore designed in order to elucidate the herniographic appearance of the lateral inguinal fossa in patients with obscure groin pain. Herniographic findings were compared with laterality of the patients' symptoms. The lateral umbilical fold was visible in only 47% of the groins. A triangular shaped outpouching from the lateral inguinal fossa and a patent processus vaginalis were found with equal frequency on the left and right side. They were five times as frequent in men as in women. Their presence did not correlate with laterality of the patients' symptoms. Indirect hernias were almost twice as common on the symptomatic side as compared with the asymptomatic side. On the left side they were found twice as often in men as in women while there was no significant sex difference on the right side. Our results show that neither a patent processus vaginalis nor a triangular outpouching from the lateral inguinal fossa correlate with the laterality of the patients' symptoms while true indirect hernias do. (orig.)

  9. Lateralization of visual learning in the honeybee

    OpenAIRE

    Letzkus, Pinar; Boeddeker, Norbert; Wood, Jeff T; Zhang, Shao-Wu; Srinivasan, Mandyam V

    2007-01-01

    Lateralization is a well-described phenomenon in humans and other vertebrates and there are interesting parallels across a variety of different vertebrate species. However, there are only a few studies of lateralization in invertebrates. In a recent report, we showed lateralization of olfactory learning in the honeybee (Apis mellifera). Here, we investigate lateralization of another sensory modality, vision. By training honeybees on a modified version of a visual proboscis extension reflex ta...

  10. Lateral topological crystalline insulator heterostructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Qilong; Dai, Ying; Niu, Chengwang; Ma, Yandong; Wei, Wei; Yu, Lin; Huang, Baibiao

    2017-06-01

    The emergence of lateral heterostructures fabricated by two-dimensional building blocks brings many exciting realms in material science and device physics. Enriching available nanomaterials for creating such heterostructures and enabling the underlying new physics is highly coveted for the integration of next-generation devices. Here, we report a breakthrough in lateral heterostructure based on the monolayer square transition-metal dichalcogenides MX2 (M  =  W, X  =  S/Se) modules. Our results reveal that the MX2 lateral heterostructure (1S-MX2 LHS) can possess excellent thermal and dynamical stability. Remarkably, the highly desired two-dimensional topological crystalline insulator phase is confirmed by the calculated mirror Chern number {{n}\\text{M}}=-1 . A nontrivial band gap of 65 meV is obtained with SOC, indicating the potential for room-temperature observation and applications. The topologically protected edge states emerge at the edges of two different nanoribbons between the bulk band gap, which is consistent with the mirror Chern number. In addition, a strain-induced topological phase transition in 1S-MX2 LHS is also revealed, endowing the potential utilities in electronics and spintronics. Our predictions not only introduce new member and vitality into the studies of lateral heterostructures, but also highlight the promise of lateral heterostructure as appealing topological crystalline insulator platforms with excellent stability for future devices.

  11. Analysis of natural allelic variation at seed dormancy loci of Arabidopsis thaliana

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Alonso-Blanco, C.; Bentsink, L.; Hanhart, C.J.; Vries, de M.H.C.; Koornneef, M.

    2003-01-01

    Arabidopsis accessions differ largely in their seed dormancy behavior. To understand the genetic basis of this intraspecific variation we analyzed two accessions: the laboratory strain Landsberg erecta (Ler) with low dormancy and the strong-dormancy accession Cape Verde Islands (Cvi). We used a

  12. Effects of exposure to facial expression variation in face learning and recognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chang Hong; Chen, Wenfeng; Ward, James

    2015-11-01

    Facial expression is a major source of image variation in face images. Linking numerous expressions to the same face can be a huge challenge for face learning and recognition. It remains largely unknown what level of exposure to this image variation is critical for expression-invariant face recognition. We examined this issue in a recognition memory task, where the number of facial expressions of each face being exposed during a training session was manipulated. Faces were either trained with multiple expressions or a single expression, and they were later tested in either the same or different expressions. We found that recognition performance after learning three emotional expressions had no improvement over learning a single emotional expression (Experiments 1 and 2). However, learning three emotional expressions improved recognition compared to learning a single neutral expression (Experiment 3). These findings reveal both the limitation and the benefit of multiple exposures to variations of emotional expression in achieving expression-invariant face recognition. The transfer of expression training to a new type of expression is likely to depend on a relatively extensive level of training and a certain degree of variation across the types of expressions.

  13. Influence of lateral displacement on the levitation performance of a magnetized bulk high-T{sub c} superconductor magnet

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, W., E-mail: tonny-violet@163.com [College of Nuclear Technology and Automation Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059 (China) and Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); Wang, J.S.; Ma, G.T.; Zheng, J. [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); National Laboratory of Rail Transit, Chengdu, 610031 (China); Tuo, X.G.; Li, L.L. [College of Nuclear Technology and Automation Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059 (China); Ye, C.Q.; Liao, X.L. [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); National Laboratory of Rail Transit, Chengdu, 610031 (China); Wang, S.Y. [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); State Key Laboratory of Traction Power, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); National Laboratory of Rail Transit, Chengdu, 610031 (China)

    2012-03-15

    Compared with the permanent magnet, the magnetized bulk high-T{sub c} superconductor magnet (MBSCM) can trap higher magnetic field due to its strong flux pinning ability, so it is a good candidate to improve the levitation performance of high-T{sub c} superconductive (HTS) maglev system. The trapped magnetic flux of a MBSCM is sustained by the inductive superconducting current produced by the magnetizing process and is susceptible to the current intensity as well as configuration. In the HTS maglev system, the lateral displacement is an important process to change the superconducting current within a MBSCM and then affects its levitation performance, which is essential for the traffic ability in curve-way, the loading capacity of lateral impact and so on. The research about influence of lateral displacement on the levitation performance of MBSCM is necessary when MBSCM is applied on the HTS maglev vehicle. The experimental investigations about the influence of lateral displacement on the levitation performance of a MBSCM with different trapped fluxes and applied fields are processed in this article. The analyses and conclusions of this article are useful for the practical application of MBSCM in HTS maglev system.

  14. Characterization of Pearl Millet Root Architecture and Anatomy Reveals Three Types of Lateral Roots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Passot, Sixtine; Gnacko, Fatoumata; Moukouanga, Daniel; Lucas, Mikaël; Guyomarc’h, Soazig; Ortega, Beatriz Moreno; Atkinson, Jonathan A.; Belko, Marème N.; Bennett, Malcolm J.; Gantet, Pascal; Wells, Darren M.; Guédon, Yann; Vigouroux, Yves; Verdeil, Jean-Luc; Muller, Bertrand; Laplaze, Laurent

    2016-01-01

    Pearl millet plays an important role for food security in arid regions of Africa and India. Nevertheless, it is considered an orphan crop as it lags far behind other cereals in terms of genetic improvement efforts. Breeding pearl millet varieties with improved root traits promises to deliver benefits in water and nutrient acquisition. Here, we characterize early pearl millet root system development using several different root phenotyping approaches that include rhizotrons and microCT. We report that early stage pearl millet root system development is characterized by a fast growing primary root that quickly colonizes deeper soil horizons. We also describe root anatomical studies that revealed three distinct types of lateral roots that form on both primary roots and crown roots. Finally, we detected significant variation for two root architectural traits, primary root lenght and lateral root density, in pearl millet inbred lines. This study provides the basis for subsequent genetic experiments to identify loci associated with interesting early root development traits in this important cereal. PMID:27379124

  15. Emittance variations in current-amplifying ion induction linacs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fessenden, T.J.

    1991-01-01

    Since 1985 the Heavy Ion Fusion Accelerator Research program at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory has been studying current amplification and emittance variations in MBE-4, a four-cesium-beam induction linac. This experiment models much of the accelerator physics of the electrostatically focused section of a fusion driver. Four space-charge dominated Cs + beams, initially about one meter in length at currents of 5-10 mA, are focused by electrostatic quadrupoles and accelerated in parallel from approximately 200 keV up to one MeV by 24 accelerating gaps. Final currents of 20-40 mA per beam are typical. Recent experiments with extremely low emittance beams (var-epsilon n =0.03 mm-mRad) have investigated variations of transverse and longitudinal normalized emittance for drifting and accelerating beams. These very strongly tune-depressed beams (σ 0 =72 degree, σ∼6 degree) are difficult to match to the accelerator so as to avoid emittance growth during acceleration. During transport strong emittance fluctuations are observed in good qualitative agreement with simulations. Warmer beams with less tune depression exhibit little to no emittance growth, show smaller emittance fluctuations, and are much easier to match. A summary of findings from the MBE-4 studies is presented

  16. Emittance variations in current-amplifying ion induction linacs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fessenden, T.J.

    1991-04-01

    Since 1985 the Heavy Ion Fusion Accelerator Research program at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory has been studying current amplification and emittance variations in MBE-4, a four-cesium-beam induction linac. This experiment models much of the accelerator physics of the electrostatically focused section of a fusion driver. Four space-charge dominated Cs + beams, initially about one meter in length at currents of 5--10 mA, are focused by electrostatic quadrupoles and accelerated in parallel from approximately 200 keV up to one MeV by 24 accelerating gaps. Final currents of 20--40 mA per beam are typical. Recent experiments with extremely low emittance beams (ε n = 0.03 mm-mRad) have investigated variations of transverse and longitudinal normalized emittance for drifting and accelerating beams. These very strongly tune-depressed beams (σ o = 72 degrees, σ∼6 degree) are difficult to match the accelerator so as to avoid emittance growth during acceleration. During transport strong emittance fluctuations are observed in good qualitative agreement with simulations. Warmer beams with less tune depression exhibit little to no emittance growth, show smaller emittance fluctuations, and are much easier to match. A summary of findings from the MBE-4 studies is presented. 12 refs., 8 figs

  17. Root tensile strength assessment of Dryas octopetala L. and implications for its engineering mechanism on lateral moraine slopes (Turtmann Valley, Switzerland)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eibisch, Katharina; Eichel, Jana; Dikau, Richard

    2015-04-01

    Geomorphic processes and properties are influenced by vegetation. It has been shown that vegetation cover intercepts precipitation, enhances surface detention and storage, traps sediment and provides additional surface roughness. Plant roots impact the soil in a mechanical and hydrological manner and affect shear strength, infiltration capacity and moisture content. Simultaneously, geomorphic processes disturb the vegetation development. This strong coupling of the geomorphic and ecologic system is investigated in Biogeomorphology. Lateral moraine slopes are characterized by a variety of geomorphic processes, e. g. sheet wash, solifluction and linear erosion. However, some plant species, termed engineer species, possess specific functional traits which allow them to grow under these conditions and also enable them to influence the frequency, magnitude and even nature of geomorphic processes. For lateral moraine slopes, Dryas octopetala L., an alpine dwarf shrub, was identified as a potential engineer species. The engineering mechanism of D. octopetala, based on its morphological (e.g., growth form) and biomechanical (e.g., root strength) traits, yet remains unclear and only little research has been conducted on alpine plant species. The objectives of this study are to fill this gap by (A) quantifying D. octopetala root tensile strength as an important trait considering anchorage in and stabilization of the slope and (B) linking plant traits to the geomorphic process they influence on lateral moraine slopes. D. octopetala traits were studied on a lateral moraine slope in Turtmann glacier forefield, Switzerland. (A) Root strength of single root threads of Dryas octopetala L. were tested using the spring scale method (Schmidt et al., 2001; Hales et al., 2013). Measurement equipment was modified to enable field measurements of roots shortly after excavation. Tensile strength of individual root threads was calculated and statistically analyzed. First results show that

  18. Resting-State Seed-Based Analysis: An Alternative to Task-Based Language fMRI and Its Laterality Index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smitha, K A; Arun, K M; Rajesh, P G; Thomas, B; Kesavadas, C

    2017-06-01

    Language is a cardinal function that makes human unique. Preservation of language function poses a great challenge for surgeons during resection. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of resting-state fMRI in the lateralization of language function in healthy subjects to permit its further testing in patients who are unable to perform task-based fMRI. Eighteen healthy right-handed volunteers were prospectively evaluated with resting-state fMRI and task-based fMRI to assess language networks. The laterality indices of Broca and Wernicke areas were calculated by using task-based fMRI via a voxel-value approach. We adopted seed-based resting-state fMRI connectivity analysis together with parameters such as amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF). Resting-state fMRI connectivity maps for language networks were obtained from Broca and Wernicke areas in both hemispheres. We performed correlation analysis between the laterality index and the z scores of functional connectivity, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation, and fALFF. Pearson correlation analysis between signals obtained from the z score of fALFF and the laterality index yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.849 ( P laterality index yielded an R 2 value of 0.721, indicating that 72.1% of the variance in the laterality index of task-based fMRI could be predicted from the fALFF of resting-state fMRI. The present study demonstrates that fALFF can be used as an alternative to task-based fMRI for assessing language laterality. There was a strong positive correlation between the fALFF of the Broca area of resting-state fMRI with the laterality index of task-based fMRI. Furthermore, we demonstrated the efficacy of fALFF for predicting the laterality of task-based fMRI. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

  19. Relating lateralization of eye use to body motion in the avoidance behavior of the chameleon (Chamaeleo chameleon).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lustig, Avichai; Ketter-Katz, Hadas; Katzir, Gadi

    2013-01-01

    Lateralization is mostly analyzed for single traits, but seldom for two or more traits while performing a given task (e.g. object manipulation). We examined lateralization in eye use and in body motion that co-occur during avoidance behaviour of the common chameleon, Chamaeleo chameleon. A chameleon facing a moving threat smoothly repositions its body on the side of its perch distal to the threat, to minimize its visual exposure. We previously demonstrated that during the response (i) eye use and body motion were, each, lateralized at the tested group level (N = 26), (ii) in body motion, we observed two similar-sized sub-groups, one exhibiting a greater reduction in body exposure to threat approaching from the left and one--to threat approaching from the right (left- and right-biased subgroups), (iii) the left-biased sub-group exhibited weak lateralization of body exposure under binocular threat viewing and none under monocular viewing while the right-biased sub-group exhibited strong lateralization under both monocular and binocular threat viewing. In avoidance, how is eye use related to body motion at the entire group and at the sub-group levels? We demonstrate that (i) in the left-biased sub-group, eye use is not lateralized, (ii) in the right-biased sub-group, eye use is lateralized under binocular, but not monocular viewing of the threat, (iii) the dominance of the right-biased sub-group determines the lateralization of the entire group tested. We conclude that in chameleons, patterns of lateralization of visual function and body motion are inter-related at a subtle level. Presently, the patterns cannot be compared with humans' or related to the unique visual system of chameleons, with highly independent eye movements, complete optic nerve decussation and relatively few inter-hemispheric commissures. We present a model to explain the possible inter-hemispheric differences in dominance in chameleons' visual control of body motion during avoidance.

  20. Relating lateralization of eye use to body motion in the avoidance behavior of the chameleon (Chamaeleo chameleon.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Avichai Lustig

    Full Text Available Lateralization is mostly analyzed for single traits, but seldom for two or more traits while performing a given task (e.g. object manipulation. We examined lateralization in eye use and in body motion that co-occur during avoidance behaviour of the common chameleon, Chamaeleo chameleon. A chameleon facing a moving threat smoothly repositions its body on the side of its perch distal to the threat, to minimize its visual exposure. We previously demonstrated that during the response (i eye use and body motion were, each, lateralized at the tested group level (N = 26, (ii in body motion, we observed two similar-sized sub-groups, one exhibiting a greater reduction in body exposure to threat approaching from the left and one--to threat approaching from the right (left- and right-biased subgroups, (iii the left-biased sub-group exhibited weak lateralization of body exposure under binocular threat viewing and none under monocular viewing while the right-biased sub-group exhibited strong lateralization under both monocular and binocular threat viewing. In avoidance, how is eye use related to body motion at the entire group and at the sub-group levels? We demonstrate that (i in the left-biased sub-group, eye use is not lateralized, (ii in the right-biased sub-group, eye use is lateralized under binocular, but not monocular viewing of the threat, (iii the dominance of the right-biased sub-group determines the lateralization of the entire group tested. We conclude that in chameleons, patterns of lateralization of visual function and body motion are inter-related at a subtle level. Presently, the patterns cannot be compared with humans' or related to the unique visual system of chameleons, with highly independent eye movements, complete optic nerve decussation and relatively few inter-hemispheric commissures. We present a model to explain the possible inter-hemispheric differences in dominance in chameleons' visual control of body motion during avoidance.