In the geometry of a plane-parallel in-plane magnetized ferrite plate with dissipation, the dispersion of forward and backward magnetostatic surface waves propagating in an arbitrary direction ...relative to the field has been investigated. Dispersion curves as functions of the imaginary and real parts of the complex wave number has been constructed. The group velocity of both wave propagation and increase of wave attenuation have been considered. The frequency range of the experimentally observable waves has been estimated at a specified level of sensitivity of the measuring instruments.
Dispersion of forward and backward (dissipative) magnetostatic surface waves is analyzed in the geometry of a plane-parallel in-plane magnetized ferrite plate with dissipation. The results of ...calculation of dispersion curves and characteristics of the group velocity as a function of the real and imaginary parts of the wave number are presented. A limitation on the dispersion curves and the group velocity with respect to the maximum value of the wave number has been revealed and interpreted on the basis of the aperiodic propagation mode. Practical recommendations for lowering of this limitation are given.
It is still not possible to predict whether a given molecule will have a perceived odor or what olfactory percept it will produce. We therefore organized the crowd-sourced DREAM Olfaction Prediction ...Challenge. Using a large olfactory psychophysical data set, teams developed machine-learning algorithms to predict sensory attributes of molecules based on their chemoinformatic features. The resulting models accurately predicted odor intensity and pleasantness and also successfully predicted 8 among 19 rated semantic descriptors (“garlic,” “fish,” “sweet,” “fruit,” “burnt,” “spices,” “flower,” and “sour”). Regularized linear models performed nearly as well as random forest–based ones, with a predictive accuracy that closely approaches a key theoretical limit. These models help to predict the perceptual qualities of virtually any molecule with high accuracy and also reverse-engineer the smell of a molecule.
The effect of long-term exposure to air pollutants was studied in a cross-sectional population-based sample of adults (aged 18 to 60 yr; n = 9,651) residing in eight different areas in Switzerland. ...Standardized medical examination included questionnaire data, lung function tests, skin-prick testing, and end-expiratory CO concentration. The impact of annual means of air pollutants on FVC and FEV sub(1) was tested (controlling for age and age squared, sex, height, weight, educational level, nationality, and workplace exposure). Analyses were done separately for healthy never-smokers, ex-smokers (controlling for pack-yr), for current smokers (controlling for cigarettes per day and pack-yr smoked), and for the whole population. Significant and consistent effects on FVC and FEV sub(1) were found for NO sub(2), SO sub(2), and particular matter < 10 mu m (PM sub(10)) in all subgroups and in the total population, with PM sub(10) showing the most consistent effect of a 3.4% change in FVC per 10 mu g/m super(3). Results for ozone were less consistent. Atopy did not influence this relationship. The limited number of study areas and high inter-correlation between the pollutants make it difficult to assess the effect of one single pollutant. Our conclusion is that air pollution from fossil fuel combustion, which is the main source of air pollution with SO sub(2), NO sub(2), and PM sub(10) in Switzerland, is associated with decrements in lung function parameters in this study.
The Chicago Classification of esophageal motility was developed to facilitate the interpretation of clinical high resolution esophageal pressure topography (EPT) studies, concurrent with the ...widespread adoption of this technology into clinical practice. The Chicago Classification has been an evolutionary process, molded first by published evidence pertinent to the clinical interpretation of high resolution manometry (HRM) studies and secondarily by group experience when suitable evidence is lacking.
This publication summarizes the state of our knowledge as of the most recent meeting of the International High Resolution Manometry Working Group in Ascona, Switzerland in April 2011. The prior iteration of the Chicago Classification was updated through a process of literature analysis and discussion. The major changes in this document from the prior iteration are largely attributable to research studies published since the prior iteration, in many cases research conducted in response to prior deliberations of the International High Resolution Manometry Working Group. The classification now includes criteria for subtyping achalasia, EGJ outflow obstruction, motility disorders not observed in normal subjects (Distal esophageal spasm, Hypercontractile esophagus, and Absent peristalsis), and statistically defined peristaltic abnormalities (Weak peristalsis, Frequent failed peristalsis, Rapid contractions with normal latency, and Hypertensive peristalsis). The Chicago Classification is an algorithmic scheme for diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders from clinical EPT studies. Moving forward, we anticipate continuing this process with increased emphasis placed on natural history studies and outcome data based on the classification.
Two studies examined how the amount and type of computational demand are related to fMRI-measured activation in three bilateral cortical regions involved in the Shepard-Metzler (1971) mental-rotation ...paradigm. The amount of demand for the computation of visuospatial coordinates was manipulated by presenting mental rotation problems with increasing angular disparity (0, 40, 80, or 120°). Activation in both the left and right intraparietal sulcal regions increased linearly with angular disparity in two separate studies. Activation also occurred in the fusiform gyrus and inferior temporal regions, regions that are primarily associated with the processes of object and object-part identification. By contrast, the demand for object recognition and rotation processes was relatively low, and the demand for executing saccades was high in a control condition that required making a systematic visual scan of two grids. The grid-scanning condition resulted in relatively less activation in the parietal and inferior temporal regions but considerable activation in frontal areas that are associated with planning and executing saccades, including the precentral gyrus and sulcus into the posterior middle frontal region. These data suggest that the amount of activation in the various cortical regions that support visuospatial processing is related to the amount, as well as to the type, of computational demand.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Hypothesis Our hypothesis was that in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty, a prospective randomized trial would find no significant differences in average daily pain scores of those treated ...with interscalene nerve block (INB) vs. local liposomal bupivacaine (LB). Methods Sixty patients undergoing primary shoulder arthroplasty were assessed for eligibility. Study arms included either intraoperative local infiltration of LB (20 mL bupivacaine/20 mL saline) or preoperative INB, with a primary outcome of postoperative average daily visual analog scale scores for 4 days. Secondary outcomes assessed included opioid consumption, length of stay, and complications. Randomization was by a computerized algorithm. Only the observer was blinded to the intervention. Results Three patients were excluded, all before randomization. A total of 57 patients were analyzed. Outcomes showed a significant increase in pain in the LB group between 0 and 8 hours postoperatively (mean standard deviation 5.3 2.2 vs. 2.5 3.0; P = .001). A significant increase in intravenous morphine equivalents was found in the INB group at 13 to 16 hours (mean standard deviation 1.2 0.9 vs. 0.6 0.7; P = .01). No significant differences were found in any variable after postoperative day 0 between the 2 groups. Conclusion An increase in early postoperative pain on the day of surgery was found with LB, whereas the INB group required more narcotics at the end of the day. After the day of surgery, there were no significant differences found in any variables. These findings suggest that LB provides similar overall pain relief as INB, with no increase in complications or length of stay and a decrease in narcotic requirements on the day of surgery.
Converting the Unconverted Keller, Punam Anand
Journal of applied psychology,
06/1999, Letnik:
84, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Two experiments indicated that the conventional wisdom for designing fear appeals, higher fear arousal, and a consequences-recommendations ordering, was more persuasive for adherents, or those who ...were already following the advocated recommendations. Instead, lowering the level of fear arousal and reversing the order of the consequences and recommendations were more effective for persuading the unconverted. The unconverted were more persuaded by the latter message format because it reduced the level of message discounting. Specifically, unconverted participants who received either a low fear appeal or recommendations preceding consequences perceived themselves to be more susceptible, perceived the consequences as more severe, regarded the recommendations as more efficacious, believed they were more able to follow the recommendations, and were less likely to refute the message claims.
One of the classic questions about human thinking concerns the limited ability to perform two cognitive tasks concurrently, such as a novice driver's difficulty in simultaneously driving and ...conversing. Limitations on the concurrent performance of two unrelated tasks challenge the tacitly assumed independence of two brain systems that seemingly have little overlap. The current study used fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) to measure cortical activation during the concurrent performance of two high-level cognitive tasks that involve different sensory modalities and activate largely nonoverlapping areas of sensory and association cortex. One task was auditory sentence comprehension, and the other was the mental rotation of visually depicted 3-D objects. If the neural systems underlying the two tasks functioned independently, then in the dual task the brain activation in the main areas supporting the cognitive processing should be approximately the conjunction of the activation for each of the two tasks performed alone. We found instead that in the dual task, the activation in association areas (primarily temporal and parietal areas of cortex) was substantially less than the sum of the activation when the two tasks were performed alone, suggesting some mutual constraint among association areas. A similar result was obtained for sensory areas as well.
In aquatic systems, in-stream structures such as dams, weirs and road crossings can act as barriers to fish movement along waterways. There is a growing array of technological fish-pass solutions for ...the movement of fish across large structures such as weirs and dams. However, most existing weir structures lack dedicated fishways, and fish often have to rely on drowned conditions to move upstream.
In order to assess the adequacy of a given or proposed weir for upstream fish passage under drowned conditions, it is necessary to determine, firstly, the hydraulic properties of the drowned weir with respect to the requirements of the fish community and, secondly, the duration and timing of drowning flows with respect to the hydrograph for the site and the likely timing of fish movements. This paper primarily addresses the first issue.
A computer program has been developed and incorporated in a simple-to-operate spreadsheet for the determination of the hydraulic characteristics of a drowned weir which are important to fish movement. The program is based on a theoretical analysis of drowned weirs and subsequent extensive verification in laboratory experiments. Inputs to the program include site information comprising channel cross-section data, channel slope, and channel roughness, and weir information comprising weir height and the required minimum drowned depth over the weir for migrating fish passage. The program then calculates the flow rate at which the required level of drowning occurs, the velocity characteristics above the weir (including transverse distributions), and flow depths and velocities upstream and downstream of the weir.
The paper discusses (briefly) the theoretical background of the program and its experimental verification. A case study is then presented that illustrates the use of the program in the field to assess fish passage opportunities at an existing weir and to develop a case for retrofitting a fishway. Some discussion is also provided on the contribution of a modelled drownout volume to the assessment of how significant a barrier a weir is to fish passage. It is shown that the program is an important new additional tool in the assessment of the adequacy of weir structures in providing for fish movement and informing associated fish passage solutions.
PDF
