Context. At the Very Large Telescope Interferometer, the purpose of the fringe-tracker FINITO is to stabilize the optical path differences between the beams, allowing longer integration times on the ...scientific instruments AMBER and MIDI. Aims. Our goal is to demonstrate the potential of FINITO for providing H-band interferometric visibilities, simultaneously and in addition to its normal fringe-tracking role. Methods. We use data obtained during the commissioning of the Reflective Memory Network Recorder at the Paranal observatory. This device has permitted the first recording of all relevant real-time data needed for a proper data-reduction. Results. We show that post-processing the FINITO data allows valuable scientific visibilities to be measured. Over the several hours of our engineering experiment, the intrinsic transfer function is stable at the level of ±2%. Such stability would lead to robust measurements of science stars even without the observation of a calibration star within a short period of time. We briefly discuss the current limitations and the potential improvements.
There are indications that both intensive exercise and electrical stimulation have a beneficial effect on arm function in post-stroke hemiplegic patients. We recommend the use of Functional ...Electrical Therapy (FET), which combines electrical stimulation of the paretic arm and intensive voluntary movement of the arm to exercise daily functions. FET was applied 30 min daily for 3 weeks. Forty-one acute hemiplegics volunteered in the 18-months single blinded cross-over study (CoS). Nineteen patients (Group A) participated in FET during their acute hemiplegia, and 22 patients (Group B) participated in FET during their chronic phase of hemiplegia. Group B patients were controls during FET in acute hemiplegia, and Group A patients were controls during the FET in chronic hemiplegia. Thirty-two patients completed the study. The outcomes of the Upper Extremity Function Test (UEFT) were used to assess the ability of patients to functionally use objects, as were the Drawing Test (DT) (used to assesse the coordination of the arm), the Modified Ashworth Scale, the range of movement, and the questionnaire estimating the patients' satisfaction with the usage of the paretic arm. Patients who participated in the FET during the acute phase of hemiplegia (Group A) reached functionality of the paretic arm, on average, in less than 6 weeks, and maintained this near-normal use of the arm and hand throughout the follow-up. The gains in all outcome scores were significantly larger in Group A after FET and at all follow-ups compared with the scores before the treatment. The gains in patients who participated in the FET in the chronic phase of hemiplegia (Group B) were measurable, yet not significant. The speed of recovery was larger during the period of the FET compared with the follow-up period. The gains in Group A were significantly larger compared with the gains in Group B. The FET greatly promotes the recovery of the paretic arm if applied during the acute phase of post-stroke hemiplegia.Key words: stroke, hemiplegia, cross-over study, electrical stimulation, intensive exercise.
The Northern part of Serbia is hyperendemic-endemic for canine dirofilarioses. Considering this fact, many human dirofilarial infections could be expected, however only about 30 cases in Serbia have ...been described until today. Aims of this survey were to assess the people reactivity to the antigens of D. repens and D. immitis and to identify risk factors for the contact exposure. Investigation included sera taken from 297 people (179 women and 118 men) living in different areas of Serbia (Pancevo, Novi Sad, Zajecar, Leskovac, Vranje, Ni#197;#161;, Pirot). Sera were analysed by means of two indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) home-designed that use as antigens adult somatic/metabolic polyproteins of D. repens (DR) and D. immitis (DI), respectively. The results were elaborated using the statistical method of descriptive and quantitative analysis. Significant differences by area in the reactivity of human sera to dirofilarial antigens were not observed (p = 0.056). A high seroreactivity was demonstrated in people from the towns of northern Serbia (Pancevo = 27,1%; Novi Sad = 16,3%), as well as in people from Zajecar (eastern Serbia = 15,8%) and Vranje (southern Serbia = 15,1%). No differences were evidenced between people reactivity to polyproteins of the two dirofilarial species, nor differences related to the gender of examinees. Factor risks evidenced were: i) place of residence; ii) spending work time outdoors during the mosquito season; iii) spending time outdoors and nearby rivers, lakes, swamps or canals; unespectedly, iv) cat owning. The findings emerging from this investigation indicate that clinicians and public health authorities should pay greater attention to this zoonosis. Continuing education and training of physicians will greatly contribute to the knowledge of the actual impact of filarial worms on animal and public health, and allow for the planning of suitable measures to prevent the infections.
Restoration of motor function to paralyzed limbs by functional electrical stimulation (FES) has been hampered by the lack of precise and gradual control over muscle recruitment. A suitable interface ...should provide selective stimulation of individual muscles with graded recruitment of force. The BION was developed to enable neuromuscular stimulation through a miniature, self-contained implant designed to be injected in or near muscles and peripheral nerves. In this study, recruitment properties and comfort of the BION implanted electrical stimulation were systematically evaluated in subjects who participated in a clinical trial. Recruitment properties were qualitatively similar to other methods of implanted neuromuscular stimulation: thresholds and steepness of recruitment were negatively correlated and depended on stimulus charge (product of pulse current and duration). Perceived comfort was not affected by the choice of stimulus parameters, thus their choice can be based purely on technical considerations such as efficiency or resolution of recruitment.
This paper presents the comprehensive methodology for solving the transmission reinforcement and reactive power planning problems. The static approach is applied to both problems and they are ...separated into corresponding investment and operation subproblems. The solution of the transmission reinforcement investment problem is obtained through the further decomposition to two independent subproblems, while the operation problem is dealt with by the Monte Carlo simulation. Both the investment and operation problems of the reactive power planning are studied with the optimum power flow models which are extended to encompass the voltage stability.
Objectives This study sought to assess whether longitudinal rotation (LR) affects myocardial systolic velocity profiles and to compare velocity-based measures of dyssynchrony with LR for predicting ...cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) response. Background Longitudinal rotation, a rocking motion often seen when the dilated left ventricle (LV) is imaged in its horizontal long-axis plane, is a recently recognized phenomenon and a new predictor of response to CRT. Methods One hundred patients with CRT implants and suitable baseline echocardiograms were identified. Longitudinal rotation was assessed in the apical 4-chamber view by speckle-tracking techniques and myocardial systolic velocities for basal septum, and lateral LV were analyzed from tissue Doppler images. The quartiles of LR distribution were analyzed for differences in their systolic velocities. Correlation between measurements and reduction in LV end-systolic volume (ESV) at follow-up was performed. Results Quartile 1 had a mean LR of −6.8 ± 2.3°; quartile 4 showed a mean LR of 2.3 ± 1.6°. A depressed peak velocity of lateral wall, when compared with the septum, was found for quartile 1 (p = 0.01), whereas the converse was noted in quartile 4 (p = 0.0001). The difference in amplitude of peak velocity between septal and lateral walls was found to correlate with the pattern of LR and with percentage reduction in LV ESV at follow-up in nonischemic patients. Septal–lateral delay was not correlated with the presence of LR, nor was it predictive of reduction in LV ESV. Conclusions Patients with prominent clockwise LR have depressed long-axis systolic velocities of the lateral wall, whereas the patients with counterclockwise LR have depressed septal wall velocities. The difference in peak amplitude of basal septal and lateral systolic velocities is predictive of LR, and in the nonischemic subgroup correlates with quantitative LV reverse remodeling at follow-up. Velocity time-based measures, including septal–lateral delay were not predictive of CRT response.
A variety of 5,11-diaryl-5,11-dihydroindolo3,2-
bcarbazole derivatives have been synthesized for use as hole-transport layers in organic light-emitting devices (OLED). The new hole-transport ...molecules (HTM) possess several salient features: (i) exceptionally high glass transition temperatures; (ii) ready evaporation to form uniform thin films; and (iii) ideal ionization potentials matched to indium–tin oxide (ITO) anode. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) of these molecules exhibits reversible redox behavior. OLEDs utilizing this type of molecules in their hole-transport layers have demonstrated low threshold voltages and excellent current–voltage (
J–
V) characteristics.
Hamiltonian theory of hybrid quantum-classical systems is used to study dynamics of the classical subsystem coupled to different types of quantum systems. It is shown that the qualitative properties ...of orbits of the classical subsystem clearly indicate if the quantum subsystem does or does not have additional conserved observables.
Representation of classical dynamics by unitary transformations has been used to develop unified description of hybrid classical-quantum systems with particular type of interaction, and to formulate ...abstract systems interpolating between classical and quantum ones. We solved the problem of unitary description of two interpolating systems with general potential interaction. The general solution is used to show that with arbitrary potential interaction between the two interpolating systems the evolution of the so called unobservable variables is decoupled from that of the observable ones if and only if the interpolation parameters in the two interpolating systems are equal.
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