1,647 research outputs found
Time frequency analysis in terahertz pulsed imaging
Recent advances in laser and electro-optical technologies have made the previously under-utilized terahertz frequency band of the electromagnetic spectrum
accessible for practical imaging. Applications are emerging, notably in the biomedical domain. In this chapter the technique of terahertz pulsed imaging is
introduced in some detail. The need for special computer vision methods, which arises from the use of pulses of radiation and the acquisition of a time series at
each pixel, is described. The nature of the data is a challenge since we are interested not only in the frequency composition of the pulses, but also how these differ for different parts of the pulse. Conventional and short-time Fourier transforms and wavelets were used in preliminary experiments on the analysis of terahertz
pulsed imaging data. Measurements of refractive index and absorption coefficient were compared, wavelet compression assessed and image classification by multidimensional
clustering techniques demonstrated. It is shown that the timefrequency methods perform as well as conventional analysis for determining material properties. Wavelet compression gave results that were robust through compressions that used only 20% of the wavelet coefficients. It is concluded that the time-frequency methods hold great promise for optimizing the extraction of the spectroscopic information contained in each terahertz pulse, for the analysis of more complex signals comprising multiple pulses or from recently introduced acquisition techniques
Cultural differences in intimacy: The influence of gender-role ideology and individualism-collectivism
Two studies examined emotional intimacy in European Canadian and Chinese Canadian dating relationships. Cultural differences in gender-role ideology and individualismâcollectivism
were hypothesized to differentially contribute to selfdisclosure and responsiveness, and in turn, intimacy. Study 1 revealed that Chinese Canadiansâ lower intimacy relative to European Canadians was mediated by their greater gender-role traditionalism but not by their individualism or collectivism. Study 2 further linked greater gender-role traditionalism to
lower self-disclosure, and in turn, lower intimacy. Results also revealed that Chinese Canadiansâ lower intimacy mediated their lower relationship satisfaction and higher rate of relationship termination in Study 1, but that Chinese Canadians were not any more likely to terminate their relationships in Study 2
On the Geometry of the Nodal Lines of Eigenfunctions of the Two-Dimensional Torus
The width of a convex curve in the plane is the minimal distance between a
pair of parallel supporting lines of the curve. In this paper we study the
width of nodal lines of eigenfunctions of the Laplacian on the standard flat
torus. We prove a variety of results on the width, some having stronger
versions assuming a conjecture of Cilleruelo and Granville asserting a uniform
bound for the number of lattice points on the circle lying in short arcs.Comment: 4 figures. Added some comments about total curvature and other
detail
Evidence that stimulation of gluconeogenesis by fatty acid is mediated through thermodynamic mechanisms
AbstractWe have studied the stimulatory effects of palmitate on the rate of glucose synthesis from lactate in isolated hepatocytes. Control of the metabolic flow was achieved by modulating the activity of enolase using graded concentrations of fluoride. Unexpectedly, palmitate stimulated gluconeogenesis even when enolase was rate-limiting. This stimulation was also observed when the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and aspartate aminotransferase were modulated using graded concentrations of quinolinate and aminooxyacetate, respectively. Linear force-flow relationships were found between the rate of gluconeogenesis and indicators of cellular energy status (i.e. mitochondrial membrane and redox potentials and cellular phosphorylation potential). These findings suggest that the fatty acid stimulation of glucose synthesis is in part mediated through thermodynamic mechanisms
Asymptotes in SU(2) Recoupling Theory: Wigner Matrices, Symbols, and Character Localization
In this paper we employ a novel technique combining the Euler Maclaurin
formula with the saddle point approximation method to obtain the asymptotic
behavior (in the limit of large representation index ) of generic Wigner
matrix elements . We use this result to derive asymptotic
formulae for the character of an SU(2) group element and for
Wigner's symbol. Surprisingly, given that we perform five successive
layers of approximations, the asymptotic formula we obtain for is
in fact exact. This result provides a non trivial example of a
Duistermaat-Heckman like localization property for discrete sums.Comment: 36 pages, 3 figure
Level statistics and eigenfunctions of pseudointegrable systems: dependence on energy and genus number
We study the level statistics (second half moment and rigidity
) and the eigenfunctions of pseudointegrable systems with rough
boundaries of different genus numbers . We find that the levels form energy
intervals with a characteristic behavior of the level statistics and the
eigenfunctions in each interval. At low enough energies, the boundary roughness
is not resolved and accordingly, the eigenfunctions are quite regular functions
and the level statistics shows Poisson-like behavior. At higher energies, the
level statistics of most systems moves from Poisson-like towards Wigner-like
behavior with increasing . Investigating the wavefunctions, we find many
chaotic functions that can be described as a random superposition of regular
wavefunctions. The amplitude distribution of these chaotic functions
was found to be Gaussian with the typical value of the localization volume
. For systems with periodic boundaries we find
several additional energy regimes, where is relatively close to the
Poisson-limit. In these regimes, the eigenfunctions are either regular or
localized functions, where is close to the distribution of a sine or
cosine function in the first case and strongly peaked in the second case. Also
an interesting intermediate case between chaotic and localized eigenfunctions
appears
Operative Treatment of Intra-Articular Distal Radius Fractures With versus Without Arthroscopy
__Background:__ In the past several years, an increase in open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for intra-articular distal radius fractures has been observed. This technique leads to a quicker recovery of function compared to non-operative treatment. However, some patients continue to have a painful and stiff wrist postoperatively. Arthroscopically assisted removal of intra-articular fracture haematoma and debris may improve the functional outcomes following operative treatment of intra-articular distal radius fractures. The purpose of this randomised controlled trial is to determine the difference in functional outcome, assessed with the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) score, after ORIF with and without an additional wrist arthroscopy in adult patients with displaced complete articular distal radius fractures.
__Methods:__ In this multicentre trial, adult patients with a displaced complete articular distal radius fracture are randomised between ORIF with an additional wrist arthroscopy to remove fracture haematoma and debris (intervention group) and conventional fluoroscopic-assisted ORIF (control group). The primary outcome is functional outcome assessed with the PRWE score after three months. Secondary outcomes are wrist function assessed with the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score, postoperative pain, range of motion, grip strength, complications and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, in the intervention group, the quality of reduction, associated ligamentous injuries and cartilage damage will be assessed. A total of 50 patients will be included in this study.
__Discussion:___ Although ORIF of intra-articular distal radi
Accidental Degeneracy and Berry Phase of Resonant States
We study the complex geometric phase acquired by the resonant states of an
open quantum system which evolves irreversibly in a slowly time dependent
environment. In analogy with the case of bound states, the Berry phase factors
of resonant states are holonomy group elements of a complex line bundle with
structure group C*. In sharp contrast with bound states, accidental
degeneracies of resonances produce a continuous closed line of singularities
formally equivalent to a continuous distribution of "magnetic" charge on a
"diabolical" circle, in consequence, we find different classes of topologically
inequivalent non-trivial closed paths in parameter space.Comment: 23 pages, 2 Postscript figures, LaTex, to be published in: Group 21:
Symposium on Semigroups and Quantum Irreversibility (Proc. of the XXI Int.
Colloquium on Group Theoretical Methods in Physics
Structural and biophysical characterization of bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal proteins Cry34Ab1 and Cry35Ab1
Bacillus thuringiensis strains are well known for the production of insecticidal proteins upon sporulation and these proteins are deposited in parasporal crystalline inclusions. The majority of these insect-specific toxins exhibit three domains in the mature toxin sequence. However, other Cry toxins are structurally and evolutionarily unrelated to this three-domain family and little is known of their three dimensional structures, limiting our understanding of their mechanisms of action and our ability to engineer the proteins to enhance their function. Among the non-three domain Cry toxins, the Cry34Ab1 and Cry35Ab1 proteins from B. thuringiensis strain PS149B1 are required to act together to produce toxicity to the western corn rootworm (WCR) Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte via a pore forming mechanism of action. Cry34Ab1 is a protein of âŒ14 kDa with features of the aegerolysin family (Pfam06355) of proteins that have known membrane disrupting activity, while Cry35Ab1 is a âŒ44 kDa member of the toxin_10 family (Pfam05431) that includes other insecticidal proteins such as the binary toxin BinA/BinB. The Cry34Ab1/Cry35Ab1 proteins represent an important seed trait technology having been developed as insect resistance traits in commercialized corn hybrids for control of WCR. The structures of Cry34Ab1 and Cry35Ab1 have been elucidated to 2.15 Ă
and 1.80 Ă
resolution, respectively. The solution structures of the toxins were further studied by small angle X-ray scattering and native electrospray ion mobility mass spectrometry. We present here the first published structure from the aegerolysin protein domain family and the structural comparisons of Cry34Ab1 and Cry35Ab1 with other pore forming toxins
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