GEMPAK: An arbitrary aircraft geometry generator

A computer program, GEMPAK, has been developed to aid in the generation of detailed configuration geometry. The program was written to allow the user as much flexibility as possible in his choices of configurations and the detail of description desired and at the same time keep input requirements and program turnaround and cost to a minimum. The program consists of routines that generate fuselage and planar-surface (winglike) geometry and a routine that will determine the true intersection of all components with the fuselage. This paper describes the methods by which the various geometries are generated and provides input description with sample input and output. Also included are descriptions of the primary program variables and functions performed by the various routines. The FORTRAN program GEMPAK has been used extensively in conjunction with interfaces to several aerodynamic and plotting computer programs and has proven to be an effective aid in the preliminary design phase of aircraft configurations

Multi-Player Diffusion Games on Graph Classes

We study competitive diffusion games on graphs introduced by Alon et al. [1] to model the spread of influence in social networks. Extending results of Roshanbin [8] for two players, we investigate the existence of pure Nash equilibria for at least three players on different classes of graphs including paths, cycles, grid graphs and hypercubes; as a main contribution, we answer an open question proving that there is no Nash equilibrium for three players on (m x n) grids with min(m, n) >= 5. Further, extending results of Etesami and Basar [3] for two players, we prove the existence of pure Nash equilibria for four players on every d-dimensional hypercube.Comment: Extended version of the TAMC 2015 conference version now discussing hypercube results (added details for the proof of Proposition 1

Detecting periodicity in experimental data using linear modeling techniques

Fourier spectral estimates and, to a lesser extent, the autocorrelation function are the primary tools to detect periodicities in experimental data in the physical and biological sciences. We propose a new method which is more reliable than traditional techniques, and is able to make clear identification of periodic behavior when traditional techniques do not. This technique is based on an information theoretic reduction of linear (autoregressive) models so that only the essential features of an autoregressive model are retained. These models we call reduced autoregressive models (RARM). The essential features of reduced autoregressive models include any periodicity present in the data. We provide theoretical and numerical evidence from both experimental and artificial data, to demonstrate that this technique will reliably detect periodicities if and only if they are present in the data. There are strong information theoretic arguments to support the statement that RARM detects periodicities if they are present. Surrogate data techniques are used to ensure the converse. Furthermore, our calculations demonstrate that RARM is more robust, more accurate, and more sensitive, than traditional spectral techniques.Comment: 10 pages (revtex) and 6 figures. To appear in Phys Rev E. Modified styl

Time transfer between the Goddard Optical Research Facility and the U.S. Naval Observatory using 100 picosecond laser pulses

A horizontal two-way time comparison link in air between the University of Maryland laser ranging and time transfer equipment at the Goddard Optical Research Facility (GORF) 1.2 m telescope and the Time Services Division of the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) was established. Flat mirrors of 25 cm and 30 cm diameter respectively were placed on top of the Washington Cathedral and on a water tower at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Two optical corner reflectors at the USNO reflect the laser pulses back to the GORF. Light pulses of 100 ps duration and an energy of several hundred microjoules are sent at the rate of 10 pulses per second. The detection at the USNO is by means of an RCA C30902E avalanche photodiode and the timing is accomplished by an HP 5370A computing counter and an HP 1000 computer with respect to a 10 pps pulse train from the Master Clock

A Dose Relationship Between Brain Functional Connectivity and Cumulative Head Impact Exposure in Collegiate Water Polo Players.

A growing body of evidence suggests that chronic, sport-related head impact exposure can impair brain functional integration and brain structure and function. Evidence of a robust inverse relationship between the frequency and magnitude of repeated head impacts and disturbed brain network function is needed to strengthen an argument for causality. In pursuing such a relationship, we used cap-worn inertial sensors to measure the frequency and magnitude of head impacts sustained by eighteen intercollegiate water polo athletes monitored over a single season of play. Participants were evaluated before and after the season using computerized cognitive tests of inhibitory control and resting electroencephalography. Greater head impact exposure was associated with increased phase synchrony [r (16) > 0.626, p < 0.03 corrected], global efficiency [r (16) > 0.601, p < 0.04 corrected], and mean clustering coefficient [r (16) > 0.625, p < 0.03 corrected] in the functional networks formed by slow-wave (delta, theta) oscillations. Head impact exposure was not associated with changes in performance on the inhibitory control tasks. However, those with the greatest impact exposure showed an association between changes in resting-state connectivity and a dissociation between performance on the tasks after the season [r (16) = 0.481, p = 0.043] that could also be attributed to increased slow-wave synchrony [F (4, 135) = 113.546, p < 0.001]. Collectively, our results suggest that athletes sustaining the greatest head impact exposure exhibited changes in whole-brain functional connectivity that were associated with altered information processing and inhibitory control

Optimal MRI sequences for 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MRI in evaluation of biochemically recurrent prostate cancer.

BackgroundPET/MRI can be used for the detection of disease in biochemical recurrence (BCR) patients imaged with 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET. This study was designed to determine the optimal MRI sequences to localize positive findings on 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET of patients with BCR after definitive therapy. Fifty-five consecutive prostate cancer patients with BCR imaged with 68Ga-PSMA-11 3.0T PET/MRI were retrospectively analyzed. Mean PSA was 7.9 ± 12.9 ng/ml, and mean PSA doubling time was 7.1 ± 6.6 months. Detection rates of anatomic correlates for prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-positive foci were evaluated on small field of view (FOV) T2, T1 post-contrast, and diffusion-weighted images. For prostate bed recurrences, the detection rate of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging for PSMA-positive foci was evaluated. Finally, the detection sensitivity for PSMA-avid foci on 3- and 8-min PET acquisitions was compared.ResultsPSMA-positive foci were detected in 89.1% (49/55) of patients evaluated. Small FOV T2 performed best for lymph nodes and detected correlates for all PSMA-avid lymph nodes. DCE imaging performed the best for suspected prostate bed recurrence, detecting correlates for 87.5% (14/16) of PSMA-positive prostate bed foci. The 8-min PET acquisition performed better than the 3-min acquisition for lymph nodes smaller than 1 cm, detecting 100% (57/57) of lymph nodes less than 1 cm, compared to 78.9% (45/57) for the 3-min acquisition.ConclusionPSMA PET/MRI performed well for the detection of sites of suspected recurrent disease in patients with BCR. Of the MRI sequences obtained for localization, small FOV T2 images detected the greatest proportion of PSMA-positive abdominopelvic lymph nodes and DCE imaging detected the greatest proportion of PSMA-positive prostate bed foci. The 8-min PET acquisition was superior to the 3 min acquisition for detection of small lymph nodes

Long-term balancing selection at the Phosphorus Starvation Tolerance 1 (PSTOL1) locus in wild, domesticated and weedy rice (Oryza)

Dry Shoot Weights of PSTOL1 genotypes grown in low and high phosphorus conditions. Plants were measured after 21 days in high phosphorus (black) and low phosphorus (grey) media. (PDF 72 kb

Emerging applications in mass spectrometry imaging; enablers and roadblocks

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a powerful and versatile technique able to investigate the spatial distribution of multiple non-labelled endogenous and exogenous analytes simultaneously, within a wide range of samples. Over the last two decades, MSI has found widespread application for an extensive range of disciplines including pre-clinical drug discovery, clinical applications and human identification for forensic purposes. Technical advances in both instrumentation and software capabilities have led to a continual increase in the interest in MSI; however, there are still some limitations. In this review, we discuss the emerging applications in MSI that significantly impact three key areas of mass spectrometry (MS) research—clinical, pre-clinical and forensics—and roadblocks to the expansion of use of MSI in these areas

Constraint-Induced aphasia therapy: Three single case studies.

TITLE OF POSTER: CONSTRAINT INDUCED APHASIA THERAPY - THREE SINGLE CASE STUDIES INTRODUCTION This research project was inspired by the Specific Interest Group in Aphasia study day given by Professor Pulvermuller in January 2011. Constraint Induced Aphasia Therapy (CIAT) is sometimes referred to as Intensive Language Action Therapy (ILAT). This technique has an impressive research base to support its use for people with aphasia (PWA) and the evidence base includes both single case and randomised control trial evidence (Pulvermuller, Neininger, Elbert, Mohr, Rockstroh, Koebbl & Taub, 2001). Pulvermuller et al (2001) describe CIAT as a game of pairs. The game is normally played by four players: a therapist and three PWA. A 32 pack of cards consisting of 16 pairs is shuffled and divided equally between the four players. No one can see anyone else’s cards. The aim of the game is to win the most pairs of cards. Clients can win a pair by asking each of the other players in turn, for a matching card. All requests and responses should be verbal but participants may describe the target word or use a gesture in order to achieve saying the word. An essential part of the game is that each player should see and hear the name of the card in play. RESEARCH METHOD Three PWA were prioritised from a typical general hospital SLT caseload. All three clients were one to two years post onset of their aphasia and had already been provided with impairment focussed, functional and psychosocial SLT input. They had moderate to severe aphasia, had difficulties at several levels of single word processing and frequently failed to convey their message despite having a degree of linguistic competence and an ability to use alternative communication strategies. Accessible formal assessment measures (Kaplan, Goodglass & Weintraub 1983, Goodglass, Kaplan & Barresi 2000 & Swinburn, Porter & Howard 2004) were used to evaluate the success of therapy in a four step repeated measures research design: Baseline 1, 30 hours CIAT therapy, Baseline 2, Baseline 3. SUMMARY OF RESULTS For 2/3 clients, assessment results suggested that participation in the CIAT programme resulted in a positive measurable change in language behaviour. This positive change was not apparent in assessments of understanding. Selective improvement of language ability suggests that the therapy directed at language output had resulted in improved word and sentence level skills for 2/3 of our clients. There were also positive changes that were not captured by the assessment data: reduced use of written and therapist cues, improved repetition skills, improved self-monitoring and a reduced tendency to produce jargon type utterances. Relatives corroborated therapist perceptions. CONCLUSIONS In 2006 Beeson & Robey (2006, p162) proposed that rehabilitation outcome research should be conducted in five phases. Our study is one of the first to provide evidence to support the use of intensive CIAT therapy in the community (phase 4 – an effectiveness study). Other studies have assessed the usefulness of the therapeutic effect of ILAT (phase 1), optimised the ILAT procedure (phase 2) and tested its usefulness under ideal conditions (phase 3). The final phase outlined by Beeson & Robey (2006) is the cost-benefit analysis (phase 5) and we would welcome debate within the profession on improving this type of input and the role of Speech and Language Therapists in intensive aphasia therapy provision. REFERENCES Pulvermuller, F., Neininger, B., Elbert, T., Mohr, B., Rockstroh, B., Koebbl,P. & Taub, E. (2001) Constraint induced therapy for chronic aphasia after stroke. Stroke, 1621-1626. Beeson, P. M. & Robey, R.R. (2006) Evaluating single-subject treatment research: Lessons learnt from the aphasia literature. Neuropsychological Review, 16, 161-169. KAPLAN, E., GOODGLASS, H. and WEINTRAUB, S. (1983) The Boston Naming Test. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger. Goodglass, H., Kaplan, E. & Barresi, B. (2000) Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination. 3rd Edition. San Antonio: Pearson. Swinburn, K., Porter, G., & Howard, D. (2004). The Comprehensive Aphasia Test. Hove: Psychology Press