Illumination uniformity in endoscopic imaging

Standardised endoscopic digital images were taken and analysed using an image analysis software (National Instruments Vision Assistant version 7.1.1). The luminance plane was extracted and the pixel intensity distribution was determined along a horizontal line at the position of highest average intensity (centroid). The data was exported to MS Excel and the pixel intensity (y-axis) was plotted against pixel position (x-axis). A trendline using a 2nd order polynomial curve was fitted to each data set. The resultant equation for each curve was compared with equations obtained from other images taken under various illumination conditions and settings

The estimation and software implementation of PIV uncertainty

The uncertainty in measurements resulting from particle image velocimetry (PIV) arrives from a wide variety of sources including physical, experimental, and algorithmic. As a developer of PIV software for both image capture and analysis, TSI Inc. has worked with researchers to develop a method whereby the uncertainty bounds of each individual PIV vector can be estimated using information from the cross-correlation and used a validation source in data reduction. The uncertainty information is then calculated and implemented within the framework of the existing PIV software code. Details of the technique, software implementation, and application to real-world data will be presented and discussed

«El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote» (1605), satire ménippéenne : (Prosas nuevas -V-: cartas, relaciones, «Lazarillos», «Guzmanes» y «Quijotes»)

Convocar marbetes como «novela» o «parodia de libros de caballerías» es tan natural que pocas veces nos fijamos en la tradición narrativa en la cual se situaba El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha. Este artículo propone recuperar la vena jocoseria y los textos fundamentales de Luciano que hicieron posible la ficción de Cervantes. Sin atar el libro de 1605 al género de la sátira menipea, sí lo define como libro menipeano. La adaptación alemaniana (Primera parte de Guzmán de Alfarache) de la fórmula lucianesca vieja (Historia verdadera, El sueño) y nueva (Segunda parte del Lazarillo, Crotalón) no podía satisfacer a Cervantes : desde esta perspectiva de historia literaria, el Quijote constituye una propuesta narrativa alternativa de prosa menipeana.Utiliser des termes comme « roman » ou « parodie de livres de chevalerie » est tellement naturel que l'on a presque oublié de se demander à quelle tradition narrative se rattache El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha. Cet article s'emploie à récupérer la veine sério-comique et les textes fondamentaux de Lucien de Samosate qui rendirent possible la fiction de Cervantès. Si ce livre n'est pas une satire ménippée, il n'en demeure pas moins un livre ménippéen. L'adaptation alémanienne (Primera parte de Guzmán de Alfarache) de la formule lucianesque ancienne (Histoire véritable, Le songe) et nouvelle (Segunda parte del Lazarillo, Crotalón) ne pouvait complètement satisfaire Cervantès : dans ce cadre, qui relève de l'histoire littéraire, on verra ainsi que le Quichotte constitue une proposition narrative alternative de prose ménippéenne.Using categories such as "novel" or "parody of tale of chivalry" is such a common thing that we rarely consider the narrative tradition within which El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha fell. This article comes back to the jocoseria inspiration and those among Lucien's fundamental texts which made it possible for Cervantes's fiction to emerge. Without locking his 1605 text in the Menippean satire genre, Cervantes defines it as a Menippean book. Cervantes could not be satisfied with the adaptation by Mateo Alemán (Primera parte de Guzmán de Alfarache) of the old Lucianesque formula (Historia verdadera, El sueño) nor of the short story (Segunda parte del Lazarillo, Crotalón). Envisaged from such a perspective of literary history, the Quijote becomes an alternative to the narrative proposition of Menippean prose

Simultaneous three-dimensional velocity and mixing measurements by use of laser Doppler velocimetry and fluorescence probes in a water tunnel

A water tunnel investigation was conducted to demonstrate the capabilities of a laser-based instrument that can measure velocity and fluorescence intensity simultaneously. Fluorescence intensity of an excited fluorescent dye is directly related to concentration level and is used to indicate the extent of mixing in flow. This instrument is a three-dimensional laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) in combination with a fluorometer for measuring fluorescence intensity variations. This capability allows simultaneous flow measurements of the three orthogonal velocity components and mixing within the same region. Two different flows which were generated by two models were studied: a generic nonaxisymmetric nozzle propulsion simulation model with an auxiliary internal water source that generated a jet flow and an axisymmetric forebody model with a circular sector strake that generated a vortex flow. The off-body flow fields around these models were investigated in the Langley 16- by 24-Inch Water Tunnel. The experimental results were used to calculate 17 quantities that included mean and fluctuating velocities, Reynolds stresses, mean and fluctuating dye fluorescence intensities (proportional to concentration), and fluctuating velocity and dye concentration correlations. An uncertainty analysis was performed to establish confidence levels in the experimental results. In general, uncertainties in mean velocities varied between 1 and 7 percent of free-stream velocity; uncertainties in fluctuating velocities varied between 1 and 5 percent of reference values. The results show characteristics that are unique to each type of flow

Speciation of toxic pollutants in Pb/Zn smelter slags by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy in the context of the literature

Pb/Zn smelter slag is a hazardous industrial waste from the Imperial Smelting Process (ISP). The speciation of zinc, lead, copper and arsenic in the slag controls their recovery or fate in the environment but has been little investigated. X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) was applied to this complex poorly crystalline material for the first time to gain new insights about speciation of elements at low concentration. Zn, Cu, As K-edge and Pb L3-edge XAS was carried out for a Pb/Zn slag from a closed ISP facility in England, supported by Fe, S and P K-edge XAS. Results are presented in the context of a full review of the literature. X-ray fluorescence showed that concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cu and As were 8.4, 1.6, 0.48 and 0.45 wt.%, respectively. Wüstite (FeO) was the only crystalline phase identified by X-ray diffraction, but XAS provided a more complete understanding of the matrix. Zn was found to be mainly present in glass, ZnS, and possibly solid solutions with Fe oxides; Pb was mainly present in glass and apatite minerals (e.g., Pb5(PO4)3OH); Cu was mainly speciated as Cu2S, with some metallic Cu and a weathering product, Cu(OH)2; As speciation was likely dominated by arsenic (III) and (V) oxides and sulfides

Economic impacts of the SAFRR tsunami scenario in California

This study evaluates the hypothetical economic impacts of the SAFRR (Science Application for Risk Reduction) tsunami scenario to the California economy. The SAFRR scenario simulates a tsunami generated by a hypothetical magnitude 9.1 earthquake that occurs offshore of the Alaska Peninsula (Kirby and others, 2013). Economic impacts are measured by the estimated reduction in California’s gross domestic product (GDP), the standard economic measure of the total value of goods and services produced. Economic impacts are derived from the physical damages from the tsunami as described by Porter and others (2013). The principal physical damages that result in disruption of the California economy are (1) about $100 million in damages to the twin Ports of Los Angeles (POLA) and Long Beach (POLB), (2) about$700 million in damages to marinas, and (3) about $2.5 billion in damages to buildings and contents (properties) in the tsunami inundation zone on the California coast. The study of economic impacts does not include the impacts from damages to roads, bridges, railroads, and agricultural production or fires in fuel storage facilities because these damages will be minimal with respect to the California economy. The economic impacts of damage to other California ports are not included in this study because detailed evaluation of the physical damage to these ports was not available in time for this report.https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1170/h/index.htmlhttps://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1170/h/index.htmlhttps://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1170/h/index.htmlAccepted manuscrip

Economic consequences of the HayWired scenario—digital and utility network linkages and resilience

The HayWired scenario examines a hypothetical earthquake (mainshock) with a moment magnitude (Mw) of 7.0 occurring on April 18, 2018, at 4:18 p.m. on the Hayward Fault in the east bay part of California’s San Francisco Bay region. This study evaluates the economic impacts of the HayWired earthquake scenario on the greater San Francisco Bay region’s economy using a detailed multiregional static computable general equilibrium model for 6 months following the event and a simpler, multiregional intertemporal partial equilibrium simulation model for the dynamic recovery in the 17 years thereafter. Economic impacts are measured by the estimated reduction in the bay region’s gross regional product (GRP), the standard economic measure of the total value of final goods and services produced. The major hazards that cause property (buildings and contents) damages (or capital stock losses) are ground shaking, liquefaction, landslides, and fire following earthquake. Economic impacts in terms of GRP (or business interruption losses) caused by both capital stock losses and water and electricity utility and telecommunications-service disruptions from the HayWired earthquake sequence are estimated and are primarily caused by capital stock damages. The most vulnerable industry sectors are heavy manufacturing and service industries, such as education and healthcare. The hardest hit county (in absolute and relative terms) is Alameda County, followed by Santa Clara County. In the 6 months following the earthquake, total GRP losses are estimated to be $44.2 billion (4.2 percent of California’s projected baseline gross state product [GSP] over the period), but this result could be reduced by about 43 percent to$25.3 billion after factoring in microeconomic resilience tactics, which promote the efficient use of remaining resources. The most effective resilience tactic for businesses that experience property damages and power-service disruptions is production recapture (using overtime or extra shifts to catch up on lost production after necessary facilities and equipment have been repaired or replaced and power services have been restored). The most effective resilience tactic for water-service or data- and voice-service outages is production isolation (making greater use of processes that do not need these services). Production isolation combined with the use of portable equipment by telecommunication carriers to fast track data- and voice-service restoration can effectively reduce GRP losses below those imposed by power outages that are the greatest cause of data- and voice-service disruptions. Information and communications technology (ICT) sectors, which are the core of the digital economy, include internet publishing and broadcasting; telecommunications; data- processing, hosting, and related services; and other information services. GRP losses (in percent) in the ICT sectors show a strong correspondence with property damages, although internet publishing and broadcasting show a consistent pattern of GRP losses exceeding capital losses in counties less directly affected by the earthquake (San Mateo and San Francisco Counties) and counties that export 80 percent of these services (Marin, Solano, and Santa Cruz Counties). Internet publishing not only suffers direct economic damage but also suffers from smaller supplies of data-processing and telecommunications inputs, whose prices increase significantly. A simple, dynamic recovery model illustrates that initially, relative to “business as usual,” capital stocks in the largely unaffected remainder of the bay region and the rest of California decrease owing to reallocation of investment toward the most severely damaged counties. Eventually, counties with less damage gain from picking up the slack of lost capacity in the core of the damaged region and also provide valuable inputs to all affected counties by producing their goods and services during the recovery process.https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2017/5013/vol3/v/sir20175013v2.pdfPublished versio

Fetal Programming of Body Composition, Obesity, and Metabolic Function: The Role of Intrauterine Stress and Stress Biology

Epidemiological, clinical, physiological, cellular, and molecular evidence suggests that the origins of obesity and metabolic dysfunction can be traced back to intrauterine life and supports an important role for maternal nutrition prior to and during gestation in fetal programming. The elucidation of underlying mechanisms is an area of interest and intense investigation. In this perspectives paper we propose that in addition to maternal nutrition-related processes it may be important to concurrently consider the potential role of intrauterine stress and stress biology. We frame our arguments in the larger context of an evolutionary-developmental perspective that supports roles for both nutrition and stress as key environmental conditions driving natural selection and developmental plasticity. We suggest that intrauterine stress exposure may interact with the nutritional milieu, and that stress biology may represent an underlying mechanism mediating the effects of diverse intrauterine perturbations, including but not limited to maternal nutritional insults (undernutrition and overnutrition), on brain and peripheral targets of programming of body composition, energy balance homeostasis, and metabolic function. We discuss putative maternal-placental-fetal endocrine and immune/inflammatory candidate mechanisms that may underlie the long-term effects of intrauterine stress. We conclude with a commentary of the implications for future research and clinical practice