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The classical analogy between linear filtering and acoustical filtering by tubes is applied in the non-classical case where the tubes are made of unequal-length sections (such as the DRM case). It is shown that the filtering process identity is substantially more complicated than in the case of equal-length sections. In particular, it prevents the use of the Levinson algorithm for inverting the filtering process and recovering the tube characteristics from sound alone. Contents

Morphological Structures of Elite Karateka and Their Impact on Technical and Fighting Efficiency

A B S T R A C T The aim of the study was to identify the morphological structures that determine achievement of top results in ka

Texture of GaAs Nanoparticles Deposited by Pulsed Laser Ablation in Different Atmospheres

This work analyzes the effect of nanosecond laser pulse deposition of GaAs in an inert atmosphere of Ar and He. The number of pulses and the gas pressure were varied and the effect on the nanoparticles formation was studied by scanning electron microscopy, grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering, and atomic force microscopy. It is shown that the GaAs nanoparticle sizes and size distributions can be controlled partly by the number of laser pulses applied during their production and partly by the choice of inert gas and its pressure. Our results suggest that He is a more promising working gas producing narrower size distributions and a better size control of the grown nanoparticles

Combinations of biomarkers predictive of later life mortality

A wide range of biomarkers, reflecting activity in a number of biological systems (e.g., neuroendocrine, immune, cardiovascular, and metabolic), have been found to prospectively predict disability, morbidity, and mortality outcomes in older adult populations. Levels of these biomarkers, singly or in combination, may serve as an early warning system of risk for future adverse health outcomes. In the current investigation, 13 biomarkers were examined as predictors of mortality occurrence over a 12-year period in a sample of men and women (n = 1,189) 70–79 years of age at enrollment into the study. Biomarkers examined in analyses included markers of neuroendocrine functioning (epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone), immune activity (C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, IL-6, and albumin), cardiovascular functioning (systolic and diastolic blood pressure), and metabolic activity [high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, total to HDL cholesterol ratio, and glycosylated hemoglobin]. Recursive partitioning techniques were used to identify a set of pathways, composed of combinations of different biomarkers, that were associated with a high-risk of mortality over the 12-year period. Of the 13 biomarkers examined, almost all entered into one or more high-risk pathways although combinations of neuroendocrine and immune markers appeared frequently in high-risk male pathways, and systolic blood pressure was present in combination with other biomarkers in all high-risk female pathways. These findings illustrate the utility of recursive partitioning techniques in identifying biomarker combinations predictive of mortal outcomes in older adults, as well as the multiplicity of biological pathways to mortality in elderly populations