261 research outputs found
Stochastic analysis of surface roughness
For the characterization of surface height profiles we present a new
stochastic approach which is based on the theory of Markov processes. With this
analysis we achieve a characterization of the complexity of the surface
roughness by means of a Fokker-Planck or Langevin equation, providing the
complete stochastic information of multiscale joint probabilities. The method
was applied to different road surface profiles which were measured with high
resolution. Evidence of Markov properties is shown. Estimations for the
parameters of the Fokker-Planck equation are based on pure, parameter free data
analysis
Further functional determinants
Functional determinants for the scalar Laplacian on spherical caps and
slices, flat balls, shells and generalised cylinders are evaluated in two,
three and four dimensions using conformal techniques. Both Dirichlet and Robin
boundary conditions are allowed for. Some effects of non-smooth boundaries are
discussed; in particular the 3-hemiball and the 3-hemishell are considered. The
edge and vertex contributions to the coefficient are examined.Comment: 25 p,JyTex,5 figs. on request
An orifice shape-based reduced order model of patient-specific mitral valve regurgitation
Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is one of the most prevalent valvular heart diseases. Its quantitative assessment is challenging but crucial for treatment decisions. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), we developed a reduced order model (ROM) describing the relationship between MR flow rates, transvalvular pressure differences, and the size and shape of the regurgitant valve orifice. Due to its low computational cost, this ROM could easily be implemented into clinical workflows to support the assessment of MR. We reconstructed mitral valves of 43 patients from 3D transesophageal echocardiographic images and estimated the 3D anatomic regurgitant orifice areas using a shrink-wrap algorithm. The orifice shapes were quantified with three dimensionless shape parameters. Steady-state CFD simulations in the reconstructed mitral valves were performed to analyse the relationship between the regurgitant orifice geometry and the regurgitant hemodynamics. Based on the results, three ROMs with increasing complexity were defined, all of which revealed very good agreement with CFD results with a mean bias below 3% for the MR flow rate. Classifying orifices into two shape groups and assigning group-specific flow coefficients in the ROM reduced the limit of agreement predicting regurgitant volumes from 9.0 ml to 5.7 ml at a mean regurgitant volume of 57 ml
Markov Properties of Electrical Discharge Current Fluctuations in Plasma
Using the Markovian method, we study the stochastic nature of electrical
discharge current fluctuations in the Helium plasma. Sinusoidal trends are
extracted from the data set by the Fourier-Detrended Fluctuation analysis and
consequently cleaned data is retrieved. We determine the Markov time scale of
the detrended data set by using likelihood analysis. We also estimate the
Kramers-Moyal's coefficients of the discharge current fluctuations and derive
the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation. In addition, the obtained Langevin
equation enables us to reconstruct discharge time series with similar
statistical properties compared with the observed in the experiment. We also
provide an exact decomposition of temporal correlation function by using
Kramers-Moyal's coefficients. We show that for the stationary time series, the
two point temporal correlation function has an exponential decaying behavior
with a characteristic correlation time scale. Our results confirm that, there
is no definite relation between correlation and Markov time scales. However
both of them behave as monotonic increasing function of discharge current
intensity. Finally to complete our analysis, the multifractal behavior of
reconstructed time series using its Keramers-Moyal's coefficients and original
data set are investigated. Extended self similarity analysis demonstrates that
fluctuations in our experimental setup deviates from Kolmogorov (K41) theory
for fully developed turbulence regime.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures and 4 tables. V3: Added comments, references,
figures and major correction
SĂndrome de Caroli e carcinomatose peritoneal
Caroliâs syndrome is an uncommon disease, and it is characterized by the presenceof cystic dilation of the intrahepatic biliary tree, and of congenital fibrosis. It may act asa premalignant condition, and in some cases it may develop into cholangiocarcinoma.We report a case of Caroliâs syndrome that was diagnosed in a 37 year old male, andwich was diagnosed along with the development of peritoneal carcinomatosis ofunknown origin. The relevant literature is reviewed as well.A SĂndrome de Caroli Ă© uma entidade incomum caracterizada pela presença dedilataçÔes cĂsticas da ĂĄrvore biliar intra-hepĂĄtica e fibrose hepĂĄtica congĂȘnita. Podecomportar-se como condição prĂ©-maligna, evoluindo em alguns casos paracolangiocarcinoma. Relatamos um caso diagnosticado em paciente do sexo masculinode 37 anos de idade, complicado por carcinomatose peritoneal de sĂtio desconhecidoe revisamos a literatura
Sex differences in the generalizability of randomized clinical trials in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
Aims: In order to understand how sex differences impact the generalizability of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), we sought to compare clinical characteristics and clinical outcomes between RCTs and HF observational registries stratified by sex. Methods and results: Data from two HF registries and five HFrEF RCTs were used to create three subpopulations: one RCT population (n = 16 917; 21.7% females), registry patients eligible for RCT inclusion (n = 26 104; 31.8% females), and registry patients ineligible for RCT inclusion (n = 20 810; 30.2% females). Clinical endpoints included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and first HF hospitalization at 1 year. Males and females were equally eligible for trial enrolment (56.9% of females and 55.1% of males in the registries). One-year mortality rates were 5.6%, 14.0%, and 28.6% for females and 6.9%, 10.7%, and 24.6% for males in the RCT, RCT-eligible, and RCT-ineligible groups, respectively. After adjusting for 11 HF prognostic variables, RCT females showed higher survival compared to RCT-eligible females (standardized mortality ratio [SMR] 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.62â0.83), while RCT males showed higher adjusted mortality rates compared to RCT-eligible males (SMR 1.16; 95% CI 1.09â1.24). Similar results were also found for cardiovascular mortality (SMR 0.89; 95% CI 0.76â1.03 for females, SMR 1.43; 95% CI 1.33â1.53 for males). Conclusion: Generalizability of HFrEF RCTs differed substantially between the sexes, with females having lower trial participation and female trial participants having lower mortality rates compared to similar females in the registries, while males had higher than expected cardiovascular mortality rates in RCTs compared to similar males in registries
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