Behavior Prediction Based on Obstacle Motion Patterns in Dynamically Changing Environments

This paper proposes a behavior prediction method for navigation application in dynamically changing environments, which predicts obstacle behaviors based on learned obstacle motion patterns (OMP) from observed obstacle motion trajectories. A multi-level prediction model is then proposed that predicts long-term or short-term obstacle behaviors. Simulation results show that it works well in a complex environment and the prediction is consistent with actual behaviors. © 2008 IEEE.published_or_final_versio

Performance analysis of the doubly-linked list protocol family for distributed shared memory systems

The 2nd International Conference on Algorithms and Architectures for Parallel Processing, Singapore, 11-13 June 1996The doubly-linked list (DLL) protocol provides a memory efficient, scalable, high-performance and yet easy to implement method to maintain memory coherence in distributed shared memory (DSM) systems. In this paper, the performance analysis of the DLL family of protocols is presented. Theoretically, the DLL protocol with stable owners has the shortest remote memory access latency among the DLL protocol family. According to the simulated performance evaluation, the DLL-S protocol is 65.7% faster than the DDM algorithm for the linear equation solver; and is 16.5% faster for the matrix multiplier. From the trend of the performance figures, it is predicted that the improvement in performance due to the DLL-S protocol will be considerably greater when a larger number of processors are used, indicating that the DLL-S protocol is also the most scalable of the protocols tested.published_or_final_versio

Quinidine for Brugada syndrome: Panacea or poison?

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The role of transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis and management of children and young adults with valvar diseases of the left heart

Summary The role of transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis and management of left-sided cardiac valvar disease in children and young adults was assessed in terms of whether additional information (over transthoracic echocardiography) could be obtained, and whether the added information contributed to the better management of the patients. Between January 1991 to August 1992, 27 consecutive patients were studied. Their age ranged from 2.5 to 20 years (mean 12.7), with body weights ranging between 12 and 60 kg (mean 35.6). Twelve of the children suffered from atrioventricular valvar disease, 13 had predominant aortic valvar lesions and two had mixed valvar pathologies. Additional information was obtained by transesophageal over that of transthoracic echocardiography in 18 children (67%). Transesophageal echocardiography clarified the etiologies or mechanism of valvar regurgitation in eight and seven children with atrioventricular and aortic pathologies, respectively. The technique correctly diagnosed severe mitral regurgitation underestimated by conventional technique, detected a missed eccentric aortic regurgitant jet and convincingly excluded bacterial vegetations in one case each. The investigation contributed to the better management of three children (11%) by providing information that allowed the appropriate choice of therapy. Transesophageal echocardiography, therefore, is a useful technique for the diagnosis and management of valvar disease of the left heart in children and young adults.published_or_final_versio

Mesoporous lithium titanate - carbon composite with controlled microstructure

Session: Lithium-Ion Battery: Anode 10 - Miscellaneous Systems: abstract no. 1148The Conference abstracts' website is located at https://ecs.confex.com/ecs/224/webprogram/Paper24169.htmlLithium titanate, particularly Li4Ti5O12 has attracted a great deal of attention recently as a promising anode material for lithium secondary batteries. [1-2] The high discharge rate performance is limited by the low electronic conductivity of the material (< 10-11 Sm-1), addition of carbon is one of the effective way in enhancing the rate performance. [3] In this study, carbon with hollow core and mesoporous shells of controlled dimensions were …postprin

Chemotherapy of tuberculosis in Hong Kong: a consensus statement

This consensus statement is prepared primarily as a concise reference for tuberculosis chemotherapy in Hong Kong. Treatment should be tailored to patients individually, expert advice should be sought when necessary, and 'directly observed treatment' should be used where possible. A 6-month regimen is recommended as the initial treatment of uncomplicated pulmonary tuberculosis and a 9-month regimen is recommended for retreatment. Patients with disease that is resistant to isoniazid or rifampicin may require modified regimens. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis should be managed in specialised centres, using multiple drugs as guided by in vitro susceptibility tests. Recommended regimens to treat extrapulmonary tuberculosis are based on limited current evidence, although shorter regimens may be acceptable when better evidence emerges. A longer duration of treatment is required for diabetic, immuno-compromised, or silicotic patients. During pregnancy, streptomycin should be avoided; the safety profiles of second-line drugs have not yet been ascertained. Hepatotoxic drugs should be used with caution in patients with liver dysfunction, and extra caution and dosage reductions are required if streptomycin and ethambutol are used in patients with renal impairment.published_or_final_versio

Effect of an education program on improving knowledge of schizophrenia among parents of junior and senior high school students in Japan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Early detection and intervention in schizophrenia are important in improving quality of life after treatment and are major issues in psychiatric care. Therefore, it is necessary to increase knowledge of schizophrenia among the general public. Among parents of junior and senior high school students in Japan, we compared rates of correct answers for items on knowledge of schizophrenia and ability to discriminate this psychosis from other disorders on questionnaires given before and after viewing a web-based education program.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Questionnaires were distributed to 2,690 parents. The program was developed to help parents obtain a basic understanding of schizophrenia and to emphasize the necessity of early detection.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Before the program, the rate of correct answers was 77% for items concerning basic knowledge of schizophrenia, 47% for "discrimination of schizophrenia symptoms," and 30% for "discrimination of prodromal symptoms." The program resulted in an improvement in basic knowledge of schizophrenia, discrimination of schizophrenia symptoms, and discrimination of prodromal symptoms (<it>P </it>< 0.001 for all).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our web-based education program was useful in helping parents acquire a basic knowledge of schizophrenia and discriminate correctly the symptoms of schizophrenia.</p

Tyrosinase inhibitors and insecticidal materials produced by Burkholderia cepacia using squid pen as the sole carbon and nitrogen source

[[abstract]]Reports of tyrosinase inhibitors from microorganisms are rare. A tyrosinase inhibitor- and insecticidal materials-producing bacterium, strain TKU026, was isolated from Taiwanese soil and identified as Burkholderia cepacia. Among the tested chitin-containing materials, squid pen best enhanced the production of tyrosinase inhibitors and insecticidal materials. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity (5000 U/mL) and insecticidal activity (81%) against Drosophila larvae was maximised after cultivation on 1% squid-pen containing medium for three days. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity persisted even when the culture was treated with acidic or alkaline conditions of pH 3 or 11. The activities of both tyrosinase inhibitors and insecticide remained at 100%, even after treatment at 100℃ for 30 min. The culture supernatant after three days of cultivation also showed antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus and Fusarium oxysporum with maximal activities of 100% and 80%, respectively, but no antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli was observed. The tyrosinase inhibitors were assumed to be polyphenolic compounds according to the results of chromatography.[[notice]]補正完畢[[journaltype]]國外[[incitationindex]]SCI[[booktype]]紙本[[booktype]]電子版[[countrycodes]]NL

Evidence for predilection of macrophage infiltration patterns in the deeper midline and mesial temporal structures of the brain uniquely in patients with HIV-associated dementia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>HIV-1 penetrates the central nervous system, which is vital for HIV-associated dementia (HAD). But the role of cellular infiltration and activation together with HIV in the development of HAD is poorly understood.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To study activation and infiltration patterns of macrophages, CD8+ T cells in relation to HIV in diverse CNS areas of patients with and without dementia. 46 brain regions from two rapidly progressing severely demented patients and 53 regions from 4 HIV+ non-dementia patients were analyzed. Macrophage and CD8+ T cell infiltration of the CNS in relation to HIV was assessed using immuno-histochemical analysis with anti-HIV (P24), anti-CD8 and anti-CD68, anti-S-100A8 and granzyme B antibodies (cellular activation). Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 12.0 with Student's t test and ANOVA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overall, the patterns of infiltration of macrophages and CD8+ T cells were indiscernible between patients with and without dementia, but the co-localization of macrophages and CD8+ T cells along with HIV P24 antigen in the deeper midline and mesial temporal structures of the brain segregated the two groups. This predilection of infected macrophages and CD8+ T cells to the middle part of the brain was unique to both HAD patients, along with unique nature of provirus gag gene sequences derived from macrophages in the midline and mesial temporal structures.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Strong predilection of infected macrophages and CD8+ T cells was typical of the deeper midline and mesial temporal structures uniquely in HAD patients, which has some influence on neurocognitive impairment during HIV infection.</p