An experimental study of oscillatory flow phenomena in diffusers at low reynolds numbers

An experimental study of oscillatory flow phenomena in diffusers at low Reynolds numbers has been carried out

Unilateral Recession-Resection Surgery with Inferior Displacement Combined with Augmented Anterior Transposition of Inferior Oblique Muscle

We report the effects of unilateral recession-resection surgery of the horizontal recti muscles with inferior displacement and augmented anterior transposition of the inferior oblique muscle with a posterior intermuscular suture in a patient with large exotropia and considerable hypertropia

On the Hierarchy of Block Deterministic Languages

A regular language is $k$-lookahead deterministic (resp. $k$-block deterministic) if it is specified by a $k$-lookahead deterministic (resp. $k$-block deterministic) regular expression. These two subclasses of regular languages have been respectively introduced by Han and Wood ($k$-lookahead determinism) and by Giammarresi et al. ($k$-block determinism) as a possible extension of one-unambiguous languages defined and characterized by Br\"uggemann-Klein and Wood. In this paper, we study the hierarchy and the inclusion links of these families. We first show that each $k$-block deterministic language is the alphabetic image of some one-unambiguous language. Moreover, we show that the conversion from a minimal DFA of a $k$-block deterministic regular language to a $k$-block deterministic automaton not only requires state elimination, and that the proof given by Han and Wood of a proper hierarchy in $k$-block deterministic languages based on this result is erroneous. Despite these results, we show by giving a parameterized family that there is a proper hierarchy in $k$-block deterministic regular languages. We also prove that there is a proper hierarchy in $k$-lookahead deterministic regular languages by studying particular properties of unary regular expressions. Finally, using our valid results, we confirm that the family of $k$-block deterministic regular languages is strictly included into the one of $k$-lookahead deterministic regular languages by showing that any $k$-block deterministic unary language is one-unambiguous

Investigation on Wave Propagation Characteristics in Plates and Pipes for Identification of Structural Defect Locations

For successful identification of structural defects in plates and pipes, it is essential to understand structural wave propagation characteristics such as dispersion relations. Analytical approaches to identify the dispersion relations of homogeneous, simple plates and circular pipes have been investigated by many researchers. However, for plates or pipes with irregular cross-sectional configurations or multi-layered composite structures, it is almost impossible to obtain the analytical dispersion relations and associated mode shapes. In addition, full numerical modeling approaches such as finite element (FE) methods are not economically feasible for high (e.g., ultrasonic) frequency analyses where an extremely large number of discretized meshes are required, resulting in significantly expensive computation. In order to address these limitations, Hybrid Analytical/Finite Element Methods (HAFEMs) are developed to model composite plates and pipes in a computationally-efficient manner. When a pipe system is used to transport a fluid, the dispersion curves obtained from a “hollow” pipe model can mislead non-destructive evaluation (NDE) results of the pipe system. In this study, the HAFEM procedure with solid elements is extended by developing fluid elements and solid-fluid boundary conditions, resulting in the dispersion curves of fluid-filled pipes. In addition, a HAFEM-based acoustic transfer function approach is suggested to consider a long pipe system assembled with multiple pipe sections with different cross-sections. For the validation of the proposed methods, experimental and full FE modeling results are compared to the results obtained from the HAFEM models. In order to detect structural defect locations in shell structures from defect-induced, subtle wave reflection signals and eliminate direct-excitation-induced and boundary-reflected, relatively-strong wave signals, a time-frequency MUSIC algorithm is applied to ultrasonic wave data measured by using an array of piezoelectric transducers. A normalized, structurally-damped, cylindrical 2-D steering vector is proposed to increase the spatial resolution of time-frequency MUSIC power results. A cross-shaped array is selected over a circular or linear array to further improve the spatial resolution and to avoid the mirrored virtual image effects of a linear array. Here, it is experimentally demonstrated that the proposed time-frequency MUSIC beamforming procedure can be used to identify structural defect locations on an aluminum plate by distinguishing the defect-induced waves from both the excitation-generated and boundary-reflected waves

Ultra Compact Nanoporous Platinum Coating Improves Neural Recording

Neural electrodes are key tools for achieving a successful brain-computer interface and the electrodes should be small to minimize damage to neural tissue and obtain good spatial selectivity such as single unit recording. Here we show conventional platinum/tungsten neural probes can be coated with nanoporous Pt. Thanks to nanoporous Pt with the extremely small and uniform pores, L-2-ePt, the electrode impedance could be reduced by more than 2 orders of magnitude while the apparent area was almost the same. L-2-ePt coating enhanced neuronal recording of local field potential in monkeys, leading to facilitating implanted electrical devices in the nervous system.Peer reviewe

Mouse genetics: Catalogue and scissors

Phenotypic analysis of gene-specific knockout (KO) mice has revolutionized our understanding of in vivo gene functions. As the use of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells is inevitable for conventional gene targeting, the generation of knockout mice remains a very time-consuming and expensive process. To accelerate the large-scale production and phenotype analyses of KO mice, international efforts have organized global consortia such as the International Knockout Mouse Consortium (IKMC) and International Mouse Phenotype Consortium (IMPC), and they are persistently expanding the KO mouse catalogue that is publicly available for the researches studying specific genes of interests in vivo. However, new technologies, adopting zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) or Transcription Activator-like Effector (TALE) Nucleases (TALENs) to edit the mouse genome, are now emerging as valuable and effective shortcuts alternative for the conventional gene targeting using ES cells. Here, we introduce the recent achievement of IKMC, and evaluate the significance of ZFN/TALEN technology in mouse genetics. [BMB Reports 2012; 45(12): 686-692]