Analytical Method for Solution of the Game Problem of Soft Landing for Moving Objects

A game problem of pursuit of a controlled object moving in a horizontal plane, by another object, moving in a three-dimensional space, is treated. The dynamics of the players models motion in a medium characterized by friction. Initial phase states are described, and sufficient conditions on parameters of a conflict-controlled object are derived, for which the soft landing may be performed.     

Structured brief therapy with a focus on dreams or loss for clients with troubling dreams and recent loss.

The authors tested whether a focus on dreams added something specific to the therapy process beyond the structure of a 3-stage approach. Fourteen distressed clients with troubling dreams and recent loss of a loved one participated in brief structured therapy focused on dreams or loss. After therapy, clients in both conditions reported being satisfied with therapy, having lowered impact of the loss, gaining new insights about themselves, and having made changes. In addition, clients in the dream condition rated the process of therapy higher, became involved in the therapeutic process more quickly, gained more understanding of their dreams, liked the structure of therapy more, and kept fewer secrets from their therapists than clients in the loss condition. In contrast, clients in the loss condition gained more insight about the effects of the past and their loss and liked therapist guidance more than clients in the dream condition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Helpful and hindering events in psychotherapy: A practice research network study.

This paper presents the findings of a psychotherapy process study conducted within the Pennsylvania Psychological Association Practice Research Network (PPA-PRN). The investigation was the product of a long-term collaborative effort, both in terms of the study design and implementation, between experienced clinicians of various theoretical orientations and full-time psychotherapy researchers. Based on a relatively large sample of clients seen in independent practice settings, close to 1,500 therapeutic events (described by clients and therapists as being particularly helpful or hindering) were collected. These events were coded by three independent observers using a therapy content analysis system. Among the findings, both clients and therapists perceived the fostering of self-awareness as being particularly helpful. The results also point to the importance of paying careful attention to the therapeutic alliance and other significant interpersonal relationships. The merits and difficulties of conducting scientifically rigorous and clinically relevant studies in naturalistic contexts are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Beta-carotene intake and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer

Improved procedure for efficient cryopreservation of single human spermatozoa in cell-free human zona pellucida is reported. We used a diode laser system for efficient and precise creation of a single hole into the zona pellucida of a degenerated or immature human oocyte. This allowed the extraction of the cytoplasm using a micropipette with a diameter of 10-15 microns. Through the same opening, human spermatozoa were inserted into the empty zona. We used motile and laser immobilized spermatozoa. Immobilized sperm were obtained by a single laser irradiation delivered in the vicinity of the sperm tail prior to insertion. This new immobilization procedure was shown to have no deleterious effect on membrane integrity and sperm viability. Following sperm transfer into the zona, the laser-drilled hole was closed with an oil droplet which was expelled from the micropipette during withdrawal to avoid loss of spermatozoa. This facilitated detection of the otherwise translucent zona during the cryopreservation procedure. After thawing, all cryopreserved zonae (20/20) could be successfully retrieved. Spermatozoa were recovered from the zona pellucida through the hole used for insertion. The rate of sperm recovery for initially motile spermatozoa was 80% vs. 92% for laser immobilized spermatozoa. Sperm viability was 81% and 84%, respectively, detected by a Hoechst stain. This technique makes cryopreservation of single human spermatozoa easy and feasible and appears beneficial for couples with severe male infertility and for those facing repeated surgical sperm extraction.     

Fabrication and characterization of flexible high performance thermoplastic foams derived from rigid polyetherketoneketone via a VOC-free foaming method

There is a high demand for a volatile-organic-compound (VOC)-free approach to converting high performance polymers (HPPs), such as polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), to porous structures. This is particularly true for achieving flexible foams from these very rigid HPPs. This current work introduces a facile and environmentally benign approach to fabricating flexible PEKK foams via a hydration-induced foaming and desulfonation treatment. This foaming technique possesses three major advantages: energy efficiency, environment friendliness, and super flexibility. The resultant flexible PEKK foam has a uniform porous structure with a cell diameter of ca. 5 μm, as well as low mass density of ca. 0.42 g/cm³. Thermal analysis revealed that the porous PEKK showed a high thermal stability with a thermal degradation temperature of 520 °C, showing superiority over other reported flexible polymer foams. Compared with solid PEKKs fabricated by compression molding, the porous PEKK has a higher crystallinity and more thermodynamically stable crystal structures. According to nanoindentation analysis, the flexibility of porous PEKK may be a result of the better chain mobility in porous PEKK. The reduced modulus and hardness of porous PEKK are 0.73 ± 0.16 and 0.09 ± 0.03 GPa, respectively. The porous structures also efficiently reduced the dielectric constant from ca. 4.0 to 2.6 in a wide frequency range.     

3D Cable‐Based Cartesian Metrology System

A novel cable‐based metrology system is presented wherein six cables are connected in parallel from ground‐mounted string pots to the moving object or tool of interest. Cartesian pose can be determined for feedback control and other purposes by reading the lengths of the six cables via the string pots and using closed‐form forward pose kinematics. This article focuses on a sculpting metrology tool, assisting a human artist in generating a piece from a computer model, but applications exist in manufacturing, rapid prototyping, robotics, and automated construction. We present experimental data to demonstrate the operation of our system, we study the absolute accuracy and also measurement resolution, and we discuss various error sources. The proposed real‐time cable‐based metrology system is less complex and more economical than existing commercial Cartesian metrology technologies. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Norepinephrine accelerates HIV replication via protein kinase A-dependent effects on cytokine production

In vivo, IgE production is related to bronchial hyperresponsiveness and, in vitro, passive sensitization of human airways with asthmatic serum containing a high concentration of IgE enhances the contractile response to a variety of agonists. However, cell types implicated in this IgE sensitization are not fully determined. The aim of this study was to determine IgE-bearing cells during passive sensitization with special reference to mast cells. Peripheral bronchi were dissected out from 10 lung specimens obtained at thoracotomy and processed into glycolmethacrylate resin. Sections, each 2 microm thick, were passively sensitized by incubation for 2 h at 37 degrees C in either buffer supplemented with monoclonal IgE or asthmatic serum with a high concentration of IgE (> or = 1,000 IU/ml). Immunohistochemistry was performed using monoclonal antibodies directed against the epsilon chain, and markers of the various IgE-bearing cells (e.g., AA1, antichymase). The number of IgE-bearing cells was significantly higher in passively sensitized specimens as compared with nonsensitized specimens (6.63 +/- 1.71 versus 4.29 +/- 1.35/mm2; p = 0.013, n = 10). Mast cells represented 65% of IgE-bearing cells, 41.6 and 23.4% for TC and T subtypes, respectively. These results indicate that mast cell is the main cell type involved in IgE-induced passive sensitization. The involvement of mast cell-derived tryptase in the mechanisms of IgE-related hyperresponsiveness should be further examined.     

基于PIR的运动检测:传感器解决方案

这种解决方案既不十分复杂,价格也不昂贵,几乎无处不在,如邻居的私人车道、超市,而在住宅和工作场所的走廊上更是应用得越来越多.它就是运动检测器,本文将探讨如何使用无源红外(PIR)传感器实现简单的运动检测器.     

Dynamic Modeling and Robust Controller Design of a Two-Stage Parallel Cable Robot

Cable robots have been extensively used for the loading and unloading of cargo in shipping industries. In this paper, we look at a two stage cable robot, i.e., a cable robot with two moving platforms connected in series. The sea condition introduces disturbance into the system. This disturbance is considered while modeling the dynamics of the two stage cable robot. A robust controller is designed which can assure robust tracking of the desired end-effector trajectory in the presence of the disturbance. Simulation results presented show the effectiveness of the controller.