View-Invariant Analysis of Cyclic Motion

This paper presents a general framework for image-based analysis of 3D repeating motions that addresses two limitations in the state of the art. First, the assumption that a motion be perfectly even from one cycle to the next is relaxed. Real repeating motions tend not to be perfectly even, i.e., the length of a cycle varies through time because of physically important changes in the scene. A generalization of period is defined for repeating motions that makes this temporal variation explicit. This representation, called the period trace, is compact and purely temporal, describing the evolution of an object or scene without reference to spatial quantities such as position or velocity. Second, the requirement that the observer be stationary is removed. Observer motion complicates image analysis because an object that undergoes a 3D repeating motion will generally not produce a repeating sequence of images. Using principles of affine invariance, we derive necessary and sufficient conditions for an image sequence to be the projection of a 3D repeating motion, accounting for changes in viewpoint and other camera parameters. Unlike previous work in visual invariance, however, our approach is applicable to objects and scenes whose motion is highly non-rigid. Experiments on real image sequences demonstrate how the approach may be used to detect several types of purely temporal motion features, relating to motion trends and irregularities. Applications to athletic and medical motion analysis are discussed.     

Optical deflection measurement for characterization of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)

Nonintrusive measurement of small out-of-plane motions of microscale structures is critical to the development of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). This paper presents a low-cost deflection measurement system for MEMS structures based on a fiber optic displacement sensor. The system is demonstrated in the characterization of a microwave switch. The deflection system had a demonstrated sensitivity of 290/spl plusmn/32 /spl mu/V/nm over a deflection range of 100 /spl mu/m. The calibration and linearity of the system are described, and the static and dynamic performance is compared to more elaborate systems.     

Comparison of Operant Escape and Innate Reflex Responses to Nociceptive Skin Temperatures Produced by Heat and Cold Stimulation of Rats.

In behavioral tests, rats performed learned escape responses to thermal stimulation of the paws by 44.0. 47.0. or 0.3 degrees C. Licking, guarding, and jumping reflexes were evaluated at these temperatures. The frequency, latency, and duration of escape and reflex responses were compared and were related to hind-paw skin temperatures measured during stimulation of awake and anesthetized rats. The duration and latency of escape from heat were appropriately related to stimulus intensity. Escape occurred reliably for each intensity. Reflexes occurred unreliably and at long latency to 44.0 or 0.3 degrees C and were not appropriately related to heat intensity. The reflexes were relatively insensitive to thermal nociceptive stimulation other than heating of the skin at a high rate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of Downdrag on Piles and Pile Groups in Consolidating Soil

Development of pile settlement (downdrag) of piles constructed in consolidating soil may lead to serious pile foundation design problems. The investigation of downdrag has attracted far less attention than the study of dragload over the years. In this paper, several series of two-dimensional axisymmetric and three-dimensional numerical parametric analyses were conducted to study the behavior of single piles and piles in 3×3 and 5×5 pile groups in consolidating soil. Both elastic no-slip and elasto-plastic slip at the pile–soil interface were considered. For a single pile, the downdrag computed from the no-slip elastic analysis and from the analytical elastic solution was about 8–14 times larger than that computed from the elasto-plastic slip analysis. The softer the consolidating clay, the greater the difference between the no-slip elastic and the elasto-plastic slip analyses. For the 5×5 pile group at 2.5 diameter spacing, the maximum downdrag of the center, inner, and corner piles was, respectively, 63, 68, and 79% of the maximum downdrag of the single pile. The reduction of downdrag inside the pile group is attributed to the shielding effects on the inner piles by the outer piles. The relative reduction in downdrag (Wr) in the 5×5 pile group increases with an increase in the relative bearing stiffness ratio (Eb/Ec), depending on the pile location in the group. Compared with the relative reduction in dragload (Pr), Wr at the corner pile is less affected by the group interaction for a given surcharge load. This suggests that the use of sacrificing piles outside the pile group will be more effective on Pr than on Wr. Based on the three cases studied, the larger the number of piles in a group, the greater the shielding effects on Wr. Relatively speaking, Wr is more sensitive to the total number of piles than to the pile spacing within a pile group.     

Associations in the Course of Personality Disorders and Axis I Disorders Over Time.

In this study, the authors examined time-varying associations between schizotypal (STPD), borderline (BPD), avoidant (AVPD), or obsessive-compulsive (OCPD) personality disorders and co-occurring Axis I disorders in 544 adult participants from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study. The authors tested predictions of specific longitudinal associations derived from a model of crosscutting psychobiological dimensions (L. J. Siever & K. L. Davis, 1991) with participants with the relevant Axis I disorders. The authors assessed participants at baseline and at 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up evaluations. BPD showed significant longitudinal associations with major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. AVPD was significantly associated with anxiety disorders (specifically social phobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder). Two of the four personality disorders under examination (STPD and OCPD) showed little or no association with Axis I disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Discriminative Stimulus, Reinforcing, Physical Dependence, and Antinociceptive Effects of Oxycodone in Mice, Rats, and Rhesus Monkeys.

Despite oxycodone's (4,5-epoxy-14-hydroxy-3-methoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-one) history of clinical use and the attention it has received as a drug of abuse, few reports have documented its pharmacology's relevance to its abuse or its mechanism of action. The purposes of the present study were to further characterize the analgesic effects of oxycodone, its mechanism of action, and its effects in terms of its relevance to its abuse liability. The results indicate that oxycodone had potent antinociceptive effects in the mouse paraphenylquinone writhing, hot-plate, and tail-flick assays, in which it appeared to be acting as a μ-opioid receptor agonist. It generalized to the heroin discriminative stimulus and served as a positive reinforcer in rats and completely suppressed withdrawal signs in morphinedependent rhesus monkeys. These results suggest that the analgesic and abuse liability effects of oxycodone are likely mediated through μ-opioid receptors and provide the first laboratory report of its discriminative stimulus, reinforcing, and morphine cross-dependency effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Remote sensing of vegetation and land-cover change in Arctic Tundra Ecosystems

The objective of this paper is to review research conducted over the past decade on the application of multi-temporal remote sensing for monitoring changes of Arctic tundra lands. Emphasis is placed on results from the National Science Foundation Land-Air-Ice Interactions (LAII) program and on optical remote sensing techniques. Case studies demonstrate that ground-level sensors on stationary or moving track platforms and wide-swath imaging sensors on polar orbiting satellites are particularly useful for capturing optical remote sensing data at sufficient frequency to study tundra vegetation dynamics and changes for the cloud prone Arctic. Less frequent imaging with high spatial resolution instruments on aircraft and lower orbiting satellites enable more detailed analyses of land cover change and calibration/validation of coarser resolution observations.The strongest signals of ecosystem change detected thus far appear to correspond to expansion of tundra shrubs and changes in the amount and extent of thaw lakes and ponds. Changes in shrub cover and extent have been documented by modern repeat imaging that matches archived historical aerial photography. NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) time series provide a 20-year record for determining changes in greenness that relates to photosynthetic activity, net primary production, and growing season length. The strong contrast between land materials and surface waters enables changes in lake and pond extent to be readily measured and monitored.     

Graphic applications of the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML)

The Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) is a language for representing document structure. This paper discusses ways in which the SGML language might be used to represent graphic as well as textual contents of a document. By using SGML markup for both graphics and text, a document processing application can achieve a more uniform treatment and tighter coupling between these two types of materials.     

Capillary LC-MS for high sensitivity metabolomic analysis of single islets of Langerhans

Reversed-phase, packed capillary liquid chromatography interfaced by electrospray ionization to mass spectrometry was explored as an analytical method for determination of metabolites in microscale tissue samples using single islets of Langerhans as a model system. With the use of a 75 microm inner diameter column coupled to a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer in full scan mode, detection limits of 0.1-33 fmol were achieved for glycoloytic and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites. Reproducible processing of islets for analysis with little loss of metabolites was performed by rapid freezing followed by methanol-water extraction. The method yielded 20 microL of extract of which just 15 nL was injected suggesting the potential for performing multiple assays on the same islet. Approximately 200 presumed metabolites could be detected, of which 22 were identified by matching retention times and MS/MS spectra to standards. Relative standard deviations for peak detection was from 7 to 18% and was unaffected by storage for up to 11 days. The method was used to detect changes in metabolism associated with increasing extracellular islet glucose concentration from 3 to 20 mM yielding results largely consistent with known metabolism of islets. Because most previous studies of islet metabolism have only observed a few compounds at once and require far more tissue, this measurement method represents a significant advance for studies of metabolism of islets and other microscale samples.     

Introduction of mechanistic-empirical pavement design into pavement carbon footprint analysis

Transportation authorities and industrial organisations are currently faced with the need to incorporate greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts into pavement designs. GHG emissions have been evaluated for individual projects with unique external environments. These estimates cannot be applied to future projects with different external environments. This paper presents a GHG estimation method to assist in low-carbon design for future pavement construction. The method uses mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide to create comparable structures with different pavement techniques, traffic volumes, climate conditions, etc. The method is illustrated using the Maryland Intercounty Connector (ICC) project, which was paved with hot mix asphalt. The results show that if the ICC’s asphalt base layer was paved with foam stabilised base, GHG emissions would be reduced by up to 18.8 thousand metric tons, an equivalent to 56.5% of the total pavement construction emissions. The GHG savings would generate $111,200 of carbon offsets, which compensate approximately 5.7% of the pavement costs.