Intraoperative neurological monitoring

Intraoperative neurological monitoring (INM) is the evaluation of the nervous system within the operating room (OR) environment. In this paper, the INM system is tested in a clinical setting in comparison with conventional somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) monitoring. The study results demonstrate the capability of the INM system in extracting clearer and more stable SEP signals. The high SNR of SEP signals collected in various clinical environments, including the OR, makes the INM system a robust platform for continuous monitoring. While the current use of EP monitoring is limited to intermittent analysis by a highly trained clinical neurophysiologist, the authors believe in changing this paradigm by developing continuous monitoring systems, such as the INM system, capable of automated quantitative EP analysis. This noninvasive monitoring modality will allow for a wider range of use in clinical practice. Based on volunteer and clinical patient studies, the INM monitoring system demonstrates much greater reliability and accuracy via the artifact rejection and denoising strategies. It provides more strategic filtering options for different situations under which the clinical SEP response signal could be greatly contaminated and distorted. Furthermore, the INM system offers a promising approach to signal extraction in real-time monitoring during SEP research.     

New Computational Models for Electrostatics of Macromolecules in Solvents

Electrostatic fields of macromolecules (e.g., protein molecules) in solvents are often described by the Poisson-Boltzmann equation. This paper introduces two substantial amendments to the electrostatic model: first, the effective dielectric permittivity of the aqueous solvent layer on the molecular surface is drastically different from its bulk value of ~80 and, second, the recently developed flexible local approximation methods produce different schemes with much higher accuracy than the classical ones     

Scopolamine impairs human recognition memory: Data and modeling.

Eight subjects studied a set of complex visual images after administration of 0.4 mg scopolamine. Another 8 subjects performed the same task without drug administration. On a subsequent item recognition test, subjects rated, on a 5-point scale, their confidence that the studied pictures and an equal number of unstudied lures were actually presented. Results showed that scopolamine affected responses to studied items, but not unstudied lures, demonstrating an unambiguous effect of scopolamine on recognition memory. To describe the scopolamine-injected subjects' data, the authors constructed a new model of 2-process recognition that includes the A. P. Yonelinas (1994) model as a limiting case. The model analysis suggests that scopolamine affected both familiarity and recollection. In particular, scopolamine did not affect the frequency with which recollection took place, but rather, affected the amount of recollected information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Construct validity of WAIS—R factors: Neuropsychological test correlates in adults referred for evaluation of possible head injury.

A 3-factor solution of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS—R; Wechsler, 1981) in 260 adults with suspected head injury suggested relatively good construct validity for the factors, based on correlations with neuropsychological tests purported to measure similar abilities. The Verbal Comprehension factor was related to verbal ability, verbal memory, and executive functioning. The Perceptual Organization factor, although measuring primarily visual–spatial perception and visual constructional ability, was related to visual–spatial memory, visual attention, and executive functioning. The Freedom From Distractibility factor was correlated with two attention measures and was not associated with memory measures. Its association with executive functioning was inconsistent. The findings are discussed in terms of the multidimensional nature of neuropsychological tests and WAIS—R factors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The preparation and properties of coprecipitated Cu–Zr–Y and Cu–Zr–La catalysts used for the steam reforming of methanol

Several samples of exhaust diesel soot are investigated by inverse gas chromatography and linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) modelling according to their soluble organic fraction content and their time of exposure in oxidative conditions. The results demonstrate the evolution of the adsorptive properties of the studied materials towards volatile compounds during the oxidation under NO₂.     

Accounting for case manager effects in the evaluation of mental health services.

Three methods of accounting for case manager effects in tests of the efficacy of mental health services are explored. These methods include (1) treating the case manager as a fixed factor, (2) treating the case manager as a random factor, and (3) examining service effects within the case manager. They are demonstrated with data from a nationally known case management program serving individuals with serious and persistent mental illness. Specifically, 3 conceptually distinct types of services provided or brokered by case managers are identified: habilitation-rehabilitation, community support, and traditional psychiatric services. The effectiveness of each in improving clients' adjustment is then examined with multiple regression adjustment strategies and each of the 3 methods to account for case manager effects. The results provide strong support for effects attributable to case managers and some support for the efficacy of habilitation-rehabilitation and community support services beyond the effects of traditional psychiatric services. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on “The minimization of the back scattering of acylinder by central loading”

K.M. Chen and V. Liepa (IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., p.576-82, September 1964) described the broadside backscatter of a thin dipole. The model is summarized by various. These work very well at all frequencies specified by those authors, except for one-physical resonance. This is the wavelength at which the antenna's total length is half a wavelength. The present author develops an alternate set of equations which are valid at resonance     

为手持产品选择电源管理方案

便携式设备,如PDA、智能电话和数码相机等在使用电池供电时具有特殊的电源管理要求,效率指标固然重要,而来自尺寸和价格方面的压力也要通过不同的设计加以平衡,这些实际要求都不同于笔记本电脑等电池供电设备的设计.除了对尺寸和重量的限制外,手持产品还需解决散热问题.这些产品中不可能安装风扇,也不可能容忍较高的温度,如果这些问题得不到解决,对元件尺寸的苛刻要求很难使其达到适当的效率,同时,小型电池需要严格的电源管理,上述因素都是当电源集成在系统内部时所要考虑的.