Intracranial functional MR angiography in humans

Functional MR angiography (fMRA) images have been generated from the brain of healthy volunteers, in response to a hand motor task. Two sets of 3D phase-contrast MR images were, therefore, acquired, one during a resting and one during a task activation period. The MR images measured during rest were subtracted from those measured during task performance. The fMRA images were eventually obtained by calculating maximum intensity projections from the set of subtraction images. The results confirm earlier observations that there is a significant functional response from pial veins to motor activity.     

One-step electrosynthesis of tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropyran derivatives

The one-step electrosynthesis of tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropyran derivatives was achieved by electrogenerating in N,N-dimethylformamide and at a mercury pool cathode, radical-anions of benzophenone or fluorenone in the presence of an equivalent of 1,3-dibromopropane 1 or 1,4-dibromobutane 2. In all electrolyses, a competition between ring alkylations and O- and C-alkylations of the keto group is observed. In the case of fluorenone, the spiroethers were isolated as the main compounds. Their yields after purification were respectively 41 and 50% in the presence of 1 and 2. For benzophenone, the yields of the cyclic ethers were low, due mainly to the competitive formation of bridged compounds; the yields of tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropyran derivatives were respectively 10 and 23%.     

Applications of kriging to image sequence coding

Kriging is a linear interpolation method used by geostatisticians. In this paper we show that it can be successfully applied to image sequence coding. First we apply it to texture coding and we improve these preliminary results with an optimization method that we have named ‘inverse kriging’. Then we apply kriging and inverse kriging to motion vector fields, which are by essence smooth within an object. We show an application of these tools in the framework of the active mesh coding scheme developed within the RACE/Morpheco project.     

DNA sequence analysis of a 17 kb fragment of yeast chromosome XI physically localizes the MRB1 gene and reveals eight new open reading frames,including a homologue of the KIN1/KIN2 and SNF1 protein kinases

We report in this paper the sequence of a part of chromosome XI of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This 17 kbp nucleotide sequence represents the right half of cosmid pUKG151 and contains nine open reading frames, YKL453, 450, 449, 448, 445, 443, 442, 441 and the 5′ part of YKL440. YKL440 was previously identified as the MBR1 gene and plays a role in mitochondrial biogenesis. YKL443 is a homologue of the yeast serine-rich protein (SRP1), while YKL453 presents strong homologies with the KIN1/KIN2/SNF1 kinase family. It must be pointed out that the size of this gene is well above average for yeast.     

Contact Sex Signals in Two Sympatric Spider Species, Tegenaria domestica and Tegenaria pagana

Bioassays in two sympatric spider species, Tegenaria domestica and T. pagana, demonstrate that the total female chemical extract, and in particular the polar fraction, are involved in the sexual behavior of males and reproductive isolation mechanisms. In T. domestica female attractiveness was correlated with changes in 18 chemical compounds. In T. pagana little difference was observed between 12 compounds in extracts of attractive and unattractive females. 12- + 10-Methyloctacosane was not detected in attractive females of either species. Reproductive isolation was linked not only to quantitative changes in 18 chemical compounds detected in both species, but also to nine compounds present in one or the other species.     

Enhancing the CSMA/CA of IEEE 802.15.4 for better coexistence with IEEE 802.11

Wireless Networks - Wireless technologies are very often used simultaneously for different applications in the same deployment area. This is more and more the case with the massive use of the...     

Combined puncture and cutting of elastomer membranes: A fracture energy approach

Resistance to puncture or cutting by pointed blades is an important property of elastomer membranes and glove materials, making it necessary to define a fundamental criterion for measuring this resistance. However, the intrinsic properties controlling puncture/cutting crack propagation are still unidentified. This study has established a simple criterion describing the relationship between true fracture energy and the puncture/cutting process. Several samples of neoprene and nitrile rubber materials 1.6 mm and 3.2‐mm thick were tested using three pointed blades having tip angles of 22.5°, 35°, and 56°. It was found that both friction energy and true fracture energy contributed to global applied energy. True fracture energy, which is useful for in‐depth study of the puncture/cutting process, was independent of material thickness, blade geometry, and blade lubrication. Furthermore, friction energy was approximately twice as great as true fracture energy. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44945.     

Design for Six Sigma through collaborative multiobjective optimization

This paper presents a global methodology for designing product for Six Sigma. First, we combine a feasibility-modeling technique with an interactive multiobjective algorithm taking into account the decision maker’s preferences (IMOP) to generate several Pareto-optimal solutions that maintain a probability of constraint satisfaction. These solutions are called reliable Pareto-optimal solutions.The solutions found by the algorithm fulfill as much as possible the decision makers’ requirements. Second, we develop a procedure for choosing a solution for implementation from among the reliable Pareto-optimal solutions generated by the algorithm. This procedure is based on the robust design and philosophy of Six Sigma. Finally, the critical characteristics are identified to help the managers develop the manufacturing system and its related control plans in order to achieve quality products. The proposed methodology is applied to vehicle crash-worthiness design optimization for side impact with structural weight and front door velocity under side impact as objectives.     

A magnetic nano-composite soft polymeric membrane

There is an increased need for low cost actuation technologies at the micro and nanoscale. Magnetically responsive polymer-based materials are good candidates for numerous applications in microsystems for actuation and sensing purposes. In this work, we report on nano-polymer composite magnetic silicone-based membranes, which provide the low elastic modulus needed for magnetic actuation to be effective at small scales. Passivated crystalline cobalt (~37 nm) and water based iron/cobalt (~100 nm) nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized using a chemical route at 50 °C and at room temperature, respectively. The NPs were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction, Atomic Force Microscopy and Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM). The NPs are then uniformly dispersed in a polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) polymer matrix in order to fabricate smooth and flexible magnetic composite membranes. The magnetic properties of the membranes for different amounts of cobalt and iron NPs (16 and 25 wt%) were characterized by VSM and deflection measurements. Co/Fe PDMS composite membranes of about 50 mm diameter and ~250 μm thickness were used under the application of ~400 Oe magnetic fields. The cobalt-PDMS membrane shows the largest deflection (~900 vs. ~80 μm for an iron-PDMS membrane). The deflections observed on these membranes are found to have a linear dependence on the applied magnetic field.