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.     

A rate adaptive bit-loading algorithm for in-building power-line communications based on DMT-modulated systems

This paper deals with a variable rate discrete multitone modulation system for broadband power-line communications, based on the bit-loading algorithm proposed by Leke and Cioffi. In the proposed system a suitable least mean square channel estimator is considered, which is based on the insertion of a training sequence (TS). The proposed approach will be compared with the ideal channel estimates, showing its effectiveness. Moreover, different TS lengths will be compared. The system performance, expressed in terms of bit rate and bit-error rate, is derived by simulation with and without estimation errors. The propagation environment has been assumed as a frequency-selective multipath fading channel with additive colored Gaussian noise, according to the in-building networks model.     

Microbial conversion of selected azo dyes and their breakdown products.

Four selected azo dyes (acid orange 6, acid orange 7, methyl orange and methyl red) were completely decolourised in the presence of anaerobic granular sludge, while only methyl red was degraded in aerobic conditions using a conventional activated sludge. Additional experiments with culture broth devoid of cells showed that anaerobic decolourisation of azo dyes was performed by extracellular reducing agents produced by anaerobic bacteria. This was further confirmed by abiotic experiments with sulphide and NADH. The presence of redox mediators such as riboflavin led to dramatic acceleration of the anaerobic biodecolourisation process. The azo dye reduction products were found to be sulphanilic acid and 4-aminoresorcinol for acid orange 6; sulphanilic acid and 1-amino-2-naphthol for acid orange 7; N,N-dimethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine and sulphanilic acid for methyl orange; and N,N-dimethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine and anthranilic acid for methyl red. Anaerobic toxicity assays showed that the azo dyes were more toxic than their breakdown products (aromatic amines), except 1-amino-2-naphthol. In the presence of activated sludge, only anthranilic acid was completely mineralised while sulphanilic acid was persistent. 4-aminoresorcinol, 1-amino-2-naphthol and N,N-dimethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine underwent autooxidation in aerobic conditions yielding coloured polymeric products. On the contrary, in the presence of granular methanogenic sludge, 4-aminoresorcinol, 1-amino-2-naphthol and anthranilic acid were quantitatively methanised, sulphanilic acid was partially (70%) mineralised while N,N-dimethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine was only demethylated producing 1,4-phenylenediamine as an end product.     

Neutron and capture γ-ray accumulation factors in engineering calculations of reactor shielding

Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 66, No. 5, pp. 321–324, May, 1989.     

Angle and energy characteristics of neutrons produced by a high-energy ion beam

Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 66, No. 3, pp. 213–215, March, 1989.     

Analog regulators of the energy-liberation distribution in nuclear reactors

Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 66, No. 2, pp. 81–85, February, 1989.     

Methods of Step-by-Step Modeling of Random Events

Calculation relations were obtained and step-by-step procedures were developed in order to model failures of given multiplicities in system elements and random sojourns of the semi-Markovian process in various states, as well as to construct variational series. These procedures can be used to design simulation systems of various destinations.     

Group parity prediction scheme for concurrent testing of linear feedback shift registers

A group parity prediction scheme which can be used for concurrent testing of linear feedback shift register circuits is described.     

Features of the photoconductivity of iodine-doped cotton fibers illuminated in the fundamental absorption range

The photoelectric properties of cotton fibers treated with iodine were studied in the fundamental absorption range. The samples exhibit a sublinear illumination-current characteristic and a long-term relaxation of photoconductivity (PC) after UV irradiation (hν=5 eV) of the iodine-doped fibers. A PC mechanism is proposed which explains both the nonlinear variation of photocurrent with illumination intensity and the PC decay according to a bimolecular recombination law after UV irradiation of the iodine-doped fiber in the fundamental absorption range.