Synergistic interaction of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors in the modulation of the reinforcing effect of brain stimulation.

Rats were trained to press a bar for hypothalamic stimulation, and a frequency-response function was plotted. Quinpirole (a selective D2 agonist) facilitated self-stimulation when injected alone but failed to show the facilitatory effect when injected either 1 hr before or 1 hr after injection of SCH 23390 (a D1 antagonist). Injection of reserpine followed by α-methyl-p-tyrosine virtually eliminated self-stimulation. Subsequent injection of either SKF 38393 (a D1 agonist) alone or quinpirole alone did not restore self-stimulation, but a combination of quinpirole and SKF 38393 did. Results suggest that a D2 dopamine agonist facilitates the reinforcing effect of brain stimulation only if D1 receptors are activated by endogenous dopamine or by an exogenous agonist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Undershoot and settling time tradeoffs for nonminimum phase systems

It has been known for some time that real nonminimum phase zeros imply undershoot in the step response of linear systems. Bounds on such undershoot depend on the settling time demanded and the zero locations. In this note, we review such constraints for linear time invariant systems and provide new stronger bounds that consider simultaneously the effect of two real nonminimum phase zeros. Using the concept of zero dynamics, we extend these results to a class of nonlinear systems.     

In utero exchange transfusion in homozygous alpha-thalassaemia: a case report

We report a case of homozygous alpha-thalassaemia with hydrops fetalis presenting at 22 weeks of gestation. In utero exchange transfusion was performed with maternal blood at 23 weeks. 25 weeks and 29 weeks of gestation. The fetus was delivered at 29 weeks of gestation without significant neonatal complication. Post-transfusion haemoglobin pattern after transfusion suggested that a total haematocrit of 0.52 may be the desired post-exchange transfusion haematocrit to aim for and the total haematocrit of haemoglobin A and haemoglobin Portland dropped approximately one percent per day.     

Long-term evaluation of the ventricular defibrillation energy requirement

INTRODUCTION: Defibrillation energy requirements in patients with nonthoracotomy defibrillators may increase within several months after implantation. However, the stability of the defibrillation energy requirement beyond 1 year has not been reported. The purpose of this study was to characterize the defibrillation energy requirement during 2 years of clinical follow-up. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-one consecutive patients with a biphasic nonthoracotomy defibrillation system underwent defibrillation energy requirement testing using a step-down technique (20, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 J) during defibrillator implantation, and then 24 hours, 2 months, 1 year, and 2 years after implantation. The mean defibrillation energy requirement during these evaluations was 10.9+/-5.5 J, 12.3+/-7.3 J, 11.7+/-5.6 J, 10.2+/-4.0 J, and 11.7+/-7.4 J, respectively (P = 0.4). The defibrillation energy requirement was noted to have increased by 10 J or more after 2 years of follow-up in five patients. In one of these patients, the defibrillation energy requirement was no longer associated with an adequate safety margin, necessitating revision of the defibrillation system. There were no identifiable clinical characteristics that distinguished patients who did and did not develop a 10-J or more increase in the defibrillation energy requirement. CONCLUSION: The mean defibrillation energy requirement does not change significantly after 2 years of biphasic nonthoracotomy defibrillator system implantation. However, approximately 15% of patients develop a 10-J or greater elevation in the defibrillation energy requirement, and 3% may require a defibrillation system revision. Therefore, a yearly evaluation of the defibrillation energy requirement may be appropriate.     

The production of interleukin-1 alpha immunoreactivity by human oviductal cells in a coculture system

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of interleukin-1 alpha in human embryo culture medium with or without oviductal cell coculture and to correlate the interleukin-1 alpha levels with pregnancy. METHODS: Culture media from 32 in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer cycles were assayed for interleukin-1 alpha by immunoassay technique. Human embryos were cultured in Earles' balanced salt solution supplemented with 15% preovulatory serum (sEBSS) in 16 of these cycles, while embryos in the rest of the cycles were cocultured with human oviductal cells in sEBSS. RESULTS: Both sEBSS and spent sEBSS after embryo culture contained low or undetectable levels of interleukin-1 alpha in the pregnant and nonpregnant cycles. On the other hand, oviductal cells significantly increased the amount of interleukin-1 alpha immunoreactivity in the conventional culture medium or coculture medium (P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney rank sum test). The concentrations of interleukin-1 alpha in the spent sEBSS after oviductal cell culture and after coculture with human embryos were 1.5 +/- 1.0 and 1.3 +/- 0.9 pg/ml, respectively. There was no difference in the interleukin-1 alpha concentration between the pregnant and the nonpregnant coculture cycles. CONCLUSIONS: These data showed that human oviductal cells produced interleukin-1 alpha immunoreactivity in a coculture system. However, this production could not be used as a marker for successful embryo implantation.     

虚拟数据中心的数据映射与数据路由策略研究

数据中心基础数据积累通常使用三种手段:1)ETL技术;2)数据联邦技术;3)中间件技术.但三种技术侧重各有不同,不能同时满足数据集成的持久性与可用性.结合技术优势提出数据虚拟整合,为解决数据虚拟异构数据模型间的数据转换问题,通过对数据虚拟的分析,提出了一种基于元数据驱动的数据虚拟系统体系结构.构建了用于描述和存储映射策略的支撑元模型,并建立了相应数据路由策略.提出了对等主键思想,降低了处理阻抗.     

基于EPICENTRE的海洋钻探数据库构建方法研究

随着海洋在经济发展中的地位日益突出,海洋地质调查越来越重要,如何合理地管理使用海洋地质调查数据成为研究热点.文中以海洋钻探为例,采用面向对象的技术方法,提出了基于EPICENTRE数据模型的海洋钻探数据库构建方法,实现了海洋钻探业务与EPICENTRE数据模型的关联.该方法得到的海洋钻探数据库是面向业务的,与传统的关系数据库相比具有良好的可扩展性,稳定性以及关联性等优点.文中重点对业务模型与逻辑模型的关联技术进行了介绍.     

基于形态学和小波变换的心电信号去噪算法

在处理心电信号采集过程中混入的基线漂移、工频干扰及肌电干扰等噪声的过程中,小波变换取得了广泛的应用。针对小波算法的缺陷及不足,提出了一种基于数学形态学和小波阈值的混合算法。该算法利用非线性形态学滤波器滤除基线漂移,将获得的含高频噪声心电信号通过小波阈值算法进行处理,最后获得无噪声的ECG（心电）信号。采用MIT/BIH Arrhythmia Database中的数据对算法进行了验证,实现了三种主要干扰的滤除,本算法效果良好,为后续特征点的识别奠定了基础。     

基于算术傅里叶变换的离散Hartley变换的快速算法

离散Hartley变换是一种有用的实值正交变换。文中对其快速算法进行研究,首先介绍利用算术傅里叶变换（AFT）计算离散傅里叶变换（DFT）可使其乘法计算量仅为O（N）,然后文章根据这一特点,分析离散Hartley变换（DHT）的结构特征,通过DFT将AFT和DHT建立了直接联系,提出了一种新的快速DHT算法。算法的计算复杂度能够达到线性O（N）,且算法结构简单,公式统一且易于实现,并与其他快速算法进行了比较,分析可知在数据长度不是2的幂次方时,文中提出的算法的计算时间明显比其他算法的计算时间要小。实验结果也验证了文中算法的有效性,从而为DHT的快速计算开辟了新的思路和途径。     

The implementation of technical practices and human factors of the toyota production system in different industries

The Toyota Production System (TPS) can result in huge benefits for companies and has been widely implemented around the world. Nevertheless, most adopters emphasize only the technical practices of the TPS, but neglect the critical role of human factors in the implementation of the TPS. Therefore, this study aims at developing an integrated TPS model that fully integrates the technical elements and human elements of the TPS with Total Quality Management (TQM) practices. An empirical study was conducted to confirm the causal relationships among these constructs. In the empirical study, questionnaires were mailed and e‐mailed to 620 companies that had implemented the TPS, and 151 of the completed questionnaires were valid. These 151 respondents were divided into eight categories. The results revealed that the implementation level of each construct was significantly different in each industry. The automobile and motorcycle industries have put a great deal of effort into the application of Humanity, Human Resource Management (HRM), and TQM practices and obtained good results. Other industries, however, ignored the implementation of HRM practices. The results also revealed that the early adopters enjoyed significant benefits from the implementation of the TPS, which led high‐tech companies to start adopting TPS practices and become lean enterprises. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.