Estimation of deformation gradient and strain from cine-PC velocity data

Phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide in vivo myocardial velocity field measurements. These data allow densely spaced material points to be tracked throughout the whole heart cycle using, for example, the Fourier tracking algorithm. To process the tracking results for myocardial deformation and strain quantification, we developed a method that is based on fitting the tracking results to an appropriate local deformation model. We further analyzed the accuracy and precision of the method and provided performance predictions for several local models. In order to validate the method and the theoretical performance analysis, we conducted controlled computer simulations and a phantom study. The results agreed well with expectations. Human heart data were also acquired and analyzed, and provided encouraging results. At the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) level and spatial resolution expected in clinical settings, the study predicts strain quantification accuracy and precision that may allow the technique to become a practical and powerful noninvasive approach for the study of cardiac function, although clinically acceptable data acquisition strategies for three-dimensional (3-D) data are still a challenge.     

Dopamine receptors influence vasoactive intestinal peptide release from turkey hypothalamic explants

Amongst the elements which contributed to the success of the early lung transplants at the beginning of the 1980's we feel that the careful selection of candidates probably played a predominant role. If some of the selection criteria initially described remain somewhat intangible, others have either been eased or have been invalidated. The experience acquired over the last 15 years has enabled to precise the optimal moment to include patients on the waiting list and to refine the choice for the type of surgical procedure according to the underlying disease. This article aims to review the different selection criteria for candidates for transplantation and stresses those which have recently undergone change.     

Imprudent linking weaves a tangled Web

Hypertext linking is often embraced uncritically by Web authors eager to explore the power of hypertext without first considering its effects on their readers' comprehension. Hypertext linking is not a substitute for thought-we think with ideas, not with dissociated snippets of raw information. Even the most germane bits of information cannot become ideas, regardless of how cleverly they are stacked, listed or linked. Ideas define relevance, provide context and establish patterns. With patterns, most concepts become intelligible, and we need continuity and stability of theme and context to recognize patterns. So, like most powerful technologies, hypertext links are a mixed blessing. Used improperly, they can be detrimental to Web sites. “Loose links” can drive away an audience, dilute the site's message, confuse the reader with irrelevant digressions and become a continuing maintenance headache for site authors and Webmasters     

Large-scale simulation studies in image pattern recognition

Many obstacles to progress in image pattern recognition result from the fact that per-class distributions are often too irregular to be well-approximated by simple analytical functions. Simulation studies offer one way to circumvent these obstacles. We present three closely related studies of machine-printed character recognition that rely on synthetic data generated pseudo-randomly in accordance with an explicit stochastic model of document image degradations. The unusually large scale of experiments - involving several million samples that makes this methodology possible have allowed us to compute sharp estimates of the intrinsic difficulty (Bayes risk) of concrete image recognition problems, as well as the asymptotic accuracy and domain of competency of classifiers     

Magnet Safety Assessment for ITER

The ITER magnet system consists of structurally linked sets of toroidal (TF) and poloidal (PF) field coils, central solenoid (CS), and various support structures. The coils are superconducting, force flow Helium cooled with a Kapton-Glass-Epoxy multilayer insulation system. The stored magnetic energy is about 100GJ in the TF system and 20GJ in the PF-CS. Coils and structure are maintained at 4 K by enclosing them in a vacuum cryostat. The cryostat, comprising an outer envelope to the magnets, forms most of the second radioactivity confinement barrier. The inner primary barrier is formed by the vacuum vessel, its ports and their extensions. To keep the machine size within acceptable bounds, it is essential that the magnets are in close proximity to both of the nuclear confinement barriers. The objective of the magnet design is that, although local damage to one of the barriers may occur in very exceptional circumstances, large scale magnet structural or thermal failure leading to simultaneous breaching of both barriers is not credible. Magnet accidents fall into three categories: thermal (which includes arcing arising from insulation failure and local overheating due to discharge failure in the event of a superconductor quench), structural (which includes component mechanical failure arising from material inadequacies, design errors and exceptional force patterns arising from coil shorts or control failures), and fluid (Helium release due to cooling line failure). After a preliminary survey to select initial faults conceivable within the present design, these faults are systematically analyzed to provide an assessment of the damage potential. The results of this damage assessment together with an assessment of the reliability of the monitoring and protective systems, shows that the magnets can operate with the required safety condition.     

广钢转炉分厂2号方坯连铸机拉速问题的探讨

通过分析钢水在结晶器内凝固的不均匀性及对钢水结晶的热量平衡计算，讨论连铸中间包钢水温度、结晶器冷却水流量及进出水温差对拉坯速度的影响。     

Design and performance evaluation of a banyan network basedinterconnection structure for ATM switches

This paper presents a new self-routing packet network called the plane interconnected parallel network (PIPN). In the proposed design, the traffic arriving at the network is shaped and routed through two banyan network based interconnected planes. The interconnections between the planes distribute the incoming load more homogeneously over the network. The throughput of the network under uniform and heterogeneous traffic requirements is studied analytically and by simulation. The results are compared with the results of the baseline network and another banyan network based parallel interconnection network. It is shown that, for the proposed design, a higher degree of heterogeneity results in better performance