Spiral-CT-based assessment of tracheal stenoses using 3-D-skeletonization

PURPOSE: Demonstration of a technique for three-dimensional (3-D) assessment of tracheal-stenoses, regarding site, length and degree, based on spiral computed tomography (S-CT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: S-CT scanning and automated segmentation of the laryngo-tracheal tract (LTT) was followed by the extraction of the LTT medial axis using a skeletonization algorithm. Orthogonal to the medial axis the LTT 3-D cross-sectional profile was computed and presented as line charts, where degree and length was obtained. Values for both parameters were compared between 36 patients and 18 normal controls separately. Accuracy and precision was derived from 17 phantom studies. RESULTS: Average degree and length of tracheal stenoses was found to be 60.5% and 4.32 cm in patients compared with minor caliber changes of 8.8% and 2.31 cm in normal controls (p < 0.0001). For the phantoms an excellent correlation between the true and computed 3-D cross-sectional profile was found (p < 0.005) and an accuracy for length and degree measurements of 2.14 mm and 2.53% respectively could be determined. The corresponding figures for the precision were found to be 0.92 mm and 2.56%. CONCLUSION: LTT 3-D cross-sectional profiles permit objective, accurate and precise assessment of LTT caliber changes. Minor LTT caliber changes can be observed even in normals and, in case of an otherwise normal S-CT study, can be regarded as artifacts.     

Synthesis of 2-amino-6-(2-formyl-5-hydroxymethyl-1-pyrrolyl-)hexanoic acid

Summary The title compound has been synthesized by a novel route fromN -trifluoroacetyl lysine methyl ester and 2,9-dimethyldeca-2,8-diene-4,7-dione. Transformation of the pyrrole substituents and easy cleavage of protecting groups yields the compound in samples of high purity.

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Synthese der 2-Amino-6-(2-formyl-5-hydroxymethyl-l-pyrrolyl)-hexansäure

Zusammenfassung Die Titelverbindung wird auf einem neuen Weg ausN -Trifluoracetyllysinmethylester und 2,9-Dimethyldeca-2,8-dien-4,7-dion synthetisiert. Nach Umwandlung der Pyrrolsubstituenten und Abspaltung der Schutzgruppen unter milden Bedingungen erhält man die Titelverbindung in hoher Reinheit.

     

Parallel Adder Design with Reduced Circuit Complexity Using Resonant Tunneling Transistors and Threshold Logic

Quantum-effect devices utilizing resonant tunneling are promising candidates for future nano-scale integration. Originating from the technological progress of semiconductor technology, circuit architectures with reduced complexity are investigated by exploiting the negative-differential resistance of resonant tunneling devices. In this paper a resonant tunneling device threshold logic family based on the Monostable-Bistable Transition Logic Element (MOBILE) is proposed and applied to different parallel adder designs, such as ripple carry and binary carry lookahead adders. The basic device is a resonant tunneling transistor (RTT) composed of a resonant tunneling diode monolithically integrated on the drain contact layer of a heterostructure field effect transistor. On the circuit level the key components are a programmable NAND/NOR logic gate, threshold logic gates, and parallel counters. The special properties of MOBILE logic gates are considered by a bit-level pipelined circuit style. Experimental results are presented for the NAND/NOR logic gate.     

采用遗传算法由电流环的近场测试识别辐射源

针对电大尺寸的电流环,通过遗传算法找到最佳等效基本辐射器.采用EMSCAN电磁干扰扫描系统进行电流环的近磁场测试,从而作出远场预测,并与仿真结果和半电波暗室的测试数据相比较.     

Correlation of calibration equations for test fixtures

This paper begins from the thru-short-open (TSO) and thru-line-match (TLM) methods to investigate the correlation of the calibration equations of these two methods. The relations among the measurements with the corresponding standards are obtained. It is found that the line standard with zero length can be used instead of ideal open and short, in the case that two test fixtures are symmetrical. For asymmetrical fixtures, the measurements with the standards line, open and short are related at certain frequencies, and the matched load can be replaced by the line standards. The relations established are used to test short and match standards and analyze the frequency limits of the TSO method. Good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained. It is found that the TSO method becomes very poor when the insertion phase of the thru standard is near nπ/4, and this method has a lower frequency limit. The TLM method is found unsuitable for calibrating asymmetrical fixtures     

Mapping the Density of States Distribution of Organic Semiconductors by Employing Energy Resolved–Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Although the density of states (DOS) distribution of charge transporting states in an organic semiconductor is vital for device operation, its experimental assessment is not at all straightforward. In this work, the technique of energy resolved–electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (ER-EIS) is employed to determine the DOS distributions of valence (highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)) as well as electron (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO)) states in several organic semiconductors in the form of neat and blended films. In all cases, the core of the inferred DOS distributions are Gaussians that sometimes carry low energy tails. A comparison of the HOMO and LUMO DOS of P3HT inferred from ER-EIS and photoemission (PE) or inverse PE (IPE) spectroscopy indicates that the PE/IPE spectra are by a factor of 2–3 broader than the ER-EIS spectra, implying that they overestimate the width of the distributions. A comparison of neat films of MeLPPP and SF-PDI₂ or PC(61)BM with corresponding blends reveals an increased width of the DOS in the blends. The results demonstrate that this technique does not only allow mapping the DOS distributions over five orders of magnitude and over a wide energy window of 7 eV, but can also delineate changes that occur upon blending.     

Molecular Origin of the Charge Carrier Mobility in Small Molecule Organic Semiconductors

Small‐molecule organic semiconductors are used in a wide spectrum of applications, ranging from organic light emitting diodes to organic photovoltaics. However, the low carrier mobility severely limits their potential, e.g., for large area devices. A number of factors determine mobility, such as molecular packing, electronic structure, dipole moment, and polarizability. Presently, quantitative ab initio models to assess the influence of these molecule‐dependent properties are lacking. Here, a multiscale model is presented, which provides an accurate prediction of experimental data over ten orders of magnitude in mobility, and allows for the decomposition of the carrier mobility into molecule‐specific quantities. Molecule‐specific quantitative measures are provided how two single molecule properties, the dependence of the orbital energy on conformation, and the dipole‐induced polarization determine mobility for hole‐transport materials. The availability of first‐principles based models to compute key performance characteristics of organic semiconductors may enable in silico screening of numerous chemical compounds for the development of highly efficient optoelectronic devices.     

Estimating the uncertainty of a Lagrangian photochemical air quality simulation model caused by inexact meteorological input data

A deterministic Lagrangian photochemical air quality simulation model was developed at the Institute of Meteorology and Physics in Vienna. As the analysis of model uncertainty is an important part of the validation strategy, a local sensitivity and a global uncertainty analysis for model output was done. The effects of meteorological input and physical parameterisations on the model output were studied, whereas uncertainties arising from emissions and chemistry will be studied in a later stage of the model validation. As a result of the analysis, distribution density functions and vertical distributions of uncertainty in the model boxes for the chemical species ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and peroxiacetylnitrate (PAN) were obtained. It turned out that ozone is one of the least sensitive and uncertain species in the model. Only as far as nighttime simulations in the lowest two model boxes are concerned were the uncertainty of simulated ozone concentrations considerable. A clear weather pattern dependence of uncertainty has been detected. Highest model output variations for ozone, nitrogen dioxides and hydrogen peroxide are observed during weather situations with strong westerly winds.