bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Symdas - Raw Data Simulator for the Radar with Electronically Controlled Beam
Authors: Mazurek Gustaw 
Published: December 2011

Symdas - Raw Data Simulator for the Radar with Electronically Controlled Beam
The subject of the paper is the software simulator of baseband signals received in a radar. These synthetic signals are sent to the DSP unit responsible for target detection and estimation. The software has been developed in Warsaw University of Technology as a part of R&D project, and its main purpose is to allow flexible testing and validation of the algorithms running in DSP processors of the new radar.
A Simplified Design Methodology for MOSFET-Only Wideband Mixer
Authors: Ortigueira Eduardo , Bastos Ivan , Oliveira Luís , Oliveira Joăo , Goes Joăo 
Published: December 2011

A Simplified Design Methodology for MOSFET-Only Wideband MixerIn this paper we present a MOSFET-only implementation of a wideband Gilbert Cell. The circuit uses a commongate topology for a wideband input match, capable to cover the Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (WMTS) frequency bands of 600 MHz and 1.4 GHz. In this circuit the load resistors are replaced by transistors in triode region, to reduce area and cost, and minimize the effects of process and supply variations and mismatches. In addition, we obtain a higher gain for the same DC voltage drop, with a reduced impact on the noise figure (NF). The performance of this topology is compared with that of a conventional mixer with load resistors. Simulation results show that a peak gain of 20.6 dB (about 6 dB improvement) and a NF about of 11 dB for the 600 MHz band. The total power consumption is 3.6 mW from a 1.2 V supply.
Soft Fault Clustering in Analog Electronic Circuits with the Use of Self Organizing Neural Network
Authors: Grzechca Damian 
Published: December 2011

Soft Fault Clustering in Analog Electronic Circuits with the Use of Self Organizing Neural NetworkThe paper presents a methodology for parametric fault clustering in analog electronic circuits with the use of a self-organizing artificial neural network. The method proposed here allows fast and efficient circuit diagnosis on the basis of time and/or frequency response which may lead to higher production yield. A self-organizing map (SOM) has been applied in order to cluster all circuit states into possible separate groups. So, it works as a feature selector and classifier. SOM can be fed by raw data (data comes from the time or frequency response) or some pre-processing is done at first. The author proposes conversion of a circuit response with the use of e.g. gradient and differentiation. The main goal of the SOM is to distribute all single faults on a two-dimensional map without state overlapping. The method is aimed for the development stage because the tolerances of elements are not taken into account, however single but parametric faults are considered. Efficiency analyses of fault clustering have been made on several examples e.g. a Sallen-Key BPF and an ECG amplifier. Testing procedure is performed in time and frequency domains for the Sallen-Key BPF with limited number of test points i.e. it is assumed that only input and output pins are available. A similar procedure has been applied to a real ECG amplifier in the frequency domain. Results prove a high efficiency in acceptable time which makes the method very convenient (easy and quick) as a first test in the development stage.
Parameters of Wheat Flour, Dough, and Bread Fortified by Buckwheat and Millet Flours
Authors: Gavurníková Soňa , Havrlentová Michaela , Mendel Ľubomír , Čičová Iveta , Bieliková Magdaléna , Kraic Ján 
Published: December 2011

Parameters of Wheat Flour, Dough, and Bread Fortified by Buckwheat and Millet FloursThe composite flours were created from basic wheat flour and from buckwheat and millet flours used as additives in the weight ratio of 5-30%. Basic technological parameters of flours (ash content, wet gluten, gluten swelling, sedimentation index, falling number), rheological properties of dough, and sensory parameters of baked bread loaves (weight, specific volume, aroma, taste, structure) were studied. Additives influenced all traits of flours, doughs, and baked breads. From the technological and sensory points of view, baked breads with the addition of buckwheat were accepted up to the addition of 20% and breads with millet up to 5% (even though taste and flavour were accepted up to 15% addition).
The Cost and The Economic Effectiveness Analysis of the Winter Rape Production Technologies (Brassica Napus L. SSP. Oleifera) on Heavy Soils
Authors: Kováč Ladislav , Jakubová Jana , Kotorová Dana 
Published: December 2011

The Cost and The Economic Effectiveness Analysis of the Winter Rape Production Technologies (Brassica Napus L. SSP. Oleifera) on Heavy Soils
Winter rape farming practices were carried out between 2007 and 2009 on heavy soils under the conditions of the East Slovak Lowland. The influence of two levels of nitrogen fertilizers and three soil tillage technologies on winter rape seed yields was monitored. The costs of growing and the growing technology cost effectiveness were evaluated. The influence of production year 2009 on winter rape seed yield was statistically significant. The effect of conventional tillage variant on rape seed yields was more significant compared with the variant with minimum tillage. The lowest yield of oilseed rape was obtained in a non-tillage variant. Higher dose of nitrogen fertilizers had higher statistically significant effect on winter rape yield compared with lower dose of nitrogen fertilizers.The total cost of one ton of winter rape seed varied within the monitored years, different soil tillage technologies and levels of fertilization. In average of monitored years, the lowest costs of winter rape seed production were at minimum tillage (258.37 € t-1 for variant N150; 259.81 € t-1 for variant N200). At direct sowing, the costs were 400.14 € (variant N150), and 372.41 € (variant N200), however, the yields were very low.Economic effectiveness evaluation showed that the winter rape produced by direct sowing was unprofitable, either with or without subsidy. The highest economic effectiveness was achieved at the minimum tillage variant. This variant was profitable even without subsidies, using both fertilization levels, but it was more profitable at the lower level of nitrogen fertilization. The profitability of conventional tillage variant was smaller.
Health Promotion Data for State Health Departments: Telephone versus in-Person Survey Estimates of Smoking and Alcohol Use
Authors: Anda Robert F. , Dodson Dennis L. , Williamson David F. , Remington Patrick L. 
Published: December 2011

During 1988, more than 40 state health departments conducted telephone surveys to obtain state-specific population estimates of the prevalence of adult health behaviors and health practices. However, the comparability of estimates obtained from these telephone surveys with more expensive in-person surveys has not been assessed in an applied setting. This study compared the prevalence estimates of smoking and binge drinking obtained from a telephone survey (N = 1,492) with an in-person survey (N = 2,802) which were conducted by the state of Michigan during 1982–1983. Although the standard errors for the differences in the estimates for the two surveys were relatively large, the actual differences were consistently small within most age-, sex-, and education-specific groups. Despite certain limitations, telephone surveys provide a reasonable alternative to in-person surveys for estimating the prevalence of health behaviors. The data obtained from these surveys are being used to set state health objectives, to plan statewide health promotion programs, and to support public health legislation.
The Total Life Concept Transplanted from AT&T to Sandia National Laboratories
Authors: Harris Susan L. , Ewing Judy W. 
Published: December 2011

This study illustrates how the Total Life Concept (TLC) program originated by AT&T was successfully transplanted to another work site, Sandia National Laboratories. Demographics of the participants at AT&T and Sandia differ and make comparisons difficult, but it is possible to assess program impact in terms of participation rates for each program. The original AT&T TLC pilot study had three major components: orientation, testing, and risk interpretation; lifestyle-improvement courses; and activities to promote health. Sandia kept the three major components of the AT&T TLC concept and made some modifications to meet Sandia's needs. Sandia's experience of adopting a model program and tailoring it to local needs worked well, demonstrating that an existing model can be successfully altered to meet the needs of different companies in varied settings.
A Health Promotion Program for Medical Students: Louisiana State University Medical Center
Authors: Wolf Thomas M. , Randall Howard M. , Faucett John M. 
Published: December 2011

A health promotion program for medical students at Louisiana State University Medical Center (LSUMC) in New Orleans encourages students to take responsibility for their own physical and psychological health and well-being, enabling them to better cope with the stressors of medical education and those of later clinical practice. Administrative support for developing the program was considerable, and a broad-based Health Promotion Committee, comprising faculty, administrators, and students, was established to oversee the program. The program's cost was minimal, inasmuch as most components were offered voluntarily by full-time faculty. The most consistent funding came from the LSUMC Student Health fee, although grants and pharmaceutical companies also provided support. A full day of orientation was devoted to the program. The students completed a thorough lifestyle and nutrition assessment and used the results to help decide which component to sign up for: aerobics, relaxation/meditation, support groups, time management, and nutrition. Participation was voluntary, and aerobics and relaxation/meditation were the best attended. Overall, the students responded favorably to the orientation day and found the components valuable and useful. Students reported improvements on eight of 11 wellness dimensions and a composite score from a lifestyle assessment questionnaire over the one-year longitudinal study. These gains may in part be attributable to the program. The nutrition findings suggest entering medical students do not have better dietary practices than comparable young adults living in the United States. Students most often requested information on these topics: relaxation/stress reduction, exercise programs, time-management skills, nutrition, and learning skills. Offering individualized and diverse programs to students is important. A major challenge has been to motivate students to participate, and means are recommended for improving participation. Program evaluation is essential; therefore, problems in this area are discussed. Also, including physical and biochemical measures is desirable. We believe incorporating the principles of health promotion and disease prevention throughout the medical education curriculum is essential. Medical students taking responsibility for their own health are more likely to promote this self-responsibility with their patients in clinical practice.
The Accuracy of Substitution Rules for Health Risk Appraisals
Authors: Berlin Jesse A. , Thorington Bruce D. , McKinlay John B. , McKinlay Sonja M. 
Published: December 2011

Health Risk Appraisals (HRAs) have been in increasingly wide use over the past 20 years as health education tools designed to encourage healthy behaviors. A major criticism of HRAs has been the error introduced by missing or incorrectly-specified responses by clients, especially regarding physiological measures such as blood pressure and cholesterol. Four HRAs were randomly assigned to members of a random sample of Massachusetts residents as part of a trial to assess the reliability and validity of HRA instruments. Two rules for substituting unknown physiological measures were evaluated: the existing rule for an HRA and a new rule, which simply substitutes the age- and gender-specific mean physiological values. Ordinary least squares regression was used to compare risk scores generated from known physiological measures, taken in respondents' homes, with risk scores generated by substitution. Regression slopes were mostly close to 1.0, most intercepts were relatively close to 0.0, and correlations were all extremely high, suggesting good performance of substitution rules on a group level. However, outliers from the regressions tended to be individuals at high risk whose risk was underestimated by the substitution rules. These results raise ethical questions about the use of substitution rules and reinforce the need for taking actual physiological measurements.
Determination of metformin in rat plasma by HILIC‐MS/MS combined with Tecan automation and direct injection
Authors: Zhang Wei , Han Futian , Zhao Harry , Lin Zhongping (John) , Huang Qingtao (Mike) , Weng Naidong 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACTMetformin is a well‐known oral antihyperglycemic drug used in treatment of type II diabetes. Analysis of metformin in biological fluids is a challenge owing to its high polarity and small molecular size, which lead to poor retention of metformin on reversed‐phase liquid chromatographic columns. A high‐throughput method was developed and validated for the determination of metformin in rat plasma in support of preclinical toxicology studies, using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC‐MS/MS) and Tecan automated sample preparation. Extracted samples were directly injected onto the unbounded silica column with an aqueous–organic mobile phase. This HILIC‐MS/MS method was validated for accuracy, precision, sensitivity, stability, matrix effect, recovery and calibration range. Acceptable intra‐run and inter‐run assay precision (coefficient of variation ≤ 3.9%) and accuracy (99.0–101.8%) were achieved over a linear range of 50–50,000 ng/mL. Metformin is stable in rat plasma for at least 6 h at room temperature, 147 days at −70°C and through three freeze (−70°C) and thaw cycles. Metformin is also stable in rat whole blood for at least 2 h at room temperature and in an ice–water bath. The validated method was successfully used in support of several preclinical studies where metformin is dosed together with an investigational drug substance. The ruggedness of the validated method was demonstrated by the incurred sample reproducibility test. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Substituent Effects in Double‐Helical Hydrogen‐Bonded AAA‐DDD Complexes
Authors: Wang Hong‐Bo , Mudraboyina Bhanu P. , Wisner James A. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractTwo series of DDD and AAA hydrogen‐bond arrays were synthesized that form triply‐hydrogen‐bonded double‐helical complexes when combined in CDCl3 solution. Derivatization of the DDD arrays with electron‐withdrawing groups increases the complex association constants by up to a factor of 30 in those arrays examined. Derivatization of the AAA arrays with electron donating substituents reveals a similar magnitude effect on the complex stabilities. The effect of substitution on both types of arrays are modeled quite satisfactorily (R2 > 0.96 in all cases) as free energy relationships with respect to the sums of their Hammett substituent constants. In all, the complex stabilities can be manipulated over more than three orders of magnitude (>20 kJ mol−1) using this type of modification.
The adhesive disc in the mobilid ciliate Trichodina pediculus: Evidence for centrin‐related, calcium‐sensitive filaments
Authors: Viguès Bernard , Damaj Raghida 
Published: December 2011

AbstractThe adhesive disc is a highly complex apparatus that allows mobilid ciliates to attach to the tissues of a variety of aquatic invertebrates and vertebrates. The disc comprises concentric rings of rigid skeletal pieces interconnected by filamentous material. This study explored the biochemical properties of the filamentous disc material in the trichodinid Trichodina pediculus. Calcium sensitivity of this material was suggested in vitro by the appearance of transverse cross‐striation along bundles of filaments following calcium shock, and complete solubilization of the filamentous material in the presence of EGTA. A 23‐kDa immunoanalog of centrins was immunoprecipitated from the EGTA extract. The protein binds calcium as indicated by 45Ca2+ blot overlay and Ca2+‐induced shifts in electrophoretic mobility. Using Ca2+/EGTA buffers, we demonstrated a direct relationship between extraction of the filaments and solubilization of the protein. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy confirmed that the protein localized to the filamentous disc material and revealed cross‐reactivity with the spasmoneme, which is the prototype of ion‐sensitive, centrin‐like contractile systems in ciliates. The possibility that the filamentous disc material may be a novel example of Ca2+‐sensitive, centrin‐based systems found in ciliates is discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Chemical species separation with simultaneous estimation of field map and T using a k‐space formulation
Authors: Honorato Jose Luis , Parot Vicente , Tejos Cristian , Uribe Sergio , Irarrazaval Pablo 
Published: December 2011

AbstractChemical species separation techniques in image space are prone to incorporate several distortions. Some of these are signal accentuation in borders and geometrical warping from field inhomogeneity. These errors come from neglecting intraecho time variations. In this work, we present a new approach for chemical species separation in MRI with simultaneous estimation of field map and T decay, formulated entirely in k‐space. In this approach, the time map is used to model the phase accrual from off‐resonance precession and also the amplitude decay due to T. Our technique fits the signal model directly in k‐space with the acquired data minimizing the l2‐norm with an interior‐point algorithm. Standard two dimensional gradient echo sequences in the thighs and head were used for demonstrating the technique. With this approach, we were able to obtain excellent estimation for the species, the field inhomogeneity, and T decay images. The results do not suffer from geometric distortions derived from the chemical shift or the field inhomogeneity. Importantly, as the T map is well positioned, the species signal in borders is correctly estimated. Considering intraecho time variations in a complete signal model in k‐space for separating species yields superior estimation of the variables of interest when compared to existing methods. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Model for the correction of motion‐induced phase errors in multishot diffusion‐weighted‐MRI of the head: Are cardiac‐motion‐induced phase errors reproducible from beat‐to‐beat?
Authors: O'Halloran R. L. , Holdsworth S. , Aksoy M. , Bammer R. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractIn diffusion‐weighted imaging, multishot acquisitions are problematic due to intershot inconsistencies of the phase caused by motion during the diffusion‐encoding gradients. A model for the motion‐induced phase errors in diffusion‐weighted‐MRI of the brain is presented, in which rigid‐body and nonrigid‐body motion are separated. In the model, it is assumed that nonrigid‐body motion is due to cardiac pulsation, and that the motion patterns are repeatable from beat‐to‐beat. To test the validity of this assumption, the repeatability of nonrigid‐body motion‐induced phase errors is quantified in three healthy volunteers. Nonrigid‐body motion‐induced phase was found to significantly correlate (P < 0.05) with pulse‐oximeter waveforms in ∼83% of the pixels tested across all slices and subjects. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Respiratory self‐navigation for whole‐heart bright‐blood coronary MRI: Methods for robust isolation and automatic segmentation of the blood pool
Authors: Piccini Davide , Littmann Arne , Nielles‐Vallespin Sonia , Zenge Michael O. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractFree‐breathing three‐dimensional whole‐heart coronary MRI is a noninvasive alternative to X‐ray coronary angiography. However, the existing navigator‐gated approaches do not meet the requirements of clinical practice, as they perform with suboptimal accuracy and require prolonged acquisition times. Self‐navigated techniques, applied to bright‐blood imaging sequences, promise to detect the position of the blood pool directly in the readouts acquired for imaging. Hence, the respiratory displacement of the heart can be calculated and used for motion correction with high accuracy and 100% scan efficiency. However, additional bright signal from the chest wall, spine, arms, and liver can render the isolation of the blood pool impossible. In this work, an innovative method based on a targeted combination of the output signals of an anterior phased‐array surface coil is implemented to efficiently suppress such additional bright signal. Furthermore, an algorithm for the automatic segmentation of the blood pool is proposed. Robust self‐navigation is achieved by cross‐correlation. These improvements were integrated into a three‐dimensional radial whole‐heart coronary MRI sequence and were compared with navigator‐gated imaging in vivo. Self‐navigation was successful in all cases and the acquisition time was reduced up to 63%. Equivalent or slightly superior image quality, vessel length, and sharpness were achieved. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Minimax current density gradient coils: Analysis of coil performance and heating
Authors: Poole Michael S. , While Peter T. , Lopez Hector Sanchez , Crozier Stuart 
Published: December 2011

AbstractStandard gradient coils are designed by minimizing the inductance or resistance for an acceptable level of gradient field nonlinearity. Recently, a new method was proposed to minimize the maximum value of the current density in a coil additionally. The stated aim of that method was to increase the minimum wire spacing and to reduce the peak temperature in a coil for fixed efficiency. These claims are tested in this study with experimental measurements of magnetic field and temperature as well as simulations of the performance of many coils. Experimental results show a 90% increase in minimum wire spacing and 40% reduction in peak temperature for equal coil efficiency and field linearity. Simulations of many more coils indicate increase in minimum wire spacing of between 50 and 340% for the coils studied here. This method is shown to be able to increase coil efficiency when constrained by minimum wire spacing rather than switching times or total power dissipation. This increase in efficiency could be used to increase gradient strength, duty cycle, or buildability. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.