A Novel Approach Makes Higher Order Wavelets Really Efficient for Radiosity

Since wavelets were introduced in the radiosity algorithm ⁵, surprisingly little research has been devoted to higher order wavelets and their use in radiosity algorithms. A previous study ¹³ has shown that wavelet radiosity, and especially higher order wavelet radiosity was not bringing significant improvements over hierarchical radiosity and was having a very important extra memory cost, thus prohibiting any effective computation. In this paper, we present a new implementation of wavelets in the radiosity algorithm, that is substantially different from previous implementations in several key areas (refinement oracle, link storage, resolution algorithm). We show that, with this implementation, higher order wavelets are actually bringing an improvement over standard hierarchical radiosity and lower order wavelets.     

Investigation of Functional Hemispheric Asymmetry of Language in Tinnitus Sufferers.

The authors tested functional hemispheric asymmetry through word dichotic listening and lateralized lexical decision tasks in tinnitus patients and controls stimulated by a continuous tinnitus-like noise to test the influence of a tinnitus-like external stimulation. A classic right-ear advantage was shown in the auditory task for all but right-ear tinnitus patients, who performed as equally badly when the stimuli were presented to the right and left ears. Concerning the visual task, all participants demonstrated the expected right visual field advantage for word stimuli. Moreover, those who submitted to external stimulation demonstrated normal asymmetric patterns. These data suggest a specific effect of tinnitus on central processing and provide evidence for a functional reorganization induced by this auditory phantom perception. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Liquid transport through membranes prepared by grafting of polar monomers onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene) films. II. Some factors determining pervaporation rate and selectivity

The effect of some factors including temperature, pressure, film thickness, and grafting ratio on the fractionation of binary liquid mixtures has been investigated by pervaporation through poly(tetrafluoroethylene) films grafted with N-vinylpyrrolidone or 4-vinylpyridine. The purpose was to estimate the best conditions in which the pervaporation process must be carried out. It was concluded that the pervaporation rate is increased at roughly constant selectivity when the temperature of the liquid charge is higher or when the downstream vapor pressure or the film thickness are decreased. A pressure higher than 1 atmosphere above the liquid does not increase the rate. When the grafting ratio is increased, the rate shows a maximum, and for particular conditions, the selectivity becomes much higher.     

Liquid transport through membranes prepared by grafting of polar monomers onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene) films. III. Steady-state distribution in membrane during pervaporation

Steady-state concentration and composition gradients of pervaporating liquids inside the membranes were measured using stacks of membranes. The experimental results on pure components agree well with a simple mechanism of diffusion down a chemical potential gradient in a nonporous membrane. For mixtures, concentration gradients are similar to those obtained for pure liquids, and composition distribution shows that the selection between the two species does not take place at a given interface in the membrane but is progressive along the diffusional paths through the membrane. Data are also listed to show that solubility and diffusivity enhancements occur for components which are hydrogen bonded with the basic groups of the membrance.     

ParaGraph: Graph editor support for parallel programming environments

We report here on a graph editor, ParaGraph, that supports massively parallel programming. It provides a flexible mechanism for the concise specification of families of annotated graphs, addressing the problems of user annotation and scale independent graph manipulation. ParaGraph currently serves as the basis for tools supporting communication abstractions in program specification and debugging. Its foundation in an extended form of aggregate rewriting graph grammars makes its adaptation to other parallel programming environments straightforward.The Parallel Programming Environments Project at the University of Massachusetts is supported by the Office of Naval Research under Contract N000014-84-K-0647 and by the National Science Foundation under Grants DCR-8500332 and CCR-8712410.     

Polarity measurements in block copolymers (polyurethaneimides) and correlation with their pervaporation features

EtOH/ETBE azeotropic mixture was separated by pervaporation through films of polyurethaneimides (PUI), i. e., alternating block copolymers varying in their structure only by their oligomeric soft blocks. Pervaporation performances strongly depend on the flexible segments: fluxes on the molecular weight and selectivity towards ethanol on the chemical structure in the decreasing order: PEG, PCL, PCD, PTMG, PPG. In order to correlate selectivity with segment polarity, a new solvatochromic polarity probe that was well soluble in PUI was synthesized. Using 13 solvents covering a wide polarity range, Vis λ^max of the photochromic indicator open form was linearly correlated with the E_T(30) polarity scale. By illumination of the dissolved dye, PUI polarity was investigated in relation to soft segment nature and size. The very high PUI polarity values and their splitting for highest size segments were assigned to preferential probe solvation by interblock urethane junctions combined with phase segregation. Polarity values consistent with the chemical structure of the flexible segments were provided by similar measurements on suitably end-capped precursors of these segments and were then linearly correlated with the related PUI pervaporation selectivity. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Extracting recurrent scenarios from narrative texts using a Bayesian network: Application to serious occupational accidents with movement disturbance

A probabilistic approach has been developed to extract recurrent serious Occupational Accident with Movement Disturbance (OAMD) scenarios from narrative texts within a prevention framework. Relevant data extracted from 143 accounts was initially coded as logical combinations of generic accident factors. A Bayesian Network (BN)-based model was then built for OAMDs using these data and expert knowledge. A data clustering process was subsequently performed to group the OAMDs into similar classes from generic factor occurrence and pattern standpoints. Finally, the Most Probable Explanation (MPE) was evaluated and identified as the associated recurrent scenario for each class. Using this approach, 8 scenarios were extracted to describe 143 OAMDs in the construction and metallurgy sectors. Their recurrent nature is discussed.     

Occupational contact dermatitis to propacetamol. Allergological and chemical investigations in two new cases

Two new cases of nasofacial zygomycosis from the state of Pará, Brazil, are reported. Both cases were treated with ketoconazole and the response to the drug was considered to be good; the patients improved rapidly and the nasal obstruction was the first manifestation to disappear. As five cases have been described in recent years from the state of Pará, this form of zygomycosis can no longer be considered as a rare disease in northern Brazil.     

Genetic diversity of simian immunodeficiency viruses from West African green monkeys: evidence of multiple genotypes within populations from the same geographical locale

High simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) seroprevalence rates have been reported in the different African green monkey (AGM) subspecies. Genetic diversity of these viruses far exceeds the diversity observed in the other lentivirus-infected human and nonhuman primates and is thought to reflect ancient introduction of SIV in the AGM population. We investigate here genetic diversity of SIVagm in wild-living AGM populations from the same geographical locale (i.e., sympatric population) in Senegal. For 11 new strains, we PCR amplified and sequenced two regions of the genome spanning the first tat exon and part of the transmembrane glycoprotein. Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences shows that viruses found in sympatric populations cluster into distinct lineages, with at least two distinct genotypes in each troop. These data strongly suggest an ancient introduction of these divergent viruses in the AGM population.     

Electro-conductive and elastic hybrid yarns – The effects of stretching,cyclic straining and washing on their electro-conductive properties

Electro-conductive yarns can be produced in various ways and can obtain very different properties in terms of conductivity, touch, as well as strength and elasticity. In this research, it was focussed on manufacturing elastic and electro-conductive yarns (el2-yarns) via hollow spindle spinning. All yarns comprised elastic core yarns, based on rubber, around which electro-conductive winding yarns, based on silver, copper and stainless steel, were wound.This paper presents the yarn’s electrical characteristics while stretching and after exposure to cyclic straining and washing.Analyzing the el2-yarn’s electro-conductive properties upon elongation, revealed that their electrical resistance remains constant over elongation levels up to 100%. Furthermore, it is shown that both, cyclic straining and washing, decrease the yarn’s electrical performance.