Formation of a geometric pattern with a mobile wireless sensor network

Mobile wireless sensor networks (MWSNs) will enable information systems to gather detailed information about the environment on an unprecedented scale. These self‐organizing, distributed networks of sensors, processors, and actuators that are capable of movement have a broad range of potential applications, including military reconnaissance, surveillance, planetary exploration, and geophysical mapping. In many of the foreseen applications, the MWSN will need to form a geometric pattern without assistance from the user. In military reconnaissance, for example, the nodes will be dropped onto the battlefield from a plane and land at random positions. The nodes will be expected to arrange themselves into a predetermined formation in order to perform a specific task. Thus, we present algorithms for forming a line, circle, and regular polygon from a given set of random positions. The algorithms are distributed and use no communication between the nodes to minimize energy consumption. Unlike past studies of geometric problems where algorithms are either tested in simulations where each node has global knowledge of all the other nodes or implemented on a small number of robots, the robustness of our algorithms has been studied with simulations that model the sensor system in detail. The simulations demonstrate that the algorithms are robust against random errors in the sensors and actuators. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Partial congenital defect of the left pericardium: angiographic diagnosis and treatment by thoracoscopic pericardiectomy: case report

Twenty-six patients with an intracardiac myxoma underwent surgical resection at our institution from 1977 through 1992. Left atrial myxoma was diagnosed in 22 patients, left ventricular in 1, right atrial in 2, and right ventricular in 1. Six patients were asymptomatic; preoperative symptoms included dyspnea, arrhythmias, embolic episodes, and syncope. The diagnosis was established with transthoracic echocardiography in all cases but one. Surgery was performed in all cases with the aid of cardiopulmonary bypass with moderate hypothermia and cold crystalloid cardioplegia. One patient with a left ventricular myxoma died in a comatose state during the immediate postoperative period. Long-term clinical and echocardiographic evaluation was performed in 19 patients; results were excellent (all the patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I or II), and no recurrences were documented. The clinical characteristics, diagnostic methods, and surgical approach are presented and discussed.     

Bounds on the number of samples needed for neural learning.

The relationship between the number of hidden nodes in a neural network, the complexity of a multiclass discrimination problem, and the number of samples needed for effect learning are discussed. Bounds for the number of samples needed for effect learning are given. It is shown that Omega(min (d,n) M) boundary samples are required for successful classification of M clusters of samples using a two-hidden-layer neural network with d-dimensional inputs and n nodes in the first hidden layer.     

Intravaginal Controlled Administration of Flurogestone Acetate: (III) Development of Rate-Control Vaginal Devices

A Rate-Control vaginal device was developed which overcomes the low bioavailability and unpredictable Q - t^1/2 type release and absorption rate profiles of flurogestone acetate delivered by the currently marketed Syncro-Mate pessary.

The in vitro release and vaginal absorption profiles from the Rate-Control vaginal device were run simultaneously, a linear Q - t relationship was obtained with a significant improvement in bioavailability. A mathematical model was developed to correlate the in vitro drug release and the vaginal absorption profiles of flurogestone acetate from the vaginal devices.

The design, development and the simultaneous release and absorption profiles of flurogestone acetate from this new vaginal device were outlined and discussed.     

Solution structure of a DNA duplex containing the exocyclic lesion 3,N4-etheno-2'-deoxycytidine opposite 2'-deoxyguanosine

Vinyl chloride reacts with cellular DNA producing 3,N4-etheno-2'-deoxycytidine (epsilonC) along with other exocyclic adducts. The solution structure of an oligodeoxynucleotide duplex containing an epsilonC.dG base pair was determined by high-resolution NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. NMR data indicated that the duplex adopts a right-handed helical structure having all residues in anti orientation around the glycosylic torsion angle. The epsilonC adduct has a sugar pucker in the C3'-endo/C4'-exo region while the rest of the residues are in the C2'-endo/C3'-exo range. NOE interactions established Watson-Crick alignments for canonical base pairs of the duplex. The imino proton of the lesion-containing base pair resonated as a sharp signal that was resistant to water exchange, suggesting hydrogen bonding. Restrained molecular dynamics simulations generated three-dimensional models in excellent agreement with the spectroscopic data. The refined structures are slightly bent at the lesion site without major perturbations of the sugar-phosphate backbone. The adduct is displaced and shifted toward the major groove of the helix while its partner on the complementary strand remains stacked. The epsilonC(anti).dG(anti) base pair alignment is sheared and stabilized by the formation of hydrogen bonds. The biological implications of structures of epsilonC-containing DNA duplexes are discussed.     

The patterns of oxygen metabolism in the early posthemorrhagic period]

Investigated all links of oxygen homeostasis of patients in early period afterwards surgical stoppage gastro-intestinal bleeding and urgent intravascular volume replacement. Macrodelivery of oxygen (DO2) was reduced in two and more time in comparison with norm predominant in connection with anemia. In spite of the infringement of transport of oxygen through alveolar-capillary membrane (especially in patients with complications and death in early postoperative period), little affected of degree of hemoglobin saturation by oxygen. Despite decrease of erythrocyte zeta-potential, largely expressed in cases of lethal outcome, considerable infringement of passage through microcirculation vessels is fixed was not. The increase of degree of morbidity and anaerobic metabolism in early postoperative period was accompanied of hyperdynamic hemodynamic reaction. The increase of degree of morbidity was accompanied of increase oxygen deficit owing to infringement of oxidoreduction in fabries also.     

The interaction of peripheral blood leukocytes with alpha1-acid glycoprotein, its carbohydrate chains and neoglycoconjugates

The interaction of human peripheral blood leukocytes with alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), its glycoforms as well as neoglyco-conjugates representing carbohydrate chains of AGP or its fragments was studied by flow cytometry. It was shown that the main target cells for AGP as well as for conjugates of its carbohydrate chains with polyacrylamide (PAA) are monocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes but not lymphocytes. The interaction of AGP with monocytes and granulocytes are mediated by its carbohydrate chains: the binding of AGP with cells was inhibited by AGP, AGP oligosaccharides as well as conjugates of oligosaccharides and its fragments with PAA. The data obtained show the existence of monocyte (and granulocyte) receptors which interact with complex type sialooligosaccharides of AGP.