The shear modulus of the human vocal fold in a transverse direction

The aim of this study was to measure the shear modulus of the vocal fold in a human hemilarynx, such that the data can be related to direction of applied stress and anatomical context. Dynamic spring rate data were collected using a modified linear skin rheometer using human hemilarynges, and converted to estimated shear modulus via application of a simple shear model. The measurement probe was attached to the epithelial layer of the vocal fold cover using suction. A sinusoidal force of 3g was applied to the epithelium, and the resultant displacement logged at a rate of 1kHz. Force measurement accuracy was 20microg and position measurement accuracy was 4microm. The force was applied in a transverse direction at the midmembranous point between the vocal process and the anterior commissure. The shear modulus of the three female vocal folds ranged from 814 to 1232Pa. The shear modulus of the three male vocal folds ranged from 1021 to 1796Pa. These data demonstrate that it is possible to obtain estimates for the shear modulus of the vocal fold while preserving anatomical context. The modulus values reported here are higher than those reported using parallel plate rheometry. This is to be expected as the tissue is attached to surrounding structures, and is under natural tension.     

Ring opening of unprotected aziridines by zinc selenolates in a biphasic system

A set of chiral β-seleno amines were prepared by the ring-opening reaction of unprotected aziridines. Under acid conditions diaryl or dialkyl diselenides were reduced by zinc and treated with unprotected aziridines to produce the desired products in good yields. Chiral β-telluro amine was also obtained using this method.     

Sparse p-version BEM for first kind boundary integral equations with random loading

We consider the weakly singular boundary integral equation on a deterministic smooth closed curve with random loading g(ω). Given the kth order statistical moment of g, the aim is the efficient deterministic computation of the kth order statistical moment of u. We derive a deterministic formulation for the kth statistical moment. It is posed in the tensor product Sobolev space and involves the k-fold tensor product operator . The standard full tensor product Galerkin BEM requires unknowns for the kth moment problem, where N is the number of unknowns needed to discretize Γ. Extending ideas of [V.N. Temlyakov, Approximation of functions with bounded mixed derivative, Proc. Steklov Inst. Math. (1989) vi+121. A translation of Trudy Mat. Inst. Steklov 178 (1986)], we develop the p-Sparse Grid Galerkin BEM to reduce the number of unknowns from to .     

Approximation by Shepard type pseudo-linear operators and applications to Image Processing

Recently, it has been shown that sum and product are not the only operations that can be used in order to define concrete approximation operators. Several other operations provided by fuzzy sets theory can be used. In the present paper, pseudo-linear approximation operators are investigated from the practical point of view in Image Processing. We study max–min, max–product Shepard type approximation operators together with Shepard operators based on pseudo-operations generated by an increasing continuous generator. It is shown that in several cases these outperform classical approximation operators based on sum and product operations.     

Self-assembly of peptide porphyrin complexes: toward the development of smart biomaterials

The anionic porphyrin, meso-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine, is found to tightly bind to an engineered 14-residue peptide, resulting in induced alpha-helix formation when mixed in aqueous solutions. The small porphyrin-peptide dissociation constant (2 muM) observed is related to the energetics of peptide helix formation coupled with electrostatic interactions between the anionic porphyrin and cationic residues in the coiled peptide. Analytical ultracentrifugation measurements indicate the porphyrin-peptide complexes dimerize, probably into a coiled coil, and weakly associate to form even higher order structures.     

Easy dual-mode ambient mass spectrometry with Venturi self-pumping, canned air, disposable parts and voltage-free sonic-spray ionization

An exceptionally easy to assemble source for ambient mass spectrometry is described. Based on Venturi easy ambient sonic-spray ionization (V-EASI), the source was further simplified by the use of a can of compressed air which simultaneously provides solution or solvent Venturi self-pumping and continuous, stable and abundant low-noise ion signal via voltage-free sonic-spraying. Further simplification was also attained by the use of inexpensive and readily commercially available parts: a surgical 2-way catheter, an aerosol can of compressed air, a 30 cm long fused-silica capillary and a hypodermic needle. This "Spartan" V-EASI source seems to offer one of the easiest and cheapest ways to make ions for ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry analysis of both liquid and solid samples.     

One-nucleon removal cross-sections for 17, 19C and 8, 10B

One-neutron removal cross-sections ( ) of ^{17, 19}C in various targets at about 900 MeV/nucleon, and one-proton removal cross-sections ( ) of ^{8, 10}B at about 1400 MeV/nucleon were measured using the fragment separator FRS at GSI. A significant increase of for ¹⁹C compared to its neighbors was observed. The same behavior was found for for the neutron-deficient nucleus ⁸B compared to the stable isotope ¹⁰B. These results support a one-neutron halo structure in ¹⁹C and a one-proton halo in ⁸B. Received: 26 July 2000 / Accepted: 11 January 2001     

Mathematical Simulation of the Distribution of the Electron Beam Current during Pulsed Heating of a Metal Target

Journal of Applied and Industrial Mathematics - We study a model of the current distribution during heating of the surface of a tungsten sample under pulsed exposure to an electron beam. The model...     

Decay of the compound nucleus179Au formed in the cold fusion reaction90Zr+89Y

For the compound nucleus¹⁷⁹Au formed at an excitation energy of 26 MeV in the fusion reaction⁹⁰Zr+⁸⁹Y, the energy spectra of promptly emitted protons,α particles andγ rays were measured in concidence with the evaporation residues. On the basis of the measured total decay energy, the 1p and 1α decay channels were separated from all other evaporation-residue channels. The energy spectra and absolute cross sections, together with previously measured excitation functions for various decay channels, are successfully described by statisticalmodel calculations with the Monte Carlo code CODEX.