Vascular morphology by three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging

A three-dimensional examination of blood vessels is provided using MR data from seven cases. The vascular surfaces are constructed with an algorithm that automatically follows the selected artery or vein and generates a projected three-dimensional gradient shaded image. Fast 3DFT pulse sequences were optimized to enhance the time-of-flight contrast of the intravascular region. By increasing the surface threshold value in a three-dimensional head study, the flesh of a patient's face was peeled away to demonstrate the superfacial temporal artery. Gated cardiac images show the great vessels and cardiac chambers. A three-dimensional view of the aorta shows an irregular surface in the vicinity of an adrenal tumor. 3D MR exams provide a non-invasive technique for assessing vascular morphology in a clinical setting.     

Nonlinear wave processes in media containing cracks partially filled with a viscous liquid

A nonlinear (in the cubic approximation) relaxation equation of state is derived for a rod containing cracks partially filled with an incompressible viscous liquid. The nonlinear effects of the self-action and interaction of low-and high-frequency longitudinal elastic waves propagating in such a rod are studied for the cases of identical and size-varied cracks. Linear and nonlinear acoustic parameters characterizing the self-action and interaction of elastic waves in a cracked rod are determined.     

On one-port characterization of noise sources in ducts by using external loads

Equivalent acoustic source characterization of duct-borne fluid machinery noise is often undertaken by interpolating the results of two-microphone pressure measurements with different external acoustic loads over a linear one-port source model. If the source is time-invariant, the one-port source characteristics can be determined by using only two external loads. This is well known as the two-load method. An extension of the two-load method for time-variant sources is also available and known as the multiple-load method. In these methods the source is treated as a ‘black-box’. This paper addresses the problem of one-port source characterization when the linear operations inherent in the ‘black-box’ are known explicitly. The equations governing the explicit one-port source models are derived and the source characteristics are shown to be measurable using only few acoustic loads. It is not the purpose of this paper to discuss the application of these models to any specific fluid machinery; however, of particular interest are the explicit source models that require only two loads. Numerical results are presented to show some features of such time-invariant and time-variant explicit one-port source models.     

On Bayes and unbiased estimators of loss

We consider estimation of loss for generalized Bayes or pseudo-Bayes estimators of a multivariate normal mean vector, θ. In 3 and higher dimensions, the MLEX is UMVUE and minimax but is inadmissible. It is dominated by the James-Stein estimator and by many others. Johnstone (1988, On inadmissibility of some unbiased estimates of loss,Statistical Decision Theory and Related Topics, IV (eds. S. S. Gupta and J. O. Berger), Vol. 1, 361–379, Springer, New York) considered the estimation of loss for the usual estimatorX and the James-Stein estimator. He found improvements over the Stein unbiased estimator of risk. In this paper, for a generalized Bayes point estimator of θ, we compare generalized Bayes estimators to unbiased estimators of loss. We find, somewhat surprisingly, that the unbiased estimator often dominates the corresponding generalized Bayes estimator of loss for priors which give minimax estimators in the original point estimation problem. In particular, we give a class of priors for which the generalized Bayes estimator of θ is admissible and minimax but for which the unbiased estimator of loss dominates the generalized Bayes estimator of loss. We also give a general inadmissibility result for a generalized Bayes estimator of loss. Research supported by NSF Grant DMS-97-04524.     

effect of surface modification on the properties of hydrogen-sensitive GaAs-based Schottky diodes

The surface of hydrogen-sensitive GaAs Schottky diodes is modified by nonpolishing etching and by producing quantum wells and quantum dots in the space-charge region of the semiconductor. The sensitivity to hydrogen is found to increase by a factor of 8–37 after the etching and by two or three orders of magnitude after the introduction of quantum wells and dots. It is shown that the increased sensitivity is associated with the lowering of the barrier at the Pd/GaAs interface, the retardation of hydrogen diffusion into GaAs due to the presence of strained quantum-size layers, and an increase in the recombination current. The presence of the recombination component is supported by luminescence from the quantum wells and quantum dots, as well as from the GaAs substrate. The etch composition is shown to be a decisive factor in raising the sensitivity.