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Increasing the temporal resolution of the blood‑oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response is usually accompanied by a decrease in repetition time and therefore also a reduction of the magnetic resonance (MR) signal due to incomplete T1 relaxation and thus a loss of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). A previous data reordering method can achieve higher temporal sampling rate without the loss of SNR but at the cost of increased scan time. In this proof-of-principle work, we show that combining HiHi reshuffling with multiband acceleration allows us to measure the in vivo BOLD response with a 75-ms sampling rate that is decoupled from the acquisition repetition time (here 1.5 s and hence higher SNR) while covering the entire forebrain with 60 2-mm slices in a ~ 35-min scan. We provide single-voxel time-courses of the BOLD responses in the primary visual and primary motor cortices in three fMRI experiments on a 7 T scanner - 1 male (scanned twice on different days for test-retest reproducibility) and 1 female participant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we compare and evaluate two methods of procedure design using an aircraft go-around (GA) as a test scenario. We contrast the manufacturer specified, crew-centric procedure with a redesigned process-centred perspective. We test the claim that the process-centred design can take into account situational factors more effectively and generate less workload. We report a heuristic assessment of the new procedure against design guidelines and an evaluation in a full-flight simulator at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) using qualified airline pilots to assess workload and performance. Both the manufacturer specified and new procedure were employed in three GA scenarios representative of increasing operational complexity. Results demonstrate an advantage for the new procedure design in the most complex scenario. The new, process-based procedure can reduce reported crew workload and improve response flexibility in more complex scenarios, improving rated performance. This study suggests that the process-based account in procedure design has advantages when compared to the flight crew-centric approach. These advantages include enhanced flexibility, robustness and improved crew performance during GA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last 20 years Machine Learning (ML) has been applied to a wide variety of applications in the fields of engineering and computer science. In the field of material science in particular, it has been used to help speed up predictions of structure property relationships and in general enhance the material design process. In this paper, we review the current status of ML and its specific application to polymer composites process simulation. We also review some case studies going beyond this focus, especially in the fields of computational fluid dynamics, solid mechanics and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE), to show the potential for further application in our research area. The types of ML algorithms, tools, techniques used in the various applications and their couplings with other CAE software tools are summarized and the overall result/potential of each application/method is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Holographic interferometry is a noninvasive method used to analyze the mechanical displacement affecting an object undergoing deformation. This technique has been primarily applied to inanimate entities owing to the difficulty in producing stress forces in living subjects. In this report, the possibility of harnessing cerebral pulsations as a displacement force to produce interferograms in neurosurgical patients was studied. Methods: This work evaluates the application of this technology to patients with areas of calvarial defects. Using a pulse ruby laser, holographic interferograms were created in neurosurgical patients with areas of calvarial loss. The cardiac cycle was used to trigger the firing of the laser. Results: The holographic interferograms were accurate up to within 0.5 mm in outlining the region of bony deficiency. Conclusion: Holographic interferometry imaging was successfully accomplished using cerebral pulsations as a cyclic displacement-producing force. This method accurately outlined the area of bony loss. A discussion of this technology is included. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Tightening of endothelial cell-to-cell contacts is an important event at the end of angiogenesis in order to achieve controlled transfer of solutes between the blood stream and solid tissues. We found that tightening of endothelial cell-to-cell contacts and the formation of a permeability barrier can be induced in vitro by dibutyryl cAMP and hydrocortisone. This process is accompanied by increased junctional localization and cytoskeletal association of the adherens junctional plakoglobin and the tight junction associated proteins ZO-1, ZO-2, and occludin. Based on these findings, we proceeded to investigate whether smooth-muscle-like mesenchymal cells would influence endothelial junctional differentiation. For this purpose, human umbilical chord vein endothelial cells and murine smooth-muscle-like 10T1/2 cells were cocultivated and compared with their respective monocultures. Immunofluorescence on cells and Western blot analyses were performed for marker proteins of adherens and tight junctions. Functional permeability assays were performed for the tracer molecule biotin-dextran. The results indicated that 10T1/2 cells induced the tightening of endothelial cell-to-cell contacts. Plakoglobin, ZO-1, ZO-2, and occludin showed increased junctional localization when 10T1/2 cells were present. Cocultures also displayed a significantly higher permeability barrier for the tracer molecule biotin-dextran. In conclusion, mural cells such as smooth muscle cells and pericytes may be important for stabilizing endothelial cell-to-cell contacts and may influence vessel-type specific differences of the endothelial phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]