Search results for "Normal"
showing 10 items of 2571 documents
Difficulties in distinguishing between an atlas fracture and a congenital posterior atlas arch defect in postmortem analysis.
2013
We found one atlas from a sample of 148 skeletons (0.67%) that presented different anatomical variations which made it difficult to determine whether the vertebra had an atlas fracture, an unusual Type B posterior atlas arch defect, or a combination of both. We carried out a stereomicroscopy, radiographic, and computerized tomography scan study that revealed that the dry atlas we found presented a very uncommon congenital Type B posterior atlas arch defect, simulating a fracture. In short, the present paper has revealed that differentiating Type B posterior atlas arch defects from fractures in post-mortem dry vertebrae is more difficult than expected. Thus we believe that it can be easier t…
Exploiting for Care: Trafficking and Abuse in Domestic Work in Italy
2017
ABSTRACTCare workers are now an essential part of reality for many Italian families. Yet, despite advancements in regulating domestic work, abuses are widespread. This article explores why exploitation in domestic work is rarely viewed as such and addressed with policies concerning trafficking and exploitation. I look at the way in which the care issue has been addressed by the Italian state and at the peculiar relationship between employers and domestic workers. Furthermore, I focus on the gaps in policies on trafficking and exploitation. I argue that the interplay of these factors results in the “normalization” of exploitation in domestic work.
Comparing Correlation Matrix Estimators Via Kullback-Leibler Divergence
2011
We use a self-averaging measure called Kullback-Leibler divergence to evaluate the performance of four different correlation estimators: Fourier, Pearson, Maximum Likelihood and Hayashi-Yoshida estimator. The study uses simulated transaction prices for a large number of stocks and different data generating mechanisms, including synchronous and non-synchronous transactions, homogeneous and heterogeneous inter-transaction time. Different distributions of stock returns, i.e. multivariate Normal and multivariate Student's t-distribution, are also considered. We show that Fourier and Pearson estimators are equivalent proxies of the `true' correlation matrix within all the settings under analysis…
Image enhancement in simple fingerprint minutiae extraction algorithm using crossing number on valley structure
2007
In fingerprint recognition system, fingerprint feature extraction algorithm requires good quality fingerprint images to produce good results. Therefore, one step in the preprocessing stage is image enhancement to improve the quality of poor fingerprint image, so the minutiae points can be detected with good results. In this paper, we present how this enhancement process in simple minutiae detection algorithm using crossing number on valley structure improves detection of true minutiae.
Forecasting the vegetation photosynthetic activity over the Sahel: a Model Output Statistics approach
2009
The predictability of the mean August–September photosynthetic activity of vegetation over the Sahel for the period 1982–2002 is explored through a Model Output Statistics approach using ECHAM4.5 retrospective forecasts. Given the poor ability of Atmospheric General Circulation Models (AGCMs) to correctly simulate rainfall over the Sahel, the stress is put on using atmospheric dynamics alone. The mean July–September predicted fields of zonal wind at 600 hPa, and humidity flux at 850 hPa, are selected because of their key role in the West African Monsoon system and their consistency in AGCMs. Coupled modes of NDVI/atmospheric dynamics are extracted using Canonical Correlation Analyses perfor…
Adaptive estimation of Laguerre models with time-varying delay
2000
Abstract An Orthonormal Basis Functions (OBF) approach is effectively used in adaptive parameter estimation of linear(ized) open-loop stable, possibly nonminimum phase plants with time-varying delay. In particular, discrete Laguerre models are considered in detail. A special attention is paid to the numerical conditioning issue in case of ’poor’ excitation of a plant under control, where OBF models are of particular value. Closed-loop predictive control simulations confirm the usefulness of adaptive OBF modelling, especially for systems with time-varying delays.
All-atom simulations disentangle the functional dynamics underlying gene maturation in the intron lariat spliceosome
2018
The spliceosome (SPL) is a majestic macromolecular machinery composed of five small nuclear RNAs and hundreds of proteins. SPL removes noncoding introns from precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs) and ligates coding exons, giving rise to functional mRNAs. Building on the first SPL structure solved at near–atomic-level resolution, here we elucidate the functional dynamics of the intron lariat spliceosome (ILS) complex through multi-microsecond-long molecular-dynamics simulations of ∼1,000,000 atoms models. The ILS essential dynamics unveils (i) the leading role of the Spp42 protein, which heads the gene maturation by tuning the motions of distinct SPL components, and (ii) the critical particip…
Recurrent Mutations in the Basic Domain of TWIST2 Cause Ablepharon Macrostomia and Barber-Say Syndromes
2015
Contains fulltext : 153827.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Ablepharon macrostomia syndrome (AMS) and Barber-Say syndrome (BSS) are rare congenital ectodermal dysplasias characterized by similar clinical features. To establish the genetic basis of AMS and BSS, we performed extensive clinical phenotyping, whole exome and candidate gene sequencing, and functional validations. We identified a recurrent de novo mutation in TWIST2 in seven independent AMS-affected families, as well as another recurrent de novo mutation affecting the same amino acid in ten independent BSS-affected families. Moreover, a genotype-phenotype correlation was observed, because the two syndromes differed based s…
Influence of Whole-Body Dynamics on 15N PISEMA NMR Spectra of Membrane Proteins: A Theoretical Analysis
2009
AbstractMembrane proteins and peptides exhibit a preferred orientation in the lipid bilayer while fluctuating in an anisotropic manner. Both the orientation and the dynamics have direct functional implications, but motions are usually not accessible, and structural descriptions are generally static. Using simulated data, we analyze systematically the impact of whole-body motions on the peptide orientations calculated from two-dimensional polarization inversion spin exchange at the magic angle (PISEMA) NMR. Fluctuations are found to have a significant effect on the observed spectra. Nevertheless, wheel-like patterns are still preserved, and it is possible to determine the average peptide til…
On the Applicability of Elastic Network Normal Modes in Small-Molecule Docking
2012
Incorporating backbone flexibility into protein-ligand docking is still a challenging problem. In protein-protein docking, normal mode analysis (NMA) has become increasingly popular as it can be used to describe the collective motions of a biological system, but the question of whether NMA can also be useful in predicting the conformational changes observed upon small-molecule binding has only been addressed in a few case studies. Here, we describe a large-scale study on the applicability of NMA for protein-ligand docking using 433 apo/holo pairs of the Astex data sets. On the basis of sets of the first normal modes from the apo structure, we first generated for each paired holo structure a…