Showing papers by "University of Saskatchewan published in 1985"

Solid texturing of complex surfaces

Abstract: Texturing is an effective method of simulating surface detail at relatively low cost. Traditionally, texture functions have been defined on the two-dimensional surface coordinate systems of individual surface patches. This paper introduces the notion of "solid texturing". Solid texturing uses texture functions defined throughout a region of three-dimensional space. Many nonhomogeneous materials, including wood and stone, may be more realistically rendered using solid texture functions. In addition, solid texturing can easily be applied to complex surface which are difficult to texture using two-dimensional texture functions. The paper gives examples of solid texture functions based on Fourier synthesis, stochastic texture models, projections of two-dimensional textures, and combinations of other solid textures.

Regenerative Analysis and Steady State Distributions for Markov Chains

Abstract: We apply regenerative theory to derive certain relations between steady state probabilities of a Markov chain. These relations are then used to develop a numerical algorithm to find these probabilities. The algorithm is a modification of the Gauss-Jordan method, in which all elements used in numerical computations are nonnegative; as a consequence, the algorithm is numerically stable.

A Least Error Squares Technique For Determining Power System Frequency

Abstract: An algorithm for measuring frequency at a power system bus is presented in this paper. The algorithm is based am the least error squares curve fitting technique and uses digitized samples of voltage at a relay locaticn. Mathematical developnent of the algorithm is presented and the effects of key parameters, that affect the performance of the algorithm, are discussed. The algorithm was tested using simulated data and data recorded fran a dynamic frequency source. Results of sample tests are also presented in this paper.

Studies on the Functional Characteristics and Digestibility of Starches from Phaseolus vulgaris Biotypes

Abstract: The functional properties of starches from black bean, kidney bean, navy bean, northern bean and pinto bean, all biotypes of Phaseolus vulgaris, were examined. Starch granule sizes ranged from 22 – 39 μm (length) to 19 – 28 μm (width) and shapes varied from elliptical to oval. Amylose content ranged from 30.2 – 37.3%. A highly ordered crystalline structure of granules (Ca) was suggested by restricted swelling power and solubility, resistance to α-amylase attack, high gelatinization temperature and stable amylographic viscosities. Moreover, the existence of a crystalline structure of the highest and lowest order of stability among the Phaseolus starches was indicated for pinto bean and black bean, respectively, which were substantially different than those of kidney, northern and navy bean. The higher stability of pinto bean starch indicated a higher degree of associative bonding forces, namely, hydrogen and covalent, between oxygen and hydrogen atoms of closely packed parallel amylose chains. The wide range in amylographic viscosities was a reflection of crystalline stability, amylose exudation, granule swelling and pH of slurry. Gels exhibited a higher degree of retrogradation at +4 °C than at – 15 °C. Scanning electron microscopy showed that α-amylase-treated corn starch granules were degraded from the inside out by the formation of large circular holes, whereas those of kidney bean were less extensively degraded and showed only scaling and roughening of the surface as evidence of granule deterioration.

Energetistic stability of fuzzy dynamic systems

Abstract: A dynamic system is stable if its total energy decreases monotonically until a state of equilibrium is reached. The stability of a fuzzy dynamic system is based on a generalization of this notion. If a free fuzzy dynamic system has an asymptotically stable equilibrium state, the stored energy of the system displaced within the domain of attraction decays with time until it assumes its minimum value at the equilibrium state. An energy `measure' of a fuzzy dynamic system is proposed, and `an energy function' is formulated. A heuristic algorithm for determining the stability of the fuzzy system is also proposed. To illustrate the applications of the algorithm, some numerical examples are given.

Self-Concepts, Locus of Control and Performance Expectations of Learning Disabled Children

Abstract: General and academic self-concepts, general and academic locus of control beliefs and academic performance expectations were examined among 45 learning disabled (LD) and 45 normally achieving (NA) children aged 7 years, 6 months to 12 years, 9 months. The LD children were significantly different from the NA children on the set of affective variables and on each of the individual variables. The LD children had lower self-concepts, more external locus of control orientations and lower performance expectations. LD children newly enrolled in resource room programs (NLD) were significantly different from LD children with more than six months of experience in such programs (ELD) on the set of affective variables. However, the only individual variable to significantly differentiate these groups was academic performance expectation. The NLD children had higher expectations for future success than the ELD children. Among the affective variables, only general and academic locus of control and academic self-concept ...

WAMDII: wide-angle Michelson Doppler imaging interferometer for Spacelab

Abstract: A wide-angle Michelson Doppler imaging interferometer (WAMDII) is described that is intended to measure upper atmospheric winds and temperatures from naturally occurring visible region emissions, using Spacelab as a platform. It is an achromatic field-widened instrument, with good thermal stability, that employs four quarterwave phase-stepped images to generate full images of velocity, temperature, and emission rate. For an apparent emission rate of 5 kR and binning into 85 × 105 pixels, the required exposure time is 1 sec. The concept and underlying principles are described, along with some fabrication details for the prototype instrument. The results of laboratory tests and field measurements using auroral emissions are described and discussed.

Cyanide-induced parkinsonism: a clinicopathologic report.

Abstract: An 18-year-old man ingested 975 to 1,300 mg of potassium cyanide in a suicide attempt. He was treated and survived the poisoning episode, but then had severe parkinsonian syndrome, characterized primarily by akinesia and rigidity. He died 19 months after the drug overdose. At autopsy, major destructive changes were found in the globus pallidus and putamen, whereas the melanin-containing zone of substantia nigra was intact. This is the first clinicopathologic report of parkinsonism as a result of cyanide poisoning.

Kalman Filtering Applied to Power System Measurements for Relaying

Abstract: Digital protection algorithms are becoming more complex as the cost of computational equipment continues to decrease. In particular, optimal response digital filters, such as Kalman filters, can be implemented on presently available devices. Optimal filters are not yet extensively applied because they appear complex and engineers have not become familiar with their use. This paper presents the basics of the Kalman filtering technique in power systems terminology and illustrates its use for estimating rotating phasors. Sample designs are presented for voltage and current phasor estimation during system transients. A method for including decaying dc and harmonic frequency components in the filter design is also described and sample results are presented.

Ontogenetic development of glutamate metabolizing enzymes in cultured cerebellar granule cells and in cerebellum in vivo.

Abstract: The ontogenetic development of the enzymes phosphate activated glutaminase (PAG), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), glutamic-oxaloacetic-transaminase (GOT), glutamine synthetase (GS), and ornithine-δ-aminotransferase (Orn-T) was followed in cerebellum in vivo and in cultured cerebellar granule cells. It was found that PAG, GLDH, and GOT exhibited similar developmental patterns in the cultured neurons compared to cerebellum. PAG showed, however, a more pronounced phosphate activation in the cultured granule cells compared to in vivo. The activity of GS remained low in the cultured neurons compared to the increasing activity of this enzyme found in vivo. On the other hand Orn-T exhibited an increase in its specific activity in the cultured cells as a function of time in culture in contrast to the non-changing activity of this enzyme in vivo. Compared to cerebellum the cultured neurons exhibited higher activities of GLDH, GOT, and Orn-T whereas the activity of PAG was only slightly higher in the cultured cells. The activity of GS in the cultured neurons was only 5–10% of the activity in cerebellum in vivo. It is concluded that cultured cerebellar granule cells represent a reliable model system by which the metabolism and function of glutamatergic neurons can be conveniently studied in a physiologically meaningful way.

Influence of Inorganic and Organic Ligands on the Formation of Aluminum Hydroxides and Oxyhydroxides

Abstract: Hydroxide and oxyhydroxide products of aluminum were formed at room temperature at an initial Al concentration of 2 × 10-3 M, pH 8.2, and at varying concentrations of organic and inorganic ligands commonly found in nature. The effectiveness of the ligands in promoting the formation of noncrystalline products over crystalline Al(OH)3 polymorphs was found to be in the following order: phthalate ≅ succinate < glutamate < aspartate < oxalate < silicate ≅ fluoride < phosphate < salicylate ≅ malate < tannate < citrate < tartrate. The lowest ligand/Al molar ratio at which the production of Al hydroxides or oxyhydroxides was inhibited ranged from 0.02 to 15. Above critical ligand/Al ratios, crystalline products were inhibited and ligands coprecipitated with noncrystalline products which remained unchanged for at least 5 months. Polydentate and large ligands generally were more inhibitive than those with fewer functional groups or of smaller size.

The ‘Barnum Effect’ in Personality Assessment: A Review of the Literature

Abstract: This review summarizes to date the research on the Barnum effect, the tendency for people to accept vague, ambiguous, and general statements as descriptive of their unique personalities. Studies examined address interpretation variables of the Barnum profiles in regard to generality and supposed relevance of the interpretation, favorability of interpretation, type of assessment procedure, and origin and format of interpretation. Also the role of personal factors such as characteristics of the subject and test administrator are examined. It is concluded that the level of acceptance of Barnum profiles depends on the relevance and favorability of the profile and to some extent on the type of assessment utilized. Directions for research on the Barnum effect are provided.

Effects of age and sex on piroxicam disposition.

Abstract: Piroxicam kinetics were studied after a single, oral, 20-mg capsule was taken by 12 young (six women, six men) and 13 elderly (seven women, six men) healthy subjects. Plasma samples were drawn for 216 hr after dosing. Plasma protein binding was studied in vitro by equilibrium dialysis and piroxicam concentrations were measured by HPLC with ultraviolet detection. The apparent volume of distribution was smaller in elderly women (7.8 ± 0.4 l) than in young men (11.3 ± 0.3 l) and elderly men (10.8 ± 0.8 l). There were no such differences when the apparent volume of distribution was normalized for total body weight. There was a strong correlation between total body weight and apparent volume of distribution in all subjects (r = 0.83). Plasma protein binding of piroxicam ranged from 98.90% to 99.54% bound and was not affected by age or sex. Piroxicam body clearance in elderly women (0.026 ± 0.002 ml/min/kg) was approximately 33% lower than in young women (0.039 ± 0.003 ml/min/kg). This difference was reflected in different t½s of 61.7 and 44.9 hr. Predicted steady-state plasma piroxicam concentrations were 5.7 µg/ml in young women, 5.4 µg/ml in young men, 5.7 µg/ml in elderly men, and 9.3 µg/ml in elderly women. The high value in elderly women results from the lower piroxicam body clearance and total body weight. Our data suggest that healthy elderly women eliminate piroxicam at a slower rate than healthy young women. The clinical significance of these data needs to be assessed in patients. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1985) 37, 13–18; doi:10.1038/clpt.1985.4

Mental rotation of representations of two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects

Abstract: Les sujets doivent faire le choix image miroir/image normale, dans le cas de stimuli qui different quant aux dimensions percues et a l'angle de rotation dans le plan de l'image. Dans une serie de quatre experiences, le temps requis pour prendre la decision s'accroit avec l'augmentation des differences d'orientation entre les stimuli. Les temps de latence sont plus courts pour les representations de formes bidimensionnelles par rapport aux tridimensionnelles

The effects of plants on soil sulfur transformations

Abstract: Changes in the mineralization of S and in the redistribution of 35S-labelled sulfate among organic matter fractions were followed during incubation of cropped and uncropped soils. Net mineralization was significantly greater in cropped soils compared with uncropped soils. The distribution of 35S was significantly influenced by the addition of sulfate or cellulose or a combination of both and by the presence of plants. When the solution sulfate level was high the majority of 35S incorporated into soil organic matter was found in the Hi-reducible S fraction. When soil solution sulfate concentrations were lowered by plant uptake or through addition of cellulose there was a reduction in the 35S incorporated into the HI-reducible S fraction.

Minimum Decompositions of Polygonal Objects

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter discusses techniques for decompositions of objects into the minimum number of some component type In many applications, the objects encountered are rectilinear polygons In image processing, the boundaries of objects are often stored on a grid that usually implies that digitized images are rectilinear polygons Very large-scale integration (VLSI) designs are also often stored on a grid and typically contain many rectilinear polygons The chapter discusses the decompositions of rectilinear polygons when Steiner points are allowed and when Steiner points are disallowed It also discusses the decomposition of arbitrary simple polygons when Steiner points are allowed and when Steiner points are disallowed The result in this study concerns the partitioning of a polygonal region into a minimum number of trapezoids with two horizontal sides Triangles with a horizontal side are considered to be trapezoids with two horizontal sides, one of which is degenerate This problem is closely related to VLSI artwork data processing systems of electron-beam lithography for VLSI microfabrication The chapter also discusses the decomposition of object which contains holes