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Is male rhesus macaque red color ornamentation attractive to females?
Dubuc, Constance
Allen, William L.
Maestripieri, Dario
Higham, James P.
Behavioral ecology and sociobiology
Male sexually-selected traits can evolve through different mechanisms: conspicuous and colorful ornaments usually evolve through inter-sexual selection, while weapons usually evolve through intra-sexual selection. Male ornaments are rare among mammals in comparison to birds, leading to the notion that female mate choice generally plays little role in trait evolution in this taxon. Supporting this view, when ornaments are present in mammals they typically indicate social status and are products of male-male competition. This general mammalian pattern, however, may not apply to rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Males of this species display conspicuous skin coloration, but this expression is not correlated to dominance rank, and is therefore unlikely to have evolved due to male-male competition. Here, we investigate whether male color expression influences female proceptivity towards males in the Cayo Santiago free-ranging rhesus macaque population. We collected face images of 24 adult males varying in dominance rank and age at the peak of the mating season, and modeled these to rhesus macaque visual perception. We also recorded female socio-sexual behaviors towards these males. Results show that dark red males received more sexual solicitations, by more females, than pale pink ones. Together with previous results, our study suggests that male color ornaments are more likely to be a product of inter- rather than intra-sexual selection. This may especially be the case in rhesus macaques due to the particular characteristics of male-male competition in this species.
Ornaments; sexual selection; female mate choice; sexual skin; color; anthropoid primates
Related Articles
Signaling in multiple modalities in male rhesus macaques: sex skin coloration and barks in relation to androgen levels, social status, and mating behavior
Higham, James P.
Pfefferle, Dana
Heistermann, Michael
Maestripieri, Dario
Stevens, Martin
Behavioral ecology and sociobiology
The past decade has seen an increasing shift in animal communication towards more studies that incorporate aspects of signaling in multiple modalities. Although nonhuman primates are an excellent group for studying the extent to which different aspects of condition may be signaled in different modalities, and how such information may be integrated during mate choice, very few studies of primate species have incorporated such analyses. Here, we present data from free-ranging male rhesus macaques on sex skin coloration (modeled to receiver perception), bark vocal signals, androgen levels, morphometric variables, dominance status, and female mate choice. We show that, consistent with data on females, most intra- and interindividual variation in sex skin appearance occurs in luminance rather than color. Sex skin luminance was significantly correlated across different skin regions. Sex skin luminance did not correlate with the majority of bark parameters, suggesting the potential for the two signals to convey different information. Sex skin appearance was not related to androgen levels although we found some evidence for links between androgen levels and bark parameters, several of which were also related to morphometric variables. We found no evidence that either signal was related to male dominance rank or used in female mate choice, though more direct measures of female proceptive behavior are needed. Overall, the function of male sex skin coloration in this species remains unclear. Our study is among the first nonhuman primate studies to incorporate measurements of multiple signals in multiple modalities, and we encourage other authors to incorporate such analyses into their work.
Coloration; Luminance; Vocal signals; Multimodal; Primate; Rhesus macaques
Related Articles
Incidence of chromosomal mosaicism in morphologically normal non-human primate preimplantation embryos
Dupont, Cathérine
Segars, James
DeCherney, Alan
Bavister, Barry D.
Armant, D. Randall
Brenner, Carol A.
Fertility and sterility
To establish the exact rates of chromosomal mosaicism in morphologically normal rhesus macaque embryos by determining the chromosomal complement of all blastomeres.
Retrospective rhesus monkey IVF study.
Academic laboratory and Primate Research Center.
Young fertile rhesus macaque females.
Morphologically normal, in vitro produced rhesus macaque embryos were dissociated and cytogenetically assessed using a 5-color fluorescent in situ hybridization assay developed for rhesus macaque chromosomes homologous to human chromosomes 13, 16, 18, X and Y.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
The incidence and extent of chromosomal mosaicism in rhesus macaque preimplantation embryos.
Seventy-seven preimplantation embryos, displaying normal morphology and development, from 17 young rhesus macaque females were analyzed. Overall, 39 embryos (50.6%) were normal, 14 embryos (18.2%) were completely abnormal and 24 embryos were mosaic (31.2%). Of the 226 blastomeres analyzed in the mosaic group, 110 blastomeres (48.7%) were normal.
The observed rate of mosaicism in good quality rhesus embryos resembles previously-documented frequencies in poor-quality human preimplantation embryos. A high incidence of mosaicism may limit the diagnostic accuracy of preimplantation genetic diagnosis.
Mosaicism; embryos; monkey; non-human primate; aneuploidy; FISH
Related Articles
Chromosomal instability in rhesus macaque preimplantation embryos
Dupont, Catherine
Froenicke, Lutz
Lyons, Leslie A.
Bavister, Barry D.
Brenner, Carol A.
Fertility and sterility
To establish a relevant animal model to systematically investigate chromosomal instability in human oocytes and preimplantation embryos.
Prospective rhesus monkey IVF study.
Academic laboratory, Oregon National Primate Research Center and Caribbean Primate Research Center.
Young Rhesus macaque females.
In vitro produced (IVP) entire rhesus macaque preimplantation embryos were cytogenetically assessed using a 5-color fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assay developed for rhesus macaque chromosomes homologous to human chromosomes 13, 16, 18, X and Y, using human bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) probes.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
Chromosomal abnormality rates in preimplantation embryos from young rhesus macaque females were established.
Fifty preimplantation embryos, displaying good morphology and normal development, from 11 young rhesus macaque females were analyzed. Overall, 27 embryos (54%) were normal, 11 embryos (22%) mosaic, 3 embryos (6%) chaotic, 2 embryos (4%) aneuploid, 3 embryos (6%) haploid and 4 embryos (8%) triploid.
These data indicate that IVP rhesus macaque and human preimplantation embryos exhibit similar numerical chromosomal aberrations. Rhesus macaques appear to be a suitable animal model for investigating the origin of chromosomal instability observed in human preimplantation embryos.
Aneuploidy; ART; Cytogenetics; Embryo; FISH; IVF; Non-human primate; PGD
Related Articles
Estimating rice chlorophyll content and leaf nitrogen concentration with a digital still color camera under natural light
Wang, Yuan
Wang, Dejian
Shi, Peihua
Omasa, Kenji
Plant Methods
The color of crop leaves is closely correlated with nitrogen (N) status and can be quantified easily with a digital still color camera and image processing software. The establishment of the relationship between image color indices and N status under natural light is important for crop monitoring and N diagnosis in the field. In our study, a digital still color camera was used to take pictures of the canopies of 6 rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars with N treatments ranging from 0 to 315 kg N ha-1 in the field under sunny and overcast conditions in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
Significant correlations were observed between SPAD readings, leaf N concentration (LNC) and 13 image color indices calculated from digital camera images using three color models: RGB, widely used additive color model; HSV, a cylindrical-coordinate similar to the human perception of colors; and the L*a*b* system of the International Commission on Illumination. Among these color indices, the index b*, which represents the visual perception of yellow-blue chroma, has the closest linear relationship with SPAD reading and LNC. However, the relationships between LNC and color indices were affected by the developmental phase. Linear regression models were used to predict LNC and SPAD from color indices and phasic development. After that, the models were validated with independent data. Generally, acceptable performance and prediction were found between the color index b*, SPAD reading and LNC with different cultivars and sampling dates under different natural light conditions.
Our study showed that digital color image analysis could be a simple method of assessing rice N status under natural light conditions for different cultivars and different developmental stages.
Electronic supplementary material
The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1746-4811-10-36) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Digital still color camera; Leaf color; Image processing technology; Natural light; Nitrogen; Rice
Related Articles
Color accuracy of commercial digital cameras for use in dentistry
Wee, Alvin G.
Lindsey, Delwin T.
Kuo, Shanglun
Johnston, William M.
Dental materials : official publication of the Academy of Dental Materials
The use of calibrated, commercial digital cameras for dental applications is promising. The color accuracy of various calibration models were evaluated as applied to three commercial digital cameras for use in dental color matching.
CIE LAB values of 264 color patches and 65 shade tabs were measured with a spectroradiometer. Digital images of the samples were taken with the Nikon D100, Canon D60 and Sigma SD9 cameras. Four regression models were formulated from the color patch CIE LAB and the digital image values. Shade tab CIE LAB colors were predicted by applying the digital image values into the calibration models and were compared to the measured CIE LAB values. The Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test determined if the 12 camera/calibration models differed significantly from the color measurement setup.
Every camera/calibration model (ΔE's ranging from 1.79 to 5.25) showed a statistically significant difference from the color measurement setup.
Commercial SLR digital cameras when combined with the appropriate calibration protocols showed potential for use in the color replication process of clinical dentistry.
Digital cameras; Calibration models; Color measurement; Translucent material
Related Articles
Functional diversity in the color vision of cichlid fishes
Sabbah, Shai
Laria, Raico Lamela
Gray, Suzanne M
Hawryshyn, Craig W
BMC Biology
Color vision plays a critical role in visual behavior. An animal's capacity for color vision rests on the presence of differentially sensitive cone photoreceptors. Spectral sensitivity is a measure of the visual responsiveness of these cones at different light wavelengths. Four classes of cone pigments have been identified in vertebrates, but in teleost fishes, opsin genes have undergone gene duplication events and thus can produce a larger number of spectrally distinct cone pigments. In this study, we examine the question of large-scale variation in color vision with respect to individual, sex and species that may result from differential expression of cone pigments. Cichlid fishes are an excellent model system for examining variation in spectral sensitivity because they have seven distinct cone opsin genes that are differentially expressed.
To examine the variation in the number of cones that participate in cichlid spectral sensitivity, we used whole organism electrophysiology, opsin gene expression and empirical modeling. Examination of over 100 spectral sensitivity curves from 34 individuals of three species revealed that (1) spectral sensitivity of individual cichlids was based on different subsets of four or five cone pigments, (2) spectral sensitivity was shaped by multiple cone interactions and (3) spectral sensitivity differed between species and correlated with foraging mode and the spectral reflectance of conspecifics. Our data also suggest that there may be significant differences in opsin gene expression between the sexes.
Our study describes complex opponent and nonopponent cone interactions that represent the requisite neural processing for color vision. We present the first comprehensive evidence for pentachromatic color vision in vertebrates, which offers the potential for extraordinary spectral discrimination capabilities. We show that opsin gene expression in cichlids, and possibly also spectral sensitivity, may be sex-dependent. We argue that females and males sample their visual environment differently, providing a neural basis for sexually dimorphic visual behaviour. The diversification of spectral sensitivity likely contributes to sensory adaptations that enhance the contrast of transparent prey and the detection of optical signals from conspecifics, suggesting a role for both natural and sexual selection in tuning color vision.
Related Articles
The Heterozygote Superiority Hypothesis for Polymorphic Color Vision Is Not Supported by Long-Term Fitness Data from Wild Neotropical Monkeys
Fedigan, Linda M.
Melin, Amanda D.
Addicott, John F.
Kawamura, Shoji
PLoS ONE
The leading explanatory model for the widespread occurrence of color vision polymorphism in Neotropical primates is the heterozygote superiority hypothesis, which postulates that trichromatic individuals have a fitness advantage over other phenotypes because redgreen chromatic discrimination is useful for foraging, social signaling, or predator detection. Alternative explanatory models predict that dichromatic and trichromatic phenotypes are each suited to distinct tasks. To conclusively evaluate these models, one must determine whether proposed visual advantages translate into differential fitness of trichromatic and dichromatic individuals. We tested whether color vision phenotype is a significant predictor of female fitness in a population of wild capuchins, using longterm 26 years survival and fertility data. We found no advantage to trichromats over dichromats for three fitness measures fertility rates, offspring survival and maternal survival. This finding suggests that a selective mechanism other than heterozygote advantage is operating to maintain the color vision polymorphism. We propose that attention be directed to field testing the alternative mechanisms of balancing selection proposed to explain opsin polymorphism nichedivergence, frequencydependence and mutual benefit of association. This is the first indepth, longterm study examining the effects of color vision variation on survival and reproductive success in a naturallyoccurring population of primates.
Related Articles
The Verriest Lecture: Color lessons from space, time, and motion
Shevell, Steven K.
Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision
The appearance of a chromatic stimulus depends on more than the wavelengths composing it. The scientific literature has countless examples showing that spatial and temporal features of light influence the colors we see. Studying chromatic stimuli that vary over space, time or direction of motion has a further benefit beyond predicting color appearance: the unveiling of otherwise concealed neural processes of color vision. Spatial or temporal stimulus variation uncovers multiple mechanisms of brightness and color perception at distinct levels of the visual pathway. Spatial variation in chromaticity and luminance can change perceived three-dimensional shape, an example of chromatic signals that affect a percept other than color. Chromatic objects in motion expose the surprisingly weak link between the chromaticity of objects and their physical direction of motion, and the role of color in inducing an illusory motion direction. Space, time and motion – color's colleagues – reveal the richness of chromatic neural processing.
Related Articles
Traceable Calibration, Performance Metrics, and Uncertainty Estimates of Minirhizotron Digital Imagery for Fine-Root Measurements
Roberti, Joshua A.
SanClements, Michael D.
Loescher, Henry W.
Ayres, Edward
PLoS ONE
Even though fine-root turnover is a highly studied topic, it is often poorly understood as a result of uncertainties inherent in its sampling, e.g., quantifying spatial and temporal variability. While many methods exist to quantify fine-root turnover, use of minirhizotrons has increased over the last two decades, making sensor errors another source of uncertainty. Currently, no standardized methodology exists to test and compare minirhizotron camera capability, imagery, and performance. This paper presents a reproducible, laboratory-based method by which minirhizotron cameras can be tested and validated in a traceable manner. The performance of camera characteristics was identified and test criteria were developed: we quantified the precision of camera location for successive images, estimated the trueness and precision of each camera's ability to quantify root diameter and root color, and also assessed the influence of heat dissipation introduced by the minirhizotron cameras and electrical components. We report detailed and defensible metrology analyses that examine the performance of two commercially available minirhizotron cameras. These cameras performed differently with regard to the various test criteria and uncertainty analyses. We recommend a defensible metrology approach to quantify the performance of minirhizotron camera characteristics and determine sensor-related measurement uncertainties prior to field use. This approach is also extensible to other digital imagery technologies. In turn, these approaches facilitate a greater understanding of measurement uncertainties (signal-to-noise ratio) inherent in the camera performance and allow such uncertainties to be quantified and mitigated so that estimates of fine-root turnover can be more confidently quantified.
Related Articles
Do common mechanisms of adaptation mediate color discrimination and appearance? Uniform backgrounds
Hillis, James M.
Brainard, David H.
Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision
Color vision is useful for detecting surface boundaries and identifying objects. Are the signals used to perform these two functions processed by common mechanisms, or has the visual system optimized its processing separately for each task? We measured the effect of mean chromaticity and luminance on color discriminability and on color appearance under well-matched stimulus conditions. In the discrimination experiments, a pedestal spot was presented in one interval and a pedestal + test in a second. Observers indicated which interval contained the test. In the appearance experiments, observers matched the appearance of test spots across a change in background. We analyzed the data using a variant of Fechner's proposal, that the rate of apparent stimulus change is proportional to visual sensitivity. We found that saturating visual response functions together with a model of adaptation that included multiplicative gain control and a subtractive term accounted for data from both tasks. This result suggests that effects of the contexts we studied on color appearance and discriminability are controlled by the same underlying mechanism.
Related Articles
Facial Musculature in the Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta): Evolutionary and Functional Contexts with Comparisons to Chimpanzees and Humans
Burrows, Anne M.
Waller, Bridget M.
Parr, Lisa A.
Journal of anatomy
Facial expression is a common mode of visual communication in mammals but especially so in primates. Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) have a well-documented facial expression repertoire that is controlled by the facial/mimetic musculature as in all mammals. However, little is known about the musculature itself and how it compares to those of other primates. Here we present a detailed description of the facial musculature in rhesus macaques in behavioral, evolutionary, and comparative contexts. Foramlin-fixed faces from six adult male specimens were dissected using a novel technique. The morphology, attachments, three-dimensional relationships, and variability of muscles were noted and compared with chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and with humans. Results showed that there was a greater number of facial muscles in rhesus macaques than previously described (24) including variably present (and previously unmentioned) zygomaticus minor, levator labii superioris alaeque nasi, depressor septi, anterior auricularis, inferior auricularis, and depressor supercilii muscles. Facial muscles of the rhesus macaque were very similar to those in chimpanzees and in humans but M. mulatta did not possess a risorius muscle. These results support previous studies that describe a highly graded and intricate facial expression repertoire in rhesus macaques. Furthermore, these results indicate that phylogenetic position is not the primary factor governing structure of primate facial musculature and that other factors such as social behavior are probably more important. Results from the present study may provide valuable input to both biomedical studies that use rhesus macaques as a model for human disease and disorder that includes assessment of facial movement and studies into the evolution of primate societies and communication.
macaque; facial muscle; mimetic; chimpanzee; evolution; facial expression; primate
Related Articles
Color opponent receptive fields self-organize in a biophysical model of visual cortex via spike-timing dependent plasticity
Eguchi, Akihiro
Neymotin, Samuel A.
Stringer, Simon M.
Frontiers in Neural Circuits
Although many computational models have been proposed to explain orientation maps in primary visual cortex (V1), it is not yet known how similar clusters of color-selective neurons in macaque V1/V2 are connected and develop. In this work, we address the problem of understanding the cortical processing of color information with a possible mechanism of the development of the patchy distribution of color selectivity via computational modeling. Each color input is decomposed into a red, green, and blue representation and transmitted to the visual cortex via a simulated optic nerve in a luminance channel and red–green and blue–yellow opponent color channels. Our model of the early visual system consists of multiple topographically-arranged layers of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, with sparse intra-layer connectivity and feed-forward connectivity between layers. Layers are arranged based on anatomy of early visual pathways, and include a retina, lateral geniculate nucleus, and layered neocortex. Each neuron in the V1 output layer makes synaptic connections to neighboring neurons and receives the three types of signals in the different channels from the corresponding photoreceptor position. Synaptic weights are randomized and learned using spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). After training with natural images, the neurons display heightened sensitivity to specific colors. Information-theoretic analysis reveals mutual information between particular stimuli and responses, and that the information reaches a maximum with fewer neurons in the higher layers, indicating that estimations of the input colors can be done using the output of fewer cells in the later stages of cortical processing. In addition, cells with similar color receptive fields form clusters. Analysis of spiking activity reveals increased firing synchrony between neurons when particular color inputs are presented or removed (ON-cell/OFF-cell).
brain modeling; visual cortex; neocortex; color; color selectivity; self-organizing color maps; self-organizing feature maps; STDP
Related Articles
Sex and vision II: color appearance of monochromatic lights
Abramov, Israel
Gordon, James
Feldman, Olga
Chavarga, Alla
Biology of Sex Differences
Because cerebral cortex has a very large number of testosterone receptors, we examined the possible sex differences in color appearance of monochromatic lights across the visible spectrum. There is a history of men and women perceiving color differently. However, all of these studies deal with higher cognitive functions which may be culture-biased. We study basic visual functions, such as color appearance, without reference to any objects. We present here a detailed analysis of sex differences in primary chromatic sensations.
We tested large groups of young adults with normal vision, including spatial and temporal resolution, and stereopsis. Based on standard color-screening and anomaloscope data, we excluded all color-deficient observers. Stimuli were equi-luminant monochromatic lights across the spectrum. They were foveally-viewed flashes presented against a dark background. The elicited sensations were measured using magnitude estimation of hue and saturation. When the only permitted hue terms are red (R) yellow (Y), green (G), blue (B), alone or in combination, such hue descriptions are language-independent and the hue and saturation values can be used to derive a wide range of color-discrimination functions.
There were relatively small but clear and significant, differences between males and females in the hue sensations elicited by almost the entire spectrum. Generally, males required a slightly longer wavelength to experience the same hue as did females. The spectral loci of the unique hues are not correlated with anomaloscope matches; these matches are directly determined by the spectral sensitivities of L- and M-cones (genes for these cones are on the X-chromosomes). Nor are there correlations between loci of pairs of unique hues (R, Y, G, B). Wavelength-discrimination functions derived from the scaling data show that males have a broader range of poorer discrimination in the middle of the spectrum. The precise values for all the data depend on whether Newtonian or Maxwellian optics were used, but the sex differences were the same for both optical systems.
As with our associated paper on spatio-temporal vision, there are marked sex differences in color vision. The color-appearances we measured are determined by inputs from thalamic neurons (LGN) to individual neurons in primary visual cortex. This convergence from LGN to cortex is guided by the cortex during embryogenesis. We hypothesize that testosterone plays a major role, somehow leading to different connectivities for males and females: color appearance requires a re-combination and re-weighting of neuronal inputs from the LGN to the cortex, which, as we show, depends on the sex of the participant.
Related Articles
Variation in the Visual Habitat May Mediate the Maintenance of Color Polymorphism in a Poeciliid Fish
Hurtado-Gonzales, Jorge L.
Loew, Ellis R.
Uy, J. Albert C.
PLoS ONE
The conspicuousness of animal signals is influenced by their contrast against the background. As such, signal conspicuousness will tend to vary in nature because habitats are composed of a mosaic of backgrounds. Variation in attractiveness could result in variation in conspecific mate choice and risk of predation, which, in turn, may create opportunities for balancing selection to maintain distinct polymorphisms. We quantified male coloration, the absorbance spectrum of visual pigments and the photic environment of Poecilia parae, a fish species with five distinct male color morphs: a drab (i.e., grey), a striped, and three colorful (i.e., blue, red and yellow) morphs. Then, using physiological models, we assessed how male color patterns can be perceived in their natural visual habitats by conspecific females and a common cichlid predator, Aequidens tetramerus. Our estimates of chromatic and luminance contrasts suggest that the three most colorful morphs were consistently the most conspicuous across all habitats. However, variation in the visual background resulted in variation in which morph was the most conspicuous to females at each locality. Likewise, the most colorful morphs were the most conspicuous morphs to cichlid predators. If females are able to discriminate between conspicuous prospective mates and those preferred males are also more vulnerable to predation, variable visual habitats could influence the direction and strength of natural and sexual selection, thereby allowing for the persistence of color polymorphisms in natural environments.
Related Articles
Mancuso, Katherine
Mauck, Matthew C.
Kuchenbecker, James A.
Neitz, Maureen
Neitz, Jay
Advances in experimental medicine and biology
In 1993, DeValois and DeValois proposed a "multi-stage color model" to explain how the cortex is ultimately able to deconfound the responses of neurons receiving input from three cone types in order to produce separate red-green and blue-yellow systems, as well as segregate luminance percepts (black-white) from color. This model extended the biological implementation of Hurvich and Jameson's Opponent-Process Theory of color vision, a two-stage model encompassing the three cone types combined in a later opponent organization, which has been the accepted dogma in color vision. DeValois' model attempts to satisfy the long-remaining question of how the visual system separates luminance information from color, but what are the cellular mechanisms that establish the complicated neural wiring and higher-order operations required by the Multi-stage Model? During the last decade and a half, results from molecular biology have shed new light on the evolution of primate color vision, thus constraining the possibilities for the visual circuits. The evolutionary constraints allow for an extension of DeValois' model that is more explicit about the biology of color vision circuitry, and it predicts that human red-green colorblindness can be cured using a retinal gene therapy approach to add the missing photopigment, without any additional changes to the post-synaptic circuitry.
Related Articles
Appearance-Based Multimodal Human Tracking and Identification for Healthcare in the Digital Home
Yang, Mau-Tsuen
Huang, Shen-Yen
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
There is an urgent need for intelligent home surveillance systems to provide home security, monitor health conditions, and detect emergencies of family members. One of the fundamental problems to realize the power of these intelligent services is how to detect, track, and identify people at home. Compared to RFID tags that need to be worn all the time, vision-based sensors provide a natural and nonintrusive solution. Observing that body appearance and body build, as well as face, provide valuable cues for human identification, we model and record multi-view faces, full-body colors and shapes of family members in an appearance database by using two Kinects located at a home's entrance. Then the Kinects and another set of color cameras installed in other parts of the house are used to detect, track, and identify people by matching the captured color images with the registered templates in the appearance database. People are detected and tracked by multisensor fusion (Kinects and color cameras) using a Kalman filter that can handle duplicate or partial measurements. People are identified by multimodal fusion (face, body appearance, and silhouette) using a track-based majority voting. Moreover, the appearance-based human detection, tracking, and identification modules can cooperate seamlessly and benefit from each other. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the human tracking across multiple sensors and human identification considering the information of multi-view faces, full-body clothes, and silhouettes. The proposed home surveillance system can be applied to domestic applications in digital home security and intelligent healthcare.
home healthcare; human detection; human tracking; human identification
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The rhesus macaque is three times as diverse but more closely equivalent in damaging coding variation as compared to the human
Yuan, Qiaoping
Zhou, Zhifeng
Lindell, Stephen G
Higley, J Dee
Ferguson, Betsy
Thompson, Robert C
Lopez, Juan F
Suomi, Stephen J
Baghal, Basel
Baker, Maggie
Mash, Deborah C
Barr, Christina S
Goldman, David
BMC Genetics
As a model organism in biomedicine, the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) is the most widely used nonhuman primate. Although a draft genome sequence was completed in 2007, there has been no systematic genome-wide comparison of genetic variation of this species to humans. Comparative analysis of functional and nonfunctional diversity in this highly abundant and adaptable non-human primate could inform its use as a model for human biology, and could reveal how variation in population history and size alters patterns and levels of sequence variation in primates.
We sequenced the mRNA transcriptome and H3K4me3-marked DNA regions in hippocampus from 14 humans and 14 rhesus macaques. Using equivalent methodology and sampling spaces, we identified 462,802 macaque SNPs, most of which were novel and disproportionately located in the functionally important genomic regions we had targeted in the sequencing. At least one SNP was identified in each of 16,797 annotated macaque genes. Accuracy of macaque SNP identification was conservatively estimated to be >90%. Comparative analyses using SNPs equivalently identified in the two species revealed that rhesus macaque has approximately three times higher SNP density and average nucleotide diversity as compared to the human. Based on this level of diversity, the effective population size of the rhesus macaque is approximately 80,000 which contrasts with an effective population size of less than 10,000 for humans. Across five categories of genomic regions, intergenic regions had the highest SNP density and average nucleotide diversity and CDS (coding sequences) the lowest, in both humans and macaques. Although there are more coding SNPs (cSNPs) per individual in macaques than in humans, the ratio of dN/dS is significantly lower in the macaque. Furthermore, the number of damaging nonsynonymous cSNPs (have damaging effects on protein functions from PolyPhen-2 prediction) in the macaque is more closely equivalent to that of the human.
This large panel of newly identified macaque SNPs enriched for functionally significant regions considerably expands our knowledge of genetic variation in the rhesus macaque. Comparative analysis reveals that this widespread, highly adaptable species is approximately three times as diverse as the human but more closely equivalent in damaging variation.
Rhesus macaque; Human; Single nucleotide polymorphism; Diversity; Comparative genomics
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Contrast enhanced ultrasound reveals real-time spatial changes in vascular perfusion during early implantation in the macaque uterus
Keator, Christopher S.
Lindner, Jonathan R.
Belcik, J. Todd
Bishop, Cecily V.
Slayden, Ov D.
Fertility and sterility
To use contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEU) to quantify blood flow in the macaque uterus during early pregnancy.
Prospective nonhuman primate study.
National Primate Research Center.
Naturally cycling female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).
Female macaques were mated on days 11–14 of the cycle. Females were then imaged by CEU and Doppler ultrasound (DUS) once every 3 days from day 21 through day 39 of the fertile cycle.
Main Outcome Measures
Visualization and quantification of uterine vascular perfusion.
CEU identified the primary placental disc and underlying vessels ~2 days earlier than DUS was able to observe endometrial thickening. CEU revealed spatial differences in vascular perfusion between the endometrium, myometrium, and the endometrial-myometrial (junctional) zone. Myometrium displayed the highest rate of blood flow (>10 mL/min/g tissue). There was less blood flow in the endometrium and junctional zone (<3 mL/min/g). A brief fall in progesterone was observed during early implantation, which was correlated with reduced blood flow to all three uterine compartments, but did not reduce flow to the placenta.
CEU provides a sensitive, non-invasive method to assess vascular perfusion of the uterus during embryo implantation in macaques. We propose CEU as a new diagnostic tool to monitor vascular changes associated with early pregnancy in women.
contrast enhanced ultrasound; Doppler ultrasound; endometrium; implantation; macaque; pregnancy; progesterone; uterus; vascular perfusion
Related Articles
Characterization of color CRT display systems for monochrome applications
Spekowius, G.
Journal of Digital Imaging
Soft-copy presentation of medical images is becoming more and more important as medical imaging is strongly moving toward digital technology, and health care facilities are converting to filmless hospital and radiological information management. Although most medical images are monochrome, frequently they are displayed on color CRTs, particularly if general-purpose workstations or PCs are used for medical viewing. In the present report, general measurement and modeling procedures for the characterization of color CRT monitors for monochrome presentation are introduced. The contributions from the three color channels (red, green, and blue) are weighted according to the spectral sensitivity of the human eye for photopic viewing. The luminance behavior and the resolution capabilities of color CRT monitors are analyzed with the help of photometer and charge-coupled device (CCD) camera measurements. For the evaluation of spatial resolution, a two-dimensional Fourier analysis of special test images containing white noise (broadband response) is employed. A stage model for a color CRT monitor is developed to discuss the effects of scanning and dot sampling. Furthermore, display intrinsic veiling glare and reflectivity of typical color CRT monitors are measured and compared with those of monochrome CRT monitors. The developed methods and models allow one to describe the image quality aspects of color monitors if they are applied for medical monochrome image presentation. Particularly, because of the reduced luminance and dynamic range of color monitors, the calibration and control of their luminance curves is a very important task. For present color CRT monitors, 1,280×1,024 turns out to be an intrinsic limit for the displayable matrix of medical images.
monitor characterization; color CRT monitors; soft-copy viewing; image quality
Related Articles
Sex-Specific Heritability of Spontaneous Lipid Levels in an Extended Pedigree of Indian-Origin Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta)
Vinson, Amanda
Mitchell, Asia D.
Toffey, David
Silver, Jacob
Raboin, Michael J.
PLoS ONE
The rhesus macaque is an important model for human atherosclerosis but genetic determinants of relevant phenotypes have not yet been investigated in this species. Because lipid levels are well-established and heritable risk factors for human atherosclerosis, our goal was to assess the heritability of lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels in a single, extended pedigree of 1,289 Indian-origin rhesus macaques. Additionally, because increasing evidence supports sex differences in the genetic architecture of lipid levels and lipid metabolism in humans and macaques, we also explored sex-specific heritability for all lipid measures investigated in this study. Using standard methods, we measured lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels from fasted plasma in a sample of 193 pedigreed rhesus macaques selected for membership in large, paternal half-sib cohorts, and maintained on a low-fat, low cholesterol chow diet. Employing a variance components approach, we found moderate heritability for total cholesterol (h2=0.257, P=0.032), LDL cholesterol (h2=0.252, P=0.030), and triglyceride levels (h2=0.197, P=0.034) in the full sample. However, stratification by sex (N=68 males, N=125 females) revealed substantial sex-specific heritability for total cholesterol (0.644, P=0.004, females only), HDL cholesterol (0.843, P=0.0008, females only), VLDL cholesterol (0.482, P=0.018, males only), and triglyceride levels (0.705, P=0.001, males only) that was obscured or absent when sexes were combined in the full sample. We conclude that genes contribute to spontaneous variation in circulating lipid levels in the Indian-origin rhesus macaque in a sex-specific manner, and that the rhesus macaque is likely to be a valuable model for sex-specific genetic effects on lipid risk factors for human atherosclerosis. These findings are a first-ever report of heritability for cholesterol levels in this species, and support the need for expanded analysis of these traits in this population.
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Toward Quantifying the Aesthetic Outcomes of Breast Cancer Treatment: Comparison of Clinical Photography and Colorimetry
Kim, Min Soon
Rodney, William N.
Cooper, Tara
Kite, Chris
Reece, Gregory P.
Markey, Mia K.
Journal of evaluation in clinical practice
Rationale, aims and objectives
Scarring is a significant cause of dissatisfaction for women who undergo breast surgery. Scar tissue may be clinically distinguished from normal skin by aberrant color, rough surface texture, increased thickness (hypertrophy), and firmness. Colorimeters or spectrophotometers can be used to quantitatively assess scar color, but they require direct patient interaction and can cost thousands of dollars By comparison, digital photography is already in widespread use to document clinical outcomes and requires less patient interaction. Thus, assessment of scar coloration by digital photography is an attractive alternative. The goal of this study was to compare color measurements obtained by digital photography and colorimetry.
Agreement between photographic and colorimetric measurements of color were evaluated. Experimental conditions were controlled by performing measurements on artificial scars created by a makeup artist. The colorimetric measurements of the artificial scars were compared to those reported in the literature for real scars in order to confirm the validity of this approach. We assessed the agreement between the colorimetric and photographic measurements of color using a hypothesis test for equivalence, the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and the Bland-Altman method.
Overall, good agreement was obtained for three parameters (L*a*b*) measured by colorimetry and photography from the results of three statistical analyses.
Color measurements obtained by digital photography were equivalent to those obtained using colorimetry. Thus, digital photography is a reliable, cost-effective measurement method of skin color and should be further investigated for quantitative analysis of surgical outcomes.
Aesthetics; Breast Neoplasm; Clinical Photography; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures; Surgical Scars; Treatment Outcome
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Google Glass for Documentation of Medical Findings: Evaluation in Forensic Medicine
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von Jan, Ute
Kuebler, Joachim
Zoeller, Christoph
Lacher, Martin
Muensterer, Oliver J
Ettinger, Max
Klintschar, Michael
Hagemeier, Lars
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Google Glass is a promising premarket device that includes an optical head-mounted display. Several proof of concept reports exist, but there is little scientific evidence regarding its use in a medical setting.
The objective of this study was to empirically determine the feasibility of deploying Glass in a forensics setting.
Glass was used in combination with a self-developed app that allowed for hands-free operation during autopsy and postmortem examinations of 4 decedents performed by 2 physicians. A digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera was used for image comparison. In addition, 6 forensic examiners (3 male, 3 female; age range 23-48 years, age mean 32.8 years, SD 9.6; mean work experience 6.2 years, SD 8.5) were asked to evaluate 159 images for image quality on a 5-point Likert scale, specifically color discrimination, brightness, sharpness, and their satisfaction with the acquired region of interest. Statistical evaluations were performed to determine how Glass compares with conventionally acquired digital images.
All images received good (median 4) and very good ratings (median 5) for all 4 categories. Autopsy images taken by Glass (n=32) received significantly lower ratings than those acquired by DSLR camera (n=17) (region of interest: z=–5.154, P<.001; sharpness: z=–7.898, P<.001; color: z=–4.407, P<.001, brightness: z=–3.187, P=.001). For 110 images of postmortem examinations (Glass: n=54, DSLR camera: n=56), ratings for region of interest (z=–8.390, P<.001) and brightness (z=–540, P=.007) were significantly lower. For interrater reliability, intraclass correlation (ICC) values were good for autopsy (ICC=.723, 95% CI .667-.771, P<.001) and postmortem examination (ICC=.758, 95% CI .727-.787, P<.001). Postmortem examinations performed using Glass took 42.6 seconds longer than those done with the DSLR camera (z=–2.100, P=.04 using Wilcoxon signed rank test). The battery charge of Glass quickly decreased; an average 5.5% (SD 1.85) of its battery capacity was spent per postmortem examination (0.81% per minute or 0.79% per picture).
Glass was efficient for acquiring images for documentation in forensic medicine, but the image quality was inferior compared to a DSLR camera. Images taken with Glass received significantly lower ratings for all 4 categories in an autopsy setting and for region of interest and brightness in postmortem examination. The effort necessary for achieving the objectives was higher when using the device compared to the DSLR camera thus extending the postmortem examination duration. Its relative high power consumption and low battery capacity is also a disadvantage. At the current stage of development, Glass may be an adequate tool for education. For deployment in clinical care, issues such as hygiene, data protection, and privacy need to be addressed and are currently limiting chances for professional use.
Google Glass; forensic medicine; autopsy, postmortem examination; documentation
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Animals signal their reproductive status in a range of sensory modalities. Highly social animals, such as primates, have access not only to such signals, but also to prior experience of other group members. Whether this experience affects how animals interpret reproductive signals is unknown. Here, we explore whether familiarity with a specific female affects a male's ability to assess that female's reproductive signals. We used a preferential looking procedure to assess signal discrimination in free-ranging rhesus macaques, a species in which female facial luminance covaries with reproductive status. We collected images of female faces throughout the reproductive cycle, and using faecal hormone analysis to determine ovulation, categorized images as coming from a female's pre-fertile, ovulating, or post-fertile period. We printed colour-calibrated stimuli of these faces, reproducing stimuli perceptually the same in colour and luminance to the original appearance of females. These images were presented to males who were either unfamiliar or familiar with stimuli females. Overall, males distinguished ovulatory from pre-ovulatory faces. However, a significant proportion of males did so only among males familiar with stimuli females. These experiments demonstrate that familiarity may increase a receiver's ability to use a social partner's signals to discern their reproductive status.
familiarity; experience; cognition; reproductive signals; ovulation; discrimination
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A common-sense assumption concerning visual perception states that brightness and darkness cannot coexist at a given spatial location. One corollary of this assumption is that achromatic colors, or perceived grey shades, are contained in a one-dimensional (1-D) space varying from bright to dark. The results of many previous psychophysical studies suggest, by contrast, that achromatic colors are represented as points in a color space composed of two or more perceptual dimensions. The nature of these perceptual dimensions, however, presently remains unclear. Here we provide direct evidence that brightness and darkness form the dimensions of a two-dimensional (2-D) achromatic color space. This color space may play a role in the representation of object surfaces viewed against natural backgrounds, which simultaneously induce both brightness and darkness signals. Our 2-D model generalizes to the chromatic dimensions of color perception, indicating that redness and greenness (blueness and yellowness) also form perceptual dimensions. Collectively, these findings suggest that human color space is composed of six dimensions, rather than the conventional three.
Author Summary
Vision scientists have long adhered to the classic opponent-coding theory of vision, which states that bright–dark, red–green, and blue–yellow form mutually exclusive color pairs. According to this theory, it is not possible to see both brightness and darkness at a single spatial location, or an extended set of locations, such as a uniform surface. One corollary of this statement is that all perceivable grey shades vary along a continuum from bright to dark. At first glance, the notion that brightness and darkness cannot coexist on a single surface accords with our common-sense notion that a given grey shade cannot be simultaneously both brighter and darker than any other grey shade. The results presented here suggest that this common-sense notion is not supported by experimental data. Our results imply that a given grey shade can indeed be simultaneously brighter and darker than another grey shade. This seemingly paradoxical conclusion arises naturally if one assumes that brightness and darkness constitute the dimensions of a two-dimensional perceptual space in which points represent grey shades. Our results may encourage scientists working in related fields to question the assumption that perceptual variables, rather than sensory variables, are encoded in opponent pairs.
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Highlights for vismodegib
vismodegib Side Effects
Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:
- allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (Report these to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome.):
- changes in taste
- constipation
- diarrhea
- hair loss
- joint pain
- loss of appetite
- muscle cramps
- nausea, vomiting
- tiredness
- weight loss
vismodegib May Interact with Other Medications
- antacids
- azithromycin
- clarithromycin
- erythromycin
- medicines for stomach problems like cimetidine, famotidine, omeprazole, lansoprazole
How to Use vismodegib
Take this medicine by mouth with a glass of water. Do not cut, crush, or chew this medicine. You can take this medication with or without food. If it upsets your stomach, take it with food. Take your medicine at regular intervals. Do not take it more often than directed. Do not stop taking except on your doctor's advice.
A special MedGuide will be given to you by the pharmacist with each prescription and refill. Be sure to read this information carefully each time.
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text:
In one embodiment, a power switch device (33) includes a first MOSFET device 41 and a second MOSFET device (42). A split gate structure (84) including a first gate electrode (48,87) controls the first MOSFET device (41). A second gate electrode (49,92) controls the second MOSFET device (42). A current limit device (38) is coupled to the first gate electrode (48,97) to turn on the first MOSFET device during a current limit mode. A comparator device (36) is coupled to the second gate electrode (49,92) to turn on the second MOSFET device (42) when the power switch device (33) is no longer in current limit mode.
1. A semiconductor switching device comprising:
a body of semiconductor material including a first major surface;
a first pair of current carrying electrodes formed in the first major surface;
a second pair of current carrying electrodes formed in the first major surface; and
a split control electrode structure including a first control electrode formed on the body of semiconductor material for controlling the first pair of current carrying electrodes, and a second control electrode formed on the body of semiconductor material for controlling the second pair of current carrying electrodes.
2. The device of
3. The device of
4. The device of
5. The device of
6. The device of
7. The device of
8. The device of
9. The device of
10. A hot swap protection device comprising:
a split gate switching device including a first MOSFET device having a first gate electrode and a second MOSFET device having a second gate electrode;
a current limit device coupled to the first gate electrode for controlling the first MOSFET device during a current limit mode of operation; and
a comparator device coupled to the first and second control electrodes for turning on the second MOSFET device during non-current limit mode of operation.
11. The device of
a plurality of first gate electrodes for controlling a plurality of first MOSFET devices; and
a plurality of second gate electrodes for controlling a plurality of second MOSFET devices, wherein at least one second gate electrode is interdigitated between a pair of first gate electrodes.
12. The device of
13. The device of
14. The device of
15. The device of
16. The device of
17. A method for forming semiconductor switching device comprising the steps:
providing a body of semiconductor material including a first major surface;
forming a first pair of current carrying electrodes in the first major surface;
forming a second pair of current carrying electrodes in the first major surface; and
forming a split control electrode structure including a first control electrode on the body of semiconductor material for controlling the first pair of current carrying electrodes, and a second control electrode on the body of semiconductor material for controlling the second pair of current carrying electrodes.
18. The method of
19. The device of
20. The device of
This invention relates generally to power semiconductor systems, and more specifically to power semiconductor devices for limiting current surges on power bus lines.
In telecommunication, network and computer systems, it is often desired to plug or unplug electronic circuit cards from their power source without removing power from the system. This is typically referred to as "hot swapping" or "hot plugging". During hot swapping events, it is desired to minimize power bus transients, and at the same time, protect both the card and the system from transients that may occur despite precautions.
To protect cards and systems from transients and faults, other circuits typically are inserted in the power lines to detect faults and respond in a way that prevents faulty operation or damage. In a typical configuration, a power semiconductor device, such as a power MOSFET, is coupled into the power line in series with load capacitors and circuits on the circuit card. Control circuitry is included to sense voltage and current in order to detect faults in the system. The control circuitry can then turn on or turn off the power semiconductor device in response to the sensed signals, which protects the system. Such circuits are commonly referred to as "hot swap" or "hot plug" circuits or devices.
Once a card is plugged into the system and its power MOSFET device is fully turned on, power bus current passes through the power MOSFET and into a load device. If no faults occur, the power MOSFET may remain in an on state for an extended period of time. In this case, it is important that the power MOSFET device have a low drain to source resistance (i.e., on resistance (RDSon)) to minimize power dissipation and voltage drop on the power bus.
In addition, it is important that the protective circuitry provide a very low current limit to prevent a large inrush current, which can occur when a card is plugged into a system. The current limit is used to more slowly charge load capacitances when the card is first plugged in, and to prevent large inrush currents in the event of a shorted load after the card is plugged in.
Present power MOSFET designs use dense cell geometries to achieve low RDSon, which results in a device with a very large gain (Gm). In order to limit current on a device with a very large gain, gate voltage (Vgs) must be reduced to level that is very near threshold voltage (Vth). When Vgs is close to Vth, drain saturation current (IDSAT) increases with temperature (i.e., IDSAT has a positive temperature coefficient). This effect can result in "hot spot" formation and thermal runaway, which can lead to device and ultimately system failure.
Accordingly, a need exists for a power switching device that has low on resistance and low current limit capability (i.e., low IDSAT), and that is more robust against the effects of hot spot formation and thermal runaway.
In general, the present invention pertains to electronic systems where it is desired to plug and/or unplug printed circuit cards without powering the system down. In particular, the present invention includes a power switching device having more than one separately controlled gate electrode. Under an inrush current condition, one gate electrode is used to turn on a portion of the power MOSFET device to provide a more optimum current limiting device. Under steady-state conditions, an additional and separate gate electrode is used to turn on the balance of the power MOSFET device to provide a low on resistance characteristic.
Protection device 11 comprises a power MOSFET 18 having a drain coupled to a load capacitor 19, and a source coupled to ground node 13. Power MOSFET 18 further includes a gate or control electrode that is coupled to control circuitry 21. Power MOSFET 18 operates in response to a control signal from control circuitry 21 to route a load current from the supply voltage to ground node 13 as a protected signal.
When card 10 is connected to power bus 12, hot swap device 11 slowly turns on power MOSFET 18, and the current ramps up as input capacitor 16 is charged. The current is then limited to a pre-determined maximum value until input capacitor 16 is fully charged to prevent a large inrush current from upsetting power bus 13. At this time, power MOSFET 18 is fully turned on and acts as a low resistance pass element to supply power to a load such as DC/DC converter 23.
If a short occurs on card 10, then current will ramp up to a pre-determined current limit, but input capacitor 16 will not fully charge. The circuit will continue to draw high current as determined by the current limit of hot swap device 11. Under this condition, the power dissipation in power MOSFET 18 will cause junction temperature to rise until a thermal limit is reached as monitored by control circuitry 21. Control circuitry 21 then turns power MOSFET 18 off to protect card 10 and the electronic system.
One problem with power MOSFET 18 is that it is incapable of providing low RDSon and a low current limit without risking a thermal runaway situation. To achieve low RDSon, power MOSFET 18 typically has a dense cell geometry. This is a disadvantage because it results in a MOSFET with a very large gain or transconductance (Gm). To limit the current to a low value for a MOSFET with very large gain, the gate voltage must be reduced to very near the transistor's threshold voltage (Vth). For example, on a typical prior art 100 volt hot swap device with an RDSon of 35 mOhm, the gate voltage (Vgs) must be reduced to about 2.0 volts in order to limit current to a desired level of 6 amps. In a typical prior 100 volt device, Vth is 1.7 volts, and Vgs is only about 0.3 volts above Vth in a current limit situation.
When power MOSFET 18 is operated in the saturation region where drain current is limited by Vgs, the temperature coefficient of IDSAT can be positive, zero, or negative. The competing effects are mobility, which decreases with temperature, and Vth, which also decreases with temperature. Decreasing mobility reduces IDSAT, but decreasing Vth increases IDSAT. When Vgs is much greater than Vth, the mobility effect dominates, and IDSAT decreases with temperature. However, when Vgs is close to Vth, the Vth effect dominates, and IDSAT increases with temperature.
When prior art large power MOSFETs (e.g., power MOSFET 18) are limited at a low current level, such devices operate in the region where IDSAT increases with temperature, and Vgs is very close to Vth. This can lead to a thermal runaway situation. If temperature in a region of the power device increases, then current in that region also will increase. This leads to a further increase in temperature, and a further increase in current that causes a "hot spot" to develop. This hot spot can cause power MOSFET 18 and ultimately the system to fail.
Turning now to
According to the present invention, a first gate or control electrode 48 controls current conduction in first switch 41, and a separate or second gate or control electrode 49 controls current conduction second switch 42. More particularly, first control electrode 48 controls a first pair of current carrying electrodes or regions (e.g., sources 52 and drain 53), and second control electrode 49 controls a second pair of current carrying electrodes or regions (e.g., sources 56 and drain 54).
First switch 41 and a second switch 42 each have a common drain 53 and 54 respectively coupled to a load 44 and a filter capacitor 46. Filter capacitor 46 functions to smooth out noise spikes on power bus 51 to provide a more stable biasing. Load 44 comprises, for example, a DC/DC converter that draws a load current ILOAD of about 5 amperes as a peak value through capacitor 46 and load 44. A typical average value of ILOAD is about 3 amperes. By way of example, capacitor 46 has a value of about 1,000 microfarads.
Hot swap structure 31 further includes a current limit device or circuit 38 coupled to control circuitry 37, control electrode 48 of switching device 42, and control electrode 49 of switching device 41. A comparator device 36 including a voltage comparator 39 and an inverter 41 is coupled to control electrodes 48 and 49. Comparator device 36 functions to turn-on control electrode 49 once the Vgs at control electrode 48 reaches a certain or pre-determined value (e.g., 5 volts), which corresponds to a non-current limit mode. Control circuitry 37 is coupled to split gate device 33 to turn on or turn off split gate device 33 in response to sensed signals, and comprises, for example, a comparator and voltage reference circuit.
Preferably, hot swap device 31 is integrated or formed on the same semiconductor chip or one body of semiconductor material (as shown in
According to the present invention, first switch or MOSFET device 41 forms part of an inrush current limiter device. For example, when the circuit card is hot swapped, current ILOAD flows into capacitor 46 to charge it the value of VSUPP. First switch 41 together with control circuitry 37 and current limit circuit 38 limits the peak value of ILOAD, which could otherwise reach one hundred amperes or more, to a value of about ten amperes. More specifically, in current limit mode, the channel regions of first switch or MOSFET device 41 are in a current conduction mode while the channel regions of second switch or MOSFET device 42 are turned off. As a result, for a given IDSAT, Vgs is greater, which puts split gate device 33 in an operating region where Vgs>>Vth, and IDSAT decreases with temperature. Split gate device or power switch device 33 then operates more robustly and reliably while avoiding hotspots and thermal runaway.
After capacitor 46 is fully charged and hot swap device 31 is no longer in current limit mode (i.e., non-current limit mode), comparator device 36 is used to turn on second MOSFET device 42, and the entire channel or current carrying layer or region of split gate device 33 is used to conduct current to provide a low RDSon. Comparator 39 is set to turn on, for example, when the Vgs of first switch 41 is about 5 volts. According to the present invention, this ensures that first switch or MOSFET device 41 is fully turned on and not in current limit mode before second switch or MOSFET device 42 is turned on.
Turning now to
In embodiment 82, a first gate feed 86 is coupled to a plurality of first control or gate electrodes 87, and a second gate feed 91 is coupled to a plurality of second control or gate electrodes 92. According to the present invention, at least one of the second gate electrodes 92 is juxtaposed, next to, or adjacent to one of the first gate electrodes. Preferably as shown in embodiment 82, at least one of the second gate electrodes 92 is interdigitated between a pair of first gate electrodes 87. By structuring the gate electrodes in this manner, the current carrying load of split gate device 33 is spread out more evenly across the device. This further reduces any potential for hot spot formation and thermal runaway.
In embodiment 83, more than one of second gate electrodes 92 is interdigitated between a pair of first gate electrodes 87. Although two gate electrodes 92 are shown in
The current through the sense cells (i.e., switch 43) is routed through Rsense to develop a voltage Vsense. As Vsense increases, the voltage at the gate of switching device 41 increases, and eventually switching device 41 turns on through switch 111. Resistors 112 and 113 function as a level shift set the gate voltage of switch 11. Device 41 pulls current through resistor RG1, which decreases the gate voltage thereby limiting current flow in first switch 41.
Thus it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the present invention, a semiconductor switching device having low RDSon and a low current limit. In particular, the device includes a split gate structure that turns on a portion of the switching device during a current limit mode, and that turns on another portion of the switching device when non-current limit conditions are met. The present invention provides a device that overcomes thermal runaway problems associated with prior art switching devices.
Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is not intended that the invention be limited to these illustrative embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention encompass all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.
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Town Square
Girls' business venture in the bag
Original post made on May 29, 2009
Read the full story here Web Link posted Friday, May 29, 2009, 12:12 PM
Comments (2)
a resident of The Crossings
on May 29, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Pictures of the purses are in the print edition of the MV Voice. Can we buy them? Where? They're cute!
a resident of another community
on May 29, 2009 at 9:55 pm
Great job by the school and the girls, however this is not a new idea, this type of bag has been around for awhile.
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This segment examines a scene from a film that took low-light shooting to new levels. Director Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon, released in 1975, still holds the title for the lowest f-stop lens used in a film. With the beautifully crafted shots in the film, it's no surprise that Director of Photography John Alcott won the academy award for best cinematography. Deconstructing Cinematography looks at an incredibly lit scene, using only three candles.
Deconstructing Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Cinematographer Conrad Hall won the academy award for best cinematography for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in 1969, and his style still has enormous influence in movies today. We look at a scene from a great film that boldly pushed the boundaries of the western genre and set a new look for the classic western.
Deconstructing Citizen Kane
Videomaker's Deconstructing Cinematography examines great movie scenes known for spectacular cinematography and breaks them down to find why they're highly revered. In this segment we review a scene from an all time classic, Citizen Kane. Released in 1941, and nominated for best cinematography, many of the techniques used in the film proved to be groundbreaking changes in the way movies are made.
New Titles: Corporate Video Production, Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio
Anonymous (not verified) - Wed, 08/01/2012 - 12:00amBook and Media Reviews
Video: The Great Equalizer
mikerosen - July 06th, 2012
My grandfather didn't work in video; he was a writer, but he had one useful piece of advice that can apply to anyone working in any creative field. He used to tell me about his student years at the New School for Social Research in New York, how so many of his fellow students spent their time hanging out in coffee houses and talking about the great American novel that they were going to write someday.
Viewfinder: Device vs Feature
Anonymous (not verified) - Sun, 07/01/2012 - 12:00amWhen filmmaking was expensive, cumbersome and an elitists' domain, only the filmmakers could tell a story. Now that video has become a communications form for the masses, anyone can help democratize the world by giving voice to those who have none.
VM Reader Learns Importance of Audio in Cooking Show Experience
mikerosen - June 28th, 2012
Time and again, we've warned readers about the importance of audio in video. Audiences will tolerate -- some may even expect -- imperfections in a video's visuals, but they absolutely will not stand for poor quality audio. Tinny or muffled sound instantly breaks our suspension of disbelief; it can make it difficult to follow the storyline or really connect with the characters.
Can You Catch Ghosts on Video?
mikerosen - June 21st, 2012
We're all curious about the strange, the unexplained, the unknown... Whether you're a believer or a skeptic, you have to admit that there's something fascinating about the thought that there might be things in this world beyond mortal ken. That's why so many people have dedicated themselves to cataloging and investigating strange phenomena like ghosts and spirits.
Fair Trade Connection Shares Stories of Global Workers with Video
mikerosen - May 31st, 2012
It's always exciting when we see someone using their video skills to help improve the world. We've long seen the potential for video to change the world, from its role in democratizing news gathering to its use as a classroom aid for education.
Gap Tooth Documentary Shows Even Small Stories Can Intrigue
mikerosen - May 25th, 2012
We've often talked about documentary video on this site and the one thing that we've stressed time and again is that a documentary topic does not need to be "big" to be good. Many readers look at documentaries like Ken Burns' Civil War and assume that all documentaries need to be similarly epic sagas. But sometimes smaller stories have even more potential to really speak to people.


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VIEWS: 0 PAGES: 2 POSTED ON: 11/20/2011 Public Domain
Enhancing Our Clients' Financial Lives FORZA INVESTMENT ADVISORY, LLC www.ForzaInvestment.com Call us (908) 344-9790 _________________________________________________________________________________ From the Desk of Bob Centrella, CFA: 7/18/2011 Dear Friends, Hope you all enjoyed the sunshine over the weekend as here in NJ it was a great one to be outside. I spent part of the weekend building a storage shed. I've got all the walls up but now need to add the ceiling after changing my plans and raising the ceiling to 8 feet. (See where I am going with this yet? I'm trying to come up with a clever analogy to get me over to this weeks' big issue of the US government raising the debt ceiling.) So after reworking my plans and making some compromises, I've come up with a new plan that will allow the larger shed to hold more stuff. Basically, this is what our government is trying to go through, allowing it to store more stuff -- stuff being debt. However, both political parties are having a tough time compromising and it is becoming the latest thorn in the side of the financial markets. So we should follow the headlines this week as we head to the August 2nd deadline and hope that calmer heads prevail and a deal is reached. Following is this week's complimentary market update. Below are some highlights of the past week: Economy The trade deficit in goods and services expanded by $6.6 billion to $50.2 billion in May. The consensus expected a trade deficit of $44.1 billion. Exports declined $1.0 billion in May, led by petroleum. Imports increased $5.6 billion, led by oil and computers. The rise in oil imports was due to both higher volume and prices. The Producer Price Index (PPI) fell 0.4% in June, a larger decline than the consensus expected (-0.2%). Producer prices are up 7.0% versus a year ago. The June drop in the PPI was all due to energy, which fell 2.8%. Food prices rose 0.6%. The "core" PPI, which excludes food and energy, increased 0.3%, a larger increase than the consensus expected (+0.2%). The Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell 0.2% in June versus a consensus expected decline of 0.1%. The CPI is up 3.6% versus a year ago. The fall in the CPI was all due to a 4.4% drop in energy prices. Food prices were up 0.2%. Excluding food and energy, the "core" CPI increased 0.3% versus a consensus expected gain of 0.2%. Core prices are up 1.6% versus last year. Although core prices are still up only 1.6% in the past year, they increased 0.3% in June following another 0.3% increase in May. In the past two months 'core" prices are up at a 3.3% annual rate, the fastest two-month pace since 2006. Industrial production increased 0.2% in June, coming in slightly below the consensus expected gain of 0.3%. Industrial production grew modestly in June but is going to surge sharply in July as automakers start to recover from the supply-chain disruptions coming from Japan. Overall capacity utilization was unchanged at 76.7% in June. Manufacturing capacity use was unchanged at 74.4%. Stock Market US stocks fell across the board pulling back over 2% as investors worried about the debt crisis on both sides of the Atlantic. Investors sold into strength during the week as the market could not hold early gains. Investors will await the true beginning of earnings season this week. Outlooks provided by companies could set the tone for the rest of the month. Consensus expectations call for S&P earnings to grow 11.8% on average from last year. Foreign equity markets were also red just about everywhere. Euro stocks declined between 3% and 4% while Asian markets dropped. The lone exception was China where the Shanghai composite rose .8%. Bond Market Treasury prices rose amid all the turmoil with the 10-year US Treasury yield falling back under 3% to 2.91%. Over the past 2 weeks the 10-yr yield has moved down 30 basis points. On the short end, the 2-year note yielded .36%, down .03%. Bernanke reiterated that the Fed is ready to provide further stimulus to the economy if growth and inflation slow much more but also said that time has not yet come. Two major ratings agencies put the US on notice that AAA could be in jeopardy if Congress fails to raise the debt limit by the Aug 2 deadline. Italian bond yield soared to over 6% early in the week only to pull back after Italian politicians backed austerity measures. Commodities & Currencies Crude oil increased $1.04 to $97.24 per barrel. Gold prices gained $48.6 or 3.15% on the flight to safety to close at a record high. The US Dollar declined slightly against the Euro and gained against the Yen. Weekly Index Performance: DJIA: 12479.73 (-177.47, -1.4%) S&P 500: 1316.14 (-27.67, -2.06%) S&P MidCap: 976.11 (-28.87, -2.87%) S&P Small Cap: 445.89 (-11.99, -2.62%) NASDAQ Comp: 2789.8 (-70.01, -2.45%) Russell 2000: 828.78 (23.79, -2.79%) DJ Global (ex-US) 221.98 ( -2.31%) Strong Sectors: Oil & Gas, Utilities, Basic Materials Weak Sectors: Financials, Industrials, Telecom NYSE Advance/Decline: 774 / 2,403 NYSE New Highs/New Lows: 166 / 91 AAII Bulls/Bears: 39.3% (-2.5) / 29.25% (+4.6) Have a great week. Bob Centrella, CFA Managing Partner Forza Investment Advisory, LLC Registered Investment Advisor 908-344-9790 (w) www.ForzaInvestment.com __________________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: The above and attached information is presented for your review and comes from 3rd party sources. Although we have reviewed the information we cannot guaranty the accuracy of all information. Do not rely on this information alone to make investment decisions. Please do further research and/or talk to your investment advisor. You can call me at 908-344-9790 at any time to discuss our financial views or to ask questions. If you would like to be taken off our weekly list, simply reply back to this email and ask to be taken off the list. Feel free to replay back with comments or suggestions.
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Discovery (Pink Floyd box set)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Discovery (box set))
|Pink Floyd: Discovery
|Box set by Pink Floyd
|26 September 2011
|Progressive rock, psychedelic rock
|Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour, James Guthrie, Michael Kamen, Norman Smith, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters
|Pink Floyd chronology
|Professional ratings
|Review scores
|BBC Music
|not rated [2]
Pink Floyd: Discovery is a compilation box set by Pink Floyd released on 26 September 2011 to launch the Why Pink Floyd...? re-release campaign. The box set includes all of their standard studio albums, except The Endless River. All albums were newly remastered by James Guthrie. In addition to the albums the set comes with a 60-page artwork booklet designed by Storm Thorgerson.[3]
All albums and their corresponding original release dates are given below. Refer to original albums for track listings, personnel and production credits.
- The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (August 1967)
- A Saucerful of Secrets (June 1968)
- More (June 1969)
- Ummagumma (October 1969)
- Atom Heart Mother (October 1970)
- Meddle (October 1971)
- Obscured by Clouds (June 1972)
- The Dark Side of the Moon (March 1973)
- Wish You Were Here (September 1975)
- Animals (January 1977)
- The Wall (November 1979)
- The Final Cut (March 1983)
- A Momentary Lapse of Reason (September 1987)
- The Division Bell (March 1994)
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Album review Discovery at AllMusic. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
- ^ Diver, Mike. "Pink Floyd Discovery review". BBC Music. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
- ^ "Pink Floyd - Discovery editions and boxset". www.whypinkfloyd.com. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
External links[edit]
"World wide chart positions Discovery". www.ultratop.be. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
- 2011 compilation albums
- Albums produced by Bob Ezrin
- Albums produced by David Gilmour
- Albums produced by James Guthrie (record producer)
- Albums produced by Joe Boyd
- Albums produced by Nick Mason
- Albums produced by Norman Smith (record producer)
- Albums produced by Richard Wright (musician)
- Albums produced by Roger Waters
- Albums recorded at Abbey Road Studios
- Albums with cover art by Storm Thorgerson
- Capitol Records compilation albums
- EMI Records compilation albums
- English-language compilation albums
- Pink Floyd compilation albums
- Reissue albums


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ATHENS, July 14 Greek renewable energy firm ELTEH Anemos sold all the shares it hoped to in an initial public offering, albeit at the bottom of its price range - pointing to a mixed reception for the country's first IPO since its debt crisis began in 2009.
Greek stocks have been battered by the country's six-year recession and debt crisis that forced Athens to turn to the European Union and the International Monetary Fund for about 240 billion euros in aid.
But market sentiment has picked up somewhat in recent months for Greece, which expects to emerge from recession this year and successfully returned to bond markets twice this year after a four-year exile.
Subscriptions for the IPO exceeded the 20.67 million ordinary shares on offer, lead manager NBG Securities said on Monday in a bourse filing.
But the offer price was set right at the bottom of the 1.70-1.97 euro range, it said. Based on that, the firm raised 35.1 million euros ($47.9 million).
The July 9-11 offering also took place against a backdrop of unease in European stock markets triggered by concerns over the financial health of the chief shareholder in Portugal's biggest listed bank, Banco Espirito Santo (BES).
"We are satisfied because we managed to complete the capital increase in adverse conditions," ELTEH Anemos Chief Operating Officer Theodoros Sietis told Reuters, citing investor scepticism due to the turmoil in Portugal.
"It is a vote of confidence for the company".
Anemos, a unit of Greece's biggest construction group Ellaktor, is a mid-sized renewable energy producer, operating 12 wind parks, a solar plant and a hydroelectric plant in Greece, with 170 megawatts in total installed capacity.
The company has said it would use the proceeds from the IPO to finance part of a 118 million euro investment plan for new wind parks, which will enhance its capacity by about 94 megawatts by 2015.
Renewable energy is one of few industries in Greece that has continued to expand through the recession, thanks to generous state subsidies.
The new shares are expected to start trading on the Athens stock exchange on July 22.
($1 = 0.7331 Euros) (editing by John Stonestreet)


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Education May Not Be Enough to Ensure Financial Health, Study Finds
New research out of the University of Kentucky puts less emphasis on financial education and more on pairing it with real-life experience.
New research out of the University of Kentucky puts less emphasis on financial education and more on pairing it with real-life experience.
A grant from the GE Foundation provides training to New York City teachers and school leaders to ramp up STEM expertise to enhance career programs.
In commemoration, 25 teachers from across the U.S. and 10 other countries spent four days traveling through Poland, visiting museums and historical sites in Warsaw, Krakow, and Oswiecim.
Low-performing schools that implemented an arts integration program over two years showed improved attendance, fewer suspensions, and substantial gains in academic achievement, according to a new report.
The American Association of Chemistry Teachers, which is billing itself as the "first national chemistry association for K-12 teachers," is officially up and running as of this month.
A researcher and education professor at Michigan State University laid out his take on four major problems with how the common-core math standards are being implemented.
A survey by the Education Week Research Center finds teachers less than enthusiastic about the quality of their common-core professional development, and about the alignment of their instructional materials to the new standards.
The president of the Association of American Publishers sees the uncertainty of common-core implementation as an opportunity for instructional-materials designers to improve their support of teacher and students.
After 22 years as executive director and CEO of Alexandria, Va.-based ASCD, Gene R. Carter will retire June 30, the group announced today.
A Florida researcher says elementary teachers need to reconsider the way they're teaching basic division.


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The Gardens at Creekside
Contact a senior living advisor
On your own but not alone at the Gardens at Creekside a 55 and better independent living community that offers 1 and 2 bedroom apartments with fully furnished kitchens and full size washer/dryer in each unit.
At the Gardens you can enjoy a beauty/barber shop, fitness center, internet cafe, dining facilities and patio area for the community or family barbeques.
The community is close to grocery stores, retail shopping and dining.
You must see us to appreciate all that is offered for you at The Gardens at Creekside. It's your choice - you can be as social or private as you wish.
The Gardens at Creekside offers retiring seniors a comfortable home, top-notch health care services, and attractive amenities - all at a surprisingly affordable price. It offers great ammenities such as and . There are a number of options for senior care in Olathe, Kansas, but The Gardens at Creekside is known as one of the best in the area. It's no wonder so many retiring seniors have chosen to call The Gardens at Creekside home. The Gardens at Creekside is more than an assisted living center - it's a happy community.
Additional Property Information
- Residents
- » Minimum Age of Accepted Residents
- Staffing
- » Visiting Podiatrist
- Transportation
- » Resident Parking Available
- Amenities Available
- » Activities Onsite
- » Activities Offsite
- » Outdoor Common Areas
- » Indoor Common Areas
- » Beautician Onsite
- Accepts Pets
- » Cats
- » Dogs
- Smoking
- » Allowed in Private Areas Indoors
- Compare costs and services
- Find the best facilities for your needs and budget
"I can't thank you enough for all your help during this process. You were the first call I made, and the last one I needed to make."
"I was at the end of my rope the day I heard from you and you helped me more in that one phone call than I was able to find alone for 6 months. You gave me hope..."


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Elizabeth Toomey - Coldwell Banker BAIN
Elizabeth "Beth" Toomey
Previews Property Specialist
Office: Coldwell Banker BAIN
Address: 1200 Westlake Ave. N. #406 Seattle, WA 98109
Contact: Direct: 206.949.6325 Office: 206.283.5200 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Languages: English
Elizabeth's Video Profile
Introduction to Beth
Learn about Beth's expertise and the different neighborhoods in the greater Seattle area. http://www.coldwellbanker.com/servlet/AgentListing?action=detail&ComColdwellbankerDataAgent_id=208524
- Seattle Waterfront- Laurelhurst, Windermere, Madison Park, Washington Park. Eastside: Newport Shores, Lake Sammamish.
- Luxury Market: Laurelhurst, Windermere, View Ridge,Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Washington Park, Sand Point Country Club,Madison Park. Eastside: Newport Shores; Clyde Hill, Medina.
- Eastside: Medina, West Bellevue, Newport Shores, Clyde Hill, Kirkland, Lake Sammamish, North Bend.
- Exceptional Properties & Previews Specialist
- International President's Circle
- Certified Home Marketing Specialist
- Best in Customer Service- 2009-2012 Seattle Magazine
Specialty Markets
- Luxury Properties
- Vacation/Second
- Retirement
- First Time Buyers
- Skilled negotiator, sales and marketing veteran with Fortune 100 companies
- Knows Seattle market, distinct neighborhood attributes and personalities
- Diligent, enthusiastic, strong advocate for my clients
- 30 year sales and marketing professional-25 years in Fortune 100 Companies. Coldwell Banker Bain since 2004.
- Seattle native- have lived in many wonderful neighborhoods, know the area very well.
- REALTOR- highest standard of ethics
- Have sold luxury homes since 2004- waterfront estates, grand homes in the greater Seattle/Eastside communities.
- Assist families in downsizing; also work with family members purchasing their first home.
- Have worked with many international buyers; speak French.
- International President's Circle (top 8% in the country.)
- Recognized by customers as "Best in Customer Service:-2009-2012 in Seattle Magazine
- Greater Seattle ND Alumni Club- Woman of the Year 1999


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You can now invite anyone to meet at your favorite Starbucks.
Limited-time feature
27 year old woman | Washington, DC, USA | Seeking men 28-35 within 50 miles
Looking for the real thing...
I'm a single parent finally getting used to the DMV! I am eclectic. I enjoy way more activities than I'm good at! Looking to explore new things with new people, and find and experience a connection to someone who is open to commitment and pursuing a future. I am passionate about everything.. Food! Art, relationships (platonic or otherwise), popular culture, history, life!!! I am independent, I've never been in a place in my adult life where I've needed someone to do something that I couldn't do myself. But ultimately, I would like to meet someone who wants me and is as passionate about me as I would be about them. I'm a hopeless romantic. I don't want to guess how someone feels about me. I want someone to give me everything they have, because I want to give that back.
Coffee and conversation , Cooking , Dining out , Movies/Videos , Museums and art , Music and concerts , Exploring new areas , Nightclubs/Dancing , Travel/Sightseeing , Video games , Volunteering
Aerobics, Cycling, Dancing, Running, Tennis / Racquet sports, VolleyBall, Walking / Hiking, Weights / Machines, Yoga
I exercise 3-4 times per week.
I like Birds, Cats, Dogs, Fish, Horses
Wilmington University, New Castle, DE
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|What she is looking for
|5'10" (177cms)
|5'11" (180cms) to 8'11" (271cms)
|Body type:
|Athletic and toned
|Slender, About average, Athletic and toned, A few extra pounds, Stocky
|No preference
|No preference
|No Way
|No Way
|Social Drinker
|No preference
|Medical / Dental / Veterinary / Fitness
|No preference
|I'll tell you later
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|Never Married
|No preference
|Have kids:
|Yes, and they live at home
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|Wants kids:
|Definitely, Someday, No, but it's OK if my partner has kids
|Black / African descent
|No preference
|I'll tell you later
|No preference
|No preference
|Bachelors degree
|No preference


text: To Use Or Lose The Term 'Illegal Immigrant' September 28, 2012 Guest host Celeste Headlee and the Barbershop guys talk about a plea to the media to stop using the term "illegal immigrant." One undocumented activist says it unfairly criminalizes people. The guys also weigh in on the end of the NFL referee lockout. Listen Loading… 17:49 Playlist Download Embed Embed Close embed modal <iframe src="http://www.npr.org/player/embed/161953191/161953184" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no">