Homemade Software Research Articles

The Impact of Electronic Data Discovery on the Corporation

Published in Oil & Gas Executive, Volume 2, Number 1, 1999, pages 42-48. A New Way of Thinking It is clear that electronic discovery is not only here to stay but also will expand significantly in years to come. The Year 2000 litigation problem is just starting to show itself in courts, and many believe that most such litigation will involve some sort of electronic discovery. To gain the benefits that come from being prepared for electronic discovery, corporate executives must develop a new way of thinking about electronic data and the systems on which these data reside. For years, advances in electronic processing have been introduced into the organization with no thought given to the potential risk associated with them. For example, many oil and gas companies are introducing intranets into their corporate infrastructure. An intranet is an electronic communication system that allows information to be shared internally within an organization. While seen as an advance in information sharing, many organizations are now finding that uncontrolled introduction of such systems can create litigation liability. One company recently lost the trade-secret status associated with its library of oil and gas formulas because the library was placed on an intranet that allowed thousands of nonemployees access to it. Other companies have found that old data needed for today's litigation cannot be read or processed with today's computer systems. Seismic and drilling data stored on old magnetic tapes (often by use of proprietary, homemade software) is useless unless the old tape-drive hardware has been kept and properly maintained and copies of the software application have been kept along with instruction manuals, passwords, and the like. As computer systems become more complicated and as upstream and downstream operations rely more and more on electronically stored data, the associated litigation risk will continue to grow. Today's oil and gas executive must realize that the shift in discovery from paper to electronic records requires recognition within the organization, a plan to deal with it, and a new way of thinking about risk management. Organizations that do not have the ability to identify, locate, retrieve, review, preserve, and produce electronic data in a proper, timely, and cost-efficient manner will find themselves at a strategic disadvantage.

Functional MR Imaging of Cerebral Auditory Cortex with Linguistic

Purpose : To obtain preliminary data for understanding the central auditory neural pathway by means of func-tional MR imaging (fMRI) of the cerebral auditory cortex during linguistic and non-linguistic auditory stimula-tion. Materials and Methods : In three right-handed volunteers we conducted fMRI of auditory cortex stimulation at 1.5 T using a conventional gradient-echo technique (TR/TE/flip angle: 80/60/40 °). Using a pulsed tone of 1000 Hz and speech as non-linguistic and linguistic auditory stimuli, respectively, images-including those of the su-perior temporal gyrus of both hemispheres-were obtained in sagittal plases. Both stimuli were separately deliv-ered biaurally or monoaurally through a plastic earphone. Images were activated by processing with home-made software. In order to analyze patterns of auditory cortex activation according to type of stimulus and which side of the ear was stimulated, the number and extent of activated pixels were compared between both temporal lobes. Results : Biaural stimulation led to bilateral activation of the superior temporal gyrus, while monoaural stimu-lation led to more activation in the contralateral temporal lobe than in the ipsilateral. A trend toward slight ac-tivation of the left (dominant) temporal lobe in ipsilateral stimulation, particularly with a linguistic stimulus, was observed. During both biaural and monoaural stimulation, a linguistic stimulus produced more wide-spread activation than did a non-linguistic one. Conclusion : The superior temporal gyri of both temporal lobes are associated with acoustic-phonetic analysis, and the left (dominant) superior temporal gyrus is likely to play a dominant role in this processing. For better understanding of physiological and pathological central auditory pathways, further investigation is needed.

Cardiac lymphatic dynamics after ischemia and reperfusion—experimental model

The aim of the present study was to investigate the lymphatic cardiac circulation in an experimental model of ischemia plus reperfusion in mongrel dogs ( Canis familiaris L). As radiotracer we used 0.2–0.25 ml (111 MBq) of 99mTc-Re 2S 7 colloid (±10 μm), injected subcapsullary below the second diagonal of the descending anterior ligated coronary artery with a special needle. A γ-camera/Starport + DecStation were used for data acquisition. Four experimental groups with five animals each were established: G I = controls; G II = immediately after acute myocardial infarction (AMI); G III = late infarction (5 days after AMI); G IV = ischemia (90 min) + reperfusion. Four regions of interest (ROIs) were chosen: injection area (ZA), above (ZB), near right (ZD), and far right (ZC) from ZA. Mean disappearance times in ZA and dynamic parameters in the other ROIs were determined from activity/time curves drawn in each area, using homemade software. The results obtained seem to indicate that the methodology is appropriate to a detailed study of lymphatic drainage in pathological situations in animal models.

Intra- and interobserver variability of MRI-based volume measurements of the hippocampus and amygdala using the manual ray-tracing method.

We studied the intra- and interobserver variability of volume measurments of the hippocampus (HC) and the amygdala as applied to the detection of HC atrophy in patients with complex partial seizures (CPE), measuring the volumes of the HC and amygdala of 11 normal volunteers and 12 patients with presumed CPE, using the manual ray-tracing method. Two independent observers performed these measurements twice each using home-made software. The intra- and interobserver variability of the absolute volumes and of the normalised left-to-right volume differences (deltaV) between the HC (deltaV(HC)), the amygdala (deltaV(A)) and the sum of both (deltaV(HCA)) were assessed. In our mainly right-handed normals, the right HC and amygdala were on average 0.05 and 0.03 ml larger respectively than on the left. The interobserver variability for volume measurements in normal subjects was 1.80 ml for the HC and 0.82 ml for the amygdala, the intraobserver variability roughly one third of these values. The interobserver variability coefficient in normals was 3.6% for deltaV(HCA), 4.7% for deltaV(HC) and 7.3% for deltaV(A). The intraobserver variability coefficient was 3.4% for deltaV(HCA), 4.2% for deltaV(HC) amd 5.6% for deltaV(A). The variability in patients was the same for volume differences less than 5% either side of the interval for normality, but was higher when large volume differences were encountered, is probably due to the lack of thresholding and/or normalisation. Cutoff values for lateralisation with the deltaV were defined. No intra- or interobserver lateralisation differences were encountered with deltaV(HCA) and deltaV(HC). From these observations we conclude that the manual ray-tracing method is a robust method for lateralisation in patients with TLE. Due to its higher variability, this method is less suited to measure absolute volumes.

Material and obsolescence on flute tone quality

The rule of material and obsolescence on flute tone quality has been discussed for a long time among musicians and flute makers. Mozart himself made use of crystal flutes in some of his works (Rondo’, K617, Adagio, K356). From an acoustical point of view, since Boehm’s work of 1832, the effect of material on flute tone quality has not been investigated, until researches of recent years [Coltman (1971); Chapuis (1991)]. In this work the research has been carried out measuring impulse responses inside the tube of the flute. Two different flutes have been utilized, i.e., a light-alloy flute and a silver flute. The MLS sequences, with homemade software, have been utilized, gathering impulse responses in two different positions in the tube, in order to verify the variation of sound field. From the impulse responses a frequency analysis has been obtained, which pointed out that the silver flute contains more high frequency and shorter transient than the light-alloy flute. Starting from the impulse responses, sound example of difference in sound quality has finally been obtained.

Three-dimensional impulse response measurements on S. Maria Church, Florence, Italy

The measurement of binaural impulse response procedure for acoustic environments has been established and achieved from the International Standard Organization; following the ISO 3382 many acoustical parameters have been already analyzed in the past, ranging from Royal Albert Hall in London, UK, to Teatro la Fenice in Venice, Italy. In this paper a new procedure for measuring 3D impulse response has been utilized, with the aim to reconstruct the 3D sound field especially for virtual reality purposes. Starting from the definition of B-format impulse responses, the pressure gradient has been measured in the Church by using a homemade apparatus and software, and performing measurements on the three axes, gathering seven different impulse responses, without using expensive microphones already developed. From the measures, the relations between the seven different measurements have been found out, and the results have been compared with the binaural impulse responses measurements performed in the same position at the same time.

Myoelectric and Manometric Patterns of Human Rectosigmoid Colon in Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diverticulosis

Rectosigmoid electric control activity and intraluminal pressure were measured in the fasting state and after a standard 3040-kJ meal in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients (n = 41), diverticulosis patients (n = 15), and healthy controls (n = 13). Analysis of myoelectric and motor patterns was performed computer-based with home-made software. Spectral analysis (fast Fourier transform) and computer recognition of slow waves emulating visual scoring showed very similar slow-wave frequency patterns in all three groups. Calculation of contractile indices displayed a widely scattered variable of motility in all three groups without significant differences. IBS subgroups with different bowel patterns showed very similar frequencies of basic myoelectric rhythm and a considerable overlap of contractile activity without significant differences among the subgroups and compared with controls. Slow-wave rhythm seems unlikely to be the basis of disturbed motility in IBS and diverticular disease. A specific pattern of contractile activity was not detectable in either condition.

Post‐column coulometric generation and cyclic voltammetric identification of the free radical of the antineoplastic agent etoposide (VP 16‐213)

It has been suggested that etoposide can be transformed ‘in vivo’ into a radical intermediate, which may be involved in the irreversible binding of etoposide to microsomal proteins and in DNA damage. To investigate some physico-chemical properties, the on-line coulometric production of this free radical and its subsequent cyclic voltammetric detection is described. For the synthesis, a coulometric ESA Coulochem 5100A module, equipped with an ESA 5010 analytical cell, has been used. For its detection the computerized cyclic voltammetric detection system after HPLC controlled by an Apple IIe computer, using home-made software and a home-made glassy-carbon wall-jet detector, has been used. Application of a ramdisk allows storage of 68 cyclic voltammograms. In a methanol-phosphate buffer (pH=8) (40:60 w/w) containing mobile phase, the forward scan of the on-line cyclic voltammogram of etoposide shows two oxidation steps, caused by a double one-electron transfer. Post-column electrolysis at +500 mV versus the H+/H2 reference electrode results into total disappearance of the first oxidation step, whereas a reduction wave arises. The limiting current of this wave, and the remaining second oxidation wave, are of equal heights, indicating one-electron processes. Under these conditions, the half-life time of the product, and consequently the free radical, is 100 s, determined by stopped-flow analysis. Decreasing the pH of the buffer in the mobile phase to pH 2.2 results in merging of the two oxidation steps to a single two-electron transfer, disabling radical formation. Under physiological conditions (‘in vivo’) the established half-life time of the radical enables participation of the intermediate in metabolic processes.

Home-made inspection software

Home-made inspection software