Partial Delays Research Articles

Simulating the Effects of Partial Neural Conduction Delays in the Visual Evoked Potential.

The purpose of this study was to understand the double peaks or broadening of P100 observed in some cases of optic neuritis by inducing conduction delays in healthy eyes through stimulus luminance manipulation in analogy to the perceptual Pulfrich effect. Checkerboard pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (VEPs) with check sizes of 0.8degrees, 0.4degrees, and 0.2degrees were recorded in healthy participants using two experiment variants. Variant (1) involved binocular stimulation with inter-ocular luminance difference achieved by a 1.8 neutral density (ND) filter, along with monocular control conditions. Variant (2) included monocular stimulation with hemifields having a luminance difference (half of monitor with ND filter), along with single-hemifield control conditions. In both variants, VEP curves under mixed stimulation were compared to synthesized VEPs computed from offline summation of curves from the relevant control conditions, followed by assessing P100 characteristics. Despite considerable variability between participants, the binocular variant demonstrated marked differences between VEPs from mixed recordings and synthesized curves, whereas in the hemifield variant, agreement was strong. The anticipated double peak or broadened deflection pattern was observed to varying extents in participants, often contingent on check size, with nominal peak time frequently failing to indicate partial conduction delays. The present findings corroborate the hypothesis that nominal peak time does not always reflect conduction delays if only a subset of fiber bundles is affected. Peak shape might provide additional diagnostic evidence of a partial conduction delay. Enhancing the understanding of VEP waveform changes associated with partial conduction delays could offer diagnostic insights for optic neuritis.

Determinants Affecting Audit Delay in Companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange for the 2019-2021 Period

This study was conducted to determine the correlation between profitability, Company age, and auditor's opinion on partial or simultaneous audit delays in food and beverage industry companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange for the period 2019-2021. The following is a list of National Register of Historic Places listings in Fort Worth County (idx.co.id). samples were selected by purposive sampling technique and obtained 17 companies. The Data were processed using quantitative methods, and software program eviews 12.0, tested and analyzed by classical assumption test, panel data regression, and hypothesis test. The results showed that the variable profitability, age of the company, and the opinion of the auditor partially and simultaneously have a negative and significant effect on audit delay. Novelty of this study is the research period, research variables, research targets and treatment in sample selection. The research implication is that companies that are able to suppress audit delay figures can use funds optimally, and are able to attract the attention of investors. This has an impact on economic growth because it can recover faster and stronger.

Novel non-fragile extended dissipative synchronization of T-S fuzzy complex dynamical networks with interval hybrid coupling delays

<abstract><p>This paper presents the first investigation of extended dissipative synchronization in a specific type of Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy complex dynamical networks with interval hybrid coupling delays. First, the decoupling method is employed to reorganize the multiple communication dynamical system, which comprises discrete-time, partial and distributed coupling delays. Second, the non-fragile control, which allows for uncertainty management within predefined norm bounds, has been applied to networks. Moreover, it becomes possible to derive a less conservative condition by utilizing multiple integral Lyapunov functionals, a decoupling strategy, Jensen's inequality, Wirtinger's inequality, and mathematical inequality techniques. This condition ensures that the T-S fuzzy complex dynamical networks, with interval hybrid coupling delays, can attain asymptotic synchronization with the assistance of a non-fragile feedback controller. Additionally, we extended this system to the extended dissipativity analysis, including passivity, $ L_2-L_\infty, H_{\infty} $ and dissipativity performance in a unified formulation. A set of strict linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) conditions is a sufficient criterion. Finally, two simulation examples are proposed to verify the merit of the obtained results.</p></abstract>

The Piwil1 N domain is required for germ cell survival in Atlantic salmon.

Genetic introgression of farmed salmon into wild populations can damage the genetic integrity of wild stocks and is therefore considered as an environmental threat. One possible solution is to induce sterility in farmed salmon. We have searched for proteins potentially essential for germline survival in Atlantic salmon. One of these is the argonaute protein Piwil1, known to be required for germ cell survival. To examine Piwil1 function in salmon, we induced indels in the N domain by CRISPR-Cas9. The encoded domain is present in all vertebrate Piwi proteins and has been linked to Tdrd1 protein interaction and PAZ lobe structure. The F0 founder generation of piwil1 crispant males and females displayed a mosaic pattern of piwil1 mutations, exhibiting highly mutated alleles (53%–97%) in their fin gDNA samples. In general, piwil1 crispants carried germ cells, went through puberty and became fertile, although a transient and partial germ cell loss and delays during the spermatogenic process were observed in many male crispants, suggesting that Piwil1 functions during salmon spermatogenesis. By crossing highly mutated F0 founders, we produced F1 fish with a mixture of: loss-of-function alleles (−); functional in frame mutated alleles ( + ) and wt alleles (+). In F1, all piwil1 −/− fish lacked germ cells, while piwil1 +/+ siblings showed normal ovaries and testes. Yet, most juvenile F1 piwil1 +/−males and females displayed an intermediate phenotype with a higher somatic/germ cell ratio without an increase in germ cell apoptosis, suggestive of a gene dose effect on the number of germ cells and/or insufficient replacement of lost germ cells in heterozygous fish. Interestingly, the two longest in-frame indels in the N domain also ensured germ cell loss. Hence, the loss of 4–6 aa in this region Phe130-Ser136 may result in crucial changes of the protein structure, potentially affecting piRNA binding of the PAZ lobe, and/or affecting the binding of Piwil1 interacting proteins such as Tdrd protein, with critical consequences for the survival of primordial germ cells. In conclusion, we show that loss of piwil1 leads to loss of germ cells in salmon and that part of the N domain of Piwil1 is crucial for its function.

Hygroscopic behaviour analysis of biocompatible PA6 and PA6 composites containing oxide and nitride compounds of boron

The hygroscopic behaviour analysis of PA6, PA6/B2O3, and PA6/h-BN composites is presented in this article. It also represents how boron compounds reinforcements can be helpful in reducing the negative effect of water absorption on mechanical, physical, and tribological properties of PA6. A contact angle goniometer was utilized in this research to analyse the contact angles and surface energies of PA6 and composites. As the time of water conditioning increases, the surface energy of materials decreases, and vice versa the contact angle with water droplets increases. The analysis confirms the partial restriction and delays in water absorption by boron reinforcements, especially in the case of h-BN. The mechanical and tribological properties of PA6 and composites at different time intervals of water conditioning are also presented in this article.

Event-Triggered Synchronization for Neutral-Type Semi-Markovian Neural Networks With Partial Mode-Dependent Time-Varying Delays.

This article studies the event-triggered stochastic synchronization problem for neutral-type semi-Markovian jump (SMJ) neural networks with partial mode-dependent additive time-varying delays (ATDs), where the SMJ parameters in two ATDs are considered to be not completely the same as the one in the connection weight matrices of the systems. Different from the weak infinitesimal operator of multi-Markov processes, a new one for the double semi-Markovian processes (SMPs) is first proposed. To reduce the conservative of the stability criteria, a generalized reciprocally convex combination inequality (RCCI) is established by the virtue of an interesting technique. Then, based on an eligible stochastic Lyapunov-Krasovski functional, three novel stability criteria for the studied systems are derived by employing the new RCCI and combining with a well-designed event-triggered control scheme. Finally, three numerical examples and one practical engineering example are presented to show the validity of our methods.

Time delayed chemical synapses and synchronization in multilayer neuronal networks with ephaptic inter-layer coupling

In this paper, a three-layer neuronal network is studied to consider different complex connections between the neurons. In the nervous system, the communication between the neurons is mostly based on the electrical and chemical synapses. However, extracellular electric fields can induce a magnetic flux which can lead to indirect neural communications, by means of electromagnetic induction. This mode of coupling is called ephaptic coupling, which here is used between the layer. To describe the coupling within the layers, the electrical and chemical synapses are defined. We also take into account the partial time delays, to reflect the required time for information transmission through chemical synapses. Particularly, we consider partial and full time delays, as well as strong and weak coupling strengths. It is shown that three layers typically have opposite synchronization properties in the strong and weak coupling regimes. Specifically, when the coupling is strong, the top and bottom layers are synchronous, while the middle layer is desynchronous. But when the coupling is weak, the middle layer is synchronous, while the top and bottom layers are desynchronous. In overall, the most synchrony is obtained when the weak coupling is accompanied with partial time delays in chemical communications. Our research sheds new light on the complex interplay between the time delay, the ephaptic coupling, and the synchronization in neuronal networks.

Partial time delays in elastic electron scattering by rectangular potential well with arising discrete levels

We have studied the times delay of slow electrons scattered by a spherically symmetric rectangular potential well as functions of the well parameters. We have shown that the electron interaction with the scattering center qualitatively depends on the presence of discrete levels in the well. While electron retention dominates for the potential well with no discrete levels, the appearance of a level leads to the opposite situation where the incident electron hardly enters the scatterer. Such a behavior of the time delay is universal since we found it not only for the first s-level but also for the following arising s-, p-, and d-levels.

Effects of partial time delays on synchronization patterns in Izhikevich neuronal networks

Synchronization patterns have been observed in neuronal networks and are related to many cognitive functions and information processing and even some pathological brain states. In this paper, we study a ring network of non-locally coupled Izhikevich neurons with electrical synaptic coupling. Since it has been proved that time delays through gap junctions can simplify the synchronization, here we particularly investigate the effects of partial time delays on networks synchronization. By using two control parameters, the time delay and the probability of partial time delay, we show that partial time delays have a significant effect on the synchronization of this network. In particular, partial time delays can either increase or decrease the synchronization and also can induce synchronization transitions between coherent and incoherent states. Thus, partial time delays can cause chimera state, which is a special pattern when both synchronous and asynchronous states coexist and are strongly related to many real phenomena. Furthermore, partial time delays can change the period of synchronized neurons from period-1 to period-2 firing states that have different effects on information transmission in the brain.

Supply Chain with Customer-Based Two-Level Credit Policies under an Imperfect Quality Environment

The present model develops a three-echelon supply chain, in which the manufacturer offers full permissible delay to the whole seller, while the latter, in turn, adopts distinct trade credit policies for his subsequent downstream retailers. The type of credit policy being offered to the retailers is decided on the basis of their past profiles. Hence, the whole seller puts forth full and partial permissible delays to his old and new retailers respectively. This study considers bad debts from the portion of new retailers who fail to make up for the delayed part of the partial payment. The analysis shows that it is beneficial for the whole seller to make shorter contracts, particularly with new retailers, along with the fetching of a higher fraction of initial purchase cost from them. In addition to the above-described scenario, the lot received by the whole seller from the manufacturer is not perfect, and it contains some defects for which he employs an inspection process before selling the items to the retailers. In order to make the study more realistic, Type-I, as well as Type-II misclassification errors, and the case of out-of-stock are considered. The impact of Type-I error has been found to be crucial in the study. The present paper determines the optimal policy for the whole seller by maximizing the expected total profit per unit time. For the optimality of the solution, theoretical results are provided. Finally, a numerical example and a sensitivity analysis are done to validate the model.

Impact of Partial Time Delay on Temporal Dynamics of Watts–Strogatz Small-World Neuronal Networks

In this paper, we mainly discuss effects of partial time delay on temporal dynamics of Watts–Strogatz (WS) small-world neuronal networks by controlling two parameters. One is the time delay [Formula: see text] and the other is the probability of partial time delay [Formula: see text]. Temporal dynamics of WS small-world neuronal networks are discussed with the aid of temporal coherence and mean firing rate. With the obtained simulation results, it is revealed that for small time delay [Formula: see text], the probability [Formula: see text] could weaken temporal coherence and increase mean firing rate of neuronal networks, which indicates that it could improve neuronal firings of the neuronal networks while destroying firing regularity. For large time delay [Formula: see text], temporal coherence and mean firing rate do not have great changes with respect to [Formula: see text]. Time delay [Formula: see text] always has great influence on both temporal coherence and mean firing rate no matter what is the value of [Formula: see text]. Moreover, with the analysis of spike trains and histograms of interspike intervals of neurons inside neuronal networks, it is found that the effects of partial time delays on temporal coherence and mean firing rate could be the result of locking between the period of neuronal firing activities and the value of time delay [Formula: see text]. In brief, partial time delay could have great influence on temporal dynamics of the neuronal networks.

Effects of partial time delays on phase synchronization in Watts-Strogatz small-world neuronal networks.

In this paper, we study effects of partial time delays on phase synchronization in Watts-Strogatz small-world neuronal networks. Our focus is on the impact of two parameters, namely the time delay τ and the probability of partial time delay pdelay, whereby the latter determines the probability with which a connection between two neurons is delayed. Our research reveals that partial time delays significantly affect phase synchronization in this system. In particular, partial time delays can either enhance or decrease phase synchronization and induce synchronization transitions with changes in the mean firing rate of neurons, as well as induce switching between synchronized neurons with period-1 firing to synchronized neurons with period-2 firing. Moreover, in comparison to a neuronal network where all connections are delayed, we show that small partial time delay probabilities have especially different influences on phase synchronization of neuronal networks.

Proactive modulation of long-interval intracortical inhibition during response inhibition

Daily activities often require sudden cancellation of preplanned movement, termed response inhibition. When only a subcomponent of a whole response must be suppressed (required here on Partial trials), the ensuing component is markedly delayed. The neural mechanisms underlying partial response inhibition remain unclear. We hypothesized that Partial trials would be associated with nonselective corticomotor suppression and that GABAB receptor-mediated inhibition within primary motor cortex might be responsible for the nonselective corticomotor suppression contributing to Partial trial response delays. Sixteen right-handed participants performed a bimanual anticipatory response inhibition task while single- and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation was delivered to elicit motor evoked potentials in the left first dorsal interosseous muscle. Lift times, amplitude of motor evoked potentials, and long-interval intracortical inhibition were examined across the different trial types (Go, Stop-Left, Stop-Right, Stop-Both). Go trials produced a tight distribution of lift times around the target, whereas those during Partial trials (Stop-Left and Stop-Right) were substantially delayed. The modulation of motor evoked potential amplitude during Stop-Right trials reflected anticipation, suppression, and subsequent reinitiation of movement. Importantly, suppression was present across all Stop trial types, indicative of a "default" nonselective inhibitory process. Compared with blocks containing only Go trials, inhibition increased when Stop trials were introduced but did not differ between trial types. The amount of inhibition was positively correlated with lift times during Stop-Right trials. Tonic levels of inhibition appear to be proactively modulated by task context and influence the speed at which unimanual responses occur after a nonselective "brake" is applied.

Identifying web performance degradations through synthetic and real-user monitoring

The large scale of the Internet has offered unique economic opportunities, that in turn introduce overwhelming challenges for development and operations to provide reliable and fast services in order to meet the high demands on the performance of online services. In this paper, we investigate how performance engineers can identify three different classes of externally-visible performance problems (global delays, partial delays, periodic delays) from concrete traces. We develop a simulation model based on a taxonomy of root causes in server performance degradation. Within an experimental setup, we obtain results through synthetic monitoring of a target Web service, and observe changes in Web performance over time through exploratory visual analysis and changepoint detection. We extend our analysis and apply our methods to real-user monitoring (RUM) data. In a use case study, we discuss how our underlying model can be applied to real performance data gathered from a multinational, high-traffic website in the financial sector. Finally, we interpret our findings and discuss various challenges and pitfalls.

SU‐E‐T‐214: Patient‐Specific QA for HDR Brachytherapy Skin Treatments

Purpose: HDR treatments require high precision and accuracy but with current techniques and processes, there is higher probability for error. So we propose performing patient‐specific QA for HDR skin treatment plans before the first treatment to eliminate the possibility of errors on first fraction that might lead to partial treatments or treatment delays. Methods: A CT simulation is performed for skin patients before a week of their first fraction. The applicator is built at the time of simulation using HAM surface applicator. The applicator is then retained at the clinic to check the catheter orientation during treatment plan. There are several processes that are indirectly connected which increase the chance for errors that might propagate from the treatment plan to the patient's treatment. In the worst‐case scenario, it might lead to partial treatment being delivered to the patient. These errors can be avoided by performing patient‐specific QA before the first treatment which involves the following steps. 1. Catheter length measurements made independently by two personnel and verification at the treatment console.2. Performing an autoradiograph with a film affixed at the outside edge of the applicator's target area. Results: During 5 month period of treating 36 skin patients without patient‐specific QA, we had 4/36 (>10%) instances of partial treatments and delays due to incorrect catheter lengths. After implementing QA, there were 0/12 partial treatments and we also detected two instances of dwell positions activated outside target. Conclusion: By establishing the proposed QA technique, we were able to verify and eliminate the following errors: 1. Incorrect catheter lengths specified in the treatment planning system.2. Active dwell positions in an optimized treatment plan that are outside the target area.3. Unintended source obstruction errors during the first fraction.4. Possibility of delivering partial fraction due to the above specified errors.

The optimal duration and delay of first aid treatment for deep partial thickness burn injuries

Using our porcine model of deep dermal partial thickness burn injury, various durations (10 min, 20 min, 30 min or 1 h) and delays (immediate, 10 min, 1 h, 3 h) of 15 °C running water first aid were applied to burns and compared to untreated controls. The subdermal temperatures were monitored during the treatment and wounds observed weekly for 6 weeks, for re-epithelialisation, wound surface area and cosmetic appearance. At 6 weeks after the burn, tissue biopsies were taken of the scar for histological analysis. Results showed that immediate application of cold running water for 20 min duration is associated with an improvement in re-epithelialisation over the first 2 weeks post-burn and decreased scar tissue at 6 weeks. First aid application of cold water for as little as 10 min duration or up to 1 h delay still provides benefit.

Consequences of surgical stress on the kinetics of skin wound healing: Partial hepatectomy delays and functionally alters dermal repair

The objective was to determine the significance of surgical trauma in dermal wound healing. Using intravital microscopy, we analyzed the healing kinetics of full-thickness dermal wounds in the ears of SKH1 mice. Partial hepatectomy (pHx) simulated major surgical trauma, while laparotomy only served as a sham operation (sham). Animals without abdominal surgery served as controls (control). Laparotomy wounds were analyzed for biomechanical qualities and collagen deposition. Morphological characterization of skin repair was performed by histology/immunohistochemistry. In vitro cell assays assessed the paracrine effects of surgical stress. PHx caused a transient increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin (IL)-6 levels and led to weight loss, reflecting the host's overall response to surgery. Wound closure in pHx animals was delayed vs. control and sham animals, as indicated by significantly lower values of epithelialization and neovascularization over 10 days. Ear wound histology further revealed a provisional wound matrix with a reduced microvessel density. Moreover, pHx-laparotomy wounds showed a reduced bursting strength coexisting with significantly decreased collagen content. PHx and sham serum caused a significant alteration in in vitro fibroblast viability. Skin healing is dependent on the extent of surgery and is influenced by its paracrine effects. Therefore, considerable effort should be focused on the development of strategies limiting surgery-associated perturbations of dermal repair.

Reducing nonideal to ideal coupling in random matrix description of chaotic scattering: application to the time-delay problem.

We write explicitly a transformation of the scattering phases reducing the problem of quantum chaotic scattering for systems with M statistically equivalent channels at nonideal coupling to that for ideal coupling. Unfolding the phases by their local density leads to universality of their local fluctuations for large M. A relation between the partial time delays and diagonal matrix elements of the Wigner-Smith matrix is revealed for ideal coupling. This helped us in deriving the joint probability distribution of partial time delays and the distribution of the Wigner time delay.

Delay of implantation in intact rats treated with progestins.

ABSTRACT Compounds were administered daily by the subcutaneous route to pregnant rats from day 1 of pregnancy (the day of finding sperm) to day 8, and 1 μg oestrone combined with 4000 μg progesterone from day 9–21. Animals were checked for implantation sites by laparotomy on day 8 and again on day 15, if no sites were visible on the 8th day. Autopsy was performed on day 22 of pregnancy. Delay of nidation was produced with 6α-methylprogesterone (ED50 = 3000 μg), 17α-acetoxy-6α-methylprogesterone (ED50 = 720 μg) and its 21-fluoro (ED50 = 470 μg) and 6-dehydro-21-fluoro (ED50 = 3500 μg) derivatives, and 17α-ethyl-19-nortestosterone (ED50 = 3200 μg), but not with progesterone, 17α-acetoxyprogesterone, or 17α-acetoxy-6-dehydro-6-methylprogesterone. Foetal body weights in not delayed groups given 17α-acetoxy-6α-methylprogesterone (> 500 μg) and its 6-dehydro-21-fluoro analogue were much smaller than in control rats indicating the occurrence of additional partial delays of short duration undetectable by laparotomy on the 8th day. The number of implantation sites was reduced with 17α-ethyl-19-nortestosterone (> 500 μg/day) but not with any of the other compounds. The implantation rate achieved with a particular dose of a compound was similar in groups in which implantation was delayed ('delayed') and not delayed ('nondelayed'). In another study implantation occurred spontaneously within 8 days after cessation of all steroid treatments. The data are discussed in terms of a possible mechanism of action involving the development of an oestrogen deficiency in the animal resulting indirectly from the suppression of production or release of gonadotrophin from the pituitary gland.