Introduction for Freshmen to Embedded Systems Using LEGO Mindstorms

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seung Han; Jeon, Jae Wook

2009-01-01

The purpose of the course presented here is to introduce freshmen to embedded systems using LEGO Mindstorms, under an ANSI-C programming environment. The students build their own LEGO robots, make programs for them using ANSI-C, and operate them. By creating these LEGO robots, the students become more motivated, learning the basic concepts of…

LEGO products have become more complex.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph Bartneck

Full Text Available The LEGO Group has become the largest toy company in the world and they can look back to a proud history of more than 50 years of producing bricks and other toys. Starting with a simple set of basic bricks their range of toys appeared to have increased in complexity over the years. We processed the inventories of most sets from 1955-2015 and our analysis showed that LEGO sets have become bigger, more colorful and more specialized. The vocabulary of bricks has increased significantly resulting in sets sharing fewer bricks. The increased complexity of LEGO sets and bricks enables skilled builders to design ever more amazing models but it may also overwhelm less skilled or younger builders.

LEGO Robotics: An Authentic Problem Solving Tool?

Science.gov (United States)

Castledine, Alanah-Rei; Chalmers, Chris

2011-01-01

With the current curriculum focus on correlating classroom problem solving lessons to real-world contexts, are LEGO robotics an effective problem solving tool? This present study was designed to investigate this question and to ascertain what problem solving strategies primary students engaged with when working with LEGO robotics and whether the…

On the asymptotic enumeration of LEGO structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abrahamsen, Mikkel; Eilers, Søren

2011-01-01

We investigate experimentally the growth regimes of the number of LEGO structures that can be constructed contiguously from n blocks of equal shape and color.......We investigate experimentally the growth regimes of the number of LEGO structures that can be constructed contiguously from n blocks of equal shape and color....

Modular Lego-Electronics

KAUST Repository

Shaikh, Sohail F.; Ghoneim, Mohamed T.; Bahabry, Rabab R.; Khan, Sherjeel M.; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2017-01-01

. Here, a generic manufacturable method of converting state-of-the-art complementary metal oxide semiconductor-based ICs into modular Lego-electronics is shown with unique geometry that is physically identifiable to ease manufacturing and enhance

LEGO Diorama Images

Data.gov (United States)

Allegheny County / City of Pittsburgh / Western PA Regional Data Center — We often create dioramas from LEGO bricks for use with our presentations, blogs, and social media posts. We find it's much more fun and effective to reenact...

Lego Robotics: STEM Sport of the Mind

Science.gov (United States)

Gura, Mark

2012-01-01

Lego robotics is engaging, hands-on, and encompasses every one of the NETS for Students. It also inspires a love of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and provides the experience students need to use digital age skills in the real world. In this article, the author discusses how schools get involved with Lego Robotics and…

A Lego version of ATLAS

CERN Multimedia

Laëtitia Pedroso

2010-01-01

There's nothing very unusual about a small child making simple objects out of Lego. But wouldn't you be surprised to learn that one six-year old has just made a life-like model of the ATLAS detector?   Bastian with his Lego ATLAS detector. © Photo provided by Kai Nicklas, Bastian's father. It all began a month ago when the boy's father was watching a video about the construction of the ATLAS detector on the Internet. He hadn't noticed that his son was watching it over his shoulder. The small boy was fascinated by what he was seeing on the computer screen and his first reaction was to exclaim: "Wow! That's a terrific machine! I think the people who built it must be really clever." The detector must have really fired his imagination because, after asking his father a few questions, he decided to make a Lego model of it. Look at the photo and you will see how closely the model he produced resembles the actual ATLAS detector. Is the little boy in question, Bastia...

LEGO Koncern 2000 - 2003 - en årsagsanalyse

OpenAIRE

Rosenberg, Morten; Özbudak, Devrim; Møller, Mads; Herneth, Daniel

2006-01-01

Denne rapport omhandler LEGO Koncernens økonomiske krise i årene 2000-2003. Vores videnskabsteoretiske er Kritisk realisme og vi bruger i projektet; en regnskabsanalyse, komparativ rapport og en PEST-analyse Denne rapport omhandler LEGO Koncernens økonomiske krise i årene 2000-2003. Vores videnskabsteoretiske er Kritisk realisme og vi bruger i projektet; en regnskabsanalyse, komparativ rapport og en PEST-analyse

LEGO-Method--New Strategy for Chemistry Calculation

Science.gov (United States)

Molnar, Jozsef; Molnar-Hamvas, Livia

2011-01-01

The presented strategy of chemistry calculation is based on mole-concept, but it uses only one fundamental relationship of the amounts of substance as a basic panel. The name of LEGO-method comes from the famous toy of LEGO[R] because solving equations by grouping formulas is similar to that. The relations of mole and the molar amounts, as small…

Lego Group: An Outsourcing Journey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Marcus Møller; Pedersen, Torben; Slepniov, Dmitrij

2010-01-01

The last years’ rather adventurous journey from 2004 to 2009 had taught the fifth-largest toy-maker in the world - the LEGO Group - the importance of managing the global supply chain effectively. In order to survive the largest internal financial crisis in its roughly 70 years of existence......, the management had, among many initiatives, decided to offshore and outsource a major chunk of its production to Flextronics. In this pursuit of rapid cost-cutting sourcing advantages, the LEGO Group planned to license out as much as 80 per cent of its production besides closing down major parts...

Using LEGO for learning fractions, supporting or distracting?

Science.gov (United States)

Rejeki, Sri; Setyaningsih, Nining; Toyib, Muhamad

2017-05-01

The role of games used for learning mathematics is still in debate. However, many research revealed that it gave positive effects on both students' motivation and performance in mathematics. Therefore, this study aims at investigating the effects of using LEGO-as one of games which students are familiar with, for learning mathematics, on both students' conceptual knowledge of fractions and students' attitude in learning mathematics. A set of learning activities consisting three meetings of fractions learning was designed for this study. The activities were mainly about solving word-context problems using LEGO as the model. Thirty students of seven grade with high-ability in mathematics and thirty two students with low-ability in mathematics were involved in this study. The data were collected through students' written works, video registration and field notes during the teaching and learning activities. The results indicate that in general the use of LEGO in learning activities support the conceptual understanding on fractions for both students with high-ability and low-ability in mathematics. Moreover, for students with low-ability in mathematics, it promotes the computational skill of fractions operation. The evidences also suggest that bringing LEGO into classroom activities improve students' motivation and engagement. However, in some cases, students were more focus on playing than learning. Therefore, teachers play important roles on providing clear pedagogical instructions about the way to use LEGO properly.

Orthognathic model surgery with LEGO key-spacer.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsang, Alfred Chee-Ching; Lee, Alfred Siu Hong; Li, Wai Keung

2013-12-01

A new technique of model surgery using LEGO plates as key-spacers is described. This technique requires less time to set up compared with the conventional plaster model method. It also retains the preoperative setup with the same set of models. Movement of the segments can be measured and examined in detail with LEGO key-spacers. Copyright © 2013 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPLEMENTASI ALGORITMA BREADTH FIRST SEARCH DAN OBSTACLE DETECTION DALAM PENELUSURAN LABIRIN DINAMIS MENGGUNAKAN ROBOT LEGO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adi Wibowo

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Dewasa ini perkembangan teknologi di dunia robot edukasi berkembang pesat. Robot-robot edukasi ini sering digunakan dalam riset penelitian karena kemudahan-kemudahan yang diberikannya dari segi perangkat keras. Salah satu contoh robot edukasi adalah robot LEGO Mindstorms NXT. Pada penelitian ini robot LEGO dibangun dalam bentuk robot line follower. Robot ini mampu menelusuri dan mencari jalan keluar dari labirin dinamis. Dalam menelusuri dan mencari jalan keluar, robot LEGO menggunakan algoritma Breadth First Search dan Manhattan Distance dalam memutuskan jalan mana yang harus diambil. Ketika menemui objek halangan, robot LEGO akan mengenali dan menghindari objek halangan tersebut dengan algoritma Obstacle Detection yang dimilikinya. Hasil implementasi membuktikan bahwa algoritma penelusuran labirin dinamis ini dapat diimplementasikan pada robot LEGO meskipun terdapat banyak keterbatasan dalam robot LEGO. Nowadays, the development of technology in educational robots is rapidly evolving. Educational robots are often used in research studies because they provide convenience in terms of hardware. One example is the educational robot LEGO Mindstorms NXT robot. In this research, LEGO robots built in the form of line follower robot. Robot is able to browse and find a way out of the dynamic labyrinth. In track and find a way out, LEGO robot uses an algorithm Breadth First Search and Manhattan Distance in deciding which path to take. When encountering an obstacle object, LEGO robot will recognize and avoid that obstacle objects with Obstacle Detection algorithm. The results prove that the implementation of a dynamic maze search algorithm can be implemented on a LEGO robot even though there are many limitations in LEGO robot.

Lego Car Race

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, Christine

2017-01-01

Familiar toys can be used to scaffold young children's learning about basic physics as well as guide scientific inquiry. Teachers looking for resources to engage young children and develop science inquiry skills need look no further than the toy box. In this two-part activity, children first construct a Lego® car and use it to explore the effects…

Konstruksi Genre Dalam Film “the Lego Movie”

OpenAIRE

Natalia, Vivi

2014-01-01

“The Lego Movie” adalah film animasi dari produsen film Warner Bros yang menceritakan kehidupan dan petualangan Emmet, seorang konstruksi bangunan yang salah terdeteksi sebagai orang spesial yang mampu menyelesaikan masalah dunia. Film ini adalah sebuah film yang membawa konvensi-konvensi genre yang berbeda dibanding film-film animasi lainnya. Peneliti melakukan analisis genre terhadap film “The Lego Movie” menggunakan 6 elemen menurut Jane Stoke, yaitu setting, lokasi, peristiwa naratif, plo...

Improved vaccine protection against retrovirus infection after co-administration of adenoviral vectors encoding viral antigens and type I interferon subtypes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Groitl Peter

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Type I interferons (IFNs exhibit direct antiviral effects, but also distinct immunomodulatory properties. In this study, we analyzed type I IFN subtypes for their effect on prophylactic adenovirus-based anti-retroviral vaccination of mice against Friend retrovirus (FV or HIV. Results Mice were vaccinated with adenoviral vectors encoding FV Env and Gag proteins alone or in combination with vectors encoding IFNα1, IFNα2, IFNα4, IFNα5, IFNα6, IFNα9 or IFNβ. Only the co-administration of adenoviral vectors encoding IFNα2, IFNα4, IFNα6 and IFNα9 resulted in strongly improved immune protection of vaccinated mice from subsequent FV challenge infection with high control over FV-induced splenomegaly and reduced viral loads. The level of protection correlated with augmented virus-specific CD4+ T cell responses and enhanced antibody titers. Similar results were obtained when mice were vaccinated against HIV with adenoviral vectors encoding HIV Env and Gag-Pol in combination with various type I IFN encoding vectors. Here mainly CD4+ T cell responses were enhanced by IFNα subtypes. Conclusions Our results indicate that certain IFNα subtypes have the potential to improve the protective effect of adenovirus-based vaccines against retroviruses. This correlated with augmented virus-specific CD4+ T cell and antibody responses. Thus, co-expression of select type I IFNs may be a valuable tool for the development of anti-retroviral vaccines.

LEGO: A Modular Approach to Accelerator Alignment Data Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LeCocq, Catherine M

2003-05-14

The underlying unity of the numerous surveying computational methods is hidden by many practical differences in data acquisition. Traditional programming languages have added to the confusion by requiring programmers to describe the numeric data in very concrete and low-level structures (mostly arrays). In fact the algorithms behind all coordinate determination from surveying observations come down to basic methods of linear algebra. Lego uses the paradigm of object oriented programming (OOP) to more closely model the fundamental mathematical structures of all geodetic methods. Once the methods are in OOP form, the commonality across them becomes more obvious and a general architecture for a wide range of geodetic treatments becomes possible. This paper describes the fundamental concepts of this architecture and its advantages in terms of clarity (maintainability, testability and multi-author), portability and extensibility (observation types, resolution techniques and storage methods). The very first version of Lego was built in 1994 as a set of C routines to be used for the adjustment of theodolite data and tracker data. The routines were organized into six modules. Each module answered a specific task. The tasks had been identified as followed: general implementation, input, generic surveying formulas, statistical functions, matrix manipulation and specific resolution technique. This organization was the reason for the name Lego, but more seriously the purpose of this separation was to make Lego easily adaptable to any environment and easily expandable to new resolution techniques. At a second look, it was also a cry for being converted into a more modern language. Because C++ is primarily a superset of C, most C++ compilers have no problems compiling regular C code and may also handle a mixture of C and C++. This made the transformation of Lego very fast and painless. Up to now Lego is still using C functions for file access and dynamic memory allocation but is

LEGO: A Modular Approach to Accelerator Alignment Data Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LeCocq, Catherine M

2003-01-01

The underlying unity of the numerous surveying computational methods is hidden by many practical differences in data acquisition. Traditional programming languages have added to the confusion by requiring programmers to describe the numeric data in very concrete and low-level structures (mostly arrays). In fact the algorithms behind all coordinate determination from surveying observations come down to basic methods of linear algebra. Lego uses the paradigm of object oriented programming (OOP) to more closely model the fundamental mathematical structures of all geodetic methods. Once the methods are in OOP form, the commonality across them becomes more obvious and a general architecture for a wide range of geodetic treatments becomes possible. This paper describes the fundamental concepts of this architecture and its advantages in terms of clarity (maintainability, testability and multi-author), portability and extensibility (observation types, resolution techniques and storage methods). The very first version of Lego was built in 1994 as a set of C routines to be used for the adjustment of theodolite data and tracker data. The routines were organized into six modules. Each module answered a specific task. The tasks had been identified as followed: general implementation, input, generic surveying formulas, statistical functions, matrix manipulation and specific resolution technique. This organization was the reason for the name Lego, but more seriously the purpose of this separation was to make Lego easily adaptable to any environment and easily expandable to new resolution techniques. At a second look, it was also a cry for being converted into a more modern language. Because C++ is primarily a superset of C, most C++ compilers have no problems compiling regular C code and may also handle a mixture of C and C++. This made the transformation of Lego very fast and painless. Up to now Lego is still using C functions for file access and dynamic memory allocation but is

Long-term outcome of social skills intervention based on interactive LEGO play.

Science.gov (United States)

Legoff, Daniel B; Sherman, Michael

2006-07-01

LEGO building materials have been adapted as a therapeutic modality for increasing motivation to participate in social skills intervention, and providing a medium through which children with social and communication handicaps can effectively interact. A 3 year retrospective study of long-term outcome for autistic spectrum children participating in LEGO therapy (N = 60) compared Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale socialization domain (VABS-SD) and Gilliam Autism Rating Scale social interaction subscale (GARS-SI) scores preand post-treatment with a matched comparison sample (N = 57) who received comparable non-LEGO therapy. Although both groups made significant gains on the two outcome measures, LEGO participants improved significantly more than the comparison subjects. Diagnosis and pre-treatment full-scale IQ scores did not predict outcome scores; however, Vineland adaptive behavior composite, Vineland communication domain, and verbal IQ all predicted outcome on the VABS-SD, especially for the LEGO therapy group. Results are discussed in terms of implications for methods of social skills intervention for autistic spectrum disorders.

Learning with LEGO

Science.gov (United States)

Durrani, Matin

2017-12-01

I have lost count of the number of wheezes to get people hooked on particle physics. There have been straightforward scientific accounts, personal tales of discovery, books filled with cartoons, essays and even historical vignettes. In Particle Physics Brick by Brick, science communicator Ben Still has decided to use LEGO bricks to coax readers into learning more about the subatomic world.

LEGO-inspired drug design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thanh Tung, Truong; Dao, Trong Tuan; Grifell Junyent, Marta

2018-01-01

The fungal plasma membrane H+-ATPase (Pma1p) is a potential target for the discovery of new antifungal agents. Surprisingly, no structure-activity relationship studies for small molecules targeting Pma1p have been reported. Herein, we disclose a LEGO-inspired fragment assembly strategy for design...

Anmeldelse af Eigil Lego Andersen: Dirigent og generalforsamling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Werlauff, Erik

2011-01-01

Artiklen er en anmeldelse af advokat, adj. professor, dr. jur. Eigil Lego Andersens juridiske monografi om dirigenten og generalforsamlingen, herunder med lancering af en række nye afstemningsmetoder til brug for generalforsamlingen i (større) aktieselskaber.......Artiklen er en anmeldelse af advokat, adj. professor, dr. jur. Eigil Lego Andersens juridiske monografi om dirigenten og generalforsamlingen, herunder med lancering af en række nye afstemningsmetoder til brug for generalforsamlingen i (større) aktieselskaber....

Control Systems Lab Using a LEGO Mindstorms NXT Motor System

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Y.

2011-01-01

This paper introduces a low-cost LEGO Mindstorms NXT motor system for teaching classical and modern control theories in standard third-year undergraduate courses. The LEGO motor system can be used in conjunction with MATLAB, Simulink, and several necessary toolboxes to demonstrate: 1) a modeling technique; 2) proportional-integral-differential…

Supramolecular Lego assembly towards three-dimensional multi-responsive hydrogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Chunxin; Li, Tiefeng; Zhao, Qian; Yang, Xuxu; Wu, Jingjun; Luo, Yingwu; Xie, Tao

2014-08-27

Inspired by the assembly of Lego toys, hydrogel building blocks with heterogeneous responsiveness are assembled utilizing macroscopic supramolecular recognition as the adhesion force. The Lego hydrogel provides 3D transformation upon pH variation. After disassembly of the building blocks by changing the oxidation state, they can be re-assembled into a completely new shape. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

LEGO Dimensions meets Doctor Who: Transbranding and New Dimensions of Transmedia Storytelling?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matt Hills

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article explores how the ‘toys-to-life’ videogame LEGO Dimensions (WarnerBros. Interactive Entertainment/Traveller’s Tales/The LEGO Group, 2015 mashes upmany different franchise storyworlds and brands. Specifically, I focus on how DoctorWho (BBC, 1963—, the British TV science fiction series, is licensed and transmediallyengaged with in Dimensions. I consider how the transbranding of LEGO Dimensionsappears to co-opt children’s “transgressive play” (Nørgård and Toft-Nielsen, 2014by combining intellectual properties, but actually continues to operate according tologics of shared corporate ownership where many of the combined storyworlds areultimately owned by Time Warner (placing Dimensions in competition with Disney’sown ‘toys-to-life’ game. Considering what value might accrue to the brand of DoctorWho by participating in LEGO Dimensions, I identify this as a particular example of“What If?” transmedia (Mittell, 2015, arguing that LEGO Dimensions’ Doctor Whonevertheless fluctuates in terms of its brand (inauthenticity. The Starter Pack remainscloser to LEGO Games’/Traveller’s Tales’ established format, subordinating Who, whilstthe separate Level Pack engages more precisely with Doctor Who’s history, albeit stilldisplaying some notable divergences from the TV series (Booth, 2015. Although LEGODimensions challenges influential theories of transmedia storytelling (Jenkins, 2006;Aldred, 2014, its transbranding and child/adult targeting accord with established approachesto transmedia licensing (Santo 2015 and fan-consumer socialization (Kinder1991.

Listening and Legos[TM

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Pamela

2012-01-01

This simple exercise, performed in teams, gives students practice in listening to instructions, particularly when there are restrictions for the communication. The teams compete in a limited amount of time to build a Lego[TM] structure based on the instructions of one team member. Which team listens the best and is most successful?

FIRST LEGO League Kickoff

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

Randall Hicks (right), Jacobs Technology's Education Services manager at NASA John C. Stennis Space Center, answers questions about the playing field for FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO League's 2007 Challenge, `Power Puzzle.' More than 140 teachers, mentors, parents and students from 15 schools attended the Sept. 15 FLL season kickoff at StenniSphere, the visitor center at SSC. The teams from southern and central Mississippi and Mobile, Ala., who came to SSC heard rules for and asked questions about `Power Puzzle,' and saw robot demonstrations by Gulfport and Picayune high schools' past FIRST Robotics competitions. Using LEGO Mindstorms NXT kits, FLL teams of children ages 9-14 will spend the next three months building and programming robots to perform 'Power Puzzle's' challenge tasks, then pit them in competitions. They also will submit a research project about how energy choices impact the environment and the economy. The season will culminate at the Mississippi Championship Tournament on Dec. 8 at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. FLL, considered the `little league' of the FIRST Robotics Competition, partners FIRST and the LEGO Group. Competitions aim to inspire and celebrate science and technology using real-world context and hands-on experimentation. NASA recognizes FIRST activities as an excellent hands-on method to increase student knowledge of science, engineering, technology and mathematics. Schools represented in this year's kickoff were: Madison Avenue Upper Elementary, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians' Conehatta Elementary, Hattiesburg's Lillie Burney Elementary, Pearl Upper Elementary, Long Beach Middle, Oktibehha Elementary, d'Iberville Middle, Saucier's West Wortham Middle, Picayune's Nicholson Elementary and Roseland Park Baptist Church Academy, Bay St. Louis' St. Stanislaus College and Mobile's Davidson High, as well as two home-school groups from the Jackson area.

Innovation management based on proactive engagement of customers: A case study on LEGO Group. Part I: Innovation Management at Lego Group

Science.gov (United States)

Rusu, G.; Avasilcăi, S.

2015-11-01

Customers' proactive engagement in the innovation process represents a business priority for companies which adopt the open innovation business model. In such a context, it is of outmost importance for companies to use the online environment and social media, in order to create an interactive and open dialogue with customers and other important external stakeholders, achieving to gather creative solutions and innovative ideas by involving them in the process of co-creating value. Thus, the current paper is based on a case study approach, which aims to highlight the open innovation business model of the LEGO Group, one of the most successful and active company in engaging customers in submitting ideas and creative solutions for developing new products and new technologies, through online platforms. The study then proceeds to analyze the innovation management at LEGO Group, emphasizing the most important elements regarding the management team, the success and failures, the evolution of the LEGO products focusing on the innovation efforts of the company, its mission, vision, and values, emphasizing the innovation terms which guide the actions and objectives of the LEGO Group. Also, the research based on the case study approach, outlines the most important policies and strategies of the company, the organizational structure consisting of flat structures which facilitate the orientation of the team management on the innovation process and the proactive involvement of consumers and other external stakeholders in product development, highlighting also the most important activities developed by the management team in exploring the new opportunities which may occur on the market, involving customers in sharing their ideas at festivals, participating to discussions of adult fans on web-based platforms and establishing partnerships with the external stakeholders in order to create value. Moreover, the paper is focused on identifying the company's concerns regarding the

Alle ønsker sig en Lego-aktie til jul

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iversen, Martin Jes

2014-01-01

Både små og store investorer får julelys i øjnene ved tanken om at eje et stykke af Lego. På sigt kunne en børsnotering gøre Danmark til et rigere land.......Både små og store investorer får julelys i øjnene ved tanken om at eje et stykke af Lego. På sigt kunne en børsnotering gøre Danmark til et rigere land....

Using LEGO Blocks for Technology-Mediated Task-Based English Language Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Gadomska, Agnieszka

2015-01-01

LEGO blocks have been played with by generations of children worldwide since the 1950s. It is undeniable that they boost creativity, eye-hand coordination, focus, planning, problem solving and many other skills. LEGO bricks have been also used by educators across the curricula as they are extremely motivating and engaging and, in effect, make…

Using a Lego-based communications simulation to introduce medical students to patient-centered interviewing.

Science.gov (United States)

Harding, S R; D'Eon, M F

2001-01-01

Teaching patient-centered interviewing skills to medical students can be challenging. We have observed that 1st-year medical students, in particular, do not feel free to concentrate on the interviewing skills because they are preoccupied with complicated technical medical knowledge. The Lego simulation we use with our 1st-year students as part of a professional-skills course overcomes that difficulty. The Lego activity is a role play analogous to a doctor-patient interview that uses identical sets of Legos for the "doctor" and for the "patients" and a small construction that represents a patient history. With a simple questionnaire, data were collected from students at different points during instruction. Results indicate that the Lego activity was very effective in helping students learn the importance of open-ended questioning. It also was rated as highly as the very dynamic interactive part of the instructional session. The effectiveness of the Lego activity may be due to the properties of analogies.

PLAYING LEGO INCREASE COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT ON PRESCHOOL CHILD (4-5 YEARS OLD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sri Utami

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The preschool cognitive development can be stimulated with playing activity. The preschool child who stimulateless, their creativity will be checked and it can effect their cognitive development. Playing lego is one of the stimulation which give chance to the preschool child to express creativity and explorate their skill in playing construction. This research was aimed to analyze the effect of playing lego to the preschool cognitive development. Method: Quasy experimental pre post test design was used in this research. Total sample were 18 preschool child (4-5 years old. The independent variable was playing lego and the dependent variable was the cognitive development. Data were analyzed by Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and Mann Whitney U Test with the significance α<0.05. Result: Result showed that the control group has significance level p=0.059 and the treatment group has significance level p=0.008. The result of Mann Whitney U Test showed p=0.001. Discussion: It can be concluded that playing lego can effect the preschool cognitive development in spatial factor, reasoning, memory, and perceptual speed. It can be suggested to the further research to examine the effect of playing lego to the motoric development or social development.

Lego Group: An Outsourcing Journey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Marcus Møller; Pedersen, Torben; Slepniov, Dmitrij

2010-01-01

, the management had, among many initiatives, decided to offshore and outsource a major chunk of its production to Flextronics. In this pursuit of rapid cost-cutting sourcing advantages, the LEGO Group planned to license out as much as 80 per cent of its production besides closing down major parts...

On the entropy of LEGO

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Durhuus, Bergfinnur; Eilers, Søren

We propose the further study of the rate of growth of the number of contiguous buildings which may be made from n LEGO blocks of the same size and color. Specializing to blocks of dimension 2x4 we give upper and lower bounds, and speculate on the true value....

Live LEGO House: a Mixed Reality Game for the Edutainment

OpenAIRE

Portalés Ricart, Cristina

2007-01-01

Gaming is a natural way of learning and multimedia technologies bring new possibilities in the field of edutainment. Live LEGO House in an interactive space to explore coexistence and multicultural factors through gaming based on the Mixed Reality(MXR)technology. The system consists basically on a physical/real house built with the LEGO blocks, which is enriched with different non-physical/virtual multimedia files, including sounds, videos and 3D animations with multicultural content. Childre...

A 'LEGO' Hybrid Photon Detector - assembled from standard mass-produced vacuum components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferenc, Daniel; Lorenz, Eckart; Mirzoyan, Razmik

2000-01-01

Motivated primarily by the MAGIC atmospheric Cherenkov telescope project, we have developed a 'LEGO' Hybrid Photon Detector (HPD) comprising excellent focusing properties and protection against positive ion feedback. LEGO-HPD is supposed to be assembled from standard high vacuum components, which insures simplicity in the assembly procedure and reliability of operation

Firewalls Prevent Systemic Dissemination of Vectors Derived from Human Adenovirus Type 5 and Suppress Production of Transgene-Encoded Antigen in a Murine Model of Oral Vaccination.

Science.gov (United States)

Revaud, Julien; Unterfinger, Yves; Rol, Nicolas; Suleman, Muhammad; Shaw, Julia; Galea, Sandra; Gavard, Françoise; Lacour, Sandrine A; Coulpier, Muriel; Versillé, Nicolas; Havenga, Menzo; Klonjkowski, Bernard; Zanella, Gina; Biacchesi, Stéphane; Cordonnier, Nathalie; Corthésy, Blaise; Ben Arous, Juliette; Richardson, Jennifer P

2018-01-01

To define the bottlenecks that restrict antigen expression after oral administration of viral-vectored vaccines, we tracked vectors derived from the human adenovirus type 5 at whole body, tissue, and cellular scales throughout the digestive tract in a murine model of oral delivery. After intragastric administration of vectors encoding firefly luciferase or a model antigen, detectable levels of transgene-encoded protein or mRNA were confined to the intestine, and restricted to delimited anatomical zones. Expression of luciferase in the form of multiple small bioluminescent foci in the distal ileum, cecum, and proximal colon suggested multiple crossing points. Many foci were unassociated with visible Peyer's patches, implying that transduced cells lay in proximity to villous rather than follicle-associated epithelium, as supported by detection of transgene-encoded antigen in villous epithelial cells. Transgene-encoded mRNA but not protein was readily detected in Peyer's patches, suggesting that post-transcriptional regulation of viral gene expression might limit expression of transgene-encoded antigen in this tissue. To characterize the pathways by which the vector crossed the intestinal epithelium and encountered sentinel cells, a fluorescent-labeled vector was administered to mice by the intragastric route or inoculated into ligated intestinal loops comprising a Peyer's patch. The vector adhered selectively to microfold cells in the follicle-associated epithelium, and, after translocation to the subepithelial dome region, was captured by phagocytes that expressed CD11c and lysozyme. In conclusion, although a large number of crossing events took place throughout the intestine within and without Peyer's patches, multiple firewalls prevented systemic dissemination of vector and suppressed production of transgene-encoded protein in Peyer's patches.

Firewalls Prevent Systemic Dissemination of Vectors Derived from Human Adenovirus Type 5 and Suppress Production of Transgene-Encoded Antigen in a Murine Model of Oral Vaccination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julien Revaud

2018-01-01

Full Text Available To define the bottlenecks that restrict antigen expression after oral administration of viral-vectored vaccines, we tracked vectors derived from the human adenovirus type 5 at whole body, tissue, and cellular scales throughout the digestive tract in a murine model of oral delivery. After intragastric administration of vectors encoding firefly luciferase or a model antigen, detectable levels of transgene-encoded protein or mRNA were confined to the intestine, and restricted to delimited anatomical zones. Expression of luciferase in the form of multiple small bioluminescent foci in the distal ileum, cecum, and proximal colon suggested multiple crossing points. Many foci were unassociated with visible Peyer's patches, implying that transduced cells lay in proximity to villous rather than follicle-associated epithelium, as supported by detection of transgene-encoded antigen in villous epithelial cells. Transgene-encoded mRNA but not protein was readily detected in Peyer's patches, suggesting that post-transcriptional regulation of viral gene expression might limit expression of transgene-encoded antigen in this tissue. To characterize the pathways by which the vector crossed the intestinal epithelium and encountered sentinel cells, a fluorescent-labeled vector was administered to mice by the intragastric route or inoculated into ligated intestinal loops comprising a Peyer's patch. The vector adhered selectively to microfold cells in the follicle-associated epithelium, and, after translocation to the subepithelial dome region, was captured by phagocytes that expressed CD11c and lysozyme. In conclusion, although a large number of crossing events took place throughout the intestine within and without Peyer's patches, multiple firewalls prevented systemic dissemination of vector and suppressed production of transgene-encoded protein in Peyer's patches.

Project Luna Succendo: The Lunar Evolutionary Growth-Optimized (LEGO) Reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Bess, John Darrell

A final design has been established for a basic Lunar Evolutionary Growth-Optimized (LEGO) Reactor using current and near-term technologies. The LEGO Reactor is a modular, fast-fission, heatpipe-cooled, clustered-reactor system for lunar-surface power generation. The reactor is divided into subcritical units that can be safely launched within lunar shipments from the Earth, and then emplaced directly into holes drilled into the lunar regolith to form a critical reactor assembly. The regolith would not just provide radiation shielding, but serve as neutron-reflector material as well. The reactor subunits are to be manufactured using proven and tested materials for use in radiation environments, such as uranium-dioxide fuel, stainless-steel cladding and structural support, and liquid-sodium heatpipes. The LEGO Reactor system promotes reliability, safety, and ease of manufacture and testing at the cost of an increase in launch mass per overall rated power level and a reduction in neutron economy when compared to a single-reactor system. A single unshielded LEGO Reactor subunit has an estimated mass of approximately 448 kg and provides 5 kWe using a free-piston Stirling space converter. The overall envelope for a single unit with fully extended radiator panels has a height of 8.77 m and a diameter of 0.50 m. The subunits can be placed with centerline distances of approximately 0.6 m in a hexagonal-lattice pattern to provide sufficient neutronic coupling while allowing room for heat rejection and interstitial control. A lattice of six subunits could provide sufficient power generation throughout the initial stages of establishing a lunar outpost. Portions of the reactor may be neutronically decoupled to allow for reduced power production during unmanned periods of base operations. During later stages of lunar-base development, additional subunits may be emplaced and coupled into the existing LEGO Reactor network Future improvements include advances in reactor control

Recombinant vectors construction for cellobiohydrolase encoding gene constitutive expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leontina GURGU

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Cellobiohydrolases (EC 3.2.1.91 are important exo enzymes involved in cellulose hydrolysis alongside endoglucanases (EC 3.2.1.4 and β-glucosidases (EC 3.2.1.21. Heterologous cellobiohydrolase gene expression under constitutive promoter control using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as host system is of great importance for a successful SSF process. From this point of view, the main objective of the work was to use Yeplac181 expression vector as a recipient for cellobiohdrolase - cbhB encoding gene expression under the control of the actin promoter, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two hybridvectors, YEplac-Actp and YEplac-Actp-CbhB, were generated usingEscherichia coli XLI Blue for the cloning experiments. Constitutive cbhB gene expression was checked by proteine gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE after insertion of these constructs into Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Calling all LEGO lovers! Add a mini control room to your collection

CERN Multimedia

Katarina Anthony

2015-01-01

The mini LHC Lego project launched in March (see here) now has almost 6,000 supporters - well on its way to the 10,000 votes needed for it to (hopefully!) hit store shelves. This week, the project added a new feature to its line: a mini control centre! The new LEGO Control centre, featuring operators "Kerstin" and "Marco".   The mini LHC project is the brainchild of ATLAS PhD student Nathan Readioff, who designed Lego replicas of the LHC and the ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb experiments on a micro scale. Each detector model is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand but crammed with detailed internal systems revealed by cutaway walls. Every major detector component is represented by a Lego piece. Now, Nathan has created a control centre to complement the mini LHC project. This would be an add-on feature for Lego’s consideration, should they decide to develop the accelerator into a box set. “The control centre is ...

Bright bricks, dark play: On the impossibility of studying LEGO

OpenAIRE

Giddings, S.

2014-01-01

It is generally recognized that the pleasures of LEGO do not end once the instructions in a particular set have been followed and the model depicted on the box is accurately realized. Generations of children have —just as the manufacturers intended— pulled apart the pristine model and begun again, making new vehicles, environments and creatures. The new set joins the larger box of LEGO full of older bricks, and is mixed and hybridized. This hybridization has become particularly evident in rec...

Implementation of Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems, the Case of The LEGO Group

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Ying; Bilberg, Arne; Hadar, Ronen

of reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMS). A literature review is made to describe the advantages and core characteristics of RMS. Based on the theory, a conceptual model is developed to analyze where RMS would be most suitable and have most benefits in The LEGO Group. Finally, the conclusion is drawn based...... on the analysis through the model. Keywords: Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems, Conceptual Model of RMS, Production of The LEGO Group...

FIRST LEGO League announces State Championship winners

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

PEAK Home School Network Team 1832 'Techno Warriors' of Brandon sport the Champions Award they won during the Dec. 8 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO League 2007 Mississippi Championship Tournament.

LEGO for Two-Party Secure Computation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jesper Buus; Orlandi, Claudio

2009-01-01

This paper continues the recent line of work of making Yao’s garbled circuit approach to two-party computation secure against an active adversary. We propose a new cut-and-choose based approach called LEGO (Large Efficient Garbled-circuit Optimization): It is specifically aimed at large circuits...

Race to improve student understanding of uncertainty: Using LEGO race cars in the physics lab

Science.gov (United States)

Parappilly, Maria; Hassam, Christopher; Woodman, Richard J.

2018-01-01

Laboratories using LEGO race cars were developed for students in an introductory physics topic with a high early drop-out rate. In a 2014 pilot study, the labs were offered to improve students' confidence with experiments and laboratory skills, especially uncertainty propagation. This intervention was extended into the intro level physics topic the next year, for comparison and evaluation. Considering the pilot study, we subsequently adapted the delivery of the LEGO labs for a large Engineering Mechanics cohort. A qualitative survey of the students was taken to gain insight into their perception of the incorporation of LEGO race cars into physics labs. For Engineering, the findings show that LEGO physics was instrumental in teaching students the measurement and uncertainty, improving their lab reporting skills, and was a key factor in reducing the early attrition rate. This paper briefly recalls the results of the pilot study, and how variations in the delivery yielded better learning outcomes. A novel method is proposed for how LEGO race cars in a physics lab can help students increase their understanding of uncertainty and motivate them towards physics practicals.

Liquid-handling Lego robots and experiments for STEM education and research

OpenAIRE

Gerber, Lukas C.; Calasanz-Kaiser, Agnes; Hyman, Luke; Voitiuk, Kateryna; Patil, Uday; Riedel-Kruse, Ingmar H.

2017-01-01

Liquid-handling robots have many applications for biotechnology and the life sciences, with increasing impact on everyday life. While playful robotics such as Lego Mindstorms significantly support education initiatives in mechatronics and programming, equivalent connections to the life sciences do not currently exist. To close this gap, we developed Lego-based pipetting robots that reliably handle liquid volumes from 1 ml down to the sub-μl range and that operate on standard laboratory plasti...

Transforming LEGO for the Digital Economy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Peter; Ross, Jeanne

2016-01-01

processes. The goal of the new transformation is “to become a digital company.” Although the company already looked digital in 2016, management felt it had not become digital—in its products and processes. This case describes the LEGO Group’s journey to become a successful digital company....

A plasmid toolkit for cloning chimeric cDNAs encoding customized fusion proteins into any Gateway destination expression vector

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Valuable clone collections encoding the complete ORFeomes for some model organisms have been constructed following the completion of their genome sequencing projects. These libraries are based on Gateway cloning technology, which facilitates the study of protein function by simplifying the subcloning of open reading frames (ORF) into any suitable destination vector. The expression of proteins of interest as fusions with functional modules is a frequent approach in their initial functional characterization. A limited number of Gateway destination expression vectors allow the construction of fusion proteins from ORFeome-derived sequences, but they are restricted to the possibilities offered by their inbuilt functional modules and their pre-defined model organism-specificity. Thus, the availability of cloning systems that overcome these limitations would be highly advantageous. Results We present a versatile cloning toolkit for constructing fully-customizable three-part fusion proteins based on the MultiSite Gateway cloning system. The fusion protein components are encoded in the three plasmids integral to the kit. These can recombine with any purposely-engineered destination vector that uses a heterologous promoter external to the Gateway cassette, leading to the in-frame cloning of an ORF of interest flanked by two functional modules. In contrast to previous systems, a third part becomes available for peptide-encoding as it no longer needs to contain a promoter, resulting in an increased number of possible fusion combinations. We have constructed the kit’s component plasmids and demonstrate its functionality by providing proof-of-principle data on the expression of prototype fluorescent fusions in transiently-transfected cells. Conclusions We have developed a toolkit for creating fusion proteins with customized N- and C-term modules from Gateway entry clones encoding ORFs of interest. Importantly, our method allows entry clones obtained from ORFeome

LEGO: a novel method for gene set over-representation analysis by incorporating network-based gene weights.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Xinran; Hao, Yun; Wang, Xiao; Tian, Weidong

2016-01-11

Pathway or gene set over-representation analysis (ORA) has become a routine task in functional genomics studies. However, currently widely used ORA tools employ statistical methods such as Fisher's exact test that reduce a pathway into a list of genes, ignoring the constitutive functional non-equivalent roles of genes and the complex gene-gene interactions. Here, we develop a novel method named LEGO (functional Link Enrichment of Gene Ontology or gene sets) that takes into consideration these two types of information by incorporating network-based gene weights in ORA analysis. In three benchmarks, LEGO achieves better performance than Fisher and three other network-based methods. To further evaluate LEGO's usefulness, we compare LEGO with five gene expression-based and three pathway topology-based methods using a benchmark of 34 disease gene expression datasets compiled by a recent publication, and show that LEGO is among the top-ranked methods in terms of both sensitivity and prioritization for detecting target KEGG pathways. In addition, we develop a cluster-and-filter approach to reduce the redundancy among the enriched gene sets, making the results more interpretable to biologists. Finally, we apply LEGO to two lists of autism genes, and identify relevant gene sets to autism that could not be found by Fisher.

Programación de LEGO MindStorms bajo GNU/Linux

OpenAIRE

Matellán Olivera, Vicente; Heras Quirós, Pedro de las; Centeno González, José; González Barahona, Jesús

2002-01-01

GNU/Linux sobre un ordenador personal es la opción libre preferida por muchos desarrolladores de aplicaciones, pero también es una plataforma de desarrollo muy popular para otros sistemas, incluida la programación de robots, en particular es muy adecuada para jugar con los LEGO Mindstorms. En este artículo presentaremos las dos opciones más extendidas a la hora de programar estos juguetes: NQC y LegOS. NQC es una versión reducida de C que permite el desarrollo rápido de programas ...

A Basic LEGO Reactor Design for the Provision of Lunar Surface Power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

John Darrell Bess

2008-01-01

A final design has been established for a basic Lunar Evolutionary Growth-Optimized (LEGO) Reactor using current and near-term technologies. The LEGO Reactor is a modular, fast-fission, heatpipe-cooled, clustered-reactor system for lunar-surface power generation. The reactor is divided into subcritical units that can be safely launched with lunar shipments from Earth, and then emplaced directly into holes drilled into the lunar regolith to form a critical reactor assembly. The regolith would not just provide radiation shielding, but serve as neutron-reflector material as well. The reactor subunits are to be manufactured using proven and tested materials for use in radiation environments, such as uranium-dioxide fuel, stainless-steel cladding and structural support, and liquid-sodium heatpipes. The LEGO Reactor system promotes reliability, safety, and ease of manufacture and testing at the cost of an increase in launch mass per overall rated power level and a reduction in neutron economy when compared to a single-reactor system. A single unshielded LEGO Reactor subunit has an estimated mass of approximately 448 kg and provides approximately 5 kWe. The overall envelope for a single subunit with fully extended radiator panels has a height of 8.77 m and a diameter of 0.50 m. Six subunits could provide sufficient power generation throughout the initial stages of establishing a lunar outpost. Portions of the reactor may be neutronically decoupled to allow for reduced power production during unmanned periods of base operations. During later stages of lunar-base development, additional subunits may be emplaced and coupled into the existing LEGO Reactor network, subject to lunar base power demand. Improvements in reactor control methods, fuel form and matrix, shielding, as well as power conversion and heat rejection techniques can help generate an even more competitive LEGO Reactor design. Further modifications in the design could provide power generative opportunities for

Color dithering methods for LEGO-like 3D printing

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Pei-Li; Sie, Yuping

2015-01-01

Color dithering methods for LEGO-like 3D printing are proposed in this study. The first method is work for opaque color brick building. It is a modification of classic error diffusion. Many color primaries can be chosen. However, RGBYKW is recommended as its image quality is good and the number of color primary is limited. For translucent color bricks, multi-layer color building can enhance the image quality significantly. A LUT-based method is proposed to speed the dithering proceeding and make the color distribution even smoother. Simulation results show the proposed multi-layer dithering method can really improve the image quality of LEGO-like 3D printing.

A Day at FIRST Lego League

Science.gov (United States)

McIntyre, Nancy

2012-01-01

This article features an after-school FIRST Lego League (FLL) program at Chaminade Middle School in Chatsworth, California, USA. The after-school FLL program feeds into the high school FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) program wherein aspiring young engineers come to the high school team with several years of FLL experience. Through the FLL…

Wave propagation in complex structures with LEGO

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lancellotti, V.; Hon, de B.P.; Tijhuis, A.G.

2012-01-01

We present the extension of the linear embedding via Green's operators (LEGO) scheme to problems that involve elementary sources localized inside complex structures made of different dielectric media with inclusions. We show how this new feature allows solving problems of wave propagation within,

Exploring New Firm Creation Out of Brand Communities: The Case of LEGO

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hienerth, Christoph; Lettl, Christopher; Biskjaer, Michael Mose

2011-01-01

In the field of new product development, brand communities have attracted a great deal of attention from both academics and practitioners as a means of facilitating consumer-producer co-creation processes. In this paper, we extend the line of research on brand communities to the field...... brand community enjoys a broader range of LEGO products and services. Our findings reveal the emergence of a hybrid organizational form in which new business ideas are neither exploited solely within the boundaries of the focal producer firm, nor pursued by fully independent new firms alone. We observe...... of entrepreneurship studies by examining the conditions under which new firms emerge out of these social networks. Our empirical setting is the global LEGO brand community. As a well-known pioneering firm that is constantly experimenting with new ways of collaborating with its fan and customer base, LEGO recently...

A Vector Printing Method for High-Speed Electrohydrodynamic (EHD Jet Printing Based on Encoder Position Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thanh Huy Phung

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Electrohyrodynamic (EHD jet printing has been widely used in the field of direct micro-nano patterning applications, due to its high resolution printing capability. So far, vector line printing using a single nozzle has been widely used for most EHD printing applications. However, the application has been limited to low-speed printing, to avoid non-uniform line width near the end points where line printing starts and ends. At end points of line vector printing, the deposited drop amount is likely to be significantly large compared to the rest of the printed lines, due to unavoidable acceleration and deceleration. In this study, we proposed a method to solve the printing quality problems by producing droplets at an equally spaced distance, irrespective of the printing speed. For this purpose, an encoder processing unit (EPU was developed, so that the jetting trigger could be generated according to user-defined spacing by using encoder position signals, which are used for the positioning control of the two linear stages.

Spiral CT scanning technique in the detection of aspiration of LEGO foreign bodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Applegate, K E; Dardinger, J T; Lieber, M L; Herts, B R; Davros, W J; Obuchowski, N A; Maneker, A

2001-12-01

Radiolucent foreign bodies (FBs) such as plastic objects and toys remain difficult to identify on conventional radiographs of the neck and chest. Children may present with a variety of respiratory complaints, which may or may not be due to a FB. To determine whether radiolucent FBs such as plastic LEGOs and peanuts can be seen in the tracheobronchial tree or esophagus using low-dose spiral CT, and, if visible, to determine the optimal CT imaging technique. Multiple spiral sequences were performed while varying the CT parameters and the presence and location of FBs in either the trachea or the esophagus first on a neck phantom and then a cadaver. Sequences were rated by three radiologists blinded to the presence of a FB using a single scoring system. The LEGO was well visualized in the trachea by all three readers (both lung and soft-tissue windowing: combined sensitivity 89 %, combined specificity 89 %) and to a lesser extent in the esophagus (combined sensitivity 31 %, combined specificity 100 %). The peanut was not well visualized (combined sensitivity LEGO was 120 kV, 90 mA, 3-mm collimation, 0.75 s/revolution, and 2.0 pitch. This allowed for coverage of the cadaver tracheobronchial tree (approximately 11 cm) in about 18 s. Although statistical power was low for detecting significant differences, all three readers noted higher average confidence ratings with lung windowing among 18 LEGO-in-trachea scans. Rapid, low-dose spiral CT may be used to visualize LEGO FBs in the airway or esophagus. Peanuts were not well visualized.

Elite weapons for lego fanatics build working handcuffs, body armor, batons, sunglasses, and the world's hardest hitting brick guns

CERN Document Server

Hüdepohl, Martin

2015-01-01

The last LEGO brick weapon construction book and design guide you'll ever need, Elite Weapons for LEGO Fanatics features building instructions for thirteen fully functional LEGO masterpieces, including the monstrous, 27-inch-long Dinosaur Superior, a fully automatic combat rifle that can puncture aluminum cans, and a highly detailed HK G3 brick replica. Also featuring a helmet, a baton, handcuffs, sunglasses, and a grappling hook gun, which allows you to retrieve distant objects without ever leaving your seat, Elite Weapons for LEGO Fanatics includes a chapter on how to find the LEGO pieces you need and a comic book story featuring a hero using the weapons in action. LEGO fans of all ages and skill levels will find a treasure trove of models, including: • Hammerhead Jr., a single-shot crossbow and it's big brother, the heavy-duty Hammerhead Sr. • Panzer Pod combat helmet • KlopSTOCK baton • Melody, a rubber-firing machine pistol • Nice-1, a pocket-sized pistol that packs a punch • Chinahook harpoon gun ...

Particle physics brick by brick atomic and subatomic physics explained... in LEGO

CERN Document Server

Still, Ben

2017-01-01

Using LEGO (R) blocks to create a uniquely visual and clear depiction of the way our universe is put together. This is the perfect introduction to the enigmatic and fascinating world of Quantum Physics.Our story starts with the Big Bang, and along the way, the constructs and interactions within and among atoms and sub-atomic particles, and the forces that play upon them, are clearly explained, with each LEGO (R) block representing a different atomic or sub-atomic particle. The different colours and size denote what that particle is and its relationship with the other 'building blocks'.Each chapter is presented in digestible chunks, using toy building blocks to illustrate the ideas and experiments that have led to some of the biggest discoveries of the past 150 years.Soon you'll be able to construct every element in the Universe using a box of LEGO (R) and this book!

LEGO, Legoland og Billund Lalandia nr. 2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leth Pasgaard, Jens Chr.

2007-01-01

kant af Ribe Amt. Ud over LEGO koncernens produktionsudflytning påvirkes Ny Billund Kommune endvidere af lukningen af Danish Crowns slagteri i Grindsted, hvor 700 arbejdspladser for nyligt blev nedlagt. Det er således forståeligt at kommunen byder nye investorer velkommen. Kommunen har potentialet til...

Innovation management based on proactive engagement of customers: A case study on LEGO Group. Part II: Challenge of engaging the digital customer

Science.gov (United States)

Avasilcăi, S.; Rusu, G.

2015-11-01

To foster the development of innovative products and new technologies, nowadays companies use an open innovation system, encouraging stakeholders to contribute, using the companies’ online platforms for open innovation or social media, bringing and sharing creative solutions and ideas in order to respond to challenging needs the company directly expresses. Accordingly, the current research continues the analysis of the LEGO Group innovation efforts, aiming to provide a case study approach based on describing the most important projects and online instruments company uses to interact with customers and other external stakeholders. Thus, by analysing the experience of the company in developing projects of involving stakeholders in the innovation processes, the article emphasizes the objective of these past projects developed by LEGO Group, outlining their objectives regarding the focus on the product or process innovation, the team management and stakeholders involved in the innovation actions and the results they obtained. Moreover, the case study highlights the features of the most important online instruments LEGO Group uses at the moment for engaging LEGO fans, children, parents, and other external stakeholders in developing new LEGO sets. Thus, LEGO online instruments provide the opportunity for customers to be creative and to respond to LEGO management team challenges. Accordingly, LEGO involve customers in bringing innovative ideas for LEGO sets through LEGO Ideas instrument, which aims to engage customers in submitting projects, voting and supporting ideas and also sharing them on social media. Also, the research emphasizes the role of supporting the open dialogue and interaction with customers and other external stakeholders through LEGO.com Create & Share Galleries instrument, using their creativity to upload innovative models in the public galleries. The continuous challenges LEGO launches for their fans create a long-term connection between company and

Block Party: Legos in the Library

Science.gov (United States)

Klebanoff, Abbe

2009-01-01

Toys don't belong in the library. That's probably what some people still think. But the author's library outside Philadelphia was having such a hard time attracting boys who had outgrown storytime that he and his colleagues decided to try something new. So his school started a Lego club. Since their June 2008 kickoff, they've been amazed by how…

The parametric resonance—from LEGO Mindstorms to cold atoms

Science.gov (United States)

Kawalec, Tomasz; Sierant, Aleksandra

2017-07-01

We show an experimental setup based on a popular LEGO Mindstorms set, allowing us to both observe and investigate the parametric resonance phenomenon. The presented method is simple but covers a variety of student activities like embedded software development, conducting measurements, data collection and analysis. It may be used during science shows, as part of student projects and to illustrate the parametric resonance in mechanics or even quantum physics, during lectures or classes. The parametrically driven LEGO pendulum gains energy in a spectacular way, increasing its amplitude from 10° to about 100° within a few tens of seconds. We provide also a short description of a wireless absolute orientation sensor that may be used in quantitative analysis of driven or free pendulum movement.

The parametric resonance—from LEGO Mindstorms to cold atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawalec, Tomasz; Sierant, Aleksandra

2017-01-01

We show an experimental setup based on a popular LEGO Mindstorms set, allowing us to both observe and investigate the parametric resonance phenomenon. The presented method is simple but covers a variety of student activities like embedded software development, conducting measurements, data collection and analysis. It may be used during science shows, as part of student projects and to illustrate the parametric resonance in mechanics or even quantum physics, during lectures or classes. The parametrically driven LEGO pendulum gains energy in a spectacular way, increasing its amplitude from 10° to about 100° within a few tens of seconds. We provide also a short description of a wireless absolute orientation sensor that may be used in quantitative analysis of driven or free pendulum movement. (paper)

Liquid-handling Lego robots and experiments for STEM education and research.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lukas C Gerber

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Liquid-handling robots have many applications for biotechnology and the life sciences, with increasing impact on everyday life. While playful robotics such as Lego Mindstorms significantly support education initiatives in mechatronics and programming, equivalent connections to the life sciences do not currently exist. To close this gap, we developed Lego-based pipetting robots that reliably handle liquid volumes from 1 ml down to the sub-μl range and that operate on standard laboratory plasticware, such as cuvettes and multiwell plates. These robots can support a range of science and chemistry experiments for education and even research. Using standard, low-cost household consumables, programming pipetting routines, and modifying robot designs, we enabled a rich activity space. We successfully tested these activities in afterschool settings with elementary, middle, and high school students. The simplest robot can be directly built from the widely used Lego Education EV3 core set alone, and this publication includes building and experiment instructions to set the stage for dissemination and further development in education and research.

Liquid-handling Lego robots and experiments for STEM education and research.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerber, Lukas C; Calasanz-Kaiser, Agnes; Hyman, Luke; Voitiuk, Kateryna; Patil, Uday; Riedel-Kruse, Ingmar H

2017-03-01

Liquid-handling robots have many applications for biotechnology and the life sciences, with increasing impact on everyday life. While playful robotics such as Lego Mindstorms significantly support education initiatives in mechatronics and programming, equivalent connections to the life sciences do not currently exist. To close this gap, we developed Lego-based pipetting robots that reliably handle liquid volumes from 1 ml down to the sub-μl range and that operate on standard laboratory plasticware, such as cuvettes and multiwell plates. These robots can support a range of science and chemistry experiments for education and even research. Using standard, low-cost household consumables, programming pipetting routines, and modifying robot designs, we enabled a rich activity space. We successfully tested these activities in afterschool settings with elementary, middle, and high school students. The simplest robot can be directly built from the widely used Lego Education EV3 core set alone, and this publication includes building and experiment instructions to set the stage for dissemination and further development in education and research.

Spiral CT scanning technique in the detection of aspiration of LEGO foreign bodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Applegate, K.E.; Dardinger, J.T.; Herts, B.R.; Davros, W.J.; Obuchowski, N.A.; Lieber, M.L.; Maneker, A.

2001-01-01

Background:. Radiolucent foreign bodies (FBs) such as plastic objects and toys remain difficult to identify on conventional radiographs of the neck and chest. Children may present with a variety of respiratory complaints, which may or may not be due to a FB. Objective: To determine whether radiolucent FBs such as plastic LEGOs and peanuts can be seen in the tracheobronchial tree or esophagus using low-dose spiral CT, and, if visible, to determine the optimal CT imaging technique. Materials and methods: Multiple spiral sequences were performed while varying the CT parameters and the presence and location of FBs in either the trachea or the esophagus first on a neck phantom and then a cadaver. Sequences were rated by three radiologists blinded to the presence of a FB using a single scoring system. Results: The LEGO was well visualized in the trachea by all three readers (both lung and soft-tissue windowing: combined sensitivity 89 %, combined specificity 89 %) and to a lesser extent in the esophagus (combined sensitivity 31 %, combined specificity 100 %). The peanut was not well visualized (combined sensitivity < 35 %). The optimal technique for visualizing the LEGO was 120 kV, 90 mA, 3-mm collimation, 0.75 s/revolution, and 2.0 pitch. This allowed for coverage of the cadaver tracheobronchial tree (approximately 11 cm) in about 18 s. Although statistical power was low for detecting significant differences, all three readers noted higher average confidence ratings with lung windowing among 18 LEGO-in-trachea scans. Conclusion: Rapid, low-dose spiral CT may be used to visualize LEGO FBs in the airway or esophagus. Peanuts were not well visualized. (orig.)

Lego Serious Play in Law

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frederico de Andrade Gabrich

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The legal education is not fully following the significant changes in society in the XXI century, and this determines significant lack of student motivation. The teaching methodologies used in legal courses continued to follow the teacher's knowledge and books, grounded in instructionism. It takes the development and application of new teaching methodologies that favor the change of the dominant mental model, systems thinking, innovation and real problems solution that motivate students for learning. The Lego Serious

How LEGO Built the Foundations and Enterprise Capabilities for Digital Leadership

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

El Sawy, Omar; Henrik, Amsinck; Kræmmergaard, Pernille

2016-01-01

We define digital leadership as doing the right things for the strategic success of digitalization for the enterprise and its business ecosystem. Digital leadership means thinking differently about business strategy, business models, the IT function, enterprise platforms, mindsets and skill sets......, and the workplace. Based on the decade-long digitalization journey and experiences of the LEGO Group, this article provides insights on building the foundations for enhancing enterprise capabilities for digital leadership. Leveraging digitalization is one of the LEGO Group’s four strategic priorities...... and is fundamental to it being a world leader in its industry...

Generation NXT: Building Young Engineers with LEGOs

Science.gov (United States)

Karp, T.; Gale, R.; Lowe, L. A.; Medina, V.; Beutlich, E.

2010-01-01

This paper describes key success factors for the implementation and development of a LEGO robotics engineering outreach program for elementary school students in West Texas. The outreach program not only aims at getting young students excited about engineering but at the same time aims at improving retention rates among electrical and computer…

Designing and implementing nervous system simulations on LEGO robots.

Science.gov (United States)

Blustein, Daniel; Rosenthal, Nikolai; Ayers, Joseph

2013-05-25

We present a method to use the commercially available LEGO Mindstorms NXT robotics platform to test systems level neuroscience hypotheses. The first step of the method is to develop a nervous system simulation of specific reflexive behaviors of an appropriate model organism; here we use the American Lobster. Exteroceptive reflexes mediated by decussating (crossing) neural connections can explain an animal's taxis towards or away from a stimulus as described by Braitenberg and are particularly well suited for investigation using the NXT platform.(1) The nervous system simulation is programmed using LabVIEW software on the LEGO Mindstorms platform. Once the nervous system is tuned properly, behavioral experiments are run on the robot and on the animal under identical environmental conditions. By controlling the sensory milieu experienced by the specimens, differences in behavioral outputs can be observed. These differences may point to specific deficiencies in the nervous system model and serve to inform the iteration of the model for the particular behavior under study. This method allows for the experimental manipulation of electronic nervous systems and serves as a way to explore neuroscience hypotheses specifically regarding the neurophysiological basis of simple innate reflexive behaviors. The LEGO Mindstorms NXT kit provides an affordable and efficient platform on which to test preliminary biomimetic robot control schemes. The approach is also well suited for the high school classroom to serve as the foundation for a hands-on inquiry-based biorobotics curriculum.

History and Educational Potential of LEGO Mindstorms NXT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Memet ÜÇGÜL

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Educational usage of the robotics has accelerated recently because of educational potential of robotics has been recognized by educators and popularity of international robotics tournaments. Many university and schools prepare technology and robotics related summer schools for children. LEGO Mindstorms NXT is the most popular and commonly used robotics set for educational purposes. This robot sets rooted to Seymour Papert’s LOGO studies which have much influence Instructional Technology in 1960’s. This study aims to present a literature review on educational potential of LEGO Mindstorms NXT robotics sets. Robotics mainly used in education for supporting the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education. Most of the related studies resulted with positive effects of the robotics activities in STEM education. Robotics also used in education to increase some skills of the children such as discovery learning, critical thinking and social skills.Özet - LEGO Mindstorms NXT’lerin Tarihi ve Eğitsel Potansiyeli: Robotların eğitsel amaçlarla kullanımı giderek artmaktadır. Eğitimcilerin robotların eğitsel potansiyelinin farkına varmaları ve uluslararası robot turnuvalarının popülerlik kazanmasının robotların eğitsel kullanımına katkısı büyüktür. Birçok üniversite ve okul, teknoloji ve robotlar konulu yaz kampları düzenlemektedirler. LEGO Mindstorms NXT en popüler ve en çok kullanılan eğitsel robot setleridir. Bu robot setlerinin geçmişi, Seymour Papert’in LOGO çalışmalarına dayanmaktadır. Bu çalışmaların 1960’larda eğitim teknolojisine büyük etkileri olmuştur. Bu tarama çalışmasının amacı son zamanlarda eğitimcilerin ilgisini çeken, robotların eğitsel amaçlarla kullanımına yönelik çalışmaları inceleyerek, LEGO Mindstorms NXT robot setlerinin  eğitim amaçlı kullanım potansiyellerinin belirlenmesidir. Robotlar eğitimde en çok FTMM (Fen, Teknoloji

A LEGO Mindstorms Brewster angle microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Fernsler, Jonathan; Nguyen, Vincent; Wallum, Alison; Benz, Nicholas; Hamlin, Matthew; Pilgram, Jessica; Vanderpoel, Hunter; Lau, Ryan

2017-09-01

A Brewster Angle Microscope (BAM) built from a LEGO Mindstorms kit, additional LEGO bricks, and several standard optics components, is described. The BAM was built as part of an undergraduate senior project and was designed, calibrated, and used to image phospholipid, cholesterol, soap, and oil films on the surface of water. A BAM uses p-polarized laser light reflected off a surface at the Brewster angle, which ideally yields zero reflectivity. When a film of different refractive index is added to the surface a small amount of light is reflected, which can be imaged in a microscope camera. Films of only one molecule (approximately 1 nm) thick, a monolayer, can be observed easily in the BAM. The BAM was used in a junior-level Physical Chemistry class to observe phase transitions of a monolayer and the collapse of a monolayer deposited on the water surface in a Langmuir trough. Using a photometric calculation, students observed a change in thickness of a monolayer during a phase transition of 7 Å, which was accurate to within 1 Å of the value determined by more advanced methods. As supplementary material, we provide a detailed manual on how to build the BAM, software to control the BAM and camera, and image processing software.

Scaling limits for the Lego discrepancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hameren, Andre van; Kleiss, Ronald

1999-01-01

For the Lego discrepancy with M bins, which is equivalent with a χ 2 -statistic with M bins, we present a procedure to calculate the moment generating function of the probability distribution perturbatively if M and N, the number of uniformly and randomly distributed data points, become large. Furthermore, we present a phase diagram for various limits of the probability distribution in terms of the standardized variable if M and N become infinite

Retroviral vectors encoding ADA regulatory locus control region provide enhanced T-cell-specific transgene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Trinh, Alice T; Ball, Bret G; Weber, Erin; Gallaher, Timothy K; Gluzman-Poltorak, Zoya; Anderson, French; Basile, Lena A

2009-12-30

Murine retroviral vectors have been used in several hundred gene therapy clinical trials, but have fallen out of favor for a number of reasons. One issue is that gene expression from viral or internal promoters is highly variable and essentially unregulated. Moreover, with retroviral vectors, gene expression is usually silenced over time. Mammalian genes, in contrast, are characterized by highly regulated, precise levels of expression in both a temporal and a cell-specific manner. To ascertain if recapitulation of endogenous adenosine deaminase (ADA) expression can be achieved in a vector construct we created a new series of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MuLV) based retroviral vector that carry human regulatory elements including combinations of the ADA promoter, the ADA locus control region (LCR), ADA introns and human polyadenylation sequences in a self-inactivating vector backbone. A MuLV-based retroviral vector with a self-inactivating (SIN) backbone, the phosphoglycerate kinase promoter (PGK) and the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), as a reporter gene, was generated. Subsequent vectors were constructed from this basic vector by deletion or addition of certain elements. The added elements that were assessed are the human ADA promoter, human ADA locus control region (LCR), introns 7, 8, and 11 from the human ADA gene, and human growth hormone polyadenylation signal. Retroviral vector particles were produced by transient three-plasmid transfection of 293T cells. Retroviral vectors encoding eGFP were titered by transducing 293A cells, and then the proportion of GFP-positive cells was determined using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Non T-cell and T-cell lines were transduced at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1 and the yield of eGFP transgene expression was evaluated by FACS analysis using mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) detection. Vectors that contained the ADA LCR were preferentially expressed in T-cell lines. Further improvements

Retroviral vectors encoding ADA regulatory locus control region provide enhanced T-cell-specific transgene expression

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

Background Murine retroviral vectors have been used in several hundred gene therapy clinical trials, but have fallen out of favor for a number of reasons. One issue is that gene expression from viral or internal promoters is highly variable and essentially unregulated. Moreover, with retroviral vectors, gene expression is usually silenced over time. Mammalian genes, in contrast, are characterized by highly regulated, precise levels of expression in both a temporal and a cell-specific manner. To ascertain if recapitulation of endogenous adenosine deaminase (ADA) expression can be achieved in a vector construct we created a new series of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MuLV) based retroviral vector that carry human regulatory elements including combinations of the ADA promoter, the ADA locus control region (LCR), ADA introns and human polyadenylation sequences in a self-inactivating vector backbone. Methods A MuLV-based retroviral vector with a self-inactivating (SIN) backbone, the phosphoglycerate kinase promoter (PGK) and the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), as a reporter gene, was generated. Subsequent vectors were constructed from this basic vector by deletion or addition of certain elements. The added elements that were assessed are the human ADA promoter, human ADA locus control region (LCR), introns 7, 8, and 11 from the human ADA gene, and human growth hormone polyadenylation signal. Retroviral vector particles were produced by transient three-plasmid transfection of 293T cells. Retroviral vectors encoding eGFP were titered by transducing 293A cells, and then the proportion of GFP-positive cells was determined using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Non T-cell and T-cell lines were transduced at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1 and the yield of eGFP transgene expression was evaluated by FACS analysis using mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) detection. Results Vectors that contained the ADA LCR were preferentially expressed in T

Cationic lipid-formulated DNA vaccine against hepatitis B virus: immunogenicity of MIDGE-Th1 vectors encoding small and large surface antigen in comparison to a licensed protein vaccine.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Endmann

Full Text Available Currently marketed vaccines against hepatitis B virus (HBV based on the small (S hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg fail to induce a protective immune response in about 10% of vaccinees. DNA vaccination and the inclusion of PreS1 and PreS2 domains of HBsAg have been reported to represent feasible strategies to improve the efficacy of HBV vaccines. Here, we evaluated the immunogenicity of SAINT-18-formulated MIDGE-Th1 vectors encoding the S or the large (L protein of HBsAg in mice and pigs. In both animal models, vectors encoding the secretion-competent S protein induced stronger humoral responses than vectors encoding the L protein, which was shown to be retained mainly intracellularly despite the presence of a heterologous secretion signal. In pigs, SAINT-18-formulated MIDGE-Th1 vectors encoding the S protein elicited an immune response of the same magnitude as the licensed protein vaccine Engerix-B, with S protein-specific antibody levels significantly higher than those considered protective in humans, and lasting for at least six months after the third immunization. Thus, our results provide not only the proof of concept for the SAINT-18-formulated MIDGE-Th1 vector approach but also confirm that with a cationic-lipid formulation, a DNA vaccine at a relatively low dose can elicit an immune response similar to a human dose of an aluminum hydroxide-adjuvanted protein vaccine in large animals.

MiniLEGO

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frederiksen, Tore Kasper; Jakobsen, Thomas Pelle; Nielsen, Jesper Buus

2013-01-01

One of the main tools to construct secure two-party computation protocols are Yao garbled circuits. Using the cut-and-choose technique, one can get reasonably efficient Yao-based protocols with security against malicious adversaries. At TCC 2009, Nielsen and Orlandi [28] suggested to apply cut......-and-choose at the gate level, while previously cut-and-choose was applied on the circuit as a whole. This idea allows for a speed up with practical significance (in the order of the logarithm of the size of the circuit) and has become known as the “LEGO” construction. Unfortunately the construction in [28] is based...... on a specific number-theoretic assumption and requires public-key operations per gate of the circuit. The main technical contribution of this work is a new XOR-homomorphic commitment scheme based on oblivious transfer, that we use to cope with the problem of connecting the gates in the LEGO construction. Our...

LEGO A Modular Approach to Accelerator Alignment Data Analysis

CERN Document Server

Lecocq, C M

2003-01-01

The underlying unity of the numerous surveying computational methods is hidden by many practical differences in data acquisition. Traditional programming languages have added to the confusion by requiring programmers to describe the numeric data in very concrete and low-level structures (mostly arrays). In fact the algorithms behind all coordinate determination from surveying observations come down to basic methods of linear algebra. Lego uses the paradigm of object oriented programming (OOP) to more closely model the fundamental mathematical structures of all geodetic methods. Once the methods are in OOP form, the commonality across them becomes more obvious and a general architecture for a wide range of geodetic treatments becomes possible. This paper describes the fundamental concepts of this architecture and its advantages in terms of clarity (maintainability, testability and portability and extensibility (observation types, resolution techniques and storage methods). The very first version of Lego was bu...

An Exploration of the Nanoworld with LEGO Bricks

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Dean J.; Miller, Josiah D.; Bannon, Stephen J.; Obermaier, Lauren M.

2011-01-01

LEGO bricks can be used for a number of demonstrations of chemical structures and properties, especially at the nanoscale level. These bricks can also be used to model instrumentation that probes these structures and properties. Detailed resources about many of these demonstrations are located on the extensive Web site "Exploring the Nanoworld…

Lego Bricks and the Octet Rule: Molecular Models for Biochemical Pathways with Plastic, Interlocking Toy Bricks

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Henry J.; Lehoang, Jennifer; Kwan, Isabel; Baghaee, Anita; Prasad, Priya; Ha-Chen, Stephanie J.; Moss, Tanesha; Woods, Jeremy D.

2018-01-01

The 8 studs on a 2 × 4 Lego brick conveniently represent the outer shell of electrons for carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms. We used Lego bricks to model these atoms, which are then joined together to form molecules by following the Lewis octet rule. A variety of small biological molecules can be modeled in this way, such as most amino acids,…

METODE BERMAIN LEGO DALAM UPAYA MENUMBUHKEMBANGKAN KECERDASAN KINESTETIK PADA ANAK USIA DINI (Sudi Kasus di Lembaga Pendidikan Manusia Unggul

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fitria Yulianti Ningtyas

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini membahas tentang upaya menumbuhkembangkan kecerdasan kinestetik pada anak usia dini melalui metode bermain Lego di Lembaga Pendidikan Manusia Unggul. Melalui permainan Lego, anak yang memiliki gaya belajar kinestetik akan terstimulasi kecerdasan dan kemampuannya, terutama kecerdasan kinestetiknya. Sebab pada dasarnya, anak dengan gaya belajar kinestetik, memiliki kelebihan dalam ruang gerak serta berlebih energinya. Sehingga saat belajar, anak membutuhkan ruang yang cukup luas, serta permainan yang menantang. Penelitian ini bertujuan: 1 Untuk mengetahui dan menganalisis bagaimana langkah-langkah dalam menerapkan metode bermain Lego dalam upaya menumbuhkembangkan kecerdasan kinestetik pada anak usia dini di Lembaga Pendidikan Manusia Unggul. 2 Untuk mengetahui dan menganalisis bagaimana pelaksanaan dalam menerapkan metode bermain Lego dalam upaya menumbuhkembangkan kecerdasan kinestetik pada anak usia dini di Lembaga Manusia Unggul. 3 Untuk mengetahui dan menganalisis dampak dan hasil dari penerapan metode bermain Lego dalam upaya menumbuhkembangkan kecerdasan kinestetik pada anak usia dini di Lembaga Pendidikan Manusia Unggul. 4 Untuk mengetahui dan menganalisis apa saja faktor pendukung dan penghambat dalam menerapkan metode bermain Lego dalam upaya menumbuhkembangkan kecerdasan kinestetik pada anak usia dini di Lembaga Manusia Unggul. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif naturalistik. Ciri yang menonjol dari penelitian ini adalah cara pengamatan dan pengumpulan datanya dilakukan dalam latar/setting alamiah. Artinya tanpa memanipulasi subyek yang diteliti. Penelitian ini mencakup juga keyakinan terhadap sifat dasar dari realitas (yang diamati, hubungan antara orang yang mencoba mengetahui sesuatu (peneliti dan hal yang mereka coba ketahui (yang diteliti, peranan/pengaruh dari nilai-nilai (yang dianut peneliti dan variable-variabel lainnya yang serupa itu.Kajian data pada penelitian ini didapat dari hasil pengamatan

Flipped-Adversarial AutoEncoders

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Jiyi; Dang, Hung; Lee, Hwee Kuan; Chang, Ee-Chien

2018-01-01

We propose a flipped-Adversarial AutoEncoder (FAAE) that simultaneously trains a generative model G that maps an arbitrary latent code distribution to a data distribution and an encoder E that embodies an "inverse mapping" that encodes a data sample into a latent code vector. Unlike previous hybrid approaches that leverage adversarial training criterion in constructing autoencoders, FAAE minimizes re-encoding errors in the latent space and exploits adversarial criterion in the data space. Exp...

PENGARUH PENGGUNAAN BUKU AJAR BERBASIS STEM BERBANTUAN LEGO MINDSTORM EV3 TERHADAP PEMAHAMAN KONSEP MOMENTUM SISWA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ratih Mega Ayu Afifah

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to figure out the effect of using STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematic based textbook that assisted by using LEGO mindstorm EV3 toward the students’s understanding of momentum subject. The design of this research that is pretest-postest group design. The Samples are composed of 12 students from experimental class and 12 students from control class. The results of this research show that the conceptual understanding of experimental class that using STEM-based textbook that assisted by using LEGO mindstorm EV3 is beter than the understanding of control class which using the conventional textbook in the ordinary class. The implication of this research is applying this textbook to measure the other cognitive dimention such as reasoning. Abstrak Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh penggunaan buku ajar berbasis STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, dan Mathematics berbantuan LEGO mindstorm EV3 dalam pembelajaran fisika terhadap pemahaman konsep siswa pada materi momentum. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain eksperimen pretest postest group design. Sampel penelitian terdiri dari 12  siswa kelompok eksperimen dan 12 siswa kelompok kontrol. Berdasarkan hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa pemahaman konsep kelompok siswa yang menggunakan buku ajar berbasis STEM berbantuan LEGO mindstorm EV3 secara signifikan lebih meningkat dibandingkan dengan kelompok yang menggunakan buku yang biasa digunakan di sekolah. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan buku ajar berbasis STEM berbantuan robot LEGO mindstorm EV3 dapat meningkatkan pemahaman konsep siswa pada materi momentum. Implikasi pada penelitian ini adalah menerapkan buku ajar tersebut untuk mengukur dimensi kognitif lainnya seperti penalaran.

Validation of SplitVectors Encoding for Quantitative Visualization of Large-Magnitude-Range Vector Fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Henan Zhao; Bryant, Garnett W; Griffin, Wesley; Terrill, Judith E; Jian Chen

2017-06-01

We designed and evaluated SplitVectors, a new vector field display approach to help scientists perform new discrimination tasks on large-magnitude-range scientific data shown in three-dimensional (3D) visualization environments. SplitVectors uses scientific notation to display vector magnitude, thus improving legibility. We present an empirical study comparing the SplitVectors approach with three other approaches - direct linear representation, logarithmic, and text display commonly used in scientific visualizations. Twenty participants performed three domain analysis tasks: reading numerical values (a discrimination task), finding the ratio between values (a discrimination task), and finding the larger of two vectors (a pattern detection task). Participants used both mono and stereo conditions. Our results suggest the following: (1) SplitVectors improve accuracy by about 10 times compared to linear mapping and by four times to logarithmic in discrimination tasks; (2) SplitVectors have no significant differences from the textual display approach, but reduce cluttering in the scene; (3) SplitVectors and textual display are less sensitive to data scale than linear and logarithmic approaches; (4) using logarithmic can be problematic as participants' confidence was as high as directly reading from the textual display, but their accuracy was poor; and (5) Stereoscopy improved performance, especially in more challenging discrimination tasks.

The Lego Story: Remolding Education Policy and Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Pirrie, Anne

2017-01-01

The aim of this article is to develop a more nuanced understanding of the complex nature of learning as it relates to both the educational and social aims of education as manifested in contemporary European education policy. The article explores tensions in education policy and practice by exploring the evolution of the global brand Lego. The…

Lightweight Expression of Granular Objects (LEGO) Content Modeling Using the SNOMED CT Observables Model to Represent Nursing Assessment Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Christie

2016-01-01

This poster presentation presents a content modeling strategy using the SNOMED CT Observable Model to represent large amounts of detailed clinical data in a consistent and computable manner that can support multiple use cases. Lightweight Expression of Granular Objects (LEGOs) represent question/answer pairs on clinical data collection forms, where a question is modeled by a (usually) post-coordinated SNOMED CT expression. LEGOs transform electronic patient data into a normalized consumable, which means that the expressions can be treated as extensions of the SNOMED CT hierarchies for the purpose of performing subsumption queries and other analytics. Utilizing the LEGO approach for modeling clinical data obtained from a nursing admission assessment provides a foundation for data exchange across disparate information systems and software applications. Clinical data exchange of computable LEGO patient information enables the development of more refined data analytics, data storage and clinical decision support.

Use of LEGO as a therapeutic medium for improving social competence.

Science.gov (United States)

LeGoff, Daniel B

2004-10-01

A repeated-measures, waiting list control design was used to assess efficacy of a social skills intervention for autistic spectrum children focused on individual and group LEGO play. The intervention combined aspects of behavior therapy, peer modeling and naturalistic communication strategies. Close interaction and joint attention to task play an important role in both group and individual therapy activities. The goal of treatment was to improve social competence (SC) which was construed as reflecting three components: (1) motivation to initiate social contact with peers; (2) ability to sustain interaction with peers for a period of time: and (3) overcoming autistic symptoms of aloofness and rigidity. Measures for the first two variables were based on observation of subjects in unstructured situations with peers; and the third variable was assessed using a structured rating scale, the SI subscale of the GARS. Results revealed significant improvement on all three measures at both 12 and 24 weeks with no evidence of gains during the waiting list period. No gender differences were found on outcome, and age of clients was not correlated with outcome. LEGO play appears to be a particularly effective medium for social skills intervention, and other researchers and clinicians are encouraged to attempt replication of this work, as well as to explore use of LEGO in other methodologies, or with different clinical populations.

LEGO therapy and the social use of language programme: an evaluation of two social skills interventions for children with high functioning autism and Asperger Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Owens, Gina; Granader, Yael; Humphrey, Ayla; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2008-11-01

LEGO therapy and the Social Use of Language Programme (SULP) were evaluated as social skills interventions for 6-11 year olds with high functioning autism and Asperger Syndrome. Children were matched on CA, IQ, and autistic symptoms before being randomly assigned to LEGO or SULP. Therapy occurred for 1 h/week over 18 weeks. A no-intervention control group was also assessed. Results showed that the LEGO therapy group improved more than the other groups on autism-specific social interaction scores (Gilliam Autism Rating Scale). Maladaptive behaviour decreased significantly more in the LEGO and SULP groups compared to the control group. There was a non-significant trend for SULP and LEGO groups to improve more than the no-intervention group in communication and socialisation skills.

Enriching K-12 Science and Mathematics Education Using LEGOs

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Keeshan; Igel, Irina; Poveda, Ronald; Kapila, Vikram; Iskander, Magued

2012-01-01

This paper presents a series of illustrative LEGO Mindstorms-based science and math activities, developed under an NSF GK-12 Fellows project, for elementary, middle, and high school grades. The activities, developed by engineering and science graduate Fellows in partnership with K-12 teachers, are grade appropriate, address pertinent learning…

Build Your Own Particle Detector. Education and outreach through ATLAS LEGO models and events

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00220289; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

To support the outreach activities of ATLAS institutes and to grasp people’s attention in science exhibitions and during public events, a very detailed model of the experiment built entirely out of LEGO bricks as well as an outreach programme using LEGO bricks to get people to think about particle detectors and involve them into a conversation about particle physics in general have been created. A large LEGO model, consisting of about 9500 pieces, has been exported to more than 55 ATLAS institutes and has been used in numerous exhibitions to explain the proportion and composition of the experiment to the public. As part of the Build Your Own Particle Detector programme (byopd.org) more than 15 events have been conducted, either involving a competition to design and build the best particle detector from a random pile of pieces or to take part in the construction of one of the large models, as part of a full day outreach event. Recently, miniature models of all four main LHC experiments, that will be used at ...

Joint capsule treatment with enkephalin-encoding HSV-1 recombinant vector reduces inflammatory damage and behavioural sequelae in rat CFA monoarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Ying; McNearney, Terry A; Wilson, Steven P; Yeomans, David C; Westlund, Karin N

2008-03-01

This study assessed enkephalin expression induced by intra-articular application of recombinant, enkephalin-encoding herpes virus (HSV-1) and the impact of expression on nociceptive behaviours and synovial lining inflammation in arthritic rats. Replication-conditional HSV-1 recombinant vectors with cDNA encoding preproenkephalin (HSV-ENK), or control transgene beta-galactosidase cDNA (HSV-beta-gal; control) were injected into knee joints with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Joint temperatures, circumferences and nociceptive behaviours were monitored on days 0, 7, 14 and 21 post CFA and vector treatments. Lumbar (L4-6) dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cords were immunostained for met-enkephalin (met-ENK), beta-gal, HSV-1 proteins and Fos. Joint tissues were immunostained for met-ENK, HSV-1 proteins, and inflammatory mediators Regulated on Activation, Normal T-cell Expressed and Secreted (RANTES) and cyclo-oxygenase-2, or stained with haematoxylin and eosin for histopathology. Compared to exuberant synovial hypertrophy and inflammatory cell infiltration seen in arthritic rats treated with CFA only or CFA and HSV-beta-gal, the CFA- and HSV-ENK-treated arthritic rats had: (i) striking preservation of synovial membrane cytoarchitecture with minimal inflammatory cell infiltrates; (ii) significantly improved nociceptive behavioural responses to mechanical and thermal stimuli; (iii) normalized Fos staining in lumbar dorsal horn; and (iv) significantly increased met-ENK staining in ipsilateral synovial tissue, lumbar DRG and spinal cord. The HSV-1 and transgene product expression were confined to ipsilateral lumbar DRG (HSV-1, met-ENK, beta-gal). Only transgene product (met-ENK and beta-gal) was seen in lumbar spinal cord sections. Targeted delivery of enkephalin-encoding HSV-1 vector generated safe, sustained opioid-induced analgesia with protective anti-inflammatory blunting in rat inflammatory arthritis.

LEGO bricks used as chemotactic chambers: evaluation by a computer-assisted image analysis technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Azzarà, A; Chimenti, M

2004-01-01

One of the main techniques used to explore neutrophil motility, employs micropore filters in chemotactic chambers. Many new models have been proposed, in order to perform multiple microassays in a rapid, inexpensive and reproducible way. In this work, LEGO bricks have been used as chemotactic chambers in the evaluation of neutrophil random motility and chemotaxis and compared with conventional Boyden chambers in a "time-response" experiment. Neutrophil motility throughout the filters was evaluated by means of an image-processing workstation, in which a dedicated algorithm recognizes and counts the cells in several fields and focal planes throughout the whole filter; correlates counts and depth values; performs a statistical analysis of data; calculates the true value of neutrophil migration; determines the distribution of cells; and displays the migration pattern. By this method, we found that the distances travelled by the cells in conventional chambers and in LEGO bricks were perfectly identical, both in random migration and under chemotactic conditions. Moreover, no interference with the physiological behaviour of neutrophils was detectable. In fact, the kinetics of migration was identical both in random migration (characterized by a gaussian pattern) and in chemotaxis (characterized by a typical stimulation peak, previously identified by our workstation). In conclusion, LEGO bricks are extremely precise devices. They are simple to use and allow the use of small amounts of chemoattractant solution and cell suspension, supplying by itself a triplicate test. LEGO bricks are inexpensive, fast and suitable for current diagnostic activity or for research investigations in every laboratory.

The KINA neutronic module of the LEGO code for steady-state and transient PWR plant simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicolopoulos, D.; Pollacchini, L.; Vimercati, G.; Spelta, S.

1989-01-01

The Automation Research Center (CRA) of ENEl has implemented some models for analyzing both incidental and operational transients in PWR power plants. For such models an axial neutron kinetics module characterized by high computational efficency with adequate results accuracy was called for. CISE has been entrusted with the task of implementing such a module named KINA and based on IQS (Improved Quasi Static) method, to be included in the library of LEGO modular code used by CRA to set up PWR power models. Moreover, The KINA module has been adapted to the neutron constants computing model developed by the EdF-SEPTEN, which has been using and improving the LEGO code for a long time in cooperation with ENEL-CRA. In this paper, after some remarks on the LEGO code, a general description of KINA neutronic module is given. The resylts of a preliminary validation activity of KINA for an EdF 1300 MWe PWR plant are also presented

Another brick in the whole: estrategias de adaptación, remediación y transmediación en LEGO Batman: La Película

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio ALBALADEJO-ORTEGA

2018-01-01

Full Text Available El estreno en 2014 de La Lego Película (The Lego Movie, Phil Lord y Chris Miller supuso un importante hito en la historia de la empresa danesa LEGO, erigiendo el filme como pieza clave de la estrategia transmediática que empezaba a tomar forma en el ámbito cinematográfico. Aquel filme, en el que el personaje de Batman gozaba de un especial protagonismo, ha dado paso a un particular spin-off que, bajo el título LEGO Batman: La Película (The LEGO Batman Movie, Chris McKay, 2017, repite algunas de las fórmulas puestas en práctica en La Lego Película e introduce otras nuevas de igual o mayor interés desde un punto de vista intertextual. Este artículo se aproxima al largometraje del superhéroe de DC Comics atendiendo a las particulares estrategias de adaptación, remediación y transmediación que lleva a cabo. A través del análisis de los componentes narrativos que constituyen la propuesta del filme, así como de su puesta en relación con los presentes en los textos impresos, audiovisuales y videolúdicos pertenecientes a la franquicia LEGO Batman, se estudian las distintas estrategias que posibilitan la interconexión entre ellos y moldean el ‘macrorrelato’ (Scolari, 2009 que, de manera paradigmática, toma forma en la narrativa transmediática resultante.

Maternal Experience of Lego Therapy in Families with Children with Autism Spectrum Conditions: What Is the Impact on Family Relationships?

Science.gov (United States)

Peckett, Helen; MacCallum, Fiona; Knibbs, Jacky

2016-01-01

This study aimed to explore mothers' experience of implementing Lego Therapy at home within the family. Following a Lego Therapy training session, mothers carried out hourly sessions with their child with an autism spectrum condition and the child's sibling, once a week, for 6 weeks. Mothers were interviewed following the intervention, and the…

Modelamiento y programación de un juego de legos en un entorno de brealidad virtual

OpenAIRE

Arboleda, Freddy; Laica, Ricardo; Loor, Magdalena; García, Sixto

2010-01-01

This project seeks by the use of the techniques of Virtual Reality to create a virtual world of a traditional game of Lego blocks, in order to check the applicability of the concepts learned throughout the topic. The present abstract specifies the general ideas on the modeling, design and implementation of an application of Virtual Reality of Lego blocks. First, we focus in the creation of the 3D objects and scenes, which are going to constitute the virtual environment. Later, we are going t...

LEGO-based Robotics in Higher Education: 15 Years of Student Creativity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ethan Danahy

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Our goal in this article is to reflect on the role LEGO robotics has played in college engineering education over the last 15 years, starting with the introduction of the RCX in 1998 and ending with the introduction of the EV3 in 2013. By combining a modular computer programming language with a modular building platform, LEGO Education has allowed students (of all ages to become active leaders in their own education as they build everything from animals for a robotic zoo to robots that play children's games. Most importantly, it allows all students to develop different solutions to the same problem to provide a learning community. We look first at how the recent developments in the learning sciences can help in promoting student learning in robotics. We then share four case studies of successful college-level implementations that build on these developments.

Immunogenicity in African Green Monkeys of M Protein Mutant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Vectors and Contribution of Vector-Encoded Flagellin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marlena M. Westcott

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV is a promising platform for vaccine development. M51R VSV, an attenuated, M protein mutant strain, is an effective inducer of Type I interferon and dendritic cell (DC maturation, which are desirable properties to exploit for vaccine design. We have previously evaluated M51R VSV (M51R and M51R VSV that produces flagellin (M51R-F as vaccine vectors using murine models, and found that flagellin enhanced DC activation and VSV-specific antibody production after low-dose vaccination. In this report, the immunogenicity of M51R vectors and the adjuvant effect of virus-produced flagellin were evaluated in nonhuman primates following high-dose (108 pfu and low-dose (105 pfu vaccination. A single intramuscular vaccination of African green monkeys with M51R or M51R-F induced VSV-specific, dose-dependent humoral immune responses. Flagellin induced a significant increase in antibody production (IgM, IgG and neutralizing antibody at the low vaccination dose. A VSV-specific cellular response was detected at 6 weeks post-vaccination, but was neither dose-dependent nor enhanced by flagellin; similar numbers of VSV-specific, IFNγ-producing cells were detected in lymph node and spleen of all animals. These results indicate that virus-directed, intracellular flagellin production may improve VSV-based vaccines encoding heterologous antigens by lowering the dose required to achieve humoral immunity.

Long-term LEGO therapy with humanoid robot for children with ASD

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Barakova, E.I.; Bajracharya, P.; Willemsen, M.H.J.; Lourens, T.; Huskens, B.

2015-01-01

To utilise the knowledge gained from highly specialised domains as autism therapy to robot-based interactive training platforms, an innovative design approach is needed. We present the process of content creation and co-design of LEGO therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders performed by

Multicistronic lentiviral vectors containing the FMDV 2A cleavage factor demonstrate robust expression of encoded genes at limiting MOI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margison Geoffrey P

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A number of gene therapy applications would benefit from vectors capable of expressing multiple genes. In this study we explored the feasibility and efficiency of expressing two or three transgenes in HIV-1 based lentiviral vector. Bicistronic and tricistronic self-inactivating lentiviral vectors were constructed employing the internal ribosomal entry site (IRES sequence of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV and/or foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV cleavage factor 2A. We employed enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP, O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT, and homeobox transcription factor HOXB4 as model genes and their expression was detected by appropriate methods including fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, biochemical assay, and western blotting. Results All the multigene vectors produced high titer virus and were able to simultaneously express two or three transgenes in transduced cells. However, the level of expression of individual transgenes varied depending on: the transgene itself; its position within the construct; the total number of transgenes expressed; the strategy used for multigene expression and the average copy number of pro-viral insertions. Notably, at limiting MOI, the expression of eGFP in a bicistronic vector based on 2A was ~4 times greater than that of an IRES based vector. Conclusion The small and efficient 2A sequence can be used alone or in combination with an IRES for the construction of multicistronic lentiviral vectors which can express encoded transgenes at functionally relevant levels in cells containing an average of one pro-viral insert.

"Creative Blocs": Action Research Study on the Implementation of Lego as a Tool for Reflective Practice with Social Care Practitioners

Science.gov (United States)

Cavaliero, Tamsin

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate whether Lego could be used as a tool for reflective practice with social care practitioners (SCPs) and student practitioners. This article outlines an action research study conducted in an institute of higher education in Ireland. Findings from this study suggest that Lego can be used to support student…

Does Lego Training Stimulate Pupils' Ability to Solve Logical Problems?

Science.gov (United States)

Lindh, Jorgen; Holgersson, Thomas

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a one-year regular robotic toys (lego) training on school pupils' performance. The underlying pedagogical perspective is the "constructionist theory," where the main idea is that knowledge is constructed in the mind of the pupil by active learning. The investigation has been made…

The Serious Use of Play and Metaphor: Legos and Labyrinths

Science.gov (United States)

James, Alison; Brookfield, Stephen

2013-01-01

In this paper the authors wish to examine kinesthetic forms of learning involving the body and the physical realm. The authors look at two particular techniques; using Legos to build metaphorical models and living the physical experience of metaphors in the shape of labyrinth-walking and its attendant activities. The authors begin by discussing…

Towards Lego Snapping; Integration of Carbon Nanotubes and Few-Layer Graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Nasseri, Mohsen; Boland, Mathias; Farrokhi, M. Javad; Strachan, Douglas

Integration of semiconducting, conducting, and insulating nanomaterials into precisely aligned complicated systems is one of the main challenges to the ultimate size scaling of electronic devices, which is a key goal in nanoscience and nanotechnology. This integration could be made more effective through controlled alignment of the crystallographic lattices of the nanoscale components. Of the vast number of materials of atomically-thin materials, two of the sp2 bonded carbon structures, graphene and carbon nanotubes, are ideal candidates for this type of application since they are built from the same backbone carbon lattice. Here we report carbon nanotube and graphene hybrid nanostructures fabricated through their catalytic synthesis and etching. The growth formations we have investigated through various high-resolution microscopy techniques provide evidence of lego-snapped interfaces between nanotubes and graphene into device-relevant orientations. We will finish with a discussion of the various size and energy regimes relevant to these lego-snapped interfaces and their implications on developing these integrated formations.

Breadth of T cell responses after immunization with adenovirus vectors encoding ancestral antigens or polyvalent papillomavirus antigens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ragonnaud, Emeline; Pedersen, Anders Gorm; Holst, Peter Johannes

2017-01-01

to the other PV proteins. The PV sequences were fused to a T cell adjuvant, the murine invariant chain and encoded in a recombinant adenoviral vector which was administered to naïve outbred mice. By measuring T cell responses induced by these different vaccines and towards peptide pools representing 3...... circulating strains and a putative ancestor of oncogenic HPVs, we showed that the ancestral vaccine antigen has to be approximately 90% identical to the circulating PVs before a marked drop of ~90% mean CD8+ T cell responses ensues. Interestingly, the combination of two or three type-specific PV vaccines did...

PENERAPAN LEGO BRICKS DALAM PEMBELAJARAN SEBAGAI STRATEGI UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KECERDASAN MATEMATIS SISWA DALAM MENGHITUNG BILANGAN BERPANGKAT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mutia Rahma Setyani

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hasil pembelajaran dan mendeskripsikan kecerdasan matematis siswa dalam menghitung bilangan berpangkat setelah menggunakan lego bricks pada siswa kelas III Tahassus MIS Ta’allamul Huda. Penelitian ini menggunakan Penelitian Tindakan Kelas ini dengan model pembelajaran Cooperative Learning. Subjek penelitian adalah siswa kelas III ahassus MIS a’allamul Huda yang berjumlah 24 siswa. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi dan wawancara, selanjutnya dianalisis secara kualitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa keberhasilan penerapan lego bricks pada perhitungan bilangan berpangkat meningkat pada setiap siklusnya. Pada tahap Pra Siklus, hanya 40% siswa yang lulus dalam mengerjakan soal-soal dari bilangan berpangkat, kemudian pada Siklus I berdasarkan hasil observasi didapatkan kenaikan yang signifikan yaitu 80% siswa yang lulus dalam mengerjakan soal mengenai bilangan berpangkat. Masih ada 20% siswa yang masih kesulitan dalam mengerjakan soal tersebut. Selanjutnya setelah dilakukan perbaikan, pada Siklus II didapat kenaikan yang luar biasa yaitu seluruh kelompok siswa lulus dalam mengerjakan soal mengenai bilangan berpangkat. Hal tersebut dibuktikan kembali melalui hasil post test pada tahap Pasca Siklus dimana nilai seluruh siswa berada diatas kriteria ketuntasan minimum, yaitu 85-100 sehingga penerapan lego bricks untuk meningkatkan kecerdasan matematis siswa dalam menghitung bilangan berpangkat dikatakan berhasil.

Latency Performance of Encoding with Random Linear Network Coding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Lars; Hansen, René Rydhof; Lucani Rötter, Daniel Enrique

2018-01-01

the encoding process can be parallelized based on system requirements to reduce data access time within the system. Using a counting argument, we focus on predicting the effect of changes of generation (number of original packets) and symbol size (number of bytes per data packet) configurations on the encoding...... latency on full vector and on-the-fly algorithms. We show that the encoding latency doubles when either the generation size or the symbol size double and confirm this via extensive simulations. Although we show that the theoretical speed gain of on-the-fly over full vector is two, our measurements show...

Organizational System for the LEGO WeDo 2.0 Robotics System

Science.gov (United States)

Dolecheck, Suzann Hagan; Ewers, Timothy

2017-01-01

In this article, we explain an organizational system for the new LEGO Education WeDo 2.0 Core Set used in 4-H robotics; in school enrichment, afterschool, and other youth robotics programs; and by hobbyists. The system presented is for organizing WeDo parts into a translucent parts tray that includes part names and numbers. The article provides…

Expressivity in Open-ended Constructive Play: Building and Playing Musical Lego Instruments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Kasper; Stougaard, Jeppe; Petersen, Marianne Graves

2016-01-01

This paper presents the findings from a case study in designing for open-ended constructive play for children. The study is based on a workshop where more that 150 children in ages 3-13 built and played their own musical instruments from Lego. The children used different sensors for playing...

The educational affordances of Lego-based play in primary school

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luisa Salmaso

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Questo articolo presenta un’esperienza didattica attuata in una classe prima e in una classe seconda della Scuola Primaria mediante l’utilizzo di mattoncini Lego. Al termine di questo percorso è stato possibile delineare alcuni elementi utili per sostenere l’efficacia del gioco a favore dello sviluppo delle abilità visuo-spaziali e di pianificazione, anche in una prospettiva inclusiva e di pari opportunità di genere.

Implicit Real Vector Automata

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Jean-François Degbomont

2010-10-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses the symbolic representation of non-convex real polyhedra, i.e., sets of real vectors satisfying arbitrary Boolean combinations of linear constraints. We develop an original data structure for representing such sets, based on an implicit and concise encoding of a known structure, the Real Vector Automaton. The resulting formalism provides a canonical representation of polyhedra, is closed under Boolean operators, and admits an efficient decision procedure for testing the membership of a vector.

Vector assembly of colloids on monolayer substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Lingxiang; Yang, Shenyu; Tsang, Boyce; Tu, Mei; Granick, Steve

2017-06-01

The key to spontaneous and directed assembly is to encode the desired assembly information to building blocks in a programmable and efficient way. In computer graphics, raster graphics encodes images on a single-pixel level, conferring fine details at the expense of large file sizes, whereas vector graphics encrypts shape information into vectors that allow small file sizes and operational transformations. Here, we adapt this raster/vector concept to a 2D colloidal system and realize `vector assembly' by manipulating particles on a colloidal monolayer substrate with optical tweezers. In contrast to raster assembly that assigns optical tweezers to each particle, vector assembly requires a minimal number of optical tweezers that allow operations like chain elongation and shortening. This vector approach enables simple uniform particles to form a vast collection of colloidal arenes and colloidenes, the spontaneous dissociation of which is achieved with precision and stage-by-stage complexity by simply removing the optical tweezers.

A model of Alto Lazio boiling water reactor using the LEGO code balance of plant simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spelta, S.; Garbossa, G.B.

1989-01-01

An extensive effort has been made at the Italian National Electricity Board (ENEL) to construct and validate a LEGO model capable of simulating the operational transients of the Alto Lazio Nuclear Station, a two twin-units site with BWR/6 class reactors, rated at 2894 MWt and with Mark III containment. LEGO is a modular package developed at the Research and development Department of the Italian National Electricity Board (CRA-ENEL) for computer aided modeling of fossil-fired and nuclear steam power plants. In this paper a system analysis model capable of describing steady-state and transient performance of the Balance of Plant (BOP) of the Alto Lazio Power Station is presented. This is one of two companion papers devoted to the description of the overall plant model including both the Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS) and the BOP. In the paper, after a brief summary of the main LEGO characteristics, a description of the BOP lay-out is presented. The overall model, which has been set-up, including control systems and automation, is very detailed and consists of almost 2000 differential or algebraic equations. After a brief description of the mathematical model, two significant transients obtained using the overall model are presented and discussed

Fast generation of macro basis functions for LEGO through the adaptive cross approximation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lancellotti, V.

2015-01-01

We present a method for the fast generation of macro basis functions in the context of the linear embedding via Green's operators approach (LEGO) which is a domain decomposition technique based on the combination of electromagnetic bricks in turn described by means of scattering operators. We show

‘Everything is awesome’ : The LEGO movie and the affective politics of security

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goggin, J.

2017-01-01

Scholarship on the finance-security nexus has typically been concerned with ‘first order’ phenomena, such as the interpenetration of the finance and security sectors. This article contributes to the debate by turning to an apparent epiphenomenon, namely The LEGO Movie, and using it to address some

Culture's building blocks: investigating cultural evolution in a LEGO construction task.

Science.gov (United States)

McGraw, John J; Wallot, Sebastian; Mitkidis, Panagiotis; Roepstorff, Andreas

2014-01-01

ONE OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL BUT THEORETICALLY VEXING ISSUES REGARDING THE NOTION OF CULTURE IS THAT OF CULTURAL EVOLUTION AND TRANSMISSION: how a group's accumulated solutions to invariant challenges develop and persevere over time. But at the moment, the notion of applying evolutionary theory to culture remains little more than a suggestive trope. Whereas the modern synthesis of evolutionary theory has provided an encompassing scientific framework for the selection and transmission of biological adaptations, a convincing theory of cultural evolution has yet to emerge. One of the greatest challenges for theorists is identifying the appropriate time scales and units of analysis in order to reduce the intractably large and complex phenomenon of "culture" into its component "building blocks." In this paper, we present a model for scientifically investigating cultural processes by analyzing the ways people develop conventions in a series of LEGO construction tasks. The data revealed a surprising pattern in the selection of building bricks as well as features of car design across consecutive building sessions. Our findings support a novel methodology for studying the development and transmission of culture through the microcosm of interactive LEGO design and assembly.

A line follower robot implementation using Lego's Mindstorms Kit and Q-Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hector-Gabriel Acosta-Mesa

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Un problema común al trabajar con robots móviles es que la fase de programación puede ser un proceso largo, costoso y difícil para los programadores. Los Algoritmos de Aprendizaje por Refuerzo ofrecen uno de los marcos de trabajo más generales en el ámbito de aprendizaje de máquina. Este trabajo presenta un enfoque usando el algoritmo de Q-Learning en un robot Lego para que aprenda "por sí mismo" a seguir una línea negra dibujada en una superficie blanca. El entorno de programación utilizado en este trabajo es Matlab.A common problem working with mobile robots is that programming phase could be a long, expensive and heavy process for programmers. The reinforcement learning algorithms offer one of the most general frameworks in learning subjects. This work presents an approach using the Q-Learning algorithm on a Lego robot in order for it to learn by itself how to follow a blackline drawn down on a white surface, using Matlab [5] as programming environment.

Teaching of Computer Science Topics Using Meta-Programming-Based GLOs and LEGO Robots

Science.gov (United States)

Štuikys, Vytautas; Burbaite, Renata; Damaševicius, Robertas

2013-01-01

The paper's contribution is a methodology that integrates two educational technologies (GLO and LEGO robot) to teach Computer Science (CS) topics at the school level. We present the methodology as a framework of 5 components (pedagogical activities, technology driven processes, tools, knowledge transfer actors, and pedagogical outcomes) and…

Long-Term Outcome of Social Skills Intervention Based on Interactive LEGO[C] Play

Science.gov (United States)

Legoff, Daniel B.; Sherman, Michael

2006-01-01

LEGO[C] building materials have been adapted as a therapeutic modality for increasing motivation to participate in social skills intervention, and providing a medium through which children with social and communication handicaps can effectively interact. A 3 year retrospective study of long-term outcome for autistic spectrum children participating…

Comparison of the LEGO Mindstorms NXT and EV3 Robotics Education Platforms

Science.gov (United States)

Sherrard, Ann; Rhodes, Amy

2014-01-01

The release of the latest LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robotics platform in September 2013 has provided a dilemma for many youth robotics leaders. There is a need to understand the differences in the Mindstorms NXT and EV3 in order to make future robotics purchases. In this article the differences are identified regarding software, hardware, sensors, the…

Modular Lego-Electronics

KAUST Repository

Shaikh, Sohail F.

2017-10-24

Electronic system components have thousands of individual field effect transistors (FETs) interconnected executing dedicated functions. Assembly yield of >80% will guarantee system failure since a single interconnect failure will result in undesired performance. Hence, a paradigm shift is needed in the self-assembly or integration of state-of-the-art integrated circuits (ICs) for a physically compliant system. Traditionally, most ICs share same geometry with only variations in dimensions and packaging. Here, a generic manufacturable method of converting state-of-the-art complementary metal oxide semiconductor-based ICs into modular Lego-electronics is shown with unique geometry that is physically identifiable to ease manufacturing and enhance throughput. Various geometries at the backside of the silicon die and on the destination site having the same geometry with relaxed dimension (up to 50 µm extra) allow targeted site binding like DNA assembly. Different geometries, angles, and heights for different modules provide a unique identity to each of the ICs. A two-level geometric combination presented here helps in maintaining the uniqueness of individual module to assemble at exact matching site like a perfect lock-and-key model. The assembled ICs offer uncompromised electrical performance, higher yield, and fabrication ease. In future, this method can further be expanded for fluidic assisted self-assembly.

Business Process Innovation: The LEGO Case

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Charles; Hansen, P.K.

2006-01-01

Most organizations today are required not only to establish effective business processes but they are required to accommodate for changing business conditions at an increasing rate. Many business processes extend beyond the boundary of the enterprise into the supply chain and the information...... process innovation (BPI) in future organizations. This paper explores the applicability of one particular methodology for Business Process Innovation to deal with the challenge that the LEGO organization is facing with the alignment of their product development process and their supply chain. The paper...... infrastructure therefore is critical. Today nearly every business relies on their Enterprise System (ES) for process integration and the future generations of Enterprise Systems will increasingly be driven by business process models. Consequently process modelling and improvement will become vital for business...

DIME Students Show Off their Lego(TM) Challenge Creation

Science.gov (United States)

2002-01-01

Two students show the Lego (TM) Challenge device they designed and built to operate in the portable drop tower demonstrator as part of the second Dropping in a Microgravity Environment (DIME) competition held April 23-25, 2002, at NASA's Glenn Research Center. Competitors included two teams from Sycamore High School, Cincinnati, OH, and one each from Bay High School, Bay Village, OH, and COSI Academy, Columbus, OH. DIME is part of NASA's education and outreach activities. Details are on line at http://microgravity.grc.nasa.gov/DIME_2002.html.

Introduction to autonomous mobile robotics using Lego Mindstorms NXT

Science.gov (United States)

Akın, H. Levent; Meriçli, Çetin; Meriçli, Tekin

2013-12-01

Teaching the fundamentals of robotics to computer science undergraduates requires designing a well-balanced curriculum that is complemented with hands-on applications on a platform that allows rapid construction of complex robots, and implementation of sophisticated algorithms. This paper describes such an elective introductory course where the Lego Mindstorms NXT kits are used as the robot platform. The aims, scope and contents of the course are presented, and the design of the laboratory sessions as well as the term projects, which address several core problems of robotics and artificial intelligence simultaneously, are explained in detail.

The Impact of Lean Thinking on Workforce Motivation: A Success Factor at LEGO Manufacturing Ltd.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oláh Judit

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Several enterprises have tried to introduce the lean approach in order to enhance competitiveness. However, the only successful ones were the companies which understood that lean is not only about methods and tools, but the people using them: employees. The only way an enterprise can become a lean organisation is if all of its members deeply identify with the organisation’s principles, which is then manifested in all decisions and actions of the organisation. The aim of this study is to present the practical use of the lean approach in the Nyíregyháza plant of LEGO. Based on the questionnaire results and our observations, we present the current situation of LEGO in accordance with the same points and compare it to an ideal situation. We then make improvement recommendations in all cases when negative changes were observed.

Weaving Knotted Vector Fields with Tunable Helicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kedia, Hridesh; Foster, David; Dennis, Mark R; Irvine, William T M

2016-12-30

We present a general construction of divergence-free knotted vector fields from complex scalar fields, whose closed field lines encode many kinds of knots and links, including torus knots, their cables, the figure-8 knot, and its generalizations. As finite-energy physical fields, they represent initial states for fields such as the magnetic field in a plasma, or the vorticity field in a fluid. We give a systematic procedure for calculating the vector potential, starting from complex scalar functions with knotted zero filaments, thus enabling an explicit computation of the helicity of these knotted fields. The construction can be used to generate isolated knotted flux tubes, filled by knots encoded in the lines of the vector field. Lastly, we give examples of manifestly knotted vector fields with vanishing helicity. Our results provide building blocks for analytical models and simulations alike.

Highly Manufacturable Deep (Sub-Millimeter) Etching Enabled High Aspect Ratio Complex Geometry Lego-Like Silicon Electronics

KAUST Repository

Ghoneim, Mohamed T.; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2017-01-01

A highly manufacturable deep reactive ion etching based process involving a hybrid soft/hard mask process technology shows high aspect ratio complex geometry Lego-like silicon electronics formation enabling free-form (physically flexible

Using LEGO NXT Mobile Robots with LabVIEW for Undergraduate Courses on Mechatronics

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez-de-Gabriel, J. M.; Mandow, A.; Fernandez-Lozano, J.; Garcia-Cerezo, A.

2011-01-01

The paper proposes lab work and student competitions based on the LEGO NXT Mindstorms kits and standard LabVIEW. The goal of this combination is to stimulate design and experimentation with real hardware and representative software in courses where mobile robotics is adopted as a motivating platform to introduce mechatronics competencies. Basic…

Electromagnetic modelling of large complex 3-D structures with LEGO and the eigencurrent expansion method

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lancellotti, V.; Hon, de B.P.; Tijhuis, A.G.

2009-01-01

Linear embedding via Green's operators (LEGO) is a computational method in which the multiple scattering between adjacent objects - forming a large composite structure - is determined through the interaction of simple-shaped building domains, whose electromagnetic (EM) behavior is accounted for by

Improving the Teaching of Discrete-Event Control Systems Using a LEGO Manufacturing Prototype

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, A.; Bucio, J.

2012-01-01

This paper discusses the usefulness of employing LEGO as a teaching-learning aid in a post-graduate-level first course on the control of discrete-event systems (DESs). The final assignment of the course is presented, which asks students to design and implement a modular hierarchical discrete-event supervisor for the coordination layer of a…

Form, Content, and Gender Differences in Lego[R] Block Creations by Japanese Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Daiki; Morita, Miyako

2009-01-01

This study examined general features of Lego block creations produced by Japanese adolescents with no known mental health disorders. The block creations of 33 participants were assessed for form, content, and gender differences. Time spent on the task, amount of area covered, and quantity and types of blocks used were measured and correlated with…

Culture’s building blocks: investigating cultural evolution in a LEGO construction task

Science.gov (United States)

McGraw, John J.; Wallot, Sebastian; Mitkidis, Panagiotis; Roepstorff, Andreas

2014-01-01

One of the most essential but theoretically vexing issues regarding the notion of culture is that of cultural evolution and transmission: how a group’s accumulated solutions to invariant challenges develop and persevere over time. But at the moment, the notion of applying evolutionary theory to culture remains little more than a suggestive trope. Whereas the modern synthesis of evolutionary theory has provided an encompassing scientific framework for the selection and transmission of biological adaptations, a convincing theory of cultural evolution has yet to emerge. One of the greatest challenges for theorists is identifying the appropriate time scales and units of analysis in order to reduce the intractably large and complex phenomenon of “culture” into its component “building blocks.” In this paper, we present a model for scientifically investigating cultural processes by analyzing the ways people develop conventions in a series of LEGO construction tasks. The data revealed a surprising pattern in the selection of building bricks as well as features of car design across consecutive building sessions. Our findings support a novel methodology for studying the development and transmission of culture through the microcosm of interactive LEGO design and assembly. PMID:25309482

Culture’s building blocks: investigating cultural evolution in a LEGO construction task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Joseph Mcgraw

2014-09-01

Full Text Available One of the most essential but theoretically vexing issues regarding the notion of culture is that of cultural evolution and transmission: how a group’s accumulated solutions to invariant challenges develop and persevere over time. But at the moment, the notion of applying evolutionary theory to culture remains little more than a suggestive trope. Whereas the modern synthesis of evolutionary theory has provided an encompassing scientific framework for the selection and transmission of biological adaptations, a convincing theory of cultural evolution has yet to emerge. One of the greatest challenges for theorists is identifying the appropriate time scales and units of analysis in order to reduce the intractably large and complex phenomenon of culture into its component building blocks. In this paper, we present a model for scientifically investigating cultural processes by analyzing the ways people develop conventions in a series of LEGO construction tasks. The data revealed a surprising pattern in the selection of building bricks as well as features of car design across consecutive building sessions. Our findings support a novel methodology for studying the development and transmission of culture through the microcosm of interactive LEGO design and assembly.

Image Coding Based on Address Vector Quantization.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Yushu

Image coding is finding increased application in teleconferencing, archiving, and remote sensing. This thesis investigates the potential of Vector Quantization (VQ), a relatively new source coding technique, for compression of monochromatic and color images. Extensions of the Vector Quantization technique to the Address Vector Quantization method have been investigated. In Vector Quantization, the image data to be encoded are first processed to yield a set of vectors. A codeword from the codebook which best matches the input image vector is then selected. Compression is achieved by replacing the image vector with the index of the code-word which produced the best match, the index is sent to the channel. Reconstruction of the image is done by using a table lookup technique, where the label is simply used as an address for a table containing the representative vectors. A code-book of representative vectors (codewords) is generated using an iterative clustering algorithm such as K-means, or the generalized Lloyd algorithm. A review of different Vector Quantization techniques are given in chapter 1. Chapter 2 gives an overview of codebook design methods including the Kohonen neural network to design codebook. During the encoding process, the correlation of the address is considered and Address Vector Quantization is developed for color image and monochrome image coding. Address VQ which includes static and dynamic processes is introduced in chapter 3. In order to overcome the problems in Hierarchical VQ, Multi-layer Address Vector Quantization is proposed in chapter 4. This approach gives the same performance as that of the normal VQ scheme but the bit rate is about 1/2 to 1/3 as that of the normal VQ method. In chapter 5, a Dynamic Finite State VQ based on a probability transition matrix to select the best subcodebook to encode the image is developed. In chapter 6, a new adaptive vector quantization scheme, suitable for color video coding, called "A Self -Organizing

LEGO[R] Therapy and the Social Use of Language Programme: An Evaluation of Two Social Skills Interventions for Children with High Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Owens, Gina; Granader, Yael; Humphrey, Ayla; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2008-01-01

LEGO[R] therapy and the Social Use of Language Programme (SULP) were evaluated as social skills interventions for 6-11 year olds with high functioning autism and Asperger Syndrome. Children were matched on CA, IQ, and autistic symptoms before being randomly assigned to LEGO or SULP. Therapy occurred for 1 h/week over 18 weeks. A no-intervention…

The Use of Lego Technologies in Elementary Teacher Preparation

Science.gov (United States)

Hadjiachilleos, Stella; Avraamidou, Lucy; Papastavrou, Stavros

2013-10-01

The need to reform science teacher preparation programs has been pointed out in research (Bryan and Abell in J Res Sci Teach 36:121-140, 1999; Bryan and Atwater in Sci Educ 8(6):821-839, 2002; Harrington and Hathaway in J Teach Educ 46(4):275-284, 1995). Science teachers are charged with the responsibility of incorporating both cognitive and non-cognitive parameters in their everyday teaching practices. This often results in their reluctance to teach science because they often lack disciplinary and/or pedagogical expertise required to promote science learning. The purpose of this study is to propose an alternative instructional approach in which Lego vehicles were used as a tool to promote pre-service elementary teachers' development and to examine whether there are non-cognitive parameters that promote or obstruct them from using Lego Technologies as a teaching tool. The context of the study was defined by a teacher preparation program of a private university in a small Mediterranean country. A sample of 28 pre-service elementary teachers, working in five 5-6-member groups were involved in scientific inquiries, during which they had to use vehicles in order to solve scientific problems related to concepts such as gear functioning, force, and motion. The nature of their cognitive engagement in the scientific inquiry process, non-cognitive parameters contributing to their cognitive engagement, and the impact of their involvement in the process on their development were examined through qualitative analysis of pre- and post-inquiry interviews, presentations of their solutions to the scientific problems and of their personal reflective journals.

Integrated learning of mathematics, science and technology concepts through LEGO/Logo projects

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Lina

This dissertation examined integrated learning in the domains of mathematics, science and technology based on Piaget's constructivism, Papert's constructionism, and project-based approach to education. Ten fifth grade students were involved in a two-month long after school program where they designed and built their own computer-controlled LEGO/Logo projects that required the use of gears, ratios and motion concepts. The design of this study centered on three notions of integrated learning: (1) integration in terms of what educational materials/settings provide, (2) integration in terms of students' use of those materials, and (3) integration in the psychological sense. In terms of the first notion, the results generally showed that the LEGO/Logo environment supported the integrated learning of math, science and technology concepts. Regarding the second notion, the students all completed impressive projects of their own design. They successfully combined gears, motors, and LEGO parts together to create motion and writing control commands to manipulate the motion. But contrary to my initial expectations, their successful designs did not require numerical reasoning about ratios in designing effective gear systems. When they did reason about gear relationships, they worked with "qualitative" ratios, e.g., "a larger driver gear with a smaller driven gear increases the speed." In terms of the third notion of integrated learning, there was evidence in all four case study students of the psychological processes involved in linking mathematical, scientific, and/or technological concepts together to achieve new conceptual units. The students not only made connections between ideas and experiences, but also recognized decisive patterns and relationships in their project work. The students with stronger overall project performances showed more evidence of synthesis than the students with relatively weaker performances did. The findings support the conclusion that all three

Highly Manufacturable Deep (Sub-Millimeter) Etching Enabled High Aspect Ratio Complex Geometry Lego-Like Silicon Electronics

KAUST Repository

Ghoneim, Mohamed T.

2017-02-01

A highly manufacturable deep reactive ion etching based process involving a hybrid soft/hard mask process technology shows high aspect ratio complex geometry Lego-like silicon electronics formation enabling free-form (physically flexible, stretchable, and reconfigurable) electronic systems.

An adeno-associated viral vector transduces the rat hypothalamus and amygdala more efficient than a lentiviral vector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vreugdenhil Erno

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study compared the transduction efficiencies of an adeno-associated viral (AAV vector, which was pseudotyped with an AAV1 capsid and encoded the green fluorescent protein (GFP, with a lentiviral (LV vector, which was pseudotyped with a VSV-G envelop and encoded the discosoma red fluorescent protein (dsRed, to investigate which viral vector transduced the lateral hypothalamus or the amygdala more efficiently. The LV-dsRed and AAV1-GFP vector were mixed and injected into the lateral hypothalamus or into the amygdala of adult rats. The titers that were injected were 1 × 108 or 1 × 109 genomic copies of AAV1-GFP and 1 × 105 transducing units of LV-dsRed. Results Immunostaining for GFP and dsRed showed that AAV1-GFP transduced significantly more cells than LV-dsRed in both the lateral hypothalamus and the amygdala. In addition, the number of LV particles that were injected can not easily be increased, while the number of AAV1 particles can be increased easily with a factor 100 to 1000. Both viral vectors appear to predominantly transduce neurons. Conclusions This study showed that AAV1 vectors are better tools to overexpress or knockdown genes in the lateral hypothalamus and amygdala of adult rats, since more cells can be transduced with AAV1 than with LV vectors and the titer of AAV1 vectors can easily be increased to transduce the area of interest.

A Simple, Small-Scale Lego Colorimeter with a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Used as Detector

Science.gov (United States)

Asheim, Jonas; Kvittingen, Eivind V.; Kvittingen, Lise; Verley, Richard

2014-01-01

This article describes how to construct a simple, inexpensive, and robust colorimeter from a few Lego bricks, in which one light-emitting diode (LED) is used as a light source and a second LED as a light detector. The colorimeter is suited to various grades and curricula.

A LEGO Watt balance: An apparatus to determine a mass based on the new SI

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, L. S.; Schlamminger, S.; Newell, D. B.; Pratt, J. R.; Seifert, F.; Zhang, X.; Sineriz, G.; Liu, M.; Haddad, D.

2015-11-01

A global effort to redefine our International System of Units (SI) is underway, and the change to the new system is expected to occur in 2018. Within the newly redefined SI, the present base units will still exist but be derived from fixed numerical values of seven reference constants. In particular, the unit of mass (the kilogram) will be realized through a fixed value of the Planck constant h. A so-called watt balance, for example, can then be used to realize the kilogram unit of mass within a few parts in 108. Such a balance has been designed and constructed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. For educational outreach and to demonstrate the principle, we have constructed a LEGO tabletop watt balance capable of measuring a gram-level masses to 1% relative uncertainty. This article presents the design, construction, and performance of the LEGO watt balance and its ability to determine h.

The malleability of spatial ability under treatment of a FIRST LEGO League-based robotics unit

Science.gov (United States)

Coxon, Steven Vincent

Spatial ability is important to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) success, but spatial talents are rarely developed in schools. Likewise, the gifted may become STEM innovators, but they are rarely provided with pedagogy appropriate to develop their abilities in schools. A stratified random sample of volunteer participants (n=75) ages 9-14 was drawn from 16 public school districts' gifted programs, including as many females (n=28) and children from groups traditionally underrepresented in gifted programs (n=18) as available. Participants were randomly divided into an experimental (n=38) and a control group (n=37) for an intervention study. All participants took the CogAT (form 6) Verbal Battery and the Project TALENT Spatial Ability Assessments. The experimental group participated in a simulation of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competition for 20 hours total over five consecutive days. All participants took the spatial measure another time. Experimental males evidenced significant and meaningful gains in measured spatial ability (Cohen's d = 0.87). Females did not evidence significant gains in measured spatial ability. This may be due to sampling error, gender differences in prior experience with LEGO, or differences in facets of spatial ability in the treatment or measurements. Further research studies with larger samples of females, other treatments and measurement tools, and longer treatment periods are recommended. The literature review revealed that FLL is beneficial for STEM engagement in both genders and its use in schools is recommended. The present study provides additional evidence for FLL's usefulness in increasing the number of individuals in the STEM pipeline. Keywords: spatial, gilled, talent, robotics, FIRST LEGO League, science

Basic concepts of automation and mechatronics with LEGO mindstorms NXT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matijević Milan S.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Mindstorsms LEGO NXT is using in engineering education at well recognized engineering schools like RWTH Aachen University where is created the RWTH - Mindstorms NXT Toolbox for Matlab. MATLAB / Simulink is widely available and popular for students around the world, but software toolboxes which are required for work with the real time systems are too expensive for the universities, especially those in developing countries. This paper describes an approach that is currently used in introductory subjects in the field of automation and mechatronics at the University of Kragujevac, and that does not require expensive software support.

Highly Manufacturable Deep (Sub-Millimeter) Etching Enabled High Aspect Ratio Complex Geometry Lego-Like Silicon Electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghoneim, Mohamed Tarek; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2017-04-01

A highly manufacturable deep reactive ion etching based process involving a hybrid soft/hard mask process technology shows high aspect ratio complex geometry Lego-like silicon electronics formation enabling free-form (physically flexible, stretchable, and reconfigurable) electronic systems. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

LEGO Mindstorms NXT for elderly and visually impaired people in need: A platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Halhouli, Ala'aldeen; Qitouqa, Hala; Malkosh, Nancy; Shubbak, Alaa; Al-Gharabli, Samer; Hamad, Eyad

2016-07-27

This paper presents the employment of LEGO Mindstorms NXT robotics as core component of low cost multidisciplinary platform for assisting elderly and visually impaired people. LEGO Mindstorms system offers a plug-and-play programmable robotics toolkit, incorporating construction guides, microcontrollers and sensors, all connected via a comprehensive programming language. It facilitates, without special training and at low cost, the use of such device for interpersonal communication and for handling multiple tasks required for elderly and visually impaired people in-need. The research project provides a model for larger-scale implementation, tackling the issues of creating additional functions in order to assist people in-need. The new functions were built and programmed using MATLAB through a user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI). Power consumption problem, besides the integration of WiFi connection has been resolved, incorporating GPS application on smart phones enhanced the guiding and tracking functions. We believe that developing and expanding the system to encompass a range of applications beyond the initial design schematics to ease conducting a limited number of pre-described protocols. However, the beneficiaries for the proposed research would be limited to elderly people who require assistance within their household as assistive-robot to facilitate a low-cost solution for a highly demanding health circumstance.

Protein Assembly and Building Blocks: Beyond the Limits of the LEGO Brick Metaphor.

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Yaakov

2017-09-26

Proteins, like other biomolecules, have a modular and hierarchical structure. Various building blocks are used to construct proteins of high structural complexity and diverse functionality. In multidomain proteins, for example, domains are fused to each other in different combinations to achieve different functions. Although the LEGO brick metaphor is justified as a means of simplifying the complexity of three-dimensional protein structures, several fundamental properties (such as allostery or the induced-fit mechanism) make deviation from it necessary to respect the plasticity, softness, and cross-talk that are essential to protein function. In this work, we illustrate recently reported protein behavior in multidomain proteins that deviates from the LEGO brick analogy. While earlier studies showed that a protein domain is often unaffected by being fused to another domain or becomes more stable following the formation of a new interface between the tethered domains, destabilization due to tethering has been reported for several systems. We illustrate that tethering may sometimes result in a multidomain protein behaving as "less than the sum of its parts". We survey these cases for which structure additivity does not guarantee thermodynamic additivity. Protein destabilization due to fusion to other domains may be linked in some cases to biological function and should be taken into account when designing large assemblies.

Polypeptides having catalase activity and polynucleotides encoding same

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Ye; Duan, Junxin; Zhang, Yu; Tang, Lan

2017-05-02

Provided are isolated polypeptides having catalase activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. Also provided are nucleic acid constructs, vectors and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Polynucleotides encoding polypeptides having beta-glucosidase activity

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Paul; Golightly, Elizabeth

2010-03-02

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having beta-glucosidase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods for producing and using the polypeptides.

Non-Replicating Adenovirus-Vectored Anthrax Vaccine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Kampen, K. R.; Zhang, J.; Jex, E.; Tang, D. C.

2007-01-01

As bioterrorism is emerging as a national threat, it is urgent to develop a new generation of anthrax vaccines that can be rapidly produced and mass administered in an emergency setting. We have demonstrated that protective immunity against anthrax spores could be elicited in mice by intranasal administration of a non-replicating human adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5)-derived vector encoding Bacillus anthracis protective antigen (PA) in a single-dose regimen. The potency of an Ad5 vector encoding PA was remarkably enhanced by codon optimization of the PA gene to match the tRNA pool found in human cells. This nasal vaccine can be mass-administered by non-medical personnel during a bioterrorist attack. In addition, replication-competent adenovirus (RCA)-free Ad5-vectored anthrax vaccines can be mass produced in PER.C6 cells in serum-free wave bioreactors and purified by column chromatography to meet a surge in demand. The non-replicating nature of this new generation of anthrax vaccine ensures an excellent safety profile for vaccines and the environment.(author)

A model of Altio Lazio boiling water reactor using the LEGO code nuclear steam supply system simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garbossa, G.B.; Spelta, S.; Cori, R.; Mosca, R.; Cento, P.

1989-01-01

An extensive effort has been made at the Italian National Electricity Board (ENEL) to construct and validate a LEGO model capable of simulating the operational transients of the Alto Lazio Nuclear Station, a two-twin units site with BWR/6 class reactors, rated at 2894 MWt and with Mark III containment. The desired end-product of this effort is an overall plant model consisting of the Nuclear Steam Supply System model, described in this paper, and the Balance of Plant model, capable of simulating the transient response of Alto Lazio Station. The models utilize the in-house developed LEGO code, which is a modular package oriented to power plant modeling and suitable to perform transient analyses to assist during power plant design, control system design and operating procedure verification. The ability of the NSSS model to predict correctly the plant response is demonstrated through comparison with results calculated by the vendor, using REDY code, and by an in-house RETRAN-02 model

Stochastic algorithm for channel optimized vector quantization: application to robust narrow-band speech coding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouzid, M.; Benkherouf, H.; Benzadi, K.

2011-01-01

In this paper, we propose a stochastic joint source-channel scheme developed for efficient and robust encoding of spectral speech LSF parameters. The encoding system, named LSF-SSCOVQ-RC, is an LSF encoding scheme based on a reduced complexity stochastic split vector quantizer optimized for noisy channel. For transmissions over noisy channel, we will show first that our LSF-SSCOVQ-RC encoder outperforms the conventional LSF encoder designed by the split vector quantizer. After that, we applied the LSF-SSCOVQ-RC encoder (with weighted distance) for the robust encoding of LSF parameters of the 2.4 Kbits/s MELP speech coder operating over a noisy/noiseless channel. The simulation results will show that the proposed LSF encoder, incorporated in the MELP, ensure better performances than the original MELP MSVQ of 25 bits/frame; especially when the transmission channel is highly disturbed. Indeed, we will show that the LSF-SSCOVQ-RC yields significant improvement to the LSFs encoding performances by ensuring reliable transmissions over noisy channel.

Development of electrochemical reporter assay using HeLa cells transfected with vector plasmids encoding various responsive elements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shiku, Hitoshi, E-mail: shiku@bioinfo.che.tohoku.ac.jp [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-604 Aramaki-Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Takeda, Michiaki; Murata, Tatsuya [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-604 Aramaki-Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Akiba, Uichi; Hamada, Fumio [Graduate School of Engineering and Resource Science, Akita University, 1-1 Tegata gakuen-machi, Akita 010-8502 (Japan); Matsue, Tomokazu, E-mail: matsue@bioinfo.che.tohoku.ac.jp [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-604 Aramaki-Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan)

2009-04-27

Electrochemical assay using HeLa cell lines transfected with various plasmid vectors encoding SEAP (secreted alkaline phosphatase) as the reporter has been performed by using SECM (scanning electrochemical microscopy). The plasmid vector contains different responsive elements that include GRE (glucocorticoid response elements), CRE (cAMP responsive elements), or {kappa}B (binding site for NF{kappa}B (nuclear factor kappa B)) upstream of the SEAP sequence. The transfected HeLa cells were patterned on a culture dish in a 4 x 4 array of circles of diameter 300 {mu}m by using the PDMS (poly(dimethylsiloxane)) stencil technique. The cellular array was first exposed to 100 ng mL{sup -1} dexamethasone, 10 ng mL{sup -1} forskolin, or 100 ng mL{sup -1} TNF-{alpha} (tumor necrosis factor {alpha}) after which it was further cultured in an RPMI culture medium for 6 h. After incubation, the cellular array was soaked in a measuring solution containing 4.7 mM PAPP (p-aminophenylphosphate) at pH 9.5, following which electrochemical measurements were performed immediately within 40 min. The SECM method allows parallel evaluation of different cell lines transfected with pGRE-SEAP, pCRE-SEAP, and pNF{kappa}B-SEAP patterned on the same solid support for detection of the oxidation current of PAP (p-aminophenol) flux produced from only 300 HeLa cells in each stencil pattern. The results of the SECM method were highly sensitive as compared to those obtained from the conventional CL (chemiluminescence) protocol with at least 5 x 10{sup 4} cells per well.

Immune protection of nonhuman primates against Ebola virus with single low-dose adenovirus vectors encoding modified GPs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nancy J Sullivan

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Ebola virus causes a hemorrhagic fever syndrome that is associated with high mortality in humans. In the absence of effective therapies for Ebola virus infection, the development of a vaccine becomes an important strategy to contain outbreaks. Immunization with DNA and/or replication-defective adenoviral vectors (rAd encoding the Ebola glycoprotein (GP and nucleoprotein (NP has been previously shown to confer specific protective immunity in nonhuman primates. GP can exert cytopathic effects on transfected cells in vitro, and multiple GP forms have been identified in nature, raising the question of which would be optimal for a human vaccine.To address this question, we have explored the efficacy of mutant GPs from multiple Ebola virus strains with reduced in vitro cytopathicity and analyzed their protective effects in the primate challenge model, with or without NP. Deletion of the GP transmembrane domain eliminated in vitro cytopathicity but reduced its protective efficacy by at least one order of magnitude. In contrast, a point mutation was identified that abolished this cytopathicity but retained immunogenicity and conferred immune protection in the absence of NP. The minimal effective rAd dose was established at 10(10 particles, two logs lower than that used previously.Expression of specific GPs alone vectored by rAd are sufficient to confer protection against lethal challenge in a relevant nonhuman primate model. Elimination of NP from the vaccine and dose reductions to 10(10 rAd particles do not diminish protection and simplify the vaccine, providing the basis for selection of a human vaccine candidate.

Immune Protection of Nonhuman Primates against Ebola Virus with Single Low-Dose Adenovirus Vectors Encoding Modified GPs

Science.gov (United States)

Geisbert, Joan B; Shedlock, Devon J; Xu, Ling; Lamoreaux, Laurie; Custers, Jerome H. H. V; Popernack, Paul M; Yang, Zhi-Yong; Pau, Maria G; Roederer, Mario; Koup, Richard A; Goudsmit, Jaap; Jahrling, Peter B; Nabel, Gary J

2006-01-01

Background Ebola virus causes a hemorrhagic fever syndrome that is associated with high mortality in humans. In the absence of effective therapies for Ebola virus infection, the development of a vaccine becomes an important strategy to contain outbreaks. Immunization with DNA and/or replication-defective adenoviral vectors (rAd) encoding the Ebola glycoprotein (GP) and nucleoprotein (NP) has been previously shown to confer specific protective immunity in nonhuman primates. GP can exert cytopathic effects on transfected cells in vitro, and multiple GP forms have been identified in nature, raising the question of which would be optimal for a human vaccine. Methods and Findings To address this question, we have explored the efficacy of mutant GPs from multiple Ebola virus strains with reduced in vitro cytopathicity and analyzed their protective effects in the primate challenge model, with or without NP. Deletion of the GP transmembrane domain eliminated in vitro cytopathicity but reduced its protective efficacy by at least one order of magnitude. In contrast, a point mutation was identified that abolished this cytopathicity but retained immunogenicity and conferred immune protection in the absence of NP. The minimal effective rAd dose was established at 1010 particles, two logs lower than that used previously. Conclusions Expression of specific GPs alone vectored by rAd are sufficient to confer protection against lethal challenge in a relevant nonhuman primate model. Elimination of NP from the vaccine and dose reductions to 1010 rAd particles do not diminish protection and simplify the vaccine, providing the basis for selection of a human vaccine candidate. PMID:16683867

The Effects of Integrating LEGO Robotics into a Mathematics Curriculum to Promote the Development of Proportional Reasoning

Science.gov (United States)

Casler-Failing, Shelli L.

2017-01-01

This mixed methods, action research case study sought to investigate the effects of incorporating LEGO robotics into a seventh grade mathematics curriculum focused on the development of proportional reasoning through the lens of Social Constructivist Theory. Quantitative data was collected via pre- and post-tests from the mathematics class of six…

Using Lego robots to estimate cognitive ability in children who have severe physical disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Albert M; Adams, Kim; Volden, Joanne; Harbottle, Norma; Harbottle, Cheryl

2011-01-01

To determine whether low-cost robots provide a means by which children with severe disabilities can demonstrate understanding of cognitive concepts. Ten children, ages 4 to 10, diagnosed with cerebral palsy and related motor conditions, participated. Participants had widely variable motor, cognitive and receptive language skills, but all were non-speaking. A Lego Invention 'roverbot' was used to carry out a range of functional tasks from single-switch replay of pre-stored movements to total control of the movement in two dimensions. The level of sophistication achieved on hierarchically arranged play tasks was used to estimate cognitive skills. The 10 children performed at one of the six hierarchically arranged levels from 'no interaction' through 'simple cause and effect' to 'development and execution of a plan'. Teacher interviews revealed that children were interested in the robot, enjoyed interacting with it and demonstrated changes in behaviour and social and language skills following interaction. Children with severe physical disabilities can control a Lego robot to perform un-structured play tasks. In some cases, they were able to display more sophisticated cognitive skills through manipulating the robot than in traditional standardised tests. Success with the robot could be a proxy measure for children who have cognitive abilities but cannot demonstrate them in standard testing.

Polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase activity and polynucleotides encoding same

Science.gov (United States)

Morant, Marc D.; Harris, Paul

2015-10-13

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Polypeptides having xylanase activity and polynucleotides encoding same

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spodsberg, Nikolaj

2018-02-06

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having xylanase activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Culture’s building blocks: Investigating cultural evolution in a LEGO construction task

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McGraw, John J.; Wallot, Sebastian; Mitkidis, Panagiotis

2014-01-01

to culture remains little more than a suggestive trope. Whereas the modern synthesis of evolutionary theory has provided an encompassing scientific framework for the selection and transmission of biological adaptations, a convincing theory of cultural evolution has yet to emerge. One of the greatest...... the ways people develop conventions in a series of LEGO construction tasks. The data revealed a surprising pattern in the selection of building bricks as well as features of car design across consecutive building sessions. Our findings support a novel methodology for studying the development...

Distributed Remote Vector Gaussian Source Coding with Covariance Distortion Constraints

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zahedi, Adel; Østergaard, Jan; Jensen, Søren Holdt

2014-01-01

In this paper, we consider a distributed remote source coding problem, where a sequence of observations of source vectors is available at the encoder. The problem is to specify the optimal rate for encoding the observations subject to a covariance matrix distortion constraint and in the presence...

Investigation of Self-assembly Structure and Properties of a Novel Designed Lego-type Peptide with Double Amphiphilic Surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Liang [Sichuan University, Sichuan (China); Zhao, Xiao Jun [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (United States)

2010-12-15

A typically designed 'Peptide Lego' has two distinct surfaces: a hydrophilic side that contains the complete charge distribution and a hydrophobic side. In this article, we describe the fabrication of a unique lego-type peptide with the AEAEYAKAK sequence. The novel peptide with double amphiphilic surfaces is different from typical peptides due to special arrangement of the residues. The results of CD, FT-IR, AFM and DLS demonstrate that the peptide with the random coil characteristic was able to form stable nanostructures that were mediated by non-covalent interactions in an aqueous solution. The data further indicated that despite its different structure, the peptide was able to undergo self-assembly similar to a typical peptide. In addition, the use of hydrophobic pyrene as a model allowed the peptide to provide a new type of potential nanomaterial for drug delivery. These efforts collectively open up a new direction in the fabrication of nanomaterials that are more perfect and versatile.

Investigation of Self-assembly Structure and Properties of a Novel Designed Lego-type Peptide with Double Amphiphilic Surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Liang; Zhao, Xiao Jun

2010-01-01

A typically designed 'Peptide Lego' has two distinct surfaces: a hydrophilic side that contains the complete charge distribution and a hydrophobic side. In this article, we describe the fabrication of a unique lego-type peptide with the AEAEYAKAK sequence. The novel peptide with double amphiphilic surfaces is different from typical peptides due to special arrangement of the residues. The results of CD, FT-IR, AFM and DLS demonstrate that the peptide with the random coil characteristic was able to form stable nanostructures that were mediated by non-covalent interactions in an aqueous solution. The data further indicated that despite its different structure, the peptide was able to undergo self-assembly similar to a typical peptide. In addition, the use of hydrophobic pyrene as a model allowed the peptide to provide a new type of potential nanomaterial for drug delivery. These efforts collectively open up a new direction in the fabrication of nanomaterials that are more perfect and versatile

Safety profile, efficacy, and biodistribution of a bicistronic high-capacity adenovirus vector encoding a combined immunostimulation and cytotoxic gene therapy as a prelude to a phase I clinical trial for glioblastoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Puntel, Mariana [Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Michigan School of Medicine, MSRB II, RM 4570C, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5689 (United States); Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, The University of Michigan School of Medicine, MSRB II, RM 4570C, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5689 (United States); Gene Therapeutics Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (United States); Ghulam, Muhammad A.K.M. [Gene Therapeutics Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (United States); Farrokhi, Catherine [Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (United States); VanderVeen, Nathan; Paran, Christopher; Appelhans, Ashley [Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Michigan School of Medicine, MSRB II, RM 4570C, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5689 (United States); Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, The University of Michigan School of Medicine, MSRB II, RM 4570C, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5689 (United States); Kroeger, Kurt M.; Salem, Alireza [Gene Therapeutics Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (United States); Lacayo, Liliana [Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (United States); Pechnick, Robert N. [Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (United States); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Kelson, Kyle R.; Kaur, Sukhpreet; Kennedy, Sean [Gene Therapeutics Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (United States); Palmer, Donna; Ng, Philip [Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030 (United States); and others

2013-05-01

Adenoviral vectors (Ads) are promising gene delivery vehicles due to their high transduction efficiency; however, their clinical usefulness has been hampered by their immunogenicity and the presence of anti-Ad immunity in humans. We reported the efficacy of a gene therapy approach for glioma consisting of intratumoral injection of Ads encoding conditionally cytotoxic herpes simplex type 1 thymidine kinase (Ad-TK) and the immunostimulatory cytokine fms-like tyrosine kinase ligand 3 (Ad-Flt3L). Herein, we report the biodistribution, efficacy, and neurological and systemic effects of a bicistronic high-capacity Ad, i.e., HC-Ad-TK/TetOn-Flt3L. HC-Ads elicit sustained transgene expression, even in the presence of anti-Ad immunity, and can encode large therapeutic cassettes, including regulatory elements to enable turning gene expression “on” or “off” according to clinical need. The inclusion of two therapeutic transgenes within a single vector enables a reduction of the total vector load without adversely impacting efficacy. Because clinically the vectors will be delivered into the surgical cavity, normal regions of the brain parenchyma are likely to be transduced. Thus, we assessed any potential toxicities elicited by escalating doses of HC-Ad-TK/TetOn-Flt3L (1 × 10{sup 8}, 1 × 10{sup 9}, or 1 × 10{sup 10} viral particles [vp]) delivered into the rat brain parenchyma. We assessed neuropathology, biodistribution, transgene expression, systemic toxicity, and behavioral impact at acute and chronic time points. The results indicate that doses up to 1 × 10{sup 9} vp of HC-Ad-TK/TetOn-Flt3L can be safely delivered into the normal rat brain and underpin further developments for its implementation in a phase I clinical trial for glioma. - Highlights: ► High capacity Ad vectors elicit sustained therapeutic gene expression in the brain. ► HC-Ad-TK/TetOn-Flt3L encodes two therapeutic genes and a transcriptional switch. ► We performed a dose escalation study at

How the LEGO Group Is Embarking on Architectural Path Constitution to Transform Its Information Infrastructure into a Digital Platform

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Törmer, Robert Lorenz

2018-01-01

Traditional companies are increasingly turning towards platform strategies to gain speed in the development of digital value propositions and prepare for the challenges arising from digitalization. This paper reports on the digitalization journey of the LEGO Group to elaborate how brick-and-mortar...

High School Students' Views on the PBL Activities Supported via Flipped Classroom and LEGO Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Cukurbasi, Baris; Kiyici, Mubin

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the high school students' views on instructions based on Flipped Classroom Model (FC) and LEGO applications. The case study, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was used within the scope of the study, the duration of which was 7 weeks. In order to choose the research group of the study,…

Facilities Management and Value Adding - The LEGO case

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Per Anker; Katchamart, Akarapong

on the management model for FM included in the European FM standards, recent theories on added value of FM and real estate and the related concept of Value Management from building projects. The paper outlines a preliminary theoretical based management concept, which is investigated, tested and discussed based...... on a case study of LEGO. Results: The study shows that the management model for FM creates a relevant starting point but also that stakeholder and relationship management is an essential aspect of Value Adding Management. The case study confirms the relevance of the basic concept and provides an important...... example of how Value Adding Management can be implemented and added value measured. Practical Implications: The concept of Value Adding Management is expected to increase the awareness of the impacts and strategic importance of FM for organisations and can be a practical tool for facilities managers...

Correlated Topic Vector for Scene Classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Pengxu; Qin, Fei; Wan, Fang; Zhu, Yi; Jiao, Jianbin; Ye, Qixiang

2017-07-01

Scene images usually involve semantic correlations, particularly when considering large-scale image data sets. This paper proposes a novel generative image representation, correlated topic vector, to model such semantic correlations. Oriented from the correlated topic model, correlated topic vector intends to naturally utilize the correlations among topics, which are seldom considered in the conventional feature encoding, e.g., Fisher vector, but do exist in scene images. It is expected that the involvement of correlations can increase the discriminative capability of the learned generative model and consequently improve the recognition accuracy. Incorporated with the Fisher kernel method, correlated topic vector inherits the advantages of Fisher vector. The contributions to the topics of visual words have been further employed by incorporating the Fisher kernel framework to indicate the differences among scenes. Combined with the deep convolutional neural network (CNN) features and Gibbs sampling solution, correlated topic vector shows great potential when processing large-scale and complex scene image data sets. Experiments on two scene image data sets demonstrate that correlated topic vector improves significantly the deep CNN features, and outperforms existing Fisher kernel-based features.

EGVII endoglucanase and nucleic acids encoding the same

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn-Coleman, Nigel [Los Gatos, CA; Goedegebuur, Frits [Vlaardingen, NL; Ward, Michael [San Francisco, CA; Yao, Jian [Sunnyvale, CA

2009-05-05

The present invention provides an endoglucanase nucleic acid sequence, designated egl7, and the corresponding EGVII amino acid sequence. The invention also provides expression vectors and host cells comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding EGVII, recombinant EGVII proteins and methods for producing the same.

Learning-based encoding with soft assignment for age estimation under unconstrained imaging conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alnajar, F.; Shan, C.; Gevers, T.; Geusebroek, J.M.

2012-01-01

In this paper we propose to adopt a learning-based encoding method for age estimation under unconstrained imaging conditions. A similar approach [Cao et al., 2010] is applied to face recognition in real-life face images. However, the feature vectors are encoded in hard manner i.e. each feature

The Effect on Pupils' Science Performance and Problem-Solving Ability through Lego: An Engineering Design-Based Modeling Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yanyan; Huang, Zhinan; Jiang, Menglu; Chang, Ting-Wen

2016-01-01

Incorporating scientific fundamentals via engineering through a design-based methodology has proven to be highly effective for STEM education. Engineering design can be instantiated for learning as they involve mental and physical stimulation and develop practical skills especially in solving problems. Lego bricks, as a set of toys based on design…

Using Python to Program LEGO MINDSTORMS® Robots: The PyNXC Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2010-04-01

Full Text Available

 

3D printed Lego®-like modular microfluidic devices based on capillary driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Jing; Gao, Qing; Qiu, Jing-Jiang; Sun, Miao; Liu, An; Shao, Lei; Fu, Jian-Zhong; Zhao, Peng; He, Yong

2018-03-12

The field of how to rapidly assemble microfluidics with modular components continuously attracts researchers' attention, however, extra efforts must be devoted to solving the problems of leaking and aligning between individual modules. This paper presents a novel type of modular microfluidic device, driven by capillary force. There is no necessity for a strict seal or special alignment, and its open structures make it easy to integrate various stents and reactants. The key rationale for this method is to print different functional modules with a low-cost three-dimensional (3D) printer, then fill the channels with capillary materials and assemble them with plugs like Lego ® bricks. This rapidly reconstructed modular microfluidic device consists of a variety of common functional modules and other personalized modules, each module having a unified standard interface for easy assembly. As it can be printed by a desktop 3D printer, the manufacturing process is simple and efficient, with controllable regulation of the flow channel scale. Through diverse combinations of different modules, a variety of different functions can be achieved, without duplicating the manufacturing process. A single module can also be taken out for testing and analysis. What's more, combined with basic circuit components, it can serve as a low-cost Lego ® -like modular microfluidic circuits. As a proof of concept, the modular microfluidic device has been successfully demonstrated and used for stent degradation and cell cultures, revealing the potential use of this method in both chemical and biological research.

Mechatronics Education: From Paper Design to Product Prototype Using LEGO NXT Parts

Science.gov (United States)

Lofaro, Daniel M.; Le, Tony Truong Giang; Oh, Paul

The industrial design cycle starts with design then simulation, prototyping, and testing. When the tests do not match the design requirements the design process is started over again. It is important for students to experience this process before they leave their academic institution. The high cost of the prototype phase, due to CNC/Rapid Prototype machine costs, makes hands on study of this process expensive for students and the academic institutions. This document shows that the commercially available LEGO NXT Robot kit is a viable low cost surrogate to the expensive industrial CNC/Rapid Prototype portion of the industrial design cycle.

Noise level and MPEG-2 encoder statistics

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jungwoo

1997-01-01

Most software in the movie and broadcasting industries are still in analog film or tape format, which typically contains random noise that originated from film, CCD camera, and tape recording. The performance of the MPEG-2 encoder may be significantly degraded by the noise. It is also affected by the scene type that includes spatial and temporal activity. The statistical property of noise originating from camera and tape player is analyzed and the models for the two types of noise are developed. The relationship between the noise, the scene type, and encoder statistics of a number of MPEG-2 parameters such as motion vector magnitude, prediction error, and quant scale are discussed. This analysis is intended to be a tool for designing robust MPEG encoding algorithms such as preprocessing and rate control.

Viral vectors encoding endomorphins and serine histogranin attenuate neuropathic pain symptoms after spinal cord injury in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasirinezhad, Farinaz; Gajavelli, Shyam; Priddy, Blake; Jergova, Stanislava; Zadina, James; Sagen, Jacqueline

2015-01-07

The treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced neuropathic pain presents a challenging healthcare problem. The lack of available robust pharmacological treatments underscores the need for novel therapeutic methods and approaches. Due to the complex character of neuropathic pain following SCI, therapies targeting multiple mechanisms may be a better choice for obtaining sufficient long-term pain relief. Previous studies in our lab showed analgesic effects using combinations of an NMDA antagonist peptide [Ser1]histogranin (SHG), and the mu-opioid peptides endomorphins (EMs), in several pain models. As an alternative to drug therapy, this study evaluated the analgesic potential of these peptides when delivered via gene therapy. Lentiviruses encoding SHG and EM-1 and EM-2 were intraspinally injected, either singly or in combination, into rats with clip compression SCI 2 weeks following injury. Treated animals showed significant reduction in mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity, compared to control groups injected with GFP vector only. The antinociceptive effects of individually injected components were modest, but the combination of EMs and SHG produced robust and sustained antinociception. The onset of the analgesic effects was observed between 1-5 weeks post-injection and sustained without decrement for at least 7 weeks. No adverse effects on locomotor function were observed. The involvement of SHG and EMs in the observed antinociception was confirmed by pharmacologic inhibition using intrathecal injection of either the opioid antagonist naloxone or an anti-SHG antibody. Immunohistochemical analysis showed the presence of SHG and EMs in the spinal cord of treated animals, and immunodot-blot analysis of CSF confirmed the presence of these peptides in injected animals. In a separate group of rats, delayed injection of viral vectors was performed in order to mimic a more likely clinical scenario. Comparable and sustained antinociceptive effects were observed in

Building a Lego wall: Sequential action selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Amy; Wing, Alan M; Rotshtein, Pia

2017-05-01

The present study draws together two distinct lines of enquiry into the selection and control of sequential action: motor sequence production and action selection in everyday tasks. Participants were asked to build 2 different Lego walls. The walls were designed to have hierarchical structures with shared and dissociated colors and spatial components. Participants built 1 wall at a time, under low and high load cognitive states. Selection times for correctly completed trials were measured using 3-dimensional motion tracking. The paradigm enabled precise measurement of the timing of actions, while using real objects to create an end product. The experiment demonstrated that action selection was slowed at decision boundary points, relative to boundaries where no between-wall decision was required. Decision points also affected selection time prior to the actual selection window. Dual-task conditions increased selection errors. Errors mostly occurred at boundaries between chunks and especially when these required decisions. The data support hierarchical control of sequenced behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Adeno-associated viral vector-mediated neurotrophin gene transfer in the injured adult rat spinal cord improves hind-limb function

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blits, B; Oudega, M.; Boer, G J; Bartlett Bunge, M; Verhaagen, J

2003-01-01

To foster axonal growth from a Schwann cell bridge into the caudal spinal cord, spinal cells caudal to the implant were transduced with adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors encoding for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (AAV-NT-3). Control rats received AAV vectors encoding

Beta-glucosidase variants and polynucleotides encoding same

Science.gov (United States)

Wogulis, Mark; Harris, Paul; Osborn, David

2017-06-27

The present invention relates to beta-glucosidase variants, e.g. beta-glucosidase variants of a parent Family GH3A beta-glucosidase from Aspergillus fumigatus. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the beta-glucosidase variants; nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides; and methods of using the beta-glucosidase variants.

Low-complexity video encoding method for wireless image transmission in capsule endoscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Takizawa, Kenichi; Hamaguchi, Kiyoshi

2010-01-01

This paper presents a low-complexity video encoding method applicable for wireless image transmission in capsule endoscopes. This encoding method is based on Wyner-Ziv theory, in which side information available at a transmitter is treated as side information at its receiver. Therefore complex processes in video encoding, such as estimation of the motion vector, are moved to the receiver side, which has a larger-capacity battery. As a result, the encoding process is only to decimate coded original data through channel coding. We provide a performance evaluation for a low-density parity check (LDPC) coding method in the AWGN channel.

Polypeptides having beta-glucosidase activity and polynucleotides encoding same

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Paul; Golightly, Elizabeth

2012-11-27

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having beta-glucosidase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods for producing and using the polypeptides.

Polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and polynucleotides encoding same

Science.gov (United States)

Maiyuran, Suchindra; Kramer, Randall; Harris, Paul

2013-10-29

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

The Effect of LEGO Training on Pupils' School Performance in Mathematics, Problem Solving Ability and Attitude: Swedish Data

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Shakir; Lindh, Jorgen; Shukur, Ghazi

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of one year of regular "LEGO" training on pupils' performances in schools. The underlying pedagogical perspective is the constructivist theory, where the main idea is that knowledge is constructed in the mind of the pupil by active learning. The investigation has been made in two…

Fictions industrielles et apprentissage du temps : les jeux LEGO Bionicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irène Langlet

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Il y a un paradoxe LEGO : venue tard aux nouveaux jouets médiatiques et numériques, la firme danoise a pourtant lancé l’un des phénomènes les plus exemplaires des années 2000 : la gamme Bionicle, qui mêle figurines, jeux de construction, fictions populaires multi-supports (imprimé, télévision, jeux vidéo, CD-Rom, cinéma, communautés de joueurs sur internet, univers partagé, et tous les produits non ludiques dérivés. Une description fine de la gamme Bionicle fait apparaître d’emblée, non seulement son adéquation étroite aux problématiques de porosité intermédiatique et d’exploitation de la fiction, mais son innovation majeure, étroitement liée à la nature des produits de la firme LEGO. Dans un processus de « médiatisation », la gamme accomplit, après la généralisation de séries thématiques favorisant l’imaginaire, le passage de LEGO à la narrativisation. On montrera en quoi l’introduction du narratif dans cette gamme a répondu à cet objectif-maître de l’industrie des biens de consommation en régime médiatique : consommer du média, c’est encore jouer au jeu-noyau. Mais on verra aussi en quoi ce cadre narratif peut suggérer des analyses qui vont au-delà de la théorie du marketing ou de la didactique du jouet, et qui ont trait aux usages contemporains de la fiction et à la psychologie du développement en matière de maîtrise de la temporalité.

A LEGO Mindstorms NXT Approach for Teaching at Data Acquisition, Control Systems Engineering and Real-Time Systems Undergraduate Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz-Martin, A.; Fernandez-Madrigal, J. A.; Galindo, C.; Gonzalez-Jimenez, J.; Stockmans-Daou, C.; Blanco-Claraco, J. L.

2012-01-01

LEGO Mindstorms NXT robots are being increasingly used in undergraduate courses, mostly in robotics-related subjects. But other engineering topics, like the ones found in data acquisition, control and real-time subjects, also have difficult concepts that can be well understood only with good lab exercises. Such exercises require physical…

Multiplexing clonality: combining RGB marking and genetic barcoding

Science.gov (United States)

Cornils, Kerstin; Thielecke, Lars; Hüser, Svenja; Forgber, Michael; Thomaschewski, Michael; Kleist, Nadja; Hussein, Kais; Riecken, Kristoffer; Volz, Tassilo; Gerdes, Sebastian; Glauche, Ingmar; Dahl, Andreas; Dandri, Maura; Roeder, Ingo; Fehse, Boris

2014-01-01

RGB marking and DNA barcoding are two cutting-edge technologies in the field of clonal cell marking. To combine the virtues of both approaches, we equipped LeGO vectors encoding red, green or blue fluorescent proteins with complex DNA barcodes carrying color-specific signatures. For these vectors, we generated highly complex plasmid libraries that were used for the production of barcoded lentiviral vector particles. In proof-of-principle experiments, we used barcoded vectors for RGB marking of cell lines and primary murine hepatocytes. We applied single-cell polymerase chain reaction to decipher barcode signatures of individual RGB-marked cells expressing defined color hues. This enabled us to prove clonal identity of cells with one and the same RGB color. Also, we made use of barcoded vectors to investigate clonal development of leukemia induced by ectopic oncogene expression in murine hematopoietic cells. In conclusion, by combining RGB marking and DNA barcoding, we have established a novel technique for the unambiguous genetic marking of individual cells in the context of normal regeneration as well as malignant outgrowth. Moreover, the introduction of color-specific signatures in barcodes will facilitate studies on the impact of different variables (e.g. vector type, transgenes, culture conditions) in the context of competitive repopulation studies. PMID:24476916

Red-shifted fluorescent proteins mPlum and mRaspberry and polynucleotides encoding the same

Science.gov (United States)

Tsien, Roger Y [La Jolla, CA; Wang, Lei [San Diego, CA

2008-07-01

Methods using somatic hypermutation (SHM) for producing polypeptide and nucleic acid variants, and nucleic acids encoding such polypeptide variants are disclosed. Such variants may have desired properties. Also disclosed are novel polypeptides, such as improved fluorescent proteins, produced by the novel methods, and nucleic acids, vectors, and host cells comprising such vectors.

Polypeptides having beta-glucosidase activity and polynucleotides encoding the same

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Kimberly; Harris, Paul

2013-12-17

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having beta-glucosidase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Polypeptides having xylanase activity and polynucleotides encoding same

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spodsberg, Nikolaj; Shaghasi, Tarana

2017-06-20

The present invention relates to polypeptides having xylanase activity, catalytic domains, and carbohydrate binding domains, and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, catalytic domains, and carbohydrate binding domains. The present invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides, catalytic domains, and carbohydrate binding domains.

Chimeric polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and polynucleotides encoding same

Science.gov (United States)

Wogulis, Mark; Sweeney, Matthew; Heu, Tia

2017-06-14

The present invention relates to chimeric GH61 polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the chimeric GH61 polypeptides; nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides; and methods of using the chimeric GH61 polypeptides.

Examining Students' Proportional Reasoning Strategy Levels as Evidence of the Impact of an Integrated LEGO Robotics and Mathematics Learning Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez Ortiz, Araceli

2015-01-01

The presented study used a problem-solving experience in engineering design with LEGO robotics materials as the real-world mathematics-learning context. The goals of the study were (a) to determine if a short but intensive extracurricular learning experience would lead to significant student learning of a particular academic topic and (b) to…

Motivating programming students by Problem Based Learning and LEGO robots

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lykke, Marianne; Coto Chotto, Mayela; Mora, Sonia

2014-01-01

. For this reason the school is focusing on different teaching methods to help their students master these skills. This paper introduces an experimental, controlled comparison study of three learning designs, involving a problem based learning (PBL) approach in connection with the use of LEGO Mindstorms to improve...... students programming skills and motivation for learning in an introductory programming course. The paper reports the results related with one of the components of the study - the experiential qualities of the three learning designs. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey with 229 students...... from three groups exposed to different learning designs and through six qualitative walk-alongs collecting data from these groups by informal interviews and observations. Findings from the three studies were discussed in three focus group interviews with 10 students from the three experimental groups....

AAV vector encoding human VEGF165-transduced pectineus muscular flaps increase the formation of new tissue through induction of angiogenesis in an in vivo chamber for tissue engineering: A technique to enhance tissue and vessels in microsurgically engineered tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Moimas, Silvia; Manasseri, Benedetto; Cuccia, Giuseppe; Stagno d'Alcontres, Francesco; Geuna, Stefano; Pattarini, Lucia; Zentilin, Lorena; Giacca, Mauro; Colonna, Michele R

2015-01-01

In regenerative medicine, new approaches are required for the creation of tissue substitutes, and the interplay between different research areas, such as tissue engineering, microsurgery and gene therapy, is mandatory. In this article, we report a modification of a published model of tissue engineering, based on an arterio-venous loop enveloped in a cross-linked collagen-glycosaminoglycan template, which acts as an isolated chamber for angiogenesis and new tissue formation. In order to foster tissue formation within the chamber, which entails on the development of new vessels, we wondered whether we might combine tissue engineering with a gene therapy approach. Based on the well-described tropism of adeno-associated viral vectors for post-mitotic tissues, a muscular flap was harvested from the pectineus muscle, inserted into the chamber and transduced by either AAV vector encoding human VEGF165 or AAV vector expressing the reporter gene β-galactosidase, as a control. Histological analysis of the specimens showed that muscle transduction by AAV vector encoding human VEGF165 resulted in enhanced tissue formation, with a significant increase in the number of arterioles within the chamber in comparison with the previously published model. Pectineus muscular flap, transduced by adeno-associated viral vectors, acted as a source of the proangiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor, thus inducing a consistent enhancement of vessel growth into the newly formed tissue within the chamber. In conclusion, our present findings combine three different research fields such as microsurgery, tissue engineering and gene therapy, suggesting and showing the feasibility of a mixed approach for regenerative medicine.

LEGO Mindstorms NXT: Juego como Herramienta de Aprendizaje de Programación

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leidy Diana Jiménez-Pinzón

2014-06-01

Full Text Available LEGO Mindstorms es un juego que se usa como herramienta para el aprendizaje de distintas áreas de conocimiento. Una persona puede aprender acerca de programación mediante distintos lenguajes y aplicaciones para compilar el código de la solución planteada y resolver una situación particular. Sin embargo, la enseñanza de programación es sólo un fundamento teórico y poco práctico. Por estas razones, se pretende enseñar a programar mediante un lenguaje sencillo y una plataforma que permita visualizar el código gráficamente y validarlo específicamente con las instrucciones programadas sobre un robot.

AAV vector encoding human VEGF165–transduced pectineus muscular flaps increase the formation of new tissue through induction of angiogenesis in an in vivo chamber for tissue engineering: A technique to enhance tissue and vessels in microsurgically engineered tissue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Moimas

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In regenerative medicine, new approaches are required for the creation of tissue substitutes, and the interplay between different research areas, such as tissue engineering, microsurgery and gene therapy, is mandatory. In this article, we report a modification of a published model of tissue engineering, based on an arterio-venous loop enveloped in a cross-linked collagen–glycosaminoglycan template, which acts as an isolated chamber for angiogenesis and new tissue formation. In order to foster tissue formation within the chamber, which entails on the development of new vessels, we wondered whether we might combine tissue engineering with a gene therapy approach. Based on the well-described tropism of adeno-associated viral vectors for post-mitotic tissues, a muscular flap was harvested from the pectineus muscle, inserted into the chamber and transduced by either AAV vector encoding human VEGF165 or AAV vector expressing the reporter gene β-galactosidase, as a control. Histological analysis of the specimens showed that muscle transduction by AAV vector encoding human VEGF165 resulted in enhanced tissue formation, with a significant increase in the number of arterioles within the chamber in comparison with the previously published model. Pectineus muscular flap, transduced by adeno-associated viral vectors, acted as a source of the proangiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor, thus inducing a consistent enhancement of vessel growth into the newly formed tissue within the chamber. In conclusion, our present findings combine three different research fields such as microsurgery, tissue engineering and gene therapy, suggesting and showing the feasibility of a mixed approach for regenerative medicine.

Introduction of optical reporter gene into cancer and immune cells using lentiviral vector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Min, Jung Joon; Le, Uyenchi N.; Moon, Sung Min; Heo, Young Jun; Song, Ho Chun; Bom, Hee Seung; Kim, Yeon Soo

2004-01-01

For some applications such as gene therapy or reporter gene imaging, a gene has to be introduced into the organism of interest. Adenoviral vectors are capable of transducing both replicating and non-dividing cells. The adenoviral vectors do not integrate their DNA into host DNA, but do lead to an immune response. Lentiviruses belong to the retrovirus family and are capable of infecting both dividing and non-dividing cells. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an example of a lentavirus. A disabled HIV virus has been developed and could be used for in vivo gene delivery. A portion of the viral genome which encodes for accessory proteins canbe deleted without affecting production of the vector and efficiency of infection. Lentiviral delivery into various rodent tissues shows sustained expression of the transgene of up to six months. Furthermore, there seems to be little or no immune response with these vectors. These lentiviral vectors hold significant promise for in vivo gene delivery. We constructed lentiviral vector encoding firefly luciferase (Fluc) and eGFP. Fluc-eGFP fusion gene was inserted into multiple cloning sites of pLentiM1.3 vector. Reporter gene (Fluc-eGFP) was designed to be driven by murine CMV promoter with enhanced efficacy of transgene expression as compared to human CMV promoter. We transfected pLenti1.3-Fluc into human cervix cancer cell line (HeLa) and murine T lymphocytes. We also constructed adenovirus encoding Fluc and transfected to HeLa and T cells. This LentiM1.3-Fluc was transfected into HeLa cells and murine T lymphocytes in vitro, showing consistent expression of eGFP under the fluorescence microscopy from the 2nd day of transfection. Firefly luciferase reporter gene was not expressed in immune cells when it is mediated by adenovirus. Lentivirus was validated as a useful vector for both immune and cancer cells

Modelamiento y programación de un juego de legos en un entorno de realidad virtual

OpenAIRE

Arboleda, Freddy; Laica, Ricardo; Loor, Magdalena; García, Sixto

2011-01-01

This project seeks by the use of the techn Lego blocks, in order to check the applicability of the concepts learned throughout the topic specifies the general ideas on the model blocks. First, we focus in the creation of the 3D objects and scenes, which are going to constitute the virtual environment. Later, we are going to detail the different positioning and control algorithms created to help us in the precision and the logic en the movements of the virtu and disadvantages...

BGL6 beta-glucosidase and nucleic acids encoding the same

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn-Coleman, Nigel [Los Gatos, CA; Ward, Michael [San Francisco, CA

2009-09-01

The present invention provides a novel .beta.-glucosidase nucleic acid sequence, designated bgl6, and the corresponding BGL6 amino acid sequence. The invention also provides expression vectors and host cells comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding BGL6, recombinant BGL6 proteins and methods for producing the same.

A LEGO paradigm for virtual accelerator concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrianov, S.; Ivanov, A.; Podzyvalov, E.

2012-01-01

The paper considers basic features of a Virtual Accelerator concept based on LEGO paradigm. This concept involves three types of components: different mathematical models for accelerator design problems, integrated beam simulation packages (i. e. COSY, MAD, OptiM and others), and a special class of virtual feedback instruments similar to real control systems (EPICS). All of these components should inter-operate for more complete analysis of control systems and increased fault tolerance. The Virtual Accelerator is an information and computing environment which provides a framework for analysis based on these components that can be combined in different ways. Corresponding distributed computing services establish interaction between mathematical models and low level control system. The general idea of the software implementation is based on the Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) that allows using cloud computing technology and enables remote access to the information and computing resources. The Virtual Accelerator allows a designer to combine powerful instruments for modeling beam dynamics in a friendly way including both self-developed and well-known packages. In the scope of this concept the following is also proposed: the control system identification, analysis and result verification, visualization as well as virtual feedback for beam line operation. The architecture of the Virtual Accelerator system itself and results of beam dynamics studies are presented. (authors)

Soybean phytase and nucleic acid encoding the same

OpenAIRE

1999-01-01

Isolated soybean phytase polypeptides and isolated nucleic acids encoding soybean phytases are provided. The invention is also directed to nucleic acid expression constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the isolated soybean phytase nucleic acids, as well as methods for producing recombinant and non-recombinant purified soybean phytase. The invention also relates to transgenic plants expressing the soybean phytase, particularly expression under seed-specific expression control elements.

Using FIRST LEGO League Robotics Competitions to Engage Middle School Students in Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Rosen, Jeffrey

2009-11-01

As the nation and world grapple with looming crises in sectors such as energy, health care and the environment, it is critical that we keep today's youth interested in careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Studies indicate that many students lose interest in the sciences by ages 10-13, when they are in grades 4-8 in the U.S. educational system. Many of the interventions to counteract this trend focus on boosting interest in STEM in secondary schools and universities. However the case can be made that the greater need is actually earlier in the education of the child. How can we work with this age group in an exciting way that will promote the study of science? Student robotics competitions might be one effective answer. Programs are currently being run around the country and the world that engage young people in the study of science through robotic competition. Many of these programs rely on mentors to guide the students through the process, which in the most effective programs includes the study of physic concepts through engineering design. During this presentation we will discuss the options for participating in programs that help the students and teachers better understand the science, specifically the physics, which underlies robotics. In particular, we will focus on the international program called FIRST LEGO League (FLL), in which students ages 9-14 are challenged every year to construct a LEGO robot that can navigate and complete a course of theme-related missions. The FLL program is currently operating in almost every state in the U.S. and relies on recruiting qualified mentors and judges who want to impact young people's interest in STEM. Physics professionals can make a tremendous difference in the lives of these eager middle school students.

AAV Vectorization of DSB-mediated Gene Editing Technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Moser, Rachel J; Hirsch, Matthew L

2016-01-01

Recent work both at the bench and the bedside demonstrate zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), CRISPR/Cas9, and other programmable site-specific endonuclease technologies are being successfully utilized within and alongside AAV vectors to induce therapeutically relevant levels of directed gene editing within the human chromosome. Studies from past decades acknowledge that AAV vector genomes are enhanced substrates for homology-directed repair in the presence or absence of targeted DNA damage within the host genome. Additionally, AAV vectors are currently the most efficient format for in vivo gene delivery with no vector related complications in >100 clinical trials for diverse diseases. At the same time, advancements in the design of custom-engineered site-specific endonucleases and the utilization of elucidated endonuclease formats have resulted in efficient and facile genetic engineering for basic science and for clinical therapies. AAV vectors and gene editing technologies are an obvious marriage, using AAV for the delivery of repair substrate and/or a gene encoding a designer endonuclease; however, while efficient delivery and enhanced gene targeting by vector genomes are advantageous, other attributes of AAV vectors are less desirable for gene editing technologies. This review summarizes the various roles that AAV vectors play in gene editing technologies and provides insight into its trending applications for the treatment of genetic diseases.

A Test Platform for Planned Field Operations Using LEGO Mindstorms NXT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gareth Edwards

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Testing agricultural operations and management practices associated with different machinery, systems and planning approaches can be both costly and time-consuming. Computer simulations of such systems are used for development and testing; however, to gain the experience of real-world performance, an intermediate step between simulation and full-scale testing should be included. In this paper, a potential common framework using the LEGO Mindstorms NXT micro-tractor platform is described in terms of its hardware and software components. The performance of the platform is demonstrated and tested in terms of its capability of supporting decision making on infield operation planning. The proposed system represents the basic measures for developing a complete test platform for field operations, where route plans, mission plans, multiple-machinery cooperation strategies and machinery coordination can be executed and tested in the laboratory.

Horse cDNA clones encoding two MHC class I genes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barbis, D.P.; Maher, J.K.; Stanek, J.; Klaunberg, B.A.; Antczak, D.F.

1994-12-31

Two full-length clones encoding MHC class I genes were isolated by screening a horse cDNA library, using a probe encoding in human HLA-A2.2Y allele. The library was made in the pcDNA1 vector (Invitrogen, San Diego, CA), using mRNA from peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from a Thoroughbred stallion (No. 0834) homozygous for a common horse MHC haplotype (ELA-A2, -B2, -D2; Antczak et al. 1984; Donaldson et al. 1988). The clones were sequenced, using SP6 and T7 universal primers and horse-specific oligonucleotides designed to extend previously determined sequences.

[New strategy for RNA vectorization in mammalian cells. Use of a peptide vector].

Science.gov (United States)

Vidal, P; Morris, M C; Chaloin, L; Heitz, F; Divita, G

1997-04-01

A major barrier for gene delivery is the low permeability of nucleic acids to cellular membranes. The development of antisenses and gene therapy has focused mainly on improving methods of oligonucleotide or gene delivery to the cell. In this report we described a new strategy for RNA cell delivery, based on a short single peptide. This peptide vector is derived from both the fusion domain of the gp41 protein of HIV and the nuclear localization sequence of the SV40 large T antigen. This peptide vector localizes rapidly to the cytoplasm then to the nucleus of human fibroblasts (HS-68) within a few minutes and exhibits a high affinity for a single-stranded mRNA encoding the p66 subunit of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (in a 100 nM range). The peptide/RNA complex formation involves mainly electrostatic interactions between the basic residues of the peptide and the charges on the phosphate group of the RNA. In the presence of the peptide-vector fluorescently-labelled mRNA is delivered into the cytoplasm of mammalian cells (HS68 human fibroblasts) in less than 1 h with a relatively high efficiency (80%). This new concept based on a peptide-derived vector offers several advantages compared to other compounds commonly used in gene delivery. This vector is highly soluble and exhibits no cytotoxicity at the concentrations used for optimal gene delivery. This result clearly supports the fact that this peptide vector is a powerful tool and that it can be used widely, as much for laboratory research as for new applications and development in gene and/or antisense therapy.

Amino acid "little Big Bang": representing amino acid substitution matrices as dot products of Euclidian vectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, Karel; Gibrat, Jean-François

2010-01-04

Sequence comparisons make use of a one-letter representation for amino acids, the necessary quantitative information being supplied by the substitution matrices. This paper deals with the problem of finding a representation that provides a comprehensive description of amino acid intrinsic properties consistent with the substitution matrices. We present a Euclidian vector representation of the amino acids, obtained by the singular value decomposition of the substitution matrices. The substitution matrix entries correspond to the dot product of amino acid vectors. We apply this vector encoding to the study of the relative importance of various amino acid physicochemical properties upon the substitution matrices. We also characterize and compare the PAM and BLOSUM series substitution matrices. This vector encoding introduces a Euclidian metric in the amino acid space, consistent with substitution matrices. Such a numerical description of the amino acid is useful when intrinsic properties of amino acids are necessary, for instance, building sequence profiles or finding consensus sequences, using machine learning algorithms such as Support Vector Machine and Neural Networks algorithms.

Amino acid "little Big Bang": Representing amino acid substitution matrices as dot products of Euclidian vectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zimmermann Karel

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sequence comparisons make use of a one-letter representation for amino acids, the necessary quantitative information being supplied by the substitution matrices. This paper deals with the problem of finding a representation that provides a comprehensive description of amino acid intrinsic properties consistent with the substitution matrices. Results We present a Euclidian vector representation of the amino acids, obtained by the singular value decomposition of the substitution matrices. The substitution matrix entries correspond to the dot product of amino acid vectors. We apply this vector encoding to the study of the relative importance of various amino acid physicochemical properties upon the substitution matrices. We also characterize and compare the PAM and BLOSUM series substitution matrices. Conclusions This vector encoding introduces a Euclidian metric in the amino acid space, consistent with substitution matrices. Such a numerical description of the amino acid is useful when intrinsic properties of amino acids are necessary, for instance, building sequence profiles or finding consensus sequences, using machine learning algorithms such as Support Vector Machine and Neural Networks algorithms.

On Discrete Killing Vector Fields and Patterns on Surfaces

KAUST Repository

Ben-Chen, Mirela

2010-09-21

Symmetry is one of the most important properties of a shape, unifying form and function. It encodes semantic information on one hand, and affects the shape\\'s aesthetic value on the other. Symmetry comes in many flavors, amongst the most interesting being intrinsic symmetry, which is defined only in terms of the intrinsic geometry of the shape. Continuous intrinsic symmetries can be represented using infinitesimal rigid transformations, which are given as tangent vector fields on the surface - known as Killing Vector Fields. As exact symmetries are quite rare, especially when considering noisy sampled surfaces, we propose a method for relaxing the exact symmetry constraint to allow for approximate symmetries and approximate Killing Vector Fields, and show how to discretize these concepts for generating such vector fields on a triangulated mesh. We discuss the properties of approximate Killing Vector Fields, and propose an application to utilize them for texture and geometry synthesis. Journal compilation © 2010 The Eurographics Association and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

A versatile system for USER cloning-based assembly of expression vectors for mammalian cell engineering.

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Anne Mathilde Lund

Full Text Available A new versatile mammalian vector system for protein production, cell biology analyses, and cell factory engineering was developed. The vector system applies the ligation-free uracil-excision based technique--USER cloning--to rapidly construct mammalian expression vectors of multiple DNA fragments and with maximum flexibility, both for choice of vector backbone and cargo. The vector system includes a set of basic vectors and a toolbox containing a multitude of DNA building blocks including promoters, terminators, selectable marker- and reporter genes, and sequences encoding an internal ribosome entry site, cellular localization signals and epitope- and purification tags. Building blocks in the toolbox can be easily combined as they contain defined and tested Flexible Assembly Sequence Tags, FASTs. USER cloning with FASTs allows rapid swaps of gene, promoter or selection marker in existing plasmids and simple construction of vectors encoding proteins, which are fused to fluorescence-, purification-, localization-, or epitope tags. The mammalian expression vector assembly platform currently allows for the assembly of up to seven fragments in a single cloning step with correct directionality and with a cloning efficiency above 90%. The functionality of basic vectors for FAST assembly was tested and validated by transient expression of fluorescent model proteins in CHO, U-2-OS and HEK293 cell lines. In this test, we included many of the most common vector elements for heterologous gene expression in mammalian cells, in addition the system is fully extendable by other users. The vector system is designed to facilitate high-throughput genome-scale studies of mammalian cells, such as the newly sequenced CHO cell lines, through the ability to rapidly generate high-fidelity assembly of customizable gene expression vectors.

Improving collaborative play between children with autism spectrum disorders and their siblings : the effectiveness of a robot-mediated intervention based on lego (R) therapy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huskens, Bibi; Palmen, Annemiek; Van der Werff, Marije; Lourens, Tino; Barakova, Emilia

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of a brief robot-mediated intervention based on Lego(A (R)) therapy on improving collaborative behaviors (i.e., interaction initiations, responses, and play together) between children with ASD and their siblings during play sessions, in a

SPATIAL-SPECTRAL CLASSIFICATION BASED ON THE UNSUPERVISED CONVOLUTIONAL SPARSE AUTO-ENCODER FOR HYPERSPECTRAL REMOTE SENSING IMAGERY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X. Han

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Current hyperspectral remote sensing imagery spatial-spectral classification methods mainly consider concatenating the spectral information vectors and spatial information vectors together. However, the combined spatial-spectral information vectors may cause information loss and concatenation deficiency for the classification task. To efficiently represent the spatial-spectral feature information around the central pixel within a neighbourhood window, the unsupervised convolutional sparse auto-encoder (UCSAE with window-in-window selection strategy is proposed in this paper. Window-in-window selection strategy selects the sub-window spatial-spectral information for the spatial-spectral feature learning and extraction with the sparse auto-encoder (SAE. Convolution mechanism is applied after the SAE feature extraction stage with the SAE features upon the larger outer window. The UCSAE algorithm was validated by two common hyperspectral imagery (HSI datasets – Pavia University dataset and the Kennedy Space Centre (KSC dataset, which shows an improvement over the traditional hyperspectral spatial-spectral classification methods.

A mariner transposon vector adapted for mutagenesis in oral streptococci

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilsson, Martin; Christiansen, Natalia; Høiby, Niels

2014-01-01

This article describes the construction and characterization of a mariner-based transposon vector designed for use in oral streptococci, but with a potential use in other Gram-positive bacteria. The new transposon vector, termed pMN100, contains the temperature-sensitive origin of replication rep...... 5000 mutants was used in a screen to identify genes involved in the production of sucrose-dependent extracellular matrix components. Mutants with transposon inserts in genes encoding glycosyltransferases and the competence-related secretory locus were predominantly found in this screen....

ESTUDIO Y MODELADO DE UN BRAZO ROBÓTICO LEGO DE TRES GRADOS DE LIBERTAD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JAIME ALBERTO GUZMÁN

2011-12-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se presenta el estudio y modelado de un brazo robótico lego de tres grados de libertad en asocio con sus respectivos modelos de su cinemática directa e inversa junto con una aproximación al análisis dinámico para la generación de trayectorias de este robot. Las ecuaciones que rigen el movimiento son deducidas de los modelos matemáticos propios a las cadenas cinemáticas y son implementadas en el lenguaje de programación Java y ejecutadas por el robot a través de la extensión Java -LeJOS.

Determining suitable lego-structures to estimate stability of larger peptide nanostructures using computational methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Beke, Tamás; Czajlik, András; Csizmadia, Imre G; Perczel, András

2006-02-02

Nanofibers, nanofilms and nanotubes constructed of one to four strands of oligo-alpha- and oligo-beta-peptides were obtained by using carefully selected building units. Lego-type approaches based on thermoneutral isodesmic reactions can be used to reconstruct the total energies of both linear and tubular periodic nanostructures with acceptable accuracy. Total energies of several different nanostructures were accurately determined with errors typically falling in the subchemical range. Thus, attention will be focused on the description of suitable isodesmic reactions that have enabled the determination of the total energy of polypeptides and therefore offer a very fast, efficient and accurate method to obtain energetic information on large and even very large nanosystems.

Lego Robots & Autism Spectrum Disorder: a potential partnership?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Costa

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD present difficulties in developing social behaviours, in communicating gestural or verbally, and they may present some repetitive motor activities. The objective of this study was to improve social competences and to enable the transfer of acquired skills of five children with ASD and intellectual disabilities using a low-cost Lego robot as a mediator. The proposed methodology was divided in five phases: Familiarization, Pre-test, Practice, Post-Test and Transfer of Skills. The study ran in two sequential periods at different places. Each of these periods tackled different individual research questions and goals (taking into account the target group. During each period, the proposed methodology had to be adjusted according to the current context. Therefore, different experimental scenarios and corresponding specific goals had to be delineated. Results show that joint attention of the children increased over the sessions; and interaction with the researcher was verified. Furthermore, results show that there was an effective transfer of skills in the addressed case studies. This reinforces conclusions that robots seem, in fact, powerful tools that should be explored concerning this target population. But a more detailed study is required. The proposed methodology can be used by professionals and parents as a complement to common interventions.

Transient gene transfer to neurons and glia : analysis of adenoviral vector performance in the CNS and PNS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hermens, W.T.J.M.C.; Giger, Roman J; Holtmaat, Anthony J D G; Dijkhuizen, Paul A; Houweling, D A; Verhaagen, J

In this paper a detailed protocol is presented for neuroscientists planning to start work on first generation recombinant adenoviral vectors as gene transfer agents for the nervous system. The performance of a prototype adenoviral vector encoding the bacterial lacZ gene as a reporter was studied,

Engineering BioBrick vectors from BioBrick parts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Knight Thomas F

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The underlying goal of synthetic biology is to make the process of engineering biological systems easier. Recent work has focused on defining and developing standard biological parts. The technical standard that has gained the most traction in the synthetic biology community is the BioBrick standard for physical composition of genetic parts. Parts that conform to the BioBrick assembly standard are BioBrick standard biological parts. To date, over 2,000 BioBrick parts have been contributed to, and are available from, the Registry of Standard Biological Parts. Results Here we extended the same advantages of BioBrick standard biological parts to the plasmid-based vectors that are used to provide and propagate BioBrick parts. We developed a process for engineering BioBrick vectors from BioBrick parts. We designed a new set of BioBrick parts that encode many useful vector functions. We combined the new parts to make a BioBrick base vector that facilitates BioBrick vector construction. We demonstrated the utility of the process by constructing seven new BioBrick vectors. We also successfully used the resulting vectors to assemble and propagate other BioBrick standard biological parts. Conclusion We extended the principles of part reuse and standardization to BioBrick vectors. As a result, myriad new BioBrick vectors can be readily produced from all existing and newly designed BioBrick parts. We invite the synthetic biology community to (1 use the process to make and share new BioBrick vectors; (2 expand the current collection of BioBrick vector parts; and (3 characterize and improve the available collection of BioBrick vector parts.

Multigenic lentiviral vectors for combined and tissue-specific expression of miRNA- and protein-based antiangiogenic factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Louise Askou

Full Text Available Lentivirus-based gene delivery vectors carrying multiple gene cassettes are powerful tools in gene transfer studies and gene therapy, allowing coexpression of multiple therapeutic factors and, if desired, fluorescent reporters. Current strategies to express transgenes and microRNA (miRNA clusters from a single vector have certain limitations that affect transgene expression levels and/or vector titers. In this study, we describe a novel vector design that facilitates combined expression of therapeutic RNA- and protein-based antiangiogenic factors as well as a fluorescent reporter from back-to-back RNApolII-driven expression cassettes. This configuration allows effective production of intron-embedded miRNAs that are released upon transduction of target cells. Exploiting such multigenic lentiviral vectors, we demonstrate robust miRNA-directed downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF expression, leading to reduced angiogenesis, and parallel impairment of angiogenic pathways by codelivering the gene encoding pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF. Notably, subretinal injections of lentiviral vectors reveal efficient retinal pigment epithelium-specific gene expression driven by the VMD2 promoter, verifying that multigenic lentiviral vectors can be produced with high titers sufficient for in vivo applications. Altogether, our results suggest the potential applicability of combined miRNA- and protein-encoding lentiviral vectors in antiangiogenic gene therapy, including new combination therapies for amelioration of age-related macular degeneration.

Large-scale adenovirus and poxvirus-vectored vaccine manufacturing to enable clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Kallel, Héla; Kamen, Amine A

2015-05-01

Efforts to make vaccines against infectious diseases and immunotherapies for cancer have evolved to utilize a variety of heterologous expression systems such as viral vectors. These vectors are often attenuated or engineered to safely deliver genes encoding antigens of different pathogens. Adenovirus and poxvirus vectors are among the viral vectors that are most frequently used to develop prophylactic vaccines against infectious diseases as well as therapeutic cancer vaccines. This mini-review describes the trends and processes in large-scale production of adenovirus and poxvirus vectors to meet the needs of clinical applications. We briefly describe the general principles for the production and purification of adenovirus and poxvirus viral vectors. Currently, adenovirus and poxvirus vector manufacturing methods rely on well-established cell culture technologies. Several improvements have been evaluated to increase the yield and to reduce the overall manufacturing cost, such as cultivation at high cell densities and continuous downstream processing. Additionally, advancements in vector characterization will greatly facilitate the development of novel vectored vaccine candidates. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improving Collaborative Play between Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their Siblings: The Effectiveness of a Robot-Mediated Intervention Based on Lego® Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Huskens, Bibi; Palmen, Annemiek; Van der Werff, Marije; Lourens, Tino; Barakova, Emilia

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of a brief robot-mediated intervention based on Lego® therapy on improving collaborative behaviors (i.e., interaction initiations, responses, and play together) between children with ASD and their siblings during play sessions, in a therapeutic setting. A concurrent multiple baseline design…

LEGO-NMR spectroscopy: a method to visualize individual subunits in large heteromeric complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mund, Markus; Overbeck, Jan H; Ullmann, Janina; Sprangers, Remco

2013-10-18

Seeing the big picture: Asymmetric macromolecular complexes that are NMR active in only a subset of their subunits can be prepared, thus decreasing NMR spectral complexity. For the hetero heptameric LSm1-7 and LSm2-8 rings NMR spectra of the individual subunits of the complete complex are obtained, showing a conserved RNA binding site. This LEGO-NMR technique makes large asymmetric complexes accessible to detailed NMR spectroscopic studies. © 2013 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. This is an open access article under the terms of Creative Commons the Attribution Non-Commercial NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

Herpes simplex virus type 1-derived recombinant and amplicon vectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraefel, Cornel; Marconi, Peggy; Epstein, Alberto L

2011-01-01

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a human pathogen whose lifestyle is based on a long-term dual interaction with the infected host, being able to establish both lytic and latent infections. The virus genome is a 153 kbp double-stranded DNA molecule encoding more than 80 genes. The interest of HSV-1 as gene transfer vector stems from its ability to infect many different cell types, both quiescent and proliferating cells, the very high packaging capacity of the virus capsid, the outstanding neurotropic adaptations that this virus has evolved, and the fact that it never integrates into the cellular chromosomes, thus avoiding the risk of insertional mutagenesis. Two types of vectors can be derived from HSV-1, recombinant vectors and amplicon vectors, and different methodologies have been developed to prepare large stocks of each type of vector. This chapter summarizes (1) the two approaches most commonly used to prepare recombinant vectors through homologous recombination, either in eukaryotic cells or in bacteria, and (2) the two methodologies currently used to generate helper-free amplicon vectors, either using a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-based approach or a Cre/loxP site-specific recombination strategy.

Construction of New Campylobacter Cloning Vectors and a New Mutational Cat Cassette

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

mutational cat cassette PE - 61102A PR - 3M161102 6. AUTHOR(S) TA - BS13AK Yao R, Aim RA, Trust TJ, Guerry P WU- 1291 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND...mutational cat cassette %~ccesion For (Site-specific mutagenesis; recombinant DNA; multiple cloning site; PCR; shuttle vectors) NTIS CRA&I OTIC TAB E...campylobacter portion of these vectors, only three CAT , Cm acetyllraaseriase; car, gene encoding CAT , Cm, restriction sites in the IacZ MCS remain unique

Prime-boost vaccination with heterologous live vectors encoding SIV gag and multimeric HIV-1 gp160 protein: efficacy against repeated mucosal R5 clade C SHIV challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Lakhashe, Samir K; Velu, Vijayakumar; Sciaranghella, Gaia; Siddappa, Nagadenahalli B; Dipasquale, Janet M; Hemashettar, Girish; Yoon, John K; Rasmussen, Robert A; Yang, Feng; Lee, Sandra J; Montefiori, David C; Novembre, Francis J; Villinger, François; Amara, Rama Rao; Kahn, Maria; Hu, Shiu-Lok; Li, Sufen; Li, Zhongxia; Frankel, Fred R; Robert-Guroff, Marjorie; Johnson, Welkin E; Lieberman, Judy; Ruprecht, Ruth M

2011-08-05

We sought to induce primate immunodeficiency virus-specific cellular and neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses in rhesus macaques (RM) through a bimodal vaccine approach. RM were immunized intragastrically (i.g.) with the live-attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) vector Lmdd-BdopSIVgag encoding SIVmac239 gag. SIV Gag-specific cellular responses were boosted by intranasal and intratracheal administration of replication-competent adenovirus (Ad5hr-SIVgag) encoding the same gag. To broaden antiviral immunity, the RM were immunized with multimeric HIV clade C (HIV-C) gp160 and HIV Tat. SIV Gag-specific cellular immune responses and HIV-1 nAb developed in some RM. The animals were challenged intrarectally with five low doses of R5 SHIV-1157ipEL-p, encoding a heterologous HIV-C Env (22.1% divergent to the Env immunogen). All five controls became viremic. One out of ten vaccinees was completely protected and another had low peak viremia. Sera from the completely and partially protected RM neutralized the challenge virus > 90%; these RM also had strong SIV Gag-specific proliferation of CD8⁺ T cells. Peak and area under the curve of plasma viremia (during acute phase) among vaccinees was lower than for controls, but did not attain significance. The completely protected RM showed persistently low numbers of the α4β7-expressing CD4⁺ T cells; the latter have been implicated as preferential virus targets in vivo. Thus, vaccine-induced immune responses and relatively lower numbers of potential target cells were associated with protection. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural insight into RNA recognition motifs: versatile molecular Lego building blocks for biological systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Muto, Yutaka; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki

2012-01-01

'RNA recognition motifs (RRMs)' are common domain-folds composed of 80-90 amino-acid residues in eukaryotes, and have been identified in many cellular proteins. At first they were known as RNA binding domains. Through discoveries over the past 20 years, however, the RRMs have been shown to exhibit versatile molecular recognition activities and to behave as molecular Lego building blocks to construct biological systems. Novel RNA/protein recognition modes by RRMs are being identified, and more information about the molecular recognition by RRMs is becoming available. These RNA/protein recognition modes are strongly correlated with their biological significance. In this review, we would like to survey the recent progress on these versatile molecular recognition modules. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Adenovirus Vector-Derived VA-RNA-Mediated Innate Immune Responses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroyuki Mizuguchi

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The major limitation of the clinical use of replication-incompetent adenovirus (Ad vectors is the interference by innate immune responses, including induction of inflammatory cytokines and interferons (IFN, following in vivo application of Ad vectors. Ad vector-induced production of inflammatory cytokines and IFNs also results in severe organ damage and efficient induction of acquired immune responses against Ad proteins and transgene products. Ad vector-induced innate immune responses are triggered by the recognition of Ad components by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs. In order to reduce the side effects by Ad vector-induced innate immune responses and to develop safer Ad vectors, it is crucial to clarify which PRRs and which Ad components are involved in Ad vector-induced innate immune responses. Our group previously demonstrated that myeloid differentiating factor 88 (MyD88 and toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9 play crucial roles in the Ad vector-induced inflammatory cytokine production in mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. Furthermore, our group recently found that virus associated-RNAs (VA-RNAs, which are about 160 nucleotide-long non-coding small RNAs encoded in the Ad genome, are involved in IFN production through the IFN-β promoter stimulator-1 (IPS-1-mediated signaling pathway following Ad vector transduction. The aim of this review is to highlight the Ad vector-induced innate immune responses following transduction, especially VA-RNA-mediated innate immune responses. Our findings on the mechanism of Ad vector-induced innate immune responses should make an important contribution to the development of safer Ad vectors, such as an Ad vector lacking expression of VA-RNAs.

A Lego Mindstorms NXT based test bench for multiagent exploratory systems and distributed network partitioning

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Riya Raghuvir

Networks of communicating agents require distributed algorithms for a variety of tasks in the field of network analysis and control. For applications such as swarms of autonomous vehicles, ad hoc and wireless sensor networks, and such military and civilian applications as exploring and patrolling a robust autonomous system that uses a distributed algorithm for selfpartitioning can be significantly helpful. A single team of autonomous vehicles in a field may need to self-dissemble into multiple teams, conducive to completing multiple control tasks. Moreover, because communicating agents are subject to changes, namely, addition or failure of an agent or link, a distributed or decentralized algorithm is favorable over having a central agent. A framework to help with the study of self-partitioning of such multi agent systems that have most basic mobility model not only saves our time in conception but also gives us a cost effective prototype without negotiating the physical realization of the proposed idea. In this thesis I present my work on the implementation of a flexible and distributed stochastic partitioning algorithm on the LegoRTM Mindstorms' NXT on a graphical programming platform using National Instruments' LabVIEW(TM) forming a team of communicating agents via NXT-Bee radio module. We single out mobility, communication and self-partition as the core elements of the work. The goal is to randomly explore a precinct for reference sites. Agents who have discovered the reference sites announce their target acquisition to form a network formed based upon the distance of each agent with the other wherein the self-partitioning begins to find an optimal partition. Further, to illustrate the work, an experimental test-bench of five Lego NXT robots is presented.

Enhanced immunogenicity of DNA fusion vaccine encoding secreted hepatitis B surface antigen and chemokine RANTES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Seung Jo; Suh, Dongchul; Park, Sang Eun; Park, Jeong-Sook; Byun, Hyang-Min; Lee, Chan; Lee, Sun Young; Kim, Inho; Oh, Yu-Kyoung

2003-01-01

To increase the potency of DNA vaccines, we constructed genetic fusion vaccines encoding antigen, secretion signal, and/or chemokine RANTES. The DNA vaccines encoding secreted hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were constructed by inserting HBsAg gene into an expression vector with an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-targeting secretory signal sequence. The plasmid encoding secretory HBsAg (pER/HBs) was fused to cDNA of RANTES, generating pER/HBs/R. For comparison, HBsAg genes were cloned into pVAX1 vector with no signal sequence (pHBs), and further linked to the N-terminus of RANTES (pHBs/R). Immunofluorescence study showed the cytoplasmic localization of HBsAg protein expressed from pHBs and pHBs/R, but not from pER/HBs and pER/HBs/R at 48 h after transfection. In mice, RANTES-fused DNA vaccines more effectively elicited the levels of HBsAg-specific IgG antibodies than pHBs. All the DNA vaccines induced higher levels of IgG 2a rather than IgG 1 antibodies. Of RANTES-fused vaccines, pER/HBs/R encoding the secreted fusion protein revealed much higher humoral and CD8 + T cell-stimulating responses compared to pHBs/R. These results suggest that the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines could be enhanced by genetic fusion to a secretory signal peptide sequence and RANTES

Wavelet transform-vector quantization compression of supercomputer ocean model simulation output

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bradley, J N; Brislawn, C M

1992-11-12

We describe a new procedure for efficient compression of digital information for storage and transmission purposes. The algorithm involves a discrete wavelet transform subband decomposition of the data set, followed by vector quantization of the wavelet transform coefficients using application-specific vector quantizers. The new vector quantizer design procedure optimizes the assignment of both memory resources and vector dimensions to the transform subbands by minimizing an exponential rate-distortion functional subject to constraints on both overall bit-rate and encoder complexity. The wavelet-vector quantization method, which originates in digital image compression. is applicable to the compression of other multidimensional data sets possessing some degree of smoothness. In this paper we discuss the use of this technique for compressing the output of supercomputer simulations of global climate models. The data presented here comes from Semtner-Chervin global ocean models run at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and at the Los Alamos Advanced Computing Laboratory.

Dorello's Canal for Laymen: A Lego-Like Presentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ezer, Haim; Banerjee, Anirban Deep; Thakur, Jai Deep; Nanda, Anil

2012-06-01

Objective Dorello's canal was first described by Gruber in 1859, and later by Dorello. Vail also described the anatomy of Dorello's canal. In the preceding century, Dorello's canal was clinically important, in understanding sixth nerve palsy and nowadays it is mostly important for skull base surgery. The understanding of the three dimensional anatomy, of this canal is very difficult to understand, and there is no simple explanation for its anatomy and its relationship with adjacent structures. We present a simple, Lego-like, presentation of Dorello's canal, in a stepwise manner. Materials and Methods Dorello's canal was dissected in five formalin-fixed cadaver specimens (10 sides). The craniotomy was performed, while preserving the neural and vascular structures associated with the canal. A 3D model was created, to explain the canal's anatomy. Results Using the petrous pyramid, the sixth nerve, the cavernous sinus, the trigeminal ganglion, the petorclival ligament and the posterior clinoid, the three-dimensional structure of Dorello's canal was defined. This simple representation aids in understanding the three dimensional relationship of Dorello's canal to its neighboring structures. Conclusion Dorello's canal with its three dimensional structure and relationship to its neighboring anatomical structures could be reconstructed using a few anatomical building blocks. This method simplifies the understanding of this complex anatomical structure, and could be used for teaching purposes for aspiring neurosurgeons, and anatomy students.

CNS-restricted Transduction and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Gene Deletion with an Engineered AAV Vector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giridhar Murlidharan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Gene therapy using recombinant adeno-associated viral (AAV vectors is emerging as a promising approach to treat central nervous system disorders such as Spinal muscular atrophy, Batten, Parkinson and Alzheimer disease amongst others. A critical remaining challenge for central nervous system-targeted gene therapy, silencing or gene editing is to limit potential vector dose-related toxicity in off-target cells and organs. Here, we characterize a lab-derived AAV chimeric (AAV2g9, which displays favorable central nervous system attributes derived from both parental counterparts, AAV2 and AAV9. This synthetic AAV strain displays preferential, robust, and widespread neuronal transduction within the brain and decreased glial tropism. Importantly, we observed minimal systemic leakage, decreased sequestration and gene transfer in off-target organs with AAV2g9, when administered into the cerebrospinal fluid. A single intracranial injection of AAV2g9 vectors encoding guide RNAs targeting the schizophrenia risk gene MIR137 (encoding MIR137 in CRISPR/Cas9 knockin mice resulted in brain-specific gene deletion with no detectable events in the liver. This engineered AAV vector is a promising platform for treating neurological disorders through gene therapy, silencing or editing modalities.

Vectorization and parallelization of a production reactor assembly code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vujic, J.L.; Martin, W.R.; Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI

1991-01-01

In order to use efficiently the new features of supercomputers, production codes, usually written 10 -20 years ago, must be tailored for modern computer architectures. We have chosen to optimize the CPM-2 code, a production reactor assembly code based on the collision probability transport method. Substantial speedup in the execution times was obtained with the parallel/vector version of the CPM-2 code. In addition, we have developed a new transfer probability method, which removes some of the modelling limitations of the collision probability method encoded in the CPM-2 code, and can fully utilize the parallel/vector architecture of a multiprocessor IBM 3090. (author)

Vectorization and parallelization of a production reactor assembly code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vujic, J.L.; Martin, W.R.

1991-01-01

In order to efficiently use new features of supercomputers, production codes, usually written 10 - 20 years ago, must be tailored for modern computer architectures. We have chosen to optimize the CPM-2 code, a production reactor assembly code based on the collision probability transport method. Substantial speedups in the execution times were obtained with the parallel/vector version of the CPM-2 code. In addition, we have developed a new transfer probability method, which removes some of the modelling limitations of the collision probability method encoded in the CPM-2 code, and can fully utilize parallel/vector architecture of a multiprocessor IBM 3090. (author)

The Effect of Scratch- and Lego Mindstorms Ev3-Based Programming Activities on Academic Achievement, Problem-Solving Skills and Logical-Mathematical Thinking Skills of Students

Science.gov (United States)

Korkmaz, Özgen

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the Scratch and Lego Mindstorms Ev3 programming activities on academic achievement with respect to computer programming, and on the problem-solving and logical-mathematical thinking skills of students. This study was a semi-experimental, pretest-posttest study with two experimental groups and…

Novel recombinant alphaviral and adenoviral vectors for cancer immunotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Osada, Takuya; Morse, Michael A; Hobeika, Amy; Lyerly, H Kim

2012-06-01

Although cellular immunotherapy based on autolgous dendritic cells (DCs) targeting antigens expressed by metastatic cancer has demonstrated clinical efficacy, the logistical challenges in generating an individualized cell product create an imperative to develop alternatives to DC-based cancer vaccines. Particularly attractive alternatives include in situ delivery of antigen and activation signals to resident antigen-presenting cells (APCs), which can be achieved by novel fusion molecules targeting the mannose receptor and by recombinant viral vectors expressing the antigen of interest and capable of infecting DCs. A particular challenge in the use of viral vectors is the well-appreciated clinical obstacles to their efficacy, specifically vector-specific neutralizing immune responses. Because heterologous prime and boost strategies have been demonstrated to be particularly potent, we developed two novel recombinant vectors based on alphaviral replicon particles and a next-generation adenovirus encoding an antigen commonly overexpressed in many human cancers, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The rationale for developing these vectors, their unique characteristics, the preclinical studies and early clinical experience with each, and opportunities to enhance their effectiveness will be reviewed. The potential of each of these potent recombinant vectors to efficiently generate clinically active anti-tumor immune response alone, or in combination, will be discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Construction of improved temperature-sensitive and mobilizable vectors and their use for constructing mutations in the adhesin-encoding acm gene of poorly transformable clinical Enterococcus faecium strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Nallapareddy, Sreedhar R; Singh, Kavindra V; Murray, Barbara E

2006-01-01

Inactivation by allelic exchange in clinical isolates of the emerging nosocomial pathogen Enterococcus faecium has been hindered by lack of efficient tools, and, in this study, transformation of clinical isolates was found to be particularly problematic. For this reason, a vector for allelic replacement (pTEX5500ts) was constructed that includes (i) the pWV01-based gram-positive repAts replication region, which is known to confer a high degree of temperature intolerance, (ii) Escherichia coli oriR from pUC18, (iii) two extended multiple-cloning sites located upstream and downstream of one of the marker genes for efficient cloning of flanking regions for double-crossover mutagenesis, (iv) transcriptional terminator sites to terminate undesired readthrough, and (v) a synthetic extended promoter region containing the cat gene for allelic exchange and a high-level gentamicin resistance gene, aph(2'')-Id, to distinguish double-crossover recombination, both of which are functional in gram-positive and gram-negative backgrounds. To demonstrate the functionality of this vector, the vector was used to construct an acm (encoding an adhesin to collagen from E. faecium) deletion mutant of a poorly transformable multidrug-resistant E. faecium endocarditis isolate, TX0082. The acm-deleted strain, TX6051 (TX0082Deltaacm), was shown to lack Acm on its surface, which resulted in the abolishment of the collagen adherence phenotype observed in TX0082. A mobilizable derivative (pTEX5501ts) that contains oriT of Tn916 to facilitate conjugative transfer from the transformable E. faecalis strain JH2Sm::Tn916 to E. faecium was also constructed. Using this vector, the acm gene of a nonelectroporable E. faecium wound isolate was successfully interrupted. Thus, pTEX5500ts and its mobilizable derivative demonstrated their roles as important tools by helping to create the first reported allelic replacement in E. faecium; the constructed this acm deletion mutant will be useful for assessing the

Manipulating waves with LEGO{sup ®} bricks: A versatile experimental platform for metamaterial architectures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Celli, Paolo, E-mail: pcelli@umn.edu; Gonella, Stefano, E-mail: sgonella@umn.edu [Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 (United States)

2015-08-24

In this letter, we discuss a versatile, fully reconfigurable experimental platform for the investigation of phononic phenomena in metamaterial architectures. The approach revolves around the use of 3D laser vibrometry to reconstruct global and local wavefield features in specimens obtained through simple arrangements of LEGO{sup ®} bricks on a thin baseplate. The agility by which it is possible to reconfigure the brick patterns into a nearly endless spectrum of topologies makes this an effective approach for rapid experimental proof of concept, as well as a powerful didactic tool, in the arena of phononic crystals and metamaterials engineering. We use our platform to provide a compelling visual illustration of important spatial wave manipulation effects (waveguiding and seismic isolation), and to elucidate fundamental dichotomies between Bragg-based and locally resonant bandgap mechanisms.

Enhancement of Mucosal Immunogenicity of Viral Vectored Vaccines by the NKT Cell Agonist Alpha-Galactosylceramide as Adjuvant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shailbala Singh

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Gene-based vaccination strategies, specifically viral vectors encoding vaccine immunogens are effective at priming strong immune responses. Mucosal routes offer practical advantages for vaccination by ease of needle-free administration, and immunogen delivery at readily accessible oral/nasal sites to efficiently induce immunity at distant gut and genital tissues. However, since mucosal tissues are inherently tolerant for induction of immune responses, incorporation of adjuvants for optimal mucosal vaccination strategies is important. We report here the effectiveness of alpha-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer, a synthetic glycolipid agonist of natural killer T (NKT cells, as an adjuvant for enhancing immunogenicity of vaccine antigens delivered using viral vectors by mucosal routes in murine and nonhuman primate models. Significant improvement in adaptive immune responses in systemic and mucosal tissues was observed by including α-GalCer adjuvant for intranasal immunization of mice with vesicular stomatitis virus vector encoding the model antigen ovalbumin and adenoviral vectors expressing HIV env and Gag antigens. Activation of NKT cells in systemic and mucosal tissues along with significant increases in adaptive immune responses were observed in rhesus macaques immunized by intranasal and sublingual routes with protein or adenovirus vectored antigens when combined with α-GalCer adjuvant. These results support the utility of α-GalCer adjuvant for enhancing immunogenicity of mucosal vaccines delivered using viral vectors.

An introduction to vectors, vector operators and vector analysis

CERN Document Server

Joag, Pramod S

2016-01-01

Ideal for undergraduate and graduate students of science and engineering, this book covers fundamental concepts of vectors and their applications in a single volume. The first unit deals with basic formulation, both conceptual and theoretical. It discusses applications of algebraic operations, Levi-Civita notation, and curvilinear coordinate systems like spherical polar and parabolic systems and structures, and analytical geometry of curves and surfaces. The second unit delves into the algebra of operators and their types and also explains the equivalence between the algebra of vector operators and the algebra of matrices. Formulation of eigen vectors and eigen values of a linear vector operator are elaborated using vector algebra. The third unit deals with vector analysis, discussing vector valued functions of a scalar variable and functions of vector argument (both scalar valued and vector valued), thus covering both the scalar vector fields and vector integration.

Arthropod Innate Immune Systems and Vector-Borne Diseases

OpenAIRE

Baxter, Richard H. G.; Contet, Alicia; Krueger, Kathryn

2017-01-01

Arthropods, especially ticks and mosquitoes, are the vectors for a number of parasitic and viral human diseases, including malaria, sleeping sickness, Dengue, and Zika, yet arthropods show tremendous individual variation in their capacity to transmit disease. A key factor in this capacity is the group of genetically encoded immune factors that counteract infection by the pathogen. Arthropod-specific pattern recognition receptors and protease cascades detect and respond to infection. Proteins ...

Immunogenicity of ORFV-based vectors expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein in livestock species.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Mathias; Joshi, Lok R; Rodrigues, Fernando S; Anziliero, Deniz; Frandoloso, Rafael; Kutish, Gerald F; Rock, Daniel L; Weiblen, Rudi; Flores, Eduardo F; Diel, Diego G

2017-11-01

The parapoxvirus Orf virus (ORFV) encodes several immunomodulatory proteins (IMPs) that modulate host-innate and pro-inflammatory responses and has been proposed as a vaccine delivery vector for use in animal species. Here we describe the construction and characterization of two recombinant ORFV vectors expressing the rabies virus (RABV) glycoprotein (G). The RABV-G gene was inserted in the ORFV024 or ORFV121 gene loci, which encode for IMPs that are unique to parapoxviruses and inhibit activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. The immunogenicity of the resultant recombinant viruses (ORFV ∆024 RABV-G or ORFV ∆121 RABV-G, respectively) was evaluated in pigs and cattle. Immunization of the target species with ORFV ∆024 RABV-G and ORFV ∆121 RABV-G elicited robust neutralizing antibody responses against RABV. Notably, neutralizing antibody titers induced in ORFV ∆121 RABV-G-immunized pigs and cattle were significantly higher than those detected in ORFV ∆024 RABV-G-immunized animals, indicating a higher immunogenicity of ORFV Δ121 -based vectors in these animal species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Not Your Typical Simulation Workshop: Using LEGOs to Train Medical Students on the Practice of Effective Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Papanagnou, Dimitrios; Lee, Hyunjoo; Rodriguez, Carlos; Zhang, Xiao Chi C; Rudner, Joshua

2018-01-21

As students in the health professions transition from the classroom into the clinical environment, they will be expected to effectively communicate with their team members and their patients. Effective communication skills are essential to their ability to effectively contribute to their clinical team and the patient care they deliver. The authors propose an interactive workshop that can support students' deliberate practice of communication skills. The authors designed a simulation workshop that affords students the opportunity to practice their communication and peer-to-peer coaching skills. Using LEGOs, a one-hour workshop was conducted with medical students. Students were divided into groups of two. Each student took on a different role: teacher or builder. Teachers were tasked with instructing builders on how to construct a pre-made LEGO structure, not allowing builders to look at the structure. A group debriefing followed to evaluate the activity and explore the themes that emerged. Twenty first-year medical students and 25 fourth-year medical students participated in this activity. Most groups were successful in reproducing the pre-made structure. Groups that pre-briefed before building were most successful. Unsuccessful groups did not define orientation or direction in mutually understood terms, resulting in the creation of an incorrect mirror image of the structure - a common phenomenon seen during the teaching of procedures in the clinical learning environment. The workshop was well received. Students made requests to have similar sessions throughout their training to better support the development of effective communication skills. The workshop can easily be applied to other specialties to assist with procedural skills instruction or in workshops focusing on effective communication.

Not Your Typical Simulation Workshop: Using LEGOs to Train Medical Students on the Practice of Effective Communication

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyunjoo; Rodriguez, Carlos; Zhang, Xiao Chi C; Rudner, Joshua

2018-01-01

As students in the health professions transition from the classroom into the clinical environment, they will be expected to effectively communicate with their team members and their patients. Effective communication skills are essential to their ability to effectively contribute to their clinical team and the patient care they deliver. The authors propose an interactive workshop that can support students’ deliberate practice of communication skills. The authors designed a simulation workshop that affords students the opportunity to practice their communication and peer-to-peer coaching skills. Using LEGOs, a one-hour workshop was conducted with medical students. Students were divided into groups of two. Each student took on a different role: teacher or builder. Teachers were tasked with instructing builders on how to construct a pre-made LEGO structure, not allowing builders to look at the structure. A group debriefing followed to evaluate the activity and explore the themes that emerged. Twenty first-year medical students and 25 fourth-year medical students participated in this activity. Most groups were successful in reproducing the pre-made structure. Groups that pre-briefed before building were most successful. Unsuccessful groups did not define orientation or direction in mutually understood terms, resulting in the creation of an incorrect mirror image of the structure – a common phenomenon seen during the teaching of procedures in the clinical learning environment. The workshop was well received. Students made requests to have similar sessions throughout their training to better support the development of effective communication skills. The workshop can easily be applied to other specialties to assist with procedural skills instruction or in workshops focusing on effective communication. PMID:29568715

Methods of treating Parkinson's disease using viral vectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bankiewicz, Krystof; Cunningham, Janet

2016-11-15

Methods of delivering viral vectors, particularly recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) virions, to the central nervous system (CNS) using convection enhanced delivery (CED) are provided. The rAAV virions include a nucleic acid sequence encoding a therapeutic polypeptide. The methods can be used for treating CNS disorders such as for treating Parkinson's Disease.

Progress on adenovirus-vectored universal influenza vaccines.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Kui; Ying, Guan; Yan, Zhou; Shanshan, Yan; Lei, Zhang; Hongjun, Li; Maosheng, Sun

2015-01-01

Influenza virus (IFV) infection causes serious health problems and heavy financial burdens each year worldwide. The classical inactivated influenza virus vaccine (IIVV) and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) must be updated regularly to match the new strains that evolve due to antigenic drift and antigenic shift. However, with the discovery of broadly neutralizing antibodies that recognize conserved antigens, and the CD8(+) T cell responses targeting viral internal proteins nucleoprotein (NP), matrix protein 1 (M1) and polymerase basic 1 (PB1), it is possible to develop a universal influenza vaccine based on the conserved hemagglutinin (HA) stem, NP, and matrix proteins. Recombinant adenovirus (rAd) is an ideal influenza vaccine vector because it has an ideal stability and safety profile, induces balanced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses due to activation of innate immunity, provides 'self-adjuvanting' activity, can mimic natural IFV infection, and confers seamless protection against mucosal pathogens. Moreover, this vector can be developed as a low-cost, rapid-response vaccine that can be quickly manufactured. Therefore, an adenovirus vector encoding conserved influenza antigens holds promise in the development of a universal influenza vaccine. This review will summarize the progress in adenovirus-vectored universal flu vaccines and discuss future novel approaches.

A family of E. coli expression vectors for laboratory scale and high throughput soluble protein production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bottomley Stephen P

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the past few years, both automated and manual high-throughput protein expression and purification has become an accessible means to rapidly screen and produce soluble proteins for structural and functional studies. However, many of the commercial vectors encoding different solubility tags require different cloning and purification steps for each vector, considerably slowing down expression screening. We have developed a set of E. coli expression vectors with different solubility tags that allow for parallel cloning from a single PCR product and can be purified using the same protocol. Results The set of E. coli expression vectors, encode for either a hexa-histidine tag or the three most commonly used solubility tags (GST, MBP, NusA and all with an N-terminal hexa-histidine sequence. The result is two-fold: the His-tag facilitates purification by immobilised metal affinity chromatography, whilst the fusion domains act primarily as solubility aids during expression, in addition to providing an optional purification step. We have also incorporated a TEV recognition sequence following the solubility tag domain, which allows for highly specific cleavage (using TEV protease of the fusion protein to yield native protein. These vectors are also designed for ligation-independent cloning and they possess a high-level expressing T7 promoter, which is suitable for auto-induction. To validate our vector system, we have cloned four different genes and also one gene into all four vectors and used small-scale expression and purification techniques. We demonstrate that the vectors are capable of high levels of expression and that efficient screening of new proteins can be readily achieved at the laboratory level. Conclusion The result is a set of four rationally designed vectors, which can be used for streamlined cloning, expression and purification of target proteins in the laboratory and have the potential for being adaptable to a high

La reivindicación del saber lego en la defensa de la salud pública: Erin Brockovich

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfredo MENÉNDEZ-NAVARRO

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Basada en hechos reales, Erin Brockovich narra la singular labor de esta mujer sin formación legal y un complicado contexto familiar en la preparación y desenlace de una exitosa demanda contra la Pacific Gas and Electric Company por contaminación de aguas de consumo humano con cromo hexavalente en Hinkley (California, EE.UU.. La película permite acercarnos a las estrategias de ocultación de riesgos ambientales de las grandes corporaciones industriales así como reivindicar el valor del conocimiento lego y del empoderamiento de los ciudadanos en la defensa del derecho a la salud.

An encoding device and a method of encoding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2012-01-01

The present invention relates to an encoding device, such as an optical position encoder, for encoding input from an object, and a method for encoding input from an object, for determining a position of an object that interferes with light of the device. The encoding device comprises a light source...... in the area in the space and may interfere with the light, which interference may be encoded into a position or activation....

Distributed Remote Vector Gaussian Source Coding for Wireless Acoustic Sensor Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zahedi, Adel; Østergaard, Jan; Jensen, Søren Holdt

2014-01-01

In this paper, we consider the problem of remote vector Gaussian source coding for a wireless acoustic sensor network. Each node receives messages from multiple nodes in the network and decodes these messages using its own measurement of the sound field as side information. The node’s measurement...... and the estimates of the source resulting from decoding the received messages are then jointly encoded and transmitted to a neighboring node in the network. We show that for this distributed source coding scenario, one can encode a so-called conditional sufficient statistic of the sources instead of jointly...

Vaccination with an adenoviral vector encoding the tumor antigen directly linked to invariant chain induces potent CD4(+) T-cell-independent CD8(+) T-cell-mediated tumor control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sorensen, Maria R; Holst, Peter J; Pircher, Hanspeter

2009-01-01

of the vaccine antigen to invariant chain (Ii). To evaluate this strategy we used a mouse model, in which an immunodominant epitope (GP33) of the LCMV glycoprotein (GP) represents the tumor-associated neoantigen. Prophylactic vaccination of C57BL/6 mice with a replication-deficient human adenovirus 5 vector...... encoding GP linked to Ii (Ad-Ii-GP) resulted in complete protection against GP33-expressing B16.F10 tumors. Therapeutic vaccination with Ad-Ii-GP delayed tumor growth by more than 2 wk compared with sham vaccination. Notably, therapeutic vaccination with the linked vaccine was significantly better than...... the tumor degradation. Finally, Ad-Ii-GP but not Ad-GP vaccination can break the immunological non-reactivity in GP transgenic mice indicating that our vaccine strategy will prove efficient also against endogenous tumor antigens....

UMG Lenti: novel lentiviral vectors for efficient transgene- and reporter gene expression in human early hematopoietic progenitors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emanuela Chiarella

Full Text Available Lentiviral vectors are widely used to investigate the biological properties of regulatory proteins and/or of leukaemia-associated oncogenes by stably enforcing their expression in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. In these studies it is critical to be able to monitor and/or sort the infected cells, typically via fluorescent proteins encoded by the modified viral genome. The most popular strategy to ensure co-expression of transgene and reporter gene is to insert between these cDNAs an IRES element, thus generating bi-cistronic mRNAs whose transcription is driven by a single promoter. However, while the product of the gene located upstream of the IRES is generally abundantly expressed, the translation of the downstream cDNA (typically encoding the reporter protein is often inconsistent, which hinders the detection and the isolation of transduced cells. To overcome these limitations, we developed novel lentiviral dual-promoter vectors (named UMG-LV5 and -LV6 where transgene expression is driven by the potent UBC promoter and that of the reporter protein, EGFP, by the minimal regulatory element of the WASP gene. These vectors, harboring two distinct transgenes, were tested in a variety of human haematopoietic cell lines as well as in primary human CD34+ cells in comparison with the FUIGW vector that contains the expression cassette UBC-transgene-IRES-EGFP. In these experiments both UMG-LV5 and UMG-LV6 yielded moderately lower transgene expression than FUIGW, but dramatically higher levels of EGFP, thereby allowing the easy distinction between transduced and non-transduced cells. An additional construct was produced, in which the cDNA encoding the reporter protein is upstream, and the transgene downstream of the IRES sequence. This vector, named UMG-LV11, proved able to promote abundant expression of both transgene product and EGFP in all cells tested. The UMG-LVs represent therefore useful vectors for gene transfer-based studies in

UMG Lenti: novel lentiviral vectors for efficient transgene- and reporter gene expression in human early hematopoietic progenitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiarella, Emanuela; Carrà, Giovanna; Scicchitano, Stefania; Codispoti, Bruna; Mega, Tiziana; Lupia, Michela; Pelaggi, Daniela; Marafioti, Maria G; Aloisio, Annamaria; Giordano, Marco; Nappo, Giovanna; Spoleti, Cristina B; Grillone, Teresa; Giovannone, Emilia D; Spina, Raffaella; Bernaudo, Francesca; Moore, Malcolm A S; Bond, Heather M; Mesuraca, Maria; Morrone, Giovanni

2014-01-01

Lentiviral vectors are widely used to investigate the biological properties of regulatory proteins and/or of leukaemia-associated oncogenes by stably enforcing their expression in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. In these studies it is critical to be able to monitor and/or sort the infected cells, typically via fluorescent proteins encoded by the modified viral genome. The most popular strategy to ensure co-expression of transgene and reporter gene is to insert between these cDNAs an IRES element, thus generating bi-cistronic mRNAs whose transcription is driven by a single promoter. However, while the product of the gene located upstream of the IRES is generally abundantly expressed, the translation of the downstream cDNA (typically encoding the reporter protein) is often inconsistent, which hinders the detection and the isolation of transduced cells. To overcome these limitations, we developed novel lentiviral dual-promoter vectors (named UMG-LV5 and -LV6) where transgene expression is driven by the potent UBC promoter and that of the reporter protein, EGFP, by the minimal regulatory element of the WASP gene. These vectors, harboring two distinct transgenes, were tested in a variety of human haematopoietic cell lines as well as in primary human CD34+ cells in comparison with the FUIGW vector that contains the expression cassette UBC-transgene-IRES-EGFP. In these experiments both UMG-LV5 and UMG-LV6 yielded moderately lower transgene expression than FUIGW, but dramatically higher levels of EGFP, thereby allowing the easy distinction between transduced and non-transduced cells. An additional construct was produced, in which the cDNA encoding the reporter protein is upstream, and the transgene downstream of the IRES sequence. This vector, named UMG-LV11, proved able to promote abundant expression of both transgene product and EGFP in all cells tested. The UMG-LVs represent therefore useful vectors for gene transfer-based studies in hematopoietic stem and

Collective Value Creation and Empowerment in an Online Brand Community: A Netnographic Study on LEGO Builders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pekka Tuominen

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Online communities are becoming “places” of belonging, information, and emotional support that people cannot do without. These social groups have a real existence for their participants, and thus have consequential effects on many aspects of behaviour. This article examines collective value creation and empowerment in an online brand community. It presents the main features of an online brand community, the process of value co-creation, and motivators for participating in online brand communities. These key factors jointly characterize collective value creation and empowerment. This netnographic study focuses on an online brand community called BrickBuilders, which is a meeting place for LEGO builders in Finland. BrickBuilders’ members feel a sense of belonging, they share similar motivations, and they create value together.

Adeno-associated viral vector serotypes 1 and 5 targeted to the neonatal rat and pig striatum induce widespread transgene expression in the forebrain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kornum, Birgitte R; Stott, Simon R W; Mattsson, Bengt

2010-01-01

Viral vector-mediated gene transfer has emerged as a powerful means to target transgene expression in the central nervous system. Here we characterized the efficacy of serotypes 1 and 5 recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) after stereotaxic...

Ectopic expression of the erythrocyte band 3 anion exchange protein, using a new avian retrovirus vector

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fuerstenberg, S; Beug, H; Introna, M

1990-01-01

into protein. Using the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase gene cloned into the vector as a test construct, expression of enzyme activity could be detected in 90 to 95% of transfected target cells and in 80 to 85% of subsequently infected cells. In addition, a cDNA encoding the avian erythrocyte band 3 anion...... exchange protein has been expressed from the vector in both chicken embryo fibroblasts and QT6 cells and appears to function as an active, plasma membrane-based anion transporter. The ectopic expression of band 3 protein provides a visual marker for vector function in these cells....

The PP1 binding code: a molecular-lego strategy that governs specificity.

Science.gov (United States)

Heroes, Ewald; Lesage, Bart; Görnemann, Janina; Beullens, Monique; Van Meervelt, Luc; Bollen, Mathieu

2013-01-01

Ser/Thr protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) is a single-domain hub protein with nearly 200 validated interactors in vertebrates. PP1-interacting proteins (PIPs) are ubiquitously expressed but show an exceptional diversity in brain, testis and white blood cells. The binding of PIPs is mainly mediated by short motifs that dock to surface grooves of PP1. Although PIPs often contain variants of the same PP1 binding motifs, they differ in the number and combination of docking sites. This molecular-lego strategy for binding to PP1 creates holoenzymes with unique properties. The PP1 binding code can be described as specific, universal, degenerate, nonexclusive and dynamic. PIPs control associated PP1 by interference with substrate recruitment or access to the active site. In addition, some PIPs have a subcellular targeting domain that promotes dephosphorylation by increasing the local concentration of PP1. The diversity of the PP1 interactome and the properties of the PP1 binding code account for the exquisite specificity of PP1 in vivo. © 2012 The Authors Journal compilation © 2012 FEBS.

Cover Feature: LEGO-Inspired Drug Design: Unveiling a Class of Benzo[d]thiazoles Containing a 3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl Moiety as Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase Inhibitors (ChemMedChem 1/2018)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thanh Tung, Truong; Dao, Trong Tuan; Grifell Junyent, Marta

2018-01-01

The Cover Feature shows a rational procedure for assembling privileged molecular fragments (like playing with LEGO bricks) to obtain hit structures. We have invented a novel procedure for targeting biological macromolecules possessing a binding site with a poorly known topography. We have coined ......, 2018 (DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201700635)....

Encoding Sequential Information in Semantic Space Models: Comparing Holographic Reduced Representation and Random Permutation

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Gabriel Recchia

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Circular convolution and random permutation have each been proposed as neurally plausible binding operators capable of encoding sequential information in semantic memory. We perform several controlled comparisons of circular convolution and random permutation as means of encoding paired associates as well as encoding sequential information. Random permutations outperformed convolution with respect to the number of paired associates that can be reliably stored in a single memory trace. Performance was equal on semantic tasks when using a small corpus, but random permutations were ultimately capable of achieving superior performance due to their higher scalability to large corpora. Finally, “noisy” permutations in which units are mapped to other units arbitrarily (no one-to-one mapping perform nearly as well as true permutations. These findings increase the neurological plausibility of random permutations and highlight their utility in vector space models of semantics.

The promoter of the glucoamylase-encoding gene of Aspergillus niger functions in Ustilago maydis

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Smith, T.L. (Dept. of Agriculture, Madison, WI (United States) Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison (United States)); Gaskell, J.; Cullen, D. (Dept. of Agriculture, Madison, WI (United States)); Berka, R.M.; Yang, M.; Henner, D.J. (Genentech Inc., San Francisco, CA (United States))

1990-01-01

Promoter sequences from the Aspergillus niger glucoamylase-encoding gene (glaA) were linked to the bacterial hygromycin (Hy) phosphotransferase-encoding gene (hph) and this chimeric marker was used to select Hy-resistant (Hy[sup R]) Ustilago maydis transformants. This is an example of an Ascomycete promoter functioning in a Basidiomycete. Hy[sup R] transformants varied with respect to copy number of integrated vector, mitotic stability, and tolerance to Hy. Only 216 bp of glaA promoter sequence is required for expression in U. maydis but this promoter is not induced by starch as it is in Aspergillus spp. The transcription start points are the same in U. maydis and A. niger.

Enhancement of the priming efficacy of DNA vaccines encoding dendritic cell-targeted antigens by synergistic toll-like receptor ligands

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Kornbluth Richard S

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Targeting of protein antigens to dendritic cells (DC via the DEC205 receptor enhances presentation of antigen-derived peptides on MHC-I and MHC-II molecules and, in the presence of costimulatory signals, antigen-specific immune responses. The immunogenicity and efficacy of DNA vaccination can also be enhanced by fusing the encoded antigen to single chain antibodies directed against DEC205. To further improve this strategy, we evaluated different toll-like receptor ligands (TLR and CD40 ligands (CD40L as adjuvants for DNA vaccines encoding a DEC205-single-chain antibody fused to the ovalbumin model antigen or HIV-1 Gag and assessed the priming efficacy of DNA in a DNA prime adenoviral vector boost immunization regimen. Results Mice were primed with the adjuvanted DEC-205 targeted DNA vaccines and boosted with adenoviral vectors encoding the same antigens. CD8+ T cell responses were determined after the adenoviral booster immunization, to determine how well the different DNA immunization regimens prime for the adenoviral boost. In the absence of adjuvants, targeting of DNA-encoded ovalbumin to DCs suppressed CD8+ T-cell responses after the adenoviral booster immunization. CD8+ T-cell responses to the DEC205 targeted DNA vaccines increased only slightly by adding either the TLR-9 ligand CpG, the TLR-3 ligand Poly I:C, or CD40 ligand expression plasmids. However, the combination of both TLR-ligands led to a strong enhancement of CD8+ T-cell responses compared to a non-targeted DNA vaccine. This finding was confirmed using HIV Gag as antigen. Conclusion Although DNA prime adenoviral vector boost immunizations belong to the strongest inducers of cytotoxic T cell responses in different animal models and humans, the CD8+ T cell responses can be further improved by targeting the DNA encoded antigen to DEC205 in the presence of synergistic TLR ligands CpG and Poly I:C.

Learning weighted sparse representation of encoded facial normal information for expression-robust 3D face recognition

KAUST Repository

Li, Huibin

2011-10-01

This paper proposes a novel approach for 3D face recognition by learning weighted sparse representation of encoded facial normal information. To comprehensively describe 3D facial surface, three components, in X, Y, and Z-plane respectively, of normal vector are encoded locally to their corresponding normal pattern histograms. They are finally fed to a sparse representation classifier enhanced by learning based spatial weights. Experimental results achieved on the FRGC v2.0 database prove that the proposed encoded normal information is much more discriminative than original normal information. Moreover, the patch based weights learned using the FRGC v1.0 and Bosphorus datasets also demonstrate the importance of each facial physical component for 3D face recognition. © 2011 IEEE.

Vaccination with Replication Deficient Adenovectors Encoding YF-17D Antigens Induces Long-Lasting Protection from Severe Yellow Fever Virus Infection in Mice.

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Bassi, Maria R; Larsen, Mads A B; Kongsgaard, Michael; Rasmussen, Michael; Buus, Søren; Stryhn, Anette; Thomsen, Allan R; Christensen, Jan P

2016-02-01

The live attenuated yellow fever vaccine (YF-17D) has been successfully used for more than 70 years. It is generally considered a safe vaccine, however, recent reports of serious adverse events following vaccination have raised concerns and led to suggestions that even safer YF vaccines should be developed. Replication deficient adenoviruses (Ad) have been widely evaluated as recombinant vectors, particularly in the context of prophylactic vaccination against viral infections in which induction of CD8+ T-cell mediated immunity is crucial, but potent antibody responses may also be elicited using these vectors. In this study, we present two adenobased vectors targeting non-structural and structural YF antigens and characterize their immunological properties. We report that a single immunization with an Ad-vector encoding the non-structural protein 3 from YF-17D could elicit a strong CD8+ T-cell response, which afforded a high degree of protection from subsequent intracranial challenge of vaccinated mice. However, full protection was only observed using a vector encoding the structural proteins from YF-17D. This vector elicited virus-specific CD8+ T cells as well as neutralizing antibodies, and both components were shown to be important for protection thus mimicking the situation recently uncovered in YF-17D vaccinated mice. Considering that Ad-vectors are very safe, easy to produce and highly immunogenic in humans, our data indicate that a replication deficient adenovector-based YF vaccine may represent a safe and efficient alternative to the classical live attenuated YF vaccine and should be further tested.

Immunogenicity and efficacy of a chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored Rift Valley fever vaccine in mice.

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Warimwe, George M; Lorenzo, Gema; Lopez-Gil, Elena; Reyes-Sandoval, Arturo; Cottingham, Matthew G; Spencer, Alexandra J; Collins, Katharine A; Dicks, Matthew D J; Milicic, Anita; Lall, Amar; Furze, Julie; Turner, Alison V; Hill, Adrian V S; Brun, Alejandro; Gilbert, Sarah C

2013-12-05

Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a viral zoonosis that historically affects livestock production and human health in sub-Saharan Africa, though epizootics have also occurred in the Arabian Peninsula. Whilst an effective live-attenuated vaccine is available for livestock, there is currently no licensed human RVF vaccine. Replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus (ChAd) vectors are an ideal platform for development of a human RVF vaccine, given the low prevalence of neutralizing antibodies against them in the human population, and their excellent safety and immunogenicity profile in human clinical trials of vaccines against a wide range of pathogens. Here, in BALB/c mice, we evaluated the immunogenicity and efficacy of a replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus vector, ChAdOx1, encoding the RVF virus envelope glycoproteins, Gn and Gc, which are targets of virus neutralizing antibodies. The ChAdOx1-GnGc vaccine was assessed in comparison to a replication-deficient human adenovirus type 5 vector encoding Gn and Gc (HAdV5-GnGc), a strategy previously shown to confer protective immunity against RVF in mice. A single immunization with either of the vaccines conferred protection against RVF virus challenge eight weeks post-immunization. Both vaccines elicited RVF virus neutralizing antibody and a robust CD8+ T cell response. Together the results support further development of RVF vaccines based on replication-deficient adenovirus vectors, with ChAdOx1-GnGc being a potential candidate for use in future human clinical trials.

Heterologous protein secretion in Lactobacilli with modified pSIP vectors.

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Ingrid Lea Karlskås

Full Text Available We describe new variants of the modular pSIP-vectors for inducible gene expression and protein secretion in lactobacilli. The basic functionality of the pSIP system was tested in Lactobacillus strains representing 14 species using pSIP411, which harbors the broad-host-range Lactococcus lactis SH71rep replicon and a β-glucuronidase encoding reporter gene. In 10 species, the inducible gene expression system was functional. Based on these results, three pSIP vectors with different signal peptides were modified by replacing their narrow-host-range L. plantarum 256rep replicon with SH71rep and transformed into strains of five different species of Lactobacillus. All recombinant strains secreted the target protein NucA, albeit with varying production levels and secretion efficiencies. The Lp_3050 derived signal peptide generally resulted in the highest levels of secreted NucA. These modified pSIP vectors are useful tools for engineering a wide variety of Lactobacillus species.

Production of recombinant AAV vectors encoding insulin-like growth factor I is enhanced by interaction among AAV rep regulatory sequences

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Dilley Robert

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adeno-associated virus (AAV vectors are promising tools for gene therapy. Currently, their potential is limited by difficulties in producing high vector yields with which to generate transgene protein product. AAV vector production depends in part upon the replication (Rep proteins required for viral replication. We tested the hypothesis that mutations in the start codon and upstream regulatory elements of Rep78/68 in AAV helper plasmids can regulate recombinant AAV (rAAV vector production. We further tested whether the resulting rAAV vector preparation augments the production of the potentially therapeutic transgene, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I. Results We constructed a series of AAV helper plasmids containing different Rep78/68 start codon in combination with different gene regulatory sequences. rAAV vectors carrying the human IGF-I gene were prepared with these vectors and the vector preparations used to transduce HT1080 target cells. We found that the substitution of ATG by ACG in the Rep78/68 start codon in an AAV helper plasmid (pAAV-RC eliminated Rep78/68 translation, rAAV and IGF-I production. Replacement of the heterologous sequence upstream of Rep78/68 in pAAV-RC with the AAV2 endogenous p5 promoter restored translational activity to the ACG mutant, and restored rAAV and IGF-I production. Insertion of the AAV2 p19 promoter sequence into pAAV-RC in front of the heterologous sequence also enabled ACG to function as a start codon for Rep78/68 translation. The data further indicate that the function of the AAV helper construct (pAAV-RC, that is in current widespread use for rAAV production, may be improved by replacement of its AAV2 unrelated heterologous sequence with the native AAV2 p5 promoter. Conclusion Taken together, the data demonstrate an interplay between the start codon and upstream regulatory sequences in the regulation of Rep78/68 and indicate that selective mutations in Rep78/68 regulatory elements

New Complexity Scalable MPEG Encoding Techniques for Mobile Applications

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Stephan Mietens

2004-03-01

Full Text Available Complexity scalability offers the advantage of one-time design of video applications for a large product family, including mobile devices, without the need of redesigning the applications on the algorithmic level to meet the requirements of the different products. In this paper, we present complexity scalable MPEG encoding having core modules with modifications for scalability. The interdependencies of the scalable modules and the system performance are evaluated. Experimental results show scalability giving a smooth change in complexity and corresponding video quality. Scalability is basically achieved by varying the number of computed DCT coefficients and the number of evaluated motion vectors but other modules are designed such they scale with the previous parameters. In the experiments using the “Stefan” sequence, the elapsed execution time of the scalable encoder, reflecting the computational complexity, can be gradually reduced to roughly 50% of its original execution time. The video quality scales between 20 dB and 48 dB PSNR with unity quantizer setting, and between 21.5 dB and 38.5 dB PSNR for different sequences targeting 1500 kbps. The implemented encoder and the scalability techniques can be successfully applied in mobile systems based on MPEG video compression.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)-derived recombinant vectors for gene transfer and gene therapy.

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Marconi, Peggy; Fraefel, Cornel; Epstein, Alberto L

2015-01-01

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1 ) is a human pathogen whose lifestyle is based on a long-term dual interaction with the infected host, being able to establish both lytic and latent infections. The virus genome is a 153-kilobase pair (kbp) double-stranded DNA molecule encoding more than 80 genes. The interest of HSV-1 as gene transfer vector stems from its ability to infect many different cell types, both quiescent and proliferating cells, the very high packaging capacity of the virus capsid, the outstanding neurotropic adaptations that this virus has evolved, and the fact that it never integrates into the cellular chromosomes, thus avoiding the risk of insertional mutagenesis. Two types of vectors can be derived from HSV-1, recombinant vectors and amplicon vectors, and different methodologies have been developed to prepare large stocks of each type of vector. This chapter summarizes the approach most commonly used to prepare recombinant HSV-1 vectors through homologous recombination, either in eukaryotic cells or in bacteria.

Use of adenoviral vectors as veterinary vaccines.

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Ferreira, T B; Alves, P M; Aunins, J G; Carrondo, M J T

2005-10-01

Vaccines are the most effective and inexpensive prophylactic tool in veterinary medicine. Ideally, vaccines should induce a lifelong protective immunity against the target pathogen while not causing clinical or pathological signs of diseases in the vaccinated animals. However, such ideal vaccines are rare in the veterinary field. Many vaccines are either of limited effectiveness or have harmful side effects. In addition, there are still severe diseases with no effective vaccines. A very important criterion for an ideal vaccine in veterinary medicine is low cost; this is especially important in developing countries and even more so for poultry vaccination, where vaccines must sell for a few cents a dose. Traditional approaches include inactivated vaccines, attenuated live vaccines and subunit vaccines. Recently, genetic engineering has been applied to design new, improved vaccines. Adenovirus vectors are highly efficient for gene transfer in a broad spectrum of cell types and species. Moreover, adenoviruses often induce humoral, mucosal and cellular immune responses to antigens encoded by the inserted foreign genes. Thus, adenoviruses have become a vector of choice for delivery and expression of foreign proteins for vaccination. Consequently, the market requirements for adenovirus vaccines are increasing, creating a need for production methodologies of concentrated vectors with warranted purity and efficacy. This review summarizes recent developments and approaches of adenovirus production and purification as the application of these vectors, including successes and failures in clinical applications to date.

Multiple image encryption scheme based on pixel exchange operation and vector decomposition

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Y.; Quan, C.; Tay, C. J.

2018-02-01

We propose a new multiple image encryption scheme based on a pixel exchange operation and a basic vector decomposition in Fourier domain. In this algorithm, original images are imported via a pixel exchange operator, from which scrambled images and pixel position matrices are obtained. Scrambled images encrypted into phase information are imported using the proposed algorithm and phase keys are obtained from the difference between scrambled images and synthesized vectors in a charge-coupled device (CCD) plane. The final synthesized vector is used as an input in a random phase encoding (DRPE) scheme. In the proposed encryption scheme, pixel position matrices and phase keys serve as additional private keys to enhance the security of the cryptosystem which is based on a 4-f system. Numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed encryption scheme.

Manipulation of gene expression by infrared laser heat shock and its application to the study of tracheal development in Drosophila.

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Miao, Guangxia; Hayashi, Shigeo

2015-03-01

Induction of gene expression in a specific cell and a defined time window is desirable to investigate gene function at the cellular level during morphogenesis. To achieve this, we attempted to introduce the infrared laser-evoked gene operator system (IR-LEGO, Kamei et al., 2009) in the Drosophila embryo. In this technique, infrared laser light illumination induces genes to be expressed under the control of heat shock promoters at the single cell level. We applied IR-LEGO to a transgenic fly stock, HS-eGFP, in which the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) gene is placed under the control of heat shock protein 70 promoter, and showed that eGFP expression can be induced in single cells within 1-2 hr after IR illumination. Furthermore, induction of HS-Branchless transgene encoding the Drosophila fibroblast growth factor (FGF) effectively altered the migration and branching patterns of the tracheal system. Our results indicated that IR-LEGO is a promising choice for the timely control of gene expression in a small group of cells in the Drosophila embryo. By using IR-LEGO, we further demonstrated that the tracheal terminal branching program is sensitive to localized expression of exogenous FGF. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An adenovirus vector incorporating carbohydrate binding domains utilizes glycans for gene transfer.

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Julius W Kim

Full Text Available Vectors based on human adenovirus serotype 5 (HAdV-5 continue to show promise as delivery vehicles for cancer gene therapy. Nevertheless, it has become clear that therapeutic benefit is directly linked to tumor-specific vector localization, highlighting the need for tumor-targeted gene delivery. Aberrant glycosylation of cell surface glycoproteins and glycolipids is a central feature of malignant transformation, and tumor-associated glycoforms are recognized as cancer biomarkers. On this basis, we hypothesized that cancer-specific cell-surface glycans could be the basis of a novel paradigm in HAdV-5-based vector targeting.As a first step toward this goal, we constructed a novel HAdV-5 vector encoding a unique chimeric fiber protein that contains the tandem carbohydrate binding domains of the fiber protein of the NADC-1 strain of porcine adenovirus type 4 (PAdV-4. This glycan-targeted vector displays augmented CAR-independent gene transfer in cells with low CAR expression. Further, we show that gene transfer is markedly decreased in cells with genetic glycosylation defects and by inhibitors of glycosylation in normal cells.These data provide the initial proof-of-concept for HAdV-5 vector-mediated gene delivery based on the presence of cell-surface carbohydrates. Further development of this new targeting paradigm could provide targeted gene delivery based on vector recognition of disease-specific glycan biomarkers.

Efficient gene transfer into nondividing cells by adeno-associated virus-based vectors.

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Podsakoff, G; Wong, K K; Chatterjee, S

1994-09-01

Gene transfer vectors based on adeno-associated virus (AAV) are emerging as highly promising for use in human gene therapy by virtue of their characteristics of wide host range, high transduction efficiencies, and lack of cytopathogenicity. To better define the biology of AAV-mediated gene transfer, we tested the ability of an AAV vector to efficiently introduce transgenes into nonproliferating cell populations. Cells were induced into a nonproliferative state by treatment with the DNA synthesis inhibitors fluorodeoxyuridine and aphidicolin or by contact inhibition induced by confluence and serum starvation. Cells in logarithmic growth or DNA synthesis arrest were transduced with vCWR:beta gal, an AAV-based vector encoding beta-galactosidase under Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat promoter control. Under each condition tested, vCWR:beta Gal expression in nondividing cells was at least equivalent to that in actively proliferating cells, suggesting that mechanisms for virus attachment, nuclear transport, virion uncoating, and perhaps some limited second-strand synthesis of AAV vectors were present in nondividing cells. Southern hybridization analysis of vector sequences from cells transduced while in DNA synthetic arrest and expanded after release of the block confirmed ultimate integration of the vector genome into cellular chromosomal DNA. These findings may provide the basis for the use of AAV-based vectors for gene transfer into quiescent cell populations such as totipotent hematopoietic stem cells.

Covalent decoration of adenovirus vector capsids with the carbohydrate epitope αGal does not improve vector immunogenicity, but allows to study the in vivo fate of adenovirus immunocomplexes.

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Kratzer, Ramona F; Espenlaub, Sigrid; Hoffmeister, Andrea; Kron, Matthias W; Kreppel, Florian

2017-01-01

Adenovirus-based vectors are promising tools for genetic vaccination. However, several obstacles have to be overcome prior to a routine clinical application of adenovirus-based vectors as efficacious vectored vaccines. The linear trisaccharide epitope αGal (alpha-Gal) with the carbohydrate sequence galactose-α-1,3-galactosyl-β-1,4-N-acetylglucosamine has been described as a potent adjuvant for recombinant or attenuated vaccines. Humans and α-1,3-galactosyltransferase knockout mice do not express this epitope. Upon exposure of α-1,3-galactosyltransferase-deficient organisms to αGal in the environment, large amounts of circulating anti-Gal antibodies are produced consistently. Immunocomplexes formed between recombinant αGal-decorated vaccines and anti-Gal antibodies exhibit superior immunogenicity. We studied the effects of the trisaccharide epitope on CD8 T cell responses that are directed specifically to vector-encoded transgenic antigens. For that, covalently αGal-decorated adenovirus vectors were delivered to anti-Gal α-1,3-galactosyltransferase knockout mice. We generated replication-defective, E1-deleted adenovirus type 5 vectors that were decorated with αGal at the hexon hypervariable regions 1 or 5, at fiber knob, or at penton base. Surprisingly, none of the adenovirus immunocomplexes being formed from αGal-decorated adenovirus vectors and anti-Gal immunoglobulins improved the frequencies of CD8 T cell responses against the transgenic antigen ovalbumin. Humoral immunity directed to the adenovirus vector was neither increased. However, our data indicated that decoration of Ad vectors with the αGal epitope is a powerful tool to analyze the fate of adenovirus immunocomplexes in vivo.

Adeno-associated virus vectors can be efficiently produced without helper virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsushita, T; Elliger, S; Elliger, C; Podsakoff, G; Villarreal, L; Kurtzman, G J; Iwaki, Y; Colosi, P

1998-07-01

The purpose of this work was to develop an efficient method for the production of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors in the absence of helper virus. The adenovirus regions that mediate AAV vector replication were identified and assembled into a helper plasmid. These included the VA, E2A and E4 regions. When this helper plasmid was cotransfected into 293 cells, along with plasmids encoding the AAV vector, and rep and cap genes, AAV vector was produced as efficiently as when using adenovirus infection as a source of help. CMV-driven constructs expressing the E4orf6 and the 72-M(r), E2A proteins were able to functionally replace the E4 and E2A regions, respectively. Therefore the minimum set of genes required to produce AAV helper activity equivalent to that provided by adenovirus infection consists of, or is a subset of, the following genes: the E4orf6 gene, the 72-M(r), E2A protein gene, the VA RNA genes and the E1 region. AAV vector preparations made with adenovirus and by the helper virus-free method were essentially indistinguishable with respect to particle density, particle to infectivity ratio, capsimer ratio and efficiency of muscle transduction in vivo. Only AAV vector preparations made by the helper virus-free method were not reactive with anti-adenovirus sera.

User-friendly freehand ultrasound calibration using Lego bricks and automatic registration.

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Xiao, Yiming; Yan, Charles Xiao Bo; Drouin, Simon; De Nigris, Dante; Kochanowska, Anna; Collins, D Louis

2016-09-01

As an inexpensive, noninvasive, and portable clinical imaging modality, ultrasound (US) has been widely employed in many interventional procedures for monitoring potential tissue deformation, surgical tool placement, and locating surgical targets. The application requires the spatial mapping between 2D US images and 3D coordinates of the patient. Although positions of the devices (i.e., ultrasound transducer) and the patient can be easily recorded by a motion tracking system, the spatial relationship between the US image and the tracker attached to the US transducer needs to be estimated through an US calibration procedure. Previously, various calibration techniques have been proposed, where a spatial transformation is computed to match the coordinates of corresponding features in a physical phantom and those seen in the US scans. However, most of these methods are difficult to use for novel users. We proposed an ultrasound calibration method by constructing a phantom from simple Lego bricks and applying an automated multi-slice 2D-3D registration scheme without volumetric reconstruction. The method was validated for its calibration accuracy and reproducibility. Our method yields a calibration accuracy of [Formula: see text] mm and a calibration reproducibility of 1.29 mm. We have proposed a robust, inexpensive, and easy-to-use ultrasound calibration method.

Mucosal vaccination with heterologous viral vectored vaccine targeting subdominant SIV accessory antigens strongly inhibits early viral replication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Huanbin; Andersson, Anne-Marie Carola; Ragonnaud, Emeline

2017-01-01

Conventional HIV T cell vaccine strategies have not been successful in containing acute peak viremia, nor in providing long-term control. We immunized rhesus macaques intramuscularly and rectally using a heterologous adenovirus vectored SIV vaccine regimen encoding normally weakly immunogenic tat...

Sagnac Interferometer Based Generation of Controllable Cylindrical Vector Beams

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Cristian Acevedo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We report on a novel experimental geometry to generate cylindrical vector beams in a very robust manner. Continuous control of beams’ properties is obtained using an optically addressable spatial light modulator incorporated into a Sagnac interferometer. Forked computer-generated holograms allow introducing different topological charges while orthogonally polarized beams within the interferometer permit encoding the spatial distribution of polarization. We also demonstrate the generation of complex waveforms obtained by combining two orthogonal beams having both radial modulations and azimuthal dislocations.

Hypoxia- and radiation-inducible, breast cell-specific targeting of retroviral vectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lipnik, Karoline; Greco, Olga; Scott, Simon; Knapp, Elzbieta; Mayrhofer, Elisabeth; Rosenfellner, Doris; Guenzburg, Walter H.; Salmons, Brian; Hohenadl, Christine

2006-01-01

To facilitate a more efficient radiation and chemotherapy of mammary tumours, synthetic enhancer elements responsive to hypoxia and ionizing radiation were coupled to the mammary-specific minimal promoter of the murine whey acidic protein (WAP) encoding gene. The modified WAP promoter was introduced into a retroviral promoter conversion (ProCon) vector. Expression of a transduced reporter gene in response to hypoxia and radiation was analysed in stably infected mammary cancer cell lines and an up to 9-fold increase in gene expression demonstrated in comparison to the respective basic vector. Expression analyses in vitro, moreover, demonstrated a widely preserved mammary cell-specific promoter activity. For in vivo analyses, xenograft tumours consisting of infected human mammary adenocarcinoma cells were established in SCID/beige mice. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated a hypoxia-specific, markedly increased WAP promoter-driven expression in these tumours. Thus, this retroviral vector will facilitate a targeted gene therapeutic approach exploiting the unique environmental condition in solid tumours

SnoVault and encodeD: A novel object-based storage system and applications to ENCODE metadata.

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Benjamin C Hitz

Full Text Available The Encyclopedia of DNA elements (ENCODE project is an ongoing collaborative effort to create a comprehensive catalog of functional elements initiated shortly after the completion of the Human Genome Project. The current database exceeds 6500 experiments across more than 450 cell lines and tissues using a wide array of experimental techniques to study the chromatin structure, regulatory and transcriptional landscape of the H. sapiens and M. musculus genomes. All ENCODE experimental data, metadata, and associated computational analyses are submitted to the ENCODE Data Coordination Center (DCC for validation, tracking, storage, unified processing, and distribution to community resources and the scientific community. As the volume of data increases, the identification and organization of experimental details becomes increasingly intricate and demands careful curation. The ENCODE DCC has created a general purpose software system, known as SnoVault, that supports metadata and file submission, a database used for metadata storage, web pages for displaying the metadata and a robust API for querying the metadata. The software is fully open-source, code and installation instructions can be found at: http://github.com/ENCODE-DCC/snovault/ (for the generic database and http://github.com/ENCODE-DCC/encoded/ to store genomic data in the manner of ENCODE. The core database engine, SnoVault (which is completely independent of ENCODE, genomic data, or bioinformatic data has been released as a separate Python package.

Efficient morse decompositions of vector fields.

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Chen, Guoning; Mischaikow, Konstantin; Laramee, Robert S; Zhang, Eugene

2008-01-01

Existing topology-based vector field analysis techniques rely on the ability to extract the individual trajectories such as fixed points, periodic orbits, and separatrices that are sensitive to noise and errors introduced by simulation and interpolation. This can make such vector field analysis unsuitable for rigorous interpretations. We advocate the use of Morse decompositions, which are robust with respect to perturbations, to encode the topological structures of a vector field in the form of a directed graph, called a Morse connection graph (MCG). While an MCG exists for every vector field, it need not be unique. Previous techniques for computing MCG's, while fast, are overly conservative and usually results in MCG's that are too coarse to be useful for the applications. To address this issue, we present a new technique for performing Morse decomposition based on the concept of tau-maps, which typically provides finer MCG's than existing techniques. Furthermore, the choice of tau provides a natural tradeoff between the fineness of the MCG's and the computational costs. We provide efficient implementations of Morse decomposition based on tau-maps, which include the use of forward and backward mapping techniques and an adaptive approach in constructing better approximations of the images of the triangles in the meshes used for simulation.. Furthermore, we propose the use of spatial tau-maps in addition to the original temporal tau-maps. These techniques provide additional trade-offs between the quality of the MCGs and the speed of computation. We demonstrate the utility of our technique with various examples in the plane and on surfaces including engine simulation data sets.

Memory and accurate processing brain rehabilitation for the elderly: LEGO robot and iPad case study.

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Lopez-Samaniego, Leire; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya; Mendez-Zorrilla, Amaia

2014-01-01

This paper presents the results of research that applies cognitive therapies associated with memory and mathematical problem-solving in elderly people. The exercises are programmed in an iPad and can be performed both from the Tablet and in an interactive format with a LEGO robot. The system has been tested with 2 men and 7 women over the age of 65 who have slight physical and cognitive impairment. Evaluation with the SUS resulted in a mean of 48.45 with a standard deviation of 5.82. The score of overall satisfaction was 84.37 with a standard deviation of 18.6. Interaction with the touch screen caused some usability problems due to the elderly people's visual difficulties and clicking accuracy. Future versions will include visualization with more color contrast and less use of the keyboard.

Preliminary Experimental Results for Indirect Vector-Control of Induction Motor Drives with Forced Dynamics

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Jan Vittek

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The contribution presents an extension of indirect vector control of electric drives employing induction motors to 'Forced Dynamic Control'. This method of control offers an accurate realisation of dynamic response profiles, which can be selected by the user. The developed system can be integrated into a drive with a shaft position encoder or a shaft sensoriess drive, in which only the stator currents are measured. The applied stator voltages are determined by a computed inverter switching algorithm. Simulation results and preliminary experimental results for indirect vector control of an idle running induction motor indicate good agreement with the theoretical predictions.

Biometrics based key management of double random phase encoding scheme using error control codes

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Saini, Nirmala; Sinha, Aloka

2013-08-01

In this paper, an optical security system has been proposed in which key of the double random phase encoding technique is linked to the biometrics of the user to make it user specific. The error in recognition due to the biometric variation is corrected by encoding the key using the BCH code. A user specific shuffling key is used to increase the separation between genuine and impostor Hamming distance distribution. This shuffling key is then further secured using the RSA public key encryption to enhance the security of the system. XOR operation is performed between the encoded key and the feature vector obtained from the biometrics. The RSA encoded shuffling key and the data obtained from the XOR operation are stored into a token. The main advantage of the present technique is that the key retrieval is possible only in the simultaneous presence of the token and the biometrics of the user which not only authenticates the presence of the original input but also secures the key of the system. Computational experiments showed the effectiveness of the proposed technique for key retrieval in the decryption process by using the live biometrics of the user.

Properties of virion transactivator proteins encoded by primate cytomegaloviruses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barry Peter A

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV is a betaherpesvirus that causes severe disease in situations where the immune system is immature or compromised. HCMV immediate early (IE gene expression is stimulated by the virion phosphoprotein pp71, encoded by open reading frame (ORF UL82, and this transactivation activity is important for the efficient initiation of viral replication. It is currently recognized that pp71 acts to overcome cellular intrinsic defences that otherwise block viral IE gene expression, and that interactions of pp71 with the cell proteins Daxx and ATRX are important for this function. A further property of pp71 is the ability to enable prolonged gene expression from quiescent herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1 genomes. Non-human primate cytomegaloviruses encode homologs of pp71, but there is currently no published information that addresses their effects on gene expression and modes of action. Results The UL82 homolog encoded by simian cytomegalovirus (SCMV, strain Colburn, was identified and cloned. This ORF, named S82, was cloned into an HSV-1 vector, as were those from baboon, rhesus monkey and chimpanzee cytomegaloviruses. The use of an HSV-1 vector enabled expression of the UL82 homologs in a range of cell types, and permitted investigation of their abilities to direct prolonged gene expression from quiescent genomes. The results show that all UL82 homologs activate gene expression, and that neither host cell type nor promoter target sequence has major effects on these activities. Surprisingly, the UL82 proteins specified by non-human primate cytomegaloviruses, unlike pp71, did not direct long term expression from quiescent HSV-1 genomes. In addition, significant differences were observed in the intranuclear localization of the UL82 homologs, and in their effects on Daxx. Strikingly, S82 mediated the release of Daxx from nuclear domain 10 substructures much more rapidly than pp71 or the other proteins tested. All

Quantifying and resolving multiple vector transformants in S. cerevisiae plasmid libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Scanlon, Thomas C; Gray, Elizabeth C; Griswold, Karl E

2009-11-20

In addition to providing the molecular machinery for transcription and translation, recombinant microbial expression hosts maintain the critical genotype-phenotype link that is essential for high throughput screening and recovery of proteins encoded by plasmid libraries. It is known that Escherichia coli cells can be simultaneously transformed with multiple unique plasmids and thusly complicate recombinant library screening experiments. As a result of their potential to yield misleading results, bacterial multiple vector transformants have been thoroughly characterized in previous model studies. In contrast to bacterial systems, there is little quantitative information available regarding multiple vector transformants in yeast. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the most widely used eukaryotic platform for cell surface display, combinatorial protein engineering, and other recombinant library screens. In order to characterize the extent and nature of multiple vector transformants in this important host, plasmid-born gene libraries constructed by yeast homologous recombination were analyzed by DNA sequencing. It was found that up to 90% of clones in yeast homologous recombination libraries may be multiple vector transformants, that on average these clones bear four or more unique mutant genes, and that these multiple vector cells persist as a significant proportion of library populations for greater than 24 hours during liquid outgrowth. Both vector concentration and vector to insert ratio influenced the library proportion of multiple vector transformants, but their population frequency was independent of transformation efficiency. Interestingly, the average number of plasmids born by multiple vector transformants did not vary with their library population proportion. These results highlight the potential for multiple vector transformants to dominate yeast libraries constructed by homologous recombination. The previously unrecognized prevalence and persistence of multiply

Quantifying and resolving multiple vector transformants in S. cerevisiae plasmid libraries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gray Elizabeth C

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In addition to providing the molecular machinery for transcription and translation, recombinant microbial expression hosts maintain the critical genotype-phenotype link that is essential for high throughput screening and recovery of proteins encoded by plasmid libraries. It is known that Escherichia coli cells can be simultaneously transformed with multiple unique plasmids and thusly complicate recombinant library screening experiments. As a result of their potential to yield misleading results, bacterial multiple vector transformants have been thoroughly characterized in previous model studies. In contrast to bacterial systems, there is little quantitative information available regarding multiple vector transformants in yeast. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the most widely used eukaryotic platform for cell surface display, combinatorial protein engineering, and other recombinant library screens. In order to characterize the extent and nature of multiple vector transformants in this important host, plasmid-born gene libraries constructed by yeast homologous recombination were analyzed by DNA sequencing. Results It was found that up to 90% of clones in yeast homologous recombination libraries may be multiple vector transformants, that on average these clones bear four or more unique mutant genes, and that these multiple vector cells persist as a significant proportion of library populations for greater than 24 hours during liquid outgrowth. Both vector concentration and vector to insert ratio influenced the library proportion of multiple vector transformants, but their population frequency was independent of transformation efficiency. Interestingly, the average number of plasmids born by multiple vector transformants did not vary with their library population proportion. Conclusion These results highlight the potential for multiple vector transformants to dominate yeast libraries constructed by homologous recombination. The

Development of oral CTL vaccine using a CTP-integrated Sabin 1 poliovirus-based vector system.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Seung-Soo; Lee, Jinjoo; Jung, Yideul; Kang, Myeong-Ho; Hong, Jung-Hyub; Cha, Min-Suk; Park, Yu-Jin; Lee, Ezra; Yoon, Cheol-Hee; Bae, Yong-Soo

2015-09-11

We developed a CTL vaccine vector by modification of the RPS-Vax system, a mucosal vaccine vector derived from a poliovirus Sabin 1 strain, and generated an oral CTL vaccine against HIV-1. A DNA fragment encoding a cytoplasmic transduction peptide (CTP) was integrated into the RPS-Vax system to generate RPS-CTP, a CTL vaccine vector. An HIV-1 p24 cDNA fragment was introduced into the RPS-CTP vector system and a recombinant poliovirus (rec-PV) named vRPS-CTP/p24 was produced. vRPS-CTP/p24 was genetically stable and efficiently induced Th1 immunity and p24-specific CTLs in immunized poliovirus receptor-transgenic (PVR-Tg) mice. In challenge experiments, PVR-Tg mice that were pre-immunized orally with vRPS-CTP/p24 were resistant to challenge with a lethal dose of p24-expressing recombinant vaccinia virus (rMVA-p24). These results suggested that the RPS-CTP vector system had potential for developing oral CTL vaccines against infectious diseases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physicochemical, morphological, and rheological characterization of Xanthosoma robustum Lego-like starch.

Science.gov (United States)

Londoño-Restrepo, Sandra M; Rincón-Londoño, Natalia; Contreras-Padilla, Margarita; Acosta-Osorio, Andrés A; Bello-Pérez, Luis A; Lucas-Aguirre, Juan C; Quintero, Víctor D; Pineda-Gómez, Posidia; del Real-López, Alicia; Rodríguez-García, Mario E

2014-04-01

This work presents the physicochemical and pasting characterization of isolated mafafa starch and mafafa flour (Xanthosoma robustum). According to SEM images of mafafa starches in the tuber, these starches form Lego-like shaped structures with diameters between 8 and 35 μm conformed by several starch granules of wedge shape that range from 2 to 7 μm. The isolated mafafa starch is characterized by its low contents of protein, fat, and ash. The starch content in isolated starch was found to be 88.58% while the amylose content obtained was 35.43%. X-ray diffraction studies confirm that isolated starch is composed mainly by amylopectin. These results were confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and thermo gravimetric analysis. This is the first report of the molecular parameters for mafafa starch: molar mass that ranged between 2×10(8) and 4×10(8) g/mol, size (Rg) value between 279 and 295 nm, and molecular density value between 9.2 and 9.7 g/(mol nm(3)). This study indicates that mafafa starch shows long chains of amylopectin this fact contributes to higher viscosity development and higher gel stability. The obtained gel phase is transparent in the UV-vis region. The viscosity, gel stability and optical properties suggest that there is potential for mafafa starch applications in the food industry. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Generation of a lentiviral vector producer cell clone for human Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome gene therapy

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Matthew M Wielgosz

Full Text Available We have developed a producer cell line that generates lentiviral vector particles of high titer. The vector encodes the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS protein. An insulator element has been added to the long terminal repeats of the integrated vector to limit proto-oncogene activation. The vector provides high-level, stable expression of WAS protein in transduced murine and human hematopoietic cells. We have also developed a monoclonal antibody specific for intracellular WAS protein. This antibody has been used to monitor expression in blood and bone marrow cells after transfer into lineage negative bone marrow cells from WAS mice and in a WAS negative human B-cell line. Persistent expression of the transgene has been observed in transduced murine cells 12–20 weeks following transplantation. The producer cell line and the specific monoclonal antibody will facilitate the development of a clinical protocol for gene transfer into WAS protein deficient stem cells.

Neighboring block based disparity vector derivation for multiview compatible 3D-AVC

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jewon; Chen, Ying; Zhang, Li; Zhao, Xin; Karczewicz, Marta

2013-09-01

3D-AVC being developed under Joint Collaborative Team on 3D Video Coding (JCT-3V) significantly outperforms the Multiview Video Coding plus Depth (MVC+D) which simultaneously encodes texture views and depth views with the multiview extension of H.264/AVC (MVC). However, when the 3D-AVC is configured to support multiview compatibility in which texture views are decoded without depth information, the coding performance becomes significantly degraded. The reason is that advanced coding tools incorporated into the 3D-AVC do not perform well due to the lack of a disparity vector converted from the depth information. In this paper, we propose a disparity vector derivation method utilizing only the information of texture views. Motion information of neighboring blocks is used to determine a disparity vector for a macroblock, so that the derived disparity vector is efficiently used for the coding tools in 3D-AVC. The proposed method significantly improves a coding gain of the 3D-AVC in the multiview compatible mode about 20% BD-rate saving in the coded views and 26% BD-rate saving in the synthesized views on average.

Genome sequence of the tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans ): Vector of African trypanosomiasis

KAUST Repository

Watanabe, Junichi

2014-04-24

Tsetse flies are the sole vectors of human African trypanosomiasis throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Both sexes of adult tsetse feed exclusively on blood and contribute to disease transmission. Notable differences between tsetse and other disease vectors include obligate microbial symbioses, viviparous reproduction, and lactation. Here, we describe the sequence and annotation of the 366-megabase Glossina morsitans morsitans genome. Analysis of the genome and the 12,308 predicted protein-encoding genes led to multiple discoveries, including chromosomal integrations of bacterial (Wolbachia) genome sequences, a family of lactation-specific proteins, reduced complement of host pathogen recognition proteins, and reduced olfaction/chemosensory associated genes. These genome data provide a foundation for research into trypanosomiasis prevention and yield important insights with broad implications for multiple aspects of tsetse biology.

Genome sequence of the tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans ): Vector of African trypanosomiasis

KAUST Repository

Watanabe, Junichi; Hattori, Masahira; Berriman, Matthew; Lehane, Michael J.; Hall, Neil; Solano, Philippe; Aksoy, Serap; Hide, Winston; Touré , Yé ya Tié moko; Attardo, Geoffrey M.; Darby, Alistair Charles; Toyoda, Atsushi; Hertz-Fowler, Christiane; Larkin, Denis M.; Cotton, James A.; Sanders, Mandy J.; Swain, Martin T.; Quail, Michael A.; Inoue, Noboru; Ravel, Sophie; Taylor, Todd Duane; Srivastava, Tulika P.; Sharma, Vineet Kumar; Warren, Wesley C.; Wilson, Richard K.; Suzuki, Yutaka; Lawson, Daniel; Hughes, Daniel Seth Toney; Megy, Karyn; Masiga, Daniel K.; Mireji, Paul Odhiambo; Hansen, Immo Alex; Van Den Abbeele, Jan; Benoit, Joshua B.; Bourtzis, Kostas; Obiero, George F O; Robertson, Hugh M.; Jones, Jeffery W.; Zhou, Jingjiang; Field, Linda M.; Friedrich, Markus; Nyanjom, Steven R G; Telleria, Erich Loza; Caljon, Guy; Ribeiro, José M. C.; Acosta-Serrano, Alvaro; Ooi, Cherpheng; Rose, Clair; Price, David P.; Haines, Lee Rafuse; Christoffels, Alan G.; Sim, Cheolho; Pham, Daphne Q D; Denlinger, David L.; Geiser, Dawn L.; Omedo, Irene A.; Winzerling, Joy J.; Peyton, Justin T.; Marucha, Kevin K.; Jonas, Mario; Meuti, Megan E.; Rawlings, Neil David; Zhang, Qirui; Macharia, Rosaline Wanjiru; Michalkova, Veronika; Dashti, Zahra Jalali Sefid; Baumann, Aaron A.; Gä de, Gerd; Marco, Heather G.; Caers, Jelle; Schoofs, Liliane; Riehle, Michael A.; Hu, Wanqi; Tu, Zhijian; Tarone, Aaron M.; Malacrida, Anna Rodolfa; Kibet, Caleb K.; Scolari, Francesca; Koekemoer, J. J. O.; Willis, Judith H.; Gomulski, Ludvik M.; Falchetto, Marco; Scott, Maxwell J.; Fu, Shuhua; Sze, Singhoi; Luiz, Thiago; Weiss, Brian L.; Walshe, Deirdre P.; Wang, Jingwen; Wamalwa, Mark; Mwangi, Sarah; Ramphul, Urvashi N.; Snyder, Anna K.; Brelsfoard, Corey L.; Thomas, Gavin H.; Tsiamis, George; Arensburger, Peter; Rio, Rita V M; Macdonald, Sandy J.; Panji, Sumir; Kruger, Adele F.; Benkahla, Alia; Balyeidhusa, Apollo Simon Peter; Msangi, Atway R.; Okoro, Chinyere K.; Stephens, Dawn; Stanley, Eleanor J.; Mpondo, Feziwe; Wamwiri, Florence N.; Mramba, Furaha; Siwo, Geoffrey H.; Githinji, George; Harkins, Gordon William; Murilla, Grace Adira; Lehvä slaiho, Heikki; Malele, Imna I.; Auma, Joanna Eseri; Kinyua, Johnson K.; Ouma, Johnson O.; Okedi, Loyce M A; Manga, Lucien; Aslett, Martin A.; Koffi, Mathurin; Gaunt, Michael W.; Makgamathe, Mmule; Mulder, Nicola Jane; Manangwa, Oliver; Abila, Patrick P.; Wincker, Patrick; Gregory, Richard I.; Bateta, Rosemary; Sakate, Ryuichi; Ommeh, Sheila; Lehane, Stella M.; Imanishi, Tadashi; Osamor, Victor Chukwudi; Kawahara, Yoshihiro

2014-01-01

Tsetse flies are the sole vectors of human African trypanosomiasis throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Both sexes of adult tsetse feed exclusively on blood and contribute to disease transmission. Notable differences between tsetse and other disease vectors include obligate microbial symbioses, viviparous reproduction, and lactation. Here, we describe the sequence and annotation of the 366-megabase Glossina morsitans morsitans genome. Analysis of the genome and the 12,308 predicted protein-encoding genes led to multiple discoveries, including chromosomal integrations of bacterial (Wolbachia) genome sequences, a family of lactation-specific proteins, reduced complement of host pathogen recognition proteins, and reduced olfaction/chemosensory associated genes. These genome data provide a foundation for research into trypanosomiasis prevention and yield important insights with broad implications for multiple aspects of tsetse biology.

Ex vivo adenoviral vector-mediated neurotrophin gene transfer to olfactory ensheathing glia : effects on rubrospinal tract regeneration, lesion size, and functional recovery after implantation in the injured rat spinal cord

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruitenberg, Marc J; Plant, Giles W; Hamers, Frank P T; Wortel, Joke; Blits, Bas; Dijkhuizen, Paul A; Gispen, Willem Hendrik; Boer, Gerard J; Verhaagen, J.

2003-01-01

The present study uniquely combines olfactory ensheathing glia (OEG) implantation with ex vivo adenoviral (AdV) vector-based neurotrophin gene therapy in an attempt to enhance regeneration after cervical spinal cord injury. Primary OEG were transduced with AdV vectors encoding rat brain-derived

Altering the selection capabilities of common cloning vectors via restriction enzyme mediated gene disruption

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The cloning of gene sequences forms the basis for many molecular biological studies. One important step in the cloning process is the isolation of bacterial transformants carrying vector DNA. This involves a vector-encoded selectable marker gene, which in most cases, confers resistance to an antibiotic. However, there are a number of circumstances in which a different selectable marker is required or may be preferable. Such situations can include restrictions to host strain choice, two phase cloning experiments and mutagenesis experiments, issues that result in additional unnecessary cloning steps, in which the DNA needs to be subcloned into a vector with a suitable selectable marker. Results We have used restriction enzyme mediated gene disruption to modify the selectable marker gene of a given vector by cloning a different selectable marker gene into the original marker present in that vector. Cloning a new selectable marker into a pre-existing marker was found to change the selection phenotype conferred by that vector, which we were able to demonstrate using multiple commonly used vectors and multiple resistance markers. This methodology was also successfully applied not only to cloning vectors, but also to expression vectors while keeping the expression characteristics of the vector unaltered. Conclusions Changing the selectable marker of a given vector has a number of advantages and applications. This rapid and efficient method could be used for co-expression of recombinant proteins, optimisation of two phase cloning procedures, as well as multiple genetic manipulations within the same host strain without the need to remove a pre-existing selectable marker in a previously genetically modified strain. PMID:23497512

Influence of Feature Encoding and Choice of Classifier on Disease Risk Prediction in Genome-Wide Association Studies.

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Florian Mittag

Full Text Available Various attempts have been made to predict the individual disease risk based on genotype data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS. However, most studies only investigated one or two classification algorithms and feature encoding schemes. In this study, we applied seven different classification algorithms on GWAS case-control data sets for seven different diseases to create models for disease risk prediction. Further, we used three different encoding schemes for the genotypes of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and investigated their influence on the predictive performance of these models. Our study suggests that an additive encoding of the SNP data should be the preferred encoding scheme, as it proved to yield the best predictive performances for all algorithms and data sets. Furthermore, our results showed that the differences between most state-of-the-art classification algorithms are not statistically significant. Consequently, we recommend to prefer algorithms with simple models like the linear support vector machine (SVM as they allow for better subsequent interpretation without significant loss of accuracy.

Designing using Lego and Uno-Stacko: A Playful Architecture for an Integrated Kindergarten and Elementary School

Science.gov (United States)

Muthmainnah, K.; Aryanti, T.; Ardiansyah, A.

2017-03-01

The integrated kindergarten and elementary school is a public educational facility used for early age and elementary education. Designated for children at 4-12 years of age, the design should meet the standards and requirements, while considering children’s needs in their development phase. This paper discusses the design of an integrated kindergarten and elementary school using the playful theme. Design was explored using LEGO and UNO-STACKO to create spaces that accommodate material exploration for children. The design takes the play concept as a medium of child’s learning in order to improve their ability and awareness of the surrounding environment. The design translates the playful theme into imaginary dimension, constructive-deconstructive shapes, and glide circulations concept. The spatial pattern is applied by considering children’s behavior in the designated ages to trigger their creativity improvement. The design is expected to serve as a model of an integrated kindergarten and elementary school architecture.

Introducir la fracción en el ámbito escolar a través de un material manipulativo como es el Lego

OpenAIRE

Sánchez Díaz, Michael

2017-01-01

Treball Final de Grau en Mestre o Mestra d'Educació Primària. Codi: MP1040. Curs acadèmic: 2016/2017 Con este trabajo de investigación se quiere proponer una nueva metodología a la hora de enseñar las fracciones en la asignatura de matemáticas en el aula de primaria. El principal objetivo a seguir es que, a través de un material manipulativo como es el lego, los niños sean capaces de aprender las nociones básicas sobre las fracciones haciendo y no escuchando. Para ello, se ha ido recogiend...

Magnetic resonance image compression using scalar-vector quantization

Science.gov (United States)

Mohsenian, Nader; Shahri, Homayoun

1995-12-01

A new coding scheme based on the scalar-vector quantizer (SVQ) is developed for compression of medical images. SVQ is a fixed-rate encoder and its rate-distortion performance is close to that of optimal entropy-constrained scalar quantizers (ECSQs) for memoryless sources. The use of a fixed-rate quantizer is expected to eliminate some of the complexity issues of using variable-length scalar quantizers. When transmission of images over noisy channels is considered, our coding scheme does not suffer from error propagation which is typical of coding schemes which use variable-length codes. For a set of magnetic resonance (MR) images, coding results obtained from SVQ and ECSQ at low bit-rates are indistinguishable. Furthermore, our encoded images are perceptually indistinguishable from the original, when displayed on a monitor. This makes our SVQ based coder an attractive compression scheme for picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), currently under consideration for an all digital radiology environment in hospitals, where reliable transmission, storage, and high fidelity reconstruction of images are desired.

ERP Correlates of Encoding Success and Encoding Selectivity in Attention Switching

Science.gov (United States)

Yeung, Nick

2016-01-01

Long-term memory encoding depends critically on effective processing of incoming information. The degree to which participants engage in effective encoding can be indexed in electroencephalographic (EEG) data by studying event-related potential (ERP) subsequent memory effects. The current study investigated ERP correlates of memory success operationalised with two different measures—memory selectivity and global memory—to assess whether previously observed ERP subsequent memory effects reflect focused encoding of task-relevant information (memory selectivity), general encoding success (global memory), or both. Building on previous work, the present study combined an attention switching paradigm—in which participants were presented with compound object-word stimuli and switched between attending to the object or the word across trials—with a later recognition memory test for those stimuli, while recording their EEG. Our results provided clear evidence that subsequent memory effects resulted from selective attentional focusing and effective top-down control (memory selectivity) in contrast to more general encoding success effects (global memory). Further analyses addressed the question of whether successful encoding depended on similar control mechanisms to those involved in attention switching. Interestingly, differences in the ERP correlates of attention switching and successful encoding, particularly during the poststimulus period, indicated that variability in encoding success occurred independently of prestimulus demands for top-down cognitive control. These results suggest that while effects of selective attention and selective encoding co-occur behaviourally their ERP correlates are at least partly dissociable. PMID:27907075

On Code Parameters and Coding Vector Representation for Practical RLNC

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heide, Janus; Pedersen, Morten Videbæk; Fitzek, Frank

2011-01-01

RLNC provides a theoretically efficient method for coding. The drawbacks associated with it are the complexity of the decoding and the overhead resulting from the encoding vector. Increasing the field size and generation size presents a fundamental trade-off between packet-based throughput...... to higher energy consumption. Therefore, the optimal trade-off is system and topology dependent, as it depends on the cost in energy of performing coding operations versus transmitting data. We show that moderate field sizes are the correct choice when trade-offs are considered. The results show that sparse...

Lego Serious Play: hacia la permeabilidad del pensamiento crítico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miriam Peña-Zabala

2018-01-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCCIÓN. La presente investigación indaga sobre la importancia de relacionar la enseñanza-aprendizaje con el acto de reflexionar. La hipótesis parte de la creencia de que reflexionar favorece el desarrollo del pensamiento crítico en el alumnado, y así, la comprensión y asimilación de las prácticas educativas vinculadas al arte contemporáneo en la formación inicial de profesorado. MÉTODO. Una vez definidas las preguntas de investigación, se ha optado por el método Lego Serious Play (LSP para llevar a cabo una sesión en la que se dialoga en torno a prácticas artísticas desarrolladas en el aula. Este método analiza la idea del juego simbólico como constructor de conocimiento y, por tanto, como una posible herramienta canalizadora hacia el pensamiento reflexivo. RESULTADOS. Los relatos extraídos han permitido ver resultados significativos que posibilitan mediar entre las prácticas artísticas desarrolladas y experiencias de vida, demostrando el uso de LSP para dicho cometido. DISCUSIÓN. Se pone en valor la diversidad y versatilidad que ofrece el acto de reflexionar, lo cual supone una vía significativa hacia el pensamiento crítico. También se subraya la idea de rescatar el juego como una herramienta eficaz en la educación adulta.

T-cell receptor transfer into human T cells with ecotropic retroviral vectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Koste, L; Beissert, T; Hoff, H; Pretsch, L; Türeci, Ö; Sahin, U

2014-05-01

Adoptive T-cell transfer for cancer immunotherapy requires genetic modification of T cells with recombinant T-cell receptors (TCRs). Amphotropic retroviral vectors (RVs) used for TCR transduction for this purpose are considered safe in principle. Despite this, TCR-coding and packaging vectors could theoretically recombine to produce replication competent vectors (RCVs), and transduced T-cell preparations must be proven free of RCV. To eliminate the need for RCV testing, we transduced human T cells with ecotropic RVs so potential RCV would be non-infectious for human cells. We show that transfection of synthetic messenger RNA encoding murine cationic amino-acid transporter 1 (mCAT-1), the receptor for murine retroviruses, enables efficient transient ecotropic transduction of human T cells. mCAT-1-dependent transduction was more efficient than amphotropic transduction performed in parallel, and preferentially targeted naive T cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that ecotropic TCR transduction results in antigen-specific restimulation of primary human T cells. Thus, ecotropic RVs represent a versatile, safe and potent tool to prepare T cells for the adoptive transfer.

Emerging Vector-Borne Diseases - Incidence through Vectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Savić, Sara; Vidić, Branka; Grgić, Zivoslav; Potkonjak, Aleksandar; Spasojevic, Ljubica

2014-01-01

Vector-borne diseases use to be a major public health concern only in tropical and subtropical areas, but today they are an emerging threat for the continental and developed countries also. Nowadays, in intercontinental countries, there is a struggle with emerging diseases, which have found their way to appear through vectors. Vector-borne zoonotic diseases occur when vectors, animal hosts, climate conditions, pathogens, and susceptible human population exist at the same time, at the same place. Global climate change is predicted to lead to an increase in vector-borne infectious diseases and disease outbreaks. It could affect the range and population of pathogens, host and vectors, transmission season, etc. Reliable surveillance for diseases that are most likely to emerge is required. Canine vector-borne diseases represent a complex group of diseases including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, bartonellosis, borreliosis, dirofilariosis, ehrlichiosis, and leishmaniosis. Some of these diseases cause serious clinical symptoms in dogs and some of them have a zoonotic potential with an effect to public health. It is expected from veterinarians in coordination with medical doctors to play a fundamental role at primarily prevention and then treatment of vector-borne diseases in dogs. The One Health concept has to be integrated into the struggle against emerging diseases. During a 4-year period, from 2009 to 2013, a total number of 551 dog samples were analyzed for vector-borne diseases (borreliosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, dirofilariosis, and leishmaniasis) in routine laboratory work. The analysis was done by serological tests - ELISA for borreliosis, dirofilariosis, and leishmaniasis, modified Knott test for dirofilariosis, and blood smear for babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis. This number of samples represented 75% of total number of samples that were sent for analysis for different diseases in dogs. Annually, on average more then half of the samples

A Foxtail mosaic virus Vector for Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Yu; Zhang, Chunquan; Kernodle, Bliss M; Hill, John H; Whitham, Steven A

2016-06-01

Plant viruses have been widely used as vectors for foreign gene expression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). A limited number of viruses have been developed into viral vectors for the purposes of gene expression or VIGS in monocotyledonous plants, and among these, the tripartite viruses Brome mosaic virus and Cucumber mosaic virus have been shown to induce VIGS in maize (Zea mays). We describe here a new DNA-based VIGS system derived from Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV), a monopartite virus that is able to establish systemic infection and silencing of endogenous maize genes homologous to gene fragments inserted into the FoMV genome. To demonstrate VIGS applications of this FoMV vector system, four genes, phytoene desaturase (functions in carotenoid biosynthesis), lesion mimic22 (encodes a key enzyme of the porphyrin pathway), iojap (functions in plastid development), and brown midrib3 (caffeic acid O-methyltransferase), were silenced and characterized in the sweet corn line Golden × Bantam. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the FoMV infectious clone establishes systemic infection in maize inbred lines, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and green foxtail (Setaria viridis), indicating the potential wide applications of this viral vector system for functional genomics studies in maize and other monocots. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

μOrgano: A Lego®-Like Plug & Play System for Modular Multi-Organ-Chips.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Loskill

Full Text Available Human organ-on-a-chip systems for drug screening have evolved as feasible alternatives to animal models, which are unreliable, expensive, and at times erroneous. While chips featuring single organs can be of great use for both pharmaceutical testing and basic organ-level studies, the huge potential of the organ-on-a-chip technology is revealed by connecting multiple organs on one chip to create a single integrated system for sophisticated fundamental biological studies and devising therapies for disease. Furthermore, since most organ-on-a-chip systems require special protocols with organ-specific media for the differentiation and maturation of the tissues, multi-organ systems will need to be temporally customizable and flexible in terms of the time point of connection of the individual organ units. We present a customizable Lego®-like plug & play system, μOrgano, which enables initial individual culture of single organ-on-a-chip systems and subsequent connection to create integrated multi-organ microphysiological systems. As a proof of concept, the μOrgano system was used to connect multiple heart chips in series with excellent cell viability and spontaneously physiological beat rates.

First Steps into Practical Engineering for Freshman Students Using MATLAB and LEGO Mindstorms Robots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Behrens

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Besides lectures on basic theoretical topics, contemporary teaching and learning concepts for first semester students give more and more consideration to practically motivated courses. In this context, a new first-year introductory course in practical engineering has been established in the first semester curriculum of Electrical Engineering at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. Based on a threefold learning concept, programming skills in MATLAB are taught to 309 students within a full-time block course laboratory. The students are encouraged to transfer known mathematical basics to program algorithms and real-world applications performed by 100 LEGO Mindstorms robots. A new MATLAB toolbox and twofold project tasks have been developed for this purpose by a small team of supervisors. The students are supervised by over 60 tutors at 23 institutes, and are encouraged to create their own robotics applications. We describe how the laboratory motivates the students to act and think like engineers and to solve real-world issues with limited resources. The evaluation results show that the proposed practical course concept successfully boosts students’ motivation, advances their programming skills, and encourages the peer learning process. 

μOrgano: A Lego®-Like Plug & Play System for Modular Multi-Organ-Chips.

Science.gov (United States)

Loskill, Peter; Marcus, Sivan G; Mathur, Anurag; Reese, Willie Mae; Healy, Kevin E

2015-01-01

Human organ-on-a-chip systems for drug screening have evolved as feasible alternatives to animal models, which are unreliable, expensive, and at times erroneous. While chips featuring single organs can be of great use for both pharmaceutical testing and basic organ-level studies, the huge potential of the organ-on-a-chip technology is revealed by connecting multiple organs on one chip to create a single integrated system for sophisticated fundamental biological studies and devising therapies for disease. Furthermore, since most organ-on-a-chip systems require special protocols with organ-specific media for the differentiation and maturation of the tissues, multi-organ systems will need to be temporally customizable and flexible in terms of the time point of connection of the individual organ units. We present a customizable Lego®-like plug & play system, μOrgano, which enables initial individual culture of single organ-on-a-chip systems and subsequent connection to create integrated multi-organ microphysiological systems. As a proof of concept, the μOrgano system was used to connect multiple heart chips in series with excellent cell viability and spontaneously physiological beat rates.

Vector analysis

CERN Document Server

Newell, Homer E

2006-01-01

When employed with skill and understanding, vector analysis can be a practical and powerful tool. This text develops the algebra and calculus of vectors in a manner useful to physicists and engineers. Numerous exercises (with answers) not only provide practice in manipulation but also help establish students' physical and geometric intuition in regard to vectors and vector concepts.Part I, the basic portion of the text, consists of a thorough treatment of vector algebra and the vector calculus. Part II presents the illustrative matter, demonstrating applications to kinematics, mechanics, and e

Improved innate and adaptive immunostimulation by genetically modified HIV-1 protein expressing NYVAC vectors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esther D Quakkelaar

Full Text Available Attenuated poxviruses are safe and capable of expressing foreign antigens. Poxviruses are applied in veterinary vaccination and explored as candidate vaccines for humans. However, poxviruses express multiple genes encoding proteins that interfere with components of the innate and adaptive immune response. This manuscript describes two strategies aimed to improve the immunogenicity of the highly attenuated, host-range restricted poxvirus NYVAC: deletion of the viral gene encoding type-I interferon-binding protein and development of attenuated replication-competent NYVAC. We evaluated these newly generated NYVAC mutants, encoding HIV-1 env, gag, pol and nef, for their ability to stimulate HIV-specific CD8 T-cell responses in vitro from blood mononuclear cells of HIV-infected subjects. The new vectors were evaluated and compared to the parental NYVAC vector in dendritic cells (DCs, RNA expression arrays, HIV gag expression and cross-presentation assays in vitro. Deletion of type-I interferon-binding protein enhanced expression of interferon and interferon-induced genes in DCs, and increased maturation of infected DCs. Restoration of replication competence induced activation of pathways involving antigen processing and presentation. Also, replication-competent NYVAC showed increased Gag expression in infected cells, permitting enhanced cross-presentation to HIV-specific CD8 T cells and proliferation of HIV-specific memory CD8 T-cells in vitro. The recombinant NYVAC combining both modifications induced interferon-induced genes and genes involved in antigen processing and presentation, as well as increased Gag expression. This combined replication-competent NYVAC is a promising candidate for the next generation of HIV vaccines.

Recombinant Newcastle disease virus (NDV) with inserted gene coding for GM-CSF as a new vector for cancer immunogene therapy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janke, M.; Peeters, B.P.H.; Leeuw, de O.S.; Moormann, R.J.M.; Arnold, A.; Fournier, P.; Schirrmacher, V.

2007-01-01

This is the first report describing recombinant (rec) Newcastle disease virus (NDV) as vector for gene therapy of cancer. The gene encoding granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was inserted as an additional transcription unit at two different positions into the NDV genome. The

EasyCloneMulti: A Set of Vectors for Simultaneous and Multiple Genomic Integrations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maury, Jerome; Germann, Susanne Manuela; Jacobsen, Simo Abdessamad

2016-01-01

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is widely used in the biotechnology industry for production of ethanol, recombinant proteins, food ingredients and other chemicals. In order to generate highly producing and stable strains, genome integration of genes encoding metabolic pathway enzymes is the preferred...... of integrative vectors, EasyCloneMulti, that enables multiple and simultaneous integration of genes in S. cerevisiae. By creating vector backbones that combine consensus sequences that aim at targeting subsets of Ty sequences and a quickly degrading selective marker, integrations at multiple genomic loci...... and a range of expression levels were obtained, as assessed with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter system. The EasyCloneMulti vector set was applied to balance the expression of the rate-controlling step in the β-alanine pathway for biosynthesis of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3HP). The best 3HP...

Vector-Tensor and Vector-Vector Decay Amplitude Analysis of B0→φK*0

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aubert, B.; Bona, M.; Boutigny, D.; Couderc, F.; Karyotakis, Y.; Lees, J. P.; Poireau, V.; Tisserand, V.; Zghiche, A.; Grauges, E.; Palano, A.; Chen, J. C.; Qi, N. D.; Rong, G.; Wang, P.; Zhu, Y. S.; Eigen, G.; Ofte, I.; Stugu, B.; Abrams, G. S.

2007-01-01

We perform an amplitude analysis of the decays B 0 →φK 2 * (1430) 0 , φK * (892) 0 , and φ(Kπ) S-wave 0 with a sample of about 384x10 6 BB pairs recorded with the BABAR detector. The fractions of longitudinal polarization f L of the vector-tensor and vector-vector decay modes are measured to be 0.853 -0.069 +0.061 ±0.036 and 0.506±0.040±0.015, respectively. Overall, twelve parameters are measured for the vector-vector decay and seven parameters for the vector-tensor decay, including the branching fractions and parameters sensitive to CP violation

HEIGHT VARIATION OF THE VECTOR MAGNETIC FIELD IN SOLAR SPICULES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suárez, D. Orozco; Ramos, A. Asensio; Bueno, J. Trujillo, E-mail: dorozco@iac.es [Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38205 La Laguna, Tenerife (Spain)

2015-04-20

Proving the magnetic configuration of solar spicules has hitherto been difficult due to the lack of spatial resolution and image stability during off-limb ground-based observations. We report spectropolarimetric observations of spicules taken in the He i 1083 nm spectral region with the Tenerife Infrared Polarimeter II at the German Vacuum Tower Telescope of the Observatorio del Teide (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain). The data provide the variation with geometrical height of the Stokes I, Q, U, and V profiles, whose encoded information allows the determination of the magnetic field vector by means of the HAZEL inversion code. The inferred results show that the average magnetic field strength at the base of solar spicules is about 80 gauss, and then it decreases rapidly with height to about 30 gauss at a height of 3000 km above the visible solar surface. Moreover, the magnetic field vector is close to vertical at the base of the chromosphere and has mid-inclinations (about 50°) above 2 Mm height.

About vectors

CERN Document Server

Hoffmann, Banesh

1975-01-01

From his unusual beginning in ""Defining a vector"" to his final comments on ""What then is a vector?"" author Banesh Hoffmann has written a book that is provocative and unconventional. In his emphasis on the unresolved issue of defining a vector, Hoffmann mixes pure and applied mathematics without using calculus. The result is a treatment that can serve as a supplement and corrective to textbooks, as well as collateral reading in all courses that deal with vectors. Major topics include vectors and the parallelogram law; algebraic notation and basic ideas; vector algebra; scalars and scalar p

Robustness-Based Simplification of 2D Steady and Unsteady Vector Fields

KAUST Repository

Skraba, Primoz

2015-08-01

© 2015 IEEE. Vector field simplification aims to reduce the complexity of the flow by removing features in order of their relevance and importance, to reveal prominent behavior and obtain a compact representation for interpretation. Most existing simplification techniques based on the topological skeleton successively remove pairs of critical points connected by separatrices, using distance or area-based relevance measures. These methods rely on the stable extraction of the topological skeleton, which can be difficult due to instability in numerical integration, especially when processing highly rotational flows. In this paper, we propose a novel simplification scheme derived from the recently introduced topological notion of robustness which enables the pruning of sets of critical points according to a quantitative measure of their stability, that is, the minimum amount of vector field perturbation required to remove them. This leads to a hierarchical simplification scheme that encodes flow magnitude in its perturbation metric. Our novel simplification algorithm is based on degree theory and has minimal boundary restrictions. Finally, we provide an implementation under the piecewise-linear setting and apply it to both synthetic and real-world datasets. We show local and complete hierarchical simplifications for steady as well as unsteady vector fields.

Robustness-Based Simplification of 2D Steady and Unsteady Vector Fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Skraba, Primoz; Bei Wang; Guoning Chen; Rosen, Paul

2015-08-01

Vector field simplification aims to reduce the complexity of the flow by removing features in order of their relevance and importance, to reveal prominent behavior and obtain a compact representation for interpretation. Most existing simplification techniques based on the topological skeleton successively remove pairs of critical points connected by separatrices, using distance or area-based relevance measures. These methods rely on the stable extraction of the topological skeleton, which can be difficult due to instability in numerical integration, especially when processing highly rotational flows. In this paper, we propose a novel simplification scheme derived from the recently introduced topological notion of robustness which enables the pruning of sets of critical points according to a quantitative measure of their stability, that is, the minimum amount of vector field perturbation required to remove them. This leads to a hierarchical simplification scheme that encodes flow magnitude in its perturbation metric. Our novel simplification algorithm is based on degree theory and has minimal boundary restrictions. Finally, we provide an implementation under the piecewise-linear setting and apply it to both synthetic and real-world datasets. We show local and complete hierarchical simplifications for steady as well as unsteady vector fields.

Robustness-Based Simplification of 2D Steady and Unsteady Vector Fields

KAUST Repository

Skraba, Primoz; Wang, Bei; Chen, Guoning; Rosen, Paul

2015-01-01

© 2015 IEEE. Vector field simplification aims to reduce the complexity of the flow by removing features in order of their relevance and importance, to reveal prominent behavior and obtain a compact representation for interpretation. Most existing simplification techniques based on the topological skeleton successively remove pairs of critical points connected by separatrices, using distance or area-based relevance measures. These methods rely on the stable extraction of the topological skeleton, which can be difficult due to instability in numerical integration, especially when processing highly rotational flows. In this paper, we propose a novel simplification scheme derived from the recently introduced topological notion of robustness which enables the pruning of sets of critical points according to a quantitative measure of their stability, that is, the minimum amount of vector field perturbation required to remove them. This leads to a hierarchical simplification scheme that encodes flow magnitude in its perturbation metric. Our novel simplification algorithm is based on degree theory and has minimal boundary restrictions. Finally, we provide an implementation under the piecewise-linear setting and apply it to both synthetic and real-world datasets. We show local and complete hierarchical simplifications for steady as well as unsteady vector fields.

Vectors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boeriis, Morten; van Leeuwen, Theo

2017-01-01

should be taken into account in discussing ‘reactions’, which Kress and van Leeuwen link only to eyeline vectors. Finally, the question can be raised as to whether actions are always realized by vectors. Drawing on a re-reading of Rudolf Arnheim’s account of vectors, these issues are outlined......This article revisits the concept of vectors, which, in Kress and van Leeuwen’s Reading Images (2006), plays a crucial role in distinguishing between ‘narrative’, action-oriented processes and ‘conceptual’, state-oriented processes. The use of this concept in image analysis has usually focused...

Membrane-bound SIV envelope trimers are immunogenic in ferrets after intranasal vaccination with a replication-competent canine distemper virus vector.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xinsheng; Wallace, Olivia; Wright, Kevin J; Backer, Martin; Coleman, John W; Koehnke, Rebecca; Frenk, Esther; Domi, Arban; Chiuchiolo, Maria J; DeStefano, Joanne; Narpala, Sandeep; Powell, Rebecca; Morrow, Gavin; Boggiano, Cesar; Zamb, Timothy J; Richter King, C; Parks, Christopher L

2013-11-01

We are investigating canine distemper virus (CDV) as a vaccine vector for the delivery of HIV envelope (Env) that closely resembles the native trimeric spike. We selected CDV because it will promote vaccine delivery to lymphoid tissues, and because human exposure is infrequent, reducing potential effects of pre-existing immunity. Using SIV Env as a model, we tested a number of vector and gene insert designs. Vectors containing a gene inserted between the CDV H and L genes, which encoded Env lacking most of its cytoplasmic tail, propagated efficiently in Vero cells, expressed the immunogen on the cell surface, and incorporated the SIV glycoprotein into progeny virus particles. When ferrets were vaccinated intranasally, there were no signs of distress, vector replication was observed in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues, and the animals produced anti-SIV Env antibodies. These data show that live CDV-SIV Env vectors can safely induce anti-Env immune responses following intranasal vaccination. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lentiviral Vector-Mediated GFP/fluc gene introduction into primary mouse NK cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

L, Thi Thanh Hoa; Tae, Seong Ho; Min, Jung Joon

2007-01-01

NK cell is a type of lymphocyte that has ability in defense against virus infection and some kinds of cancer diseases. Recently, using genetic engineering, studies about the roles and functions of NK cells have been developing. In this study, we used lentivirus-based vector encoding GFP/Fluc gene to transfer into primary mouse NK cells. This model is a tool in studying characteristics of NK cells. The lentivirus used in this study was a commercial one, named LentiM1.3-Fluc, encoding GFP and Flue reporter genes under the control of the murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) promoter. LentiM1.3-Fluc was infected into freshly isolated mouse NK cells at 2 20 MOl by incubating or using spin infection. In the spin infection, we gently suspended NK cells in viral fluid, then centrifuged at 2000 rpm, 20 minutes at room temperature and incubated for 1 day. After 1 day, virus was discarded and NK cells were cultured in IL-2 with or without IL-12 supplemented media. Infected NK cells were monitored by using fluorescent microscope for GFP and IVIS machine for Fire-fly luciferase expression. The results showed that using spin infection had much effect on introducing lentiviral vector-mediated reporter gene into NK cells than the way without spin. Also, NK cells which were cultured in IL-2 and IL-12 added media expressed higher fluorescent and luminescent signals than those cultured in only IL-2 supplemented media. When these NK cells were injected subcutaneously in Balb/C mice, the imaging signal was observed transiently. Our study demonstrates that by using a simple method, mouse NK cells can be transfected by lentivirus. And this will be useful in studying biology and therapeutic potential of NK cells. However, we require developing alternative lentiviral vectors with different promoter for in vivo application

Vector regression introduced

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mok Tik

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This study formulates regression of vector data that will enable statistical analysis of various geodetic phenomena such as, polar motion, ocean currents, typhoon/hurricane tracking, crustal deformations, and precursory earthquake signals. The observed vector variable of an event (dependent vector variable is expressed as a function of a number of hypothesized phenomena realized also as vector variables (independent vector variables and/or scalar variables that are likely to impact the dependent vector variable. The proposed representation has the unique property of solving the coefficients of independent vector variables (explanatory variables also as vectors, hence it supersedes multivariate multiple regression models, in which the unknown coefficients are scalar quantities. For the solution, complex numbers are used to rep- resent vector information, and the method of least squares is deployed to estimate the vector model parameters after transforming the complex vector regression model into a real vector regression model through isomorphism. Various operational statistics for testing the predictive significance of the estimated vector parameter coefficients are also derived. A simple numerical example demonstrates the use of the proposed vector regression analysis in modeling typhoon paths.

Rapid construction of a Bacterial Artificial Chromosomal (BAC) expression vector using designer DNA fragments.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chao; Zhao, Xinqing; Jin, Yingyu; Zhao, Zongbao Kent; Suh, Joo-Won

2014-11-01

Bacterial artificial chromosomal (BAC) vectors are increasingly being used in cloning large DNA fragments containing complex biosynthetic pathways to facilitate heterologous production of microbial metabolites for drug development. To express inserted genes using Streptomyces species as the production hosts, an integration expression cassette is required to be inserted into the BAC vector, which includes genetic elements encoding a phage-specific attachment site, an integrase, an origin of transfer, a selection marker and a promoter. Due to the large sizes of DNA inserted into the BAC vectors, it is normally inefficient and time-consuming to assemble these fragments by routine PCR amplifications and restriction-ligations. Here we present a rapid method to insert fragments to construct BAC-based expression vectors. A DNA fragment of about 130 bp was designed, which contains upstream and downstream homologous sequences of both BAC vector and pIB139 plasmid carrying the whole integration expression cassette. In-Fusion cloning was performed using the designer DNA fragment to modify pIB139, followed by λ-RED-mediated recombination to obtain the BAC-based expression vector. We demonstrated the effectiveness of this method by rapid construction of a BAC-based expression vector with an insert of about 120 kb that contains the entire gene cluster for biosynthesis of immunosuppressant FK506. The empty BAC-based expression vector constructed in this study can be conveniently used for construction of BAC libraries using either microbial pure culture or environmental DNA, and the selected BAC clones can be directly used for heterologous expression. Alternatively, if a BAC library has already been constructed using a commercial BAC vector, the selected BAC vectors can be manipulated using the method described here to get the BAC-based expression vectors with desired gene clusters for heterologous expression. The rapid construction of a BAC-based expression vector facilitates

Microneedle-mediated immunization of an adenovirus-based malaria vaccine enhances antigen-specific antibody immunity and reduces anti-vector responses compared to the intradermal route

OpenAIRE

Carey, John B.; Vrdoljak, Anto; O'Mahony, Conor; Hill, Adrian V. S.; Draper, Simon J.; Moore, Anne C.

2014-01-01

Substantial effort has been placed in developing efficacious recombinant attenuated adenovirus-based vaccines. However induction of immunity to the vector is a significant obstacle to its repeated use. Here we demonstrate that skin-based delivery of an adenovirus-based malaria vaccine, HAdV5-PyMSP142, to mice using silicon microneedles induces equivalent or enhanced antibody responses to the encoded antigen, however it results in decreased anti-vector responses, compared to intradermal delive...

PROCESAMIENTO DE IMÁGENES PARA LA PLANEACIÓN DE RUTAS PARA ROBOTS MÓVILES BASADOS EN LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesús Alberto Torres Velásquez

2014-11-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo contiene el procedimiento para implementar diferentes técnicas de procesamiento de  imágenes y principalmente el algoritmo de esqueletización con el objetivo de planificar rutas libres de obstáculos para robots móviles; mediante una fotografía tomada sobre un área determinada con los obstáculos y el robot (construido con el kit de robótica LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT. Se realiza el debido procesamiento a dicha imagen, para luego, de forma remota enviar una serie de órdenes vía Bluetooth desde un computador usando MATLAB; ordenes generadas por el algoritmo aplicado sobre la imagen ya procesada, con el fin de obtener el desplazamiento de la plataforma móvil a un punto de llegada determinado por el usuario. 

Kochen-Specker vectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavicic, Mladen; Merlet, Jean-Pierre; McKay, Brendan; Megill, Norman D

2005-01-01

We give a constructive and exhaustive definition of Kochen-Specker (KS) vectors in a Hilbert space of any dimension as well as of all the remaining vectors of the space. KS vectors are elements of any set of orthonormal states, i.e., vectors in an n-dimensional Hilbert space, H n , n≥3, to which it is impossible to assign 1s and 0s in such a way that no two mutually orthogonal vectors from the set are both assigned 1 and that not all mutually orthogonal vectors are assigned 0. Our constructive definition of such KS vectors is based on algorithms that generate MMP diagrams corresponding to blocks of orthogonal vectors in R n , on algorithms that single out those diagrams on which algebraic (0)-(1) states cannot be defined, and on algorithms that solve nonlinear equations describing the orthogonalities of the vectors by means of statistically polynomially complex interval analysis and self-teaching programs. The algorithms are limited neither by the number of dimensions nor by the number of vectors. To demonstrate the power of the algorithms, all four-dimensional KS vector systems containing up to 24 vectors were generated and described, all three-dimensional vector systems containing up to 30 vectors were scanned, and several general properties of KS vectors were found

Displacement encoder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hesketh, T.G.

1983-01-01

In an optical encoder, light from an optical fibre input A is encoded by means of the encoding disc and is subsequently collected for transmission via optical fibre B. At some point in the optical path between the fibres A and B, the light is separated into component form by means of a filtering or dispersive system and each colour component is associated with a respective one of the coding channels of the disc. In this way, the significance of each bit of the coded information is represented by a respective colour thereby enabling the components to be re-combined for transmission by the fibre B without loss of information. (author)

Elementary vectors

CERN Document Server

Wolstenholme, E Œ

1978-01-01

Elementary Vectors, Third Edition serves as an introductory course in vector analysis and is intended to present the theoretical and application aspects of vectors. The book covers topics that rigorously explain and provide definitions, principles, equations, and methods in vector analysis. Applications of vector methods to simple kinematical and dynamical problems; central forces and orbits; and solutions to geometrical problems are discussed as well. This edition of the text also provides an appendix, intended for students, which the author hopes to bridge the gap between theory and appl

Exploiting translational coupling for the selection of cells producing toxic recombinant proteins from expression vectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Tagliavia, Marcello; Cuttitta, Angela

2016-01-01

High rates of plasmid instability are associated with the use of some expression vectors in Escherichia coli, resulting in the loss of recombinant protein expression. This is due to sequence alterations in vector promoter elements caused by the background expression of the cloned gene, which leads to the selection of fast-growing, plasmid-containing cells that do not express the target protein. This phenomenon, which is worsened when expressing toxic proteins, results in preparations containing very little or no recombinant protein, or even in clone loss; however, no methods to prevent loss of recombinant protein expression are currently available. We have exploited the phenomenon of translational coupling, a mechanism of prokaryotic gene expression regulation, in order to select cells containing plasmids still able to express recombinant proteins. Here we designed an expression vector in which the cloned gene and selection marker are co-expressed. Our approach allowed for the selection of the recombinant protein-expressing cells and proved effective even for clones encoding toxic proteins.

Induction of Human Somatostatin Receptor Subtype 2 on Breast Tumors with an Adenoviral Vector for Their Treatment and Detection with a Radiolabeled Peptide

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Rogers, Buck

2002-01-01

.... An adenoviral vector encoding the human somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (AdSSTr2) has been produced. The MDA- MB-468 and BT-474 human breast cancer cells were infected with AdSSTr2 and harvested 48 h later for membrane preparations...

Arthropod Innate Immune Systems and Vector-Borne Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Baxter, Richard H G; Contet, Alicia; Krueger, Kathryn

2017-02-21

Arthropods, especially ticks and mosquitoes, are the vectors for a number of parasitic and viral human diseases, including malaria, sleeping sickness, Dengue, and Zika, yet arthropods show tremendous individual variation in their capacity to transmit disease. A key factor in this capacity is the group of genetically encoded immune factors that counteract infection by the pathogen. Arthropod-specific pattern recognition receptors and protease cascades detect and respond to infection. Proteins such as antimicrobial peptides, thioester-containing proteins, and transglutaminases effect responses such as lysis, phagocytosis, melanization, and agglutination. Effector responses are initiated by damage signals such as reactive oxygen species signaling from epithelial cells and recognized by cell surface receptors on hemocytes. Antiviral immunity is primarily mediated by siRNA pathways but coupled with interferon-like signaling, antimicrobial peptides, and thioester-containing proteins. Molecular mechanisms of immunity are closely linked to related traits of longevity and fertility, and arthropods have the capacity for innate immunological memory. Advances in understanding vector immunity can be leveraged to develop novel control strategies for reducing the rate of transmission of both ancient and emerging threats to global health.

Cloud-based uniform ChIP-Seq processing tools for modENCODE and ENCODE.

Science.gov (United States)

Trinh, Quang M; Jen, Fei-Yang Arthur; Zhou, Ziru; Chu, Kar Ming; Perry, Marc D; Kephart, Ellen T; Contrino, Sergio; Ruzanov, Peter; Stein, Lincoln D

2013-07-22

Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the aim of the Model Organism ENCyclopedia of DNA Elements (modENCODE) project is to provide the biological research community with a comprehensive encyclopedia of functional genomic elements for both model organisms C. elegans (worm) and D. melanogaster (fly). With a total size of just under 10 terabytes of data collected and released to the public, one of the challenges faced by researchers is to extract biologically meaningful knowledge from this large data set. While the basic quality control, pre-processing, and analysis of the data has already been performed by members of the modENCODE consortium, many researchers will wish to reinterpret the data set using modifications and enhancements of the original protocols, or combine modENCODE data with other data sets. Unfortunately this can be a time consuming and logistically challenging proposition. In recognition of this challenge, the modENCODE DCC has released uniform computing resources for analyzing modENCODE data on Galaxy (https://github.com/modENCODE-DCC/Galaxy), on the public Amazon Cloud (http://aws.amazon.com), and on the private Bionimbus Cloud for genomic research (http://www.bionimbus.org). In particular, we have released Galaxy workflows for interpreting ChIP-seq data which use the same quality control (QC) and peak calling standards adopted by the modENCODE and ENCODE communities. For convenience of use, we have created Amazon and Bionimbus Cloud machine images containing Galaxy along with all the modENCODE data, software and other dependencies. Using these resources provides a framework for running consistent and reproducible analyses on modENCODE data, ultimately allowing researchers to use more of their time using modENCODE data, and less time moving it around.

Comparative genomic analysis of Drosophila melanogaster and vector mosquito developmental genes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susanta K Behura

Full Text Available Genome sequencing projects have presented the opportunity for analysis of developmental genes in three vector mosquito species: Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Anopheles gambiae. A comparative genomic analysis of developmental genes in Drosophila melanogaster and these three important vectors of human disease was performed in this investigation. While the study was comprehensive, special emphasis centered on genes that 1 are components of developmental signaling pathways, 2 regulate fundamental developmental processes, 3 are critical for the development of tissues of vector importance, 4 function in developmental processes known to have diverged within insects, and 5 encode microRNAs (miRNAs that regulate developmental transcripts in Drosophila. While most fruit fly developmental genes are conserved in the three vector mosquito species, several genes known to be critical for Drosophila development were not identified in one or more mosquito genomes. In other cases, mosquito lineage-specific gene gains with respect to D. melanogaster were noted. Sequence analyses also revealed that numerous repetitive sequences are a common structural feature of Drosophila and mosquito developmental genes. Finally, analysis of predicted miRNA binding sites in fruit fly and mosquito developmental genes suggests that the repertoire of developmental genes targeted by miRNAs is species-specific. The results of this study provide insight into the evolution of developmental genes and processes in dipterans and other arthropods, serve as a resource for those pursuing analysis of mosquito development, and will promote the design and refinement of functional analysis experiments.

Bacteriophages encode factors required for protection in a symbiotic mutualism.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, Kerry M; Degnan, Patrick H; Hunter, Martha S; Moran, Nancy A

2009-08-21

Bacteriophages are known to carry key virulence factors for pathogenic bacteria, but their roles in symbiotic bacteria are less well understood. The heritable symbiont Hamiltonella defensa protects the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum from attack by the parasitoid Aphidius ervi by killing developing wasp larvae. In a controlled genetic background, we show that a toxin-encoding bacteriophage is required to produce the protective phenotype. Phage loss occurs repeatedly in laboratory-held H. defensa-infected aphid clonal lines, resulting in increased susceptibility to parasitism in each instance. Our results show that these mobile genetic elements can endow a bacterial symbiont with benefits that extend to the animal host. Thus, phages vector ecologically important traits, such as defense against parasitoids, within and among symbiont and animal host lineages.

Hepatorenal correction in murine glycogen storage disease type I with a double-stranded adeno-associated virus vector.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Luo, Xiaoyan

2011-11-01

Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) is caused by the deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase). Long-term complications of GSD-Ia include life-threatening hypoglycemia and proteinuria progressing to renal failure. A double-stranded (ds) adeno-associated virus serotype 2 (AAV2) vector encoding human G6Pase was pseudotyped with four serotypes, AAV2, AAV7, AAV8, and AAV9, and we evaluated efficacy in 12-day-old G6pase (-\\/-) mice. Hypoglycemia during fasting (plasma glucose <100 mg\\/dl) was prevented for >6 months by the dsAAV2\\/7, dsAAV2\\/8, and dsAAV2\\/9 vectors. Prolonged fasting for 8 hours revealed normalization of blood glucose following dsAAV2\\/9 vector administration at the higher dose. The glycogen content of kidney was reduced by >65% with both the dsAAV2\\/7 and dsAAV2\\/9 vectors, and renal glycogen content was stably reduced between 7 and 12 months of age for the dsAAV2\\/9 vector-treated mice. Every vector-treated group had significantly reduced glycogen content in the liver, in comparison with untreated G6pase (-\\/-) mice. G6Pase was expressed in many renal epithelial cells of with the dsAAV2\\/9 vector for up to 12 months. Albuminuria and renal fibrosis were reduced by the dsAAV2\\/9 vector. Hepatorenal correction in G6pase (-\\/-) mice demonstrates the potential of AAV vectors for the correction of inherited diseases of metabolism.

a permutation encoding te algorithm solution of reso tation encoding

African Journals Online (AJOL)

eobe

Keywords: Genetic algorithm, resource constrained. 1. INTRODUCTION. 1. .... Nigerian Journal of Technology. Vol. 34, No. 1, January 2015. 128 ... 4. ENCODING OF CHROMOSOME. ENCODING OF CHROMOSOME .... International Multi conference of Engineers and ... method”, Naval Research Logistics, vol 48, issue 2,.

The Spin Torque Lego - from spin torque nano-devices to advanced computing architectures

Science.gov (United States)

Grollier, Julie

2013-03-01

Spin transfer torque (STT), predicted in 1996, and first observed around 2000, brought spintronic devices to the realm of active elements. A whole class of new devices, based on the combined effects of STT for writing and Giant Magneto-Resistance or Tunnel Magneto-Resistance for reading has emerged. The second generation of MRAMs, based on spin torque writing : the STT-RAM, is under industrial development and should be out on the market in three years. But spin torque devices are not limited to binary memories. We will rapidly present how the spin torque effect also allows to implement non-linear nano-oscillators, spin-wave emitters, controlled stochastic devices and microwave nano-detectors. What is extremely interesting is that all these functionalities can be obtained using the same materials, the exact same stack, simply by changing the device geometry and its bias conditions. So these different devices can be seen as Lego bricks, each brick with its own functionality. During this talk, I will show how spin torque can be engineered to build new bricks, such as the Spintronic Memristor, an artificial magnetic nano-synapse. I will then give hints on how to assemble these bricks in order to build novel types of computing architectures, with a special focus on neuromorphic circuits. Financial support by the European Research Council Starting Grant NanoBrain (ERC 2010 Stg 259068) is acknowledged.

Viral vectors for gene modification of plants as chem/bio sensors.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manginell, Monica; Harper, Jason C.; Arango, Dulce C.; Brozik, Susan Marie; Dolan, Patricia L.

2006-11-01

Chemical or biological sensors that are specific, sensitive, and robust allowing intelligence gathering for verification of nuclear non-proliferation treaty compliance and detouring production of weapons of mass destruction are sorely needed. Although much progress has been made in the area of biosensors, improvements in sensor lifetime, robustness, and device packaging are required before these devices become widely used. Current chemical and biological detection and identification techniques require less-than-covert sample collection followed by transport to a laboratory for analysis. In addition to being expensive and time consuming, results can often be inconclusive due to compromised sample integrity during collection and transport. We report here a demonstration of a plant based sensor technology which utilizes mature and seedling plants as chemical sensors. One can envision genetically modifying native plants at a site of interest that can report the presence of specific toxins or chemicals. In this one year project we used a developed inducible expression system to show the feasibility of plant sensors. The vector was designed as a safe, non-infectious vector which could be used to invade, replicate, and introduce foreign genes into mature host plants that then allow the plant to sense chem/bio agents. The genes introduced through the vector included a reporter gene that encodes for green fluorescent protein (GFP) and a gene that encodes for a mammalian receptor that recognizes a chemical agent. Specifically, GFP was induced by the presence of 17-{beta}-Estradiol (estrogen). Detection of fluorescence indicated the presence of the target chemical agent. Since the sensor is a plant, costly device packaging development or manufacturing of the sensor were not required. Additionally, the biological recognition and reporting elements are maintained in a living, natural environment and therefore do not suffer from lifetime disadvantages typical of most biosensing

Genetic manipulation of endosymbionts to control vector and vector borne diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jay Prakash Gupta

Full Text Available Vector borne diseases (VBD are on the rise because of failure of the existing methods of control of vector and vector borne diseases and the climate change. A steep rise of VBDs are due to several factors like selection of insecticide resistant vector population, drug resistant parasite population and lack of effective vaccines against the VBDs. Environmental pollution, public health hazard and insecticide resistant vector population indicate that the insecticides are no longer a sustainable control method of vector and vector-borne diseases. Amongst the various alternative control strategies, symbiont based approach utilizing endosymbionts of arthropod vectors could be explored to control the vector and vector borne diseases. The endosymbiont population of arthropod vectors could be exploited in different ways viz., as a chemotherapeutic target, vaccine target for the control of vectors. Expression of molecules with antiparasitic activity by genetically transformed symbiotic bacteria of disease-transmitting arthropods may serve as a powerful approach to control certain arthropod-borne diseases. Genetic transformation of symbiotic bacteria of the arthropod vector to alter the vector’s ability to transmit pathogen is an alternative means of blocking the transmission of VBDs. In Indian scenario, where dengue, chikungunya, malaria and filariosis are prevalent, paratransgenic based approach can be used effectively. [Vet World 2012; 5(9.000: 571-576

Emerging vector borne diseases – incidence through vectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara eSavic

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Vector borne diseases use to be a major public health concern only in tropical and subtropical areas, but today they are an emerging threat for the continental and developed countries also. Nowdays, in intercontinetal countries, there is a struggle with emerging diseases which have found their way to appear through vectors. Vector borne zoonotic diseases occur when vectors, animal hosts, climate conditions, pathogens and susceptible human population exist at the same time, at the same place. Global climate change is predicted to lead to an increase in vector borne infectious diseases and disease outbreaks. It could affect the range and popultion of pathogens, host and vectors, transmission season, etc. Reliable surveilance for diseases that are most likely to emerge is required. Canine vector borne diseases represent a complex group of diseases including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, bartonellosis, borreliosis, dirofilariosis, erlichiosis, leishmaniosis. Some of these diseases cause serious clinical symptoms in dogs and some of them have a zoonotic potential with an effect to public health. It is expected from veterinarians in coordination with medical doctors to play a fudamental role at primeraly prevention and then treatment of vector borne diseases in dogs. The One Health concept has to be integrated into the struggle against emerging diseases.During a four year period, from 2009-2013, a total number of 551 dog samples were analysed for vector borne diseases (borreliosis, babesiosis, erlichiosis, anaplasmosis, dirofilariosis and leishmaniasis in routine laboratory work. The analysis were done by serological tests – ELISA for borreliosis, dirofilariosis and leishmaniasis, modified Knott test for dirofilariosis and blood smear for babesiosis, erlichiosis and anaplasmosis. This number of samples represented 75% of total number of samples that were sent for analysis for different diseases in dogs. Annually, on avarege more then half of the samples

Novel adenoviral vector induces T-cell responses despite anti-adenoviral neutralizing antibodies in colorectal cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Morse, Michael A; Chaudhry, Arvind; Gabitzsch, Elizabeth S; Hobeika, Amy C; Osada, Takuya; Clay, Timothy M; Amalfitano, Andrea; Burnett, Bruce K; Devi, Gayathri R; Hsu, David S; Xu, Younong; Balcaitis, Stephanie; Dua, Rajesh; Nguyen, Susan; Balint, Joseph P; Jones, Frank R; Lyerly, H Kim

2013-08-01

First-generation, E1-deleted adenovirus subtype 5 (Ad5)-based vectors, although promising platforms for use as cancer vaccines, are impeded in activity by naturally occurring or induced Ad-specific neutralizing antibodies. Ad5-based vectors with deletions of the E1 and the E2b regions (Ad5 [E1-, E2b-]), the latter encoding the DNA polymerase and the pre-terminal protein, by virtue of diminished late phase viral protein expression, were hypothesized to avoid immunological clearance and induce more potent immune responses against the encoded tumor antigen transgene in Ad-immune hosts. Indeed, multiple homologous immunizations with Ad5 [E1-, E2b-]-CEA(6D), encoding the tumor antigen carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), induced CEA-specific cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses with antitumor activity in mice despite the presence of preexisting or induced Ad5-neutralizing antibody. In the present phase I/II study, cohorts of patients with advanced colorectal cancer were immunized with escalating doses of Ad5 [E1-, E2b-]-CEA(6D). CEA-specific CMI responses were observed despite the presence of preexisting Ad5 immunity in a majority (61.3 %) of patients. Importantly, there was minimal toxicity, and overall patient survival (48 % at 12 months) was similar regardless of preexisting Ad5 neutralizing antibody titers. The results demonstrate that, in cancer patients, the novel Ad5 [E1-, E2b-] gene delivery platform generates significant CMI responses to the tumor antigen CEA in the setting of both naturally acquired and immunization-induced Ad5-specific immunity.

Vector-vector production in photon-photon interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ronan, M.T.

1988-01-01

Measurements of exclusive untagged /rho/ 0 /rho/ 0 , /rho//phi/, K/sup *//bar K//sup */, and /rho/ω production and tagged /rho/ 0 /rho/ 0 production in photon-photon interactions by the TPC/Two-Gamma experiment are reviewed. Comparisons to the results of other experiments and to models of vector-vector production are made. Fits to the data following a four quark model prescription for vector meson pair production are also presented. 10 refs., 9 figs

A Foxtail mosaic virus Vector for Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Maize1[OPEN

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Yu; Kernodle, Bliss M.; Hill, John H.

2016-01-01

Plant viruses have been widely used as vectors for foreign gene expression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). A limited number of viruses have been developed into viral vectors for the purposes of gene expression or VIGS in monocotyledonous plants, and among these, the tripartite viruses Brome mosaic virus and Cucumber mosaic virus have been shown to induce VIGS in maize (Zea mays). We describe here a new DNA-based VIGS system derived from Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV), a monopartite virus that is able to establish systemic infection and silencing of endogenous maize genes homologous to gene fragments inserted into the FoMV genome. To demonstrate VIGS applications of this FoMV vector system, four genes, phytoene desaturase (functions in carotenoid biosynthesis), lesion mimic22 (encodes a key enzyme of the porphyrin pathway), iojap (functions in plastid development), and brown midrib3 (caffeic acid O-methyltransferase), were silenced and characterized in the sweet corn line Golden × Bantam. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the FoMV infectious clone establishes systemic infection in maize inbred lines, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and green foxtail (Setaria viridis), indicating the potential wide applications of this viral vector system for functional genomics studies in maize and other monocots. PMID:27208311

A potyvirus-based gene vector allows producing active human S-COMT and animal GFP, but not human sorcin, in vector-infected plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelloniemi, Jani; Mäkinen, Kristiina; Valkonen, Jari P T

2006-05-01

Potato virus A (PVA), a potyvirus with a (+)ssRNA genome translated to a large polyprotein, was engineered and used as a gene vector for expression of heterologous proteins in plants. Foreign genes including jellyfish GFP (Aequorea victoria) encoding the green fluorescent protein (GFP, 27 kDa) and the genes of human origin (Homo sapiens) encoding a soluble resistance-related calcium-binding protein (sorcin, 22 kDa) and the catechol-O-methyltransferase (S-COMT; 25 kDa) were cloned between the cistrons for the viral replicase and coat protein (CP). The inserts caused no adverse effects on viral infectivity and virulence, and the inserted sequences remained intact in progeny viruses in the systemically infected leaves. The heterologous proteins were released from the viral polyprotein following cleavage by the main viral proteinase, NIa, at engineered proteolytic processing sites flanking the insert. Active GFP, as indicated by green fluorescence, and S-COMT with high levels of enzymatic activity were produced. In contrast, no sorcin was detected despite the expected equimolar amounts of the foreign and viral proteins being expressed as a polyprotein. These data reveal inherent differences between heterologous proteins in their suitability for production in plants.

Minor Coat and Heat Shock Proteins Are Involved in the Binding of Citrus Tristeza Virus to the Foregut of Its Aphid Vector, Toxoptera citricida.

Science.gov (United States)

Killiny, N; Harper, S J; Alfaress, S; El Mohtar, C; Dawson, W O

2016-11-01

Vector transmission is a critical stage in the viral life cycle, yet for most plant viruses how they interact with their vector is unknown or is explained by analogy with previously described relatives. Here we examined the mechanism underlying the transmission of citrus tristeza virus (CTV) by its aphid vector, Toxoptera citricida, with the objective of identifying what virus-encoded proteins it uses to interact with the vector. Using fluorescently labeled virions, we demonstrated that CTV binds specifically to the lining of the cibarium of the aphid. Through in vitro competitive binding assays between fluorescent virions and free viral proteins, we determined that the minor coat protein is involved in vector interaction. We also found that the presence of two heat shock-like proteins, p61 and p65, reduces virion binding in vitro Additionally, treating the dissected mouthparts with proteases did not affect the binding of CTV virions. In contrast, chitinase treatment reduced CTV binding to the foregut. Finally, competition with glucose, N-acetyl-β-d-glucosamine, chitobiose, and chitotriose reduced the binding. These findings together suggest that CTV binds to the sugar moieties of the cuticular surface of the aphid cibarium, and the binding involves the concerted activity of three virus-encoded proteins. Limited information is known about the specific interactions between citrus tristeza virus and its aphid vectors. These interactions are important for the process of successful transmission. In this study, we localized the CTV retention site as the cibarium of the aphid foregut. Moreover, we demonstrated that the nature of these interactions is protein-carbohydrate binding. The viral proteins, including the minor coat protein and two heat shock proteins, bind to sugar moieties on the surface of the foregut. These findings will help in understanding the transmission mechanism of CTV by the aphid vector and may help in developing control strategies which interfere

Vaccination with Replication Deficient Adenovectors Encoding YF-17D Antigens Induces Long-Lasting Protection from Severe Yellow Fever Virus Infection in Mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bassi, Maria R; Larsen, Mads Andreas Bay; Kongsgaard, Michael

2016-01-01

The live attenuated yellow fever vaccine (YF-17D) has been successfully used for more than 70 years. It is generally considered a safe vaccine, however, recent reports of serious adverse events following vaccination have raised concerns and led to suggestions that even safer YF vaccines should...... be developed. Replication deficient adenoviruses (Ad) have been widely evaluated as recombinant vectors, particularly in the context of prophylactic vaccination against viral infections in which induction of CD8+ T-cell mediated immunity is crucial, but potent antibody responses may also be elicited using......, which afforded a high degree of protection from subsequent intracranial challenge of vaccinated mice. However, full protection was only observed using a vector encoding the structural proteins from YF-17D. This vector elicited virus-specific CD8+ T cells as well as neutralizing antibodies, and both...

Rare Hadronic B Decays to Vector, Axial-Vector and Tensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Y.Y.

2011-01-01

The authors review BABAR measurements of several rare B decays, including vector-axial-vector decays B ± → φK 1 ± (1270), B ± → φ K 1 ± (1400) and B ± → b 1 # -+ρ# ± , vector-vector decays B ± → φK* ± (1410), B 0 → K* 0 (bar K)* 0 , B 0 → K*0K*0 and B 0 → K*+K*-, vector-tensor decays B ± → φK* 2 (1430) ± and φK 2 (1770)/ ± (1820), and vector-scalar decays B ± → φK* 0 (1430) ± . Understanding the observed polarization pattern requires amplitude contributions from an uncertain source.

Convolutional deep belief network with feature encoding for classification of neuroblastoma histological images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soheila Gheisari

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children younger than 5 years old. Optimal management of neuroblastic tumors depends on many factors including histopathological classification. The gold standard for classification of neuroblastoma histological images is visual microscopic assessment. In this study, we propose and evaluate a deep learning approach to classify high-resolution digital images of neuroblastoma histology into five different classes determined by the Shimada classification. Subjects and Methods: We apply a combination of convolutional deep belief network (CDBN with feature encoding algorithm that automatically classifies digital images of neuroblastoma histology into five different classes. We design a three-layer CDBN to extract high-level features from neuroblastoma histological images and combine with a feature encoding model to extract features that are highly discriminative in the classification task. The extracted features are classified into five different classes using a support vector machine classifier. Data: We constructed a dataset of 1043 neuroblastoma histological images derived from Aperio scanner from 125 patients representing different classes of neuroblastoma tumors. Results: The weighted average F-measure of 86.01% was obtained from the selected high-level features, outperforming state-of-the-art methods. Conclusion: The proposed computer-aided classification system, which uses the combination of deep architecture and feature encoding to learn high-level features, is highly effective in the classification of neuroblastoma histological images.

Vector analysis

CERN Document Server

Brand, Louis

2006-01-01

The use of vectors not only simplifies treatments of differential geometry, mechanics, hydrodynamics, and electrodynamics, but also makes mathematical and physical concepts more tangible and easy to grasp. This text for undergraduates was designed as a short introductory course to give students the tools of vector algebra and calculus, as well as a brief glimpse into these subjects' manifold applications. The applications are developed to the extent that the uses of the potential function, both scalar and vector, are fully illustrated. Moreover, the basic postulates of vector analysis are brou

Search for Tensor, Vector, and Scalar Polarizations in the Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, B P; Abbott, R; Abbott, T D; Acernese, F; Ackley, K; Adams, C; Adams, T; Addesso, P; Adhikari, R X; Adya, V B; Affeldt, C; Afrough, M; Agarwal, B; Agathos, M; Agatsuma, K; Aggarwal, N; Aguiar, O D; Aiello, L; Ain, A; Ajith, P; Allen, B; Allen, G; Allocca, A; Altin, P A; Amato, A; Ananyeva, A; Anderson, S B; Anderson, W G; Angelova, S V; Antier, S; Appert, S; Arai, K; Araya, M C; Areeda, J S; Arnaud, N; Ascenzi, S; Ashton, G; Ast, M; Aston, S M; Astone, P; Atallah, D V; Aufmuth, P; Aulbert, C; AultONeal, K; Austin, C; Avila-Alvarez, A; Babak, S; Bacon, P; Bader, M K M; Bae, S; Baker, P T; Baldaccini, F; Ballardin, G; Ballmer, S W; Banagiri, S; Barayoga, J C; Barclay, S E; Barish, B C; Barker, D; Barkett, K; Barone, F; Barr, B; Barsotti, L; Barsuglia, M; Barta, D; Bartlett, J; Bartos, I; Bassiri, R; Basti, A; Batch, J C; Bawaj, M; Bayley, J C; Bazzan, M; Bécsy, B; Beer, C; Bejger, M; Belahcene, I; Bell, A S; Berger, B K; Bergmann, G; Bero, J J; Berry, C P L; Bersanetti, D; Bertolini, A; Betzwieser, J; Bhagwat, S; Bhandare, R; Bilenko, I A; Billingsley, G; Billman, C R; Birch, J; Birney, R; Birnholtz, O; Biscans, S; Biscoveanu, S; Bisht, A; Bitossi, M; Biwer, C; Bizouard, M A; Blackburn, J K; Blackman, J; Blair, C D; Blair, D G; Blair, R M; Bloemen, S; Bock, O; Bode, N; Boer, M; Bogaert, G; Bohe, A; Bondu, F; Bonilla, E; Bonnand, R; Boom, B A; Bork, R; Boschi, V; Bose, S; Bossie, K; Bouffanais, Y; Bozzi, A; Bradaschia, C; Brady, P R; Branchesi, M; Brau, J E; Briant, T; Brillet, A; Brinkmann, M; Brisson, V; Brockill, P; Broida, J E; Brooks, A F; Brown, D A; Brown, D D; Brunett, S; Buchanan, C C; Buikema, A; Bulik, T; Bulten, H J; Buonanno, A; Buskulic, D; Buy, C; Byer, R L; Cabero, M; Cadonati, L; Cagnoli, G; Cahillane, C; Calderón Bustillo, J; Callister, T A; Calloni, E; Camp, J B; Canepa, M; Canizares, P; Cannon, K C; Cao, H; Cao, J; Capano, C D; Capocasa, E; Carbognani, F; Caride, S; Carney, M F; Diaz, J Casanueva; Casentini, C; Caudill, S; Cavaglià, M; Cavalier, F; Cavalieri, R; Cella, G; Cepeda, C B; Cerdá-Durán, P; Cerretani, G; Cesarini, E; Chamberlin, S J; Chan, M; Chao, S; Charlton, P; Chase, E; Chassande-Mottin, E; Chatterjee, D; Cheeseboro, B D; Chen, H Y; Chen, X; Chen, Y; Cheng, H-P; Chia, H; Chincarini, A; Chiummo, A; Chmiel, T; Cho, H S; Cho, M; Chow, J H; Christensen, N; Chu, Q; Chua, A J K; Chua, S; Chung, A K W; Chung, S; Ciani, G; Ciolfi, R; Cirelli, C E; Cirone, A; Clara, F; Clark, J A; Clearwater, P; Cleva, F; Cocchieri, C; Coccia, E; Cohadon, P-F; Cohen, D; Colla, A; Collette, C G; Cominsky, L R; Constancio, M; Conti, L; Cooper, S J; Corban, P; Corbitt, T R; Cordero-Carrión, I; Corley, K R; Cornish, N; Corsi, A; Cortese, S; Costa, C A; Coughlin, E; Coughlin, M W; Coughlin, S B; Coulon, J-P; Countryman, S T; Couvares, P; Covas, P B; Cowan, E E; Coward, D M; Cowart, M J; Coyne, D C; Coyne, R; Creighton, J D E; Creighton, T D; Cripe, J; Crowder, S G; Cullen, T J; Cumming, A; Cunningham, L; Cuoco, E; Canton, T Dal; Dálya, G; Danilishin, S L; D'Antonio, S; Danzmann, K; Dasgupta, A; Da Silva Costa, C F; Dattilo, V; Dave, I; Davier, M; Davis, D; Daw, E J; Day, B; De, S; DeBra, D; Degallaix, J; De Laurentis, M; Deléglise, S; Del Pozzo, W; Demos, N; Denker, T; Dent, T; De Pietri, R; Dergachev, V; De Rosa, R; DeRosa, R T; De Rossi, C; DeSalvo, R; de Varona, O; Devenson, J; Dhurandhar, S; Díaz, M C; Di Fiore, L; Di Giovanni, M; Di Girolamo, T; Di Lieto, A; Di Pace, S; Di Palma, I; Di Renzo, F; Doctor, Z; Dolique, V; Donovan, F; Dooley, K L; Doravari, S; Dorrington, I; Douglas, R; Dovale Álvarez, M; Downes, T P; Drago, M; Dreissigacker, C; Driggers, J C; Du, Z; Ducrot, M; Dupej, P; Dwyer, S E; Edo, T B; Edwards, M C; Effler, A; Eggenstein, H-B; Ehrens, P; Eichholz, J; Eikenberry, S S; Eisenstein, R A; Essick, R C; Estevez, D; Etienne, Z B; Etzel, T; Evans, M; Evans, T M; Factourovich, M; Fafone, V; Fair, H; Fairhurst, S; Fan, X; Farinon, S; Farr, B; Farr, W M; Fauchon-Jones, E J; Favata, M; Fays, M; Fee, C; Fehrmann, H; Feicht, J; Fejer, M M; Fernandez-Galiana, A; Ferrante, I; Ferreira, E C; Ferrini, F; Fidecaro, F; Finstad, D; Fiori, I; Fiorucci, D; Fishbach, M; Fisher, R P; Fitz-Axen, M; Flaminio, R; Fletcher, M; Fong, H; Font, J A; Forsyth, P W F; Forsyth, S S; Fournier, J-D; Frasca, S; Frasconi, F; Frei, Z; Freise, A; Frey, R; Frey, V; Fries, E M; Fritschel, P; Frolov, V V; Fulda, P; Fyffe, M; Gabbard, H; Gadre, B U; Gaebel, S M; Gair, J R; Gammaitoni, L; Ganija, M R; Gaonkar, S G; Garcia-Quiros, C; Garufi, F; Gateley, B; Gaudio, S; Gaur, G; Gayathri, V; Gehrels, N; Gemme, G; Genin, E; Gennai, A; George, D; George, J; Gergely, L; Germain, V; Ghonge, S; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S; Giaime, J A; Giardina, K D; Giazotto, A; Gill, K; Glover, L; Goetz, E; Goetz, R; Gomes, S; Goncharov, B; González, G; Gonzalez Castro, J M; Gopakumar, A; Gorodetsky, M L; Gossan, S E; Gosselin, M; Gouaty, R; Grado, A; Graef, C; Granata, M; Grant, A; Gras, S; Gray, C; Greco, G; Green, A C; Gretarsson, E M; Groot, P; Grote, H; Grunewald, S; Gruning, P; Guidi, G M; Guo, X; Gupta, A; Gupta, M K; Gushwa, K E; Gustafson, E K; Gustafson, R; Halim, O; Hall, B R; Hall, E D; Hamilton, E Z; Hammond, G; Haney, M; Hanke, M M; Hanks, J; Hanna, C; Hannam, M D; Hannuksela, O A; Hanson, J; Hardwick, T; Harms, J; Harry, G M; Harry, I W; Hart, M J; Haster, C-J; Haughian, K; Healy, J; Heidmann, A; Heintze, M C; Heitmann, H; Hello, P; Hemming, G; Hendry, M; Heng, I S; Hennig, J; Heptonstall, A W; Heurs, M; Hild, S; Hinderer, T; Hoak, D; Hofman, D; Holt, K; Holz, D E; Hopkins, P; Horst, C; Hough, J; Houston, E A; Howell, E J; Hreibi, A; Hu, Y M; Huerta, E A; Huet, D; Hughey, B; Husa, S; Huttner, S H; Huynh-Dinh, T; Indik, N; Inta, R; Intini, G; Isa, H N; Isac, J-M; Isi, M; Iyer, B R; Izumi, K; Jacqmin, T; Jani, K; Jaranowski, P; Jawahar, S; Jiménez-Forteza, F; Johnson, W W; Jones, D I; Jones, R; Jonker, R J G; Ju, L; Junker, J; Kalaghatgi, C V; Kalogera, V; Kamai, B; Kandhasamy, S; Kang, G; Kanner, J B; Kapadia, S J; Karki, S; 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2018-05-18

The detection of gravitational waves with Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo has enabled novel tests of general relativity, including direct study of the polarization of gravitational waves. While general relativity allows for only two tensor gravitational-wave polarizations, general metric theories can additionally predict two vector and two scalar polarizations. The polarization of gravitational waves is encoded in the spectral shape of the stochastic gravitational-wave background, formed by the superposition of cosmological and individually unresolved astrophysical sources. Using data recorded by Advanced LIGO during its first observing run, we search for a stochastic background of generically polarized gravitational waves. We find no evidence for a background of any polarization, and place the first direct bounds on the contributions of vector and scalar polarizations to the stochastic background. Under log-uniform priors for the energy in each polarization, we limit the energy densities of tensor, vector, and scalar modes at 95% credibility to Ω_{0}^{T}<5.58×10^{-8}, Ω_{0}^{V}<6.35×10^{-8}, and Ω_{0}^{S}<1.08×10^{-7} at a reference frequency f_{0}=25  Hz.

Search for Tensor, Vector, and Scalar Polarizations in the Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background

Science.gov (United States)

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W.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Linker, S. D.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Lo, R. K. L.; Lockerbie, N. A.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lousto, C. O.; Lovelace, G.; Lück, H.; Lumaca, D.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macas, R.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magaña Hernandez, I.; Magaña-Sandoval, F.; Magaña Zertuche, L.; Magee, R. M.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markakis, C.; Markosyan, A. S.; Markowitz, A.; Maros, E.; Marquina, A.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martin, R. M.; Martynov, D. V.; Mason, K.; Massera, E.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matas, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McCuller, L.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McNeill, L.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Mehmet, M.; Meidam, J.; Mejuto-Villa, E.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Milovich-Goff, M. C.; Minazzoli, O.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moffa, D.; Moggi, A.; Mogushi, K.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muñiz, E. A.; Muratore, M.; Murray, P. G.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Neilson, J.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Nevin, L.; Newport, J. M.; Newton, G.; Ng, K. K. Y.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nichols, D.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; North, C.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; O'Dea, G. D.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Okada, M. A.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; Ormiston, R.; Ortega, L. F.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ossokine, S.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pace, A. E.; Page, J.; Page, M. A.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, Howard; Pan, Huang-Wei; Pang, B.; Pang, P. T. H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Parida, A.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patil, M.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perez, C. J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pirello, M.; Pitkin, M.; Poe, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Porter, E. K.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Pratten, G.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Pürrer, M.; Qi, H.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rajbhandari, B.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramirez, K. E.; Ramos-Buades, A.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Ren, W.; Reyes, S. D.; Ricci, F.; Ricker, P. M.; Rieger, S.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, J. D.; Romano, R.; Romel, C. L.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Ross, M. P.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Rutins, G.; Ryan, K.; Sachdev, S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sampson, L. M.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sanchez, L. E.; Sanchis-Gual, N.; Sandberg, V.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Scheel, M.; Scheuer, J.; Schmidt, J.; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schönbeck, A.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schulte, B. W.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwalbe, S. G.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Seidel, E.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shah, A. A.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shaner, M. B.; Shao, L.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, A. D.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, R. J. E.; Somala, S.; Son, E. J.; Sonnenberg, J. A.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Spencer, A. P.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staats, K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stevenson, S. P.; Stone, R.; Stops, D. J.; Strain, K. A.; Stratta, G.; Strigin, S. E.; Strunk, A.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Suresh, J.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepańczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Tait, S. C.; Talbot, C.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tao, D.; Tápai, M.; Taracchini, A.; Tasson, J. D.; Taylor, J. A.; Taylor, R.; Tewari, S. V.; Theeg, T.; Thies, F.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thrane, E.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torres-Forné, A.; Torrie, C. I.; Töyrä, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trinastic, J.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tsang, K. W.; Tse, M.; Tso, R.; Tsukada, L.; Tsuna, D.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ueno, K.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Varma, V.; Vass, S.; Vasúth, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Venugopalan, G.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Viets, A. D.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, M.; Walet, R.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, J. Z.; Wang, W. H.; Wang, Y. F.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Watchi, J.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L.-W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Wessel, E. K.; Weßels, P.; Westerweck, J.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Whittle, C.; Wilken, D.; Williams, D.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Wofford, J.; Wong, K. W. K.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wysocki, D. M.; Xiao, S.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yang, L.; Yap, M. J.; Yazback, M.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; ZadroŻny, A.; Zanolin, M.; Zelenova, T.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y.-H.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S. J.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

2018-05-01

The detection of gravitational waves with Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo has enabled novel tests of general relativity, including direct study of the polarization of gravitational waves. While general relativity allows for only two tensor gravitational-wave polarizations, general metric theories can additionally predict two vector and two scalar polarizations. The polarization of gravitational waves is encoded in the spectral shape of the stochastic gravitational-wave background, formed by the superposition of cosmological and individually unresolved astrophysical sources. Using data recorded by Advanced LIGO during its first observing run, we search for a stochastic background of generically polarized gravitational waves. We find no evidence for a background of any polarization, and place the first direct bounds on the contributions of vector and scalar polarizations to the stochastic background. Under log-uniform priors for the energy in each polarization, we limit the energy densities of tensor, vector, and scalar modes at 95% credibility to Ω0T<5.58 ×10-8 , Ω0V<6.35 ×10-8 , and Ω0S<1.08 ×10-7 at a reference frequency f0=25 Hz .

Vectors and Rotations in 3-Dimensions: Vector Algebra for the C++ Programmer

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-01

release; distribution is unlimited. 1. Introduction This report describes 2 C++ classes: a Vector class for performing vector algebra in 3-dimensional...ARL-TR-7894•DEC 2016 US Army Research Laboratory Vectors and Rotations in 3-Dimensions:Vector Algebra for the C++ Programmer by Richard Saucier...Army Research Laboratory Vectors and Rotations in 3-Dimensions:Vector Algebra for the C++ Programmer by Richard Saucier Survivability/Lethality

Measurement of Charmless B to Vector-Vector decays at BaBar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olaiya, Emmanuel

2011-01-01

The authors present results of B → vector-vector (VV) and B → vector-axial vector (VA) decays B 0 → φX(X = φ,ρ + or ρ 0 ), B + → φK (*)+ , B 0 → K*K*, B 0 → ρ + b 1 - and B + → K* 0 α 1 + . The largest dataset used for these results is based on 465 x 10 6 Υ(4S) → B(bar B) decays, collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II B meson factory located at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). Using larger datasets, the BABAR experiment has provided more precise B → VV measurements, further supporting the smaller than expected longitudinal polarization fraction of B → φK*. Additional B meson to vector-vector and vector-axial vector decays have also been studied with a view to shedding light on the polarization anomaly. Taking into account the available errors, we find no disagreement between theory and experiment for these additional decays.

Selecting Operations for Assembler Encoding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Praczyk

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Assembler Encoding is a neuro-evolutionary method in which a neural network is represented in the form of a simple program called Assembler Encoding Program. The task of the program is to create the so-called Network Definition Matrix which maintains all the information necessary to construct the network. To generate Assembler Encoding Programs and the subsequent neural networks evolutionary techniques are used.
The performance of Assembler Encoding strongly depends on operations used in Assembler Encoding Programs. To select the most effective operations, experiments in the optimization and the predator-prey problem were carried out. In the experiments, Assembler Encoding Programs equipped with different types of operations were tested. The results of the tests are presented at the end of the paper.

Mos1 transposon-based transformation of fish cell lines using baculoviral vectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yokoo, Masako [Laboratory of Applied Molecular Entomology, Division of Applied Bioscience, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8589 (Japan); Fujita, Ryosuke [Laboratory of Applied Molecular Entomology, Division of Applied Bioscience, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8589 (Japan); Innate Immunity Laboratory, Graduate School of Life Science and Creative Research Institution, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021 (Japan); Nakajima, Yumiko [Functional Genomics Group, COMB, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0213 (Japan); Yoshimizu, Mamoru; Kasai, Hisae [Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Hakodate 041-8611 (Japan); Asano, Shin-ichiro [Laboratory of Applied Molecular Entomology, Division of Applied Bioscience, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8589 (Japan); Bando, Hisanori, E-mail: hban@abs.agr.hokudai.ac.jp [Laboratory of Applied Molecular Entomology, Division of Applied Bioscience, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8589 (Japan)

2013-09-13

Highlights: •The baculovirus vector infiltrates the cells of economic important fishes. •Drosophila Mos1 transposase expressed in fish cells maintains its ability to localize to the nucleus. •The baculoviral vector carrying Mos1 is a useful tool to stably transform fish cells. -- Abstract: Drosophila Mos1 belongs to the mariner family of transposons, which are one of the most ubiquitous transposons among eukaryotes. We first determined nuclear transportation of the Drosophila Mos1-EGFP fusion protein in fish cell lines because it is required for a function of transposons. We next constructed recombinant baculoviral vectors harboring the Drosophila Mos1 transposon or marker genes located between Mos1 inverted repeats. The infectivity of the recombinant virus to fish cells was assessed by monitoring the expression of a fluorescent protein encoded in the viral genome. We detected transgene expression in CHSE-214, HINAE, and EPC cells, but not in GF or RTG-2 cells. In the co-infection assay of the Mos1-expressing virus and reporter gene-expressing virus, we successfully transformed CHSE-214 and HINAE cells. These results suggest that the combination of a baculovirus and Mos1 transposable element may be a tool for transgenesis in fish cells.

Mos1 transposon-based transformation of fish cell lines using baculoviral vectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokoo, Masako; Fujita, Ryosuke; Nakajima, Yumiko; Yoshimizu, Mamoru; Kasai, Hisae; Asano, Shin-ichiro; Bando, Hisanori

2013-01-01

Highlights: •The baculovirus vector infiltrates the cells of economic important fishes. •Drosophila Mos1 transposase expressed in fish cells maintains its ability to localize to the nucleus. •The baculoviral vector carrying Mos1 is a useful tool to stably transform fish cells. -- Abstract: Drosophila Mos1 belongs to the mariner family of transposons, which are one of the most ubiquitous transposons among eukaryotes. We first determined nuclear transportation of the Drosophila Mos1-EGFP fusion protein in fish cell lines because it is required for a function of transposons. We next constructed recombinant baculoviral vectors harboring the Drosophila Mos1 transposon or marker genes located between Mos1 inverted repeats. The infectivity of the recombinant virus to fish cells was assessed by monitoring the expression of a fluorescent protein encoded in the viral genome. We detected transgene expression in CHSE-214, HINAE, and EPC cells, but not in GF or RTG-2 cells. In the co-infection assay of the Mos1-expressing virus and reporter gene-expressing virus, we successfully transformed CHSE-214 and HINAE cells. These results suggest that the combination of a baculovirus and Mos1 transposable element may be a tool for transgenesis in fish cells

Toxicity and biodistribution of a first-generation recombinant adenoviral vector, in the presence of hydroxychloroquine, following retroductal delivery to a single rat submandibular gland

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zheng, C.; Voutetakis, A.; Kok, M. R.; Goldsmith, C. M.; Smith, G. B. J.; Elmore, S.; Nyska, A.; Vallant, M.; Irwin, R. D.; Baum, B. J.

2006-01-01

We examined the toxicity and biodistribution associated with a single administration of a first-generation, serotype 5, adenoviral vector encoding human growth hormone (hGH; AdCMVhGH) to a single rat submandibular gland in the presence of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). Previously, we showed that hGH is

Effect of HIV-1 envelope cytoplasmic tail on adenovirus primed virus encoded virus-like particle immunizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersson, Anne Marie C; Ragonnaud, Emeline; Seaton, Kelly E.

2016-01-01

were found between the different priming regimens as both induced high titered tier 1 neutralizing antibodies, but no tier 2 antibodies, possibly reflecting the similar presentation of trimer specific antibody epitopes. The described vaccine regimens provide insight into the effects of the HIV-1 Env......The low number of envelope (Env) spikes presented on native HIV-1 particles is a major impediment for HIV-1 prophylactic vaccine development. We designed virus-like particle encoding adenoviral vectors utilizing SIVmac239 Gag as an anchor for full length and truncated HIV-1 M consensus Env...

Construction and expression of eukaryotic expression vectors of full-length, amino-terminus and carboxyl-terminus Raf gene

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhuomin WANG

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Background and objective Raf is a key molecule in the Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK signal transduction pathway and is highly activated in different human carcinomas. However, its biological functions and regulation mechanisms are still unclear. The aims of this study were to construct eukaryotic expression vectors with Raf full encoding region, truncated amino-terminus and carboxyl-terminus, respectively. Methods Eukaryotic expression vectors of pCMV-Tag2b-Raf-1, pCMV-Tag2b-N-Raf and pCMV-Tag2b-C-Raf were constructed by gene recombination technique and confirmed by restriction enzyme analysis and DNA sequencing. Furthermore, the expression of these fusion proteins was detected by western blot in transient transfected 293T cells. Results The sequences and open reading frames of these three vectors were completely consistent with experimental design. All target proteins can be detected in 293T cells. Conclusion Eukaryotic expression vectors of pCMV-Tag2b-Raf-1, pCMV-Tag2b-N-Raf and pCMV-Tag2b-C-Raf were successfully constructed and can be expressed in 293T cells.

Vectorization of KENO IV code and an estimate of vector-parallel processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asai, Kiyoshi; Higuchi, Kenji; Katakura, Jun-ichi; Kurita, Yutaka.

1986-10-01

The multi-group criticality safety code KENO IV has been vectorized and tested on FACOM VP-100 vector processor. At first the vectorized KENO IV on a scalar processor became slower than the original one by a factor of 1.4 because of the overhead introduced by the vectorization. Making modifications of algorithms and techniques for vectorization, the vectorized version has become faster than the original one by a factor of 1.4 and 3.0 on the vector processor for sample problems of complex and simple geometries, respectively. For further speedup of the code, some improvements on compiler and hardware, especially on addition of Monte Carlo pipelines to the vector processor, are discussed. Finally a pipelined parallel processor system is proposed and its performance is estimated. (author)

Combining nonlinear multiresolution system and vector quantization for still image compression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wong, Y.

1993-12-17

It is popular to use multiresolution systems for image coding and compression. However, general-purpose techniques such as filter banks and wavelets are linear. While these systems are rigorous, nonlinear features in the signals cannot be utilized in a single entity for compression. Linear filters are known to blur the edges. Thus, the low-resolution images are typically blurred, carrying little information. We propose and demonstrate that edge-preserving filters such as median filters can be used in generating a multiresolution system using the Laplacian pyramid. The signals in the detail images are small and localized to the edge areas. Principal component vector quantization (PCVQ) is used to encode the detail images. PCVQ is a tree-structured VQ which allows fast codebook design and encoding/decoding. In encoding, the quantization error at each level is fed back through the pyramid to the previous level so that ultimately all the error is confined to the first level. With simple coding methods, we demonstrate that images with PSNR 33 dB can be obtained at 0.66 bpp without the use of entropy coding. When the rate is decreased to 0.25 bpp, the PSNR of 30 dB can still be achieved. Combined with an earlier result, our work demonstrate that nonlinear filters can be used for multiresolution systems and image coding.

Correction of mutant Fanconi anemia gene by homologous recombination in human hematopoietic cells using adeno-associated virus vector.

Science.gov (United States)

Paiboonsukwong, Kittiphong; Ohbayashi, Fumi; Shiiba, Haruka; Aizawa, Emi; Yamashita, Takayuki; Mitani, Kohnosuke

2009-11-01

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have been shown to correct a variety of mutations in human cells by homologous recombination (HR) at high rates, which can overcome insertional mutagenesis and transgene silencing, two of the major hurdles in conventional gene addition therapy of inherited diseases. We examined an ability of AAV vectors to repair a mutation in human hematopoietic cells by HR. We infected a human B-lymphoblastoid cell line (BCL) derived from a normal subject with an AAV, which disrupts the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase1 (HPRT1) locus, to measure the frequency of AAV-mediated HR in BCL cells. We subsequently constructed an AAV vector encoding the normal sequences from the Fanconi anemia group A (FANCA) locus to correct a mutation in the gene in BCL derived from a FANCA patient. Under optimal conditions, approximately 50% of BCL cells were transduced with an AAV serotype 2 (AAV-2) vector. In FANCA BCL cells, up to 0.016% of infected cells were gene-corrected by HR. AAV-mediated restoration of normal genotypic and phenotypic characteristics in FANCA-mutant cells was confirmed at the DNA, protein and functional levels. The results obtained in the present study indicate that AAV vectors may be applicable for gene correction therapy of inherited hematopoietic disorders.

Integration of adeno-associated virus vectors in CD34+ human hematopoietic progenitor cells after transduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher-Adams, G; Wong, K K; Podsakoff, G; Forman, S J; Chatterjee, S

1996-07-15

Gene transfer vectors based on adeno-associated virus (AAV) appear promising because of their high transduction frequencies regardless of cell cycle status and ability to integrate into chromosomal DNA. We tested AAV-mediated gene transfer into a panel of human bone marrow or umbilical cord-derived CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells, using vectors encoding several transgenes under the control of viral and cellular promoters. Gene transfer was evaluated by (1) chromosomal integration of vector sequences and (2) analysis of transgene expression. Southern hybridization and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of transduced CD34 genomic DNA showed the presence of integrated vector sequences in chromosomal DNA in a portion of transduced cells and showed that integrated vector sequences were replicated along with cellular DNA during mitosis. Transgene expression in transduced CD34 cells in suspension cultures and in myeloid colonies differentiating in vitro from transduced CD34 cells approximated that predicted by the multiplicity of transduction. This was true in CD34 cells from different donors, regardless of the transgene or selective pressure. Comparisons of CD34 cell transduction either before or after cytokine stimulation showed similar gene transfer frequencies. Our findings suggest that AAV transduction of CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells is efficient, can lead to stable integration in a population of transduced cells, and may therefore provide the basis for safe and efficient ex vivo gene therapy of the hematopoietic system.

Development of shuttle vectors for transformation of diverse Rickettsia species.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole Y Burkhardt

Full Text Available Plasmids have been identified in most species of Rickettsia examined, with some species maintaining multiple different plasmids. Three distinct plasmids were demonstrated in Rickettsia amblyommii AaR/SC by Southern analysis using plasmid specific probes. Copy numbers of pRAM18, pRAM23 and pRAM32 per chromosome in AaR/SC were estimated by real-time PCR to be 2.0, 1.9 and 1.3 respectively. Cloning and sequencing of R. amblyommii AaR/SC plasmids provided an opportunity to develop shuttle vectors for transformation of rickettsiae. A selection cassette encoding rifampin resistance and a fluorescent marker was inserted into pRAM18 yielding a 27.6 kbp recombinant plasmid, pRAM18/Rif/GFPuv. Electroporation of Rickettsia parkeri and Rickettsia bellii with pRAM18/Rif/GFPuv yielded GFPuv-expressing rickettsiae within 2 weeks. Smaller vectors, pRAM18dRG, pRAM18dRGA and pRAM32dRGA each bearing the same selection cassette, were made by moving the parA and dnaA-like genes from pRAM18 or pRAM32 into a vector backbone. R. bellii maintained the highest numbers of pRAM18dRGA (13.3 - 28.1 copies, and R. parkeri, Rickettsia monacensis and Rickettsia montanensis contained 9.9, 5.5 and 7.5 copies respectively. The same species transformed with pRAM32dRGA maintained 2.6, 2.5, 3.2 and 3.6 copies. pRM, the plasmid native to R. monacensis, was still present in shuttle vector transformed R. monacensis at a level similar to that found in wild type R. monacensis after 15 subcultures. Stable transformation of diverse rickettsiae was achieved with a shuttle vector system based on R. amblyommii plasmids pRAM18 and pRAM32, providing a new research tool that will greatly facilitate genetic and biological studies of rickettsiae.

Versatile generation of optical vector fields and vector beams using a non-interferometric approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Santosh; Toussaint, Kimani C

2012-05-07

We present a versatile, non-interferometric method for generating vector fields and vector beams which can produce all the states of polarization represented on a higher-order Poincaré sphere. The versatility and non-interferometric nature of this method is expected to enable exploration of various exotic properties of vector fields and vector beams. To illustrate this, we study the propagation properties of some vector fields and find that, in general, propagation alters both their intensity and polarization distribution, and more interestingly, converts some vector fields into vector beams. In the article, we also suggest a modified Jones vector formalism to represent vector fields and vector beams.

Open reading frame 176 in the photosynthesis gene cluster of Rhodobacter capsulatus encodes idi, a gene for isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase.

OpenAIRE

Hahn, F M; Baker, J A; Poulter, C D

1996-01-01

Isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) isomerase catalyzes an essential activation step in the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway. A database search based on probes from the highly conserved regions in three eukaryotic IPP isomerases revealed substantial similarity with ORF176 in the photosynthesis gene cluster in Rhodobacter capsulatus. The open reading frame was cloned into an Escherichia coli expression vector. The encoded 20-kDa protein, which was purified in two steps by ion exchange and hydrophobic...

Adaptive nonseparable vector lifting scheme for digital holographic data compression.

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Yafei; Kaaniche, Mounir; Pesquet-Popescu, Béatrice; Dufaux, Frédéric

2015-01-01

Holographic data play a crucial role in recent three-dimensional imaging as well as microscopic applications. As a result, huge amounts of storage capacity will be involved for this kind of data. Therefore, it becomes necessary to develop efficient hologram compression schemes for storage and transmission purposes. In this paper, we focus on the shifted distance information, obtained by the phase-shifting algorithm, where two sets of difference data need to be encoded. More precisely, a nonseparable vector lifting scheme is investigated in order to exploit the two-dimensional characteristics of the holographic contents. Simulations performed on different digital holograms have shown the effectiveness of the proposed method in terms of bitrate saving and quality of object reconstruction.

Multicomponent nanoparticles as nonviral vectors for the treatment of Fabry disease by gene therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruiz de Garibay AP

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Aritz Pérez Ruiz de Garibay, Diego Delgado, Ana del Pozo-Rodríguez, María Ángeles Solinís, Alicia Rodríguez GascónPharmacokinetics, Nanotechnology and Gene Therapy Group, Pharmacy Faculty, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, SpainPurpose: Gene-mediated enzyme replacement is a reasonable and highly promising approach for the treatment of Fabry disease (FD. The objective of the present study was to demonstrate the potential applications of solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN-based nonviral vectors for the treatment of FD.Methods: SLNs containing the pR-M10-αGal A plasmid that encodes the α-Galactosidase A (α-Gal A enzyme were prepared and their in vitro transfection efficacy was studied in Hep G2 cells. We also studied the cellular uptake of the vectors and the intracellular disposition of the plasmid.Results: The enzymatic activity of the cells treated with the vectors increased significantly relative to the untreated cells, regardless of the formulation assayed. When the SLNs were prepared with protamine or dextran and protamine, the activity of the α-Gal A enzyme by the transfected Hep G2 cells increased up to 12-fold compared to that of untreated cells.Conclusion: With this work we have revealed in Hep G2 cells the ability of a multicomponent system based on SLNs to act as efficient nonviral vectors to potentially correct low α-Gal A activity levels in FD with gene therapy.Keywords: solid lipid nanoparticles, Fabry disease, nonviral vectors, gene therapy

Cloning of gene-encoded stem bromelain on system coming from Pichia pastoris as therapeutic protein candidate

Science.gov (United States)

Yusuf, Y.; Hidayati, W.

2018-01-01

The process of identifying bacterial recombination using PCR, and restriction, and then sequencing process was done after identifying the bacteria. This research aimed to get a yeast cell of Pichia pastoris which has an encoder gene of stem bromelain enzyme. The production of recombinant stem bromelain enzymes using yeast cells of P. pastoris can produce pure bromelain rod enzymes and have the same conformation with the enzyme’s conformation in pineapple plants. This recombinant stem bromelain enzyme can be used as a therapeutic protein in inflammatory, cancer and degenerative diseases. This study was an early stage of a step series to obtain bromelain rod protein derived from pineapple made with genetic engineering techniques. This research was started by isolating the RNA of pineapple stem which was continued with constructing cDNA using reserve transcriptase-PCR technique (RT-PCR), doing the amplification of bromelain enzyme encoder gene with PCR technique using a specific premiere couple which was designed. The process was continued by cloning into bacterium cells of Escherichia coli. A vector which brought the encoder gene of stem bromelain enzyme was inserted into the yeast cell of P. pastoris and was continued by identifying the yeast cell of P. pastoris which brought the encoder gene of stem bromelain enzyme. The research has not found enzyme gene of stem bromelain in yeast cell of P. pastoris yet. The next step is repeating the process by buying new reagent; RNase inhibitor, and buying liquid nitrogen.

Leishmania infantum nicotinamidase is required for late-stage development in its natural sand fly vector, Phlebotomus perniciosus

OpenAIRE

Gazanion, Elodie; Seblova, V.; Votypka, J.; Vergnes, Baptiste; Garcia, Deborah; Volf, P.; Sereno, Denis

2012-01-01

Leishmania infantum nicotinamidase, encoded by the Lipnc1 gene, converts nicotinamide into nicotinic acid to ensure Nicotinamide-Adenine-Dinucleotide (NAD(+)) biosynthesis. We were curious to explore the role of this enzyme during L infantum development in its natural sand fly vector, Phlebotomus perniciosus (Diptera, Phlebotominae), using null mutants with a deleted Lipnc1 gene. The null mutants developed as well as the wild type L infantum at the early time points post their ingestion withi...

Vectorized Monte Carlo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, F.B.

1981-01-01

Examination of the global algorithms and local kernels of conventional general-purpose Monte Carlo codes shows that multigroup Monte Carlo methods have sufficient structure to permit efficient vectorization. A structured multigroup Monte Carlo algorithm for vector computers is developed in which many particle events are treated at once on a cell-by-cell basis. Vectorization of kernels for tracking and variance reduction is described, and a new method for discrete sampling is developed to facilitate the vectorization of collision analysis. To demonstrate the potential of the new method, a vectorized Monte Carlo code for multigroup radiation transport analysis was developed. This code incorporates many features of conventional general-purpose production codes, including general geometry, splitting and Russian roulette, survival biasing, variance estimation via batching, a number of cutoffs, and generalized tallies of collision, tracklength, and surface crossing estimators with response functions. Predictions of vectorized performance characteristics for the CYBER-205 were made using emulated coding and a dynamic model of vector instruction timing. Computation rates were examined for a variety of test problems to determine sensitivities to batch size and vector lengths. Significant speedups are predicted for even a few hundred particles per batch, and asymptotic speedups by about 40 over equivalent Amdahl 470V/8 scalar codes arepredicted for a few thousand particles per batch. The principal conclusion is that vectorization of a general-purpose multigroup Monte Carlo code is well worth the significant effort required for stylized coding and major algorithmic changes

Vector Network Coding

OpenAIRE

Ebrahimi, Javad; Fragouli, Christina

2010-01-01

We develop new algebraic algorithms for scalar and vector network coding. In vector network coding, the source multicasts information by transmitting vectors of length L, while intermediate nodes process and combine their incoming packets by multiplying them with L X L coding matrices that play a similar role as coding coefficients in scalar coding. Our algorithms for scalar network jointly optimize the employed field size while selecting the coding coefficients. Similarly, for vector co...

Vector independent transmission of the vector-borne bluetongue virus.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Sluijs, Mirjam Tineke Willemijn; de Smit, Abraham J; Moormann, Rob J M

2016-01-01

Bluetongue is an economically important disease of ruminants. The causative agent, Bluetongue virus (BTV), is mainly transmitted by insect vectors. This review focuses on vector-free BTV transmission, and its epizootic and economic consequences. Vector-free transmission can either be vertical, from dam to fetus, or horizontal via direct contract. For several BTV-serotypes, vertical (transplacental) transmission has been described, resulting in severe congenital malformations. Transplacental transmission had been mainly associated with live vaccine strains. Yet, the European BTV-8 strain demonstrated a high incidence of transplacental transmission in natural circumstances. The relevance of transplacental transmission for the epizootiology is considered limited, especially in enzootic areas. However, transplacental transmission can have a substantial economic impact due to the loss of progeny. Inactivated vaccines have demonstrated to prevent transplacental transmission. Vector-free horizontal transmission has also been demonstrated. Since direct horizontal transmission requires close contact of animals, it is considered only relevant for within-farm spreading of BTV. The genetic determinants which enable vector-free transmission are present in virus strains circulating in the field. More research into the genetic changes which enable vector-free transmission is essential to better evaluate the risks associated with outbreaks of new BTV serotypes and to design more appropriate control measures.

Mutagenesis in sequence encoding of human factor VII for gene therapy of hemophilia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B Kazemi

2009-12-01

Full Text Available "nBackground: Current treatment of hemophilia which is one of the most common bleeding disorders, involves replacement therapy using concentrates of FVIII and FIX .However, these concentrates have been associated with viral infections and thromboembolic complications and development of antibodies. "nThe use of recombinant human factor VII (rhFVII is effective  for the treatment of patients with  hemophilia A or B, who develop antibodies ( referred as inhibitors against  replacement therapy , because it induces coagulation independent of FVIII and FIX. However, its short half-life and high cost have limited its use. One potential solution to this problem may be the use of FVIIa gene transfer, which would attain continuing therapeutic levels of expression from a single injection. The aim of this study was to engineer a novel hFVII (human FVII gene containing a cleavage site for the intracellular protease and furin, by PCR mutagenesis "nMethods: The sequence encoding light and heavy chains of hFVII, were amplified by using hFVII/pTZ57R and specific primers, separately. The PCR products were cloned in pTZ57R vector. "nResults and discussion: Cloning was confirmed by restriction analysis or PCR amplification using specific primers and plasmid universal primers. Mutagenesis of sequence encoding light and heavy chain was confirmed by restriction enzyme. "nConclusion: In the present study, it was provided recombinant plasmids based on mutant form of DNA encoding light and heavy chains.  Joining mutant form of DNA encoding light chain with mutant heavy chain led to a new variant of hFVII. This variant can be activated by furin and an increase in the proportion of activated form of FVII. This mutant form of hFVII may be used for gene therapy of hemophilia.

VectorBase

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — VectorBase is a Bioinformatics Resource Center for invertebrate vectors. It is one of four Bioinformatics Resource Centers funded by NIAID to provide web-based...

Custodial vector model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Becciolini, Diego; Franzosi, Diogo Buarque; Foadi, Roshan

2015-01-01

We analyze the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) phenomenology of heavy vector resonances with a $SU(2)_L\\times SU(2)_R$ spectral global symmetry. This symmetry partially protects the electroweak S-parameter from large contributions of the vector resonances. The resulting custodial vector model spectrum...

Experimental demonstration of vector E x vector B plasma divertor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strait, E.J.; Kerst, D.W.; Sprott, J.C.

1977-01-01

The vector E x vector B drift due to an applied radial electric field in a tokamak with poloidal divertor can speed the flow of plasma out of the scrape-off region, and provide a means of externally controlling the flow rate and thus the width of the density fall-off. An experiment in the Wisconsin levitated toroidal octupole, using vector E x vector B drifts alone, demonstrates divertor-like behavior, including 70% reduction of plasma density near the wall and 40% reduction of plasma flux to the wall, with no adverse effects on confinement of the main plasma

The major antigenic membrane protein of "Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris" selectively interacts with ATP synthase and actin of leafhopper vectors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana Galetto

Full Text Available Phytoplasmas, uncultivable phloem-limited phytopathogenic wall-less bacteria, represent a major threat to agriculture worldwide. They are transmitted in a persistent, propagative manner by phloem-sucking Hemipteran insects. Phytoplasma membrane proteins are in direct contact with hosts and are presumably involved in determining vector specificity. Such a role has been proposed for phytoplasma transmembrane proteins encoded by circular extrachromosomal elements, at least one of which is a plasmid. Little is known about the interactions between major phytoplasma antigenic membrane protein (Amp and insect vector proteins. The aims of our work were to identify vector proteins interacting with Amp and to investigate their role in transmission specificity. In controlled transmission experiments, four Hemipteran species were identified as vectors of "Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris", the chrysanthemum yellows phytoplasmas (CYP strain, and three others as non-vectors. Interactions between a labelled (recombinant CYP Amp and insect proteins were analysed by far Western blots and affinity chromatography. Amp interacted specifically with a few proteins from vector species only. Among Amp-binding vector proteins, actin and both the α and β subunits of ATP synthase were identified by mass spectrometry and Western blots. Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy and Western blots of plasma membrane and mitochondrial fractions confirmed the localisation of ATP synthase, generally known as a mitochondrial protein, in plasma membranes of midgut and salivary gland cells in the vector Euscelidius variegatus. The vector-specific interaction between phytoplasma Amp and insect ATP synthase is demonstrated for the first time, and this work also supports the hypothesis that host actin is involved in the internalization and intracellular motility of phytoplasmas within their vectors. Phytoplasma Amp is hypothesized to play a crucial role in insect transmission specificity.

Rotations with Rodrigues' vector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pina, E

2011-01-01

The rotational dynamics was studied from the point of view of Rodrigues' vector. This vector is defined here by its connection with other forms of parametrization of the rotation matrix. The rotation matrix was expressed in terms of this vector. The angular velocity was computed using the components of Rodrigues' vector as coordinates. It appears to be a fundamental matrix that is used to express the components of the angular velocity, the rotation matrix and the angular momentum vector. The Hamiltonian formalism of rotational dynamics in terms of this vector uses the same matrix. The quantization of the rotational dynamics is performed with simple rules if one uses Rodrigues' vector and similar formal expressions for the quantum operators that mimic the Hamiltonian classical dynamics.

2D Vector Field Simplification Based on Robustness

KAUST Repository

Skraba, Primoz

2014-03-01

Vector field simplification aims to reduce the complexity of the flow by removing features in order of their relevance and importance, to reveal prominent behavior and obtain a compact representation for interpretation. Most existing simplification techniques based on the topological skeleton successively remove pairs of critical points connected by separatrices, using distance or area-based relevance measures. These methods rely on the stable extraction of the topological skeleton, which can be difficult due to instability in numerical integration, especially when processing highly rotational flows. These geometric metrics do not consider the flow magnitude, an important physical property of the flow. In this paper, we propose a novel simplification scheme derived from the recently introduced topological notion of robustness, which provides a complementary view on flow structure compared to the traditional topological-skeleton-based approaches. Robustness enables the pruning of sets of critical points according to a quantitative measure of their stability, that is, the minimum amount of vector field perturbation required to remove them. This leads to a hierarchical simplification scheme that encodes flow magnitude in its perturbation metric. Our novel simplification algorithm is based on degree theory, has fewer boundary restrictions, and so can handle more general cases. Finally, we provide an implementation under the piecewise-linear setting and apply it to both synthetic and real-world datasets. © 2014 IEEE.

Construction of novel shuttle expression vectors for gene expression in Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Huanhuan; Cao, Qinghua; Zhao, Hongyan; Tan, Xuemei; Feng, Hong

2015-01-01

A native plasmid (pSU01) was detected by genome sequencing of Bacillus subtilis strain S1-4. Two pSU01-based shuttle expression vectors pSU02-AP and pSU03-AP were constructed enabling stable replication in B. subtilis WB600. These vectors contained the reporter gene aprE, encoding an alkaline protease from Bacillus pumilus BA06. The expression vector pSU03-AP only possessed the minimal replication elements (rep, SSO, DSO) and exhibited more stability on structure, suggesting that the rest of the genes in pSU01 (ORF1, ORF2, mob, hsp) were unessential for the structural stability of plasmid in B. subtilis. In addition, recombinant production of the alkaline protease was achieved more efficiently with pSU03-AP whose copy number was estimated to be more than 100 per chromosome. Furthermore, pSU03-AP could also be used to transform and replicate in B. pumilus BA06 under selective pressure. In conclusion, pSU03-AP is expected to be a useful tool for gene expression in Bacillus subtilis and B. pumilus.

Genetic engineering of cell lines using lentiviral vectors to achieve antibody secretion following encapsulated implantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lathuilière, Aurélien; Bohrmann, Bernd; Kopetzki, Erhard; Schweitzer, Christoph; Jacobsen, Helmut; Moniatte, Marc; Aebischer, Patrick; Schneider, Bernard L

2014-01-01

The controlled delivery of antibodies by immunoisolated bioimplants containing genetically engineered cells is an attractive and safe approach for chronic treatments. To reach therapeutic antibody levels there is a need to generate renewable cell lines, which can long-term survive in macroencapsulation devices while maintaining high antibody specific productivity. Here we have developed a dual lentiviral vector strategy for the genetic engineering of cell lines compatible with macroencapsulation, using separate vectors encoding IgG light and heavy chains. We show that IgG expression level can be maximized as a function of vector dose and transgene ratio. This approach allows for the generation of stable populations of IgG-expressing C2C12 mouse myoblasts, and for the subsequent isolation of clones stably secreting high IgG levels. Moreover, we demonstrate that cell transduction using this lentiviral system leads to the production of a functional glycosylated antibody by myogenic cells. Subsequent implantation of antibody-secreting cells in a high-capacity macroencapsulation device enables continuous delivery of recombinant antibodies in the mouse subcutaneous tissue, leading to substantial levels of therapeutic IgG detectable in the plasma.

Violation of vector dominance in the vector manifestation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasaki, Chihiro

2003-01-01

The vector manifestation (VM) is a new pattern for realizing the chiral symmetry in QCD. In the VM, the massless vector meson becomes the chiral partner of pion at the critical point, in contrast with the restoration based on the linear sigma model. Including the intrinsic temperature dependences of the parameters of the hidden local symmetry (HLS) Lagrangian determined from the underlying QCD through the Wilsonian matching together with the hadronic thermal corrections, we present a new prediction of the VM on the direct photon-π-π coupling which measures the validity of the vector dominance (VD) of the electromagnetic form factor of the pion. We find that the VD is largely violated at the critical temperature, which indicates that the assumption of the VD made in several analysis on the dilepton spectra in hot matter may need to be weakened for consistently including the effect of the dropping mass of the vector meson. (author)

Analysing and Comparing Encodability Criteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kirstin Peters

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Encodings or the proof of their absence are the main way to compare process calculi. To analyse the quality of encodings and to rule out trivial or meaningless encodings, they are augmented with quality criteria. There exists a bunch of different criteria and different variants of criteria in order to reason in different settings. This leads to incomparable results. Moreover it is not always clear whether the criteria used to obtain a result in a particular setting do indeed fit to this setting. We show how to formally reason about and compare encodability criteria by mapping them on requirements on a relation between source and target terms that is induced by the encoding function. In particular we analyse the common criteria full abstraction, operational correspondence, divergence reflection, success sensitiveness, and respect of barbs; e.g. we analyse the exact nature of the simulation relation (coupled simulation versus bisimulation that is induced by different variants of operational correspondence. This way we reduce the problem of analysing or comparing encodability criteria to the better understood problem of comparing relations on processes.

Landscape encodings enhance optimization.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantin Klemm

Full Text Available Hard combinatorial optimization problems deal with the search for the minimum cost solutions (ground states of discrete systems under strong constraints. A transformation of state variables may enhance computational tractability. It has been argued that these state encodings are to be chosen invertible to retain the original size of the state space. Here we show how redundant non-invertible encodings enhance optimization by enriching the density of low-energy states. In addition, smooth landscapes may be established on encoded state spaces to guide local search dynamics towards the ground state.

Landscape Encodings Enhance Optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Klemm, Konstantin; Mehta, Anita; Stadler, Peter F.

2012-01-01

Hard combinatorial optimization problems deal with the search for the minimum cost solutions (ground states) of discrete systems under strong constraints. A transformation of state variables may enhance computational tractability. It has been argued that these state encodings are to be chosen invertible to retain the original size of the state space. Here we show how redundant non-invertible encodings enhance optimization by enriching the density of low-energy states. In addition, smooth landscapes may be established on encoded state spaces to guide local search dynamics towards the ground state. PMID:22496860

Stress as a mnemonic filter: Interactions between medial temporal lobe encoding processes and post-encoding stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Ritchey, Maureen; McCullough, Andrew M; Ranganath, Charan; Yonelinas, Andrew P

2017-01-01

Acute stress has been shown to modulate memory for recently learned information, an effect attributed to the influence of stress hormones on medial temporal lobe (MTL) consolidation processes. However, little is known about which memories will be affected when stress follows encoding. One possibility is that stress interacts with encoding processes to selectively protect memories that had elicited responses in the hippocampus and amygdala, two MTL structures important for memory formation. There is limited evidence for interactions between encoding processes and consolidation effects in humans, but recent studies of consolidation in rodents have emphasized the importance of encoding "tags" for determining the impact of consolidation manipulations on memory. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging in humans to test the hypothesis that the effects of post-encoding stress depend on MTL processes observed during encoding. We found that changes in stress hormone levels were associated with an increase in the contingency of memory outcomes on hippocampal and amygdala encoding responses. That is, for participants showing high cortisol reactivity, memories became more dependent on MTL activity observed during encoding, thereby shifting the distribution of recollected events toward those that had elicited relatively high activation. Surprisingly, this effect was generally larger for neutral, compared to emotionally negative, memories. The results suggest that stress does not uniformly enhance memory, but instead selectively preserves memories tagged during encoding, effectively acting as mnemonic filter. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Measurement of K/sub NN/, K/sub LL/ in p vector d → n vector X and p vector 9Be → n vector X at 800 MeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riley, P.J.; Hollas, C.L.; Newsom, C.R.

1980-01-01

The spin transfer parameters, K/sub NN/ and K/sub LL/, have been measured in p vector d → n vector X and p vector 9 Be → n vector X at 0 0 and 800 MeV. The rather large values of K/sub LL/ demonstrate that this transfer mechanism will provide a useful source of polarized neutrons at LAMPF energies

Tests of conspecificity for allopatric vectors: Simulium nodosum and Simulium shirakii (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Low, Van Lun; Adler, Peter H; Sofian-Azirun, Mohd; Srisuka, Wichai; Saeung, Atiporn; Huang, Yao-Te; Hadi, Upik Kesumawati; Da Pham, Xuan; Takaoka, Hiroyuki

2015-05-29

Allopatric populations present challenges for biologists working with vectors. We suggest that conspecificity can be concluded in these cases when data from four character sets-chromosomal, ecological, molecular, and morphological-express variation no greater between the allopatric populations than between corresponding sympatric populations. We use this approach to test the conspecificity of Simulium nodosum Puri on the mainland of Southeast Asia and Simulium shirakii Kono & Takahasi in Taiwan. The validity of these two putative species has long been disputed given that they are morphologically indistinguishable. The mitochondria-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 12S rRNA, and 16S rRNA genes and the nuclear-encoded 28S rRNA gene support the conspecific status of S. nodosum from Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam and S. shirakii from Taiwan; 0 to 0.19 % genetic differences between the two taxa suggest intraspecific polymorphism. The banding patterns of the polytene chromosomes of the insular Taiwanese population of S. shirakii and mainland populations of S. nodosum are congruent. The overlapping ranges of habitat characteristics and hosts of S. nodosum and S. shirakii corroborate the chromosomal, molecular, and morphological data. Four independent sources of evidence (chromosomes, DNA, ecology, and morphology) support the conspecificity of S. nodosum and S. shirakii. We, therefore, synonymize S. shirakii with S. nodosum. This study provides a guide for applying the procedure of testing conspecificity to other sets of allopatric vectors.

Raster images vectorization system

OpenAIRE

Genytė, Jurgita

2006-01-01

The problem of raster images vectorization was analyzed and researched in this work. Existing vectorization systems are quite expensive, the results are inaccurate, and the manual vectorization of a large number of drafts is impossible. That‘s why our goal was to design and develop a new raster images vectorization system using our suggested automatic vectorization algorithm and the way to record results in a new universal vectorial file format. The work consists of these main parts: analysis...

Vectorization of phase space Monte Carlo code in FACOM vector processor VP-200

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miura, Kenichi

1986-01-01

This paper describes the vectorization techniques for Monte Carlo codes in Fujitsu's Vector Processor System. The phase space Monte Carlo code FOWL is selected as a benchmark, and scalar and vector performances are compared. The vectorized kernel Monte Carlo routine which contains heavily nested IF tests runs up to 7.9 times faster in vector mode than in scalar mode. The overall performance improvement of the vectorized FOWL code over the original scalar code reaches 3.3. The results of this study strongly indicate that supercomputer can be a powerful tool for Monte Carlo simulations in high energy physics. (Auth.)

Trial watch: Naked and vectored DNA-based anticancer vaccines.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloy, Norma; Buqué, Aitziber; Aranda, Fernando; Castoldi, Francesca; Eggermont, Alexander; Cremer, Isabelle; Sautès-Fridman, Catherine; Fucikova, Jitka; Galon, Jérôme; Spisek, Radek; Tartour, Eric; Zitvogel, Laurence; Kroemer, Guido; Galluzzi, Lorenzo

2015-05-01

One type of anticancer vaccine relies on the administration of DNA constructs encoding one or multiple tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). The ultimate objective of these preparations, which can be naked or vectored by non-pathogenic viruses, bacteria or yeast cells, is to drive the synthesis of TAAs in the context of an immunostimulatory milieu, resulting in the (re-)elicitation of a tumor-targeting immune response. In spite of encouraging preclinical results, the clinical efficacy of DNA-based vaccines employed as standalone immunotherapeutic interventions in cancer patients appears to be limited. Thus, efforts are currently being devoted to the development of combinatorial regimens that allow DNA-based anticancer vaccines to elicit clinically relevant immune responses. Here, we discuss recent advances in the preclinical and clinical development of this therapeutic paradigm.

Efficient generation of rat induced pluripotent stem cells using a non-viral inducible vector.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Merkl

Full Text Available Current methods of generating rat induced pluripotent stem cells are based on viral transduction of pluripotency inducing genes (Oct4, Sox2, c-myc and Klf4 into somatic cells. These activate endogenous pluripotency genes and reprogram the identity of the cell to an undifferentiated state. Epigenetic silencing of exogenous genes has to occur to allow normal iPS cell differentiation. To gain more control over the expression of exogenous reprogramming factors, we used a novel doxycycline-inducible plasmid vector encoding Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc and Klf4. To ensure efficient and controlled generation of iPS cells by plasmid transfection we equipped the reprogramming vector with a bacteriophage φC31 attB site and used a φC31 integrase expression vector to enhance vector integration. A series of doxycycline-independent rat iPS cell lines were established. These were characterized by immunocytochemical detection of Oct4, SSEA1 and SSEA4, alkaline phosphatase staining, methylation analysis of the endogenous Oct4 promoter and RT-PCR analysis of endogenous rat pluripotency genes. We also determined the number of vector integrations and the extent to which reprogramming factor gene expression was controlled. Protocols were developed to generate embryoid bodies and rat iPS cells demonstrated as pluripotent by generating derivatives of all three embryonic germ layers in vitro, and teratoma formation in vivo. All data suggest that our rat iPS cells, generated by plasmid based reprogramming, are similar to rat ES cells. Methods of DNA transfection, protein transduction and feeder-free monolayer culture of rat iPS cells were established to enable future applications.

On the efficacy of malaria DNA vaccination with magnetic gene vectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Nawwab Al-Deen, Fatin; Ma, Charles; Xiang, Sue D; Selomulya, Cordelia; Plebanski, Magdalena; Coppel, Ross L

2013-05-28

We investigated the efficacy and types of immune responses from plasmid malaria DNA vaccine encoding VR1020-PyMSP119 condensed on the surface of polyethyleneimine (PEI)-coated SPIONs. In vivo mouse studies were done firstly to determine the optimum magnetic vector composition, and then to observe immune responses elicited when magnetic vectors were introduced via different administration routes. Higher serum antibody titers against PyMSP119 were observed with intraperitoneal and intramuscular injections than subcutaneous and intradermal injections. Robust IgG2a and IgG1 responses were observed for intraperitoneal administration, which could be due to the physiology of peritoneum as a major reservoir of macrophages and dendritic cells. Heterologous DNA prime followed by single protein boost vaccination regime also enhanced IgG2a, IgG1, and IgG2b responses, indicating the induction of appropriate memory immunity that can be elicited by protein on recall. These outcomes support the possibility to design superparamagnetic nanoparticle-based DNA vaccines to optimally evoke desired antibody responses, useful for a variety of diseases including malaria. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vector grammars and PN machines

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

蒋昌俊

1996-01-01

The concept of vector grammars under the string semantic is introduced.The dass of vector grammars is given,which is similar to the dass of Chomsky grammars.The regular vector grammar is divided further.The strong and weak relation between the vector grammar and scalar grammar is discussed,so the spectrum system graph of scalar and vector grammars is made.The equivalent relation between the regular vector grammar and Petri nets (also called PN machine) is pointed.The hybrid PN machine is introduced,and its language is proved equivalent to the language of the context-free vector grammar.So the perfect relation structure between vector grammars and PN machines is formed.

Vector velocimeter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2012-01-01

The present invention relates to a compact, reliable and low-cost vector velocimeter for example for determining velocities of particles suspended in a gas or fluid flow, or for determining velocity, displacement, rotation, or vibration of a solid surface, the vector velocimeter comprising a laser...

Cloning vector

Science.gov (United States)

Guilfoyle, Richard A.; Smith, Lloyd M.

1994-01-01

A vector comprising a filamentous phage sequence containing a first copy of filamentous phage gene X and other sequences necessary for the phage to propagate is disclosed. The vector also contains a second copy of filamentous phage gene X downstream from a promoter capable of promoting transcription in a bacterial host. In a preferred form of the present invention, the filamentous phage is M13 and the vector additionally includes a restriction endonuclease site located in such a manner as to substantially inactivate the second gene X when a DNA sequence is inserted into the restriction site.

Cloning vector

Science.gov (United States)

Guilfoyle, R.A.; Smith, L.M.

1994-12-27

A vector comprising a filamentous phage sequence containing a first copy of filamentous phage gene X and other sequences necessary for the phage to propagate is disclosed. The vector also contains a second copy of filamentous phage gene X downstream from a promoter capable of promoting transcription in a bacterial host. In a preferred form of the present invention, the filamentous phage is M13 and the vector additionally includes a restriction endonuclease site located in such a manner as to substantially inactivate the second gene X when a DNA sequence is inserted into the restriction site. 2 figures.

Multi-Probe Based Artificial DNA Encoding and Matching Classifier for Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Imagery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ke Wu

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In recent years, a novel matching classification strategy inspired by the artificial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA technology has been proposed for hyperspectral remote sensing imagery. Such a method can describe brightness and shape information of a spectrum by encoding the spectral curve into a DNA strand, providing a more comprehensive way for spectral similarity comparison. However, it suffers from two problems: data volume is amplified when all of the bands participate in the encoding procedure and full-band comparison degrades the importance of bands carrying key information. In this paper, a new multi-probe based artificial DNA encoding and matching (MADEM method is proposed. In this method, spectral signatures are first transformed into DNA code words with a spectral feature encoding operation. After that, multiple probes for interesting classes are extracted to represent the specific fragments of DNA strands. During the course of spectral matching, the different probes are compared to obtain the similarity of different types of land covers. By computing the absolute vector distance (AVD between different probes of an unclassified spectrum and the typical DNA code words from the database, the class property of each pixel is set as the minimum distance class. The main benefit of this strategy is that the risk of redundant bands can be deeply reduced and critical spectral discrepancies can be enlarged. Two hyperspectral image datasets were tested. Comparing with the other classification methods, the overall accuracy can be improved from 1.22% to 10.09% and 1.19% to 15.87%, respectively. Furthermore, the kappa coefficient can be improved from 2.05% to 15.29% and 1.35% to 19.59%, respectively. This demonstrated that the proposed algorithm outperformed other traditional classification methods.

Cloning and Sequence Analysis of Vibrio halioticoli Genes Encoding Three Types of Polyguluronate Lyase.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugimura; Sawabe; Ezura

2000-01-01

The alginate lyase-coding genes of Vibrio halioticoli IAM 14596(T), which was isolated from the gut of the abalone Haliotis discus hannai, were cloned using plasmid vector pUC 18, and expressed in Escherichia coli. Three alginate lyase-positive clones, pVHB, pVHC, and pVHE, were obtained, and all clones expressed the enzyme activity specific for polyguluronate. Three genes, alyVG1, alyVG2, and alyVG3, encoding polyguluronate lyase were sequenced: alyVG1 from pVHB was composed of a 1056-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 352 amino acid residues; alyVG2 gene from pVHC was composed of a 993-bp ORF encoding 331 amino acid residues; and alyVG3 gene from pVHE was composed of a 705-bp ORF encoding 235 amino acid residues. Comparison of nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences among AlyVG1, AlyVG2, and AlyVG3 revealed low homologies. The identity value between AlyVG1 and AlyVG2 was 18.7%, and that between AlyVG2 and AlyVG3 was 17.0%. A higher identity value (26.0%) was observed between AlyVG1 and AlyVG3. Sequence comparison among known polyguluronate lyases including AlyVG1, AlyVG2, and AlyVG3 also did not reveal an identical region in these sequences. However, AlyVG1 showed the highest identity value (36.2%) and the highest similarity (73.3%) to AlyA from Klebsiella pneumoniae. A consensus region comprising nine amino acid (YFKAGXYXQ) in the carboxy-terminal region previously reported by Mallisard and colleagues was observed only in AlyVG1 and AlyVG2.

Vector 33: A reduce program for vector algebra and calculus in orthogonal curvilinear coordinates

Science.gov (United States)

Harper, David

1989-06-01

This paper describes a package with enables REDUCE 3.3 to perform algebra and calculus operations upon vectors. Basic algebraic operations between vectors and between scalars and vectors are provided, including scalar (dot) product and vector (cross) product. The vector differential operators curl, divergence, gradient and Laplacian are also defined, and are valid in any orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system. The package is written in RLISP to allow algebra and calculus to be performed using notation identical to that for operations. Scalars and vectors can be mixed quite freely in the same expression. The package will be of interest to mathematicians, engineers and scientists who need to perform vector calculations in orthogonal curvilinear coordinates.

RNAi screening of subtracted transcriptomes reveals tumor suppression by taurine-activated GABAA receptors involved in volume regulation

Science.gov (United States)

van Nierop, Pim; Vormer, Tinke L.; Foijer, Floris; Verheij, Joanne; Lodder, Johannes C.; Andersen, Jesper B.; Mansvelder, Huibert D.; te Riele, Hein

2018-01-01

To identify coding and non-coding suppressor genes of anchorage-independent proliferation by efficient loss-of-function screening, we have developed a method for enzymatic production of low complexity shRNA libraries from subtracted transcriptomes. We produced and screened two LEGO (Low-complexity by Enrichment for Genes shut Off) shRNA libraries that were enriched for shRNA vectors targeting coding and non-coding polyadenylated transcripts that were reduced in transformed Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts (MEFs). The LEGO shRNA libraries included ~25 shRNA vectors per transcript which limited off-target artifacts. Our method identified 79 coding and non-coding suppressor transcripts. We found that taurine-responsive GABAA receptor subunits, including GABRA5 and GABRB3, were induced during the arrest of non-transformed anchor-deprived MEFs and prevented anchorless proliferation. We show that taurine activates chloride currents through GABAA receptors on MEFs, causing seclusion of cell volume in large membrane protrusions. Volume seclusion from cells by taurine correlated with reduced proliferation and, conversely, suppression of this pathway allowed anchorage-independent proliferation. In human cholangiocarcinomas, we found that several proteins involved in taurine signaling via GABAA receptors were repressed. Low GABRA5 expression typified hyperproliferative tumors, and loss of taurine signaling correlated with reduced patient survival, suggesting this tumor suppressive mechanism operates in vivo. PMID:29787571

Probing deformed orbitals with vector A( vector e, e' N)B reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garrido, E.; Caballero, J.A.; Moya de Guerra, E.; Sarriguren, P.; Udias, J.M.

1995-01-01

We present results for response functions and asymmetries in the nuclear reactions 37 vector Ar( vector e, e' n) 36 Ar and 37 vector K( vector e,e' p) 36 Ar at quasifree kinematics. We compare PWIA results obtained using deformed HF wave functions with PWIA and DWIA results obtained assuming a spherical mean field. We show that the complex structure of the deformed orbitals can be probed by coincidence measurements with polarized beam and targets. ((orig.))

A new generation of pPRIG-based retroviral vectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boulukos Kim E

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Retroviral vectors are valuable tools for gene transfer. Particularly convenient are IRES-containing retroviral vectors expressing both the protein of interest and a marker protein from a single bicistronic mRNA. This coupled expression increases the relevance of tracking and/or selection of transduced cells based on the detection of a marker protein. pAP2 is a retroviral vector containing eGFP downstream of a modified IRES element of EMCV origin, and a CMV enhancer-promoter instead of the U3 region of the 5'LTR, which increases its efficiency in transient transfection. However, pAP2 contains a limited multicloning site (MCS and shows weak eGFP expression, which previously led us to engineer an improved version, termed pPRIG, harboring: i the wild-type ECMV IRES sequence, thereby restoring its full activity; ii an optimized MCS flanked by T7 and SP6 sequences; and iii a HA tag encoding sequence 5' of the MCS (pPRIG HAa/b/c. Results The convenience of pPRIG makes it a good basic vector to generate additional derivatives for an extended range of use. Here we present several novel pPRIG-based vectors (collectively referred to as PRIGs in which : i the HA tag sequence was inserted in the three reading frames 3' of the MCS (3'HA PRIGs; ii a functional domain (ER, VP16 or KRAB was inserted either 5' or 3' of the MCS (« modular » PRIGs; iii eGFP was replaced by either eCFP, eYFP, mCherry or puro-R (« single color/resistance » PRIGs; and iv mCherry, eYFP or eGFP was inserted 5' of the MCS of the IRES-eGFP, IRES-eCFP or IRES-Puro-R containing PRIGs, respectively (« dual color/selection » PRIGs. Additionally, some of these PRIGs were also constructed in a pMigR MSCV background which has been widely used in pluripotent cells. Conclusion These novel vectors allow for straightforward detection of any expressed protein (3'HA PRIGs, for functional studies of chimeric proteins (« modular » PRIGs, for multiple transductions and

A model for visual memory encoding.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodolphe Nenert

Full Text Available Memory encoding engages multiple concurrent and sequential processes. While the individual processes involved in successful encoding have been examined in many studies, a sequence of events and the importance of modules associated with memory encoding has not been established. For this reason, we sought to perform a comprehensive examination of the network for memory encoding using data driven methods and to determine the directionality of the information flow in order to build a viable model of visual memory encoding. Forty healthy controls ages 19-59 performed a visual scene encoding task. FMRI data were preprocessed using SPM8 and then processed using independent component analysis (ICA with the reliability of the identified components confirmed using ICASSO as implemented in GIFT. The directionality of the information flow was examined using Granger causality analyses (GCA. All participants performed the fMRI task well above the chance level (>90% correct on both active and control conditions and the post-fMRI testing recall revealed correct memory encoding at 86.33 ± 5.83%. ICA identified involvement of components of five different networks in the process of memory encoding, and the GCA allowed for the directionality of the information flow to be assessed, from visual cortex via ventral stream to the attention network and then to the default mode network (DMN. Two additional networks involved in this process were the cerebellar and the auditory-insular network. This study provides evidence that successful visual memory encoding is dependent on multiple modules that are part of other networks that are only indirectly related to the main process. This model may help to identify the node(s of the network that are affected by a specific disease processes and explain the presence of memory encoding difficulties in patients in whom focal or global network dysfunction exists.

A model for visual memory encoding.

Science.gov (United States)

Nenert, Rodolphe; Allendorfer, Jane B; Szaflarski, Jerzy P

2014-01-01

Memory encoding engages multiple concurrent and sequential processes. While the individual processes involved in successful encoding have been examined in many studies, a sequence of events and the importance of modules associated with memory encoding has not been established. For this reason, we sought to perform a comprehensive examination of the network for memory encoding using data driven methods and to determine the directionality of the information flow in order to build a viable model of visual memory encoding. Forty healthy controls ages 19-59 performed a visual scene encoding task. FMRI data were preprocessed using SPM8 and then processed using independent component analysis (ICA) with the reliability of the identified components confirmed using ICASSO as implemented in GIFT. The directionality of the information flow was examined using Granger causality analyses (GCA). All participants performed the fMRI task well above the chance level (>90% correct on both active and control conditions) and the post-fMRI testing recall revealed correct memory encoding at 86.33 ± 5.83%. ICA identified involvement of components of five different networks in the process of memory encoding, and the GCA allowed for the directionality of the information flow to be assessed, from visual cortex via ventral stream to the attention network and then to the default mode network (DMN). Two additional networks involved in this process were the cerebellar and the auditory-insular network. This study provides evidence that successful visual memory encoding is dependent on multiple modules that are part of other networks that are only indirectly related to the main process. This model may help to identify the node(s) of the network that are affected by a specific disease processes and explain the presence of memory encoding difficulties in patients in whom focal or global network dysfunction exists.

O leigo e o suporte básico de vida El lego y el soporte básico de vida Laypeople and basic life support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aline Maino Pergola

2009-06-01

Full Text Available A capacitação do leigo para o atendimento precoce em situações de emergência e instituição do suporte básico de vida (SBV é fundamental para salvar vidas e prevenir seqüelas. O objetivo foi identificar o conhecimento dos leigos sobre SBV. Utililizou-se entrevista estruturada em linguagem não-técnica. A amostra compreendeu 385 sujeitos, a maioria (57,1% do sexo feminino com ensino médio completo e superior incompleto (53,7%. Verificou-se apenas 9,9% conhecem a manobra de respiração boca-a-boca; 84,2% conhecem a técnica de compressão torácica externa (CTE, e destes, 79,9% sabem sua finalidade. Apenas 14,5% sabem posicionar a vítima para realizar a CTE; 82,4% referem uma freqüência menor que 60 CTE/minuto. Por não apresentarem adequada informação e fundamentação das etapas do SBV, os leigos podem prestar atendimento incorreto à vítima de emergência, acarretando prejuízos à reanimação.La capacitación del lego para la atención precoz en situaciones de emergencia e aplicación del soporte básico de vida (SBV es fundamental para salvar vidas y prevenir secuelas. El objetivo fue identificar el conocimiento de los legos sobre SBV. Se utililizó la entrevista estructurada en un lenguague no técnico. La muestra comprendió 385 sujetos, la mayoría (57,1% del sexo femenino con enseñanza media completa y superior incompleta (53,7%; Los que conocen la maniobra de respiración boca a boca son apenas 9,9%; 84,2% conocen la técnica de compresión toráxica externa (CTE y de estos, 79,9% saben su finalidad. Apenas 14,5% saben posicionar a la víctima para realizar la CTE, 82,4% refieren una frecuencia menor que 60 CTE/minuto. Por no presentar adecuada información y fundamentos de las etapas del SBV, los legos pueden prestar una atención incorrecta a la víctima de emergencia, ocasionando perjuicios en la reanimación.Training laypeople to give first aid in emergency situations and offer basic life support (BLS is crucial

Multi-perspective views of students’ difficulties with one-dimensional vector and two-dimensional vector

Science.gov (United States)

Fauzi, Ahmad; Ratna Kawuri, Kunthi; Pratiwi, Retno

2017-01-01

Researchers of students’ conceptual change usually collects data from written tests and interviews. Moreover, reports of conceptual change often simply refer to changes in concepts, such as on a test, without any identification of the learning processes that have taken place. Research has shown that students have difficulties with vectors in university introductory physics courses and high school physics courses. In this study, we intended to explore students’ understanding of one-dimensional and two-dimensional vector in multi perspective views. In this research, we explore students’ understanding through test perspective and interviews perspective. Our research study adopted the mixed-methodology design. The participants of this research were sixty students of third semester of physics education department. The data of this research were collected by testand interviews. In this study, we divided the students’ understanding of one-dimensional vector and two-dimensional vector in two categories, namely vector skills of the addition of one-dimensionaland two-dimensional vector and the relation between vector skills and conceptual understanding. From the investigation, only 44% of students provided correct answer for vector skills of the addition of one-dimensional and two-dimensional vector and only 27% students provided correct answer for the relation between vector skills and conceptual understanding.

Custodial vector model

Science.gov (United States)

Becciolini, Diego; Franzosi, Diogo Buarque; Foadi, Roshan; Frandsen, Mads T.; Hapola, Tuomas; Sannino, Francesco

2015-07-01

We analyze the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) phenomenology of heavy vector resonances with a S U (2 )L×S U (2 )R spectral global symmetry. This symmetry partially protects the electroweak S parameter from large contributions of the vector resonances. The resulting custodial vector model spectrum and interactions with the standard model fields lead to distinct signatures at the LHC in the diboson, dilepton, and associated Higgs channels.

Vector Differential Calculus

OpenAIRE

HITZER, Eckhard MS

2002-01-01

This paper treats the fundamentals of the vector differential calculus part of universal geometric calculus. Geometric calculus simplifies and unifies the structure and notation of mathematics for all of science and engineering, and for technological applications. In order to make the treatment self-contained, I first compile all important geometric algebra relationships,which are necesssary for vector differential calculus. Then differentiation by vectors is introduced and a host of major ve...

Vectorization, parallelization and porting of nuclear codes. Vectorization and parallelization. Progress report fiscal 1999

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adachi, Masaaki; Ogasawara, Shinobu; Kume, Etsuo [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Ishizuki, Shigeru; Nemoto, Toshiyuki; Kawasaki, Nobuo; Kawai, Wataru [Fujitsu Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Yatake, Yo-ichi [Hitachi Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

2001-02-01

Several computer codes in the nuclear field have been vectorized, parallelized and trans-ported on the FUJITSU VPP500 system, the AP3000 system, the SX-4 system and the Paragon system at Center for Promotion of Computational Science and Engineering in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. We dealt with 18 codes in fiscal 1999. These results are reported in 3 parts, i.e., the vectorization and the parallelization part on vector processors, the parallelization part on scalar processors and the porting part. In this report, we describe the vectorization and parallelization on vector processors. In this vectorization and parallelization on vector processors part, the vectorization of Relativistic Molecular Orbital Calculation code RSCAT, a microscopic transport code for high energy nuclear collisions code JAM, three-dimensional non-steady thermal-fluid analysis code STREAM, Relativistic Density Functional Theory code RDFT and High Speed Three-Dimensional Nodal Diffusion code MOSRA-Light on the VPP500 system and the SX-4 system are described. (author)

Encoding of coordination complexes with XML.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinoth, P; Sankar, P

2017-09-01

An in-silico system to encode structure, bonding and properties of coordination complexes is developed. The encoding is achieved through a semantic XML markup frame. Composition of the coordination complexes is captured in terms of central atom and ligands. Structural information of central atom is detailed in terms of electron status of valence electron orbitals. The ligands are encoded with specific reference to the electron environment of ligand centre atoms. Behaviour of ligands to form low or high spin complexes is accomplished by assigning a Ligand Centre Value to every ligand based on the electronic environment of ligand centre atom. Chemical ontologies are used for categorization purpose and to control different hybridization schemes. Complexes formed by the central atoms of transition metal, non-transition elements belonging to s-block, p-block and f-block are encoded with a generic encoding platform. Complexes of homoleptic, heteroleptic and bridged types are also covered by this encoding system. Utility of the encoded system to predict redox electron transfer reaction in the coordination complexes is demonstrated with a simple application. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elliptic-symmetry vector optical fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Yue; Li, Yongnan; Li, Si-Min; Ren, Zhi-Cheng; Kong, Ling-Jun; Tu, Chenghou; Wang, Hui-Tian

2014-08-11

We present in principle and demonstrate experimentally a new kind of vector fields: elliptic-symmetry vector optical fields. This is a significant development in vector fields, as this breaks the cylindrical symmetry and enriches the family of vector fields. Due to the presence of an additional degrees of freedom, which is the interval between the foci in the elliptic coordinate system, the elliptic-symmetry vector fields are more flexible than the cylindrical vector fields for controlling the spatial structure of polarization and for engineering the focusing fields. The elliptic-symmetry vector fields can find many specific applications from optical trapping to optical machining and so on.

Chikungunya Virus–Vector Interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lark L. Coffey

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Chikungunya virus (CHIKV is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that causes chikungunya fever, a severe, debilitating disease that often produces chronic arthralgia. Since 2004, CHIKV has emerged in Africa, Indian Ocean islands, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, causing millions of human infections. Central to understanding CHIKV emergence is knowledge of the natural ecology of transmission and vector infection dynamics. This review presents current understanding of CHIKV infection dynamics in mosquito vectors and its relationship to human disease emergence. The following topics are reviewed: CHIKV infection and vector life history traits including transmission cycles, genetic origins, distribution, emergence and spread, dispersal, vector competence, vector immunity and microbial interactions, and co-infection by CHIKV and other arboviruses. The genetics of vector susceptibility and host range changes, population heterogeneity and selection for the fittest viral genomes, dual host cycling and its impact on CHIKV adaptation, viral bottlenecks and intrahost diversity, and adaptive constraints on CHIKV evolution are also discussed. The potential for CHIKV re-emergence and expansion into new areas and prospects for prevention via vector control are also briefly reviewed.

APLIKASI JARINGAN KOMUNIKASI ROBOT MULTIHOP TERDISTRIBUSI PADA LINGKUNGAN STATIS TERBATAS: IMPLEMENTASI, SIMULASI DAN ANALISIS PADA KASUS ROBOT LEGO MINDSTORM NXT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wisnu Jatmiko

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Paper ini akan membahas tahap awal (prototipe pengembangan jaringan komunikasi-robot multihop terdistribusi, yaitu suatu aplikasi yang diharapkan dapat dimanfaatkan pada lingkungan yang minim infrastruktur dan fasilitas komunikasi. Pada bagian awal paper disebutkan kondisi yang dapat menerapkan aplikasi jaringan komunikasi multihop ini, yaitu pada daerah bencana alam yang mengalami kerusakan sarana komunikasi, pada daerah terpencil karena faktor alam yang sulit untuk diadakan fasilitas komunikasi, ataupun daerah berbahaya untuk didatangi manusia ataupun kawasan konflik dan peperangan. Salah satu karakteristik yang diharapkan dari aplikasi ini adalah proses penyebaran informasi secara cepat dan mudah, bahkan walaupun tidak tersedia infrastruktur memadai sebelumnya. Selain itu, sistem ini bersifat terdistribusi sehingga diharapkan dapat memberikan beberapa keuntungan, baik saat diimplementasikan maupun kinerja di lapangan nantinya. Paper ini kemudian membahas pengembangan algoritma penyelesaian masalah, yang dilanjutkan dengan verifikasi dan analisis pada level simulasi perangkat lunak. Selanjutkan, algoritma ini diterapkan pada level simulasi perangkat keras dengan menggunakan modul robot Lego Mindstorm NXT. Untuk penyederhanaan masalah, pada tahap ini lingkungan yang digunakan masih bersifat statis dan terbatas sebagai salah satu asumsi.

Extended vector-tensor theories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kimura, Rampei; Naruko, Atsushi; Yoshida, Daisuke, E-mail: rampei@th.phys.titech.ac.jp, E-mail: naruko@th.phys.titech.ac.jp, E-mail: yoshida@th.phys.titech.ac.jp [Department of Physics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551 (Japan)

2017-01-01

Recently, several extensions of massive vector theory in curved space-time have been proposed in many literatures. In this paper, we consider the most general vector-tensor theories that contain up to two derivatives with respect to metric and vector field. By imposing a degeneracy condition of the Lagrangian in the context of ADM decomposition of space-time to eliminate an unwanted mode, we construct a new class of massive vector theories where five degrees of freedom can propagate, corresponding to three for massive vector modes and two for massless tensor modes. We find that the generalized Proca and the beyond generalized Proca theories up to the quartic Lagrangian, which should be included in this formulation, are degenerate theories even in curved space-time. Finally, introducing new metric and vector field transformations, we investigate the properties of thus obtained theories under such transformations.

Hyperbolic-symmetry vector fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Xu-Zhen; Pan, Yue; Cai, Meng-Qiang; Li, Yongnan; Tu, Chenghou; Wang, Hui-Tian

2015-12-14

We present and construct a new kind of orthogonal coordinate system, hyperbolic coordinate system. We present and design a new kind of local linearly polarized vector fields, which is defined as the hyperbolic-symmetry vector fields because the points with the same polarization form a series of hyperbolae. We experimentally demonstrate the generation of such a kind of hyperbolic-symmetry vector optical fields. In particular, we also study the modified hyperbolic-symmetry vector optical fields with the twofold and fourfold symmetric states of polarization when introducing the mirror symmetry. The tight focusing behaviors of these vector fields are also investigated. In addition, we also fabricate micro-structures on the K9 glass surfaces by several tightly focused (modified) hyperbolic-symmetry vector fields patterns, which demonstrate that the simulated tightly focused fields are in good agreement with the fabricated micro-structures.

Supergravity inspired vector curvaton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dimopoulos, Konstantinos

2007-01-01

It is investigated whether a massive Abelian vector field, whose gauge kinetic function is growing during inflation, can be responsible for the generation of the curvature perturbation in the Universe. Particle production is studied and it is shown that the vector field can obtain a scale-invariant superhorizon spectrum of perturbations with a reasonable choice of kinetic function. After inflation the vector field begins coherent oscillations, during which it corresponds to pressureless isotropic matter. When the vector field dominates the Universe, its perturbations give rise to the observed curvature perturbation following the curvaton scenario. It is found that this is possible if, after the end of inflation, the mass of the vector field increases at a phase transition at temperature of order 1 TeV or lower. Inhomogeneous reheating, whereby the vector field modulates the decay rate of the inflaton, is also studied

Optimal higher-order encoder time-stamping

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Merry, R.J.E.; Molengraft, van de M.J.G.; Steinbuch, M.

2013-01-01

Optical incremental encoders are used to measure the position of motion control systems. The accuracy of the position measurement is determined and bounded by the number of slits on the encoder. The position measurement is affected by quantization errors and encoder imperfections. In this paper, an

Constraining vectors and axial-vectors in walking technicolour by a holographic principle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

D. Dietrich, Dennis; Kouvaris, Christoforos

2008-01-01

We use a holographic principle to study the low-energy spectrum of walking technicolour models. In particular, we predict the masses of the axial vectors as well as the decay constants of vectors and axial vectors as functions of the mass of the techni-rho. Given that there are very few...

Adenovirus-Vectored Vaccine as a Rapid-Response Tool Against Avian Influenza Pandemic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Kampen, K. R.; Tang, D. C.

2007-01-01

Influenza viruses in nature undergo genetic mutation and reassortment. Three pandemics of avian influenza in man were recorded in the twentieth century. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses currently in circulation pose a threat for another world-wide pandemic, if they become transmissible from man to man. Manufacturing protective vaccines using current egg-based technology is often difficult due to the virulence of the virus and its adverse effects on the embryonating egg substrate. New technologies allow the creation of safe and protective pandemic influenza vaccines without the need for egg based substrates. These technologies allow new vaccines to be created in less than one month. Manufacturing is in tissue culture, not eggs. Vaccine can be administered to man non-invasively, without adjuvants, eliciting a rapid and protective immune response. Protective immunity against avian influenza (AI) virus was elicited in chickens by single-dose in ovo vaccination with a replication-competent adenovirus (RCA)-free human adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5)-derived vector encoding an H5N9 avian influenza virus hemagglutinin. Vaccinated chickens were protected against both H5N1 and H5N2 HPAI virus challenges. Mass-administration of this bird flu vaccine can be streamlined with available robotic in ovo injectors. Vaccination using this vaccine could protect the the largest host reservoir (chickens) and greatly reduce the exposure of man to avian influenza. In addition, Ad5-vectored vaccines can be produced rapidly and the safety margin of a non-replicating vector is superior to that of a replicating counterpart. Furthermore, this mode of vaccination is compatible with epidemiological surveys of natural AI virus infections. In addition to mass immunization of poultry, both animals and humans have been effectively immunized by intranasal administration of Ad5-vectored influenza vaccines without any appreciable side effects, even in mice and human volunteers with

Recommendation on vectors and vector-transmitted diseases

OpenAIRE

Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority

2009-01-01

In view of their increasing risk of introduction and their possible implications in causing major disease outbreaks, vectors, as well as vector-transmitted diseases like dengue, West Nile disease, Lyme disease and bluetongue need to be recognised as a threat to public and animal health and to the economy, also in the Netherlands. There has been an increase in the incidence of these diseases in the past two to three decades. Climate changes and changes in the use of land, water managemen...

Gauge anomaly with vector and axial-vector fields in 6D curved space

Science.gov (United States)

Yajima, Satoshi; Eguchi, Kohei; Fukuda, Makoto; Oka, Tomonori

2018-03-01

Imposing the conservation equation of the vector current for a fermion of spin 1/2 at the quantum level, a gauge anomaly for the fermion coupling with non-Abelian vector and axial-vector fields in 6D curved space is expressed in tensorial form. The anomaly consists of terms that resemble the chiral U(1) anomaly and the commutator terms that disappear if the axial-vector field is Abelian.

Vector manifestation and violation of vector dominance in hot matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harada, Masayasu; Sasaki, Chihiro

2004-01-01

We show the details of the calculation of the hadronic thermal corrections to the two-point functions in the effective field theory of QCD for pions and vector mesons based on the hidden local symmetry (HLS) in hot matter using the background field gauge. We study the temperature dependence of the pion velocity in the low-temperature region determined from the hadronic thermal corrections, and show that, due to the presence of the dynamical vector meson, the pion velocity is smaller than the speed of the light already at one-loop level, in contrast to the result obtained in the ordinary chiral perturbation theory including only the pion at one-loop. Including the intrinsic temperature dependences of the parameters of the HLS Lagrangian determined from the underlying QCD through the Wilsonian matching, we show how the vector manifestation (VM), in which the massless vector meson becomes the chiral partner of pion, is realized at the critical temperature. We present a new prediction of the VM on the direct photon-π-π coupling which measures the validity of the vector dominance (VD) of the electromagnetic form factor of the pion: we find that the VD is largely violated at the critical temperature, which indicates that the assumption of the VD made in several analyses on the dilepton spectra in hot matter may need to be weakened for consistently including the effect of the dropping mass of the vector meson

Emotional arousal and memory after deep encoding.

Science.gov (United States)

Leventon, Jacqueline S; Camacho, Gabriela L; Ramos Rojas, Maria D; Ruedas, Angelica

2018-05-22

Emotion often enhances long-term memory. One mechanism for this enhancement is heightened arousal during encoding. However, reducing arousal, via emotion regulation (ER) instructions, has not been associated with reduced memory. In fact, the opposite pattern has been observed: stronger memory for emotional stimuli encoded with an ER instruction to reduce arousal. This pattern may be due to deeper encoding required by ER instructions. In the current research, we examine the effects of emotional arousal and deep-encoding on memory across three studies. In Study 1, adult participants completed a writing task (deep-encoding) for encoding negative, neutral, and positive picture stimuli, whereby half the emotion stimuli had the ER instruction to reduce the emotion. Memory was strong across conditions, and no memory enhancement was observed for any condition. In Study 2, adult participants completed the same writing task as Study 1, as well as a shallow-encoding task for one-third of negative, neutral, and positive trials. Memory was strongest for deep vs. shallow encoding trials, with no effects of emotion or ER instruction. In Study 3, adult participants completed a shallow-encoding task for negative, neutral, and positive stimuli, with findings indicating enhanced memory for negative emotional stimuli. Findings suggest that deep encoding must be acknowledged as a source of memory enhancement when examining manipulations of emotion-related arousal. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Heavy Scalar, Vector, and Axial-Vector Mesons in Hot and Dense Nuclear Medium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arvind Kumar

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this work we shall investigate the mass modifications of scalar mesons (D0; B0, vector mesons (D*; B*, and axial-vector mesons (D1; B1 at finite density and temperature of the nuclear medium. The above mesons are modified in the nuclear medium through the modification of quark and gluon condensates. We will find the medium modification of quark and gluon condensates within chiral SU(3 model through the medium modification of scalar-isoscalar fields σ and ζ at finite density and temperature. These medium modified quark and gluon condensates will further be used through QCD sum rules for the evaluation of in-medium properties of the above mentioned scalar, vector, and axial vector mesons. We will also discuss the effects of density and temperature of the nuclear medium on the scattering lengths of the above scalar, vector, and axial-vector mesons. The study of the medium modifications of the above mesons may be helpful for understanding their production rates in heavy-ion collision experiments. The results of present investigations of medium modifications of scalar, vector, and axial-vector mesons at finite density and temperature can be verified in the compressed baryonic matter (CBM experiment of FAIR facility at GSI, Germany.

Vector Fields on Product Manifolds

OpenAIRE

Kurz, Stefan

2011-01-01

This short report establishes some basic properties of smooth vector fields on product manifolds. The main results are: (i) On a product manifold there always exists a direct sum decomposition into horizontal and vertical vector fields. (ii) Horizontal and vertical vector fields are naturally isomorphic to smooth families of vector fields defined on the factors. Vector fields are regarded as derivations of the algebra of smooth functions.

A novel bicistronic sensor vector for detecting caspase-3 activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vagner, Tatyana; Mouravlev, Alexandre; Young, Deborah

2015-01-01

Apoptosis is involved in pathological cell death of a wide range of human diseases. One of the most important biochemical markers of apoptosis is activation of caspase-3. Ability to detect caspase-3 activation early in the pathological process is important for determining the timing for interfering with apoptosis initiation and prevention of cell damage. Techniques allowing detection of caspase-3 activity at a single cell level show increased sensitivity, compared to biochemical assays; therefore, we developed a novel bicistronic caspase-3 sensor vector enabling detection of caspase-3 activity in individual cells. We employed green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter for caspase-3 activation in our constructs and assessed the functionality of the generated constructs in transiently transfected Neuro2A and HEK293 cells under basal conditions and following application of okadaic acid (OA) or staurosporine (STS) to induce apoptosis. To ensure responsiveness of the new sensor vector to active caspase-3, we co-transfected the sensor with plasmid(s) overexpressing active caspase-3 and quantified GFP fluorescence using a plate reader. We observed an increase in GFP expression in cells transfected with the new bicistronic caspase-3 sensor in response to both OA and STS. We also showed a significant increase in GFP fluorescence intensity in cells co-expressing the sensor with the plasmid(s) encoding active caspase-3. We generated a novel bicistronic caspase-3 sensor vector which relies on a transcription factor/response element system. The obtained sensor combines high sensitivity of the single cell level detection with the possibility of automated quantification. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Light scattering of rectangular slot antennas: parallel magnetic vector vs perpendicular electric vector

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Dukhyung; Kim, Dai-Sik

2016-01-01

We study light scattering off rectangular slot nano antennas on a metal film varying incident polarization and incident angle, to examine which field vector of light is more important: electric vector perpendicular to, versus magnetic vector parallel to the long axis of the rectangle. While vector Babinet’s principle would prefer magnetic field along the long axis for optimizing slot antenna function, convention and intuition most often refer to the electric field perpendicular to it. Here, we demonstrate experimentally that in accordance with vector Babinet’s principle, the incident magnetic vector parallel to the long axis is the dominant component, with the perpendicular incident electric field making a small contribution of the factor of 1/|ε|, the reciprocal of the absolute value of the dielectric constant of the metal, owing to the non-perfectness of metals at optical frequencies.

Generalization of concurrence vectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Changshui; Song Heshan

2004-01-01

In this Letter, based on the generalization of concurrence vectors for bipartite pure state with respect to employing tensor product of generators of the corresponding rotation groups, we generalize concurrence vectors to the case of mixed states; a new criterion of separability of multipartite pure states is given out, for which we define a concurrence vector; we generalize the vector to the case of multipartite mixed state and give out a good measure of free entanglement

Vector Network Coding Algorithms

OpenAIRE

Ebrahimi, Javad; Fragouli, Christina

2010-01-01

We develop new algebraic algorithms for scalar and vector network coding. In vector network coding, the source multicasts information by transmitting vectors of length L, while intermediate nodes process and combine their incoming packets by multiplying them with L x L coding matrices that play a similar role as coding c in scalar coding. Our algorithms for scalar network jointly optimize the employed field size while selecting the coding coefficients. Similarly, for vector coding, our algori...

Peripheral non-viral MIDGE vector-driven delivery of β-endorphin in inflammatory pain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Busch Melanie

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Leukocytes infiltrating inflamed tissue produce and release opioid peptides such as β-endorphin, which activate opioid receptors on peripheral terminals of sensory nerves resulting in analgesia. Gene therapy is an attractive strategy to enhance continuous production of endogenous opioids. However, classical viral and plasmid vectors for gene delivery are hampered by immunogenicity, recombination, oncogene activation, anti-bacterial antibody production or changes in physiological gene expression. Non-viral, non-plasmid minimalistic, immunologically defined gene expression (MIDGE vectors may overcome these problems as they carry only elements needed for gene transfer. Here, we investigated the effects of a nuclear localization sequence (NLS-coupled MIDGE encoding the β-endorphin precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC on complete Freund's adjuvant-induced inflammatory pain in rats. Results POMC-MIDGE-NLS injected into inflamed paws appeared to be taken up by leukocytes resulting in higher concentrations of β-endorphin in these cells. POMC-MIDGE-NLS treatment reversed enhanced mechanical sensitivity compared with control MIDGE-NLS. However, both effects were moderate, not always statistically significant or directly correlated with each other. Also, the anti-hyperalgesic actions could not be increased by enhancing β-endorphin secretion or by modifying POMC-MIDGE-NLS to code for multiple copies of β-endorphin. Conclusion Although MIDGE vectors circumvent side-effects associated with classical viral and plasmid vectors, the current POMC-MIDGE-NLS did not result in reliable analgesic effectiveness in our pain model. This was possibly associated with insufficient and variable efficacy in transfection and/or β-endorphin production. Our data point at the importance of the reproducibility of gene therapy strategies for the control of chronic pain.

Complex Polynomial Vector Fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dias, Kealey

vector fields. Since the class of complex polynomial vector fields in the plane is natural to consider, it is remarkable that its study has only begun very recently. There are numerous fundamental questions that are still open, both in the general classification of these vector fields, the decomposition...... of parameter spaces into structurally stable domains, and a description of the bifurcations. For this reason, the talk will focus on these questions for complex polynomial vector fields.......The two branches of dynamical systems, continuous and discrete, correspond to the study of differential equations (vector fields) and iteration of mappings respectively. In holomorphic dynamics, the systems studied are restricted to those described by holomorphic (complex analytic) functions...

The reference frame for encoding and retention of motion depends on stimulus set size.

Science.gov (United States)

Huynh, Duong; Tripathy, Srimant P; Bedell, Harold E; Öğmen, Haluk

2017-04-01

The goal of this study was to investigate the reference frames used in perceptual encoding and storage of visual motion information. In our experiments, observers viewed multiple moving objects and reported the direction of motion of a randomly selected item. Using a vector-decomposition technique, we computed performance during smooth pursuit with respect to a spatiotopic (nonretinotopic) and to a retinotopic component and compared them with performance during fixation, which served as the baseline. For the stimulus encoding stage, which precedes memory, we found that the reference frame depends on the stimulus set size. For a single moving target, the spatiotopic reference frame had the most significant contribution with some additional contribution from the retinotopic reference frame. When the number of items increased (Set Sizes 3 to 7), the spatiotopic reference frame was able to account for the performance. Finally, when the number of items became larger than 7, the distinction between reference frames vanished. We interpret this finding as a switch to a more abstract nonmetric encoding of motion direction. We found that the retinotopic reference frame was not used in memory. Taken together with other studies, our results suggest that, whereas a retinotopic reference frame may be employed for controlling eye movements, perception and memory use primarily nonretinotopic reference frames. Furthermore, the use of nonretinotopic reference frames appears to be capacity limited. In the case of complex stimuli, the visual system may use perceptual grouping in order to simplify the complexity of stimuli or resort to a nonmetric abstract coding of motion information.

Recombinant vaccines against T. gondii: comparison between homologous and heterologous vaccination protocols using two viral vectors expressing SAG1.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendes, Érica Araújo; Fonseca, Flavio G; Casério, Bárbara M; Colina, Janaína P; Gazzinelli, Ricardo Tostes; Caetano, Braulia C

2013-01-01

The use of recombinant viral vectors expressing T. gondii antigens is a safe and efficient approach to induce immune response against the parasite and a valuable tool for vaccine development. We have previously protected mice from toxoplasmosis by immunizing the animals with an adenovirus expressing the protein SAG1 (AdSAG1) of T. gondii. We are now looking for ways to improve the vaccination strategy and enhance protection. One limitation of homologous vaccinations (sequential doses of the same vector) is induction of anti-vector immune response that blocks cell transduction, restricts transgene expression and, consequently, compromises the overall outcome of vaccination. One way to avert the effects of anti-vector response is to use different viruses in prime and boost (heterologous vaccination). Bearing this in mind, we generated a modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara encoding SAG1 (MVASAG1), to be tested as boost agent after prime with AdSAG1. Although minor differences were observed in the magnitude of the anti-SAG1 immune response induced by each vaccination protocol, the heterologous immunization with AdSAG1 followed by MVASAG1 resulted in improved capacity to control brain cyst formation in a model of chronic toxoplasmosis in C57BL/6 mice.

Recombinant vaccines against T. gondii: comparison between homologous and heterologous vaccination protocols using two viral vectors expressing SAG1.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Érica Araújo Mendes

Full Text Available The use of recombinant viral vectors expressing T. gondii antigens is a safe and efficient approach to induce immune response against the parasite and a valuable tool for vaccine development. We have previously protected mice from toxoplasmosis by immunizing the animals with an adenovirus expressing the protein SAG1 (AdSAG1 of T. gondii. We are now looking for ways to improve the vaccination strategy and enhance protection. One limitation of homologous vaccinations (sequential doses of the same vector is induction of anti-vector immune response that blocks cell transduction, restricts transgene expression and, consequently, compromises the overall outcome of vaccination. One way to avert the effects of anti-vector response is to use different viruses in prime and boost (heterologous vaccination. Bearing this in mind, we generated a modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara encoding SAG1 (MVASAG1, to be tested as boost agent after prime with AdSAG1. Although minor differences were observed in the magnitude of the anti-SAG1 immune response induced by each vaccination protocol, the heterologous immunization with AdSAG1 followed by MVASAG1 resulted in improved capacity to control brain cyst formation in a model of chronic toxoplasmosis in C57BL/6 mice.

Vectorization, parallelization and porting of nuclear codes (vectorization and parallelization). Progress report fiscal 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishizuki, Shigeru; Kawai, Wataru; Nemoto, Toshiyuki; Ogasawara, Shinobu; Kume, Etsuo; Adachi, Masaaki; Kawasaki, Nobuo; Yatake, Yo-ichi

2000-03-01

Several computer codes in the nuclear field have been vectorized, parallelized and transported on the FUJITSU VPP500 system, the AP3000 system and the Paragon system at Center for Promotion of Computational Science and Engineering in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. We dealt with 12 codes in fiscal 1998. These results are reported in 3 parts, i.e., the vectorization and parallelization on vector processors part, the parallelization on scalar processors part and the porting part. In this report, we describe the vectorization and parallelization on vector processors. In this vectorization and parallelization on vector processors part, the vectorization of General Tokamak Circuit Simulation Program code GTCSP, the vectorization and parallelization of Molecular Dynamics NTV (n-particle, Temperature and Velocity) Simulation code MSP2, Eddy Current Analysis code EDDYCAL, Thermal Analysis Code for Test of Passive Cooling System by HENDEL T2 code THANPACST2 and MHD Equilibrium code SELENEJ on the VPP500 are described. In the parallelization on scalar processors part, the parallelization of Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport code MCNP4B2, Plasma Hydrodynamics code using Cubic Interpolated Propagation Method PHCIP and Vectorized Monte Carlo code (continuous energy model / multi-group model) MVP/GMVP on the Paragon are described. In the porting part, the porting of Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport code MCNP4B2 and Reactor Safety Analysis code RELAP5 on the AP3000 are described. (author)

Nucleic acid sequences encoding D1 and D1/D2 domains of human coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR)

Science.gov (United States)

Freimuth, Paul I.

2010-04-06

The invention provides recombinant human CAR (coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor) polypeptides which bind adenovirus. Specifically, polypeptides corresponding to adenovirus binding domain D1 and the entire extracellular domain of human CAR protein comprising D1 and D2 are provided. In another aspect, the invention provides nucleic acid sequences encoding these domains and expression vectors for producing the domains and bacterial cells containing such vectors. The invention also includes an isolated fusion protein comprised of the D1 polypeptide fused to a polypeptide which facilitates folding of D1 when expressed in bacteria. The functional D1 domain finds application in a therapeutic method for treating a patient infected with a CAR D1-binding virus, and also in a method for identifying an antiviral compound which interferes with viral attachment. The invention also provides a method for specifically targeting a cell for infection by a virus which binds to D1.

Equivalent Vectors

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Robert

2004-01-01

The cross-product is a mathematical operation that is performed between two 3-dimensional vectors. The result is a vector that is orthogonal or perpendicular to both of them. Learning about this for the first time while taking Calculus-III, the class was taught that if AxB = AxC, it does not necessarily follow that B = C. This seemed baffling. The…

Speculative dynamic vectorization to assist static vectorization in a HW/SW co-designed environment

OpenAIRE

Kumar, R.; Martinez, A.; Gonzalez, A.

2013-01-01

Compiler based static vectorization is used widely to extract data level parallelism from computation intensive applications. Static vectorization is very effective in vectorizing traditional array based applications. However, compilers inability to reorder ambiguous memory references severely limits vectorization opportunities, especially in pointer rich applications. HW/SW co-designed processors provide an excellent opportunity to optimize the applications at runtime. The availability of dy...

Multidimensionally encoded magnetic resonance imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Fa-Hsuan

2013-07-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) typically achieves spatial encoding by measuring the projection of a q-dimensional object over q-dimensional spatial bases created by linear spatial encoding magnetic fields (SEMs). Recently, imaging strategies using nonlinear SEMs have demonstrated potential advantages for reconstructing images with higher spatiotemporal resolution and reducing peripheral nerve stimulation. In practice, nonlinear SEMs and linear SEMs can be used jointly to further improve the image reconstruction performance. Here, we propose the multidimensionally encoded (MDE) MRI to map a q-dimensional object onto a p-dimensional encoding space where p > q. MDE MRI is a theoretical framework linking imaging strategies using linear and nonlinear SEMs. Using a system of eight surface SEM coils with an eight-channel radiofrequency coil array, we demonstrate the five-dimensional MDE MRI for a two-dimensional object as a further generalization of PatLoc imaging and O-space imaging. We also present a method of optimizing spatial bases in MDE MRI. Results show that MDE MRI with a higher dimensional encoding space can reconstruct images more efficiently and with a smaller reconstruction error when the k-space sampling distribution and the number of samples are controlled. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Phenotypic correction of von Willebrand disease type 3 blood-derived endothelial cells with lentiviral vectors expressing von Willebrand factor

Science.gov (United States)

De Meyer, Simon F.; Vanhoorelbeke, Karen; Chuah, Marinee K.; Pareyn, Inge; Gillijns, Veerle; Hebbel, Robert P.; Collen, Désiré; Deckmyn, Hans; VandenDriessche, Thierry

2006-01-01

Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is an inherited bleeding disorder, caused by quantitative (type 1 and 3) or qualitative (type 2) defects in von Willebrand factor (VWF). Gene therapy is an appealing strategy for treatment of VWD because it is caused by a single gene defect and because VWF is secreted into the circulation, obviating the need for targeting specific organs or tissues. However, development of gene therapy for VWD has been hampered by the considerable length of the VWF cDNA (8.4 kb [kilobase]) and the inherent complexity of the VWF protein that requires extensive posttranslational processing. In this study, a gene-based approach for VWD was developed using lentiviral transduction of blood-outgrowth endothelial cells (BOECs) to express functional VWF. A lentiviral vector encoding complete human VWF was used to transduce BOECs isolated from type 3 VWD dogs resulting in high-transduction efficiencies (95.6% ± 2.2%). Transduced VWD BOECs efficiently expressed functional vector-encoded VWF (4.6 ± 0.4 U/24 hour per 106 cells), with normal binding to GPIbα and collagen and synthesis of a broad range of multimers resulting in phenotypic correction of these cells. These results indicate for the first time that gene therapy of type 3 VWD is feasible and that BOECs are attractive target cells for this purpose. PMID:16478886

Vectorization at the KENO-IV code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asai, K.; Higuchi, K.; Katakura, J.

1986-01-01

The multigroup criticality safety code KENO-IV has been vectorized and tested on the FACOM VP-100 vector processor. At first, the vectorized KENO-IV on a scalar processor was slower than the original one by a factor of 1.4 because of the overhead introduced by vectorization. Making modifications of algorithms and techniques for vectorization, the vectorized version has become faster than the original one by a factor of 1.4 on the vector processor. For further speedup of the code, some improvements on compiler and hardware, especially on addition of Monte Carlo pipelines to the vector processor, are discussed

Reciprocity relationships in vector acoustics and their application to vector field calculations.

Science.gov (United States)

Deal, Thomas J; Smith, Kevin B

2017-08-01

The reciprocity equation commonly stated in underwater acoustics relates pressure fields and monopole sources. It is often used to predict the pressure measured by a hydrophone for multiple source locations by placing a source at the hydrophone location and calculating the field everywhere for that source. A similar equation that governs the orthogonal components of the particle velocity field is needed to enable this computational method to be used for acoustic vector sensors. This paper derives a general reciprocity equation that accounts for both monopole and dipole sources. This vector-scalar reciprocity equation can be used to calculate individual components of the received vector field by altering the source type used in the propagation calculation. This enables a propagation model to calculate the received vector field components for an arbitrary number of source locations with a single model run for each vector field component instead of requiring one model run for each source location. Application of the vector-scalar reciprocity principle is demonstrated with analytic solutions for a range-independent environment and with numerical solutions for a range-dependent environment using a parabolic equation model.

Parallel encoders for pixel detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikityuk, N.M.

1991-01-01

A new method of fast encoding and determining the multiplicity and coordinates of fired pixels is described. A specific example construction of parallel encodes and MCC for n=49 and t=2 is given. 16 refs.; 6 figs.; 2 tabs

Vectors and their applications

CERN Document Server

Pettofrezzo, Anthony J

2005-01-01

Geared toward undergraduate students, this text illustrates the use of vectors as a mathematical tool in plane synthetic geometry, plane and spherical trigonometry, and analytic geometry of two- and three-dimensional space. Its rigorous development includes a complete treatment of the algebra of vectors in the first two chapters.Among the text's outstanding features are numbered definitions and theorems in the development of vector algebra, which appear in italics for easy reference. Most of the theorems include proofs, and coordinate position vectors receive an in-depth treatment. Key concept

Convexity and Marginal Vectors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Velzen, S.; Hamers, H.J.M.; Norde, H.W.

2002-01-01

In this paper we construct sets of marginal vectors of a TU game with the property that if the marginal vectors from these sets are core elements, then the game is convex.This approach leads to new upperbounds on the number of marginal vectors needed to characterize convexity.An other result is that

CÓMPUTO DE ALTO DESEMPEÑO PARA OPERACIONES VECTORIALES EN BLAS-1 // INCREASED COMPUTATIONAL PERFORMANCE FOR VECTOR OPERATIONS ON BLAS-1

OpenAIRE

José Antonio Muñoz Gómez; Abimael Jiménez Pérez; Gustavo Rodríguez Gómez

2014-01-01

The functions library, called Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms (BLAS-1), is considered the programming standard in scientific computing. In this work, we focus on the analysis of various code optimization techniques to increase the computational performance of BLAS-1. In particular, we address a combinational approach to explore possible methods of encoding using unroll technique with different levels of depth, vector data programming with MMX and SSE for Intel processors. Using the main func...

An Intensional Concurrent Faithful Encoding of Turing Machines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Given-Wilson

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The benchmark for computation is typically given as Turing computability; the ability for a computation to be performed by a Turing Machine. Many languages exploit (indirect encodings of Turing Machines to demonstrate their ability to support arbitrary computation. However, these encodings are usually by simulating the entire Turing Machine within the language, or by encoding a language that does an encoding or simulation itself. This second category is typical for process calculi that show an encoding of lambda-calculus (often with restrictions that in turn simulates a Turing Machine. Such approaches lead to indirect encodings of Turing Machines that are complex, unclear, and only weakly equivalent after computation. This paper presents an approach to encoding Turing Machines into intensional process calculi that is faithful, reduction preserving, and structurally equivalent. The encoding is demonstrated in a simple asymmetric concurrent pattern calculus before generalised to simplify infinite terms, and to show encodings into Concurrent Pattern Calculus and Psi Calculi.

Integrating Transgenic Vector Manipulation with Clinical Interventions to Manage Vector-Borne Diseases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenichi W Okamoto

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Many vector-borne diseases lack effective vaccines and medications, and the limitations of traditional vector control have inspired novel approaches based on using genetic engineering to manipulate vector populations and thereby reduce transmission. Yet both the short- and long-term epidemiological effects of these transgenic strategies are highly uncertain. If neither vaccines, medications, nor transgenic strategies can by themselves suffice for managing vector-borne diseases, integrating these approaches becomes key. Here we develop a framework to evaluate how clinical interventions (i.e., vaccination and medication can be integrated with transgenic vector manipulation strategies to prevent disease invasion and reduce disease incidence. We show that the ability of clinical interventions to accelerate disease suppression can depend on the nature of the transgenic manipulation deployed (e.g., whether vector population reduction or replacement is attempted. We find that making a specific, individual strategy highly effective may not be necessary for attaining public-health objectives, provided suitable combinations can be adopted. However, we show how combining only partially effective antimicrobial drugs or vaccination with transgenic vector manipulations that merely temporarily lower vector competence can amplify disease resurgence following transient suppression. Thus, transgenic vector manipulation that cannot be sustained can have adverse consequences-consequences which ineffective clinical interventions can at best only mitigate, and at worst temporarily exacerbate. This result, which arises from differences between the time scale on which the interventions affect disease dynamics and the time scale of host population dynamics, highlights the importance of accounting for the potential delay in the effects of deploying public health strategies on long-term disease incidence. We find that for systems at the disease-endemic equilibrium, even

Complex Polynomial Vector Fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

The two branches of dynamical systems, continuous and discrete, correspond to the study of differential equations (vector fields) and iteration of mappings respectively. In holomorphic dynamics, the systems studied are restricted to those described by holomorphic (complex analytic) functions...... or meromorphic (allowing poles as singularities) functions. There already exists a well-developed theory for iterative holomorphic dynamical systems, and successful relations found between iteration theory and flows of vector fields have been one of the main motivations for the recent interest in holomorphic...... vector fields. Since the class of complex polynomial vector fields in the plane is natural to consider, it is remarkable that its study has only begun very recently. There are numerous fundamental questions that are still open, both in the general classification of these vector fields, the decomposition...

Long-Term Efficacy Following Readministration of an Adeno-Associated Virus Vector in Dogs with Glycogen Storage Disease Type Ia

Science.gov (United States)

Demaster, Amanda; Luo, Xiaoyan; Curtis, Sarah; Williams, Kyha D.; Landau, Dustin J.; Drake, Elizabeth J.; Kozink, Daniel M.; Bird, Andrew; Crane, Bayley; Sun, Francis; Pinto, Carlos R.; Brown, Talmage T.; Kemper, Alex R.

2012-01-01

Abstract Glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) is the inherited deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), primarily found in liver and kidney, which causes life-threatening hypoglycemia. Dogs with GSD-Ia were treated with double-stranded adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors encoding human G6Pase. Administration of an AAV9 pseudotyped (AAV2/9) vector to seven consecutive GSD-Ia neonates prevented hypoglycemia during fasting for up to 8 hr; however, efficacy eventually waned between 2 and 30 months of age, and readministration of a new pseudotype was eventually required to maintain control of hypoglycemia. Three of these dogs succumbed to acute hypoglycemia between 7 and 9 weeks of age; however, this demise could have been prevented by earlier readministration an AAV vector, as demonstrated by successful prevention of mortality of three dogs treated earlier in life. Over the course of this study, six out of nine dogs survived after readministration of an AAV vector. Of these, each dog required readministration on average every 9 months. However, two were not retreated until >34 months of age, while one with preexisting antibodies was re-treated three times in 10 months. Glycogen content was normalized in the liver following vector administration, and G6Pase activity was increased in the liver of vector-treated dogs in comparison with GSD-Ia dogs that received only with dietary treatment. G6Pase activity reached approximately 40% of normal in two female dogs following AAV2/9 vector administration. Elevated aspartate transaminase in absence of inflammation indicated that hepatocellular turnover in the liver might drive the loss of vector genomes. Survival was prolonged for up to 60 months in dogs treated by readministration, and all dogs treated by readministration continue to thrive despite the demonstrated risk for recurrent hypoglycemia and mortality from waning efficacy of the AAV2/9 vector. These preclinical data support the further translation of AAV

Vector financial rogue waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Zhenya

2011-01-01

The coupled nonlinear volatility and option pricing model presented recently by Ivancevic is investigated, which generates a leverage effect, i.e., stock volatility is (negatively) correlated to stock returns, and can be regarded as a coupled nonlinear wave alternative of the Black–Scholes option pricing model. In this Letter, we analytically propose vector financial rogue waves of the coupled nonlinear volatility and option pricing model without an embedded w-learning. Moreover, we exhibit their dynamical behaviors for chosen different parameters. The vector financial rogue wave (rogon) solutions may be used to describe the possible physical mechanisms for the rogue wave phenomena and to further excite the possibility of relative researches and potential applications of vector rogue waves in the financial markets and other related fields. -- Highlights: ► We investigate the coupled nonlinear volatility and option pricing model. ► We analytically present vector financial rogue waves. ► The vector financial rogue waves may be used to describe the extreme events in financial markets. ► This results may excite the relative researches and potential applications of vector rogue waves.

Video Vectorization via Tetrahedral Remeshing.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chuan; Zhu, Jie; Guo, Yanwen; Wang, Wenping

2017-02-09

We present a video vectorization method that generates a video in vector representation from an input video in raster representation. A vector-based video representation offers the benefits of vector graphics, such as compactness and scalability. The vector video we generate is represented by a simplified tetrahedral control mesh over the spatial-temporal video volume, with color attributes defined at the mesh vertices. We present novel techniques for simplification and subdivision of a tetrahedral mesh to achieve high simplification ratio while preserving features and ensuring color fidelity. From an input raster video, our method is capable of generating a compact video in vector representation that allows a faithful reconstruction with low reconstruction errors.

Construction of expression vectors for metabolic engineering of the vanillin-producing actinomycete Amycolatopsis sp. ATCC 39116.

Science.gov (United States)

Fleige, Christian; Steinbüchel, Alexander

2014-01-01

Amycolatopsis sp. ATCC 39116 is able to synthesize the important flavoring agent vanillin from cheap natural substrates. The bacterium is therefore of great interest for the industry and used for the fermentative production of vanillin. In order to improve the production of natural vanillin with Amycolatopsis sp. ATCC 39116, the strain has been genetically engineered to optimize the metabolic flux towards the desired product. Extensive metabolic engineering was hitherto hampered, due to the lack of genetic tools like functional promoters and expression vectors. In this study, we report the establishment of a plasmid-based gene expression system for Amycolatopsis sp. ATCC 39116 that allows a further manipulation of the genotype. Four new Escherichia coli-Amycolatopsis shuttle vectors harboring different promoter elements were constructed, and the functionality of these regulatory elements was proven by the expression of the reporter gene gusA, encoding a β-glucuronidase. Glucuronidase activity was detected in all plasmid-harboring strains, and remarkable differences in the expression strength of the reporter gene depending on the used promoter were observed. The new expression vectors will promote the further genetic engineering of Amycolatopsis sp. ATCC 39116 to get insight into the metabolic network and to improve the strain for a more efficient industrial use.

Blind encoding into qudits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaari, J.S.; Wahiddin, M.R.B.; Mancini, S.

2008-01-01

We consider the problem of encoding classical information into unknown qudit states belonging to any basis, of a maximal set of mutually unbiased bases, by one party and then decoding by another party who has perfect knowledge of the basis. Working with qudits of prime dimensions, we point out a no-go theorem that forbids 'shift' operations on arbitrary unknown states. We then provide the necessary conditions for reliable encoding/decoding

Selection vector filter framework

Science.gov (United States)

Lukac, Rastislav; Plataniotis, Konstantinos N.; Smolka, Bogdan; Venetsanopoulos, Anastasios N.

2003-10-01

We provide a unified framework of nonlinear vector techniques outputting the lowest ranked vector. The proposed framework constitutes a generalized filter class for multichannel signal processing. A new class of nonlinear selection filters are based on the robust order-statistic theory and the minimization of the weighted distance function to other input samples. The proposed method can be designed to perform a variety of filtering operations including previously developed filtering techniques such as vector median, basic vector directional filter, directional distance filter, weighted vector median filters and weighted directional filters. A wide range of filtering operations is guaranteed by the filter structure with two independent weight vectors for angular and distance domains of the vector space. In order to adapt the filter parameters to varying signal and noise statistics, we provide also the generalized optimization algorithms taking the advantage of the weighted median filters and the relationship between standard median filter and vector median filter. Thus, we can deal with both statistical and deterministic aspects of the filter design process. It will be shown that the proposed method holds the required properties such as the capability of modelling the underlying system in the application at hand, the robustness with respect to errors in the model of underlying system, the availability of the training procedure and finally, the simplicity of filter representation, analysis, design and implementation. Simulation studies also indicate that the new filters are computationally attractive and have excellent performance in environments corrupted by bit errors and impulsive noise.

Generation and characterization of a novel candidate gene therapy and vaccination vector based on human species D adenovirus type 56.

Science.gov (United States)

Duffy, Margaret R; Alonso-Padilla, Julio; John, Lijo; Chandra, Naresh; Khan, Selina; Ballmann, Monika Z; Lipiec, Agnieszka; Heemskerk, Evert; Custers, Jerome; Arnberg, Niklas; Havenga, Menzo; Baker, Andrew H; Lemckert, Angelique

2018-01-01

The vectorization of rare human adenovirus (HAdV) types will widen our knowledge of this family and their interaction with cells, tissues and organs. In this study we focus on HAdV-56, a member of human Ad species D, and create ease-of-use cloning systems to generate recombinant HAdV-56 vectors carrying foreign genes. We present in vitro transduction profiles for HAdV-56 in direct comparison to the most commonly used HAdV-5-based vector. In vivo characterizations demonstrate that when it is delivered intravenously (i.v.) HAdV-56 mainly targets the spleen and, to a lesser extent, the lungs, whilst largely bypassing liver transduction in mice. HAdV-56 triggered robust inflammatory and cellular immune responses, with higher induction of IFNγ, TNFα, IL5, IL6, IP10, MCP1 and MIG1 compared to HAdV-5 following i.v. administration. We also investigated its potential as a vaccine vector candidate by performing prime immunizations in mice with HAdV-56 encoding luciferase (HAdV-56-Luc). Direct comparisons were made to HAdV-26, a highly potent human vaccine vector currently in phase II clinical trials. HAdV-56-Luc induced luciferase 'antigen'-specific IFNγ-producing cells and anti-HAdV-56 neutralizing antibodies in Balb/c mice, demonstrating a near identical profile to that of HAdV-26. Taken together, the data presented provides further insight into human Ad receptor/co-receptor usage, and the first report on HAdV-56 vectors and their potential for gene therapy and vaccine applications.

Encoder designed to work in harsh environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toop, L.

2007-05-15

Dynapar has developed the Acuro AX71 absolute encoder for use on offshore or land-based oil rig operations. It provides feedback on the operation of automated systems such as draw works, racking systems, rotary tables and top drives. By ensuring that automated systems function properly, this encoder responds to a need by the oil and gas industry to keep workers safe and improve efficiency, particularly for operations in rugged situations. The encoder provides feedback from motor systems to controllers, giving information about position and speed of downhole drill bits. This newly developed encoder is better than commonly used incremental encoders which are not precise in strong electrical noise environments. Rather, the absolute encoder uses a different method of reporting to the controller. A digital signal is transmitted constantly as the device operates. It is less susceptible to noise issues. It is highly accurate, tolerant of noise and is not affected by power outages. However, the absolute encoder is generally more delicate in drilling applications with high ambient temperatures and shock levels. Dynapar addressed this issue by developing compact stainless steel housing that is useful for corrosion resistance in marine applications. The AX71 absolute encoder can withstand up to 100 G of mechanical shock and ambient temperatures of up to 60 degrees C. The encoder is ATEX certified without barriers, and offers the high resolution feedback of 4,000 counts of multiturn rotation and 16,000 counts of position. 1 fig.

Symbolic computer vector analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Stoutemyer, D. R.

1977-01-01

A MACSYMA program is described which performs symbolic vector algebra and vector calculus. The program can combine and simplify symbolic expressions including dot products and cross products, together with the gradient, divergence, curl, and Laplacian operators. The distribution of these operators over sums or products is under user control, as are various other expansions, including expansion into components in any specific orthogonal coordinate system. There is also a capability for deriving the scalar or vector potential of a vector field. Examples include derivation of the partial differential equations describing fluid flow and magnetohydrodynamics, for 12 different classic orthogonal curvilinear coordinate systems.

A deep learning method for lincRNA detection using auto-encoder algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Ning; Yu, Zeng; Pan, Yi

2017-12-06

RNA sequencing technique (RNA-seq) enables scientists to develop novel data-driven methods for discovering more unidentified lincRNAs. Meantime, knowledge-based technologies are experiencing a potential revolution ignited by the new deep learning methods. By scanning the newly found data set from RNA-seq, scientists have found that: (1) the expression of lincRNAs appears to be regulated, that is, the relevance exists along the DNA sequences; (2) lincRNAs contain some conversed patterns/motifs tethered together by non-conserved regions. The two evidences give the reasoning for adopting knowledge-based deep learning methods in lincRNA detection. Similar to coding region transcription, non-coding regions are split at transcriptional sites. However, regulatory RNAs rather than message RNAs are generated. That is, the transcribed RNAs participate the biological process as regulatory units instead of generating proteins. Identifying these transcriptional regions from non-coding regions is the first step towards lincRNA recognition. The auto-encoder method achieves 100% and 92.4% prediction accuracy on transcription sites over the putative data sets. The experimental results also show the excellent performance of predictive deep neural network on the lincRNA data sets compared with support vector machine and traditional neural network. In addition, it is validated through the newly discovered lincRNA data set and one unreported transcription site is found by feeding the whole annotated sequences through the deep learning machine, which indicates that deep learning method has the extensive ability for lincRNA prediction. The transcriptional sequences of lincRNAs are collected from the annotated human DNA genome data. Subsequently, a two-layer deep neural network is developed for the lincRNA detection, which adopts the auto-encoder algorithm and utilizes different encoding schemes to obtain the best performance over intergenic DNA sequence data. Driven by those newly

Vector continued fractions using a generalized inverse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haydock, Roger; Nex, C M M; Wexler, Geoffrey

2004-01-01

A real vector space combined with an inverse (involution) for vectors is sufficient to define a vector continued fraction whose parameters consist of vector shifts and changes of scale. The choice of sign for different components of the vector inverse permits construction of vector analogues of the Jacobi continued fraction. These vector Jacobi fractions are related to vector and scalar-valued polynomial functions of the vectors, which satisfy recurrence relations similar to those of orthogonal polynomials. The vector Jacobi fraction has strong convergence properties which are demonstrated analytically, and illustrated numerically

The Cross Product of Two Vectors Is Not Just Another Vector--A Major Misconception Being Perpetuated in Calculus and Vector Analysis Textbooks.

Science.gov (United States)

Elk, Seymour B.

1997-01-01

Suggests that the cross product of two vectors can be more easily and accurately explained by starting from the perspective of dyadics because then the concept of vector multiplication has a simple geometrical picture that encompasses both the dot and cross products in any number of dimensions in terms of orthogonal unit vector components. (AIM)

Major vectors and vector-borne diseases in small ruminants in Ethiopia: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Asmare, Kassahun; Abayneh, Takele; Sibhat, Berhanu; Shiferaw, Dessie; Szonyi, Barbara; Krontveit, Randi I; Skjerve, Eystein; Wieland, Barbara

2017-06-01

Vector-borne diseases are among major health constraints of small ruminant in Ethiopia. While various studies on single vector-borne diseases or presence of vectors have been conducted, no summarized evidence is available on the occurrence of these diseases and the related vectors. This systematic literature review provides a comprehensive summary on major vectors and vector-borne diseases in small ruminants in Ethiopia. Search for published and unpublished literature was conducted between 8th of January and 25th of June 2015. The search was both manual and electronic. The databases used in electronic search were PubMed, Web of Science, CAB Direct and AJOL. For most of the vector-borne diseases, the summary was limited to narrative synthesis due to lack of sufficient data. Meta-analysis was computed for trypanosomosis and dermatophilosis while meta-regression and sensitivity analysis was done only for trypanososmosis due to lack of sufficient reports on dermatophilosis. Owing emphasis to their vector role, ticks and flies were summarized narratively at genera/species level. In line with inclusion criteria, out of 106 initially identified research reports 43 peer-reviewed articles passed the quality assessment. Data on 7 vector-borne diseases were extracted at species and region level from each source. Accordingly, the pooled prevalence estimate of trypanosomosis was 3.7% with 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.8, 4.9), while that of dermatophilosis was 3.1% (95% CI: 1.6, 6.0). The in-between study variance noted for trypanosomosis was statistically significant (pparasitic presence in blood was documented for babesiosis (3.7% in goats); and anaplasmosis (3.9% in sheep). Serological evidence was retrieved for bluetongue ranging from 34.1% to 46.67% in sheep, and coxiellosis was 10.4% in goats. There was also molecular evidence on the presence of theileriosis in sheep (93%, n=160) and goats (1.9%, n=265). Regarding vectors of veterinary importance, 14 species of ticks in

GPU Accelerated Vector Median Filter

Science.gov (United States)

Aras, Rifat; Shen, Yuzhong

2011-01-01

Noise reduction is an important step for most image processing tasks. For three channel color images, a widely used technique is vector median filter in which color values of pixels are treated as 3-component vectors. Vector median filters are computationally expensive; for a window size of n x n, each of the n(sup 2) vectors has to be compared with other n(sup 2) - 1 vectors in distances. General purpose computation on graphics processing units (GPUs) is the paradigm of utilizing high-performance many-core GPU architectures for computation tasks that are normally handled by CPUs. In this work. NVIDIA's Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) paradigm is used to accelerate vector median filtering. which has to the best of our knowledge never been done before. The performance of GPU accelerated vector median filter is compared to that of the CPU and MPI-based versions for different image and window sizes, Initial findings of the study showed 100x improvement of performance of vector median filter implementation on GPUs over CPU implementations and further speed-up is expected after more extensive optimizations of the GPU algorithm .

Lettuce infectious yellows virus-encoded P26 induces plasmalemma deposit cytopathology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, Lucy R.; Medina, Vicente; Sudarshana, Mysore R.; Falk, Bryce W.

2009-01-01

Lettuce infectious yellows virus (LIYV) encodes a 26 kDa protein (P26) previously shown to associate with plasmalemma deposits (PLDs), unique LIYV-induced cytopathologies located at the plasmalemma over plasmodesmata pit fields in companion cells and phloem parenchyma. To further characterize the relationship of P26 and PLDs, we assessed localization and cytopathology induction of P26 expressed from either LIYV or a heterologous Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) vector using green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions, immunofluorescence microscopy, biochemical fractionation, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM analyses demonstrated that P26 not only associated with, but induced formation of PLDs in the absence of other LIYV proteins. Interestingly, PLDs induced by P26-expressing TMV were no longer confined to phloem cells. Putative P26 orthologs from two other members of the genus Crinivirus which do not induce conspicuous PLDs exhibited fractionation properties similar to LIYV P26 but were not associated with any PLD-like cytopathology.

Cloning and Characterization of the Genes Encoding the Murine Homologues of the Human Melanoma Antigens MART1 and gp100

Science.gov (United States)

Zhai, Yifan; Yang, James C.; Spiess, Paul; Nishimura, Michael I.; Overwijk, Willem W.; Roberts, Bruce; Restifo, Nicholas P.; Rosenberg, Steven A.

2008-01-01

The recent identification of genes encoding melanoma-associated antigens has opened new possibilities for the development of cancer vaccines designed to cause the rejection of established tumors. To develop a syngeneic animal model for evaluating antigen-specific vaccines in cancer therapy, the murine homologues of the human melanoma antigens MART1 and gp 100, which were specifically recognized by tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes from patients with melanoma, were cloned and sequenced from a murine B16 melanoma cDNA library. The open reading frames of murine MART1 and gp 100 encode proteins of 113- and 626-amino acids with 68.8 and 77% identity to the respective human proteins. Comparison of the DNA sequences of the murine MART1 genes, derived from normal melanocytes, the immortalized nontumorgenic melanocyte line Melan-a and the B16 melanoma, showed all to be identical. Northern and Western blot analyses confirmed that both genes encoded products that were melanocyte lineage proteins. Mice immunized with murine MART1 or gp 100 using recombinant vaccinia virus failed to produce any detectable T-cell responses or protective immunity against B16 melanoma. In contrast, immunization of mice with human gp 100 using recombinant adenoviruses elicited T cells specific for hgp100, but these T cells also cross reacted with B16 tumor in vitro and induced significant but weak protection against B16 challenge. Immunization with human and mouse gp100 together [adenovirus type 2 (Ad2)-hep100 plus recombinant vaccinia virus (rVV)-mgp100], or immunization with human gp100 (Ad2-hgp100) and boosting with heterologous vector (rVV-hgp100 or rVV-mgp100) or homologous vector (Ad2-hgp100), did not significantly enhance the protective response against B16 melanoma. These results may suggest that immunization with heterologous tumor antigen, rather than self, may be more effective as an immunotherapeutic reagent in designing antigen-specific cancer vaccines. PMID:9101410

Effects of Climate and Climate Change on Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases: Ticks Are Different.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogden, Nick H; Lindsay, L Robbin

2016-08-01

There has been considerable debate as to whether global risk from vector-borne diseases will be impacted by climate change. This has focussed on important mosquito-borne diseases that are transmitted by the vectors from infected to uninfected humans. However, this debate has mostly ignored the biological diversity of vectors and vector-borne diseases. Here, we review how climate and climate change may impact those most divergent of arthropod disease vector groups: multivoltine insects and hard-bodied (ixodid) ticks. We contrast features of the life cycles and behaviour of these arthropods, and how weather, climate, and climate change may have very different impacts on the spatiotemporal occurrence and abundance of vectors, and the pathogens they transmit. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hierarchal scalar and vector tetrahedra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)