A derivation of the classical limit of quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ajanapon, P.

1985-01-01

Instead of regarding the classical limit as the h → 0, an alternative view based on the physical interpretation of the elements of the density matrix is proposed. According to this alternative view, taking the classical limit corresponds to taking the diagonal elements and ignoring the off-diagonal elements of the density matrix. As illustrations of this alternative approach, the classical limits of quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics are derived. The derivation is carried out in two stages. First, the statistical classical limit is derived. Then with an appropriate initial condition, the deterministic classical limit is obtained. In the case of quantum mechanics, it is found that the classical limit of Schroedinger's wave mechanics is at best statistical, i.e., Schroedinger's wave mechanics does not reduce to deterministic (Hamilton's or Newton's) classical mechanics. In order to obtain the latter, it is necessary to start out initially with a mixture at the level of statistical quantum mechanics. The derivation hinges on the use of the Feynman path integral rigorously defined with the aid of nonstandard analysis. Nonstandard analysis is also applied to extend the method to the case of quantum electrodynamics. The fundamental decoupling problem arising form the use of Grassmann variables is circumvented by the use of c-number electron fields, but antisymmetrically tagged. The basic classical (deterministic) field equations are obtained in the classical limit with appropriate initial conditions. The result raises the question as to what the corresponding classical field equations obtained in the classical limit from the renormalized Lagrangian containing infinite counterterms really mean

Mechanism of information resources knowledge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. M. Izmailov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Modern vector of development of the economy is quite different from previous periods, which in it turn is reflected in the strategic state documents generated including the Government of Russia. In particular, it should be noted that to date, the state defined the vector of development defined as an innovative and socially oriented. Given the level of technical and technological progress and its impact on the realities of the present time it is necessary to pay attention to enhance the relevance and significance of information in the development of modern society. The article analyzes the degree of influence of information and knowledge in modern economic processes taking place in society. The analysis is based on the study of scientific works of modern scientists specializing in the study of information problems and knowledge economy. The main trends in the development of the information society status related primarily to the expansion of data, as well as strengthening the role of progressive information technologies to reduce the role of the geographical factor of resistance in sharing knowledge. The authors defined the essence of information knowledge environment, as well as the marked characteristics form the spectrum of features inherent to the modern information environment. The analysis of the concept of «information knowledge resource» (IKR, which is a synthesis of three terms: information, knowledge, resources, and refined his interpretation. IKR designated role in shaping the knowledge economy. Presents specific features which have knowledge information and resources, among which stands out: intangibility, immeasurable, non-exclusive use. The paper presents a model of the PSI, based on the transformation of information into knowledge under the influence of certain factors that could affect the quality of the resulting knowledge. Also in the proposed IKR management mechanism as a central element of organizational change

The Engineering Mechanism in Formation of Informational Basis of Analysis of Financial Sustainability of Enterprise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chumak Oksana V.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article is aimed at substantiating the mechanism and instruments of financial and accountancy engineering with purpose of formation of information support of analysis of financial sustainability in the enterprise management system. The essence and preconditions of introduction of financial and accountancy engineering are disclosed. Expediency of application of the financial engineering mechanism at enterprise while analyzing financial sustainability has been substantiated. An analysis of methods of formation and use of derivative balance reports was carried out. Models of the conception of mechanisms and instruments of financial and accountancy engineering in analyzing the financial sustainability of enterprise have been suggested. A mega-accounts system in the working plan of the enterprise’s accounts has been recommended. Seven iterations have been provided, which constitute the basis of accounting-analytical support of the accountancy engineering. The information obtained on the basis of the financial and accountancy engineering mechanism allows to carry out real assessment of the enterprise’s financial sustainability.

Alternative derivations of the statistical mechanical distribution laws.

Science.gov (United States)

Wall, F T

1971-08-01

A new approach is presented for the derivation of statistical mechanical distribution laws. The derivations are accomplished by minimizing the Helmholtz free energy under constant temperature and volume, instead of maximizing the entropy under constant energy and volume. An alternative method involves stipulating equality of chemical potential, or equality of activity, for particles in different energy levels. This approach leads to a general statement of distribution laws applicable to all systems for which thermodynamic probabilities can be written. The methods also avoid use of the calculus of variations, Lagrangian multipliers, and Stirling's approximation for the factorial. The results are applied specifically to Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac, and Bose-Einstein statistics. The special significance of chemical potential and activity is discussed for microscopic systems.

Physics-based and human-derived information fusion for analysts

Science.gov (United States)

Blasch, Erik; Nagy, James; Scott, Steve; Okoth, Joshua; Hinman, Michael

2017-05-01

Recent trends in physics-based and human-derived information fusion (PHIF) have amplified the capabilities of analysts; however with the big data opportunities there is a need for open architecture designs, methods of distributed team collaboration, and visualizations. In this paper, we explore recent trends in the information fusion to support user interaction and machine analytics. Challenging scenarios requiring PHIF include combing physics-based video data with human-derived text data for enhanced simultaneous tracking and identification. A driving effort would be to provide analysts with applications, tools, and interfaces that afford effective and affordable solutions for timely decision making. Fusion at scale should be developed to allow analysts to access data, call analytics routines, enter solutions, update models, and store results for distributed decision making.

The radio-sensitizing effects and mechanisms of artemisinin and its derivates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jing, Zeng; Jianping, Cao; Saijun, Fan [School of Radiation Medicine and Public Health, Suzhou Univ., Suzhou (China)

2008-10-15

It has been proved that the antimalarial agent, Artemisinin and its derivates (such as artemether, arteether, artesunate, dihydroartemisinine, etc) boast powerful antitumor effects. Recently, researches have found that Artemisinin and its derivates can also enhance the radio-sensitivity of tumors through regulating cell cycle, creating cytotoxic effects induced by ROS, suppressing GSH activity and inhibiting the reparation of DNA damage etc. Moreover, they can reduce cell survival in a dose-dependent manner. This paper is paying more attention on the radio-sensitizing effects, characteristics and mechanisms of artemisinin and its derivates. (authors)

The radio-sensitizing effects and mechanisms of artemisinin and its derivates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng Jing; Cao Jianping; Fan Saijun

2008-01-01

It has been proved that the antimalarial agent, Artemisinin and its derivates (such as artemether, arteether, artesunate, dihydroartemisinine, etc) boast powerful antitumor effects. Recently, researches have found that Artemisinin and its derivates can also enhance the radio-sensitivity of tumors through regulating cell cycle, creating cytotoxic effects induced by ROS, suppressing GSH activity and inhibiting the reparation of DNA damage etc. Moreover, they can reduce cell survival in a dose-dependent manner. This paper is paying more attention on the radio-sensitizing effects, characteristics and mechanisms of artemisinin and its derivates. (authors)

75 FR 78185 - Information Management Requirements for Derivatives Clearing Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-15

... Principles J, K, L and M. This is based on the Commission's view that rigorous information management... COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION 17 CFR Parts 1, 21, and 39 RIN 3038-AC98 Information Management Requirements for Derivatives Clearing Organizations AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading Commission...

Deriving harmonised forest information in Europe using remote sensing methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seebach, Lucia Maria

the need for harmonised forest information can be satisfied using remote sensing methods. In conclusion, the study showed that it is possible to derive harmonised forest information of high spatial detail in Europe with remote sensing. The study also highlighted the imperative provision of accuracy...

Identification of the key pathway of oxazolinoanthracyclines mechanism of action in cells derived from human solid tumors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denel-Bobrowska, Marta, E-mail: mdenel@biol.uni.lodz.pl [Department of Medical Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236 Lodz (Poland); Łukawska, Małgorzata [Department of Modified Antibiotics, Institute of Biotechnology and Antibiotics, 5 Staroscinska St., 02-516 Warsaw (Poland); Rogalska, Aneta [Department of Medical Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236 Lodz (Poland); Forma, Ewa; Bryś, Magdalena [Department of Cytobiochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236 Lodz (Poland); Oszczapowicz, Irena [Department of Modified Antibiotics, Institute of Biotechnology and Antibiotics, 5 Staroscinska St., 02-516 Warsaw (Poland); Marczak, Agnieszka [Department of Medical Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236 Lodz (Poland)

2016-12-15

Oxazolinodoxorubicin (O-DOX) and oxazolinodaunorubicin (O-DAU) are novel anthracycline derivatives with a modified daunosamine moiety. In the present study, we evaluated the cytotoxicities, genotoxicities and abilities of O-DOX and O-DAU to induce apoptosis in cancer cell lines (SKOV-3; A549; HepG2), and compared the results with their parent drugs. We assessed antiproliferative activity by MTT assay. We evaluated apoptosis-inducing ability by double-staining with fluorescent probes (Hoechst 33258/propidium iodide), and by determining expression levels of genes involved in programmed cell death by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Genotoxicities of the compounds were tested by comet assays. Oxazolinoanthracyclines demonstrated high anti-tumor activity. O-DOX had significantly higher cytotoxicity, apoptosis-inducing ability, and genotoxicity compared with parental doxorubicin (DOX) in all tested conditions, while O-DAU activity differed among cell lines. The mechanism of oxazoline analog action appeared to involve the mitochondrial pathway of programmed cell death. These results provide further information about oxazoline derivatives of commonly used anthracycline chemotherapy agents. O-DOX and O-DAU have the ability to induce apoptosis in tumor cells. - Highlights: • Substituted amino group increased the anticancer activity of anthracyclines. • Mitochondrial apoptotic pathway seems to be involved in the mechanism of action. • Favorable biological properties of oxazoline derivatives were confirmed.

Maximum mass-particle velocities in Kantor's information mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sverdlik, D.I.

1989-01-01

Kantor's information mechanics links phenomena previously regarded as not treatable by a single theory. It is used here to calculate the maximum velocities υ m of single particles. For the electron, υ m /c ∼ 1 - 1.253814 x 10 -77 . The maximum υ m corresponds to υ m /c ∼ 1 -1.097864 x 10 -122 for a single mass particle with a rest mass of 3.078496 x 10 -5 g. This is the fastest that matter can move. Either information mechanics or classical mechanics can be used to show that υ m is less for heavier particles. That υ m is less for lighter particles can be deduced from an information mechanics argument alone

Governance Mechanisms in Information Technology Outsourcing

Science.gov (United States)

Ravindran, Kiron

2010-01-01

While the dominance of Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) as a sourcing strategy would seem to indicate successful and well-informed practice, frequent examples of unraveled engagements highlight the associated risks. Successful instances of outsourcing suggest that governance mechanisms effectively manage the related risks. This…

PDX-MI: Minimal Information for Patient-Derived Tumor Xenograft Models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meehan, Terrence F.; Conte, Nathalie; Goldstein, Theodore; Inghirami, Giorgio; Murakami, Mark A.; Brabetz, Sebastian; Gu, Zhiping; Wiser, Jeffrey A.; Dunn, Patrick; Begley, Dale A.; Krupke, Debra M.; Bertotti, Andrea; Bruna, Alejandra; Brush, Matthew H.; Byrne, Annette T.; Caldas, Carlos; Christie, Amanda L.; Clark, Dominic A.; Dowst, Heidi; Dry, Jonathan R.; Doroshow, James H.; Duchamp, Olivier; Evrard, Yvonne A.; Ferretti, Stephane; Frese, Kristopher K.; Goodwin, Neal C.; Greenawalt, Danielle; Haendel, Melissa A.; Hermans, Els; Houghton, Peter J.; Jonkers, Jos; Kemper, Kristel; Khor, Tin O.; Lewis, Michael T.; Lloyd, K. C. Kent; Mason, Jeremy; Medico, Enzo; Neuhauser, Steven B.; Olson, James M.; Peeper, Daniel S.; Rueda, Oscar M.; Seong, Je Kyung; Trusolino, Livio; Vinolo, Emilie; Wechsler-Reya, Robert J.; Weinstock, David M.; Welm, Alana; Weroha, S. John; Amant, Frédéric; Pfister, Stefan M.; Kool, Marcel; Parkinson, Helen; Butte, Atul J.; Bult, Carol J.

2017-01-01

Patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) mouse models have emerged as an important oncology research platform to study tumor evolution, mechanisms of drug response and resistance, and tailoring chemotherapeutic approaches for individual patients. The lack of robust standards for reporting on PDX models

Relational quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rovelli, C.

1996-01-01

I suggest that the common unease with taking quantum mechanics as a fundamental description of nature (the open-quotes measurement problemclose quotes) could derive from the use of an incorrect notion, as the unease with the Lorentz transformations before Einstein derived from the notion of observer-independent time. I suggest that this incorrect notion that generates the unease with quantum mechanics is the notion of open-quotes observer-independent stateclose quotes of a system, or open-quotes observer-independent values of physical quantities.close quotes I reformulate the problem of the open-quotes interpretation of quantum mechanicsclose quotes as the problem of deriving the formalism from a set of simple physical postulates. I consider a reformulation of quantum mechanics in terms of information theory. All systems are assumed to be equivalent, there is no observer-observed distinction, and the theory describes only the information that systems have about each other; nevertheless, the theory is complete

Development of Derivatives Reporting

OpenAIRE

Pejčochová, Kristina

2012-01-01

This thesis aims to summarise the theoretical principles, concepts and considerations pertaining to accounting for and reporting of derivatives and to describe and analyse the development of major accounting standards dealing with related issues. Sections 1 and 2 provide a basic overview of derivative instruments'categorisation, mechanics, valuation and uses. Section 3 studies the principles that ensure the provision of useful financial information, with specific focus on financial instrument...

Derived virtual devices: a secure distributed file system mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

VanMeter, Rodney; Hotz, Steve; Finn, Gregory

1996-01-01

This paper presents the design of derived virtual devices (DVDs). DVDs are the mechanism used by the Netstation Project to provide secure shared access to network-attached peripherals distributed in an untrusted network environment. DVDs improve Input/Output efficiency by allowing user processes to perform I/O operations directly from devices without intermediate transfer through the controlling operating system kernel. The security enforced at the device through the DVD mechanism includes resource boundary checking, user authentication, and restricted operations, e.g., read-only access. To illustrate the application of DVDs, we present the interactions between a network-attached disk and a file system designed to exploit the DVD abstraction. We further discuss third-party transfer as a mechanism intended to provide for efficient data transfer in a typical NAP environment. We show how DVDs facilitate third-party transfer, and provide the security required in a more open network environment.

Structure–mechanics property relationship of waste derived biochars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, Oisik, E-mail: odas566@aucklanduni.ac.nz [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142 (New Zealand); Sarmah, Ajit K., E-mail: a.sarmah@auckland.ac.nz [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142 (New Zealand); Bhattacharyya, Debes, E-mail: d.bhattacharyya@auckland.ac.nz [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Center for Advanced Composite Materials, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142 (New Zealand)

2015-12-15

The widespread applications of biochar in agriculture and environmental remediation made the scientific community ignore its mechanical properties. Hence, to examine the scope of biochar's structural applications, its mechanical properties have been investigated in this paper through nanoindentation technique. Seven waste derived biochars, made under different pyrolysis conditions and from diverse feedstocks, were studied via nanoindentation, infrared spectroscopy, X–ray crystallography, thermogravimetry, and electron microscopy. Following this, an attempt was made to correlate the biochars' hardness/modulus with reaction conditions and their chemical properties. The pine wood biochar made at 900 °C and 60 min residence time was found to have the highest hardness and elastic modulus of 4.29 and 25.01 GPa, respectively. It was shown that a combination of higher heat treatment (≥ 500 °C) temperature and longer residence time (~ 60 min) increases the values of hardness and modulus. It was further realized that pyrolysis temperature was a more dominant factor than residence time in determining the final mechanical properties of biochar particles. The degree of aromaticity and crystallinity of the biochar were also correlated with higher values of hardness and modulus. - Highlights: • Characterization was done on waste based biochars which included nanoindentation. • Pine saw dust biochar made at 900 °C for 60 min had highest hardness/modulus. • Combination of temperature/residence time affect biochar's mechanical propertie.s • Aromaticity and crystallinity positively affected biochar's mechanical properties.

Structure–mechanics property relationship of waste derived biochars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, Oisik; Sarmah, Ajit K.; Bhattacharyya, Debes

2015-01-01

The widespread applications of biochar in agriculture and environmental remediation made the scientific community ignore its mechanical properties. Hence, to examine the scope of biochar's structural applications, its mechanical properties have been investigated in this paper through nanoindentation technique. Seven waste derived biochars, made under different pyrolysis conditions and from diverse feedstocks, were studied via nanoindentation, infrared spectroscopy, X–ray crystallography, thermogravimetry, and electron microscopy. Following this, an attempt was made to correlate the biochars' hardness/modulus with reaction conditions and their chemical properties. The pine wood biochar made at 900 °C and 60 min residence time was found to have the highest hardness and elastic modulus of 4.29 and 25.01 GPa, respectively. It was shown that a combination of higher heat treatment (≥ 500 °C) temperature and longer residence time (~ 60 min) increases the values of hardness and modulus. It was further realized that pyrolysis temperature was a more dominant factor than residence time in determining the final mechanical properties of biochar particles. The degree of aromaticity and crystallinity of the biochar were also correlated with higher values of hardness and modulus. - Highlights: • Characterization was done on waste based biochars which included nanoindentation. • Pine saw dust biochar made at 900 °C for 60 min had highest hardness/modulus. • Combination of temperature/residence time affect biochar's mechanical propertie.s • Aromaticity and crystallinity positively affected biochar's mechanical properties.

A Direct Derivation of the Equations of Motion for 3D-Flexible Mechanical Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Niels Leergaard; Pedersen, Mads Leergaard

1998-01-01

equations for flexible mechanical systems are derived using the principle of virtual work, which introduces inertia in a straightforward manner, because this principle treats inertia as a force. The flexible formulation is exemplified by the use of circular beam elements and some basic matrices are derived...

That's why, sort of ....; Classical Mechanics derived from Self-evident Axioms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sonneveld, P.

2015-01-01

Classical point-mechanics is derived from three principles —called axioms— that are based on observations of simple kinematical phenomena. Predefined concepts of ‘force’ and ‘mass’ are not required. The concept ’mass’ and corresponding concepts of momentum and energy follow from the first and second

Reduction of Asymmetric Information through Corporate Governance Mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Claus; Schøler, Finn

Research Question/Issue: Is the reduction of asymmetric information through Corporate Governance mechanisms more important for some listed companies than for others? The purpose of this study is to examine how differences in "ownership dispersion" and "international orientation" affect the partic......Research Question/Issue: Is the reduction of asymmetric information through Corporate Governance mechanisms more important for some listed companies than for others? The purpose of this study is to examine how differences in "ownership dispersion" and "international orientation" affect...... the particular use of the Corporate Governance mechanisms "transparency" and "board independence" in listed companies. Research Findings/Insights: Our findings are based on a Danish dataset which includes 100 listed companies. We find that transparency is a more important Corporate Governance mechanism...

Tumor-Derived G-CSF Facilitates Neoplastic Growth through a Granulocytic Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell-Dependent Mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Waight, Jeremy D.; Hu, Qiang; Miller, Austin; Liu, Song; Abrams, Scott I.

2011-01-01

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are induced under diverse pathologic conditions, including neoplasia, and suppress innate and adaptive immunity. While the mechanisms by which MDSC mediate immunosuppression are well-characterized, details on how they develop remain less understood. This is complicated further by the fact that MDSC comprise multiple myeloid cell types, namely monocytes and granulocytes, reflecting diverse stages of differentiation and the proportion of these subpopulations vary among different neoplastic models. Thus, it is thought that the type and quantities of inflammatory mediators generated during neoplasia dictate the composition of the resultant MDSC response. Although much interest has been devoted to monocytic MDSC biology, a fundamental gap remains in our understanding of the derivation of granulocytic MDSC. In settings of heightened granulocytic MDSC responses, we hypothesized that inappropriate production of G-CSF is a key initiator of granulocytic MDSC accumulation. We observed abundant amounts of G-CSF in vivo, which correlated with robust granulocytic MDSC responses in multiple tumor models. Using G-CSF loss- and gain-of-function approaches, we demonstrated for the first time that: 1) abrogating G-CSF production significantly diminished granulocytic MDSC accumulation and tumor growth; 2) ectopically over-expressing G-CSF in G-CSF-negative tumors significantly augmented granulocytic MDSC accumulation and tumor growth; and 3) treatment of naïve healthy mice with recombinant G-CSF protein elicited granulocytic-like MDSC remarkably similar to those induced under tumor-bearing conditions. Collectively, we demonstrated that tumor-derived G-CSF enhances tumor growth through granulocytic MDSC-dependent mechanisms. These findings provide us with novel insights into MDSC subset development and potentially new biomarkers or targets for cancer therapy. PMID:22110722

17 CFR 37.8 - Information relating to transactions on derivatives transaction execution facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Information relating to transactions on derivatives transaction execution facilities. 37.8 Section 37.8 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION DERIVATIVES TRANSACTION EXECUTION FACILITIES § 37.8...

Lung-Derived Mediators Induce Cytokine Production in Downstream Organs via an NF-κB-Dependent Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. K. Patterson

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In the setting of acute lung injury, levels of circulating inflammatory mediators have been correlated with adverse outcomes. Previous studies have demonstrated that injured, mechanically ventilated lungs represent the origin of the host inflammatory response; however, mechanisms which perpetuate systemic inflammation remain uncharacterized. We hypothesized that lung-derived mediators generated by mechanical ventilation (MV are amplified by peripheral organs in a “feed forward” mechanism of systemic inflammation. Herein, lung-derived mediators were collected from 129X1/SVJ mice after 2 hours of MV while connected to the isolated perfused mouse lung model setup. Exposure of liver endothelial cells to lung-derived mediators resulted in a significant increase in G-CSF, IL-6, CXCL-1, CXCL-2, and MCP-1 production compared to noncirculated control perfusate media (P<0.05. Furthermore, inhibition of the NF-κB pathway significantly mitigated this response. Changes in gene transcription were confirmed using qPCR for IL-6, CXCL-1, and CXCL-2. Additionally, liver tissue obtained from mice subjected to 2 hours of in vivo MV demonstrated significant increases in hepatic gene transcription of IL-6, CXCL-1, and CXCL-2 compared to nonventilated controls. Collectively, this data demonstrates that lung-derived mediators, generated in the setting of MV, are amplified by downstream organs in a feed forward mechanism of systemic inflammation.

A novel mechanism of bacterial toxin transfer within host blood cell-derived microvesicles.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne-lie Ståhl

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Shiga toxin (Stx is the main virulence factor of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, which are non-invasive strains that can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS, associated with renal failure and death. Although bacteremia does not occur, bacterial virulence factors gain access to the circulation and are thereafter presumed to cause target organ damage. Stx was previously shown to circulate bound to blood cells but the mechanism by which it would potentially transfer to target organ cells has not been elucidated. Here we show that blood cell-derived microvesicles, shed during HUS, contain Stx and are found within patient renal cortical cells. The finding was reproduced in mice infected with Stx-producing Escherichia coli exhibiting Stx-containing blood cell-derived microvesicles in the circulation that reached the kidney where they were transferred into glomerular and peritubular capillary endothelial cells and further through their basement membranes followed by podocytes and tubular epithelial cells, respectively. In vitro studies demonstrated that blood cell-derived microvesicles containing Stx undergo endocytosis in glomerular endothelial cells leading to cell death secondary to inhibited protein synthesis. This study demonstrates a novel virulence mechanism whereby bacterial toxin is transferred within host blood cell-derived microvesicles in which it may evade the host immune system.

Derivation of the Schroedinger equation from stochastic mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallstrom, T.C.

1988-01-01

The thesis is divided into four largely independent chapters. The first three chapters treat mathematical problems in the theory of stochastic mechanics. The fourth chapter deals with stochastic mechanisms as a physical theory and shows that the Schroedinger equation cannot be derived from existing formulations of stochastic mechanics, as had previously been believed. Since the drift coefficients of stochastic mechanical diffusions are undefined on the nodes, or zeros of the density, an important problem has been to show that the sample paths stay away from the nodes. In Chapter 1, it is shown that for a smooth wavefunction, the closest approach to the nodes can be bounded solely in terms of the time-integrated energy. The ergodic properties of stochastic mechanical diffusions are greatly complicated by the tendency of the particles to avoid the nodes. In Chapter 2, it is shown that a sufficient condition for a stationary process to be ergodic is that there exist positive t and c such that for all x and y, p t (x,y) > cp(y), and this result is applied to show that the set of spin-1/2 diffusions is uniformly ergodic. Nelson has conjectured that in the limit as the particle's moment of inertia I goes to zero, the projections of the Bopp-Haag-Dankel diffusions onto IR 3 converge to a Markovian limit process. This conjecture is proved for the spin-1/2 case in Chapter 3, and the limit process identified as the diffusion naturally associated with the solution to the regular Pauli equation. In Chapter 4 it is shown that the general solution of the stochastic Newton equation does not correspond to a solution of the Schroedinger equation

Derivation of the Schrodinger Equation from the Hamilton-Jacobi Equation in Feynman's Path Integral Formulation of Quantum Mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Field, J. H.

2011-01-01

It is shown how the time-dependent Schrodinger equation may be simply derived from the dynamical postulate of Feynman's path integral formulation of quantum mechanics and the Hamilton-Jacobi equation of classical mechanics. Schrodinger's own published derivations of quantum wave equations, the first of which was also based on the Hamilton-Jacobi…

The derivation of a bistable criterion for double V-beam mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Cho-Chun; Chen, Rongshun; Lin, Meng-Ju

2013-01-01

This study presents the theoretical derivation of the discriminant D as a structural and material criterion for determining whether bistability can occur in micromechanically bistable mechanisms. When D < 0, the mechanism displays bistable behavior if an appropriate force is applied to push the bistable mechanism, whereas when D > 0, bistable behavior cannot occur. The proposed V-beam bistable mechanism was successfully fabricated with various beam lengths and tilted angles. The experiments conducted in this study validated the theoretical study of bistability. A comparison of the theoretical solutions and experimental results shows good agreement. Results further show that to design a bistable V-beam mechanism, the tilted angle should be larger for the same beam length, whereas the beam length should be longer for the same tilted angle. The developed discriminant D can be used to predict if a bistable mechanism can achieve bistable behavior based on structural sizes and material properties. Consequently, researchers can reduce trial-and-error experiments when designing a bistable mechanism. A V-beam with a larger tilted angle of up to 5° was successfully fabricated to act as a bistable mechanism, compared to a 3.5° tilted angle in existing studies. Consequently, the proposed method has the advantages of shorter beam lengths and smaller device areas. (paper)

The acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of an α-pinene-derived organic nitrate: kinetics, products, reaction mechanisms, and atmospheric impact

Science.gov (United States)

Rindelaub, Joel D.; Borca, Carlos H.; Hostetler, Matthew A.; Slade, Jonathan H.; Lipton, Mark A.; Slipchenko, Lyudmila V.; Shepson, Paul B.

2016-12-01

The production of atmospheric organic nitrates (RONO2) has a large impact on air quality and climate due to their contribution to secondary organic aerosol and influence on tropospheric ozone concentrations. Since organic nitrates control the fate of gas phase NOx (NO + NO2), a byproduct of anthropogenic combustion processes, their atmospheric production and reactivity is of great interest. While the atmospheric reactivity of many relevant organic nitrates is still uncertain, one significant reactive pathway, condensed phase hydrolysis, has recently been identified as a potential sink for organic nitrate species. The partitioning of gas phase organic nitrates to aerosol particles and subsequent hydrolysis likely removes the oxidized nitrogen from further atmospheric processing, due to large organic nitrate uptake to aerosols and proposed hydrolysis lifetimes, which may impact long-range transport of NOx, a tropospheric ozone precursor. Despite the atmospheric importance, the hydrolysis rates and reaction mechanisms for atmospherically derived organic nitrates are almost completely unknown, including those derived from α-pinene, a biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) that is one of the most significant precursors to biogenic secondary organic aerosol (BSOA). To better understand the chemistry that governs the fate of particle phase organic nitrates, the hydrolysis mechanism and rate constants were elucidated for several organic nitrates, including an α-pinene-derived organic nitrate (APN). A positive trend in hydrolysis rate constants was observed with increasing solution acidity for all organic nitrates studied, with the tertiary APN lifetime ranging from 8.3 min at acidic pH (0.25) to 8.8 h at neutral pH (6.9). Since ambient fine aerosol pH values are observed to be acidic, the reported lifetimes, which are much shorter than that of atmospheric fine aerosol, provide important insight into the fate of particle phase organic nitrates. Along with rate constant

One-bit photon polarization in two-photon experiments. An information mechanics perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kantor, F.W.

1991-01-01

In this paper is presented a detailed treatment of amount and representation of photon polarization information in the two-photon experiments of Aspect, Grangier, and Roger, seeking to test Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen's thought experiment. Newton's mechanics, Einstein's relativistic mechanics, and quantum mechanics do not treat as fundamental the amount and representation of information in physical systems. The line of reasoning presented here was reached via Kantor's information mechanics. The information bookkeeping presented here appears to offer a simple, physical insight into what the apparatus and the photons are doing together

Entanglement, information, and the interpretation of quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaeger, Gregg

2009-01-01

This book explores the nature of quantum entanglement and quantum information and their role in the quantum world. Their relations to a number of key experiments and thought experiments in the history of quantum physics are considered, as is a range of interpretations of quantum mechanics that have been put forward as a means of understanding the fundamental nature of microphysics - the traditionally accepted domain of quantum mechanics - and in some cases, the universe as a whole. In this way, the book reveals the deep significance of entanglement and quantum information for our understanding of the physical world. (orig.)

Effective Information Technology Governance Mechanisms: An Australian Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syaiful Ali

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Growing importance of information technology (IT, as a strategic factor for organizations in achieving their objectives, have raised the concern of organizations in establishing and implementing effective IT governance. This study seeks to empirically examine the individual IT governance mechanisms that influence the overall effectiveness of IT governance. The data were obtained by using web based survey from 176 members of ISACA (Information Systems and Audit Control Association Australia. This study examines the influences of six proposed IT governance mechanisms on the overall effectiveness of IT governance. Using Factor Analysis and Multiple Regression techniques, the current study finds significant positive relationships between the overall level of effective IT governance and the following four IT governance mechanisms: the existence of ethics/ culture of compliance in IT, corporate communication systems, an IT strategy committee, and the involvement of senior management in IT.

Mechanisms of Communicating Health Information Through Facebook: Implications for Consumer Health Information Technology Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Menefee, Hannah K; Thompson, Morgan J; Guterbock, Thomas M; Williams, Ishan C; Valdez, Rupa S

2016-08-11

Consumer health information technology (IT) solutions are designed to support patient health management and have the ability to facilitate patients' health information communication with their social networks. However, there is a need for consumer health IT solutions to align with patients' health management preferences for increased adoption of the technology. It may be possible to gain an understanding of patients' needs for consumer health IT supporting their health information communication with social networks by explicating how they have adopted and adapted social networking sites, such as Facebook, for this purpose. Our aim was to characterize patients' use of all communication mechanisms within Facebook for health information communication to provide insight into how consumer health IT solutions may be better designed to meet patients' communication needs and preferences. This study analyzed data about Facebook communication mechanisms use from a larger, three-phase, sequential, mixed-methods study. We report here on the results of the study's first phase: qualitative interviews (N=25). Participants were over 18, used Facebook, were residents or citizens of the United States, spoke English, and had a diagnosis consistent with type 2 diabetes. Participants were recruited through Facebook groups and pages. Participant interviews were conducted via Skype or telephone between July and September 2014. Data analysis was grounded in qualitative content analysis and the initial coding framework was informed by the findings of a previous study. Participants' rationales for the use or disuse of a particular Facebook mechanism to communicate health information reflected six broad themes: (1) characteristics and circumstances of the person, (2) characteristics and circumstances of the relationship, (3) structure and composition of the social network, (4) content of the information, (5) communication purpose, and (6) attributes of the technology. The results of this

Systems biology derived source-sink mechanism of BMP gradient formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zinski, Joseph; Bu, Ye; Wang, Xu; Dou, Wei; Umulis, David; Mullins, Mary C

2017-08-09

A morphogen gradient of Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling patterns the dorsoventral embryonic axis of vertebrates and invertebrates. The prevailing view in vertebrates for BMP gradient formation is through a counter-gradient of BMP antagonists, often along with ligand shuttling to generate peak signaling levels. To delineate the mechanism in zebrafish, we precisely quantified the BMP activity gradient in wild-type and mutant embryos and combined these data with a mathematical model-based computational screen to test hypotheses for gradient formation. Our analysis ruled out a BMP shuttling mechanism and a bmp transcriptionally-informed gradient mechanism. Surprisingly, rather than supporting a counter-gradient mechanism, our analyses support a fourth model, a source-sink mechanism, which relies on a restricted BMP antagonist distribution acting as a sink that drives BMP flux dorsally and gradient formation. We measured Bmp2 diffusion and found that it supports the source-sink model, suggesting a new mechanism to shape BMP gradients during development.

Formal and informal appropriation mechanisms: the role of openness and innovativeness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zobel, Ann-Kristin; Lokshin, Boris; Hagedoorn, John

2016-01-01

This paper analyses how firms’ degree of openness and innovativeness influence their use of formal and informal appropriation mechanisms. Patents, trademarks, copyrights, and design rights are formal appropriation mechanisms. Secrecy, lead-time, and complexity are examples of informal appropriation

Faithful conversion of propagating quantum information to mechanical motion

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, A. P.; Mayer, K. H.; Teufel, J. D.; Burkhart, L. D.; Pfaff, W.; Reagor, M.; Sletten, L.; Ma, X.; Schoelkopf, R. J.; Knill, E.; Lehnert, K. W.

2017-12-01

The motion of micrometre-sized mechanical resonators can now be controlled and measured at the fundamental limits imposed by quantum mechanics. These resonators have been prepared in their motional ground state or in squeezed states, measured with quantum-limited precision, and even entangled with microwave fields. Such advances make it possible to process quantum information using the motion of a macroscopic object. In particular, recent experiments have combined mechanical resonators with superconducting quantum circuits to frequency-convert, store and amplify propagating microwave fields. But these systems have not been used to manipulate states that encode quantum bits (qubits), which are required for quantum communication and modular quantum computation. Here we demonstrate the conversion of propagating qubits encoded as superpositions of zero and one photons to the motion of a micromechanical resonator with a fidelity in excess of the classical bound. This ability is necessary for mechanical resonators to convert quantum information between the microwave and optical domains or to act as storage elements in a modular quantum information processor. Additionally, these results are an important step towards testing speculative notions that quantum theory may not be valid for sufficiently massive systems.

A modified derivation of the correlation factor in tracer diffusion via vacancy mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koiwa, Masahiro

1978-01-01

The average number of site exchanges made by a particular atom-vacancy pair has been calculated. It is found that the number of exchanges is equal to the number of visits to the origin of a random walker; for an infinite fcc lattice the number of exchanges is about 1.345, including the first exchange. This result seems invalidate the assumption of an infinite number of exchanges, which is usually made in the derivation of the correlation factor in diffusion via the vacancy mechanism. A modified derivation of the correlation factor, which takes into account the number of exchanges explicitly, is presented. (author)

Chromate adsorption mechanism on nanodiamond-derived onion-like carbon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ko, Young-Jin [Center for Electronic Materials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Keunsu [Computational Science Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Soonjae [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Jung-Min [Center for Electronic Materials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, 262 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Heon-Jin [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, 262 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Seok Won [Center for Water Resource Cycle Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Jae-Woo, E-mail: plead36@kist.re.kr [Center for Water Resource Cycle Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of); Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 305-350, Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of); Mizuseki, Hiroshi, E-mail: mizuseki@kist.re.kr [Computational Science Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Wook-Seong, E-mail: wsleemk@gmail.com [Center for Electronic Materials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-15

The onion-like carbon (OLC) was prepared as adsorbent and tested for the removal of chromate ions from aqueous solutions. The OLC was thermally derived from nanodiamond by vacuum annealing at 1000-2000 °C. An investigation was conducted the chromate adsorption mechanism of OLC, by analysing the temperature-dependent evolution of the various oxygen-carbon bonds and the chemisorbed water by X-ray photo electron spectroscopy, as well as by the first principle calculation of the bond energies for relevant bond configurations. The present work demonstrated the importance of the carbon-oxygen bond type and carbon dangling bonds for chromate adsorption, as well as for other anionic heavy metals adsorbed from wastewater and sewage.

Landauer's principle and the conservation of information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daffertshofer, A.; Plastino, A.R.

2005-01-01

Erasure of information requires the dissipation of a minimal amount of energy as being formulated in Landauer's principle. This profound concept in information processing has recently been derived by use of basic dynamical principles of statistical mechanics. We present an alternative derivation of Landauer's principle based on dynamical principles and certain properties of the Shannon-Gibbs-Boltzmann entropy, in particular (sub-)additivity

Market information and price volatility in petroleum derivatives spot and future markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalid Nainar, S.M.

1993-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between petroleum futures trading, market information and spot prices. It tests the hypothesis that there is increased spot market information with futures trading of various petroleum derivatives for weekly data during the period January 1970 to July 1985 at the new York Mercantile Exchange. Increased market information with futures trading is indicated by the insignificance of coefficients of past prices in spot price regressions in periods with futures trading. However, the estimates of the coefficient of variation indicate that price volatility tends to increase with futures trading. Thus, traders seem better informed with futures trading although the advantages of increased market information might potentially be undermined by increased price volatility as in the case of regular gasoline. (author)

Links between fluid mechanics and quantum mechanics: a model for information in economics?

Science.gov (United States)

Haven, Emmanuel

2016-05-28

This paper tallies the links between fluid mechanics and quantum mechanics, and attempts to show whether those links can aid in beginning to build a formal template which is usable in economics models where time is (a)symmetric and memory is absent or present. An objective of this paper is to contemplate whether those formalisms can allow us to model information in economics in a novel way. © 2016 The Author(s).

Quantum mechanics, common sense and the black hole information paradox

CERN Document Server

Danielsson, U H; Danielsson, Ulf H.; Schiffer, Marcelo

1993-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to analyse, in the light of information theory and with the arsenal of (elementary) quantum mechanics (EPR correlations, copying machines, teleportation, mixing produced in sub-systems owing to a trace operation, etc.) the scenarios available on the market to resolve the so-called black-hole information paradox. We shall conclude that the only plausible ones are those where either the unitary evolution of quantum mechanics is given up, in which information leaks continuously in the course of black-hole evaporation through non-local processes, or those in which the world is polluted by an infinite number of meta-stable remnants.

FTIR spectra and mechanical strength analysis of some selected rubber derivatives

Science.gov (United States)

Gunasekaran, S.; Natarajan, R. K.; Kala, A.

2007-10-01

Rubber materials have wide range of commercial applications such as, infant diapers, famine hygiene products, drug delivery devices and incontinency products such as rubber tubes, tyres, etc. In the present work, studies on mechanical properties of some selected rubber materials viz., natural rubber (NR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) have been carried out in three states viz., raw, vulcanized and reinforced. To enhance the quality of rubber elastomers, an attempt is made to prepare new elastomers called polyblends. In the present study an attempt is made to blend NR with NBR and with EPDM. We here report, a novel approach for the evaluation of various physico-mechanical properties such as mechanical strength, tensile strength, elongation and hardness. The method is simple, direct and fast and involves infrared spectral measurements for the evaluation of these properties. With the applications of modern infrared spectroscopy, the mechanical strength of these rubber materials have been analyzed by calculating the internal standards among the methyl and methylene group vibrational frequencies obtained from FTIR spectroscopy. Also the tensile strength measurements carried out by universal testing machine. The results pertaining physico-mechanical properties of the rubber derivatives undertaken in the present study obtained by IR-based method are in good agreement with data resulted from the standard methods.

Social Information Processing Mechanisms and Victimization: A Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

van Reemst, Lisa; Fischer, Tamar F C; Zwirs, Barbara W C

2016-01-01

The aim of the current literature review, which is based on 64 empirical studies, was to assess to what extent mechanisms of the Social Information Processing (SIP) model of Crick and Dodge (1994) are related to victimization. The reviewed studies have provided support for the relation between victimization and several social information processing mechanisms, especially the interpretation of cues and self-efficacy (as part of the response decision). The relationship between victimization and other mechanisms, such as the response generation, was only studied in a few articles. Until now research has often focused on just one step of the model, instead of attempting to measure the associations between multiple mechanisms and victimization in multivariate analyses. Such analyses would be interesting to gain more insight into the SIP model and its relationship with victimization. The few available longitudinal studies show that mechanisms both predict victimization (internal locus of control, negative self-evaluations and less assertive response selection) and are predicted by victimization (hostile attribution of intent and negative evaluations of others). Associations between victimization and SIP mechanisms vary across different types and severity of victimization (stronger in personal and severe victimization), and different populations (stronger among young victims). Practice could focus on these stronger associations and the interpretation of cues. More research is needed however, to investigate whether intervention programs that address SIP mechanisms are suitable for victimization and all relevant populations. © The Author(s) 2014.

Operational derivation of Boltzmann distribution with Maxwell's demon model.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosoya, Akio; Maruyama, Koji; Shikano, Yutaka

2015-11-24

The resolution of the Maxwell's demon paradox linked thermodynamics with information theory through information erasure principle. By considering a demon endowed with a Turing-machine consisting of a memory tape and a processor, we attempt to explore the link towards the foundations of statistical mechanics and to derive results therein in an operational manner. Here, we present a derivation of the Boltzmann distribution in equilibrium as an example, without hypothesizing the principle of maximum entropy. Further, since the model can be applied to non-equilibrium processes, in principle, we demonstrate the dissipation-fluctuation relation to show the possibility in this direction.

How to read and write mechanical information in DNA molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Schiessel, Helmut

In this talk I will show that DNA molecules contain another layer of information on top of the classical genetic information. This different type of information is of mechanical nature and guides the folding of DNA molecules inside cells. With the help of a new Monte Carlo technique, the Mutation Monte Carlo method, we demonstrate that the two layers of information can be multiplexed (as one can have two phone conversations on the same wire). For instance, we can guide on top of genes with single base-pair precision the packaging of DNA into nucleosomes. Finally, we study the mechanical properties of DNA molecules belonging to organisms all across the tree of life. From this we learn that in multicellular organisms the stiffness of DNA around transcription start sites differs dramatically from that of unicellular life. The reason for this difference is surprising.

INDONESIAN COUNTRY PAPER MECHANISMS USED TO STRENGTHEN INFORMATION LINKAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Achmad Djuhamsa

2011-12-01

Full Text Available ENSICNET-Indonesia provides dissemination of information on the field of water supply and sanitation to potential users by using different methods which depend on their own function and duty. Linkage mechanisms are developed to make users aware of the sources, to identify and define user n~eds and to make the contact 'between the user need and the information sources. Several forms of communication which can link information resources to an individual or groups are disscussed.

Order information coding in working memory: Review of behavioural studies and cognitive mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Dolenc

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Executive processes, such as coding for sequential order, are of extreme importance for higher-order cognitive tasks. One of the significant questions is, how order information is coded in working memory and what cognitive mechanisms and processes mediate it. The aim of this review paper is to summarize results of studies that explore whether order and item memory are two separable processes. Furthermore, we reviewed evidence for each of the proposed cognitive mechanism that might mediate order processing. Previous behavioural and neuroimaging data suggest different representation and processing of item and order information in working memory. Both information are maintained and recalled separately and this separation seems to hold for recognition as well as for recall. To explain the result of studies of order coding, numerous cognitive mechanisms were proposed. We focused on four different mechanisms by which order information might be coded and retrieved, namely inter-item associations, direct coding, hierarchical coding and magnitude coding. Each of the mechanisms can explain some of the aspect of order information coding, however none of them is able to explain all of the empirical findings. Due to its complex nature it is not surprising that a single mechanism has difficulties accounting for all the behavioral data and order memory may be more accurately characterized as the result of a set of mechanisms rather than a single one. Moreover, the findings beget a question of whether different types of memory for order information might exist.

Electrosynthesis of Clozapine Drug Derivative via an EC Electrochemical Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esmail Tammari

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The fact that oxidation, as one of the main routes of phase I metabolism of drugs, follows by conjugation reactions, and also formation of nitrenium ion as one of the clozapine oxidation products, directed us to investigate the oxidation of clozapine (CLZ in the presence of nucleophile. The oxidation of clozapine (CLZ has been studied on a glassy carbon electrode in the absence and presence of 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA as nucleophile in aqueous medium by means of cyclic voltammetry and on the graphite rods in controlled-potential coulometry. Cyclic voltammetry studies were realized for CLZ in the pHs 1.0 to 8.0. Results indicate that the electrochemical behavior of CLZ depends on the pH. Based on the obtained electrochemical results, an ECE mechanism was proposed to explain the electrochemical oxidation of CLZ. The results revealed that oxidized CLZ participates in Michael type addition reaction with TBA and via an EC mechanism converts to the corresponding new dibenzodiazepin derivatives. The product has been characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS.

Elucidating the biosynthetic and regulatory mechanisms of flavonoid-derived bioactive components in Epimedium sagittatum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenjun eHuang

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Herba epimedii (Epimedium, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used as a kidney tonic and antirheumatic medicine for thousands of years. In Epimedium, flavonoids have been demonstrated to be the main bioactive components (BCs. However, the molecular biosynthetic and regulatory mechanisms of flavonoid-derived BCs remain obscure. In this study, we isolated twelve structural genes and two putative transcription factors (TFs in the flavonoid pathway. Phytochemical analysis showed that the total content of four representative BCs (epimedin A, B, C and icariin decreased slightly or dramatically in two lines of E. sagittatum during leaf development. Transcriptional analysis revealed that two R2R3-MYB TFs (EsMYBA1 and EsMYBF1, together with a bHLH TF (EsGL3 and WD40 protein (EsTTG1, were supposed to coordinately regulate the anthocyanin and flavonol-derived BCs biosynthesis in leaves. Overexpression of EsFLS (flavonol synthase in tobacco resulted in increased flavonols content and decreased anthocyanins content in flowers. Moreover, EsMYB12 negatively correlated with the accumulation of the four BCs, and might act as a transcriptional repressor in the flavonoid pathway. Therefore, the anthocyanin pathway may coordinate with the flavonol-derived BCs pathway in Epimedium leaves. A better understanding of the flavonoid biosynthetic and regulatory mechanisms in E. sagittatum will facilitate functional characterization, metabolic engineering and molecular breeding studies of Epimedium species.

Influence of wood-derived biochar on the physico-mechanical and chemical characteristics of agricultural soils

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Ahmed S. F.; Raghavan, Vijaya

2018-01-01

Amendment of soil with biochar has been shown to enhance fertility and increase crop productivity, but the specific influence of biochar on soil workability remains unclear. Select physico-mechanical and chemical properties of clay loam and sandy loam soils were measured after amendment with wood-derived biochar of two particle size ranges (0.5-425 and 425-850 µm) at five dosages ranging from 0.5 to 10% dry weight. Whereas the clay loam soil workability decreased when the finer wood-derived biochar was applied at rates of 6 or 10%, soil fertility was not enhanced. The sandy loam soil, due to Proctor compaction, significantly decreased in bulk density with 6 and 10% wood-derived biochar amendments indicating higher soil resistance to compaction.

Statistical mechanics of neocortical interactions. Derivation of short-term-memory capacity

Science.gov (United States)

Ingber, Lester

1984-06-01

A theory developed by the author to describe macroscopic neocortical interactions demonstrates that empirical values of chemical and electrical parameters of synaptic interactions establish several minima of the path-integral Lagrangian as a function of excitatory and inhibitory columnar firings. The number of possible minima, their time scales of hysteresis and probable reverberations, and their nearest-neighbor columnar interactions are all consistent with well-established empirical rules of human short-term memory. Thus, aspects of conscious experience are derived from neuronal firing patterns, using modern methods of nonlinear nonequilibrium statistical mechanics to develop realistic explicit synaptic interactions.

A quantum information approach to statistical mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuevas, G.

2011-01-01

The field of quantum information and computation harnesses and exploits the properties of quantum mechanics to perform tasks more efficiently than their classical counterparts, or that may uniquely be possible in the quantum world. Its findings and techniques have been applied to a number of fields, such as the study of entanglement in strongly correlated systems, new simulation techniques for many-body physics or, generally, to quantum optics. This thesis aims at broadening the scope of quantum information theory by applying it to problems in statistical mechanics. We focus on classical spin models, which are toy models used in a variety of systems, ranging from magnetism, neural networks, to quantum gravity. We tackle these models using quantum information tools from three different angles. First, we show how the partition function of a class of widely different classical spin models (models in different dimensions, different types of many-body interactions, different symmetries, etc) can be mapped to the partition function of a single model. We prove this by first establishing a relation between partition functions and quantum states, and then transforming the corresponding quantum states to each other. Second, we give efficient quantum algorithms to estimate the partition function of various classical spin models, such as the Ising or the Potts model. The proof is based on a relation between partition functions and quantum circuits, which allows us to determine the quantum computational complexity of the partition function by studying the corresponding quantum circuit. Finally, we outline the possibility of applying quantum information concepts and tools to certain models of dis- crete quantum gravity. The latter provide a natural route to generalize our results, insofar as the central quantity has the form of a partition function, and as classical spin models are used as toy models of matter. (author)

Decrease of Fisher information and the information geometry of evolution equations for quantum mechanical probability amplitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

Cafaro, Carlo; Alsing, Paul M

2018-04-01

The relevance of the concept of Fisher information is increasing in both statistical physics and quantum computing. From a statistical mechanical standpoint, the application of Fisher information in the kinetic theory of gases is characterized by its decrease along the solutions of the Boltzmann equation for Maxwellian molecules in the two-dimensional case. From a quantum mechanical standpoint, the output state in Grover's quantum search algorithm follows a geodesic path obtained from the Fubini-Study metric on the manifold of Hilbert-space rays. Additionally, Grover's algorithm is specified by constant Fisher information. In this paper, we present an information geometric characterization of the oscillatory or monotonic behavior of statistically parametrized squared probability amplitudes originating from special functional forms of the Fisher information function: constant, exponential decay, and power-law decay. Furthermore, for each case, we compute both the computational speed and the availability loss of the corresponding physical processes by exploiting a convenient Riemannian geometrization of useful thermodynamical concepts. Finally, we briefly comment on the possibility of using the proposed methods of information geometry to help identify a suitable trade-off between speed and thermodynamic efficiency in quantum search algorithms.

Decrease of Fisher information and the information geometry of evolution equations for quantum mechanical probability amplitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Cafaro, Carlo; Alsing, Paul M.

2018-04-01

The relevance of the concept of Fisher information is increasing in both statistical physics and quantum computing. From a statistical mechanical standpoint, the application of Fisher information in the kinetic theory of gases is characterized by its decrease along the solutions of the Boltzmann equation for Maxwellian molecules in the two-dimensional case. From a quantum mechanical standpoint, the output state in Grover's quantum search algorithm follows a geodesic path obtained from the Fubini-Study metric on the manifold of Hilbert-space rays. Additionally, Grover's algorithm is specified by constant Fisher information. In this paper, we present an information geometric characterization of the oscillatory or monotonic behavior of statistically parametrized squared probability amplitudes originating from special functional forms of the Fisher information function: constant, exponential decay, and power-law decay. Furthermore, for each case, we compute both the computational speed and the availability loss of the corresponding physical processes by exploiting a convenient Riemannian geometrization of useful thermodynamical concepts. Finally, we briefly comment on the possibility of using the proposed methods of information geometry to help identify a suitable trade-off between speed and thermodynamic efficiency in quantum search algorithms.

Information Interaction as a Mechanism of Semantic Gap Elimination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Y. Tsvetkov

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The article studies semantic gap as an objective phenomenon, shows that semantic gap occurs both in parallel computing and in other areas. Semantic description of the content is revealed as a set of different descriptions. Causes of semantic gap are described. The content of information exchange is explained in the article. Information interaction in the semantic field is interpreted as a mechanism to lessen the gap

Capacity and mechanisms of ammonium and cadmium sorption on different wetland-plant derived biochars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Xiaoqiang; Hao, Hulin; Zhang, Changkuan; He, Zhenli; Yang, Xiaoe

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between Cd 2+ /NH 4 + sorption and physicochemical properties of biochars produced from different wetland plants. Biochars from six species of wetland plants (i.e., Canna indica, Pennisetum purpureum Schum, Thalia dealbata, Zizania caduciflora, Phragmites australis and Vetiveria zizanioides) were obtained at 500 °C and characterized, and their sorption for ammonium and cadmium was determined. There were significant differences in elemental composition, functional groups and specific surface area among the biochars derived from different wetland plant species. Sorption of ammonium and cadmium on the biochars could be described by a pseudo second order kinetic model, and the simple Langmuir model fits the isotherm data better than the Freundlich or Temkin model. The C. indica derived biochar had the largest sorption capacity for NH 4 + and Cd 2+ , with a maximum sorption of 13.35 and 125.8 mg g −1 , respectively. P. purpureum Schum derived biochar had a similar maximum sorption (119.3 mg g −1 ) for Cd 2+ . Ammonium sorption was mainly controlled by cation exchange, surface complexation with oxygen-containing functional groups and the formation of magnesium ammonium phosphate compounds, whereas for Cd 2+ sorption, the formation of cadmium phosphate precipitates, cation exchange and binding to oxygen-containing groups were the major possible mechanisms. In addition, the sorption of ammonium and cadmium was not affected by surface area and microporosity of the biochars. - Highlights: • Biochars varied in physicochemical properties and adsorption capacity. • Canna indica derived biochar has a high sorption capacity for Cd 2+ . • NH 4 + and Cd 2+ sorption on biochars fits a pseudo second order and Langmuir model. • Sorption mechanism is related to complexation, cation exchange and precipitation.

Capacity and mechanisms of ammonium and cadmium sorption on different wetland-plant derived biochars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cui, Xiaoqiang [Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Hao, Hulin [Ningbo Raw Water Resource Research Academy, Ningbo (China); Zhang, Changkuan [Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); He, Zhenli [Indian River Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, FL 34945 (United States); Yang, Xiaoe, E-mail: xyang571@yahoo.com [Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China)

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between Cd{sup 2+}/NH{sub 4}{sup +} sorption and physicochemical properties of biochars produced from different wetland plants. Biochars from six species of wetland plants (i.e., Canna indica, Pennisetum purpureum Schum, Thalia dealbata, Zizania caduciflora, Phragmites australis and Vetiveria zizanioides) were obtained at 500 °C and characterized, and their sorption for ammonium and cadmium was determined. There were significant differences in elemental composition, functional groups and specific surface area among the biochars derived from different wetland plant species. Sorption of ammonium and cadmium on the biochars could be described by a pseudo second order kinetic model, and the simple Langmuir model fits the isotherm data better than the Freundlich or Temkin model. The C. indica derived biochar had the largest sorption capacity for NH{sub 4}{sup +} and Cd{sup 2+}, with a maximum sorption of 13.35 and 125.8 mg g{sup −1}, respectively. P. purpureum Schum derived biochar had a similar maximum sorption (119.3 mg g{sup −1}) for Cd{sup 2+}. Ammonium sorption was mainly controlled by cation exchange, surface complexation with oxygen-containing functional groups and the formation of magnesium ammonium phosphate compounds, whereas for Cd{sup 2+} sorption, the formation of cadmium phosphate precipitates, cation exchange and binding to oxygen-containing groups were the major possible mechanisms. In addition, the sorption of ammonium and cadmium was not affected by surface area and microporosity of the biochars. - Highlights: • Biochars varied in physicochemical properties and adsorption capacity. • Canna indica derived biochar has a high sorption capacity for Cd{sup 2+}. • NH{sub 4}{sup +} and Cd{sup 2+} sorption on biochars fits a pseudo second order and Langmuir model. • Sorption mechanism is related to complexation, cation exchange and precipitation.

NASA Access Mechanism - Graphical user interface information retrieval system

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Judy F.; Generous, Curtis; Duncan, Denise

1993-01-01

Access to online information sources of aerospace, scientific, and engineering data, a mission focus for NASA's Scientific and Technical Information Program, has always been limited by factors such as telecommunications, query language syntax, lack of standardization in the information, and the lack of adequate tools to assist in searching. Today, the NASA STI Program's NASA Access Mechanism (NAM) prototype offers a solution to these problems by providing the user with a set of tools that provide a graphical interface to remote, heterogeneous, and distributed information in a manner adaptable to both casual and expert users. Additionally, the NAM provides access to many Internet-based services such as Electronic Mail, the Wide Area Information Servers system, Peer Locating tools, and electronic bulletin boards.

NASA access mechanism: Graphical user interface information retrieval system

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Judy; Generous, Curtis; Duncan, Denise

1993-01-01

Access to online information sources of aerospace, scientific, and engineering data, a mission focus for NASA's Scientific and Technical Information Program, has always been limited to factors such as telecommunications, query language syntax, lack of standardization in the information, and the lack of adequate tools to assist in searching. Today, the NASA STI Program's NASA Access Mechanism (NAM) prototype offers a solution to these problems by providing the user with a set of tools that provide a graphical interface to remote, heterogeneous, and distributed information in a manner adaptable to both casual and expert users. Additionally, the NAM provides access to many Internet-based services such as Electronic Mail, the Wide Area Information Servers system, Peer Locating tools, and electronic bulletin boards.

Synthesis, Immunosuppressive Properties, and Mechanism of Action of a New Isoxazole Derivative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin Mączyński

2018-06-01

Full Text Available This work describes the synthesis of a new series of isoxazole derivatives, their immunosuppressive properties, and the mechanism of action of a representative compound. A new series of N′-substituted derivatives of 5-amino-N,3-dimethyl-1,2-oxazole-4-carbohydrazide (MM1–MM10 was synthesized in reaction of 5-amino-N,3-dimethyl-1,2-oxazole-4-carbohydrazide with relevant carbonyl compounds. The isoxazole derivatives were tested in several in vitro models using human cells. The compounds inhibited phytohemagglutinin A (PHA-induced proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs to various degrees. The toxicity of the compounds with regard to a reference A549 cell line was also differential. 5-amino-N′-(2,4-dihydroxyphenylmethylidene-N,3-dimethyl-1,2-oxazole-4-carbohydrazide (MM3 compound was selected for further investigation because of its lack of toxicity and because it had the strongest antiproliferative activity. The compound was shown to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF α production in human whole blood cell cultures. In the model of Jurkat cells, MM3 elicited strong increases in the expression of caspases, Fas, and NF-κB1, indicating that a proapoptotic action may account for its immunosuppressive action in the studied models.

An artificial-intelligence technique for qualitatively deriving enzyme kinetic mechanisms from initial-velocity measurements and its application to hexokinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Garfinkel, L; Cohen, D M; Soo, V W; Garfinkel, D; Kulikowski, C A

1989-01-01

We have developed a computer method based on artificial-intelligence techniques for qualitatively analysing steady-state initial-velocity enzyme kinetic data. We have applied our system to experiments on hexokinase from a variety of sources: yeast, ascites and muscle. Our system accepts qualitative stylized descriptions of experimental data, infers constraints from the observed data behaviour and then compares the experimentally inferred constraints with corresponding theoretical model-based constraints. It is desirable to have large data sets which include the results of a variety of experiments. Human intervention is needed to interpret non-kinetic information, differences in conditions, etc. Different strategies were used by the several experimenters whose data was studied to formulate mechanisms for their enzyme preparations, including different methods (product inhibitors or alternate substrates), different experimental protocols (monitoring enzyme activity differently), or different experimental conditions (temperature, pH or ionic strength). The different ordered and rapid-equilibrium mechanisms proposed by these experimenters were generally consistent with their data. On comparing the constraints derived from the several experimental data sets, they are found to be in much less disagreement than the mechanisms published, and some of the disagreement can be ascribed to different experimental conditions (especially ionic strength). PMID:2690819

Improved Scheduling Mechanisms for Synchronous Information and Energy Transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Danyang; Yang, Songxiang; Zhang, Yan; Ma, Jingya; Ding, Qun

2017-06-09

Wireless energy collecting technology can effectively reduce the network time overhead and prolong the wireless sensor network (WSN) lifetime. However, the traditional energy collecting technology cannot achieve the balance between ergodic channel capacity and average collected energy. In order to solve the problem of the network transmission efficiency and the limited energy of wireless devices, three improved scheduling mechanisms are proposed: improved signal noise ratio (SNR) scheduling mechanism (IS2M), improved N-SNR scheduling mechanism (INS2M) and an improved Equal Throughput scheduling mechanism (IETSM) for different channel conditions to improve the whole network performance. Meanwhile, the average collected energy of single users and the ergodic channel capacity of three scheduling mechanisms can be obtained through the order statistical theory in Rayleig, Ricean, Nakagami- m and Weibull fading channels. It is concluded that the proposed scheduling mechanisms can achieve better balance between energy collection and data transmission, so as to provide a new solution to realize synchronous information and energy transmission for WSNs.

An information spreading model based on online social networks

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tao; He, Juanjuan; Wang, Xiaoxia

2018-01-01

Online social platforms are very popular in recent years. In addition to spreading information, users could review or collect information on online social platforms. According to the information spreading rules of online social network, a new information spreading model, namely IRCSS model, is proposed in this paper. It includes sharing mechanism, reviewing mechanism, collecting mechanism and stifling mechanism. Mean-field equations are derived to describe the dynamics of the IRCSS model. Moreover, the steady states of reviewers, collectors and stiflers and the effects of parameters on the peak values of reviewers, collectors and sharers are analyzed. Finally, numerical simulations are performed on different networks. Results show that collecting mechanism and reviewing mechanism, as well as the connectivity of the network, make information travel wider and faster, and compared to WS network and ER network, the speed of reviewing, sharing and collecting information is fastest on BA network.

A Closed-Loop Supply Chain with Competitive Dual Collection Channel under Asymmetric Information and Reward–Penalty Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenbin Wang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available We investigate a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC where the retailer and the third-party recycler compete against each other to collect waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE given that collection effort is their private information. Using the principle-agent theory, we develop a CLSC model with dual collection channel without the government’s reward–penalty mechanism (RPM. An information screening contract is designed for the manufacturer to attain real information on collection effort levels; meanwhile, the optimal decision-making results of other decision variables are derived. Next, we take RPM into account to further examine the efficacy of the government’s guidance mechanism in improving collection rate and profits of CLSC members. Our results indicate that (i the collection competition reduces the total collection quantity and the expected profits of all the CLSC members without RPM; (ii all CLSC members’ expected profits are improved if both two collection agents select a high collection effort level without and with RPM; (iii RPM increases buyback price, collection price, collection quantity, and franchise fee but decreases wholesale price and retail price; with the reward–penalty intensity increasing, the manufacturer’s expected profit first decreases and then increases, while the expected profits of H-type retailer and H-type third-party recycler continue to increase. We find that RPM may ultimately stimulate the collection agents to collect more WEEEs, while the intense collection competition reduces the profits of CLSC members.

Thermo-mechanical behaviors of thermoplastic starch derived from sugar palm tree (Arenga pinnata).

Science.gov (United States)

Sahari, J; Sapuan, S M; Zainudin, E S; Maleque, M A

2013-02-15

In recent years, increasing environmental concerns focused greater attention on the development of biodegradable materials. A thermoplastic starch derived from bioresources, sugar palm tree was successfully developed in the presence of biodegradable glycerol as a plasticizer. Sugar palm starch (SPS) was added with 15-40 w/w% of glycerol to prepare workable bioplastics and coded as SPS/G15, SPS/G20, SPS/G30 and SPS/G40. The samples were characterized for thermal properties, mechanical properties and moisture absorption on exposure to humidity were evaluated. Morphological studies through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to explain the observed mechanical properties. Generally, the addition of glycerol decrease the transition temperature of plasticized SPS. The mechanical properties of plasticized SPS increase with the increasing of glycerol but up to 30 w/w%. Meanwhile, the water absorption of plasticized SPS decrease with increasing of glycerol. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distinct brain mechanisms support spatial vs temporal filtering of nociceptive information.

Science.gov (United States)

Nahman-Averbuch, Hadas; Martucci, Katherine T; Granovsky, Yelena; Weissman-Fogel, Irit; Yarnitsky, David; Coghill, Robert C

2014-12-01

The role of endogenous analgesic mechanisms has largely been viewed in the context of gain modulation during nociceptive processing. However, these analgesic mechanisms may play critical roles in the extraction and subsequent utilization of information related to spatial and temporal features of nociceptive input. To date, it remains unknown if spatial and temporal filtering of nociceptive information is supported by similar analgesic mechanisms. To address this question, human volunteers were recruited to assess brain activation with functional magnetic resonance imaging during conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and offset analgesia (OA). CPM provides one paradigm for assessing spatial filtering of nociceptive information while OA provides a paradigm for assessing temporal filtering of nociceptive information. CPM and OA both produced statistically significant reductions in pain intensity. However, the magnitude of pain reduction elicited by CPM was not correlated with that elicited by OA across different individuals. Different patterns of brain activation were consistent with the psychophysical findings. CPM elicited widespread reductions in regions engaged in nociceptive processing such as the thalamus, insula, and secondary somatosensory cortex. OA produced reduced activity in the primary somatosensory cortex but was associated with greater activation in the anterior insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, intraparietal sulcus, and inferior parietal lobule relative to CPM. In the brain stem, CPM consistently produced reductions in activity, while OA produced increases in activity. Conjunction analysis confirmed that CPM-related activity did not overlap with that of OA. Thus, dissociable mechanisms support inhibitory processes engaged during spatial vs temporal filtering of nociceptive information. Copyright © 2014 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular mechanism of action of oxazolinoanthracyclines in cells derived from human solid tumors. Part 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Denel-Bobrowska, Marta; Łukawska, Małgorzata; Bukowska, Barbara; Gajek, Arkadiusz; Oszczapowicz, Irena; Marczak, Agnieszka

2018-02-01

Oxazolinodoxorubicin (O-DOX) and oxazolinodaunorubicin (O-DAU) are derivatives of anthracyclines (DOX and DAU) with a modified daunosamine moiety. We aimed to clarify their mechanisms of action by investigating intracellular accumulation and effects on the cell cycle, phosphatidylserine externalization, and proteasome 20S activity. Experimental model consisted of SKOV-3, A549 and HepG2 cells. Compounds were used at the concentration of 80nM. Intracellular accumulation, drug uptake, and proteasome 20S activity were evaluated by fluorimetric methods. The effects on the cell cycle and phosphatidylserine externalization were measured by flow cytometry. O-DOX was equivalent to DOX in terms of inducing G2/M arrest, but O-DAU was less potent in SKOV-3, HepG2, and A549 cells. O-DOX had the greatest effect on initiating apoptosis in all tested cells. Externalization of phosphatidylserine was significantly higher following O-DOX treatment compared with control cells and cells incubated with DOX. The intracellular accumulation and uptake of the derivatives were similar to those of the reference drugs. Tested compounds are able to activate proteasome 20S activity. Our results extended the understanding of the toxicity, mechanism of action, and biochemical properties of oxazoline derivatives of doxorubicin and daunorubicin, including their effects on cell cycle, apoptosis and DNA degradation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cis-to- Trans Isomerization of Azobenzene Derivatives Studied with Transition Path Sampling and Quantum Mechanical/Molecular Mechanical Molecular Dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Muždalo, Anja; Saalfrank, Peter; Vreede, Jocelyne; Santer, Mark

2018-04-10

Azobenzene-based molecular photoswitches are becoming increasingly important for the development of photoresponsive, functional soft-matter material systems. Upon illumination with light, fast interconversion between a more stable trans and a metastable cis configuration can be established resulting in pronounced changes in conformation, dipole moment or hydrophobicity. A rational design of functional photosensitive molecules with embedded azo moieties requires a thorough understanding of isomerization mechanisms and rates, especially the thermally activated relaxation. For small azo derivatives considered in the gas phase or simple solvents, Eyring's classical transition state theory (TST) approach yields useful predictions for trends in activation energies or corresponding half-life times of the cis isomer. However, TST or improved theories cannot easily be applied when the azo moiety is part of a larger molecular complex or embedded into a heterogeneous environment, where a multitude of possible reaction pathways may exist. In these cases, only the sampling of an ensemble of dynamic reactive trajectories (transition path sampling, TPS) with explicit models of the environment may reveal the nature of the processes involved. In the present work we show how a TPS approach can conveniently be implemented for the phenomenon of relaxation-isomerization of azobenzenes starting with the simple examples of pure azobenzene and a push-pull derivative immersed in a polar (DMSO) and apolar (toluene) solvent. The latter are represented explicitly at a molecular mechanical (MM) and the azo moiety at a quantum mechanical (QM) level. We demonstrate for the push-pull azobenzene that path sampling in combination with the chosen QM/MM scheme produces the expected change in isomerization pathway from inversion to rotation in going from a low to a high permittivity (explicit) solvent model. We discuss the potential of the simulation procedure presented for comparative calculation of

Application of bioethanol derived lignin for improving physico-mechanical properties of thermoset biocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Bajwa, Dilpreet S; Wang, Xinnan; Sitz, Evan; Loll, Tyler; Bhattacharjee, Sujal

2016-08-01

Lignin is the most abundant of renewable polymers next to cellulose with a global annual production of 70million tons, largely produced from pulping and second generation biofuel industries. Low value of industrial lignin makes it an attractive biomaterial for wide range of applications. The study investigated the application of wheat straw and corn stover based lignin derived from ethanol production for use in thermoset biocomposites. The biocomposite matrix constituted a two component low viscosity Araldite(®)LY 8601/Aradur(®) 8602 epoxy resin system and the lignin content varied from 0 to 25% by weight fraction. The analysis of the physical and mechanical properties of the biocomposites show bioethanol derived lignin can improve selective properties such as impact strength, and thermal stability without compromising the modulus and strength attributes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Econophysics: from Game Theory and Information Theory to Quantum Mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Jimenez, Edward; Moya, Douglas

2005-03-01

Rationality is the universal invariant among human behavior, universe physical laws and ordered and complex biological systems. Econophysics isboth the use of physical concepts in Finance and Economics, and the use of Information Economics in Physics. In special, we will show that it is possible to obtain the Quantum Mechanics principles using Information and Game Theory.

Health literacy and online health information processing: Unraveling the underlying mechanisms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meppelink, C.S.; Smit, E.G.; Diviani, N.; van Weert, J.C.M.

2016-01-01

The usefulness of the Internet as a health information source largely depends on the receiver’s health literacy. This study investigates the mechanisms through which health literacy affects information recall and website attitudes. Using 2 independent surveys addressing different Dutch health

Comparative antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action of bovine lactoferricin-derived synthetic peptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yifan; Han, Feifei; Xie, Yonggang; Wang, Yizhen

2011-12-01

Lactoferricin B (LfcinB), a 25 residue peptide derived from the N-terminal of bovine lactoferrin (bLF), causes depolarization of the cytoplasmic membrane in susceptible bacteria. Its mechanism of action, however, still needs to be elucidated. In the present study, synthetic LfcinB (without a disulfide bridge) and LfcinB (C-C; with a disulfide bridge) as well as three derivatives with 15-, 11- and 9-residue peptides were prepared to investigate their antimicrobial nature and mechanisms. The antimicrobial properties were measured via minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determinations, killing kinetics assays and synergy testing, and hemolytic activities were assessed by hemoglobin release. Finally, the morphology of peptide-treated bacteria was determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). We found that there was no difference in MICs between LfcinB and LfcinB (C-C). Among the derivatives, only LfcinB15 maintained nearly the same level as LfcinB, in the MIC range of 16-128 μg/ml, and the MICs of LfcinB11 (64-256 μg/ml) were 4 times more than LfcinB, while LfcinB9 exhibited the lowest antimicrobial activity. When treated at MIC for 1 h, many blebs were formed and holes of various sizes appeared on the cell surface, but the cell still maintained its integrity. This suggested that LfcinB had a major permeability effect on the cytoplasmic membrane of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which also indicated it may be a possible intracellular target. Among the tested antibiotics, aureomycin increased the bactericidal activity of LfcinB against E. coli, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, but neomycin did not have such an effect. We also found that the combination of cecropin A and LfcinB had synergistic effects against E. coli.

Elementary Continuum Mechanics for Everyone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Byskov, Esben

numerical method, the finite element method, including means of mending inherent problems •An informal, yet precise exposition that emphasizes not just how a topic is treated, but discusses why a particular choice is made The book opens with a derivation of kinematically nonlinear 3-D continuum mechanics...

45 CFR 205.35 - Mechanized claims processing and information retrieval systems; definitions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... claims processing and information retrieval systems; definitions. Section 205.35 through 205.38 contain...: (a) A mechanized claims processing and information retrieval system, hereafter referred to as an automated application processing and information retrieval system (APIRS), or the system, means a system of...

Foundations of Quantum Mechanics: Derivation of a dissipative Schrödinger equation from first principles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonçalves, L.A.; Olavo, L.S.F., E-mail: olavolsf@gmail.com

2017-05-15

Dissipation in Quantum Mechanics took some time to become a robust field of investigation after the birth of the field. The main issue hindering developments in the field is that the Quantization process was always tightly connected to the Hamiltonian formulation of Classical Mechanics. In this paper we present a quantization process that does not depend upon the Hamiltonian formulation of Classical Mechanics (although still departs from Classical Mechanics) and thus overcome the problem of finding, from first principles, a completely general Schrödinger equation encompassing dissipation. This generalized process of quantization is shown to be nothing but an extension of a more restricted version that is shown to produce the Schrödinger equation for Hamiltonian systems from first principles (even for Hamiltonian velocity dependent potential). - Highlights: • A Quantization process independent of the Hamiltonian formulation of quantum Mechanics is proposed. • This quantization method is applied to dissipative or absorptive systems. • A Dissipative Schrödinger equation is derived from first principles.

78 FR 36190 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; IT Dashboard Feedback Mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-17

... Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; IT Dashboard Feedback Mechanism AGENCY: Office... to review and approve a previously approved information collection requirement regarding IT Dashboard... identified by Information Collection 3090- 0285, IT Dashboard Feedback Mechanism, by any of the following...

Mechanisms of protection of information in computer networks and systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey Petrovich Evseev

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Protocols of information protection in computer networks and systems are investigated. The basic types of threats of infringement of the protection arising from the use of computer networks are classified. The basic mechanisms, services and variants of realization of cryptosystems for maintaining authentication, integrity and confidentiality of transmitted information are examined. Their advantages and drawbacks are described. Perspective directions of development of cryptographic transformations for the maintenance of information protection in computer networks and systems are defined and analyzed.

Multiscale Stochastic Fracture Mechanics of Composites Informed by In-situ XCT Tests

Science.gov (United States)

2016-02-02

interfacial fracture ) in CFRP was recently found in the fuselages of Dreamliner 787, and two types of cracks were found in the rib feet brackets...AFRL-AFOSR-UK-TR-2016-0003 Multiscale Stochastic Fracture Mechanics of Composites Informed by In-situ XCT Tests Zhenjun Yang UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER...Multiscale Stochastic Fracture Mechanics of Composites Informed by In-situ XCT Tests 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER EOARD 12-2100 5b. GRANT NUMBER F8655-12-1

Quantum mechanics with applications to nanotechnology and information science

CERN Document Server

Band, Yehuda B

2013-01-01

Quantum mechanics transcends and supplants classical mechanics at the atomic and subatomic levels. It provides the underlying framework for many subfields of physics, chemistry and materials science, including condensed matter physics, atomic physics, molecular physics, quantum chemistry, particle physics, and nuclear physics. It is the only way we can understand the structure of materials, from the semiconductors in our computers to the metal in our automobiles. It is also the scaffolding supporting much of nanoscience and nanotechnology. The purpose of this book is to present the fundamentals of quantum theory within a modern perspective, with emphasis on applications to nanoscience and nanotechnology, and information-technology. As the frontiers of science have advanced, the sort of curriculum adequate for students in the sciences and engineering twenty years ago is no longer satisfactory today. Hence, the emphasis on new topics that are not included in older reference texts, such as quantum information th...

Kinetics and the mass transfer mechanism of hydrogen sulfide removal by biochar derived from rice hull.

Science.gov (United States)

Shang, Guofeng; Liu, Liang; Chen, Ping; Shen, Guoqing; Li, Qiwu

2016-05-01

The biochar derived from rice hull was evaluated for its abilities to remove hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from gas phase. The surface area and pH of the biochar were compared. The biochar derived from rice hull was evaluated for its abilities to remove hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from gas phase. The surface area and pH of the biochar were compared. The different pyrolysis temperature has great influence on the adsorption of H2S. At the different pyrolysis temperature, the H2S removal efficiency of rice hull-derived biochar was different. The adsorption capacities of biochar were 2.09 mg·g(-1), 2.65 mg·g(-1), 16.30 mg·g(-1), 20.80 mg·g(-1), and 382.70 mg·g(-1), which their pyrolysis temperatures were 100 °C, 200 °C, 300 °C, 400 °C and 500 °C respectively. Based on the Yoon-Nelson model, it analyzed the mass transfer mechanism of hydrogen sulfide adsorption by biochar. The paper focuses on the biochar derived from rice hull-removed hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from gas phase. The surface area and pH of the biochar were compared. The different pyrolysis temperatures have great influence on the adsorption of H2S. At the different pyrolysis temperatures, the H2S removal efficiency of rice hull-derived biohar was different. The adsorption capacities of biochar were 2.09, 2.65, 16.30, 20.80, and 382.70 mg·g(-1), and their pyrolysis temperatures were 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 °C, respectively. Based on the Yoon-Nelson model, the mass transfer mechanism of hydrogen sulfide adsorption by biochar was analyzed.

42 CFR 433.116 - FFP for operation of mechanized claims processing and information retrieval systems.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... and information retrieval systems. 433.116 Section 433.116 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE... FISCAL ADMINISTRATION Mechanized Claims Processing and Information Retrieval Systems § 433.116 FFP for operation of mechanized claims processing and information retrieval systems. (a) Subject to 42 CFR 433.113(c...

The synthesis, structure-toxicity relationship of cisplatin derivatives for the mechanism research of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jing; Wu, Tian-Ming; Li, Hong-Ze; Zuo, Ze-Ping; Zhao, Ying-Lan; Yang, Li

2017-08-01

Cisplatin is a widely used antineoplastic drug, while its nephrotoxicity limits the clinical application. Although several mechanisms contributing to nephrotoxicity have been reported, the direct protein targets are unclear. Herein we reported the synthesis of 29 cisplatin derivatives and the structure-toxicity relationship (STR) of these compounds with MTT assay in human renal proximal tubule cells (HK-2) and pig kidney epithelial cells (LLC-PK1). To the best of our knowledge, this study represented the first report regarding the structure-toxicity relationship (STR) of cisplatin derivatives. The potency of biotin-pyridine conjugated derivative 3 met the requirement for target identification, and the preliminary chemical proteomics results suggested that it is a promising tool for further target identification of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

From Information to Urban Sustainability through Innovations in Citizen Centered Transparency Mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Tiwari, A.

2017-12-01

Current urban information mechanisms in developing countries operate only through linear exchanges between institutions and users and therefore reinforce hierarchical relationships. Coupled with conflicting interests and perspectives of stakeholders in multilevel climate-governance and absence of grassroots information-networking for adaptation decision-making, there are therefore, existing information gaps. Central to urban sustainability is the need for citizen centered transparency (CCT) mechanisms that encompass and address the needs of the marginalized and vulnerable communities in developing countries especially. The study discloses the existing information gaps through information-needs assessment of stakeholders, and attempts to chart the desired course for responsible action within frame-work of Citizen Centered Transparency (CCT) mechanism. This involved analysis of several urban development projects for Indian metropolitans that mainly involved end-user association, and the parameters considered for breaking complexity for assessment included: a. Feedback: Ends-user feedback to improve resource consumption literacy and consequently urban behaviour and sustainable lifestyles(feedback technology, consumption displays, eco-labeling, billing, advisory services, sensor technology), and b. Administrative Traditions and Institutional Policy: Rewarding-punishing to enforce desired action(subsidies, taxation). The research thus answered: 1.Who gets the information whereas who requires it (Equity in Information Distribution)? and 2. How can information translate to responsible action in future (Transparency of Execution)? Findings suggested that, how, by using the CCT innovations it is practically possible to embed responsibilities in urban development planning, and manifesting environmental goals in municipal policies so that they bear clear potential short-term benefits, short-term costs, and have maximum compliance with the objectives of sustainable urban

Two Maintenance Mechanisms of Verbal Information in Working Memory

Science.gov (United States)

Camos, V.; Lagner, P.; Barrouillet, P.

2009-01-01

The present study evaluated the interplay between two mechanisms of maintenance of verbal information in working memory, namely articulatory rehearsal as described in Baddeley's model, and attentional refreshing as postulated in Barrouillet and Camos's Time-Based Resource-Sharing (TBRS) model. In four experiments using complex span paradigm, we…

Mechanical and thermal properties of environmentally friendly composites derived from sugar palm tree

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahari, J.; Sapuan, S.M.; Zainudin, E.S.; Maleque, M.A.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► We successfully developed biocomposites derived from sugar palm tree. ► The addition of SPF improve the mechanical properties of biocomposites. ► The thermal stability of biocomposites increase with increasing of SPF. ► The water absorption of biocomposites decrease with increasing of SPF. ► We investigate the morphological fracture through scanning electron microscopy. - Abstract: The aim of this paper is to study the effect of fibre content on mechanical properties, water absorption behaviour and thermal properties of sugar palm fibre (SPF) reinforced plasticized sugar palm starch (SPF/SPS) biocomposites. The biocomposites were prepared with different amounts of fibres (i.e. 10%, 20% and 30% by weight percent) by using glycerol as plasticizer for the starch. The mechanical properties of plasticized SPS improved with the incorporation of fibres. Fibre loading also increased the thermal stability of the biocomposite in this investigation. Water uptake and moisture content of SPF/SPS biocomposites decreased with the incorporation of fibres, which is due to better interfacial bonding between the matrix and fibres as well as the hindrance to absorption caused by the fibres. Fractographic studies through scanning electron microscopy showed homogeneous distribution of fibres and matrix with good adhesion which play an important role in improving the mechanical properties of biocomposites

Plants-Derived Neuroprotective Agents: Cutting the Cycle of Cell Death through Multiple Mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taiwo Olayemi Elufioye

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Neuroprotection is the preservation of the structure and function of neurons from insults arising from cellular injuries induced by a variety of agents or neurodegenerative diseases (NDs. The various NDs including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases as well as amyotropic lateral sclerosis affect millions of people around the world with the main risk factor being advancing age. Each of these diseases affects specific neurons and/or regions in the brain and involves characteristic pathological and molecular features. Hence, several in vitro and in vivo study models specific to each disease have been employed to study NDs with the aim of understanding their underlying mechanisms and identifying new therapeutic strategies. Of the most prevalent drug development efforts employed in the past few decades, mechanisms implicated in the accumulation of protein-based deposits, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and certain neurotransmitter deficits such as acetylcholine and dopamine have been scrutinized in great detail. In this review, we presented classical examples of plant-derived neuroprotective agents by highlighting their structural class and specific mechanisms of action. Many of these natural products that have shown therapeutic efficacies appear to be working through the above-mentioned key multiple mechanisms of action.

A method for automated processing of measurement information during mechanical drilling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samonenko, V.I.; Belinkov, V.G.; Romanova, L.A.

1984-01-01

An algorithm is cited for a developed method for automated processing of measurement information during mechanical drilling. Its use in conditions of operation of an automated control system (ASU) from drilling will make it possible to precisely identify a change in the lithology, the physical and mechanical and the abrasive properties, in the stratum (pore) pressure in the rock being drilled out during mechanical drilling, which along with other methods for testing the drilling process will increase the reliability of the decisions made.

Applications of continuity and discontinuity of a fractional derivative of the wave functions to fractional quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Jianping; Xu Mingyu

2008-01-01

The space fractional Schroedinger equation with a finite square potential, periodic potential, and delta-function potential is studied in this paper. We find that the continuity or discontinuity condition of a fractional derivative of the wave functions should be considered to solve the fractional Schroedinger equation in fractional quantum mechanics. More parity states than those given by standard quantum mechanics for the finite square potential well are obtained. The corresponding energy equations are derived and then solved by graphical methods. We show the validity of Bloch's theorem and reveal the energy band structure for the periodic potential. The jump (discontinuity) condition for the fractional derivative of the wave function of the delta-function potential is given. With the help of the jump condition, we study some delta-function potential fields. For the delta-function potential well, an alternate expression of the wave function (the H function form of it was given by Dong and Xu [J. Math. Phys. 48, 072105 (2007)]) is obtained. The problems of a particle penetrating through a delta-function potential barrier and the fractional probability current density of the particle are also discussed. We study the Dirac comb and show the energy band structure at the end of the paper

Structure Properties and Mechanisms of Action of Naturally Originated Phenolic Acids and Their Derivatives against Human Viral Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yi-Hang; Zhang, Bing-Yi; Qiu, Li-Peng; Guan, Rong-Fa; Ye, Zi-Hong; Yu, Xiao-Ping

2017-01-01

A great effort has been made to develop efficacious antiviral drugs, but many viral infections are still lack of efficient antiviral therapies so far. The related exploration of natural products to fight viruses has been raised in recent years. Natural compounds with structural diversity and complexity offer a great chance to find new antiviral agents. Particularly, phenolic acids have attracted considerable attention owing to their potent antiviral abilities and unique mechanisms. The aim of this review is to report new discoveries and updates pertaining to antiviral phenolic acids. The relevant references on natural phenolic acids were searched. The antiviral phenolic acids were classified according to their structural properties and antiviral types. Meanwhile, the antiviral characteristics and structure-activity relationships of phenolic acids and their derivatives were summarized. The review finds that natural phenolic acids and their derivatives possessed potent inhibitory effects on multiple virus in humans such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, herpes simplex virus, influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus. In particular, caffeic acid/gallic acid and their derivatives exhibited outstanding antiviral properties by a variety of modes of action. Naturally derived phenolic acids especially caffeic acid/gallic acid and their derivatives may be regarded as novel promising antiviral leads or candidates. Additionally, scarcely any of these compounds has been used as antiviral treatment in clinical practice. Therefore, these phenolic acids with diverse skeletons and mechanisms provide us an excellent resource for finding novel antiviral drugs. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

3D surface flow kinematics derived from airborne UAVSAR interferometric synthetic aperture radar to constrain the physical mechanisms controlling landslide motion

Science.gov (United States)

Delbridge, B. G.; Burgmann, R.; Fielding, E. J.; Hensley, S.; Schulz, W. H.

2013-12-01

This project focuses on improving our understanding of the physical mechanisms controlling landslide motion by studying the landslide-wide kinematics of the Slumgullion landslide in southwestern Colorado using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) and GPS. The NASA/JPL UAVSAR airborne repeat-pass SAR interferometry system imaged the Slumgullion landslide from 4 look directions on eight flights in 2011 and 2012. Combining the four look directions allows us to extract the full 3-D velocity field of the surface. Observing the full 3-dimensional flow field allows us to extract the full strain tensor (assuming free surface boundary conditions and incompressible flow) since we have both the spatial resolution to take spatial derivates and full deformation information. COSMO-SkyMed(CSK) high-resolution Spotlight data was also acquired during time intervals overlapping with the UAVSAR one-week pairs, with intervals as short as one day. These observations allow for the quantitative testing of the deformation magnitude and estimated formal errors in the UAVSAR derived deformation field. We also test the agreement of the deformation at 20 GPS monitoring sites concurrently acquired by the USGS. We also utilize the temporal resolution of real-time GPS acquired by the UC Berkeley Active Tectonics Group during a temporary deployment from July 22nd - August 2nd. By combining this data with the kinematic data we hope to elucidate the response of the landslide to environmental changes such as rainfall, snowmelt, and atmospheric pressure, and consequently the mechanisms controlling the dynamics of the landslide system. To constrain the longer temporal dynamics, interferograms made from pairs of CSK images acquired in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 reveal the slide deformation on a longer timescale by allowing us to measure meters of motion and see the average rates over year long intervals using pixel offset tracking of the high-resolution SAR amplitude images. The results of

Using Financial Instruments to Transfer the Information Security Risks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pankaj Pandey

2016-05-01

Full Text Available For many individuals and organizations, cyber-insurance is the most practical and only way of handling a major financial impact of an information security event. However, the cyber-insurance market suffers from the problem of information asymmetry, lack of product diversity, illiquidity, high transaction cost, and so on. On the other hand, in theory, capital market-based financial instruments can provide a risk transfer mechanism with the ability to absorb the adverse impact of an information security event. Thus, this article addresses the limitations in the cyber-(reinsurance markets with a set of capital market-based financial instruments. This article presents a set of information security derivatives, namely options, vanilla options, swap, and futures that can be traded at an information security prediction market. Furthermore, this article demonstrates the usefulness of information security derivatives in a given scenario and presents an evaluation of the same in comparison with cyber-insurance. In our analysis, we found that the information security derivatives can at least be a partial solution to the problems in the cyber-insurance markets. The information security derivatives can be used as an effective tool for information elicitation and aggregation, cyber risk pricing, risk hedging, and strategic decision making for information security risk management.

Information-Measuring System to Control the Electrical and Mechanical Motor Parameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. S. Ermakov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article considers the issue of creating an information-measuring system for an asynchronous motor. The presented system allows ensuring the failure-free protection of electromotor, considerably reducing costs of its unplanned repair, and reduced economical loss from idle time of the electric motor.The developed system comprises a mathematical model and two subsystems to measure electrical and mechanical parameters of the asynchronous motor.The electrical subsystem comprises a FLUKE company recording multi-meter a signal from which passes through the block of intervals and coding and comes to PC.The mechanical subsystem uses technical tools of phase-chronometric method. This method developed at the department of Metrology and Interchangeability allows an increasing efficiency of developed informative-measuring system. Mathematical modeling is used to link information from subsystems (electrical and mechanical to electromotor construction.The work conducted mathematical modeling of some defects of electric motor, namely: rupture of rotor winding and line surge.The mathematical model in Mathcad was based on a modified formula of Kloss. It allows us to tie the average current value of the torque of the induction motor with shaft speed and take into account the effect of the frequency and voltage.The Matlab Simulink (the package for visual programming environment was used to simulate a rupture of the rotor winding. Simulation results showed how the phase currents of the electric motor changed with the winding rupture.The developed information-measuring system has a number of advantages over traditional systems used in this field (vibration-based diagnostics systems. It will allow an increasing efficiency of the system for diagnostics of electrical machines created on the basis of this information-measuring system.

Mechanical forces as information: an integrated approach to plant and animal development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valeria eHernández-Hernández

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Mechanical forces such as tension and compression act throughout growth and development of multicellular organisms. These forces not only affect the size and shape of the cells and tissues but are capable of modifying the expression of genes and the localization of molecular components within the cell, in the plasma membrane, and in the plant cell wall. The magnitude and direction of these physical forces change with cellular and tissue properties such as elasticity. Thus, mechanical forces and the mesoscopic fields that emerge from their local action constitute important sources of positional information. Moreover, physical and biochemical processes interact in non-linear ways during tissue and organ growth in plants and animals. In this review we discuss how such mechanical forces are generated, transmitted, and sensed in these two lineages of multicellular organisms to yield long-range positional information. In order to do so we first outline a potentially common basis for studying patterning and mechanosensing that relies on the structural principle of tensegrity, and discuss how tensegral structures might arise in plants and animals. We then provide some examples of morphogenesis in which mechanical forces appear to act as positional information during development, offering a possible explanation for ubiquitous processes, such as the formation of periodic structures. Such examples, we argue, can be interpreted in terms of tensegral phenomena. Finally, we discuss the hypothesis of mechanically isotropic points as a potentially generic mechanism for the localization and maintenance of stem-cell niches in multicellular organisms. This comparative approach aims to help uncovering generic mechanisms of morphogenesis and thus reach a better understanding of the evolution and development of multicellular phenotypes, focusing on the role of physical forces in these processes.

[Mechanisms of articulation between the informal and the formal urban sectors].

Science.gov (United States)

Lomnitz, L

1978-01-01

This article utilizes field data from Mexico City squatter settlements and personal interviews with employers to analyze some aspects of social relations between the informal sector and the formal urban sector, and compares the results with findings of other anthropologists in Mexico and elsewhere to derive a series of theoretical generalizations concerning mechanisms of articulation between the marginal sector and the formal economic and political institutions of the society. The formal sector is postulated to consist of the 3 subsectors of power, capital, and labor, which are in permanent conflict among themselves but all of which enjoy labor security and an assured minimal level of income. The marginal or informal sector lacks employment security, a minimal income level, and bargaining power. It is characterized by a small scale economy utilizing intensive familial labor. The informal sector is marginal to the dominant industrial system of production and the state apparatus, although it fulfills functions in terms of the national economy. 2 types of relationships may be distinguished in the social organization of the marginal sector: reciprocal relations between equals which form a network for the exchange of goods and services, or patron/client relations which are used, for example, in the case of petty entrepreneurs utilizing their relatives and acquaintances to create units of production. The functions of reciprocal relations are affected by social, physical, economic, and psychosocial distance or proximity and may result in exchanges of information, labor assistance, loans, services, or moral support. Patron/client relations may be direct, or the "patron" may be an intermediary. Some reciprocal networks display a pattern of incipient asymmetry leading to formation of true patron/client ties and some petty entrepreneurs or intermediaries manage to develop true patron/client networks; case histories are used to illustrate both phenomena. Intermediaries

Profiling the Interaction Mechanism of Quinoline/Quinazoline Derivatives as MCHR1 Antagonists: An in Silico Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingwei Wu

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Melanin concentrating hormone receptor 1 (MCHR1, a crucial regulator of energy homeostasis involved in the control of feeding and energy metabolism, is a promising target for treatment of obesity. In the present work, the up-to-date largest set of 181 quinoline/quinazoline derivatives as MCHR1 antagonists was subjected to both ligand- and receptor-based three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity (3D-QSAR analysis applying comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA. The optimal predictable CoMSIA model exhibited significant validity with the cross-validated correlation coefficient (Q2 = 0.509, non-cross-validated correlation coefficient (R2ncv = 0.841 and the predicted correlation coefficient (R2pred = 0.745. In addition, docking studies and molecular dynamics (MD simulations were carried out for further elucidation of the binding modes of MCHR1 antagonists. MD simulations in both water and lipid bilayer systems were performed. We hope that the obtained models and information may help to provide an insight into the interaction mechanism of MCHR1 antagonists and facilitate the design and optimization of novel antagonists as anti-obesity agents.

Mechanical stretch increases CCN2/CTGF expression in anterior cruciate ligament-derived cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyake, Yoshiaki [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Science of Functional Recovery and Reconstruction, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama (Japan); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama (Japan); Furumatsu, Takayuki, E-mail: matino@md.okayama-u.ac.jp [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Science of Functional Recovery and Reconstruction, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama (Japan); Kubota, Satoshi; Kawata, Kazumi [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama (Japan); Ozaki, Toshifumi [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Science of Functional Recovery and Reconstruction, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama (Japan); Takigawa, Masaharu [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama (Japan)

2011-06-03

Highlights: {yields} CCN2/CTGF localizes to the ligament-to-bone interface, but is not to the midsubstance region of human anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). {yields} Mechanical stretch induces higher increase of CCN2/CTGF gene expression and protein secretion in ACL interface cells compared with ACL midsubstance cells. {yields} CCN2/CTGF treatment stimulates the proliferation of ACL interface cells. -- Abstract: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-to-bone interface serves to minimize the stress concentrations that would arise between two different tissues. Mechanical stretch plays an important role in maintaining cell-specific features by inducing CCN family 2/connective tissue growth factor (CCN2/CTGF). We previously reported that cyclic tensile strain (CTS) stimulates {alpha}1(I) collagen (COL1A1) expression in human ACL-derived cells. However, the biological function and stress-related response of CCN2/CTGF were still unclear in ACL fibroblasts. In the present study, CCN2/CTGF was observed in ACL-to-bone interface, but was not in the midsubstance region by immunohistochemical analyses. CTS treatments induced higher increase of CCN2/CTGF expression and secretion in interface cells compared with midsubstance cells. COL1A1 expression was not influenced by CCN2/CTGF treatment in interface cells despite CCN2/CTGF stimulated COL1A1 expression in midsubstance cells. However, CCN2/CTGF stimulated the proliferation of interface cells. Our results suggest that distinct biological function of stretch-induced CCN2/CTGF might regulate region-specific phenotypes of ACL-derived cells.

Mechanical stretch increases CCN2/CTGF expression in anterior cruciate ligament-derived cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyake, Yoshiaki; Furumatsu, Takayuki; Kubota, Satoshi; Kawata, Kazumi; Ozaki, Toshifumi; Takigawa, Masaharu

2011-01-01

Highlights: → CCN2/CTGF localizes to the ligament-to-bone interface, but is not to the midsubstance region of human anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). → Mechanical stretch induces higher increase of CCN2/CTGF gene expression and protein secretion in ACL interface cells compared with ACL midsubstance cells. → CCN2/CTGF treatment stimulates the proliferation of ACL interface cells. -- Abstract: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-to-bone interface serves to minimize the stress concentrations that would arise between two different tissues. Mechanical stretch plays an important role in maintaining cell-specific features by inducing CCN family 2/connective tissue growth factor (CCN2/CTGF). We previously reported that cyclic tensile strain (CTS) stimulates α1(I) collagen (COL1A1) expression in human ACL-derived cells. However, the biological function and stress-related response of CCN2/CTGF were still unclear in ACL fibroblasts. In the present study, CCN2/CTGF was observed in ACL-to-bone interface, but was not in the midsubstance region by immunohistochemical analyses. CTS treatments induced higher increase of CCN2/CTGF expression and secretion in interface cells compared with midsubstance cells. COL1A1 expression was not influenced by CCN2/CTGF treatment in interface cells despite CCN2/CTGF stimulated COL1A1 expression in midsubstance cells. However, CCN2/CTGF stimulated the proliferation of interface cells. Our results suggest that distinct biological function of stretch-induced CCN2/CTGF might regulate region-specific phenotypes of ACL-derived cells.

Deriving a Bilingual Lexicon for Cross-Language Information Retrieval

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hiemstra, Djoerd

1997-01-01

In this paper we describe a systematic approach to derive a bilingual lexicon automatically from parallel corpora. Following this approach, a lexicon was derived from the English and Dutch version of the Agenda 21 corpus. With the lexicon and a part of the corpus that was not used to derive the

Satellite-Based Derivation of High-Resolution Forest Information Layers for Operational Forest Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes Stoffels

2015-06-01

Full Text Available A key factor for operational forest management and forest monitoring is the availability of up-to-date spatial information on the state of forest resources. Earth observation can provide valuable contributions to these information needs. The German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate transferred its inherited forest information system to a new architecture that is better able to serve the needs of centralized inventory and planning services, down to the level of forest districts. During this process, a spatially adaptive classification approach was developed to derive high-resolution forest information layers (e.g., forest type, tree species distribution, development stages based on multi-temporal satellite data. This study covers the application of the developed approach to a regional scale (federal state level and the further adaptation of the design to meet the information needs of the state forest service. The results confirm that the operational requirements for mapping accuracy can, in principle, be fulfilled. However, the state-wide mapping experiment also revealed that the ability to meet the required level of accuracy is largely dependent on the availability of satellite observations within the optimum phenological time-windows.

Neural Mechanisms and Information Processing in Recognition Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mamiko Ozaki

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Nestmate recognition is a hallmark of social insects. It is based on the match/mismatch of an identity signal carried by members of the society with that of the perceiving individual. While the behavioral response, amicable or aggressive, is very clear, the neural systems underlying recognition are not fully understood. Here we contrast two alternative hypotheses for the neural mechanisms that are responsible for the perception and information processing in recognition. We focus on recognition via chemical signals, as the common modality in social insects. The first, classical, hypothesis states that upon perception of recognition cues by the sensory system the information is passed as is to the antennal lobes and to higher brain centers where the information is deciphered and compared to a neural template. Match or mismatch information is then transferred to some behavior-generating centers where the appropriate response is elicited. An alternative hypothesis, that of “pre-filter mechanism”, posits that the decision as to whether to pass on the information to the central nervous system takes place in the peripheral sensory system. We suggest that, through sensory adaptation, only alien signals are passed on to the brain, specifically to an “aggressive-behavior-switching center”, where the response is generated if the signal is above a certain threshold.

Emergent mechanics, quantum and un-quantum

Science.gov (United States)

Ralston, John P.

2013-10-01

There is great interest in quantum mechanics as an "emergent" phenomenon. The program holds that nonobvious patterns and laws can emerge from complicated physical systems operating by more fundamental rules. We find a new approach where quantum mechanics itself should be viewed as an information management tool not derived from physics nor depending on physics. The main accomplishment of quantum-style theory comes in expanding the notion of probability. We construct a map from macroscopic information as data" to quantum probability. The map allows a hidden variable description for quantum states, and efficient use of the helpful tools of quantum mechanics in unlimited circumstances. Quantum dynamics via the time-dependent Shroedinger equation or operator methods actually represents a restricted class of classical Hamiltonian or Lagrangian dynamics, albeit with different numbers of degrees of freedom. We show that under wide circumstances such dynamics emerges from structureless dynamical systems. The uses of the quantum information management tools are illustrated by numerical experiments and practical applications

Information-theoretical approach to control of quantum-mechanical systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawabata, Shiro

2003-01-01

Fundamental limits on the controllability of quantum mechanical systems are discussed in the light of quantum information theory. It is shown that the amount of entropy-reduction that can be extracted from a quantum system by feedback controller is upper bounded by a sum of the decrease of entropy achievable in open-loop control and the mutual information between the quantum system and the controller. This upper bound sets a fundamental limit on the performance of any quantum controllers whose designs are based on the possibilities to attain low entropy states. An application of this approach pertaining to quantum error correction is also discussed

Solvable potentials derived from supersymmetric quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levai, G.

1994-01-01

The introduction of supersymmetric quantum mechanics has generated renewed interest in solvable problems of non-relativistic quantum mechanics. This approach offers an elegant way to describe different, but isospectral potentials by interpreting the degeneracy of their energy levels in terms of supersymmetry. The original ideas of supersymmetric quantum mechanics have been developed further in many respects in the past ten years, and have been applied to a large variety of physical problems. The purpose of this contribution is to give a survey of supersymmetric quantum mechanics and its applications to solvable quantum mechanical potentials. Its relation to other models describing isospectral potentials is also discussed here briefly, as well as some of its practical applications in various branches of physics. (orig.)

A direct derivation of the exact Fisther information matrix of Gaussian vector state space models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klein, A.A.B.; Neudecker, H.

2000-01-01

This paper deals with a direct derivation of Fisher's information matrix of vector state space models for the general case, by which is meant the establishment of the matrix as a whole and not element by element. The method to be used is matrix differentiation, see [4]. We assume the model to be

A detailed kinetic mechanism including methanol and nitrogen pollutants relevant to the gas-phase combustion and pyrolysis of biomass-derived fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coda Zabetta, Edgardo; Hupa, Mikko [Aabo Akademi Process Chemistry Centre, Piispankatu 8, FI-20500 Turku (Finland)

2008-01-15

A detailed chemical kinetic mechanism for the simulation of the gas-phase combustion and pyrolysis of biomass-derived fuels was compiled by assembling selected reaction subsets from existing mechanisms (parents). The mechanism, here referred to as ''AaA,'' includes reaction subsets for the oxidation of hydrogen (H{sub 2}), carbon monoxide (CO), light hydrocarbons (C{sub 1} and C{sub 2}), and methanol (CH{sub 3}OH). The mechanism also takes into account reaction subsets of nitrogen pollutants, including the reactions relevant to staged combustion, reburning, and selective noncatalytic reduction (SNCR). The AaA mechanism was validated against suitable experimental data from the literature. Overall, the AaA mechanism gave more accurate predictions than three other mechanisms of reference, although the reference mechanisms performed better occasionally. The predictions from AaA were also found to be consistent with the predictions of its parent mechanisms within most of their range of validity, thus transferring the validity of the parents to the inheriting mechanism (AaA). In parametric studies the AaA mechanism predicted that the effect of methanol on combustion and pollutants is often similar to that of light hydrocarbons, but it also showed that there are important exceptions, thus suggesting that methanol should be taken into account when simulating biomass combustion. To our knowledge, the AaA mechanism is currently the only mechanism that accounts for the chemistry of methanol and nitrogen relevant to the gas-phase combustion and pyrolysis of biomass-derived fuels. (author)

Fisher information and quantum potential well model for finance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nastasiuk, V.A., E-mail: nasa@i.ua

2015-09-25

The probability distribution function (PDF) for prices on financial markets is derived by extremization of Fisher information. It is shown how on that basis the quantum-like description for financial markets arises and different financial market models are mapped by quantum mechanical ones. - Highlights: • The financial Schrödinger equation is derived using the principle of minimum Fisher information. • Statistical models for price variation are mapped by the quantum models of coupled particle. • The model of quantum particle in parabolic potential well corresponds to Efficient market.

Fisher information and quantum potential well model for finance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nastasiuk, V.A.

2015-01-01

The probability distribution function (PDF) for prices on financial markets is derived by extremization of Fisher information. It is shown how on that basis the quantum-like description for financial markets arises and different financial market models are mapped by quantum mechanical ones. - Highlights: • The financial Schrödinger equation is derived using the principle of minimum Fisher information. • Statistical models for price variation are mapped by the quantum models of coupled particle. • The model of quantum particle in parabolic potential well corresponds to Efficient market

Insights into Protein Sequence and Structure-Derived Features Mediating 3D Domain Swapping Mechanism using Support Vector Machine Based Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khader Shameer

2010-06-01

Full Text Available 3-dimensional domain swapping is a mechanism where two or more protein molecules form higher order oligomers by exchanging identical or similar subunits. Recently, this phenomenon has received much attention in the context of prions and neuro-degenerative diseases, due to its role in the functional regulation, formation of higher oligomers, protein misfolding, aggregation etc. While 3-dimensional domain swap mechanism can be detected from three-dimensional structures, it remains a formidable challenge to derive common sequence or structural patterns from proteins involved in swapping. We have developed a SVM-based classifier to predict domain swapping events using a set of features derived from sequence and structural data. The SVM classifier was trained on features derived from 150 proteins reported to be involved in 3D domain swapping and 150 proteins not known to be involved in swapped conformation or related to proteins involved in swapping phenomenon. The testing was performed using 63 proteins from the positive dataset and 63 proteins from the negative dataset. We obtained 76.33% accuracy from training and 73.81% accuracy from testing. Due to high diversity in the sequence, structure and functions of proteins involved in domain swapping, availability of such an algorithm to predict swapping events from sequence and structure-derived features will be an initial step towards identification of more putative proteins that may be involved in swapping or proteins involved in deposition disease. Further, the top features emerging in our feature selection method may be analysed further to understand their roles in the mechanism of domain swapping.

Deriving Structural Information from Experimentally Measured Data on Biomolecules.

Science.gov (United States)

van Gunsteren, Wilfred F; Allison, Jane R; Daura, Xavier; Dolenc, Jožica; Hansen, Niels; Mark, Alan E; Oostenbrink, Chris; Rusu, Victor H; Smith, Lorna J

2016-12-23

During the past half century, the number and accuracy of experimental techniques that can deliver values of observables for biomolecular systems have been steadily increasing. The conversion of a measured value Q exp of an observable quantity Q into structural information is, however, a task beset with theoretical and practical problems: 1) insufficient or inaccurate values of Q exp , 2) inaccuracies in the function Q(r→) used to relate the quantity Q to structure r→ , 3) how to account for the averaging inherent in the measurement of Q exp , 4) how to handle the possible multiple-valuedness of the inverse r→(Q) of the function Q(r→) , to mention a few. These apply to a variety of observable quantities Q and measurement techniques such as X-ray and neutron diffraction, small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering, free-electron laser imaging, cryo-electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, circular dichroism, Förster resonance energy transfer, atomic force microscopy and ion-mobility mass spectrometry. The process of deriving structural information from measured data is reviewed with an eye to non-experts and newcomers in the field using examples from the literature of the effect of the various choices and approximations involved in the process. A list of choices to be avoided is provided. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effects of hypergravity on adipose-derived stem cell morphology, mechanical property and proliferation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tavakolinejad, Alireza [Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Rabbani, Mohsen, E-mail: m.rabbani@eng.ui.ac.ir [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Isfahan, Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Janmaleki, Mohsen [Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-08-21

Alteration in specific inertial conditions can lead to changes in morphology, proliferation, mechanical properties and cytoskeleton of cells. In this report, the effects of hypergravity on morphology of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) are indicated. ADSCs were repeatedly exposed to discontinuous hypergravity conditions of 10 g, 20 g, 40 g and 60 g by utilizing centrifuge (three times of 20 min exposure, with an interval of 40 min at 1 g). Cell morphology in terms of length, width and cell elongation index and cytoskeleton of actin filaments and microtubules were analyzed by image processing. Consistent changes observed in cell elongation index as morphological change. Moreover, cell proliferation was assessed and mechanical properties of cells in case of elastic modulus of cells were evaluated by Atomic Force Microscopy. Increase in proliferation and decrease in elastic modulus of cells are further results of this study. Staining ADSC was done to show changes in cytoskeleton of the cells associated to hypergravity condition specifically in microfilament and microtubule components. After exposing to hypergravity, significant changes were observed in microfilaments and microtubule density as components of cytoskeleton. It was concluded that there could be a relationship between changes in morphology and MFs as the main component of the cells. - Highlights: • Hypergravity (10 g, 20 g, 40 g and 60 g) affects on adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs). • ADSCs after exposure to the hypergravity are more slender. • The height of ADSCs increases in all test groups comparing their control group. • Hypergravity decreases ADSCs modulus of elasticity and cell actin fiber content. • Hypergravity enhances proliferation rate of ADSCs.

Structural dynamics and quantum mechanical aspects of shikonin derivatives as CREBBP bromodomain inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitra, Sarmistha; Dash, Raju

2018-05-04

The Proteins involved in the chemical modification of lysine residues in histone, is currently being excessively focused as the therapeutic target for the treatment of cell related diseases like cancer. Among these proteins, the epigenetic reader, CREB-binding protein (CREBBP) bromodomain is one of the most prominent targets for effective anticancer drug design, which is responsible for the reorganization of acetylated histone lysine residues. Therefore, this study employed an integrative approach of structure based drug design, in combination with Molecular Dynamics (MD) and QM/MM study to identify as well as to describe the binding mechanism of two shikonin derivatives, acetylshikonin and propionylshikonin as inhibitors of CREBBP bromodomain. Here induced fit docking strategy was employed to explore the important intrinsic interactions of ligands with CREBBP bromodomain, consistently molecular dynamics simulation with two different methods and binding energy calculations by MM-GBSA and MM-PBSA were adopted to determine the stability of intermolecular interactions between protein and ligands. The results showed that both these derivatives made direct contacts with the important conserved residues of the active site, where propionylshikonin demonstrated stronger binding and stability than acetylshikonin, according to molecular dynamics simulation and binding free energy calculations. Further, QM/MM energy calculation was employed to study the chemical reactivity of the propionylshikonin and also to describe the mechanism of non bonded interactions between the propionylshikonin and CREBBP bromodomain. Though this study demands in vitro and in vivo experiments to evaluate the efficiency of the compound, these insights would assist to design more potent CREBBP bromodomain inhibitor, guiding the site of modification of propionylshikonin moiety for designing selective inhibitors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of hypergravity on adipose-derived stem cell morphology, mechanical property and proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavakolinejad, Alireza; Rabbani, Mohsen; Janmaleki, Mohsen

2015-01-01

Alteration in specific inertial conditions can lead to changes in morphology, proliferation, mechanical properties and cytoskeleton of cells. In this report, the effects of hypergravity on morphology of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) are indicated. ADSCs were repeatedly exposed to discontinuous hypergravity conditions of 10 g, 20 g, 40 g and 60 g by utilizing centrifuge (three times of 20 min exposure, with an interval of 40 min at 1 g). Cell morphology in terms of length, width and cell elongation index and cytoskeleton of actin filaments and microtubules were analyzed by image processing. Consistent changes observed in cell elongation index as morphological change. Moreover, cell proliferation was assessed and mechanical properties of cells in case of elastic modulus of cells were evaluated by Atomic Force Microscopy. Increase in proliferation and decrease in elastic modulus of cells are further results of this study. Staining ADSC was done to show changes in cytoskeleton of the cells associated to hypergravity condition specifically in microfilament and microtubule components. After exposing to hypergravity, significant changes were observed in microfilaments and microtubule density as components of cytoskeleton. It was concluded that there could be a relationship between changes in morphology and MFs as the main component of the cells. - Highlights: • Hypergravity (10 g, 20 g, 40 g and 60 g) affects on adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs). • ADSCs after exposure to the hypergravity are more slender. • The height of ADSCs increases in all test groups comparing their control group. • Hypergravity decreases ADSCs modulus of elasticity and cell actin fiber content. • Hypergravity enhances proliferation rate of ADSCs

Playful Mobility Choices: Motivating informed mobility decision making by applying game mechanics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Millonig

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Motivating people to change their mobility behaviour patterns towards more sustainable forms of mobility is one of the major challenges regarding climate change and quality of life. Recently, an increasing amount of attempts to use gamification for triggering such behavioural changes can be observed. However, little is known about the actual impact of using game elements. This contribution describes a concept for systematically analysing the group-specific effects of different game mechanics on mobility decision processes (e.g. mode and route choice. Based on theoretical findings concerning player types and mobility styles we developed a framework for identifying effective game mechanics motivating users to explore mobility alternatives and take more informed and more sustainable mode or route choice decisions. The results will form the basis for implementing game mechanics in mobility information services motivating users to explore unfamiliar but more sustainable mobility options.

The potential mechanism of Bursal-derived BPP-II on the antibody production and avian pre-B cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Xiuli; Cao, Ruibing; Zhou, Bin; Liu, Qingtao; Liu, Ke; Liu, Xiaodong; Zhang, Yuanpeng; Gu, Jinyan; Miao, Denian; Chen, Puyan

2013-03-01

The bursa of Fabricius is critical for the normal development of the B lymphocytes responsible for antibody production. However, the mechanism of the bursal-derived bioactive factor on B cell development is little reported. In this paper, chicks were immunized with BPP-II and AIV vaccine or AIV antigen, and antibody and IL-4 production were detected. The results showed that BPP-II played strongly inducing roles on the humoral immune responses. To investigate the gene expression at transcriptional level, avian pre-B lymphocyte DT40 cells were treated with BPP-II, and were analyzed with the gene microarray. The results proved that BPP-II treatment regulated 11 pathways, in which homologous recombination is a vital mechanism which is involved in antibody Ig gene conversion and diversification during B cell development. These results suggested Bursal-derived biological active factor BPP-II might be involved in the antibody production processes and B cell development, which is vital to the humoral central immune organ, the bursa of Fabricius. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Derivative chameleons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noller, Johannes

2012-01-01

We consider generalized chameleon models where the conformal coupling between matter and gravitational geometries is not only a function of the chameleon field φ, but also of its derivatives via higher order co-ordinate invariants (such as ∂ μ φ∂ μ φ,□φ,...). Specifically we consider the first such non-trivial conformal factor A(φ,∂ μ φ∂ μ φ). The associated phenomenology is investigated and we show that such theories have a new generic mass-altering mechanism, potentially assisting the generation of a sufficiently large chameleon mass in dense environments. The most general effective potential is derived for such derivative chameleon setups and explicit examples are given. Interestingly this points us to the existence of a purely derivative chameleon protected by a shift symmetry for φ → φ+c. We also discuss potential ghost-like instabilities associated with mass-lifting mechanisms and find another, mass-lowering and instability-free, branch of solutions. This suggests that, barring fine-tuning, stable derivative models are in fact typically anti-chameleons that suppress the field's mass in dense environments. Furthermore we investigate modifications to the thin-shell regime and prove a no-go theorem for chameleon effects in non-conformal geometries of the disformal type

Derivative chameleons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noller, Johannes, E-mail: johannes.noller08@imperial.ac.uk [Theoretical Physics, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2BZ (United Kingdom)

2012-07-01

We consider generalized chameleon models where the conformal coupling between matter and gravitational geometries is not only a function of the chameleon field φ, but also of its derivatives via higher order co-ordinate invariants (such as ∂{sub μ}φ∂{sup μ}φ,□φ,...). Specifically we consider the first such non-trivial conformal factor A(φ,∂{sub μ}φ∂{sup μ}φ). The associated phenomenology is investigated and we show that such theories have a new generic mass-altering mechanism, potentially assisting the generation of a sufficiently large chameleon mass in dense environments. The most general effective potential is derived for such derivative chameleon setups and explicit examples are given. Interestingly this points us to the existence of a purely derivative chameleon protected by a shift symmetry for φ → φ+c. We also discuss potential ghost-like instabilities associated with mass-lifting mechanisms and find another, mass-lowering and instability-free, branch of solutions. This suggests that, barring fine-tuning, stable derivative models are in fact typically anti-chameleons that suppress the field's mass in dense environments. Furthermore we investigate modifications to the thin-shell regime and prove a no-go theorem for chameleon effects in non-conformal geometries of the disformal type.

Wealth of information derivable from Evaporation Residue (ER) angular momentum distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madhavan, N.

2016-01-01

Understanding fusion-fission dynamics is possible by studying the fission process, or, alternatively, by studying the complementary fusion-evaporation process. Though the latter method is difficult to implement, requiring sophisticated recoil separators/spectrometers for selecting the ERs in the direction of the primary beam, it provides more clarity with better accuracy and is indispensible for probing the pre-saddle region in heavy nuclei. Super Heavy Element (SHE) search crucially depends on understanding the fusion-fission process, the choice of entrance channel and excitation energy of the Compound Nucleus (CN), ER cross-section and, more importantly, the angular momenta populated in ERs which survive fission. The measurement of ER angular momentum distributions, through coincidence technique involving large gamma multiplicity detector array and recoil separator, throws up a wealth of information such as, nuclear viscosity effects, limits of stability of ERs, shape changes at high spins, snapshot of frozen set of barriers using a single-shot experiment and indirect information about onset of quasi-fission processes. There is a paucity of experimental data with regard to angular momentum distributions in heavy nuclei due to experimental constraints. In this talk, the variety of information which could be derived through experimental ER angular momentum distributions will be elaborated with examples from work carried out at IUAC using advanced experimental facilities. (author)

The Temporal Derivative of Expected Utility: A Neural Mechanism for Dynamic Decision-making

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xian; Hirsch, Joy

2012-01-01

Real world tasks involving moving targets, such as driving a vehicle, are performed based on continuous decisions thought to depend upon the temporal derivative of the expected utility (∂V/∂t), where the expected utility (V) is the effective value of a future reward. However, those neural mechanisms that underlie dynamic decision-making are not well understood. This study investigates human neural correlates of both V and ∂V/∂t using fMRI and a novel experimental paradigm based on a pursuit-evasion game optimized to isolate components of dynamic decision processes. Our behavioral data show that players of the pursuit-evasion game adopt an exponential discounting function, supporting the expected utility theory. The continuous functions of V and ∂V/∂t were derived from the behavioral data and applied as regressors in fMRI analysis, enabling temporal resolution that exceeded the sampling rate of image acquisition, hyper-temporal resolution, by taking advantage of numerous trials that provide rich and independent manipulation of those variables. V and ∂V/∂t were each associated with distinct neural activity. Specifically, ∂V/∂t was associated with anterior and posterior cingulate cortices, superior parietal lobule, and ventral pallidum, whereas V was primarily associated with supplementary motor, pre and post central gyri, cerebellum, and thalamus. The association between the ∂V/∂t and brain regions previously related to decision-making is consistent with the primary role of the temporal derivative of expected utility in dynamic decision-making. PMID:22963852

The temporal derivative of expected utility: a neural mechanism for dynamic decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xian; Hirsch, Joy

2013-01-15

Real world tasks involving moving targets, such as driving a vehicle, are performed based on continuous decisions thought to depend upon the temporal derivative of the expected utility (∂V/∂t), where the expected utility (V) is the effective value of a future reward. However, the neural mechanisms that underlie dynamic decision-making are not well understood. This study investigates human neural correlates of both V and ∂V/∂t using fMRI and a novel experimental paradigm based on a pursuit-evasion game optimized to isolate components of dynamic decision processes. Our behavioral data show that players of the pursuit-evasion game adopt an exponential discounting function, supporting the expected utility theory. The continuous functions of V and ∂V/∂t were derived from the behavioral data and applied as regressors in fMRI analysis, enabling temporal resolution that exceeded the sampling rate of image acquisition, hyper-temporal resolution, by taking advantage of numerous trials that provide rich and independent manipulation of those variables. V and ∂V/∂t were each associated with distinct neural activity. Specifically, ∂V/∂t was associated with anterior and posterior cingulate cortices, superior parietal lobule, and ventral pallidum, whereas V was primarily associated with supplementary motor, pre and post central gyri, cerebellum, and thalamus. The association between the ∂V/∂t and brain regions previously related to decision-making is consistent with the primary role of the temporal derivative of expected utility in dynamic decision-making. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

5 CFR 1312.7 - Derivative classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

..., DOWNGRADING, DECLASSIFICATION AND SAFEGUARDING OF NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION Classification and Declassification of National Security Information § 1312.7 Derivative classification. A derivative classification... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Derivative classification. 1312.7 Section...

Earth rotation excitation mechanisms derived from geodetic space observations

Science.gov (United States)

Göttl, F.; Schmidt, M.

2009-04-01

Earth rotation variations are caused by mass displacements and motions in the subsystems of the Earth. Via the satellite Gravity and Climate Experiment (GRACE) gravity field variations can be identified which are caused by mass redistribution in the Earth system. Therefore time variable gravity field models (GFZ RL04, CSR RL04, JPL RL04, ITG-Grace03, GRGS, ...) can be used to derive different impacts on Earth rotation. Furthermore satellite altimetry provides accurate information on sea level anomalies (AVISO, DGFI) which are caused by mass and volume changes of seawater. Since Earth rotation is solely affected by mass variations and motions the volume (steric) effect has to be reduced from the altimetric observations in order to infer oceanic contributions to Earth rotation variations. Therefore the steric effect is estimated from physical ocean parameters such as temperature and salinity changes in the oceans (WOA05, Ishii). In this study specific individual geophysical contributions to Earth rotation variations are identified by means of a multitude of accurate geodetic space observations in combination with a realistic error propagation. It will be shown that due to adjustment of altimetric and/or gravimetric solutions the results for polar motion excitations can be improved.

Health Literacy and Online Health Information Processing: Unraveling the Underlying Mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Meppelink, Corine S; Smit, Edith G; Diviani, Nicola; Van Weert, Julia C M

2016-01-01

The usefulness of the Internet as a health information source largely depends on the receiver's health literacy. This study investigates the mechanisms through which health literacy affects information recall and website attitudes. Using 2 independent surveys addressing different Dutch health websites (N = 423 and N = 395), we tested the mediating role of cognitive load, imagination ease, and website involvement. The results showed that the influence of health literacy on information recall and website attitudes was mediated by cognitive load and imagination ease but only marginally by website involvement. Thus, to improve recall and attitudes among people with lower health literacy, online health communication should consist of information that is not cognitively demanding and that is easy to imagine.

A statistical–mechanical view on source coding: physical compression and data compression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merhav, Neri

2011-01-01

We draw a certain analogy between the classical information-theoretic problem of lossy data compression (source coding) of memoryless information sources and the statistical–mechanical behavior of a certain model of a chain of connected particles (e.g. a polymer) that is subjected to a contracting force. The free energy difference pertaining to such a contraction turns out to be proportional to the rate-distortion function in the analogous data compression model, and the contracting force is proportional to the derivative of this function. Beyond the fact that this analogy may be interesting in its own right, it may provide a physical perspective on the behavior of optimum schemes for lossy data compression (and perhaps also an information-theoretic perspective on certain physical system models). Moreover, it triggers the derivation of lossy compression performance for systems with memory, using analysis tools and insights from statistical mechanics

Potential mechanisms of cadmium removal from aqueous solution by Canna indica derived biochar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Xiaoqiang; Fang, Siyu; Yao, Yiqiang; Li, Tingqiang; Ni, Qijun; Yang, Xiaoe; He, Zhenli

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of cadmium (Cd) sorption on biochars produced at different temperature (300–600 °C) and their quantitative contribution. The sorption isotherms and kinetics of Cd 2+ sorption on biochars were determined and fitted to different models. The Cd 2+ sorption data could be well described by a simple Langmuir model, and the pseudo second order kinetic model best fitted the kinetic data. The maximum sorption capacity (Q m ) obtained from the Langmuir model for CIB500 was 188.8 mg g −1 , which was greater than that of biochars produced at other temperature. Precipitation with minerals, ion exchange, complexation with surface oxygen-containing functional groups, and coordination with π electrons were the possible mechanisms of Cd 2+ sorption on the biochars. The contribution of each mechanism varied with the pyrolysis temperature. With increasing pyrolysis temperature, the contribution of surface complexation and metal ion exchange decreased from 24.5% and 43.3% to 0.7% and 4.7%, while the contribution of precipitation and Cd 2+ -π interaction significantly increased from 29.7% and 2.5% to 89.5% and 5.1%, respectively. Overall, the precipitation with minerals and metal ion exchange dominated Cd 2+ sorption on the biochars (accounted for 73.0–94.1%), and precipitation with minerals was the primary mechanism of Cd 2+ sorption on the high-temperature biochars (≥ 500 °C) (accounted for 86.1–89.5%). - Highlights: • Sorption capacity of metal on biochars is affected by pyrolysis temperature. • Biochar derived from Canna indica at 500 °C has a high sorption capacity for Cd 2+ . • Cd 2+ sorption on the biochars fits a pseudo second order and Langmuir model. • Precipitation and ion exchange mechanisms dominated Cd 2+ sorption on the biochars.

Microcontroller Based Proportional Derivative Plus Conditional Integral Controller for Electro-Mechanical Dual Acting Pulley Continuously Variable Transmission Ratio Control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budianto, A; Tawi, K B; Hussein, M; Supriyo, B; Kob, M S Che; Zulkifli, Mohd Ezlamy; Khairuldean A K; Daraoh, Aishah; Ariyono, S

2012-01-01

Electro-Mechanical Dual Acting Pulley (EMDAP) Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is a transmission utilized by electro-mechanical actuated system. It has a potential to reduce energy consumption because it only needs power during changing CVT ratio and no power is needed to maintain CVT ratio due to self lock mechanism design. This paper proposed simple proportional derivative plus conditional integral (PDCI) controller to control EMDAP CVT ratio which can be simply implemented on a microcontroller. This proposed controller used Astrom-Hagglund method and Ziegler-Nichols formula to tune PDCI gain. The Proportional Derivative controller is directly activated from the start but Integral controller is only activated when the error value reaches error value setting point. Simulation using Matlab/Simulink software was conducted to evaluate PDCI system performance. The simulation results showed PDCI controller has ability to perform maximum overshoot 0.1%, 0.001 steady state error and 0.5s settling time. For clamping condition, settling time is about 11.46s during changing ratio from 2.0 to 0.7, while for release condition, settling time is about 8.33s during changing ratio from 0.7 to 2.0.

Reheating mechanism of the curvaton with nonminimal derivative coupling to gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiu, Taotao [Central China Normal University, Institute of Astrophysics, Wuhan (China); Central China Normal University, Key Laboratory of Quark and Lepton Physics (MOE) and College of Physical Science and Technology, Wuhan (China); Feng, Kaixi [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Beijing (China)

2017-10-15

In this paper, we continue our study of the curvaton model with nonminimal derivative coupling (NDC) to Einstein gravity proposed in our previous work (Feng in Phys Lett B 729:99, 2014; Feng and Qiu in Phys Rev D 90(12):123508, 2014), focusing on the reheating mechanism. We found that according to whether the curvaton has or has not dominated the background after the end of inflation, it will have two different behaviors of evolution, which should be the general property of the curvaton with nonminimal couplings. This will cause two different parts of reheating, which goes on via the parametric resonance process. The reheating temperature is estimated for both cases in which reheating completes before and after curvaton domination, and the constraints are quite loose compared to that of overproduction of gravitinos. Finally we investigated the evolution of curvature perturbation during reheating. We have shown both analytically and numerically that the curvature perturbation will not blow up during the resonance process. (orig.)

Reheating mechanism of the curvaton with nonminimal derivative coupling to gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu, Taotao; Feng, Kaixi

2017-01-01

In this paper, we continue our study of the curvaton model with nonminimal derivative coupling (NDC) to Einstein gravity proposed in our previous work (Feng in Phys Lett B 729:99, 2014; Feng and Qiu in Phys Rev D 90(12):123508, 2014), focusing on the reheating mechanism. We found that according to whether the curvaton has or has not dominated the background after the end of inflation, it will have two different behaviors of evolution, which should be the general property of the curvaton with nonminimal couplings. This will cause two different parts of reheating, which goes on via the parametric resonance process. The reheating temperature is estimated for both cases in which reheating completes before and after curvaton domination, and the constraints are quite loose compared to that of overproduction of gravitinos. Finally we investigated the evolution of curvature perturbation during reheating. We have shown both analytically and numerically that the curvature perturbation will not blow up during the resonance process. (orig.)

Quantum information and the problem of mechanisms of biological evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Melkikh, Alexey V

2014-01-01

One of the most important conditions for replication in early evolution is the de facto elimination of the conformational degrees of freedom of the replicators, the mechanisms of which remain unclear. In addition, realistic evolutionary timescales can be established based only on partially directed evolution, further complicating this issue. A division of the various evolutionary theories into two classes has been proposed based on the presence or absence of a priori information about the evolving system. A priori information plays a key role in solving problems in evolution. Here, a model of partially directed evolution, based on the learning automata theory, which includes a priori information about the fitness space, is proposed. A potential repository of such prior information is the states of biologically important molecules. Thus, the need for extended evolutionary synthesis is discussed. Experiments to test the hypothesis of partially directed evolution are proposed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

6 CFR 7.26 - Derivative classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 6 Domestic Security 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Derivative classification. 7.26 Section 7.26 Domestic Security DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION Classified Information § 7.26 Derivative classification. (a) Derivative classification is defined...

Pricing Mechanism in Information Goods

OpenAIRE

Li, Xinming; Wang, Huaqing

2018-01-01

We study three pricing mechanisms' performance and their effects on the participants in the data industry from the data supply chain perspective. A win-win pricing strategy for the players in the data supply chain is proposed. We obtain analytical solutions in each pricing mechanism, including the decentralized and centralized pricing, Nash Bargaining pricing, and revenue sharing mechanism.

Short-term retention of visual information: Evidence in support of feature-based attention as an underlying mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Sneve, Markus H; Sreenivasan, Kartik K; Alnæs, Dag; Endestad, Tor; Magnussen, Svein

2015-01-01

Retention of features in visual short-term memory (VSTM) involves maintenance of sensory traces in early visual cortex. However, the mechanism through which this is accomplished is not known. Here, we formulate specific hypotheses derived from studies on feature-based attention to test the prediction that visual cortex is recruited by attentional mechanisms during VSTM of low-level features. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of human visual areas revealed that neural populations coding for task-irrelevant feature information are suppressed during maintenance of detailed spatial frequency memory representations. The narrow spectral extent of this suppression agrees well with known effects of feature-based attention. Additionally, analyses of effective connectivity during maintenance between retinotopic areas in visual cortex show that the observed highlighting of task-relevant parts of the feature spectrum originates in V4, a visual area strongly connected with higher-level control regions and known to convey top-down influence to earlier visual areas during attentional tasks. In line with this property of V4 during attentional operations, we demonstrate that modulations of earlier visual areas during memory maintenance have behavioral consequences, and that these modulations are a result of influences from V4. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Translocation mechanism of C{sub 60} and C{sub 60} derivations across a cell membrane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Lijun, E-mail: michael.lijunl@gmail.com [Hangzhou Dianzi University, College of Life Information Science and Instrument Engineering (China); Kang, Zhengzhong [Zhejiang University, Department of Chemistry (China); Shen, Jia-Wei, E-mail: shen.jiawei@hotmail.com [Hangzhou Normal University, School of Medicine (China)

2016-11-15

Carbon-based nanoparticles (NPs) such as fullerenes and nanotubes have been extensively studied for drug delivery in recent years. The permeation process of fullerene and its derivative molecules through membrane is essential to the utilization of fullerene-based drug delivery system, but the mechanism and the dynamics of permeation through cell membrane are still unclear. In this study, coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the permeation process of functionalized fullerene molecules (ca. 0.72 nm) through the membrane. Our results show that single functionalized fullerene molecule in such nanoscale could permeate the lipid membrane in micro-second time scale. Pristine C{sub 60} molecules prefer to aggregate into several small clusters while C{sub 60}OH{sub 15} molecules could aggregate into one big cluster to permeate through the lipid membrane. After permeation of C{sub 60} or its derivatives into membrane, all C{sub 60} and C{sub 60}OH{sub 15} molecules disaggregated and monodispersed in the lipid membrane.

Benfotiamine, a synthetic S-acyl thiamine derivative, has different mechanisms of action and a different pharmacological profile than lipid-soluble thiamine disulfide derivatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Volvert, Marie-Laure; Seyen, Sandrine; Piette, Marie; Evrard, Brigitte; Gangolf, Marjorie; Plumier, Jean-Christophe; Bettendorff, Lucien

2008-06-12

after dephosphorylation by intestinal alkaline phosphatases. It then enters the bloodstream as S-benzoylthiamine that is converted to thiamine in erythrocytes and in the liver. Benfotiamine, an S-acyl derivative practically insoluble in organic solvents, should therefore be differentiated from truly lipid-soluble thiamine disulfide derivatives (allithiamine and the synthetic sulbutiamine and fursultiamine) with a different mechanism of absorption and different pharmacological properties.

Possible mechanisms of retinal function recovery with the use of cell therapy with bone marrow-derived stem cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rubens Camargo Siqueira

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Bone marrow has been proposed as a potential source of stem cells for regenerative medicine. In the eye, degeneration of neural cells in the retina is a hallmark of such widespread ocular diseases as age-related macular degeneration (AMD and retinitis pigmentosa. Bone marrow is an ideal tissue for studying stem cells mainly because of its accessibility. Furthermore, there are a number of well-defined mouse models and cell surface markers that allow effective study of hematopoiesis in healthy and injured mice. Because of these characteristics and the experience of bone marrow transplantation in the treatment of hematological disease such as leukemia, bone marrow-derived stem cells have also become a major tool in regenerative medicine. Those cells may be able to restore the retina function through different mechanisms: A cellular differentiation, B paracrine effect, and C retinal pigment epithelium repair. In this review, we described these possible mechanisms of recovery of retinal function with the use of cell therapy with bone marrow-derived stem cells.

28 CFR 17.26 - Derivative classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Derivative classification. 17.26 Section 17.26 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION AND ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION Classified Information § 17.26 Derivative classification. (a) Persons...

Deconstructing brain-derived neurotrophic factor actions in adult brain circuits to bridge an existing informational gap in neuro-cell biology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heather Bowling

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF plays an important role in neurodevelopment, synaptic plasticity, learning and memory, and in preventing neurodegeneration. Despite decades of investigations into downstream signaling cascades and changes in cellular processes, the mechanisms of how BDNF reshapes circuits in vivo remain unclear. This informational gap partly arises from the fact that the bulk of studies into the molecular actions of BDNF have been performed in dissociated neuronal cultures, while the majority of studies on synaptic plasticity, learning and memory were performed in acute brain slices or in vivo. A recent study by Bowling-Bhattacharya et al., measured the proteomic changes in acute adult hippocampal slices following treatment and reported changes in proteins of neuronal and non-neuronal origin that may in concert modulate synaptic release and secretion in the slice. In this paper, we place these findings into the context of existing literature and discuss how they impact our understanding of how BDNF can reshape the brain.

Effects of task autonomy on performance: an extended model considering motivational, informational, and structural mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Langfred, Claus W; Moye, Neta A

2004-12-01

A model explaining the relationship between task autonomy and performance is proposed that incorporates 3 different causal mechanisms. The performance benefits of task autonomy may be realized by increased motivation (motivational mechanisms), by capitalization of information asymmetries (informational mechanisms), or by better alignment with task and organizational structures (structural mechanisms). Further, it is proposed that these performance benefits are moderated by a variety of variables ranging from individual traits to organizational design. This model may provide a means for accounting for the sometimes inconsistent findings in the empirical literature exploring the relationship between autonomy and performance. The model also offers guidance in the search for additional boundary conditions as well as prescriptive guidelines for the allocation of autonomy in practice. 2004 APA, all rights reserved

Information Sharing Mechanism among Mobile Agents In Ad-hoc Network Environment and Its Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kunio Umetsuji

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Mobile agents are programs that can move from one site to another in a network with their data and states. Mobile agents are expected to be an essential tool in pervasive computing. In multi platform environment, it is important to communicate with mobile agents only using their universal or logical name not using their physical locations. More, in an ad-hoc network environment, an agent can migrate autonomously and communicate with other agents on demand. It is difficult that mobile agent grasps the position information on other agents correctly each other, because mobile agent processes a task while moving a network successively. In order to realize on-demand mutual communication among mobile agents without any centralized servers, we propose a new information sharing mechanism within mobile agents. In this paper, we present a new information sharing mechanism within mobile agents. The method is a complete peer based and requires no agent servers to manage mobile agent locations. Therefore, a mobile agent can get another mobile agent, communicate with it and shares information stored in the agent without any knowledge of the location of the target mobile agent. The basic idea of the mechanism is an introduction of Agent Ring, Agent Chain and Shadow Agent. With this mechanism, each agent can communicate with other agents in a server-less environment, which is suitable for ad-hoc agent network and an agent system can manage agents search and communications efficiently.

Wave theory of information

CERN Document Server

Franceschetti, Massimo

2017-01-01

Understand the relationship between information theory and the physics of wave propagation with this expert guide. Balancing fundamental theory with engineering applications, it describes the mechanism and limits for the representation and communication of information using electromagnetic waves. Information-theoretic laws relating functional approximation and quantum uncertainty principles to entropy, capacity, mutual information, rate distortion, and degrees of freedom of band-limited radiation are derived and explained. Both stochastic and deterministic approaches are explored, and applications for sensing and signal reconstruction, wireless communication, and networks of multiple transmitters and receivers are reviewed. With end-of-chapter exercises and suggestions for further reading enabling in-depth understanding of key concepts, it is the ideal resource for researchers and graduate students in electrical engineering, physics and applied mathematics looking for a fresh perspective on classical informat...

Classical and quantum Fisher information in the geometrical formulation of quantum mechanics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Facchi, Paolo [Dipartimento di Matematica, Universita di Bari, I-70125 Bari (Italy); INFN, Sezione di Bari, I-70126 Bari (Italy); MECENAS, Universita Federico II di Napoli and Universita di Bari (Italy); Kulkarni, Ravi [Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation, Bangalore 560 080 (India); Man' ko, V.I., E-mail: manko@na.infn.i [P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Leninskii Prospect 53, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); Marmo, Giuseppe [Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Universita di Napoli ' Federico II' , I-80126 Napoli (Italy); INFN, Sezione di Napoli, I-80126 Napoli (Italy); MECENAS, Universita Federico II di Napoli and Universita di Bari (Italy); Sudarshan, E.C.G. [Department of Physics, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Ventriglia, Franco [Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Universita di Napoli ' Federico II' , I-80126 Napoli (Italy); INFN, Sezione di Napoli, I-80126 Napoli (Italy); MECENAS, Universita Federico II di Napoli and Universita di Bari (Italy)

2010-11-01

The tomographic picture of quantum mechanics has brought the description of quantum states closer to that of classical probability and statistics. On the other hand, the geometrical formulation of quantum mechanics introduces a metric tensor and a symplectic tensor (Hermitian tensor) on the space of pure states. By putting these two aspects together, we show that the Fisher information metric, both classical and quantum, can be described by means of the Hermitian tensor on the manifold of pure states.

Classical and quantum Fisher information in the geometrical formulation of quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Facchi, Paolo; Kulkarni, Ravi; Man'ko, V.I.; Marmo, Giuseppe; Sudarshan, E.C.G.; Ventriglia, Franco

2010-01-01

The tomographic picture of quantum mechanics has brought the description of quantum states closer to that of classical probability and statistics. On the other hand, the geometrical formulation of quantum mechanics introduces a metric tensor and a symplectic tensor (Hermitian tensor) on the space of pure states. By putting these two aspects together, we show that the Fisher information metric, both classical and quantum, can be described by means of the Hermitian tensor on the manifold of pure states.

Mechanical break junctions: enormous information in a nanoscale package.

Science.gov (United States)

Natelson, Douglas

2012-04-24

Mechanical break junctions, particularly those in which a metal tip is repeatedly moved in and out of contact with a metal film, have provided many insights into electronic conduction at the atomic and molecular scale, most often by averaging over many possible junction configurations. This averaging throws away a great deal of information, and Makk et al. in this issue of ACS Nano demonstrate that, with both simulated and real experimental data, more sophisticated two-dimensional analysis methods can reveal information otherwise obscured in simple histograms. As additional measured quantities come into play in break junction experiments, including thermopower, noise, and optical response, these more sophisticated analytic approaches are likely to become even more powerful. While break junctions are not directly practical for useful electronic devices, they are incredibly valuable tools for unraveling the electronic transport physics relevant for ultrascaled nanoelectronics.

Preliminary study of mechanism of action of SN38 derivatives. Physicochemical data, evidence of interaction and alkylation of DNA octamer d(GCGATCGC)2.

Science.gov (United States)

Naumczuk, Beata; Kawęcki, Robert; Bocian, Wojciech; Bednarek, Elżbieta; Sitkowski, Jerzy; Kozerski, Lech

2017-02-01

The synthesis of water-soluble SN38 derivatives is presented, and their stability in solutions used during drug development studies has been investigated. A preliminary study of mechanism of action of 9-aminomethyl SN38 is presented. Using NMR techniques, the interaction of the oligomer d(GCGATCGC) 2 is studied, showing that the terminal GC base pairs are the main site of interaction. Using pulsed field gradient spin echo and mass spectroscopy, evidence of a spontaneous alkylation reaction of the DNA oligomer with SN38 derivatives is presented. A proposed mechanism of reaction is suggested. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantum mechanics and quantum information a guide through the quantum world

CERN Document Server

Fayngold, Moses

2013-01-01

Alongside a thorough definition of the basic concepts and their interrelations, backed by numerous examples, this textbook features a rare discussion of the quantum information theory. It also deals with other important topics hardly found in the literature, including the Robertson-Schrodinger-relation, angle and angular momentum uncertainties, interaction-free measurements, and the limitations of the no-cloning theorem With its interpretations of quantum mechanics and its discussions of quantum computing, this book is poised to become the standard textbook for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate quantum mechanics courses and as an essential reference for physics students and physics professionals.

Solar resources and power potential mapping in Vietnam using satellite-derived and GIS-based information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polo, J.; Bernardos, A.; Navarro, A.A.; Fernandez-Peruchena, C.M.; Ramírez, L.; Guisado, María V.; Martínez, S.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Satellite-based, reanalysis data and measurements are combined for solar mapping. • Plant output modeling for PV and CSP results in simple expressions of solar potential. • Solar resource, solar potential are used in a GIS for determine technical solar potential. • Solar resource and potential maps of Vietnam are presented. - Abstract: The present paper presents maps of the solar resources in Vietnam and of the solar potential for concentrating solar power (CSP) and for grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) technology. The mapping of solar radiation components has been calculated from satellite-derived data combined with solar radiation derived from sunshine duration and other additional sources of information based on reanalysis for several atmospheric and meteorological parameters involved. Two scenarios have been selected for the study of the solar potential: CSP Parabolic Trough of 50 MWe and grid-connected Flat Plate PV plant of around 1 MWe. For each selected scenario plant performance simulations have been computed for developing simple expressions that allow the estimation of the solar potential from the annual solar irradiation and the latitude of every site in Vietnam. Finally, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been used for combining the solar potential with the land availability according each scenario to deliver the technical solar potential maps of Vietnam

Evaluation of the information quality in a company of metal-mechanical industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guilherme Augusto Spiegel Gualazzi

2012-11-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the application of an instrument for assessing the quality of information based on attributes such as accuracy, reliability, performance, among others. This instrument was applied in order to evaluate and identify ineffective information in a specific scenario of an engineering company in the metal-mechanic sector from the point of view of users of technical information. The case study aimed to demonstrate the applicability and functionality of the assessment instrument, the interest of people in evaluating their information and, finally, evaluate the scope of their results. The result of this evaluation allowed the company researched a plan of action to correct problems in its processes and identified inaccuracies in the information, indicating that the problem was solved by the method of problem solving.

Potential mechanisms of cadmium removal from aqueous solution by Canna indica derived biochar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cui, Xiaoqiang; Fang, Siyu; Yao, Yiqiang; Li, Tingqiang [Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Ni, Qijun [The 702 Research Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, Wuxi 214082 (China); Yang, Xiaoe, E-mail: xyang@zju.edu.cn [Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); He, Zhenli [Indian River Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, FL 34951 (United States)

2016-08-15

The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of cadmium (Cd) sorption on biochars produced at different temperature (300–600 °C) and their quantitative contribution. The sorption isotherms and kinetics of Cd{sup 2+} sorption on biochars were determined and fitted to different models. The Cd{sup 2+} sorption data could be well described by a simple Langmuir model, and the pseudo second order kinetic model best fitted the kinetic data. The maximum sorption capacity (Q{sub m}) obtained from the Langmuir model for CIB500 was 188.8 mg g{sup −1}, which was greater than that of biochars produced at other temperature. Precipitation with minerals, ion exchange, complexation with surface oxygen-containing functional groups, and coordination with π electrons were the possible mechanisms of Cd{sup 2+} sorption on the biochars. The contribution of each mechanism varied with the pyrolysis temperature. With increasing pyrolysis temperature, the contribution of surface complexation and metal ion exchange decreased from 24.5% and 43.3% to 0.7% and 4.7%, while the contribution of precipitation and Cd{sup 2+}-π interaction significantly increased from 29.7% and 2.5% to 89.5% and 5.1%, respectively. Overall, the precipitation with minerals and metal ion exchange dominated Cd{sup 2+} sorption on the biochars (accounted for 73.0–94.1%), and precipitation with minerals was the primary mechanism of Cd{sup 2+} sorption on the high-temperature biochars (≥ 500 °C) (accounted for 86.1–89.5%). - Highlights: • Sorption capacity of metal on biochars is affected by pyrolysis temperature. • Biochar derived from Canna indica at 500 °C has a high sorption capacity for Cd{sup 2+}. • Cd{sup 2+} sorption on the biochars fits a pseudo second order and Langmuir model. • Precipitation and ion exchange mechanisms dominated Cd{sup 2+} sorption on the biochars.

Exercise impacts brain-derived neurotrophic factor plasticity by engaging mechanisms of epigenetic regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez-Pinilla, F; Zhuang, Y; Feng, J; Ying, Z; Fan, G

2011-02-01

We have evaluated the possibility that the action of voluntary exercise on the regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule important for rat hippocampal learning, could involve mechanisms of epigenetic regulation. We focused the studies on the Bdnf promoter IV, as this region is highly responsive to neuronal activity. We have found that exercise stimulates DNA demethylation in Bdnf promoter IV, and elevates levels of activated methyl-CpG-binding protein 2, as well as BDNF mRNA and protein in the rat hippocampus. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that exercise increases acetylation of histone H3, and protein assessment showed that exercise elevates the ratio of acetylated :total for histone H3 but had no effects on histone H4 levels. Exercise also reduces levels of the histone deacetylase 5 mRNA and protein implicated in the regulation of the Bdnf gene [N.M. Tsankova et al. (2006)Nat. Neurosci., 9, 519-525], but did not affect histone deacetylase 9. Exercise elevated the phosphorylated forms of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and cAMP response element binding protein, implicated in the pathways by which neural activity influences the epigenetic regulation of gene transcription, i.e. Bdnf. These results showing the influence of exercise on the remodeling of chromatin containing the Bdnf gene emphasize the importance of exercise on the control of gene transcription in the context of brain function and plasticity. Reported information about the impact of a behavior, inherently involved in the daily human routine, on the epigenome opens exciting new directions and therapeutic opportunities in the war against neurological and psychiatric disorders. © 2010 The Authors. European Journal of Neuroscience © 2010 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Non-relativistic quantum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Puri, Ravinder R

2017-01-01

This book develops and simplifies the concept of quantum mechanics based on the postulates of quantum mechanics. The text discusses the technique of disentangling the exponential of a sum of operators, closed under the operation of commutation, as the product of exponentials to simplify calculations of harmonic oscillator and angular momentum. Based on its singularity structure, the Schrödinger equation for various continuous potentials is solved in terms of the hypergeometric or the confluent hypergeometric functions. The forms of the potentials for which the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation is exactly solvable are derived in detail. The problem of identifying the states of two-level systems which have no classical analogy is addressed by going beyond Bell-like inequalities and separability. The measures of quantumness of mutual information in two two-level systems is also covered in detail. Offers a new approach to learning quantum mechanics based on the history of quantum mechanics and its postu...

The Credit-Risk Decision Mechanism on Fixed Loan Interest Rate with Imperfect Information

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2001-01-01

In this paper, decision mechanism of credit-risk for banks is studied when the loan interest rate is fixed with asymmetry information in credit market. We give out the designs of rationing and non-rationing on credit risky decision mechanism when collateral value provided by an entrepreneur is not less than the minimum demands of the bank. It shows that under the action of the mechanism, banks could efficiently identify the risk size of the project. Finally, the condition of the project investigation of bank is given over again.

A statistical mechanical interpretation of algorithmic information theory: Total statistical mechanical interpretation based on physical argument

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tadaki, Kohtaro

2010-01-01

The statistical mechanical interpretation of algorithmic information theory (AIT, for short) was introduced and developed by our former works [K. Tadaki, Local Proceedings of CiE 2008, pp. 425-434, 2008] and [K. Tadaki, Proceedings of LFCS'09, Springer's LNCS, vol. 5407, pp. 422-440, 2009], where we introduced the notion of thermodynamic quantities, such as partition function Z(T), free energy F(T), energy E(T), statistical mechanical entropy S(T), and specific heat C(T), into AIT. We then discovered that, in the interpretation, the temperature T equals to the partial randomness of the values of all these thermodynamic quantities, where the notion of partial randomness is a stronger representation of the compression rate by means of program-size complexity. Furthermore, we showed that this situation holds for the temperature T itself, which is one of the most typical thermodynamic quantities. Namely, we showed that, for each of the thermodynamic quantities Z(T), F(T), E(T), and S(T) above, the computability of its value at temperature T gives a sufficient condition for T is an element of (0,1) to satisfy the condition that the partial randomness of T equals to T. In this paper, based on a physical argument on the same level of mathematical strictness as normal statistical mechanics in physics, we develop a total statistical mechanical interpretation of AIT which actualizes a perfect correspondence to normal statistical mechanics. We do this by identifying a microcanonical ensemble in the framework of AIT. As a result, we clarify the statistical mechanical meaning of the thermodynamic quantities of AIT.

Quantum Information Biology: From Information Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics to Applications in Molecular Biology and Cognitive Psychology

Science.gov (United States)

Asano, Masanari; Basieva, Irina; Khrennikov, Andrei; Ohya, Masanori; Tanaka, Yoshiharu; Yamato, Ichiro

2015-10-01

We discuss foundational issues of quantum information biology (QIB)—one of the most successful applications of the quantum formalism outside of physics. QIB provides a multi-scale model of information processing in bio-systems: from proteins and cells to cognitive and social systems. This theory has to be sharply distinguished from "traditional quantum biophysics". The latter is about quantum bio-physical processes, e.g., in cells or brains. QIB models the dynamics of information states of bio-systems. We argue that the information interpretation of quantum mechanics (its various forms were elaborated by Zeilinger and Brukner, Fuchs and Mermin, and D' Ariano) is the most natural interpretation of QIB. Biologically QIB is based on two principles: (a) adaptivity; (b) openness (bio-systems are fundamentally open). These principles are mathematically represented in the framework of a novel formalism— quantum adaptive dynamics which, in particular, contains the standard theory of open quantum systems.

Information Pathways for the Competence Foresight Mechanism in Talent Management Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Siikaniemi, Lena

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the research and literature through the development of the theme of competence foresight. In addition, the aim is to construct information pathways for the foresight mechanism, for the use of practitioners, to enable them to manage talent and competences with an anticipatory perspective.…

Stabilization mechanisms for information stored in magnetic nanowire arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cisternas, Eduardo, E-mail: eduardo.cisternas@gmail.com [Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco (Chile); Faúndez, Julián [Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco (Chile); Vogel, Eugenio E. [Departamento de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad de La Frontera, Casilla 54-D, Temuco (Chile); Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), 9170124 Santiago (Chile)

2017-03-15

The durability of the stored information in magnetic systems is one important feature in firmware applications such as security codes, magnetic keys and other similar products. In the present paper we discuss two different ways of preserving patterns in the set of magnetic wires trapped in the porous membranes used to produce them. One of the techniques is the inscription of an opposite magnetic band of about 1/3 the width of the stored pattern which minimizes the repulsive energy among the ferromagnetic cylinders still leaving a potent magnetic signal to be read. The other technique makes use of segmented nanowires which present a competition of repulsive energy of segments within the same layer while the interaction is attractive with the closer segments of the other layer; such a competition can lead to stabilization if the geometrical parameters are properly controlled. The first technique is cheaper and faster to implement, while the second technique needs a more complete fabrication process but can lead to more durable stored information. - Highlights: • Stability of ferromagnetic patterns inscribed on magnetic nanowires arrays. • Information prevalence and stabilization mechanisms. • Applicability to fimware, security codes and magnetic keys.

Mechanical Behavior of a Hi-Nicalon(tm)/SiC Composite Having a Polycarbosilane Derived Matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Hurwitz, Frances I.; Calomino, Anthony M.; McCue, Terry R.

1999-01-01

Polymer infiltration of a rigidized preform, followed by pyrolysis to convert the polymer to a ceramic, potentially offers a lower cost alternative to CVD. It also offers more moderate temperature requirements than melt infiltration approaches, which should minimize potential fiber damage during processing. However, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis results in a more microcracked matrix. Preliminary mechanical property characterization, including elevated temperature (1204 C) tensile, 500 h stress rupture behavior and low cycle fatigue, was conducted on Hi-Nicalon (TM)/Si-C-(O) composites having a dual layer BN/SiC interface and a matrix derived by impregnation and pyrolysis of allylhydridopolycarbosilane (AHPCS). Microstructural evaluation of failure surfaces and of polished transverse and longitudinal cross sections of the failed specimens was used to identify predominant failure mechanisms. In stress rupture testing at 1093 C, the failure was interface dominated, while at 1204 C in both stress rupture and two hour hold/fatigue tests failure was matrix dominated, resulting in specimen delamination.

Myostatin inhibits osteoblastic differentiation by suppressing osteocyte-derived exosomal microRNA-218: A novel mechanism in muscle-bone communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Yiwen; Peng, Yuanzhen; Zhao, Wei; Pan, Jianping; Ksiezak-Reding, Hanna; Cardozo, Christopher; Wu, Yingjie; Divieti Pajevic, Paola; Bonewald, Lynda F; Bauman, William A; Qin, Weiping

2017-06-30

Muscle and bone are closely associated in both anatomy and function, but the mechanisms that coordinate their synergistic action remain poorly defined. Myostatin, a myokine secreted by muscles, has been shown to inhibit muscle growth, and the disruption of the myostatin gene has been reported to cause muscle hypertrophy and increase bone mass. Extracellular vesicle-exosomes that carry microRNA (miRNA), mRNA, and proteins are known to perform an important role in cell-cell communication. We hypothesized that myostatin may play a crucial role in muscle-bone interactions and may promote direct effects on osteocytes and on osteocyte-derived exosomal miRNAs, thereby indirectly influencing the function of other bone cells. We report herein that myostatin promotes expression of several bone regulators such as sclerostin (SOST), DKK1, and RANKL in cultured osteocytic (Ocy454) cells, concomitant with the suppression of miR-218 in both parent Ocy454 cells and derived exosomes. Exosomes produced by Ocy454 cells that had been pretreated with myostatin could be taken up by osteoblastic MC3T3 cells, resulting in a marked reduction of Runx2, a key regulator of osteoblastic differentiation, and in decreased osteoblastic differentiation via the down-regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway. Importantly, the inhibitory effect of myostatin-modified osteocytic exosomes on osteoblast differentiation is completely reversed by expression of exogenous miR-218, through a mechanism involving miR-218-mediated inhibition of SOST. Together, our findings indicate that myostatin directly influences osteocyte function and thereby inhibits osteoblastic differentiation, at least in part, through the suppression of osteocyte-derived exosomal miR-218, suggesting a novel mechanism in muscle-bone communication. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Linking new information to a reactivated memory requires consolidation and not reconsolidation mechanisms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2005-09-01

Full Text Available A new memory is initially labile and becomes stabilized through a process of consolidation, which depends on gene expression. Stable memories, however, can again become labile if reactivated by recall and require another phase of protein synthesis in order to be maintained. This process is known as reconsolidation. The functional significance of the labile phase of reconsolidation is unknown; one hypothesis proposes that it is required to link new information with reactivated memories. Reconsolidation is distinct from the initial consolidation, and one distinction is that the requirement for specific proteins or general protein synthesis during the two processes occurs in different brain areas. Here, we identified an anatomically distinctive molecular requirement that doubly dissociates consolidation from reconsolidation of an inhibitory avoidance memory. We then used this requirement to investigate whether reconsolidation and consolidation are involved in linking new information with reactivated memories. In contrast to what the hypothesis predicted, we found that reconsolidation does not contribute to the formation of an association between new and reactivated information. Instead, it recruits mechanisms similar to those underlying consolidation of a new memory. Thus, linking new information to a reactivated memory is mediated by consolidation and not reconsolidation mechanisms.

Defining information need in health - assimilating complex theories derived from information science.

Science.gov (United States)

Ormandy, Paula

2011-03-01

Key policy drivers worldwide include optimizing patients' roles in managing their care; focusing services around patients' needs and preferences; and providing information to support patients' contributions and choices. The term information need penetrates many policy documents. Information need is espoused as the foundation from which to develop patient-centred or patient-led services. Yet there is no clear definition as to what the term means or how patients' information needs inform and shape information provision and patient care. The assimilation of complex theories originating from information science has much to offer considerations of patient information need within the context of health care. Health-related research often focuses on the content of information patients prefer, not why they need information. This paper extends and applies knowledge of information behaviour to considerations of information need in health, exposing a working definition for patient information need that reiterates the importance of considering the patient's goals and understanding the patient's context/situation. A patient information need is defined as 'recognition that their knowledge is inadequate to satisfy a goal, within the context/situation that they find themselves at a specific point in the time'. This typifies the key concepts of national/international health policy, the centrality and importance of the patient. The proposed definition of patient information need provides a conceptual framework to guide health-care practitioners on what to consider and why when meeting the information needs of patients in practice. This creates a solid foundation from which to inform future research. © 2010 The Author. Health Expectations © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Higher-derivative mechanics with N = 2 l -conformal Galilei supersymmetry

Science.gov (United States)

Masterov, Ivan

2015-02-01

The analysis previously developed in [J. Math. Phys. 55 102901 (2014)] is used to construct systems which hold invariant under N = 2 l -conformal Galilei superalgebra. The models describe two different supersymmetric extensions of a free higher-derivative particle. Their Newton-Hooke counterparts are derived by applying appropriate coordinate transformations.

Reanalysis information for eigenvalues derived from a differential equation analysis formulation. [for shell of revolution buckling

Science.gov (United States)

Thornton, W. A.; Majumder, D. K.

1974-01-01

The investigation reported demonstrates that in the case considered perturbation methods can be used in a straightforward manner to obtain reanalysis information. A perturbation formula for the buckling loads of a general shell of revolution is derived. The accuracy of the obtained relations and their range of application is studied with the aid of a specific example involving a particular stiffened shell of revolution.

Incentive Mechanism Model Design for Sharing of Information Resources in Rural Areas

OpenAIRE

Gao, Xirong; Shan, Lingling

2013-01-01

In order to solve the issues concerning the cross-unit sharing of information resources in rural areas, we analyze the incentive problem of the sharing of information resources in rural areas using the incentive theory method; establish corresponding incentive mechanism model (It is divided into positive incentive model and negative incentive model, and only when the two models guarantee each other and are used at the same time can they be effective). Based on this, we put forward the institu...

Tumor-Derived Exosomes and Their Role in Cancer Progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Whiteside, Theresa L

2016-01-01

Tumor cells actively produce, release, and utilize exosomes to promote tumor growth. Mechanisms through which tumor-derived exosomes subserve the tumor are under intense investigation. These exosomes are information carriers, conveying molecular and genetic messages from tumor cells to normal or other abnormal cells residing at close or distant sites. Tumor-derived exosomes are found in all body fluids. Upon contact with target cells, they alter phenotypic and functional attributes of recipients, reprogramming them into active contributors to angiogenesis, thrombosis, metastasis, and immunosuppression. Exosomes produced by tumors carry cargos that in part mimic contents of parent cells and are of potential interest as noninvasive biomarkers of cancer. Their role in inhibiting the host antitumor responses and in mediating drug resistance is important for cancer therapy. Tumor-derived exosomes may interfere with cancer immunotherapy, but they also could serve as adjuvants and antigenic components of antitumor vaccines. Their biological roles in cancer development or progression as well as cancer therapy suggest that tumor-derived exosomes are critical components of oncogenic transformation. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Entropic dynamics: From entropy and information geometry to Hamiltonians and quantum mechanics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caticha, Ariel; Bartolomeo, Daniel [Department of Physics, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222 (United States); Reginatto, Marcel [Physicalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, 38116 Braunschweig (Germany)

2015-01-13

Entropic Dynamics is a framework in which quantum theory is derived as an application of entropic methods of inference. There is no underlying action principle. Instead, the dynamics is driven by entropy subject to the appropriate constraints. In this paper we show how a Hamiltonian dynamics arises as a type of non-dissipative entropic dynamics. We also show that the particular form of the 'quantum potential' that leads to the Schrödinger equation follows naturally from information geometry.

Entropic dynamics: From entropy and information geometry to Hamiltonians and quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caticha, Ariel; Bartolomeo, Daniel; Reginatto, Marcel

2015-01-01

Entropic Dynamics is a framework in which quantum theory is derived as an application of entropic methods of inference. There is no underlying action principle. Instead, the dynamics is driven by entropy subject to the appropriate constraints. In this paper we show how a Hamiltonian dynamics arises as a type of non-dissipative entropic dynamics. We also show that the particular form of the 'quantum potential' that leads to the Schrödinger equation follows naturally from information geometry

Leading research on brain functional information processing; No kino joho shori no sendo kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

This research aims at searching the concept of an information processing device with a fully different architecture from a previous ones based on the study on human brain function, sense and perception, and developing the basic fabrication technology for such system, and realizing the human-like information processing mechanism of memorization, learning, association, perception, intuition and value judgement. As an approach deriving biological and technological models from experimental brain studies, the model was derived from the brain functional information processing based on brain development/differentiation mechanism, the control mechanism/material of brain activities, and the knowledge obtained from brain measurement and study. In addition, for understanding a brain oscillation phenomenon by computational neuroscience, the cerebral cortex neural network model composed of realistic neuron models was proposed. Evaluation of the previous large-scale neural network chip system showed its ability of learning and fast processing, however, the next-generation brain computer requires further R and D of some novel architecture, device and system. 184 refs., 41 figs., 2 tabs.

Mechanism of immune tolerance induced by donor derived immature dendritic cells in rat high-risk corneal transplantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xu-Dong Zhao

2013-06-01

Full Text Available AIM: To study the role of immature dendritic cells (imDCs on immune tolerance in rat penetrating keratoplasty (PKP in high-risk eyes and to investigate the mechanism of immune hyporesponsiveness induced by donor-derived imDCs. METHODS: Seventy-five SD rats (recipient and 39 Wistar rats (donor were randomly divided into 3 groups: control, imDC and mature dendritic cell (mDC group respectively. Using a model of orthotopic corneal transplantation in which allografts were placed in neovascularized high-risk eyes of recipient rat. Corneal neovascularization was induced by alkaline burn in the central cornea of recipient rat. Recipients in imDC group or mDC group were injected donor bone marrow-derived imDCs or mDCs of 1×106 respectively 1 week before corneal transplantation via tail vein. Control rat received the same volume of PBS. In each group, 16 recipients were kept for determination of survival time and other 9 recipients were executed on day 3, 7 and 14 after transplantation. Cornea was harvested for hematoxylin-eosin staining and acute rejection evaluation, Western blot was used to detect the expression level of Foxp3. RESULTS: The mean survival time of imDC group was significantly longer than that of control and mDC groups (all P<0.05. The expression level of Foxp3 on CD4+CD25+T cells of imDC group (2.24±0.18 was significantly higher than that in the control (1.68±0.09 and mDC groups (1.46±0.13 (all P<0.05. CONCLUSION: Donor-derived imDC is an effective treatment in inducing immune hyporesponsiveness in rat PKP. The mechanism of immune tolerance induced by imDC might be inhibit T lymphocytes responsiveness by regulatory T cells.

Elucidation of the binding mechanism of coumarin derivatives with human serum albumin.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Archit Garg

Full Text Available Coumarin is a benzopyrone which is widely used as an anti-coagulant, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer and also to cure arthritis, herpes, asthma and inflammation. Here, we studied the binding of synthesized coumarin derivatives with human serum albumin (HSA at physiological pH 7.2 by using fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies. By addition of coumarin derivatives to HSA the maximum fluorescence intensity was reduced due to quenching of intrinsic fluorescence upon binding of coumarin derivatives to HSA. The binding constant and free energy were found to be 1.957±0.01×10(5 M(-1, -7.175 Kcal M(-1 for coumarin derivative (CD enamide; 0.837±0.01×10(5 M(-1, -6.685 Kcal M(-1 for coumarin derivative (CD enoate, and 0.606±0.01×10(5 M(-1, -6.49 Kcal M(-1 for coumarin derivative methylprop (CDM enamide. The CD spectroscopy showed that the protein secondary structure was partially unfolded upon binding of coumarin derivatives. Further, the molecular docking studies showed that coumarin derivatives were binding to HSA at sub-domain IB with the hydrophobic interactions and also with hydrogen bond interactions. Additionally, the molecular dynamics simulations studies contributed in understanding the stability of protein-drug complex system in the aqueous solution and the conformational changes in HSA upon binding of coumarin derivatives. This study will provide insights into designing of the new inspired coumarin derivatives as therapeutic agents against many life threatening diseases.

Neural mechanisms of order information processing in working memory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Dolenc

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The ability to encode and maintain the exact order of short sequences of stimuli or events is often crucial to our ability for effective high-order planning. However, it is not yet clear which neural mechanisms underpin this process. Several studies suggest that in comparison with item recognition temporal order coding activates prefrontal and parietal brain regions. Results of various studies tend to favour the hypothesis that the order of the stimuli is represented and encoded on several stages, from primacy and recency estimates to the exact position of the item in a sequence. Different brain regions play a different role in this process. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex has a more general role in attention, while the premotor cortex is more involved in the process of information grouping. Parietal lobe and hippocampus also play a significant role in order processing as they enable the representation of distance. Moreover, order maintenance is associated with the existence of neural oscillators that operate at different frequencies. Electrophysiological studies revealed that theta and alpha oscillations play an important role in the maintenance of temporal order information. Those EEG oscillations are differentially associated with processes that support the maintenance of order information and item recognition. Various studies suggest a link between prefrontal areas and memory for temporal order, implying that EEG neural oscillations in the prefrontal cortex may play a role in the maintenance of information on temporal order.

Diet-induced obesity impairs endothelium-derived hyperpolarization via altered potassium channel signaling mechanisms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca E Haddock

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The vascular endothelium plays a critical role in the control of blood flow. Altered endothelium-mediated vasodilator and vasoconstrictor mechanisms underlie key aspects of cardiovascular disease, including those in obesity. Whilst the mechanism of nitric oxide (NO-mediated vasodilation has been extensively studied in obesity, little is known about the impact of obesity on vasodilation to the endothelium-derived hyperpolarization (EDH mechanism; which predominates in smaller resistance vessels and is characterized in this study. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Membrane potential, vessel diameter and luminal pressure were recorded in 4(th order mesenteric arteries with pressure-induced myogenic tone, in control and diet-induced obese rats. Obesity, reflecting that of human dietary etiology, was induced with a cafeteria-style diet (∼30 kJ, fat over 16-20 weeks. Age and sexed matched controls received standard chow (∼12 kJ, fat. Channel protein distribution, expression and vessel morphology were determined using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and ultrastructural techniques. In control and obese rat vessels, acetylcholine-mediated EDH was abolished by small and intermediate conductance calcium-activated potassium channel (SK(Ca/IK(Ca inhibition; with such activity being impaired in obesity. SK(Ca-IK(Ca activation with cyclohexyl-[2-(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl-6-methyl-pyrimidin-4-yl]-amine (CyPPA and 1-ethyl-2-benzimidazolinone (1-EBIO, respectively, hyperpolarized and relaxed vessels from control and obese rats. IK(Ca-mediated EDH contribution was increased in obesity, and associated with altered IK(Ca distribution and elevated expression. In contrast, the SK(Ca-dependent-EDH component was reduced in obesity. Inward-rectifying potassium channel (K(ir and Na(+/K(+-ATPase inhibition by barium/ouabain, respectively, attenuated and abolished EDH in arteries from control and obese rats, respectively; reflecting differential K

Thermal, dielectric characteristics and conduction mechanism of azodyes derived from quinoline and their copper complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Ghamaz, N A; Diab, M A; El-Bindary, A A; El-Sonbati, A Z; Nozha, S G

2015-05-15

A novel series of (5-(4'-derivatives phenyl azo)-8-hydroxy-7-quinolinecarboxaldehyde) (AQLn) (n=1, p-OCH3; n=2, R=H; and n=3; p-NO2) and their complexes [Cu(AQLn)2]·5H2O are synthesized and investigated. The optimized bond lengths, bond angles and the calculated quantum chemical parameters for AQLn are investigated. HOMO-LUMO energy gap, absolute electronegativities, chemical potentials, and absolute hardness are also calculated. The thermal properties, dielectric properties, alternating current conductivity (σac) and conduction mechanism are investigated in the frequency range 0.1-100kHz and temperature range 293-568K for AQL1-3 and 318-693K for [Cu(AQL1-3)2]·5H2O complexes. The thermal properties are of ligands (AQLn) and their Cu(II) complexes investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The temperature and frequency dependence of the real and the imaginary part of the dielectric constant are studied. The values of the thermal activation energy of conduction mechanism for AQLn and their complexes [Cu(AQLn)2]·5H2O under investigation are calculated at different test frequencies. The values of thermal activation energies ΔE1 and ΔE2 for AQLn and [Cu(AQLn)2]·5H2O decrease with increasing the values of frequency. The ac conductivity is found to be depending on the chemical structure of the compounds. Different conduction mechanisms have been proposed to explain the obtained experimental data. The small polaron tunneling (SPT) is the dominant conduction mechanism for AQL1 and its complex [Cu(AQL1)2]·5H2O. The quantum mechanical tunneling (QMT) is the dominant conduction mechanism for AQL2 and its complex [Cu(AQL2)2]·5H2O. The correlated barrier hopping (CBH) is the dominant conduction mechanism for AQL3 and its complex [Cu(AQL3)2]·5H2O, and the values of the maximum barrier height (Wm) are calculated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of time delay on the upper bound of the time derivative of information entropy in a stochastic dynamical system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Min-Min; Mei Dong-Cheng; Wang Can-Jun

2011-01-01

The effects of the time delay on the upper bound of the time derivative of information entropy are investigated in a time-delayed dynamical system driven by correlated noise. Using the Markov approximation of the stochastic delay differential equations and the Schwartz inequality principle, we obtain an analytical expression for the upper bound U B (t) of the time derivative of the information entropy. The results show that there is a critical value of τ (delay time), and U B (t) presents opposite behaviours on difference sides of the critical value. For the case of the weak additive noise, τ can induce a reentrance transition. Delay time τ also causes a reversal behaviour in U B (t)-λ plot, where λ denotes the degree of the correlation between the two noises. (general)

Analysis of Information Sharing Mechanism in the Food Industry Green Supply Chain Management and Operation Process

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2011-01-01

In order to effectively address the issues of environmental pollution and food safety in food industry,the green supply chain management should be used in the food industry.However,information sharing is the basis of supply chain management.For this purpose,on the basis of describing the connotation of food industry green supply chain management,the paper introduces the contents and the effects of information sharing mode in detail.It focuses on the barriers of the implementation of information-sharing mechanisms in the food industry green supply chain management and operation process and analyzes the necessity of using information sharing mechanism among the members of the food industry green supply chain management mode by game theory,so as to strengthen the competitiveness of enterprises through supply chain management.

12 CFR 403.4 - Derivative classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... SAFEGUARDING OF NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION § 403.4 Derivative classification. (a) Use of derivative classification. (1) Unlike original classification which is an initial determination, derivative classification... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Derivative classification. 403.4 Section 403.4...

Characterization of the bioactive and mechanical behavior of dental ceramic/sol-gel derived bioactive glass mixtures.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbasi, Zahra; Bahrololoum, Mohammad E; Bagheri, Rafat; Shariat, Mohammad H

2016-02-01

Dental ceramics can be modified by bioactive glasses in order to develop apatite layer on their surface. One of the benefits of such modification is to prolong the lifetime of the fixed dental prosthesis by preventing the formation of secondary caries. Dental ceramic/sol-gel derived bioactive glass mixture is one of the options for this modification. In the current study, mixtures of dental ceramic/bioactive glass with different compositions were successfully produced. To evaluate their bioactive behavior, prepared samples were immersed in a simulated body fluid at various time intervals. The prepared and soaked specimens were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. Since bioactive glasses have deleterious effects on the mechanical properties of dental ceramics, 3-point bending tests were used to evaluate the flexural strength, flexural strain, tangent modulus of elasticity and Weibull modulus of the specimens in order to find the optimal relationship between mechanical and bioactive properties. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficient generation of smooth muscle cells from adipose-derived stromal cells by 3D mechanical stimulation can substitute the use of growth factors in vascular tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Parvizi, Mojtaba; Bolhuis-Versteeg, Lydia A M; Poot, André A; Harmsen, Martin C

2016-07-01

Occluding artery disease causes a high demand for bioartificial replacement vessels. We investigated the combined use of biodegradable and creep-free poly (1,3-trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) with smooth muscle cells (SMC) derived by biochemical or mechanical stimulation of adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ASC) to engineer bioartificial arteries. Biochemical induction of cultured ASC to SMC was done with TGF-β1 for 7d. Phenotype and function were assessed by qRT-PCR, immunodetection and collagen contraction assays. The influence of mechanical stimulation on non-differentiated and pre-differentiated ASC, loaded in porous tubular PTMC scaffolds, was assessed after culturing under pulsatile flow for 14d. Assays included qRT-PCR, production of extracellular matrix and scanning electron microscopy. ASC adhesion and TGF-β1-driven differentiation to contractile SMC on PTMC did not differ from tissue culture polystyrene controls. Mesenchymal and SMC markers were increased compared to controls. Interestingly, pre-differentiated ASC had only marginal higher contractility than controls. Moreover, in 3D PTMC scaffolds, mechanical stimulation yielded well-aligned ASC-derived SMC which deposited ECM. Under the same conditions, pre-differentiated ASC-derived SMC maintained their SMC phenotype. Our results show that mechanical stimulation can replace TGF-β1 pre-stimulation to generate SMC from ASC and that pre-differentiated ASC keep their SMC phenotype with increased expression of SMC markers. Copyright © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Examining barrier distributions and, in extension, energy derivative of probabilities for surrogate experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romain, P.; Duarte, H.; Morillon, B.

2012-01-01

The energy derivatives of probabilities are functions suited to a best understanding of certain mechanisms. Applied to compound nuclear reactions, they can bring information on fusion barrier distributions as originally introduced, and also, as presented here, on fission barrier distributions and heights. Extendedly, they permit to access the compound nucleus spin-parity states preferentially populated according to an entrance channel, at a given energy. (authors)

Black hole information, unitarity, and nonlocality

OpenAIRE

Giddings, Steven B.

2006-01-01

The black hole information paradox apparently indicates the need for a fundamentally new ingredient in physics. The leading contender is nonlocality. Possible mechanisms for the nonlocality needed to restore unitarity to black hole evolution are investigated. Suggestions that such dynamics arises from ultra-planckian modes in Hawking's derivation are investigated and found not to be relevant, in a picture using smooth slices spanning the exterior and interior of the horizon. However, no simul...

Fundamental link between system theory and statistical mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atmanspacher, H.; Scheingraber, H.

1987-01-01

A fundamental link between system theory and statistical mechanics has been found to be established by the Kolmogorov entropy. By this quantity the temporal evolution of dynamical systems can be classified into regular, chaotic, and stochastic processes. Since K represents a measure for the internal information creation rate of dynamical systems, it provides an approach to irreversibility. The formal relationship to statistical mechanics is derived by means of an operator formalism originally introduced by Prigogine. For a Liouville operator L and an information operator M tilde acting on a distribution in phase space, it is shown that i[L, M tilde] = KI (I = identity operator). As a first consequence of this equivalence, a relation is obtained between the chaotic correlation time of a system and Prigogine's concept of a finite duration of presence. Finally, the existence of chaos in quantum systems is discussed with respect to the existence of a quantum mechanical time operator

On the gravitational seesaw in higher-derivative gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Accioly, Antonio; Giacchini, Breno L. [Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Shapiro, Ilya L. [Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Departamento de Fisica, ICE, Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Tomsk State Pedagogical University, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Tomsk State University, Tomsk (Russian Federation)

2017-08-15

Local gravitational theories with more than four derivatives are superrenormalizable. They also may be unitary in the Lee-Wick sense. Thus it is relevant to study the low-energy properties of these theories, especially to identify observables which might be useful for experimental detection of higher derivatives. Using an analogy with the neutrino physics, we explore the possibility of a gravitational seesaw mechanism in which several dimensional parameters of the same order of magnitude produce a hierarchy in the masses of propagating particles. Such a mechanism could make a relatively light degree of freedom detectable in low-energy laboratory and astrophysical observations, such as torsion-balance experiments and the bending of light. We demonstrate that such a seesaw mechanism in the six- and more-derivative theories is unable to reduce the lightest mass more than in the simplest four-derivative model. Adding more derivatives to the four-derivative action of gravity makes heavier masses even greater, while the lightest massive ghost is not strongly affected. This fact is favorable for protecting the theory from instabilities but makes the experimental detection of higher derivatives more difficult. (orig.)

Quantum Chemical and Experimental Studies on the Mechanism of Alkylation of β-Dicarbonyl Compounds. The Synthesis of Five and Six Membered Heterocyclic Spiro Derivatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Hüseyinli

2004-11-01

Full Text Available The alkylation of β-dicarbonyl compounds in a K2CO3/DMSO system wasfound to afford O- and C-alkylated derivatives, depending on the type of the β-dicarbonylcompound involved. The alkyl derivatives obtained were used in the synthesis of some newspiro barbituric acid derivatives. Quantum chemical calculations were carried out toelucidate the reaction mechanisms for some typical synthesis.

Cyclic Mechanical Stretch Up-regulates Hepatoma-Derived Growth Factor Expression in Cultured Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kao, Ying-Hsien; Chen, Po-Han; Sun, Cheuk-Kwan; Chang, Yo-Chen; Lin, Yu-Chun; Tsai, Ming-Shian; Lee, Po-Huang; Cheng, Cheng-I

2018-02-21

Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a potent mitogen for vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) during embryogenesis and injury repair of vessel walls. Whether mechanical stimuli modulate HDGF expression remains unknown. This study aimed at investigating whether cyclic mechanical stretch plays a regulatory role in HDGF expression and regenerative cytokine production in aortic SMCs. A SMC cell line was grown on a silicone-based elastomer chamber with extracellular matrix coatings (either type I collagen or fibronectin) and received cyclic and uni-axial mechanical stretches with 10% deformation at frequency 1 Hz. Morphological observation showed that fibronectin coating provided better cell adhesion and spreading and that consecutive 6 hours of cyclic mechanical stretch remarkably induced reorientation and realignment of SMCs. Western blotting detection demonstrated that continuous mechanical stimuli elicited up-regulation of HDGF and PCNA, a cell proliferative marker. Signal kinetic profiling study indicated that cyclic mechanical stretch induced signaling activity in RhoA/ROCK and PI3K/Akt cascades. Kinase inhibition study further showed that blockade of PI3K activity suppressed the stretch-induced TNF-a, whereas RhoA/ROCK inhibition significantly blunted the IL-6 production and HDGF over-expression. Moreover, siRNA-mediated HDGF gene silencing significantly suppressed constitutive expression of IL-6, but not TNF-α, in SMCs. These findings support the role of HDGF in maintaining vascular expression of IL-6, which has been regarded a crucial regenerative factor for acute vascular injury. In conclusion, cyclic mechanical stretch may maintain constitutive expression of HDGF in vascular walls and be regarded an important biophysical regulator in vascular regeneration. ©2018 The Author(s).

Pleuromutilin and its derivatives-the lead compounds for novel antibiotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Y-Z; Liu, Y-H; Chen, J-X

2012-01-01

Due to the rapid onset of resistance to most antibacterial drugs, research efforts are focusing on new classes of antibacterials with different mechanisms of action from clinically used antibacterials. Pleuromutilin derivatives have received more and more scientific attention for their unique mechanism of action. Two pleuromutilin derivatives, tiamulin and valnemulin have been successfully developed as antibiotics for veterinary use. Retapamulin, another pleuromutilin derivative has been approved for use in humans in April 2007 by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It has been shown that there is rarely cross-resistance between pleuromutilin derivatives and other antimicrobial agents, and the development of resistance bacterial is still low. This review will demonstrate mechanism of action of pleuromutilin derivatives and reveal the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of pleuromutilin derivatives. Additionally, the pleuromutilin antibacterial derivative agents in the market, such as tiamulin, valnemulin and retapamulin, will be discussed. It is proposed that new antibacterial agents might be developed from pleuromutilin derivatives in the future.

Testing the foundations of quantum mechanics

CERN Document Server

Gisin, Nicolas; CERN. Geneva

1999-01-01

Quantum mechanics is certainly one of the most fascinating field of physics. In recent years, the new field of "quantum information processing" based on the most fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics, like linearity and entanglement, even increased and its peculiarities. In this series of 4 lectures we shall present some of the issues and experiments that test quantum theory. Entanglement leads, on the one hand side, to the measurement problem, to the EPR paradox and to quantum nonlocality ( distant systems). We will derive the Bell inequality, present experimental results that provide huge evidence in favor of quantum nonlocality and discuss some loopholes that are still open. On the other side, entanglement offers many new possibilities for information processing. Indeed, it provides means to carry out tasks that are either impossible classically (like quantum cryptography and quantum teleportation) or that would require significantly more steps to perform on a classical computer (like searching a databas...

A new approach to the derivation of dynamic information from ionosonde measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Liu

2003-11-01

Full Text Available A new approach is developed to derive dynamic information near the peak of the ionospheric F-layer from ionosonde measurements. This approach avoids deducing equivalent winds from the displacement of the observed peak height from a no-wind equilibrium height, so it need not determine the no-wind equilibrium height which may limit the accuracy of the deduced winds, as did the traditional servo theory. This approach is preliminarily validated with comparisons of deduced equivalent winds with the measurements from the Fabry-Perot interferometer, the Millstone Hill incoherent scatter radar and with previous works. Examples of vertical components of equivalent winds (VEWs, over Wuhan (114.4° E, 30.6° N, 45.2° dip, China in December 2000 are derived from Wuhan DGS-256 Digisonde data. The deduced VEWs show large day-to-day variations during the winter, even in low magnetic activity conditions. The diurnal pattern of average VEWs is more complicated than that predicted by the empirical Horizontal Wind Model (HWM. Using an empirical electric field model based on the observations from Jicamarca radar and satellites, we investigate the contributions to VEWs from neutral winds and from electric fields at the F-layer peak. If the electric field model is reasonable for Wuhan during this period, the neutral winds contribute mostly to the VEWs, and the contribution from the E × B drifts is insignificant.Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (thermospheric dynamics – Ionosphere (ionosphere-atmosphere interaction; instrument and techniques

A new approach to the derivation of dynamic information from ionosonde measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Liu

Full Text Available A new approach is developed to derive dynamic information near the peak of the ionospheric F-layer from ionosonde measurements. This approach avoids deducing equivalent winds from the displacement of the observed peak height from a no-wind equilibrium height, so it need not determine the no-wind equilibrium height which may limit the accuracy of the deduced winds, as did the traditional servo theory. This approach is preliminarily validated with comparisons of deduced equivalent winds with the measurements from the Fabry-Perot interferometer, the Millstone Hill incoherent scatter radar and with previous works. Examples of vertical components of equivalent winds (VEWs, over Wuhan (114.4° E, 30.6° N, 45.2° dip, China in December 2000 are derived from Wuhan DGS-256 Digisonde data. The deduced VEWs show large day-to-day variations during the winter, even in low magnetic activity conditions. The diurnal pattern of average VEWs is more complicated than that predicted by the empirical Horizontal Wind Model (HWM. Using an empirical electric field model based on the observations from Jicamarca radar and satellites, we investigate the contributions to VEWs from neutral winds and from electric fields at the F-layer peak. If the electric field model is reasonable for Wuhan during this period, the neutral winds contribute mostly to the VEWs, and the contribution from the E × B drifts is insignificant.

Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (thermospheric dynamics – Ionosphere (ionosphere-atmosphere interaction; instrument and techniques

The Substitution Effect on Reaction Enthalpies of Antioxidant Mechanisms of Juglone and Its Derivatives in Gas and Solution Phase: DFT Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aymard Didier Tamafo Fouegue

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We examined the structure-reaction enthalpies-antioxidant activity relationship of the molecule library built around juglone and its derivatives at B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p level. Three major antioxidant mechanisms (hydrogen atom transfer (HAT, single electron transfer-proton transfer (SET-PT, and sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET have been investigated in five solvents and in the gas phase. The delocalization of the unpaired electrons in the radicals or cation radicals has been explored by the natural bond orbital analysis and the interpretation of spin density maps. The results obtained have proven that the HAT mechanism is the thermodynamically preferred mechanism in the gas phase. But, in the solution phase, the SPLET mechanism has been shown to be more predominant than HAT. The reactivity order of compounds towards selected reactive oxygen species has also been studied.

22 CFR 9.6 - Derivative classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Derivative classification. 9.6 Section 9.6 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE GENERAL SECURITY INFORMATION REGULATIONS § 9.6 Derivative classification. (a) Definition. Derivative classification is the incorporating, paraphrasing, restating or...

Some connections between relativistic classical mechanics, statistical mechanics, and quantum field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remler, E.A.

1977-01-01

A gauge-invariant version of the Wigner representation is used to relate relativistic mechanics, statistical mechanics, and quantum field theory in the context of the electrodynamics of scalar particles. A unified formulation of quantum field theory and statistical mechanics is developed which clarifies the physics interpretation of the single-particle Wigner function. A covariant form of Ehrenfest's theorem is derived. Classical electrodynamics is derived from quantum field theory after making a random-phase approximation. The validity of this approximation is discussed

Molecular Mechanisms of Appetite Regulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji Hee Yu

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The prevalence of obesity has been rapidly increasing worldwide over the last several decades and has become a major health problem in developed countries. The brain, especially the hypothalamus, plays a key role in the control of food intake by sensing metabolic signals from peripheral organs and modulating feeding behaviors. To accomplish these important roles, the hypothalamus communicates with other brain areas such as the brainstem and reward-related limbic pathways. The adipocyte-derived hormone leptin and pancreatic β-cell-derived insulin inform adiposity to the hypothalamus. Gut hormones such as cholecystokinin, peptide YY, pancreatic polypeptide, glucagon-like peptide 1, and oxyntomodulin transfer satiety signals to the brain and ghrelin relays hunger signals. The endocannabinoid system and nutrients are also involved in the physiological regulation of food intake. In this article, we briefly review physiological mechanisms of appetite regulation.

Key Determinant Derivations for Information Technology Disaster Recovery Site Selection by the Multi-Criterion Decision Making Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chia-Lee Yang

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Disaster recovery sites are an important mechanism in continuous IT system operations. Such mechanisms can sustain IT availability and reduce business losses during natural or human-made disasters. Concerning the cost and risk aspects, the IT disaster-recovery site selection problems are multi-criterion decision making (MCDM problems in nature. For such problems, the decision aspects include the availability of the service, recovery time requirements, service performance, and more. The importance and complexities of IT disaster recovery sites increases with advances in IT and the categories of possible disasters. The modern IT disaster recovery site selection process requires further investigation. However, very few researchers tried to study related issues during past years based on the authors’ extremely limited knowledge. Thus, this paper aims to derive the aspects and criteria for evaluating and selecting a modern IT disaster recovery site. A hybrid MCDM framework consisting of the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL and the Analytic Network Process (ANP will be proposed to construct the complex influence relations between aspects as well as criteria and further, derive weight associated with each aspect and criteria. The criteria with higher weight can be used for evaluating and selecting the most suitable IT disaster recovery sites. In the future, the proposed analytic framework can be used for evaluating and selecting a disaster recovery site for data centers by public institutes or private firms.

Induction of osteogenic differentiation of adipose derived stem cells by microstructured nitinol actuator-mediated mechanical stress.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Strauß

Full Text Available The development of large tissue engineered bone remains a challenge in vitro, therefore the use of hybrid-implants might offer a bridge between tissue engineering and dense metal or ceramic implants. Especially the combination of the pseudoelastic implant material Nitinol (NiTi with adipose derived stem cells (ASCs opens new opportunities, as ASCs are able to differentiate osteogenically and therefore enhance osseointegration of implants. Due to limited knowledge about the effects of NiTi-structures manufactured by selective laser melting (SLM on ASCs the study started with an evaluation of cytocompatibility followed by the investigation of the use of SLM-generated 3-dimensional NiTi-structures preseeded with ASCs as osteoimplant model. In this study we could demonstrate for the first time that osteogenic differentiation of ASCs can be induced by implant-mediated mechanical stimulation without support of osteogenic cell culture media. By use of an innovative implant design and synthesis via SLM-technique we achieved high rates of vital cells, proper osteogenic differentiation and mechanically loadable NiTi-scaffolds could be achieved.

45 CFR 601.5 - Derivative classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... CLASSIFICATION AND DECLASSIFICATION OF NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION § 601.5 Derivative classification. Distinct... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Derivative classification. 601.5 Section 601.5... classification guide, need not possess original classification authority. (a) If a person who applies derivative...

Neurocognitive Mechanisms of Prejudice Formation: The Role of Time-Dependent Memory Consolidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Enge, Luke R; Lupo, Amber K; Zárate, Michael A

2015-07-01

Prejudice is generally thought to derive from learned, emotion-laden experiences. The mechanisms underlying the formation of prejudice over time, however, remain unknown. In the present research, we proposed and tested hypotheses regarding prejudice formation derived from research on memory consolidation and social perception. We hypothesized that time-dependent memory consolidation would produce better implicit memory for negative out-group information and positive in-group information, compared with negative in-group information and positive out-group information. Fifty undergraduates learned positive and negative information about racial in-group (Latino) and out-group (African American) targets. Participants returned after both a short time delay (2-6 hr after the learning session) and a long time delay (48 hr after the learning session) to complete a lexical decision task. Results demonstrated that participants responded to information consistent with an in-group bias faster after a long time delay than after a short time delay. Our findings have important implications for the study of social perception and memory consolidation. © The Author(s) 2015.

The large deviation approach to statistical mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Touchette, Hugo

2009-01-01

The theory of large deviations is concerned with the exponential decay of probabilities of large fluctuations in random systems. These probabilities are important in many fields of study, including statistics, finance, and engineering, as they often yield valuable information about the large fluctuations of a random system around its most probable state or trajectory. In the context of equilibrium statistical mechanics, the theory of large deviations provides exponential-order estimates of probabilities that refine and generalize Einstein's theory of fluctuations. This review explores this and other connections between large deviation theory and statistical mechanics, in an effort to show that the mathematical language of statistical mechanics is the language of large deviation theory. The first part of the review presents the basics of large deviation theory, and works out many of its classical applications related to sums of random variables and Markov processes. The second part goes through many problems and results of statistical mechanics, and shows how these can be formulated and derived within the context of large deviation theory. The problems and results treated cover a wide range of physical systems, including equilibrium many-particle systems, noise-perturbed dynamics, nonequilibrium systems, as well as multifractals, disordered systems, and chaotic systems. This review also covers many fundamental aspects of statistical mechanics, such as the derivation of variational principles characterizing equilibrium and nonequilibrium states, the breaking of the Legendre transform for nonconcave entropies, and the characterization of nonequilibrium fluctuations through fluctuation relations.

The large deviation approach to statistical mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Touchette, Hugo

2009-07-01

The theory of large deviations is concerned with the exponential decay of probabilities of large fluctuations in random systems. These probabilities are important in many fields of study, including statistics, finance, and engineering, as they often yield valuable information about the large fluctuations of a random system around its most probable state or trajectory. In the context of equilibrium statistical mechanics, the theory of large deviations provides exponential-order estimates of probabilities that refine and generalize Einstein’s theory of fluctuations. This review explores this and other connections between large deviation theory and statistical mechanics, in an effort to show that the mathematical language of statistical mechanics is the language of large deviation theory. The first part of the review presents the basics of large deviation theory, and works out many of its classical applications related to sums of random variables and Markov processes. The second part goes through many problems and results of statistical mechanics, and shows how these can be formulated and derived within the context of large deviation theory. The problems and results treated cover a wide range of physical systems, including equilibrium many-particle systems, noise-perturbed dynamics, nonequilibrium systems, as well as multifractals, disordered systems, and chaotic systems. This review also covers many fundamental aspects of statistical mechanics, such as the derivation of variational principles characterizing equilibrium and nonequilibrium states, the breaking of the Legendre transform for nonconcave entropies, and the characterization of nonequilibrium fluctuations through fluctuation relations.

SU-E-P-45: An Analytical Formula for Deriving Mechanical Iso-Center of Rotational Gantry Treatment Unit Rotational Gantry Treatment Unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding, X; Bues, M

2015-01-01

Purpose: To present an analytical formula for deriving mechanical isocenter (MIC) of a rotational gantry treatment unit. The input data to the formula is obtained by a custom-made device. The formula has been implemented and used in an operational proton therapy facility since 2005. Methods: The custom made device consisted of 3 mutually perpendicular dial indicators and 5 clinometers, to obtain displacement data and gantry angle data simultaneously. During measurement, a steel sphere was affixed to the patient couch, and the device was attached to the snout rotating with the gantry. The displacement data and angle data were obtained simultaneously at angular increments of less than 1 degree. The analytical formula took the displacement and angle as input and derived the positions of dial indicator tips (DIT) position in room-fixed coordinate system. The formula derivation presupposes trigonometry and 3-dimentional coordinate transformations. Due to the symmetry properties of the defining equations, the DIT position can be solved for analytically without using mathematical approximations. We define the mean of all points in the DIT trajectory as the MIC. The formula was implemented in computer code, which has been employed during acceptance test, commissioning, as well as routine QA practice in an operational proton facility since 2005. Results: It took one minute for the custom-made device to acquire the measurement data for a full gantry rotation. The DIT trajectory and MIS are instantaneously available after the measurement. The MIC Result agrees well with vendor’s Result, which came from a different measurement setup, as well as different data analysis algorithm. Conclusion: An analytical formula for deriving mechanical isocenter was developed and validated. The formula is considered to be absolutely accurate mathematically. Be analyzing measured data of radial displacements as function of gantry angle, the formula calculates the MI position in room

Mechanical and tribological properties of polymer-derived Si/C/N sub-millimetre thick miniaturized components fabricated by direct casting

OpenAIRE

Bakumov Vadym; Blugan Gurdial; Roos Sigfried; Graule Thomas J.; Fakhfouri Vahid; Grossenbacher Jonas; Gullo Maurizio Rosario; Kiefer Thomas C.; Brugger Juergen; Parlinska Magdalena; Kuebler Jakob

2012-01-01

The utilization of silicon based polymers as a source of amorphous non oxide ceramics obtained upon pyrolytic treatment of them is increasingly gaining attention in research and is currently expanding into the field of commercial products. This work is focused on the near net shaped fabrication mechanical and tribological properties of a polymer derived Si/C/N system. Small sub millimetre thick ceramic test discs and bars were fabricated by casting of polysilazane and/or polycarbosilane precu...

Molecular mechanism of strict substrate specificity of an extradiol dioxygenase, DesB, derived from Sphingobium sp. SYK-6.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keisuke Sugimoto

Full Text Available DesB, which is derived from Sphingobium sp. SYK-6, is a type II extradiol dioxygenase that catalyzes a ring opening reaction of gallate. While typical extradiol dioxygenases show broad substrate specificity, DesB has strict substrate specificity for gallate. The substrate specificity of DesB seems to be required for the efficient growth of S. sp. SYK-6 using lignin-derived aromatic compounds. Since direct coordination of hydroxyl groups of the substrate to the non-heme iron in the active site is a critical step for the catalytic reaction of the extradiol dioxygenases, the mechanism of the substrate recognition and coordination of DesB was analyzed by biochemical and crystallographic methods. Our study demonstrated that the direct coordination between the non-heme iron and hydroxyl groups of the substrate requires a large shift of the Fe (II ion in the active site. Mutational analysis revealed that His124 and His192 in the active site are essential to the catalytic reaction of DesB. His124, which interacts with OH (4 of the bound gallate, seems to contribute to proper positioning of the substrate in the active site. His192, which is located close to OH (3 of the gallate, is likely to serve as the catalytic base. Glu377' interacts with OH (5 of the gallate and seems to play a critical role in the substrate specificity. Our biochemical and structural study showed the substrate recognition and catalytic mechanisms of DesB.

32 CFR 2400.16 - Derivative classification markings.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... SECURITY PROGRAM Derivative Classification § 2400.16 Derivative classification markings. (a) Documents... 32 National Defense 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Derivative classification markings. 2400.16..., as described in § 2400.12 of this part, the information may not be used as a basis for derivative...

Structure activity relationships of quinoxalin-2-one derivatives as platelet-derived growth factor-beta receptor (PDGFbeta R) inhibitors, derived from molecular modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Yoshikazu; Hirokawa, Takatsugu; Aoki, Katsuyuki; Satomi, Hisanori; Takeda, Shuichi; Aburada, Masaki; Miyamoto, Ken-ichi

2008-05-01

We previously reported a quinoxalin-2-one compound (Compound 1) that had inhibitory activity equivalent to existing platelet-derived growth factor-beta receptor (PDGFbeta R) inhibitors. Lead optimization of Compound 1 to increase its activity and selectivity, using structural information regarding PDGFbeta R-ligand interactions, is urgently needed. Here we present models of the PDGFbeta R kinase domain complexed with quinoxalin-2-one derivatives. The models were constructed using comparative modeling, molecular dynamics (MD) and ligand docking. In particular, conformations derived from MD, and ligand binding site information presented by alpha-spheres in the pre-docking processing, allowed us to identify optimal protein structures for docking of target ligands. By carrying out molecular modeling and MD of PDGFbeta R in its inactive state, we obtained two structural models having good Compound 1 binding potentials. In order to distinguish the optimal candidate, we evaluated the structural activity relationships (SAR) between the ligand-binding free energies and inhibitory activity values (IC50 values) for available quinoxalin-2-one derivatives. Consequently, a final model with a high SAR was identified. This model included a molecular interaction between the hydrophobic pocket behind the ATP binding site and the substitution region of the quinoxalin-2-one derivatives. These findings should prove useful in lead optimization of quinoxalin-2-one derivatives as PDGFb R inhibitors.

Mechanism of salt-induced activity enhancement of a marine-derived laccase, Lac15.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jie; Xie, Yanan; Wang, Rui; Fang, Zemin; Fang, Wei; Zhang, Xuecheng; Xiao, Yazhong

2018-04-01

Laccase (benzenediol: oxygen oxidoreductases, EC1.10.3.2) is a multi-copper oxidase capable of oxidizing a variety of phenolic and other aromatic organic compounds. The catalytic power of laccase makes it an attractive candidate for potential applications in many areas of industry including biodegradation of organic pollutants and synthesis of novel drugs. Most laccases are vulnerable to high salt and have limited applications. However, some laccases are not only tolerant to but also activated by certain concentrations of salt and thus have great application potential. The mechanisms of salt-induced activity enhancement of laccases are unclear as yet. In this study, we used dynamic light scattering, size exclusion chromatography, analytical ultracentrifugation, intrinsic fluorescence emission, circular dichroism, ultraviolet-visible light absorption, and an enzymatic assay to investigate the potential correlation between the structure and activity of the marine-derived laccase, Lac15, whose activity is promoted by low concentrations of NaCl. The results showed that low concentrations of NaCl exert little influence on the protein structure, which was partially folded in the absence of the salt; moreover, the partially folded rather than the fully folded state seemed to be favorable for enzyme activity, and this partially folded state was distinctive from the so-called 'molten globule' occasionally observed in active enzymes. More data indicated that salt might promote laccase activity through mechanisms involving perturbation of specific local sites rather than a change in global structure. Potential binding sites for chloride ions and their roles in enzyme activity promotion are proposed.

Spekkens’ toy model in all dimensions and its relationship with stabiliser quantum mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Catani, Lorenzo; E Browne, Dan

2017-07-01

Spekkens’ toy model is a non-contextual hidden variable model with an epistemic restriction, a constraint on what an observer can know about reality. The aim of the model, developed for continuous and discrete prime degrees of freedom, is to advocate the epistemic view of quantum theory, where quantum states are states of incomplete knowledge about a deeper underlying reality. Many aspects of quantum mechanics and protocols from quantum information can be reproduced in the model. In spite of its significance, a number of aspects of Spekkens’ model remained incomplete. Formal rules for the update of states after measurement had not been written down, and the theory had only been constructed for prime-dimensional and infinite dimensional systems. In this work, we remedy this, by deriving measurement update rules and extending the framework to derive models in all dimensions, both prime and non-prime. Stabiliser quantum mechanics (SQM) is a sub-theory of quantum mechanics with restricted states, transformations and measurements. First derived for the purpose of constructing error correcting codes, it now plays a role in many areas of quantum information theory. Previously, it had been shown that Spekkens’ model was operationally equivalent to SQM in the case of odd prime dimensions. Here, exploiting known results on Wigner functions, we extend this to show that Spekkens’ model is equivalent to SQM in all odd dimensions, prime and non-prime. This equivalence provides new technical tools for the study of technically difficult compound-dimensional SQM.

Spekkens’ toy model in all dimensions and its relationship with stabiliser quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Catani, Lorenzo; Browne, Dan E

2017-01-01

Spekkens’ toy model is a non-contextual hidden variable model with an epistemic restriction, a constraint on what an observer can know about reality. The aim of the model, developed for continuous and discrete prime degrees of freedom, is to advocate the epistemic view of quantum theory, where quantum states are states of incomplete knowledge about a deeper underlying reality. Many aspects of quantum mechanics and protocols from quantum information can be reproduced in the model. In spite of its significance, a number of aspects of Spekkens’ model remained incomplete. Formal rules for the update of states after measurement had not been written down, and the theory had only been constructed for prime-dimensional and infinite dimensional systems. In this work, we remedy this, by deriving measurement update rules and extending the framework to derive models in all dimensions, both prime and non-prime. Stabiliser quantum mechanics (SQM) is a sub-theory of quantum mechanics with restricted states, transformations and measurements. First derived for the purpose of constructing error correcting codes, it now plays a role in many areas of quantum information theory. Previously, it had been shown that Spekkens’ model was operationally equivalent to SQM in the case of odd prime dimensions. Here, exploiting known results on Wigner functions, we extend this to show that Spekkens’ model is equivalent to SQM in all odd dimensions, prime and non-prime. This equivalence provides new technical tools for the study of technically difficult compound-dimensional SQM. (paper)

Human-Assisted Machine Information Exploitation: a crowdsourced investigation of information-based problem solving

Science.gov (United States)

Kase, Sue E.; Vanni, Michelle; Caylor, Justine; Hoye, Jeff

2017-05-01

The Human-Assisted Machine Information Exploitation (HAMIE) investigation utilizes large-scale online data collection for developing models of information-based problem solving (IBPS) behavior in a simulated time-critical operational environment. These types of environments are characteristic of intelligence workflow processes conducted during human-geo-political unrest situations when the ability to make the best decision at the right time ensures strategic overmatch. The project takes a systems approach to Human Information Interaction (HII) by harnessing the expertise of crowds to model the interaction of the information consumer and the information required to solve a problem at different levels of system restrictiveness and decisional guidance. The design variables derived from Decision Support Systems (DSS) research represent the experimental conditions in this online single-player against-the-clock game where the player, acting in the role of an intelligence analyst, is tasked with a Commander's Critical Information Requirement (CCIR) in an information overload scenario. The player performs a sequence of three information processing tasks (annotation, relation identification, and link diagram formation) with the assistance of `HAMIE the robot' who offers varying levels of information understanding dependent on question complexity. We provide preliminary results from a pilot study conducted with Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) participants on the Volunteer Science scientific research platform.

Colon-specific delivery of a probiotic-derived soluble protein ameliorates intestinal inflammation in mice through an EGFR-dependent mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Fang; Cao, Hanwei; Cover, Timothy L.; Washington, M. Kay; Shi, Yan; Liu, LinShu; Chaturvedi, Rupesh; Peek, Richard M.; Wilson, Keith T.; Polk, D. Brent

2011-01-01

Probiotic bacteria can potentially have beneficial effects on the clinical course of several intestinal disorders, but our understanding of probiotic action is limited. We have identified a probiotic bacteria–derived soluble protein, p40, from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), which prevents cytokine-induced apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells. In the current study, we analyzed the mechanisms by which p40 regulates cellular responses in intestinal epithelial cells and p40’s effects on experimental colitis using mouse models. We show that the recombinant p40 protein activated EGFR, leading to Akt activation. Activation of EGFR by p40 was required for inhibition of cytokine-induced apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells in vitro and ex vivo. Furthermore, we developed a pectin/zein hydrogel bead system to specifically deliver p40 to the mouse colon, which activated EGFR in colon epithelial cells. Administration of p40-containing beads reduced intestinal epithelial apoptosis and disruption of barrier function in the colon epithelium in an EGFR-dependent manner, thereby preventing and treating DSS-induced intestinal injury and acute colitis. Furthermore, p40 activation of EGFR was required for ameliorating colon epithelial cell apoptosis and chronic inflammation in oxazolone-induced colitis. These data define what we believe to be a previously unrecognized mechanism of probiotic-derived soluble proteins in protecting the intestine from injury and inflammation. PMID:21606592

Mechanical transduction via a single soft polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Ruizheng; Wang, Nan; Bao, Weizhu; Wang, Zhisong

2018-04-01

Molecular machines from biology and nanotechnology often depend on soft structures to perform mechanical functions, but the underlying mechanisms and advantages or disadvantages over rigid structures are not fully understood. We report here a rigorous study of mechanical transduction along a single soft polymer based on exact solutions to the realistic three-dimensional wormlike-chain model and augmented with analytical relations derived from simpler polymer models. The results reveal surprisingly that a soft polymer with vanishingly small persistence length below a single chemical bond still transduces biased displacement and mechanical work up to practically significant amounts. This "soft" approach possesses unique advantages over the conventional wisdom of rigidity-based transduction, and potentially leads to a unified mechanism for effective allosterylike transduction and relay of mechanical actions, information, control, and molecules from one position to another in molecular devices and motors. This study also identifies an entropy limit unique to the soft transduction, and thereby suggests a possibility of detecting higher efficiency for kinesin motor and mutants in future experiments.

An information diffusion model based on retweeting mechanism for online social media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong, Fei; Liu, Yun; Zhang, Zhen-jiang; Zhu, Jiang; Zhang, Ying

2012-01-01

To characterize information propagation on online microblogs, we propose a diffusion model (SCIR) which contains four possible states: Susceptible, contacted, infected and refractory. Agents that read the information but have not decided to spread it, stay in the contacted state. They may become infected or refractory, and both the infected and refractory state are stable. Results show during the evolution process, more contacted agents appear in scale-free networks than in regular lattices. The degree based density of infected agents increases with the degree monotonously, but larger average network degree doesn't always mean less relaxation time. -- Highlights: ► We study information diffusion on microblogs based on retweeting mechanism. ► We present a propagation model that contains four states, two of which are absorbing. ► The threshold value of spreading rate, almost approaches zero. ► The degree based density of infected agents increases with the degree monotonously. ► Influences between topics occur only when topics originate in the same neighborhood.

An archiving system for Planetary Mapping Data - Availability of derived information and knowledge in Planetary Science!

Science.gov (United States)

Nass, A.

2017-12-01

Since the late 1950s a huge number of planetary missions started to explore our solar system. The data resulting from this robotic exploration and remote sensing varies in data type, resolution and target. After data preprocessing, and referencing, the released data are available for the community on different portals and archiving systems, e.g. PDS or PSA. One major usage for these data is mapping, i.e. the extraction and filtering of information by combining and visualizing different kind of base data. Mapping itself is conducted either for mission planning (e.g. identification of landing site) or fundamental research (e.g. reconstruction of surface). The mapping results for mission planning are directly managed within the mission teams. The derived data for fundamental research - also describable as maps, diagrams, or analysis results - are mainly project-based and exclusively available in scientific papers. Within the last year, first steps have been taken to ensure a sustainable use of these derived data by finding an archiving system comparable to the data portals, i.e. reusable, well-documented, and sustainable. For the implementation three tasks are essential. Two tasks have been treated in the past 1. Comparability and interoperability has been made possible by standardized recommendations for visual, textual, and structural description of mapping data. 2. Interoperability between users, information- and graphic systems is possible by templates and guidelines for digital GIS-based mapping. These two steps are adapted e.g. within recent mapping projects for the Dawn mission. The third task hasn`t been implemented thus far: Establishing an easily detectable and accessible platform that holds already acquired information and published mapping results for future investigations or mapping projects. An archive like this would support the scientific community significantly by a constant rise of knowledge and understanding based on recent discussions within

14 CFR 1203.501 - Applying derivative classification markings.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM Derivative Classification § 1203.501 Applying derivative classification markings. Persons who apply derivative classification markings shall: (a) Observe and respect original... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Applying derivative classification markings...

Plasma-derived human C1-esterase inhibitor does not prevent mechanical ventilation-induced pulmonary complement activation in a rat model of Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Beer, F. M.; Aslami, H.; Hoeksma, J.; van Mierlo, G.; Wouters, D.; Zeerleder, S.; Roelofs, J. J. T. H.; Juffermans, N. P.; Schultz, M. J.; Lagrand, W. K.

2014-01-01

Mechanical ventilation has the potential to cause lung injury, and the role of complement activation herein is uncertain. We hypothesized that inhibition of the complement cascade by administration of plasma-derived human C1-esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) prevents ventilation-induced pulmonary

Statistical mechanics of low-density parity-check codes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kabashima, Yoshiyuki [Department of Computational Intelligence and Systems Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 2268502 (Japan); Saad, David [Neural Computing Research Group, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET (United Kingdom)

2004-02-13

We review recent theoretical progress on the statistical mechanics of error correcting codes, focusing on low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes in general, and on Gallager and MacKay-Neal codes in particular. By exploiting the relation between LDPC codes and Ising spin systems with multi-spin interactions, one can carry out a statistical mechanics based analysis that determines the practical and theoretical limitations of various code constructions, corresponding to dynamical and thermodynamical transitions, respectively, as well as the behaviour of error-exponents averaged over the corresponding code ensemble as a function of channel noise. We also contrast the results obtained using methods of statistical mechanics with those derived in the information theory literature, and show how these methods can be generalized to include other channel types and related communication problems. (topical review)

Statistical mechanics of low-density parity-check codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kabashima, Yoshiyuki; Saad, David

2004-01-01

We review recent theoretical progress on the statistical mechanics of error correcting codes, focusing on low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes in general, and on Gallager and MacKay-Neal codes in particular. By exploiting the relation between LDPC codes and Ising spin systems with multi-spin interactions, one can carry out a statistical mechanics based analysis that determines the practical and theoretical limitations of various code constructions, corresponding to dynamical and thermodynamical transitions, respectively, as well as the behaviour of error-exponents averaged over the corresponding code ensemble as a function of channel noise. We also contrast the results obtained using methods of statistical mechanics with those derived in the information theory literature, and show how these methods can be generalized to include other channel types and related communication problems. (topical review)

Mathematical formulas for industrial and mechanical engineering

CERN Document Server

Kadry, Seifedine

2014-01-01

Mathematical Formulas For Industrial and Mechanical Engineering serves the needs of students and teachers as well as professional workers in engineering who use mathematics. The contents and size make it especially convenient and portable. The widespread availability and low price of scientific calculators have greatly reduced the need for many numerical tables that make most handbooks bulky. However, most calculators do not give integrals, derivatives, series and other mathematical formulas and figures that are often needed. Accordingly, this book contains that information in an easy way to

Assessment of current practices in creating and using passwords as a control mechanism for information access

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. L. Wessels

2007-11-01

Full Text Available One of the critical issues in managing information within an organization is to ensure that proper controls exist and are applied in allowing people access to information. Passwords are used extensively as the main control mechanism to identify users wanting access to systems, applications, data files, network servers or personal information. In this article, the issues involved in selecting and using passwords are discussed and the current practices employed by users in creating and storing passwords to gain access to sensitive information are assessed. The results of this survey conclude that information managers cannot rely only on users to employ proper password control in order to protect sensitive information.

An Information Theoretic Characterisation of Auditory Encoding

Science.gov (United States)

Overath, Tobias; Cusack, Rhodri; Kumar, Sukhbinder; von Kriegstein, Katharina; Warren, Jason D; Grube, Manon; Carlyon, Robert P; Griffiths, Timothy D

2007-01-01

The entropy metric derived from information theory provides a means to quantify the amount of information transmitted in acoustic streams like speech or music. By systematically varying the entropy of pitch sequences, we sought brain areas where neural activity and energetic demands increase as a function of entropy. Such a relationship is predicted to occur in an efficient encoding mechanism that uses less computational resource when less information is present in the signal: we specifically tested the hypothesis that such a relationship is present in the planum temporale (PT). In two convergent functional MRI studies, we demonstrated this relationship in PT for encoding, while furthermore showing that a distributed fronto-parietal network for retrieval of acoustic information is independent of entropy. The results establish PT as an efficient neural engine that demands less computational resource to encode redundant signals than those with high information content. PMID:17958472

Enantioseparation and chiral recognition mechanism of new chiral derivatives of xanthones on macrocyclic antibiotic stationary phases.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Carla; Tiritan, Maria Elizabeth; Cass, Quezia; Kairys, Visvaldas; Fernandes, Miguel Xavier; Pinto, Madalena

2012-06-08

A chiral HPLC method using four macrocyclic antibiotic chiral stationary phases (CSPs) has been investigated for determination of the enantiomeric purity of fourteen new chiral derivatives of xanthones (CDXs). The separations were performed with the CSPs Chirobiotic T, Chirobiotic TAG, Chirobiotic V and Chirobiotic R under multimodal elution conditions (normal-phase, reversed-phase and polar ionic mode). The analyses were performed at room temperature in isocratic mode and UV and CD detection at a wavelength of 254 nm. The best enantioselectivity and resolution were achieved on Chirobiotic R and Chirobiotic T CSPs, under normal elution conditions, with R(S) ranging from 1.25 to 2.50 and from 0.78 to 2.06, respectively. The optimized chromatographic conditions allowed the determination of the enantiomeric ratio of eight CDXs, always higher than 99%. In order to better understand the chromatographic behavior at a molecular level, and the structural features associated with the chiral recognition mechanism, computational studies by molecular docking were carried out using VDock. These studies shed light on the mechanisms involved in the enantioseparation for this important class of chiral compounds. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adhesive and mechanical regulation of mesenchymal stem cell differentiation in human bone marrow and periosteum-derived progenitor cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeroen Eyckmans

2012-08-01

It has previously been demonstrated that cell shape can influence commitment of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMCs to adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic, and other lineages. Human periosteum-derived cells (hPDCs exhibit multipotency similar to hBMCs, but hPDCs may offer enhanced potential for osteogenesis and chondrogenesis given their apparent endogenous role in bone and cartilage repair in vivo. Here, we examined whether hPDC differentiation is regulated by adhesive and mechanical cues comparable to that reported for hBMC differentiation. When cultured in the appropriate induction media, hPDCs at high cell seeding density demonstrated enhanced levels of adipogenic or chondrogenic markers as compared with hPDCs at low cell seeding density. Cell seeding density correlated inversely with projected area of cell spreading, and directly limiting cell spreading with micropatterned substrates promoted adipogenesis or chondrogenesis while substrates promoting cell spreading supported osteogenesis. Interestingly, cell seeding density influenced differentiation through both changes in cell shape and non-shape-mediated effects: density-dependent adipogenesis and chondrogenesis were regulated primarily by cell shape whereas non-shape effects strongly influenced osteogenic potential. Inhibition of cytoskeletal contractility by adding the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632 further enhanced adipogenic differentiation and discouraged osteogenic differentiation of hPDCs. Together, our results suggest that multipotent lineage decisions of hPDCs are impacted by cell adhesive and mechanical cues, though to different extents than hBMCs. Thus, future studies of hPDCs and other primary stem cell populations with clinical potential should consider varying biophysical metrics for more thorough optimization of stem cell differentiation.

QUALITY MANAGEMENT OPERATION MECHANISMS FOR THE PROTECTION OF INFORMATION IN THE INFO-COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. V. Belokurov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents the list of facilities and necessary procedures to protect against threats of violation of information availability in terms of exposure to malware in ICT systems and principles conceptual design of mechanisms, antivirus protection, implemented in the form of a component of a software complex for protection of information. This development allows us to formulate the principles of conceptual design of mechanisms, antivirus protection, implemented in the form of a component of a complex of software tools of information security. Special this valuable development for the implementation of procedures for the management of complex organizationaltechnical systems. Streamlining usually has one or any combination of the following objectives (attitudes: rationality, efficiency, improvement of the system. The aim of good governance (e.g. anti-malware is the preservation of the existing structure and system parameters under certain constraints (e.g., constraints on computing resources. If you cannot provide the management on a rational basis, it becomes necessary to change the parameters (parametric synthesis or search for and select the set of admissible structures effective on the criteria of structure (structural synthesis. Note that in this case we are talking about effectiveness for a given period of time, as social and scientific progress inevitably lead to a change of criteria effectiveness evaluation.

Mechanisms for integration of information models across related domains

Science.gov (United States)

Atkinson, Rob

2010-05-01

It is well recognised that there are opportunities and challenges in cross-disciplinary data integration. A significant barrier, however, is creating a conceptual model of the combined domains and the area of integration. For example, a groundwater domain application may require information from several related domains: geology, hydrology, water policy, etc. Each domain may have its own data holdings and conceptual models, but these will share various common concepts (eg. The concept of an aquifer). These areas of semantic overlap present significant challenges, firstly to choose a single representation (model) of a concept that appears in multiple disparate models,, then to harmonise these other models with the single representation. In addition, models may exist at different levels of abstraction depending on how closely aligned they are with a particular implementation. This makes it hard for modellers in one domain to introduce elements from another domain without either introducing a specific style of implementation, or conversely dealing with a set of abstract patterns that are hard to integrate with existing implementations. Models are easier to integrate if they are broken down into small units, with common concepts implemented using common models from well-known, and predictably managed shared libraries. This vision however requires development of a set of mechanisms (tools and procedures) for implementing and exploiting libraries of model components. These mechanisms need to handle publication, discovery, subscription, versioning and implementation of models in different forms. In this presentation a coherent suite of such mechanisms is proposed, using a scenario based on re-use of geosciences models. This approach forms the basis of a comprehensive strategy to empower domain modellers to create more interoperable systems. The strategy address a range of concerns and practice, and includes methodologies, an accessible toolkit, improvements to available

Neural Mechanisms of Encoding Social and Non-Social Context Information in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Greimel, Ellen; Nehrkorn, Barbara; Fink, Gereon R.; Kukolja, Juraj; Kohls, Gregor; Muller, Kristin; Piefke, Martina; Kamp-Becker, Inge; Remschmidt, Helmut; Herpertz-Dahlmann, Beate; Konrad, Kerstin; Schulte-Ruther, Martin

2012-01-01

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often fail to attach context to their memories and are specifically impaired in processing social aspects of contextual information. The aim of the present study was to investigate the modulatory influence of social vs. non-social context on neural mechanisms during encoding in ASD. Using…

Simultaneous Wireless Information and Power Transfer Mechanism in Interference Alignment Relay Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fahui Wu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper considers a simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT mechanism in an interference alignment (IA relay system, in which source nodes send wireless information and energy simultaneously to relay nodes, and relay nodes forward the received signal to destination nodes powered by harvested energy. To manage interference and utilize interference as energy source, two-SWIPT receiver is designed, namely, power splitting (PS, and antennas switching (AS has been considered for relay system. The performance of AS- and PS-based IA relay systems is considered, as is a new energy cooperation (ECop scheme that is proposed to improve system performance. Numerical results are provided to evaluate the performance of all schemes and it is shown from the simulations that the performance of proposed ECop outperformed both AS and PS.

Information and information flow an introduction

CERN Document Server

Bremer, Manuel

2004-01-01

This book is conceived as an introductory text into the theory of syntactic and semantic information, and information flow. Syntactic information theory is concerned with the information contained in the very fact that some signal has a non-random structure. Semantic information theory is concerned with the meaning or information content of messages and the like. The theory of information flow is concerned with deriving some piece of information from another. The main part will take us to situation semantics as a foundation of modern approaches in information theory. We give a brief overview o

Elementary derivation of Kepler's laws

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogt, E.

1995-02-01

A simple derivation of all three so-called Kepler Laws is presented in which the orbits, bound and unbound, follow directly and immediately from conservation of energy and angular momentum. The intent is to make this crowning achievement of Newtonian Mechanics easily accessible to students in introductory physics courses. The method is also extended to simplify the derivation of the Rutherford Scattering Law. (author). 4 refs., 3 figs

Quantum Mechanics - Fundamentals and Applications to Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Jasprit

1996-10-01

Explore the relationship between quantum mechanics and information-age applications This volume takes an altogether unique approach to quantum mechanics. Providing an in-depth exposition of quantum mechanics fundamentals, it shows how these concepts are applied to most of today's information technologies, whether they are electronic devices or materials. No other text makes this critical, essential leap from theory to real-world applications. The book's lively discussion of the mathematics involved fits right in with contemporary multidisciplinary trends in education: Once the basic formulation has been derived in a given chapter, the connection to important technological problems is summarily described. The many helpful features include * Twenty-eight application-oriented sections that focus on lasers, transistors, magnetic memories, superconductors, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and other important technology-driving materials and devices * One hundred solved examples, with an emphasis on numerical results and the connection between the physics and its applications * End-of-chapter problems that ground the student in both fundamental and applied concepts * Numerous figures and tables to clarify the various topics and provide a global view of the problems under discussion * Over two hundred illustrations to highlight problems and text A book for the information age, Quantum Mechanics: Fundamentals and Applications to Technology promises to become a standard in departments of electrical engineering, applied physics, and materials science, as well as physics. It is an excellent text for senior undergraduate and graduate students, and a helpful reference for practicing scientists, engineers, and chemists in the semiconductor and electronic industries.

Mechanism of Error-Free DNA Replication Past Lucidin-Derived DNA Damage by Human DNA Polymerase κ.

Science.gov (United States)

Yockey, Oliver P; Jha, Vikash; Ghodke, Pratibha P; Xu, Tianzuo; Xu, Wenyan; Ling, Hong; Pradeepkumar, P I; Zhao, Linlin

2017-11-20

DNA damage impinges on genetic information flow and has significant implications in human disease and aging. Lucidin-3-O-primeveroside (LuP) is an anthraquinone derivative present in madder root, which has been used as a coloring agent and food additive. LuP can be metabolically converted to genotoxic compound lucidin, which subsequently forms lucidin-specific N 2 -2'-deoxyguanosine (N 2 -dG) and N 6 -2'-deoxyadenosine (N 6 -dA) DNA adducts. Lucidin is mutagenic and carcinogenic in rodents but has low carcinogenic risks in humans. To understand the molecular mechanism of low carcinogenicity of lucidin in humans, we performed DNA replication assays using site-specifically modified oligodeoxynucleotides containing a structural analogue (LdG) of lucidin-N 2 -dG DNA adduct and determined the crystal structures of DNA polymerase (pol) κ in complex with LdG-bearing DNA and an incoming nucleotide. We examined four human pols (pol η, pol ι, pol κ, and Rev1) in their efficiency and accuracy during DNA replication with LdG; these pols are key players in translesion DNA synthesis. Our results demonstrate that pol κ efficiently and accurately replicates past the LdG adduct, whereas DNA replication by pol η, pol ι is compromised to different extents. Rev1 retains its ability to incorporate dCTP opposite the lesion albeit with decreased efficiency. Two ternary crystal structures of pol κ illustrate that the LdG adduct is accommodated by pol κ at the enzyme active site during insertion and postlesion-extension steps. The unique open active site of pol κ allows the adducted DNA to adopt a standard B-form for accurate DNA replication. Collectively, these biochemical and structural data provide mechanistic insights into the low carcinogenic risk of lucidin in humans.

Insight into microtubule destabilization mechanism of 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl indanone derivatives using molecular dynamics simulation and conformational modes analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Shubhandra; Srivastava, Gaurava; Singh, Aastha; Prakasham, A. P.; Negi, Arvind S.; Sharma, Ashok

2018-03-01

Colchicine site inhibitors are microtubule destabilizers having promising role in cancer therapeutics. In the current study, four such indanone derivatives (t1, t9, t14 and t17) with 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl fragment (ring A) and showing significant microtubule destabilization property have been explored. The interaction mechanism and conformational modes triggered by binding of these indanone derivatives and combretastatin at colchicine binding site (CBS) of αβ-tubulin dimer were studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, principle component analysis and free energy landscape analysis. In the MD results, t1 showed binding similar to colchicine interacting in the deep hydrophobic core at the CBS. While t9, t14 and t17 showed binding conformation similar to combretastatin, with ring A superficially binding at the CBS. Results demonstrated that ring A played a vital role in binding via hydrophobic interactions and got anchored between the S8 and S9 sheets, H8 helix and T7 loop at the CBS. Conformational modes study revealed that twisting and bending conformational motions (as found in the apo system) were nearly absent in the ligand bound systems. Absence of twisting motion might causes loss of lateral contacts in microtubule, thus promoting microtubule destabilization. This study provides detailed account of microtubule destabilization mechanism by indanone ligands and combretastatin, and would be helpful for designing microtubule destabilizers with higher activity.

Identification and Characterization of Novel Immunomodulatory Bursal-derived Pentapeptide-II (BPP-II)*

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Xiu-Li; Liu, Qing-Tao; Cao, Rui-Bing; Zhou, Bin; Ma, Zhi-Yong; Deng, Wen-Lei; Wei, Jian-Chao; Qiu, Ya-Feng; Wang, Fang-Quan; Gu, Jin-Yan; Wang, Feng-Juan; Zheng, Qi-Sheng; Ishag, Hassan; Chen, Pu-Yan

2012-01-01

The bursa of Fabricius, the acknowledged central humoral immune organ, plays a vital role in B lymphocyte differentiation. However, there are few reports of the molecular basis of the mechanism on immune induction and potential antitumor activity of bursal-derived peptides. In this paper, a novel bursal-derived pentapeptide-II (BPP-II, MTLTG) was isolated and exerted immunomodulatory functions on antibody responses in vitro. Gene microarray analyses demonstrated that BPP-II regulated expression of 2478 genes in a mouse-derived hybridoma cell line. Immune-related gene ontology functional procedures were employed for further functional analysis. Furthermore, the majority of BPP-II-regulated pathways were associated with immune responses and tumor processes. Moreover, BPP-II exhibited immunomodulatory effects on antigen-specific immune responses in vivo, including enhancement of avian influenza virus (H9N2 subtype)-specific antibody and cytokine production and modification of T cell immunophenotypes and lymphocyte proliferation. Finally, BPP-II triggered p53 expression and stabilization and selectively inhibited tumor cell proliferation. These data identified the multifunctional factor, BPP-II, as a novel biomaterial representing an important linking between the humoral central immune system and immune induction, including antitumor. Information generated in this study elucidates further the mechanisms involved in humoral immune system and represents the potential basis of effective immunotherapeutic strategies for treating human tumors and immune improvement. PMID:22184121

Identification and characterization of novel immunomodulatory bursal-derived pentapeptide-II (BPP-II).

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Xiu-Li; Liu, Qing-Tao; Cao, Rui-Bing; Zhou, Bin; Ma, Zhi-Yong; Deng, Wen-Lei; Wei, Jian-Chao; Qiu, Ya-Feng; Wang, Fang-Quan; Gu, Jin-Yan; Wang, Feng-Juan; Zheng, Qi-Sheng; Ishag, Hassan; Chen, Pu-Yan

2012-02-03

The bursa of Fabricius, the acknowledged central humoral immune organ, plays a vital role in B lymphocyte differentiation. However, there are few reports of the molecular basis of the mechanism on immune induction and potential antitumor activity of bursal-derived peptides. In this paper, a novel bursal-derived pentapeptide-II (BPP-II, MTLTG) was isolated and exerted immunomodulatory functions on antibody responses in vitro. Gene microarray analyses demonstrated that BPP-II regulated expression of 2478 genes in a mouse-derived hybridoma cell line. Immune-related gene ontology functional procedures were employed for further functional analysis. Furthermore, the majority of BPP-II-regulated pathways were associated with immune responses and tumor processes. Moreover, BPP-II exhibited immunomodulatory effects on antigen-specific immune responses in vivo, including enhancement of avian influenza virus (H9N2 subtype)-specific antibody and cytokine production and modification of T cell immunophenotypes and lymphocyte proliferation. Finally, BPP-II triggered p53 expression and stabilization and selectively inhibited tumor cell proliferation. These data identified the multifunctional factor, BPP-II, as a novel biomaterial representing an important linking between the humoral central immune system and immune induction, including antitumor. Information generated in this study elucidates further the mechanisms involved in humoral immune system and represents the potential basis of effective immunotherapeutic strategies for treating human tumors and immune improvement.

Thermal degradation and plasticizing mechanism of poly(vinyl chloride) plasticized with a novel cardanol derived plasticizer

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, J.; Nie, X. A.; Jiang, J. C.; Zhou, Y. H.

2018-01-01

A natural plasticizer cardanol derivatives glycidyl ether (CGE) was synthesized and employed as a plasticizer for the poly(vinyl chloride). The effect of CGE on thermal degradation of PVC films and its plasticizing mechanism were firstly reported. The molecular structure of CGE was characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Thermal properties, degradation properties and compatibility of the PVC films were investigated by Differential scanning calorimeter analysis (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and FTIR, respectively. Compared with the commercial plasticizers dioctylphthalate (DOP), CGE can endow PVC film with a decrease of 4.31 °C in glass transition temperature (Tg), an increase of 24.01 °C and 25.53 °C in 10% weight loss (T 10) and 50% weight loss (T 50) respectively, and a higher activetion energy of thermal degradation (Ea ).

Fruit-Derived Polysaccharides and Terpenoids: Recent Update on the Gastroprotective Effects and Mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Safwan Ali Khan

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Ulceration in the stomach develops in peptic ulcer disease when there is a loss of protective mucosal layers, particularly in Helicobacter pylori infection. Antibiotic therapy has failed to eradicate and impede the colonization of H. pylori. Despite given treatment, recurrent bleeding can occur and lead to death in the affected individual. The disease progression is also related to the non-steroidal inflammatory drug and stress. There are extensive research efforts to identify the gastroprotective property from various alkaloids, flavonoids, and tannins compounds from plants and marine. These natural products are believed to be safe for consumption. However, not much attention was given to summarize the carbohydrate and terpenoidal anti-ulcer compounds. Hence, this review will cover the possible mechanisms and information about acidic hydroxylans, arabinogalactan and rhamnogalacturon; and limonene, pinene, lupeol, citral, ursolic acid and nomilin to exemplify on the gastroprotective properties of polysaccharides and terpenoid, respectively, obtained from fruits. These compounds could act as a prebiotic to prevent the inhabitation of H. pylori, modulate the inflammation, suppress gastric cancer growth, and capable of stimulating the reparative mechanisms on the affected regions. Finally, this review provides the future research prospects of these natural compounds in an effort to develop new therapy for gastrointestinal tissue healing.

Static Mechanical Loading Influences the Expression of Extracellular Matrix and Cell Adhesion Proteins in Vaginal Cells Derived From Premenopausal Women With Severe Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

Science.gov (United States)

Kufaishi, Hala; Alarab, May; Drutz, Harold; Lye, Stephen; Shynlova, Oksana

2016-08-01

Primary human vaginal cells derived from women with severe pelvic organ prolapse (POP-HVCs) demonstrate altered cellular characteristics as compared to cells derived from asymptomatic women (control-HVCs). Using computer-controllable Flexcell stretch unit, we examined whether POP-HVCs react differently to mechanical loading as compared to control-HVCs by the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, cell-ECM adhesion proteins, and ECM degrading and maturating enzymes. Vaginal tissue biopsies from premenopausal patients with Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification System stage ≥3 (n = 8) and asymptomatic controls (n = 7) were collected during vaginal hysterectomy or repair. Human vaginal cells were isolated by enzymatic digestion, seeded on collagen (COLI)-coated plates, and stretched (24 hours, 25% elongation). Total RNA was extracted, and 84 genes were screened using Human ECM and Adhesion Molecules polymerase chain reaction array; selected genes were verified by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Stretch-conditioned media (SCM) were collected and analyzed by protein array, immunoblotting, and zymography. In mechanically stretched control-HVCs, transcript levels of integrins (ITGA1, ITGA4, ITGAV, and ITGB1) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2, 8, and 13 were downregulated (P SCM from POP-HVCs compared to control-HVCs. Primary human vaginal cells derived from women with severe pelvic organ prolapse and control-HVCs react differentially to in vitro mechanical stretch. Risk factors that induce stretch may alter ECM composition and cell-ECM interaction in pelvic floor tissue leading to the abatement of pelvic organ support and subsequent POP development. © The Author(s) 2016.

Mechanism-based design of parasite-targeted artemisinin derivatives: synthesis and antimalarial activity of new diamine containing analogues.

Science.gov (United States)

Hindley, Stephen; Ward, Stephen A; Storr, Richard C; Searle, Natalie L; Bray, Patrick G; Park, B Kevin; Davies, Jill; O'Neill, Paul M

2002-02-28

The potent antimalarial activity of chloroquine against chloroquine-sensitive strains can be attributed, in part, to its high accumulation in the acidic environment of the heme-rich parasite food vacuole. A key component of this intraparasitic chloroquine accumulation mechanism is a weak base "ion-trapping" effect whereupon the basic drug is concentrated in the acidic food vacuole in its membrane-impermeable diprotonated form. By the incorporation of amino functionality into target artemisinin analogues, we hoped to prepare a new series of analogues that, by virtue of increased accumulation into the ferrous-rich vacuole, would display enhanced antimalarial potency. The initial part of the project focused on the preparation of piperazine-linked analogues (series 1 (7-16)). Antimalarial evaluation of these derivatives demonstrated potent activity versus both chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant parasites. On the basis of these observations, we then set about preparing a series of C-10 carba-linked amino derivatives. Optimization of the key synthetic step using a newly developed coupling protocol provided a key intermediate, allyldeoxoartemisinin (17) in 90% yield. Further elaboration, in three steps, provided nine target C-10 carba analogues (series 2 (21-29)) in good overall yields. Antimalarial assessment demonstrated that these compounds were 4-fold more potent than artemisinin and about twice as active as artemether in vitro versus chloroquine-resistant parasites. On the basis of the products obtained from biomimetic Fe(II) degradation of the C-10 carba analogue (23), we propose that these analogues may have a mode of action subtly different from that of the parent drug artemisinin (series 1 (7-16)) and other C-10 ether derivatives such as artemether. Preliminary in vivo testing by the WHO demonstrated that four of these compounds are active orally at doses of less than 10 mg/kg. Since these analogues are available as water-soluble salts and cannot

5 CFR 2500.5 - Derivative classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Derivative classification. 2500.5 Section 2500.5 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION, EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT INFORMATION SECURITY REGULATION § 2500.5 Derivative classification. The Office of Administration serves only as the...

46 CFR 503.55 - Derivative classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Security Program § 503.55 Derivative classification. (a) In accordance with Part 2 of Executive Order 12958 and directives of the Information Security Oversight Office, the incorporation, paraphrasing... 46 Shipping 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Derivative classification. 503.55 Section 503.55...

Histological and molecular evaluation of patient-derived colorectal cancer explants.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joshua M Uronis

Full Text Available Mouse models have been developed to investigate colorectal cancer etiology and evaluate new anti-cancer therapies. While genetically engineered and carcinogen-induced mouse models have provided important information with regard to the mechanisms underlying the oncogenic process, tumor xenograft models remain the standard for the evaluation of new chemotherapy and targeted drug treatments for clinical use. However, it remains unclear to what extent explanted colorectal tumor tissues retain inherent pathological features over time. In this study, we have generated a panel of 27 patient-derived colorectal cancer explants (PDCCEs by direct transplantation of human colorectal cancer tissues into NOD-SCID mice. Using this panel, we performed a comparison of histology, gene expression and mutation status between PDCCEs and the original human tissues from which they were derived. Our findings demonstrate that PDCCEs maintain key histological features, basic gene expression patterns and KRAS/BRAF mutation status through multiple passages. Altogether, these findings suggest that PDCCEs maintain similarity to the patient tumor from which they are derived and may have the potential to serve as a reliable preclinical model that can be incorporated into future strategies to optimize individual therapy for patients with colorectal cancer.

Black hole information, unitarity, and nonlocality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giddings, Steven B.

2006-01-01

The black hole information paradox apparently indicates the need for a fundamentally new ingredient in physics. The leading contender is nonlocality. Possible mechanisms for the nonlocality needed to restore unitarity to black hole evolution are investigated. Suggestions that such dynamics arise from ultra-Planckian modes in Hawking's derivation are investigated and found not to be relevant, in a picture using smooth slices spanning the exterior and interior of the horizon. However, no simultaneous description of modes that have fallen into the black hole and outgoing Hawking modes can be given without appearance of a large kinematic invariant, or other dependence on ultra-Planckian physics. This indicates that a reliable argument for information loss has not been constructed, and that strong gravitational dynamics is important. Such dynamics has been argued to be fundamentally nonlocal in extreme situations, such as those required to investigate the fate of information

The quantum limit for information transmission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schiffer, M.

1990-01-01

We give two independent and rigorous derivations for the quantum bound on the information transmission rate as proposed independently Bekenstein and Bremermann, preceded by a heuristic argument showing why such a sort of bound should hold. In both approaches, information carriers are quanta of some field. The first method resembles the microcanonical approach to Statistical Mechanics where the strategy of overestimating the real number of states by relaxing the indistinguishability of quanta was adopted. The second is entirely based upon max-entropy methods. Amazingly enough, the results obtained by these physically unrelated premises turn out to be identical, namely, that the single (noiseless) channel capacity is I sub(max) E/2πh bits s sup(-1). It is further shown that, in a finite time τ no information can ever be conveyed unless the energy threshold 2 πh/τ is reached. (author)

[Imprinting as a mechanism of information memorizing in the adult BALB/c mice].

Science.gov (United States)

Nikol'skaia, K A; Berezhnoĭ, D S

2011-09-01

Study of spatial learning in adult BALB/c mice revealed that a short exposition to the environment (from 3 to 8 minutes) could be enough for spatial information to be fixed in the long-term memory, and affected subsequent learning process in the new environment. Control group, learning in the same maze, followed the "shortest path" principle during formation of the optimal food-obtaining habit. Experimental animals, learning in a slightly changed environment, were unable to apply this rule due to persistent coupling of the new spatial information with the old memory traces which led to constant errors. The obtained effect was observed during the whole learning period and depended neither on frequency nor on interval of repetition during the initial information acquisition. The obtained data testify that memorizing in adult state share the properties with the imprinting process inherent in the early ontogeny. The memory fixation on all development stages seems to be based on a universal mechanism.

Mechanism of the superior mechanical strength of nanometer-sized metal single crystals revealed

KAUST Repository

Afify, N. D.; Salem, H. G.; Yavari, A.; El Sayed, Tamer S.

2013-01-01

Clear understanding of the superior mechanical strength of nanometer-sized metal single crystals is required to derive advanced mechanical components retaining such superiority. Although high quality studies have been reported on nano

An ultrafast spectroscopic and quantum mechanical investigation of multiple emissions in push-pull pyridinium derivatives bearing different electron donors.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlotti, B; Benassi, E; Cesaretti, A; Fortuna, C G; Spalletti, A; Barone, V; Elisei, F

2015-08-28

A joint experimental and theoretical approach, involving state-of-the-art femtosecond fluorescence up-conversion measurements and quantum mechanical computations including vibronic effects, was employed to get a deep insight into the excited state dynamics of two cationic dipolar chromophores (Donor-π-Acceptor(+)) where the electron deficient portion is a N-methyl pyridinium and the electron donor a trimethoxyphenyl or a pyrene, respectively. The ultrafast spectroscopic investigation, and the time resolved area normalised emission spectra in particular, revealed a peculiar multiple emissive behaviour and allowed the distinct emitting states to be remarkably distinguished from solvation dynamics, occurring in water in a similar timescale. The two and three emissions experimentally detected for the trimethoxyphenyl and pyrene derivatives, respectively, were associated with specific local emissive minima in the potential energy surface of S1 on the ground of quantum-mechanical calculations. A low polar and planar Locally Excited (LE) state together with a highly polar and Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer (TICT) state is identified to be responsible for the dual emission of the trimethoxyphenyl compound. Interestingly, the more complex photobehaviour of the pyrenyl derivative was explained considering the contribution to the fluorescence coming not only from the LE and TICT states but also from a nearly Planar Intramolecular Charge Transfer (PICT) state, with both the TICT and the PICT generated from LE by progressive torsion around the quasi-single bond between the methylpyridinium and the ethene bridge. These findings point to an interconversion between rotamers for the pyrene compound taking place in its excited state against the Non-equilibrated Excited Rotamers (NEER) principle.

Legendre transform structure and extremal properties of the relative Fisher information

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Venkatesan, R.C., E-mail: ravi@systemsresearchcorp.com [Systems Research Corporation, Aundh, Pune 411007 (India); Plastino, A., E-mail: plastino@fisica.unlp.edu.ar [IFLP, National University La Plata and National Research Council (CONICET) C.C., 727 1900 La Plata (Argentina)

2014-04-01

Variational extremization of the relative Fisher information (RFI, hereafter) is performed. Reciprocity relations, akin to those of thermodynamics are derived, employing the extremal results of the RFI expressed in terms of probability amplitudes. A time independent Schrödinger-like equation (Schrödinger-like link) for the RFI is derived. The concomitant Legendre transform structure (LTS, hereafter) is developed by utilizing a generalized RFI-Euler theorem, which shows that the entire mathematical structure of thermodynamics translates into the RFI framework, both for equilibrium and non-equilibrium cases. The qualitatively distinct nature of the present results vis-á-vis those of prior studies utilizing the Shannon entropy and/or the Fisher information measure (FIM, hereafter) is discussed. A principled relationship between the RFI and the FIM frameworks is derived. The utility of this relationship is demonstrated by an example wherein the energy eigenvalues of the Schrödinger-like link for the RFI are inferred solely using the quantum mechanical virial theorem and the LTS of the RFI.

Space transportation. [user needs met by information derived from satellites and the interface with space transportation systems

Science.gov (United States)

1975-01-01

User-oriented panels were formed to examine practical applications of information or services derived from earth orbiting satellites. Topics discussed include: weather and climate; uses of communication; land use planning; agriculture, forest, and range; inland water resources; retractable resources; environmental quality; marine and maritime uses; and materials processing in space. Emphasis was placed on the interface of the space transportation system (STS) with the applications envisioned by the user panels. User requirements were compared with expected STS capabilities in terms of availability, carrying payload to orbit, and estimated costs per launch. Conclusions and recommendations were reported.

14 CFR 1203.500 - Use of derivative classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Use of derivative classification. 1203.500 Section 1203.500 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM Derivative Classification § 1203.500 Use of derivative classification. The application of...

Role of Colored Cross-Correlation in Additive and Multiplicative White Noises on Upper Bound of Time Derivative of Information Entropy[PACS numbers: 02.50.Ey, 05.40.-a

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goswami, Gurupada; Majee, Pradip; Bag, Bidhan Chandra [Department of Chemistry, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan 731 235 (India); Barik, Debashis [Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700 032 (India)

2006-09-15

In this paper we have studied upper bound of time derivative of information entropy for colored cross-correlated noise driven open systems. The upper bound is calculated based on the Fokker-Planck equation and the Schwartz inequality principle. Our results consider the effect of the noise correlation strength and correlation time due to the correlation between additive and multiplicative white noises on the upper bound as well as relaxation time. The interplay of deterministic and random forces reveals extremal nature of the upper bound and its deviation from the time derivative of information entropy. (author)

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and interleukin-6 response to high-volume mechanically demanding exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Verbickas, Vaidas; Kamandulis, Sigitas; Snieckus, Audrius; Venckunas, Tomas; Baranauskiene, Neringa; Brazaitis, Marius; Satkunskiene, Danguole; Unikauskas, Alvydas; Skurvydas, Albertas

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to follow circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in response to severe muscle-damaging exercise. Young healthy men (N = 10) performed a bout of mechanically demanding stretch-shortening cycle exercise consisting of 200 drop jumps. Voluntary and electrically induced knee extension torque, serum BDNF levels, and IL-6 levels were measured before and for up to 7 days after exercise. Muscle force decreased by up to 40% and did not recover by 24 hours after exercise. Serum BDNF was decreased 1 hour and 24 hours after exercise, whereas IL-6 increased immediately and 1 hour after but recovered to baseline by 24 hours after exercise. IL-6 and 100-Hz stimulation torque were correlated (r = -0.64, P exercise. In response to acute, severe muscle-damaging exercise, serum BDNF levels decrease, whereas IL-6 levels increase and are associated with peripheral fatigue. Muscle Nerve 57: E46-E51, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Reliability design of mechanical systems a guide for mechanical and civil engineers

CERN Document Server

Woo, Seongwoo

2017-01-01

This book describes basic reliability concepts – parametric ALT plan, failure mechanism and design, and reliability testing with acceleration factor and sample size equation. A generalized life-stress failure model with a new effort concept has been derived and recommended to calculate the acceleration factor of the mechanical system. The new sample size equation with the acceleration factor has also been derived to carry out the parametric ALT. This new parametric ALT should help a mechanical/civil engineer to uncover the design parameters affecting reliability during the design process of the mechanical system. Consequently, it should help companies to improve product reliability and avoid recalls due to the product/structure failures in the field. As the improper or missing design parameters in the design phase are experimentally identified by this new reliability design method - parametric ALT, the mechanical/civil engineering system might improve in reliability by the increase in lifetime and the reduc...

Koszul information geometry and Souriau Lie group thermodynamics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barbaresco, Frédéric, E-mail: frederic.barbaresco@thalesgroup.com

2015-01-13

The François Massieu 1869 idea to derive some mechanical and thermal properties of physical systems from 'Characteristic Functions', was developed by Gibbs and Duhem in thermodynamics with the concept of potentials, and introduced by Poincaré in probability. This paper deals with generalization of this Characteristic Function concept by Jean-Louis Koszul in Mathematics and by Jean-Marie Souriau in Statistical Physics. The Koszul-Vinberg Characteristic Function (KVCF) on convex cones will be presented as cornerstone of 'Information Geometry' theory, defining Koszul Entropy as Legendre transform of minus the logarithm of KVCF, and Fisher Information Metrics as hessian of these dual functions, invariant by their automorphisms. In parallel, Souriau has extended the Characteristic Function in Statistical Physics looking for other kinds of invariances through co-adjoint action of a group on its momentum space, defining physical observables like energy, heat and momentum as pure geometrical objects. In covariant Souriau model, Gibbs equilibriums states are indexed by a geometric parameter, the Geometric (Planck) Temperature, with values in the Lie algebra of the dynamical Galileo/Poincaré groups, interpreted as a space-time vector, giving to the metric tensor a null Lie derivative. Fisher Information metric appears as the opposite of the derivative of Mean 'Moment map' by geometric temperature, equivalent to a Geometric Capacity or Specific Heat. These elements has been developed by author in [10][11].

Copula-based assimilation of radar and gauge information to derive bias-corrected precipitation fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Vogl

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This study addresses the problem of combining radar information and gauge measurements. Gauge measurements are the best available source of absolute rainfall intensity albeit their spatial availability is limited. Precipitation information obtained by radar mimics well the spatial patterns but is biased for their absolute values.

In this study copula models are used to describe the dependence structure between gauge observations and rainfall derived from radar reflectivity at the corresponding grid cells. After appropriate time series transformation to generate "iid" variates, only the positive pairs (radar >0, gauge >0 of the residuals are considered. As not each grid cell can be assigned to one gauge, the integration of point information, i.e. gauge rainfall intensities, is achieved by considering the structure and the strength of dependence between the radar pixels and all the gauges within the radar image. Two different approaches, namely Maximum Theta and Multiple Theta, are presented. They finally allow for generating precipitation fields that mimic the spatial patterns of the radar fields and correct them for biases in their absolute rainfall intensities. The performance of the approach, which can be seen as a bias-correction for radar fields, is demonstrated for the Bavarian Alps. The bias-corrected rainfall fields are compared to a field of interpolated gauge values (ordinary kriging and are validated with available gauge measurements. The simulated precipitation fields are compared to an operationally corrected radar precipitation field (RADOLAN. The copula-based approach performs similarly well as indicated by different validation measures and successfully corrects for errors in the radar precipitation.

Novel Bifunctional Quinolonyl Diketo Acid Derivatives as HIV-1 Integrase Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis, Biological Activities and Mechanism of Action

Science.gov (United States)

Di Santo, Roberto; Costi, Roberta; Roux, Alessandra; Artico, Marino; Lavecchia, Antonio; Marinelli, Luciana; Novellino, Ettore; Palmisano, Lucia; Andreotti, Mauro; Amici, Roberta; Galluzzo, Clementina Maria; Nencioni, Lucia; Palamara, Anna Teresa; Pommier, Yves; Marchand, Christophe

2008-01-01

The virally encoded integrase protein is an essential enzyme in the life cycle of the HIV-1 virus and represents an attractive and validated target in the development of therapeutics against HIV infection. Drugs that selectively inhibit this enzyme, when used in combination with inhibitors of reverse transcriptase and protease, are believed to be highly effective in suppressing the viral replication. Among the HIV-1 integrase inhibitors, the β-diketo acids (DKAs) represent a major lead for anti-HIV-1drug development. In this study, novel bifunctional quinolonyl diketo acid derivatives were designed, synthesized and tested for their inhibitory ability against HIV-1 integrase. The compounds are potent inhibitors of integrase activity. Particularly, derivative 8 is a potent IN inhibitor for both steps of the reaction (3′-processing and strand transfer) and exhibits both high antiviral activity against HIV-1 infected cells and low cytotoxicity. Molecular modeling studies provide a plausible mechanism of action, which is consistent with ligand SARs and enzyme photo-crosslinking experiments. PMID:16539381

Mechanisms of antifungal and anti-aflatoxigenic properties of essential oil derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) on Aspergillus flavus.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yichen; Zhang, Jinming; Kong, Weijun; Zhao, Gang; Yang, Meihua

2017-04-01

The antifungal activity and potential mechanisms in vitro as well as anti-aflatoxigenic efficiency in vivo of natural essential oil (EO) derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) against Aspergillus flavus was intensively investigated. Based on the previous chemical characterization of turmeric EO by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the substantially antifungal activities of turmeric EO on the mycelial growth, spore germination and aflatoxin production were observed in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, these antifungal effects were related to the disruption of fungal cell endomembrane system including the plasma membrane and mitochondria, specifically i.e. the inhibition of ergosterol synthesis, mitochondrial ATPase, malate dehydrogenase, and succinate dehydrogenase activities. Moreover, the down-regulation profiles of turmeric EO on the relative expression of mycotoxin genes in aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway revealed its anti-aflatoxigenic mechanism. Finally, the suppression effect of fungal contamination in maize indicated that turmeric EO has potential as an eco-friendly antifungal agent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantum mechanics as classical statistical mechanics with an ontic extension and an epistemic restriction.

Science.gov (United States)

Budiyono, Agung; Rohrlich, Daniel

2017-11-03

Where does quantum mechanics part ways with classical mechanics? How does quantum randomness differ fundamentally from classical randomness? We cannot fully explain how the theories differ until we can derive them within a single axiomatic framework, allowing an unambiguous account of how one theory is the limit of the other. Here we derive non-relativistic quantum mechanics and classical statistical mechanics within a common framework. The common axioms include conservation of average energy and conservation of probability current. But two axioms distinguish quantum mechanics from classical statistical mechanics: an "ontic extension" defines a nonseparable (global) random variable that generates physical correlations, and an "epistemic restriction" constrains allowed phase space distributions. The ontic extension and epistemic restriction, with strength on the order of Planck's constant, imply quantum entanglement and uncertainty relations. This framework suggests that the wave function is epistemic, yet it does not provide an ontic dynamics for individual systems.

Higher derivatives in gauge transformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gogilidze, S.A.; Sanadze, V.V.; Tkebuchava, F.G.

1992-01-01

The mechanism of appearance of highher derivatives of coordinates in the symmetry transformation law of the second Noether's theorem is established. It is shown that the corresponding transformations are canonical in the extended phase space. 15 refs

Beyond velocity and acceleration: jerk, snap and higher derivatives

Science.gov (United States)

Eager, David; Pendrill, Ann-Marie; Reistad, Nina

2016-11-01

The higher derivatives of motion are rarely discussed in the teaching of classical mechanics of rigid bodies; nevertheless, we experience the effect not only of acceleration, but also of jerk and snap. In this paper we will discuss the third and higher order derivatives of displacement with respect to time, using the trampolines and theme park roller coasters to illustrate this concept. We will also discuss the effects on the human body of different types of acceleration, jerk, snap and higher derivatives, and how they can be used in physics education to further enhance the learning and thus the understanding of classical mechanics concepts.

32 CFR 2001.22 - Derivative classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Derivative classification. 2001.22 Section 2001.22 National Defense Other Regulations Relating to National Defense INFORMATION SECURITY OVERSIGHT OFFICE, NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION CLASSIFIED NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION...

Modeling and study of the mechanism of dilated cardiomyopathy using induced pluripotent stem cells derived from individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Bo; Li, Yang; Han, Lu; Kaplan, Aaron D; Ao, Ying; Kalra, Spandan; Bett, Glenna C L; Rasmusson, Randall L; Denning, Chris; Yang, Lei

2015-05-01

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene (DMD), and is characterized by progressive weakness in skeletal and cardiac muscles. Currently, dilated cardiomyopathy due to cardiac muscle loss is one of the major causes of lethality in late-stage DMD patients. To study the molecular mechanisms underlying dilated cardiomyopathy in DMD heart, we generated cardiomyocytes (CMs) from DMD and healthy control induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). DMD iPSC-derived CMs (iPSC-CMs) displayed dystrophin deficiency, as well as the elevated levels of resting Ca(2+), mitochondrial damage and cell apoptosis. Additionally, we found an activated mitochondria-mediated signaling network underlying the enhanced apoptosis in DMD iPSC-CMs. Furthermore, when we treated DMD iPSC-CMs with the membrane sealant Poloxamer 188, it significantly decreased the resting cytosolic Ca(2+) level, repressed caspase-3 (CASP3) activation and consequently suppressed apoptosis in DMD iPSC-CMs. Taken together, using DMD patient-derived iPSC-CMs, we established an in vitro model that manifests the major phenotypes of dilated cardiomyopathy in DMD patients, and uncovered a potential new disease mechanism. Our model could be used for the mechanistic study of human muscular dystrophy, as well as future preclinical testing of novel therapeutic compounds for dilated cardiomyopathy in DMD patients. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Study of molecular mechanisms of proapoptotic action of novel heterocyclic 4-thiazolidone derivatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lesyk R. B.

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Aim. Mechanisms of induction of apoptosis signaling pathways in mammalian tumor cells treated by novel heterocyclic 4-thiazolidones with different side groups were studied. Methods. Annexin V/propidium iodide and DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining of cells, Western-blot analysis of specific proteins. Results. 4-Thiazolidone derivatives of various structure possess similar cytotoxic activity in vitro (²Ñ50 = 5 µM, and induce apoptosis in both leukemia (Jurkat, CCRF-CEM and carcinoma (MCF-7, MDA-MD-231 cells. Western-blot analysis of the expression of several proteins of apoptosis signaling showed that the structure of lateral groups of 4-thiazolidones may directly affect biological activity of these proteins in leukemia cells. In particular, compounds Les-3120 (pyrazoline-substituted thiazolidinone and Les-3166 (thiazolidinone-benzothiazole conjugate induced receptor-mediated apoptosis in Jurkat T-leukemia cells. 4-Iminothiazolidinone Les-3372 caused mitochondrial type apoptosis, mediated by AIF protein. Conclusions. Structure-functional relationships between the presence of specific side groups in novel 4-thiazolidones and the signaling apoptotic pathways induced by these compounds have been established. The obtained results allow designing new, «hybrid» compounds which can simultaneously induce more than one apoptotic pathway in tumor cells.

Amphetamine derivative related deaths.

Science.gov (United States)

Lora-Tamayo, C; Tena, T; Rodríguez, A

1997-02-28

Amphetamine its methylendioxy (methylendioxyamphetamine methylenedioxymethylamphetamine, methylenedioxyethylamphetamine) and methoxy derivatives (p-methoxyamphetamine and p-methoxymethylamphetamine) are widely abused in Spanish society. We present here the results of a systematic study of all cases of deaths brought to the attention of the Madrid department of the Instituto Nacional de Toxicologia from 1993 to 1995 in which some of these drugs have been found in the cadaveric blood. The cases were divided into three categories: amphetamine and derivatives, amphetamines and alcohol, amphetamines and other drugs. Data on age, sex, clinical symptoms, morphological findings, circumstances of death, when known, and concentration of amphetamine derivatives, alcohol and other drugs in blood are given for each group. The information provided here may prove to be useful for the forensic interpretation of deaths which are directly or indirectly related to abuse of amphetamine derivatives.

Analyses for designing objects in mechanical design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Norihiro; Miyamura, Hiroko N.; Kawakami, Yoshiaki; Kawamura, Takuma

2015-01-01

Defining factors to induce the damage that can be assumed in the mechanical structures, it is a loaded work to analyze a damage possibility point derived by the assumption phenomenon that can occur is, but it is the important designing process. Taking factors caused by the earthquake as an example, and simulating the phenomenon that can be assumed, the computational result was analyzed with information visualization. A damage possibility point by analyzing the result mathematically. The illustration of analytical results may give points to designers as means for a designer to recognize a damage possibility point from the sensitivity of the designer. (author)

White certificates — Energy efficiency programs under private information of consumers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wirl, Franz

2015-01-01

Energy efficiency is an objective of public interventions at least since the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978 (PURPA). Recently, conservation has received considerable attention in the United States and in particular in the European Union but this time in order to mitigate global warming. Policy measures include regulations at the technical level and the introduction of white certificates in order to force utilities and firms to invest into conservation in a way similar to the already existing renewable energy quota. This paper derives the optimal mechanism if utilities must deal with white certificates facing consumers holding private information. The optimal mechanism has some theoretically interesting features like restricted participation and a discontinuity. - Highlights: • Energy efficiency programs are again an objective of public interventions. • White certificates force utilities to invest in conservation. • However, issues of private information are ignored. • Conservation program accounting for private information • The optimal contract has non-standard features like a discontinuity

Dissociation in decision bias mechanism between probabilistic information and previous decision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshiyuki eKaneko

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Target detection performance is known to be influenced by events in the previous trials. It has not been clear, however, whether this bias effect is due to the previous sensory stimulus, motor response, or decision. Also it remains open whether or not the previous trial effect emerges via the same mechanism as the effect of knowledge about the target probability. In the present study, we asked normal human subjects to make a decision about the presence or absence of a visual target. We presented a pre-cue indicating the target probability before the stimulus, and also a decision-response mapping cue after the stimulus so as to tease apart the effect of decision from that of motor response. We found that the target detection performance was significantly affected by the probability cue in the current trial and also by the decision in the previous trial. While the information about the target probability modulated the decision criteria, the previous decision modulated the sensitivity to target-relevant sensory signals (d-prime. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we also found that activation in the left intraparietal sulcus was decreased when the probability cue indicated a high probability of the target. By contrast, activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus was increased when the subjects made a target-present decision in the previous trial, but this change was observed specifically when the target was present in the current trial. Activation in these regions was associated with individual-difference in the decision computation parameters. We argue that the previous decision biases the target detection performance by modulating the processing of target-selective information, and this mechanism is distinct from modulation of decision criteria due to expectation of a target.

Dissociation in decision bias mechanism between probabilistic information and previous decision

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneko, Yoshiyuki; Sakai, Katsuyuki

2015-01-01

Target detection performance is known to be influenced by events in the previous trials. It has not been clear, however, whether this bias effect is due to the previous sensory stimulus, motor response, or decision. Also it remains open whether or not the previous trial effect emerges via the same mechanism as the effect of knowledge about the target probability. In the present study, we asked normal human subjects to make a decision about the presence or absence of a visual target. We presented a pre-cue indicating the target probability before the stimulus, and also a decision-response mapping cue after the stimulus so as to tease apart the effect of decision from that of motor response. We found that the target detection performance was significantly affected by the probability cue in the current trial and also by the decision in the previous trial. While the information about the target probability modulated the decision criteria, the previous decision modulated the sensitivity to target-relevant sensory signals (d-prime). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we also found that activation in the left intraparietal sulcus (IPS) was decreased when the probability cue indicated a high probability of the target. By contrast, activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was increased when the subjects made a target-present decision in the previous trial, but this change was observed specifically when the target was present in the current trial. Activation in these regions was associated with individual-difference in the decision computation parameters. We argue that the previous decision biases the target detection performance by modulating the processing of target-selective information, and this mechanism is distinct from modulation of decision criteria due to expectation of a target. PMID:25999844

A quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical study of the hydroxylation of phenol and halogeneted derivatives by phenol hydroxylase

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ridder, L.; Mulholland, A.J.; Rietjens, I.M.C.M.; Vervoort, J.

2000-01-01

A combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) method (AM1/CHARMM) was used to investigate the mechanism of the aromatic hydroxylation of phenol by a flavin dependent phenol hydroxylase (PH), an essential reaction in the degradation of a wide range of aromatic compounds. The model

Maturation of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) in 3D collagen matrix: Effects of niche cell supplementation and mechanical stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, W; Kong, C W; Tong, M H; Chooi, W H; Huang, N; Li, R A; Chan, B P

2017-02-01

Cardiomyocytes derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC-CMs) are regarded as a promising source for regenerative medicine, drug testing and disease modeling. Nevertheless, cardiomyocytes are immature in terms of their contractile structure, metabolism and electrophysiological properties. Here, we fabricate cardiac muscle strips by encapsulating hESC-CMs in collagen-based biomaterials. Supplementation of niche cells at 3% to the number of hESC-CMs enhance the maturation of the hESC-CMs in 3D tissue matrix. The benefits of adding mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are comparable to that of adding fibroblasts. These two cell types demonstrate similar effects in promoting the compaction and cell spreading, as well as expression of maturation markers at both gene and protein levels. Mechanical loading, particularly cyclic stretch, produces engineered cardiac tissues with higher maturity in terms of twitch force, elastic modulus, sarcomere length and molecular signature, when comparing to static stretch or non-stretched controls. The current study demonstrates that the application of niche cells and mechanical stretch both stimulate the maturation of hESC-CMs in 3D architecture. Our results therefore suggest that this 3D model can be used for in vitro cardiac maturation study. Cardiomyocytes derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC-CMs) are regarded as being a promising source of cells for regenerative medicine, drug testing and disease modeling. Nevertheless, cardiomyocytes are immature in terms of their contractile structure, metabolism and electrophysiological properties. In the current study, we have fabricated cardiac muscle strips by encapsulating hESC-CMs in collagen-based biomaterials and demonstrated that supplementation of mesenchymal niche cells as well as provision of mechanical loading particularly stretching have significantly promoted the maturation of the cardiomyocytes and hence improved the mechanical functional characteristics of the tissue strips

Statistical mechanics of superconductivity

CERN Document Server

Kita, Takafumi

2015-01-01

This book provides a theoretical, step-by-step comprehensive explanation of superconductivity for undergraduate and graduate students who have completed elementary courses on thermodynamics and quantum mechanics. To this end, it adopts the unique approach of starting with the statistical mechanics of quantum ideal gases and successively adding and clarifying elements and techniques indispensible for understanding it. They include the spin-statistics theorem, second quantization, density matrices, the Bloch–De Dominicis theorem, the variational principle in statistical mechanics, attractive interaction, and bound states. Ample examples of their usage are also provided in terms of topics from advanced statistical mechanics such as two-particle correlations of quantum ideal gases, derivation of the Hartree–Fock equations, and Landau’s Fermi-liquid theory, among others. With these preliminaries, the fundamental mean-field equations of superconductivity are derived with maximum mathematical clarity based on ...

Mechanism of transfer of LDL-derived free cholesterol to HDL subfractions in human plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miida, T.; Fielding, C.J.; Fielding, P.E.

1990-01-01

The transfer of [ 3 H]cholesterol in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to different high-density lipoprotein (HDL) species in native human plasma was determined by using nondenaturing two-dimensional electrophoresis. Transfer from LDL had a t 1/2 at 37 degree C of 51 ± 8 min and an activation energy of 18.0 kCal mol -1 . There was unexpected specificity among HDL species as acceptors of LDL-derived labeled cholesterol. The largest fraction of the major α-migrating class (HDL 2b ) was the major initial acceptor of LDL-derived cholesterol. Kinetic analysis indicated a rapid secondary transfer from HDL 2b to smaller αHDL (particularly HDL 3 ) driven enzymatically by the lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase reaction. Rates of transfer among αHDL were most rapid from the largest αHDL fraction (HDL 2b ), suggesting possible protein-mediated facilitation. Simultaneous measurements of the transport of LDL-derived and cell-derived isotopic cholesterol indicated that the former preferably utilized the αHDL pathyway, with little label in pre-βHDL. The same experiments confirmed earlier data that cell-derived cholesterol is preferentially channeled through pre-βHDL. The authors suggest that the functional heterogeneity of HDL demonstrated here includes the ability to independently process cell- and LDL-derived free cholesterol

Derivation of the reduced reaction mechanisms of ozone depletion events in the Arctic spring by using concentration sensitivity analysis and principal component analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Cao

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The ozone depletion events (ODEs in the springtime Arctic have been investigated since the 1980s. It is found that the depletion of ozone is highly associated with an auto-catalytic reaction cycle, which involves mostly the bromine-containing compounds. Moreover, bromide stored in various substrates in the Arctic such as the underlying surface covered by ice and snow can be also activated by the absorbed HOBr. Subsequently, this leads to an explosive increase of the bromine amount in the troposphere, which is called the “bromine explosion mechanism”. In the present study, a reaction scheme representing the chemistry of ozone depletion and halogen release is processed with two different mechanism reduction approaches, namely, the concentration sensitivity analysis and the principal component analysis. In the concentration sensitivity analysis, the interdependence of the mixing ratios of ozone and principal bromine species on the rate of each reaction in the ODE mechanism is identified. Furthermore, the most influential reactions in different time periods of ODEs are also revealed. By removing 11 reactions with the maximum absolute values of sensitivities lower than 10 %, a reduced reaction mechanism of ODEs is derived. The onsets of each time period of ODEs in simulations using the original reaction mechanism and the reduced reaction mechanism are identical while the maximum deviation of the mixing ratio of principal bromine species between different mechanisms is found to be less than 1 %. By performing the principal component analysis on an array of the sensitivity matrices, the dependence of a particular species concentration on a combination of the reaction rates in the mechanism is revealed. Redundant reactions are indicated by principal components corresponding to small eigenvalues and insignificant elements in principal components with large eigenvalues. Through this investigation, aside from the 11 reactions identified as

Gating mechanisms of mechanosensitive channels of large conductance, I: a continuum mechanics-based hierarchical framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xi; Cui, Qiang; Tang, Yuye; Yoo, Jejoong; Yethiraj, Arun

2008-07-01

A hierarchical simulation framework that integrates information from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations into a continuum model is established to study the mechanical response of mechanosensitive channel of large-conductance (MscL) using the finite element method (FEM). The proposed MD-decorated FEM (MDeFEM) approach is used to explore the detailed gating mechanisms of the MscL in Escherichia coli embedded in a palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylethanolamine lipid bilayer. In Part I of this study, the framework of MDeFEM is established. The transmembrane and cytoplasmic helices are taken to be elastic rods, the loops are modeled as springs, and the lipid bilayer is approximated by a three-layer sheet. The mechanical properties of the continuum components, as well as their interactions, are derived from molecular simulations based on atomic force fields. In addition, analytical closed-form continuum model and elastic network model are established to complement the MDeFEM approach and to capture the most essential features of gating. In Part II of this study, the detailed gating mechanisms of E. coli-MscL under various types of loading are presented and compared with experiments, structural model, and all-atom simulations, as well as the analytical models established in Part I. It is envisioned that such a hierarchical multiscale framework will find great value in the study of a variety of biological processes involving complex mechanical deformations such as muscle contraction and mechanotransduction.

Omentum-derived stromal cells improve myocardial regeneration in pig post-infarcted heart through a potent paracrine mechanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Siena, Rocco; Balducci, Luigi; Blasi, Antonella; Montanaro, Manuela Gessica; Saldarelli, Marilisa [Medestea Research and Production Laboratories, Consorzio Carso, 70010 Valenzano, Bari (Italy); Saponaro, Vittorio [Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, 70010 Valenzano, Bari (Italy); Martino, Carmela [Medestea Research and Production Laboratories, Consorzio Carso, 70010 Valenzano, Bari (Italy); Logrieco, Gaetano [Department of Surgery, Hospital ' F. Miulli' 70021 AcquaViva delle Fonti, Bari (Italy); Soleti, Antonio; Fiobellot, Simona [Medestea Research and Production Laboratories, Consorzio Carso, 70010 Valenzano, Bari (Italy); Madeddu, Paolo [Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, Bristol Heart Institute, Bristol BS2 8WH (United Kingdom); Rossi, Giacomo [Department of Pathology, University of Camerino, 63100 Ascoli Piceno (Italy); Ribatti, Domenico [Department of Human Anatomy, University of Bari, 70125 Bari (Italy); Crovace, Antonio [Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, 70010 Valenzano, Bari (Italy); Cristini, Silvia; Invernici, Gloria; Parati, Eugenio Agostino [Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Neurological Institute ' Carlo Besta' , 20133 Milan (Italy); Alessandri, Giulio, E-mail: cisiamo2@yahoo.com [Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Neurological Institute ' Carlo Besta' , 20133 Milan (Italy)

2010-07-01

Cell-based therapy could be a valid option to treat myocardial infarct (MI). Adipose-derived stromal cells (ADStCs) have demonstrated tissue regenerative potential including cardiomyogenesis. Omentum is an extremely rich source of visceral fat and its accumulation seems to correlate with cardiovascular diseases. We investigated the capacity of human fat Omentum-derived StCs (FOStCs) to affect heart function upon acute infarct in pigs induced by permanent ligation of the anterior interventricular artery (IVA). We demonstrated for the first time that the local injection of 50 x 10{sup 6} of FOStCs ameliorates the functional parameters of post-infarct heart. Most importantly, histology of FOStCs treated hearts demonstrated a substantial improvement of cardiomyogenesis. In culture, FOStCs produced an impressive number and amount of angiogenic factors and cytokines. Moreover, the conditioned medium of FOStCs (FOStCs-CM) stimulates in vitro cardiac endothelial cells (ECs) proliferation and vascular morphogenesis and inhibits monocytes, EC activation and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Since FOStCs in vivo did not trans-differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells, we conclude that FOStCs efficacy was presumably mediated by a potent paracrine mechanism involving molecules that concomitantly improved angiogenesis, reduced inflammation and prevented cardiomyocytes death. Our results highlight for the first time the important role that human FOStCs may have in cardiac regeneration.

Graphene and its derivatives: switching ON and OFF.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yu; Zhang, Bin; Liu, Gang; Zhuang, Xiaodong; Kang, En-Tang

2012-07-07

As the thinnest material ever known in the universe, graphene has been attracting tremendous amount of attention in both materials science and condensed-matter physics since its successful isolation a few years ago. This one-atom-thick two-dimensional pseudo-infinite nano-crystal consists of sp(2)-hybridized aromatic carbon atoms covalently packed into a continuous hexagonal lattice. Graphene exhibits a range of unique properties, viz., high three-dimensional aspect ratio and large specific surface area, superior mechanical stiffness and flexibility, remarkable optical transmittance, extraordinary thermal response and excellent electronic transport properties, promising its applications in the next generation electronics. To switch graphene and its derivatives between ON and OFF states in nanoelectronic memory devices, various techniques have been developed to manipulate the carbon atomic sheets via introducing the valence-conduction bandgap and to enhance their processability. In this article, we review the utilization of electrically, thermally and chemically modified graphene and its polymer-functionalized derivatives for switching and information storage applications. The challenges posed on the development of novel graphene materials and further enhancements of the device switching performance have also been discussed.

Deriving force field parameters for coordination complexes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norrby, Per-Ola; Brandt, Peter

2001-01-01

The process of deriving molecular mechanics force fields for coordination complexes is outlined. Force field basics are introduced with an emphasis on special requirements for metal complexes. The review is then focused on how to set up the initial model, define the target, refine the parameters......, and validate the final force field, Alternatives to force field derivation are discussed briefly....

INTEGRATION OF IMAGE-DERIVED AND POS-DERIVED FEATURES FOR IMAGE BLUR DETECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T.-A. Teo

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The image quality plays an important role for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV’s applications. The small fixed wings UAV is suffering from the image blur due to the crosswind and the turbulence. Position and Orientation System (POS, which provides the position and orientation information, is installed onto an UAV to enable acquisition of UAV trajectory. It can be used to calculate the positional and angular velocities when the camera shutter is open. This study proposes a POS-assisted method to detect the blur image. The major steps include feature extraction, blur image detection and verification. In feature extraction, this study extracts different features from images and POS. The image-derived features include mean and standard deviation of image gradient. For POS-derived features, we modify the traditional degree-of-linear-blur (blinear method to degree-of-motion-blur (bmotion based on the collinear condition equations and POS parameters. Besides, POS parameters such as positional and angular velocities are also adopted as POS-derived features. In blur detection, this study uses Support Vector Machines (SVM classifier and extracted features (i.e. image information, POS data, blinear and bmotion to separate blur and sharp UAV images. The experiment utilizes SenseFly eBee UAV system. The number of image is 129. In blur image detection, we use the proposed degree-of-motion-blur and other image features to classify the blur image and sharp images. The classification result shows that the overall accuracy using image features is only 56%. The integration of image-derived and POS-derived features have improved the overall accuracy from 56% to 76% in blur detection. Besides, this study indicates that the performance of the proposed degree-of-motion-blur is better than the traditional degree-of-linear-blur.

Plant derived antioxidants and antifibrotic drugs: past, present and future

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Devaraj Ezhilarasan

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Hepatic fibrosis occurs as a wound-healing process after several forms of chronic hepatic injury. Activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells play pivotal role in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis. Many researchers, from the therapeutic perspective, have focused their attention on searching for novel agents with inhibitory effects on hepatic stellate cells proliferation and activation to prevent hepatic fibrogenesis and a number of plant derived antioxidants have been tested as anti-fibrogenic agents, they generally suppress proliferation and collagen synthesis. Plants remain an imperative source of novel drugs, novel drug leads and new chemical entities. The plant based drug discovery resulted primarily in the development of antioxidant, anti-cancer and other anti-infectious agents and continues to contribute to the new leads in clinical trials. This review summarizes some of those most important plant derived anti-fibrotic drugs and their beneficial effects on experimentally induced hepatic fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. The plant derived antioxidant compounds described herein are curcumin, silymarin, silibinin, baicalein, resveratrol, salvianolic acids, tetrandine, quercetin and berberine. Studies from ours and as demonstrated by pervious workers much information has been accumulated over the past two decades through in vivo and in vitro. In light of those studies, it has been confirmed that plants derived antioxidants, particularly flavanoids, show a significant influence to block hepatic fibrosis regardless of any etiology. This review outlines recent progress in the use of plant derived drugs against experimentally induced liver fibrosis by in vitro and in vivo studies and summarizes the possible mechanisms anti-fibrotic effects of these compounds.

Mechanism Design for Task Procurement with Flexible Quality of Service

Science.gov (United States)

Gerding, Enrico H.; Larson, Kate; Rogers, Alex; Jennings, Nicholas R.

In this paper, we consider the problem where an agent wishes to complete a single computational task, but lacks the required resources. Instead, it must contract self-interested service providers, who are able to flexibly manipulate the quality of service they deliver, in order to maximise their own utility. We extend an existing model to allow for multiple such service providers to be contracted for the same task, and derive optimal task procurement mechanisms in the setting where the agent has full knowledge of the cost functions of these service providers (considering both simultaneous and sequential procurement). We then extend these results to the incomplete information setting where the agent must elicit cost information from the service providers, and we characterise a family of incentive-compatible and individually-rational mechanisms. We show empirically that sequential procurement always generates greater utility for the agent compared to simultaneous procurement, and that over a range of settings, contracting multiple providers is preferable to contracting just one.

Aligning Learner Preferences for Information Seeking, Information Sharing and Mobile Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Leila A.; Knezek, Gerald; Khaddage, Ferial

2012-01-01

This paper reports on the development of a new information communications technology (ICT) learning preference survey, its cross-validation with attitudes towards mobile learning, and new perspectives on information seeking, information sharing, and mobile access derived from the relationships uncovered. The Information and Communications…

In Vivo Antimalarial Activity and Mechanisms of Action of 4-Nerolidylcatechol Derivatives

Science.gov (United States)

Rocha e Silva, Luiz Francisco; Nogueira, Karla Lagos; Pinto, Ana Cristina da Silva; Katzin, Alejandro Miguel; Sussmann, Rodrigo A. C.; Muniz, Magno Perêa; Neto, Valter Ferreira de Andrade; Chaves, Francisco Célio Maia; Coutinho, Julia Penna; Lima, Emerson Silva; Krettli, Antoniana Ursine; Tadei, Wanderli Pedro

2015-01-01

4-Nerolidylcatechol (1) is an abundant antiplasmodial metabolite that is isolated from Piper peltatum roots. O-Acylation or O-alkylation of compound 1 provides derivatives exhibiting improved stability and significant in vitro antiplasmodial activity. The aim of this work was to study the in vitro inhibition of hemozoin formation, inhibition of isoprenoid biosynthesis in Plasmodium falciparum cultures, and in vivo antimalarial activity of several 4-nerolidylcatechol derivatives. 1,2-O,O-Diacetyl-4-nerolidylcatechol (2) inhibited in vitro hemozoin formation by up to 50%. In metabolic labeling studies using [1-(n)-3H]geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, diester 2 significantly inhibited the biosynthesis of isoprenoid metabolites ubiquinone 8, menaquinone 4, and dolichol 12 in cultures of P. falciparum 3D7. Similarly, 2-O-benzyl-4-nerolidylcatechol (3) significantly inhibited the biosynthesis of dolichol 12. P. falciparum in vitro protein synthesis was not affected by compounds 2 or 3. At oral doses of 50 mg per kg of body weight per day, compound 2 suppressed Plasmodium berghei NK65 in infected BALB/c mice by 44%. This in vivo result for derivative 2 represents marked improvement over that obtained previously for natural product 1. Compound 2 was not detected in mouse blood 1 h after oral ingestion or in mixtures with mouse blood/blood plasma in vitro. However, it was detected after in vitro contact with human blood or blood plasma. Derivatives of 4-nerolidylcatechol exhibit parasite-specific modes of action, such as inhibition of isoprenoid biosynthesis and inhibition of hemozoin formation, and they therefore merit further investigation for their antimalarial potential. PMID:25801563

Alkali passivation mechanism of sol-gel derived TiO2-SiO2 films coated on soda-lime-silica glass substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsuda, A; Matsuno, Y; Katayama, S; Tsuno, T [Nippon Steel Glass Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Toge, N; Minami, T [University of Osaka Prefecture, Osaka (Japan). College of Engineering

1992-09-01

TiO2-SiO2 films prepared by the sol-gel method serves as an effective alkali passivation layer on a soda-lime-silica glass substrate and the film is superior to a sol-gel derived pure SiO2 film from the view point of weathering resistance improvement. To clarify the reason, alkali passivation mechanism of sol-gel derived TiO2-SiO2 glass films with different TiO2 contents coated on a soda-lime-silica glass substrate was studied by SIMS (secondary ion mass spectroscopy) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) analyses, and compared with the results of a sol-gel derived pure SiO2 film. As a result, the following conclusions were obtained: An increase in TiO2 content in the TiO2 SiO2 film increases the sodium concentration in the film, which was induced by sodium migration from the glass substrate during the heat-treatment. Because of the presence of sodium the TiO2 -SiO2 films serve not as a barrier but as an effective getter of alkali ions and thereby effectively improve the weathering resistance Of the glass substrate. 10 refs., 6 figs.

Molecular Mechanisms Responsible for Neuron-Derived Conditioned Medium (NCM-Mediated Protection of Ischemic Brain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chi-Hsin Lin

Full Text Available The protective value of neuron-derived conditioned medium (NCM in cerebral ischemia and the underlying mechanism(s responsible for NCM-mediated brain protection against cerebral ischemia were investigated in the study. NCM was first collected from the neuronal culture growing under the in vitro ischemic condition (glucose-, oxygen- and serum-deprivation or GOSD for 2, 4 or 6 h. Through the focal cerebral ischemia (bilateral CCAO/unilateral MCAO animal model, we discovered that ischemia/reperfusion (I/R-induced brain infarction was significantly reduced by NCM, given directly into the cistern magna at the end of 90 min of CCAO/MCAO. Immunoblocking and chemical blocking strategies were applied in the in vitro ischemic studies to show that NCM supplement could protect microglia, astrocytes and neurons from GOSD-induced cell death, in a growth factor (TGFβ1, NT-3 and GDNF and p-ERK dependent manner. Brain injection with TGFβ1, NT3, GDNF and ERK agonist (DADS alone or in combination, therefore also significantly decreased the infarct volume of ischemic brain. Moreover, NCM could inhibit ROS but stimulate IL-1β release from GOSD-treated microglia and limit the infiltration of IL-β-positive microglia into the core area of ischemic brain, revealing the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of NCM. In overall, NCM-mediated brain protection against cerebral ischemia has been demonstrated for the first time in S.D. rats, due to its anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidant and potentially anti-glutamate activities (NCM-induced IL-1β can inhibit the glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity and restriction upon the infiltration of inflammatory microglia into the core area of ischemic brain. The therapeutic potentials of NCM, TGFβ1, GDNF, NT-3 and DADS in the control of cerebral ischemia in human therefore have been suggested and require further investigation.

Photoinduced electron-transfer from imidazole derivative to nano-semiconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Karunakaran, C; Jayabharathi, J; Jayamoorthy, K; Devi, K Brindha

2012-04-01

Bioactive imidazole derivative absorbs in the UV region at 305 nm. The interaction of imidazole derivative with nanoparticulate WO3, Fe2O3, Fe3O4, CuO, ZrO2 and Al2O3 has been studied by UV-visible absorption, FT-IR and fluorescence spectroscopies. The imidazole derivative adsorbs strongly on the surfaces of nanosemiconductor, the apparent binding constants for the association between nanomaterials and imidazole derivative have been determined from the fluorescence quenching. In the case of nanocrystalline insulator, fluorescence quenching through electron transfer from the excited state of the imidazole derivative to alumina is not possible. However, a possible mechanism for the quenching of fluorescence by the insulator is energy transfer, that is, energy transferred from the organic molecule to the alumina lattice. Based on Forster's non-radiation energy transfer theory, the distance between the imidazole derivative and nanoparticles (r0∼2.00 nm) as well as the critical energy transfer distance (R0∼1.70 nm) has been calculated. The interaction between the imidazole derivative and nanosurfaces occurs through static quenching mechanism. The free energy change (ΔGet) for electron transfer process has been calculated by applying Rehm-Weller equation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antihypertensive properties of lactoferricin B-derived peptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Giménez, Pedro; Ibáñez, Aida; Salom, Juan B; Marcos, Jose F; López-Díez, Jose Javier; Vallés, Salvador; Torregrosa, Germán; Alborch, Enrique; Manzanares, Paloma

2010-06-09

A set of eight lactoferricin B (LfcinB)-derived peptides was examined for inhibitory effects on angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and ACE-dependent vasoconstriction, and their hypotensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Peptides were derived from different elongations both at the C-terminal and N-terminal ends of the representative peptide LfcinB(20-25), which is known as the LfcinB antimicrobial core. All of the eight LfcinB-derived peptides showed in vitro inhibitory effects on ACE activity with different IC(50) values. Moreover, seven of them showed ex vivo inhibitory effects on ACE-dependent vasoconstriction. No clear correlation between in vitro and ex vivo inhibitory effects was found. Only LfcinB(20-25) and one of its fragments, F1, generated after a simulated gastrointestinal digestion, showed significant antihypertensive effects in SHR after oral administration. Remarkably, F1 did not show any effect on ACE-dependent vasoconstriction in contrast to the inhibitory effect showed by LfcinB(20-25). In conclusion, two LfcinB-derived peptides lower blood pressure and exhibit potential as orally effective antihypertensive compounds, yet a complete elucidation of the mechanism(s) involved deserves further ongoing research.

Fractionalization of the complex-valued Brownian motion of order n using Riemann-Liouville derivative. Applications to mathematical finance and stochastic mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jumarie, Guy

2006-01-01

The (complex-valued) Brownian motion of order n is defined as the limit of a random walk on the complex roots of the unity. Real-valued fractional noises are obtained as fractional derivatives of the Gaussian white noise (or order two). Here one combines these two approaches and one considers the new class of fractional noises obtained as fractional derivative of the complex-valued Brownian motion of order n. The key of the approach is the relation between differential and fractional differential provided by the fractional Taylor's series of analytic function f(z+h)=E α (h α D z α ).f(z), where E α is the Mittag-Leffler function on the one hand, and the generalized Maruyama's notation, on the other hand. Some questions are revisited such as the definition of fractional Brownian motion as integral w.r.t. (dt) α , and the exponential growth equation driven by fractional Brownian motion, to which a new solution is proposed. As a first illustrative example of application, in mathematical finance, one proposes a new approach to the optimal management of a stochastic portfolio of fractional order via the Lagrange variational technique applied to the state moment dynamical equations. In the second example, one deals with non-random Lagrangian mechanics of fractional order. The last example proposes a new approach to fractional stochastic mechanics, and the solution so obtained gives rise to the question as to whether physical systems would not have their own internal random times

Suppression of no-longer relevant information in Working Memory: An alpha-power related mechanism?

Science.gov (United States)

Poch, Claudia; Valdivia, María; Capilla, Almudena; Hinojosa, José Antonio; Campo, Pablo

2018-03-27

Selective attention can enhance Working Memory (WM) performance by selecting relevant information, while preventing distracting items from encoding or from further maintenance. Alpha oscillatory modulations are a correlate of visuospatial attention. Specifically, an enhancement of alpha power is observed in the ipsilateral posterior cortex to the locus of attention, along with a suppression in the contralateral hemisphere. An influential model proposes that the alpha enhancement is functionally related to the suppression of information. However, whether ipsilateral alpha power represents a mechanism through which no longer relevant WM representations are inhibited has yet not been explored. Here we examined whether the amount of distractors to be suppressed during WM maintenance is functionally related to alpha power lateralized activity. We measure EEG activity while participants (N = 36) performed a retro-cue task in which the WM load was varied across the relevant/irrelevant post-cue hemifield. We found that alpha activity was lateralized respect to the locus of attention, but did not track post-cue irrelevant load. Additionally, non-lateralized alpha activity increased with post-cue relevant load. We propose that alpha lateralization associated to retro-cuing might be related to a general orienting mechanism toward relevant representation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pre-requisites of successful strategic electronic coordination: the moderation effect of the ownership mechanism of inter-organisational information systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teryokhin Sergei

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we attempt to explain how the ownership mechanism of an interorganisational information system (IOS may impact strategic information exchange (electronic coordination induced by specific investments in the IOS. Recent research and practice show that heavy investments in IOSs demonstrate mixed results with respect to their impact on the electronic coordination. Consequently, the search of additional factors is needed to help and explain under what circumstances the IOS investments for strategic purposes become beneficial for the companies in a buyersupplier dyad. Transaction cost economics (TCE and the hostage model are used as a framework for the research. 198 observations of Norwegian companies in different branches of industry constitute the base of the empirical study. A buyer-supplier dyad is the unit of the analysis. A regression model of the relation between the IOS ownership mechanism and the strategic information sharing is used to test two hypotheses about the buyer-supplier collaboration via an IOS. The results demonstrate that the risk of unilateral specific investments in an IOS made by the buyer or the seller is attenuated by the ownership mechanism of the IOS. The willingness of a buyer to share their strategic information with the supplier via the IOS increases if the supplier invests in the IOS which is owned and controlled by the buyer. Conversely, the supplier becomes motivated to share certain sensitive strategic information with the buying company if the latter invests in the IOS which is owned and controlled by the supplier.

Reduction of Asymmetric Information through Corporate Governance Mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Claus; Schøler, Finn

2010-01-01

Research Question/Issue: The purpose of this study is to examine how differences in "ownership dispersion" and "exposure toward the international capital market" affect the particular use of the corporate governance mechanisms "transparency" and "board independence" in listed companies. Research...... Findings/Insights: Our findings are based on a Danish dataset which includes 100 listed companies. We find that transparency is a more important corporate governance mechanism for companies with an exposure toward the international capital market, while differences in ownership dispersion do not affect...... the use of the transparency mechanism. In contrast, we find that board independence in the context of a two-tier board member system is an important corporate governance mechanism for companies with widely dispersed ownership and not for companies with an exposure toward the international capital market...

Synthesis of Various Polyaniline / Clay Nanocomposites Derived from Aniline and Substituted Aniline Derivatives by Mechanochemical Intercalation Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Kalaivasan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Polyaniline clay nanocomposite can be prepared by mechano-chemical method in which intercalation of anilinium ion into the clay lattices accomplished by mechanical grinding of sodium montmorillonite (Na+MMT in presence of anilinium hydrochloride at room temperature using mortar & pestle for about 30 min and subsequent grinding with oxidizing agent, ammonium peroxysulfate. The appearance of green colour indicates the formation of polyaniline/clay nanocomposite (PANI/Clay. Similarly aniline derivatives like o-toludine and o-anisidine in the form of HCl salt can form intercalation into the clay lattices. The intercalated aniline derivatives were ground mechanically in presence of oxidizing agent ammonium peroxysulfate lead to formation of substituted polyaniline/ clay nanocomposites. The characteristics of various polyaniline-clay nanocomposites were investigated using UV-Visible, FT-IR, cyclic voltammetry studies.

Structure Activity Relationship of Brevenal Hydrazide Derivatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allan Goodman

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Brevenal is a ladder frame polyether produced by the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. This organism is also responsible for the production of the neurotoxic compounds known as brevetoxins. Ingestion or inhalation of the brevetoxins leads to adverse effects such as gastrointestinal maladies and bronchoconstriction. Brevenal shows antagonistic behavior to the brevetoxins and shows beneficial attributes when administered alone. For example, in an asthmatic sheep model, brevenal has been shown to increase tracheal mucosal velocity, an attribute which has led to its development as a potential treatment for Cystic Fibrosis. The mechanism of action of brevenal is poorly understood and the exact binding site has not been elucidated. In an attempt to further understand the mechanism of action of brevenal and potentially develop a second generation drug candidate, a series of brevenal derivatives were prepared through modification of the aldehyde moiety. These derivatives include aliphatic, aromatic and heteroaromatic hydrazide derivatives. The brevenal derivatives were tested using in vitro synaptosome binding assays to determine the ability of the compounds to displace brevetoxin and brevenal from their native receptors. A sheep inhalation model was used to determine if instillation of the brevenal derivatives resulted in bronchoconstriction. Only small modifications were tolerated, with larger moieties leading to loss of affinity for the brevenal receptor and bronchoconstriction in the sheep model.

High mechanical advantage design of six-bar Stephenson mechanism for servo mechanical presses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianguo Hu

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This article proposed a two-phase design scheme of Stephenson six-bar working mechanisms for servo mechanical presses with high mechanical advantage. In the qualitative design phase, first, a Stephenson six-bar mechanism with a slide was derived from Stephenson six-bar kinematic chains. Second, based on the instant center analysis method, the relationship between mechanical advantage and some special instant centers was founded, and accordingly a primary mechanism configuration with high mechanical advantage was designed qualitatively. Then, a parameterized prototype model was established, and the influences of design parameters toward slide kinematical characteristics were analyzed. In the quantitative design phase, a multi-objective optimization model, aiming at high mechanical advantage and dwelling characteristics, was built, and a case design was done to find optimal dimensions. Finally, simulations based on the software ADAMS were conducted to compare the transmission characteristics of the optimized working mechanism with that of slide-crank mechanism and symmetrical toggle mechanism, and an experimental press was made to validate the design scheme. The simulation and experiment results show that, compared with general working mechanisms, the Stephenson six-bar working mechanism has higher mechanical advantage and better dwelling characteristics, reducing capacities and costs of servo motors effectively.

Equilibrium statistical mechanics

CERN Document Server

Jackson, E Atlee

2000-01-01

Ideal as an elementary introduction to equilibrium statistical mechanics, this volume covers both classical and quantum methodology for open and closed systems. Introductory chapters familiarize readers with probability and microscopic models of systems, while additional chapters describe the general derivation of the fundamental statistical mechanics relationships. The final chapter contains 16 sections, each dealing with a different application, ordered according to complexity, from classical through degenerate quantum statistical mechanics. Key features include an elementary introduction t

Edge orientations of mechanically exfoliated anisotropic two-dimensional materials

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Juntan; Wang, Yi; Li, Yinfeng; Gao, Huajian; Chai, Yang; Yao, Haimin

2018-03-01

Mechanical exfoliation is an approach widely applied to prepare high-quality two-dimensional (2D) materials for investigating their intrinsic physical properties. During mechanical exfoliation, in-plane cleavage results in new edges whose orientations play an important role in determining the properties of the as-exfoliated 2D materials especially those with high anisotropy. Here, we systematically investigate the factors affecting the edge orientation of 2D materials obtained by mechanical exfoliation. Our theoretical study manifests that the fractured direction during mechanical exfoliation is determined synergistically by the tearing direction and material anisotropy of fracture energy. For a specific 2D material, our theory enables us to predict the possible edge orientations of the exfoliated flakes as well as their occurring probabilities. The theoretical prediction is experimentally verified by examining the inter-edge angles of the exfoliated flakes of four typical 2D materials including graphene, MoS2, PtS2, and black phosphorus. This work not only sheds light on the mechanics of exfoliation of the 2D materials but also provides a new approach to deriving information of edge orientations of mechanically exfoliated 2D materials by data mining of their macroscopic geometric features.

Lie algebraic discussion for affinity based information diffusion in social networks

Science.gov (United States)

Shang, Yilun

2017-11-01

In this paper we develop a dynamical information diffusion model which features the affinity of people with information disseminated in social networks. Four types of agents, i.e., susceptible, informed, known, and refractory ones, are involved in the system, and the affinity mechanism composing of an affinity threshold which represents the fitness of information to be propagated is incorporated. The model can be generally described by a time-inhomogeneous Markov chain, which is governed by its master (Kolmogorov) equation. Based on the Wei-Norman method, we derive analytical solutions of the model by constructing a low-dimensional Lie algebra. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the obtained theoretical results. This study provides useful insights into the closed-form solutions of complex social dynamics models through the Lie algebra method.

Deriving user-informed climate information from climate model ensemble results

Science.gov (United States)

Huebener, Heike; Hoffmann, Peter; Keuler, Klaus; Pfeifer, Susanne; Ramthun, Hans; Spekat, Arne; Steger, Christian; Warrach-Sagi, Kirsten

2017-07-01

Communication between providers and users of climate model simulation results still needs to be improved. In the German regional climate modeling project ReKliEs-De a midterm user workshop was conducted to allow the intended users of the project results to assess the preliminary results and to streamline the final project results to their needs. The user feedback highlighted, in particular, the still considerable gap between climate research output and user-tailored input for climate impact research. Two major requests from the user community addressed the selection of sub-ensembles and some condensed, easy to understand information on the strengths and weaknesses of the climate models involved in the project.

Derivatives Trading and Negative Voting

OpenAIRE

Spamann, Holger

2012-01-01

This paper exposits a model of parallel trading of corporate securities (shares, bonds) and derivatives in which a large trader can sometimes profitably acquire securities with their corporate control rights for the sole purpose of reducing the corporations value and gaining on a net short position created through off-setting derivatives. At other times, the large trader profitably takes a net long position. The large trader requires no private information beyond its own trades. The problem i...

Reduced chemical kinetic mechanisms for hydrocarbon fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montgomery, C.J.; Cremer, M.A.; Heap, M.P.; Chen, J-Y.; Westbrook, C.K.; Maurice, L.Q.

1999-01-01

Using CARM (Computer Aided Reduction Method), a computer program that automates the mechanism reduction process, a variety of different reduced chemical kinetic mechanisms for ethylene and n-heptane have been generated. The reduced mechanisms have been compared to detailed chemistry calculations in simple homogeneous reactors and experiments. Reduced mechanisms for combustion of ethylene having as few as 10 species were found to give reasonable agreement with detailed chemistry over a range of stoichiometries and showed significant improvement over currently used global mechanisms. The performance of reduced mechanisms derived from a large detailed mechanism for n-heptane was compared to results from a reduced mechanism derived from a smaller semi-empirical mechanism. The semi-empirical mechanism was advantageous as a starting point for reduction for ignition delay, but not for PSR calculations. Reduced mechanisms with as few as 12 species gave excellent results for n-heptane/air PSR calculations but 16-25 or more species are needed to simulate n-heptane ignition delay

Animal derived products may conflict with religious patients' beliefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, Axelina; Burcharth, Jakob; Rosenberg, Jacob

2013-12-01

Implants and drugs with animal and human derived content are widely used in medicine and surgery, but information regarding ingredients is rarely obtainable by health practitioners. A religious perspective concerning the use of animal and human derived drug ingredients has not thoroughly been investigated. The purpose of this study was to clarify which parts of the medical and surgical treatments offered in western world-hospitals that conflicts with believers of major religions. Religious and spiritual leaders of the six largest religions worldwide (18 branches) were contacted. A standardised questionnaire was sent out regarding their position on the use of human and animal derived products in medical and surgical treatments. Of the 18 contacted religious branches, 10 replied representing the 6 largest religions worldwide. Hindus and Sikhs did not approve of the use of bovine or porcine derived products, and Muslims did not accept the use of porcine derived drugs, dressings or implants. Christians (including Jehovah's Witnesses), Jews and Buddhists accepted the use of all animal and human derived products. However, all religions accepted the use of all these products in case of an emergency and only if alternatives were not available. The views here suggest that religious codes conflict with some treatment regimens. It is crucial to obtain informed consent from patients for the use of drugs and implants with animal or human derived content. However, information on the origin of ingredients in drugs is not always available to health practitioners.

Informal payments and the quality of health care: Mechanisms revealed by Tanzanian health workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mæstad, Ottar; Mwisongo, Aziza

2011-02-01

Informal payments for health services are common in many transitional and developing countries. The aim of this paper is to investigate the nature of informal payments in the health sector of Tanzania and to identify mechanisms through which informal payments may affect the quality of health care. Our focus is on the effect of informal payments on health worker behaviours, in particular the interpersonal dynamics among health workers at their workplaces. We organised eight focus groups with 58 health workers representing different cadres and levels of care in one rural and one urban district in Tanzania. We found that health workers at all levels receive informal payments in a number of different contexts. Health workers sometimes share the payments received, but only partially, and more rarely within the cadre than across cadres. Our findings indicate that health workers are involved in 'rent-seeking' activities, such as creating artificial shortages and deliberately lowering the quality of service, in order to extract extra payments from patients or to bargain for a higher share of the payments received by their colleagues. The discussions revealed that many health workers think that the distribution of informal payments is grossly unfair. The findings suggest that informal payments can impact negatively on the quality of health care through rent-seeking behaviours and through frustrations created by the unfair allocation of payments. Interestingly, the presence of corruption may also induce non-corrupt workers to reduce the quality of care. Positive impacts can occur because informal payments may induce health workers to increase their efforts, and maybe more so if there is competition among health workers about receiving the payments. Moreover, informal payments add to health workers' incomes and might thus contribute to retention of health workers within the health sector. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Informal information for web-based engineering catalogues

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Richard D.; Culley, Stephen J.; Hicks, Ben J.

2001-10-01

Success is highly dependent on the ability of a company to efficiently produce optimal designs. In order to achieve this companies must minimize time to market and possess the ability to make fully informed decisions at the early phase of the design process. Such decisions may include the choice of component and suppliers, as well as cost and maintenance considerations. Computer modeling and electronic catalogues are becoming the preferred medium for the selection and design of mechanical components. In utilizing these techniques, the designer demands the capability to identify, evaluate and select mechanical components both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative decisions generally encompass performance data included in the formal catalogue representation. It is in the area of qualitative decisions that the use of what the authors call 'Informal Information' is of crucial importance. Thus, 'Informal Information' must often be incorporated into the selection process and selection systems. This would enable more informed decisions to be made quicker, without the need for information retrieval via discussion with colleagues in the design environment. This paper provides an overview of the use of electronic information in the design of mechanical systems, including a discussion of limitations of current technology. The importance of Informal Information is discussed and the requirements for association with web based electronic catalogues are developed. This system is based on a flexible XML schema and enables the storage, classification and recall of Informal Information packets. Furthermore, a strategy for the inclusion of Informal Information is proposed, and an example case is used to illustrate the benefits.

Human Dental Pulp-Derived Cells Produce Bone-Like Tissue and Exhibit Bone Cell-Like Responsiveness to Mechanical Loading

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kraft, David Christian Evar; Melsen, Birte; Bindslev, Dorthe Arenholt

2010-01-01

and characterize cell lines from human 3rd molar dental pulp tissue to determine whether human dental pulp-derived cells (DPCs) are osteogenic and responsive to mechanical loading by pulsating fluid flow (PFF) in vitro. Methods: Human DPCs used for this study were characterized by measuring proliferation....... We also assessed bone formation by DPCs on hydroxyapatite-tricalcium phosphate granules after subcutaneous implantation in mice. Results: We found that DPCs are intrinsically mechanosensitive and, like osteogenic cells, respond to PFF-induced fluid shear stress. Implantation of DPCs resulted...... remodeling in vivo, and therefore provide a promising new tool for regenerative dentistry, for example mineralized tissue engineering to restore bone defects in relation to periodontitis, periimplantatis and orofacial surgery. Experiments in progress have proven that DPCSs are also useful for assessing...

Tumor-Derived Exosomes and Their Role in Tumor-Induced Immune Suppression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theresa L. Whiteside

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Tumor-derived exosomes (TEX are emerging as critical components of an intercellular information network between the tumor and the host. The tumor escapes from the host immune system by using a variety of mechanisms designed to impair or eliminate anti-tumor immunity. TEX carrying a cargo of immunoinhibitory molecules and factors represent one such mechanism. TEX, which are present in all body fluids of cancer patients, deliver negative molecular or genetic signals to immune cells re-programming their functions. Although TEX can also stimulate immune activity, in the microenvironments dominated by the tumor, TEX tend to mediate immune suppression thus promoting tumor progression. The TEX content, in part resembling that of the parent cell, may serve as a source of cancer biomarkers. TEX also interfere with immune therapies. A better understanding of TEX and their contribution to cancer progression and cancer patients’ response to immune therapies represents a challenging new field of investigation.

Creating mechanisms of toxic substances emission of combustion engines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jankowski Antoni

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The paper analyses the mechanisms of creation of toxic exhaust gases, which mainly derived from inexact fuel metering and improper air-fuel mixture preparation. The paper describes the process of creating toxic components in the exhaust gases of piston engines during engine operation, and impact on the emission of these components determining the composition of the fuel mixture determined equivalence factor Φ. The principal mechanisms of formation of toxic exhaust gases, in particular nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, and also essential according to create each of toxic exhaust gases are the subject of the paper. Moreover, empirical relationships, by means of which it is possible to determine the time of creation of the individual components of toxic exhaust gases, are presented. For example, one of the mechanisms for prompt formation of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons graphic illustration of formation as a function of crank angle is described. At the conclusion, the summary and significance of information on creation mechanisms of toxic components in the exhaust gases of piston engines are presented.

Selected topics of fluid mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Kindsvater, Carl E.

1958-01-01

the Euler, Froude, Reynolds, Weber, and Cauchy numbers are defined as essential tools for interpreting and using experimental data. The derivations of the energy and momentum equations are treated in detail. One-dimensional equations for steady nonuniform flow are developed, and the restrictions applicable to the equations are emphasized. Conditions of uniform and gradually varied flow are discussed, and the origin of the Chezy equation is examined in relation to both the energy and the momentum equations. The inadequacy of all uniform-flow equations as a means of describing gradually varied flow is explained. Thus, one of the definitive problems of river hydraulics is analyzed in the light of present knowledge. This report is the outgrowth of a series of short schools conducted during the spring and summer of 1953 for engineers of the Surface Water Branch, Water Resources Division, U. S. Geological Survey. The topics considered are essentially the same as the topics selected for inclusion in the schools. However, in order that they might serve better as a guide and outline for informal study, the arrangement of the writer's original lecture notes has been considerably altered. The purpose of the report, like the purpose of the schools which inspired it, is to build a simple but strong framework of the fundamentals of fluid mechanics. It is believed that this framework is capable of supporting a detailed analysis of most of the practical problems met by the engineers of the Geological Survey. It is hoped that the least accomplishment of this work will be to inspire the reader with the confidence and desire to read more of the recent and current technical literature of modern fluid mechanics.

Mechanisms of information decoding in a cascade system of gene expression

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Haohua; Yuan, Zhanjiang; Liu, Peijiang; Zhou, Tianshou

2016-05-01

Biotechnology advances have allowed investigation of heterogeneity of cellular responses to stimuli on the single-cell level. Functionally, this heterogeneity can compromise cellular responses to environmental signals, and it can also enlarge the repertoire of possible cellular responses and hence increase the adaptive nature of cellular behaviors. However, the mechanism of how this response heterogeneity is generated remains elusive. Here, by systematically analyzing a representative cellular signaling system, we show that (1) the upstream activator always amplifies the downstream burst frequency (BF) but the noiseless activator performs better than the noisy one, remarkably for small or moderate input signal strengths, and the repressor always reduces the downstream BF but the difference in the reducing effect between noiseless and noise repressors is very small; (2) both the downstream burst size and mRNA mean are a monotonically increasing function of the activator strength but a monotonically decreasing function of the repressor strength; (3) for repressor-type input, there is a noisy signal strength such that the downstream mRNA noise arrives at an optimal level, but for activator-type input, the output noise intensity is fundamentally a monotonically decreasing function of the input strength. Our results reveal the essential mechanisms of both signal information decoding and cellular response heterogeneity, whereas our analysis provides a paradigm for analyzing dynamics of noisy biochemical signaling systems.

BSim models for 2 case-studies of naturally and mechanically ventilated daycare institutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kalyanova, O.; Heiselberg, P.

2009-06-15

The report intends to provide complete information necessary for evaluation of assumptions made in the models and conclusions derived from the results of simulation of two different institutions in various operational modes. Thermal models are prepared for two day-care buildings, one which is mechanically ventilated and one which is naturally ventilated. All simulations were preformed in BSim, and all the models are simulated in the current version og BSim which is version 6,8,9,8. The results of the simulations showed that it is possible to reduce energy use for ventilation, both in mechanically and naturally ventilated child care center without compromising indoor air quality. (ln)

Protein Structure Validation and Refinement Using Chemical Shifts Derived from Quantum Mechanics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bratholm, Lars Andersen

to within 3 A. Furthermore, a fast quantum mechanics based chemical shift predictor was developed together with methodology for using chemical shifts in structure simulations. The developed predictor was used for renement of several protein structures and for reducing the computational cost of quantum...... mechanics / molecular mechanics (QM/MM) computations of chemical shieldings. Several improvements to the predictor is ongoing, where among other things, kernel based machine learning techniques have successfully been used to improve the quantum mechanical level of theory used in the predictions....

Constrained generalized mechanics. The second-order case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tapia, V.

1985-01-01

The Dirac formalism for constrained systems is developed for systems described by a Lagrangian depending on up to a second-order time derivatives of the generalized co-ordinates (accelerations). It turns out that for a Lagrangian of this kind differing by a total time derivative from a Lagrangian depending on only up to first-order time-derivatives of the generalized co-ordinates (velocities), both classical mechanics at the Lagrangian level are the same; at the Hamiltonian level the two classical mechanics differ conceptually even when the solutions to both sets of Hamiltonian equations of motion are the same

Exploring encapsulation mechanism of DNA and mononucleotides in sol-gel derived silica.

Science.gov (United States)

Kapusuz, Derya; Durucan, Caner

2017-07-01

The encapsulation mechanism of DNA in sol-gel derived silica has been explored in order to elucidate the effect of DNA conformation on encapsulation and to identify the nature of chemical/physical interaction of DNA with silica during and after sol-gel transition. In this respect, double stranded DNA and dAMP (2'-deoxyadenosine 5'-monophosphate) were encapsulated in silica using an alkoxide-based sol-gel route. Biomolecule-encapsulating gels have been characterized using UV-Vis, 29 Si NMR, FTIR spectroscopy and gas adsorption (BET) to investigate chemical interactions of biomolecules with the porous silica network and to examine the extent of sol-gel reactions upon encapsulation. Ethidium bromide intercalation and leach out tests showed that helix conformation of DNA was preserved after encapsulation. For both biomolecules, high water-to-alkoxide ratio promoted water-producing condensation and prevented alcoholic denaturation. NMR and FTIR analyses confirmed high hydraulic reactivity (water adsorption) for more silanol groups-containing DNA and dAMP encapsulated gels than plain silica gel. No chemical binding/interaction occurred between biomolecules and silica network. DNA and dAMP encapsulated silica gelled faster than plain silica due to basic nature of DNA or dAMP containing buffer solutions. DNA was not released from silica gels to aqueous environment up to 9 days. The chemical association between DNA/dAMP and silica host was through phosphate groups and molecular water attached to silanols, acting as a barrier around biomolecules. The helix morphology was found not to be essential for such interaction. BET analyses showed that interconnected, inkbottle-shaped mesoporous silica network was condensed around DNA and dAMP molecules.

Sorption performance and mechanism of a sludge-derived char as porous carbon-based hybrid adsorbent for benzene derivatives in aqueous solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kong, Lingjun [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Xiong, Ya, E-mail: cesxya@mail.sysu.edu.cn [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Sun, Lianpeng; Tian, Shuanghong [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Xu, Xianyan; Zhao, Cunyuan [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Luo, Rongshu [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Yang, Xin [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen (Zhongshan) University, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Shih, Kaimin [Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR (China); Liu, Haiyang [Department of Chemistry, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641 (China)

2014-06-01

Highlights: • Hierarchical porous sludge char were fabricated by pyrolysis at 500 °C. • A stronger Si–O bond (1.83 Å and 1.87 Å) between the carboxyl and SiO{sub 2} was found. • Quantum chemistry calculation confirmed the interaction of Si–O and H–O bonds. • Multiple model (Q{sub T} = Q{sub A} + K{sub P}Ce) was presented in the sludge char sorption process. - Abstract: A porous sludge-derived char was prepared by a new one-step pyrolytic process with citric acid–ZnCl{sub 2} mixed fabricating-pore agents. The sludge-derived char was confirmed to be a hierarchically porous hybrid adsorbent containing-elemental carbon, -highly carbonized organic species and -inorganic ash with a great surface area of 792.4 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}. It was used as a carbon-based hybrid adsorbent for four benzene derivatives including 4-chlorophenol, phenol, benzoic acid and 4-hydroxylbenzoic acid in aqueous solution. Results showed that their sorption isotherms were nonlinear at low concentrations and linear at high concentrations. The sorption performance could be described by a multiple sorption model (Q{sub T} = Q{sub A} + K{sub P}C{sub e}). The order of these partition sorption coefficients (K{sub P}) of these benzene derivatives was consistent with their octanol–water partition coefficients (log K{sub ow}), but those saturated amounts (Q{sub A}) were inconsistent with their log K{sub ow}. The inconstancy was found to be considerably dependent on the preferential interaction of benzoic acid with SiO{sub 2} in the sludge-derived char. Quantum theoretical calculation confirmed that the preferential interaction was attributed to the formation of hydrogen bonds (1.61 and 1.69 Å) and new Si–O bonds (1.83 and 1.87 Å) between the carboxyl of benzoic acid and the SiO{sub 2} surface in the sorption process.

Testing Mechanisms for Philanthropic Behaviour

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bekkers, R.H.F.P.; Wiepking, P.

2011-01-01

This special issue of the International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing presents a collection of nine papers testing mechanisms that drive philanthropic behaviour. By testing one or more specific mechanisms that were derived from the philanthropic literature, the authors of the

Bounded Densities and Their Derivatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kozine, Igor; Krymsky, V.

2009-01-01

This paper describes how one can compute interval-valued statistical measures given limited information about the underlying distribution. The particular focus is on a bounded derivative of a probability density function and its combination with other available statistical evidence for computing ...... quantities of interest. To be able to utilise the evidence about the derivative it is suggested to adapt the ‘conventional’ problem statement to variational calculus and the way to do so is demonstrated. A number of examples are given throughout the paper....

Anti-Inflammatory and Immunoregulatory Functions of Artemisinin and Its Derivatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chenchen Shi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Artemisinin and its derivatives are widely used in the world as the first-line antimalarial drug. Recently, growing evidences reveal that artemisinin and its derivatives also possess potent anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties. Meanwhile, researchers around the world are still exploring the unknown bioactivities of artemisinin derivatives. In this review, we provide a comprehensive discussion on recent advances of artemisinin derivatives affecting inflammation and autoimmunity, the underlying molecular mechanisms, and also drug development of artemisinins beyond antimalarial functions.

Why quantum mechanics?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landsberg, P.T.

1988-01-01

It is suggested that an oversight occurred in classical mechanics when time-derivatives of observables were treated on the same footing as the undifferentiated observables. Removal of this oversight points in the direction of quantum mechanics. Additional light is thrown on uncertainty relations and on quantum mechanics, as a possible form of a subtle statistical mechanics, by the formulation of a classical uncertainty relation for a very simple model. The existence of universal motion, i.e., of zero-point energy, is lastly made plausible in terms of a gravitational constant which is time-dependent. By these three considerations an attempt is made to link classical and quantum mechanics together more firmly, thus giving a better understanding of the latter

The quantum-mechanical approach to construction of quantitative assessments of some documentary information properties (on example of nuclear knowledge)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lebedev, A A; Maksimov, N V; Smirnova, E V

2017-01-01

The paper presents a model of information interactions, based on a probabilistic concept of meanings. The proposed hypothesis about the wave nature of information and use of quantum mechanics mathematical apparatus allow to consider the phenomena of interference and diffraction with respect to the linguistic variables, and to quantify dynamics of terms in subject areas. Retrospective database INIS IAEA was used as an experimental base. (paper)

Electricity derivative markets: Investment valuation, production planning and hedging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naesaekkaelae, E.

2005-01-01

This thesis studies electricity derivative markets from a view point of an electricity producer. The traditionally used asset pricing methods, based on the no arbitrage principle, are extended to take into account electricity specific features: the non storability of electricity and the variability in the load process. The sources of uncertainty include electricity forward curve, prices of resources used to generate electricity, and the size of the future production. Also the effects of competitors' actions are considered. The thesis illustrates how the information in the derivative prices can be used in investment and production planning. In addition, the use of derivatives as a tool to stabilize electricity dependent cash flows is considered. The results indicate that the information about future electricity prices and their uncertainty, obtained from derivative markets, is important in investment analysis and production planning. (orig.)

Electricity derivative markets: Investment valuation, production planning and hedging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naesaekkaelae, E.

2005-07-01

This thesis studies electricity derivative markets from a view point of an electricity producer. The traditionally used asset pricing methods, based on the no arbitrage principle, are extended to take into account electricity specific features: the non storability of electricity and the variability in the load process. The sources of uncertainty include electricity forward curve, prices of resources used to generate electricity, and the size of the future production. Also the effects of competitors' actions are considered. The thesis illustrates how the information in the derivative prices can be used in investment and production planning. In addition, the use of derivatives as a tool to stabilize electricity dependent cash flows is considered. The results indicate that the information about future electricity prices and their uncertainty, obtained from derivative markets, is important in investment analysis and production planning. (orig.)

Undesired Plant-Derived Components in Food

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dusemund, Birgit; Rietjens, Ivonne M.C.M.; Abraham, Klaus; Cartus, Alexander; Schrenk, Dieter

2017-01-01

Among the various chemical compounds, the class of natural plant-derived substances in the modern food chain is generating increasing concern. Adverse effects encountered may be various and pose risks of acute, subchronic, or chronic toxicity. The underlying mechanisms of toxicity may be

A neural mechanism of dynamic gating of task-relevant information by top-down influence in primary visual cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamiyama, Akikazu; Fujita, Kazuhisa; Kashimori, Yoshiki

2016-12-01

Visual recognition involves bidirectional information flow, which consists of bottom-up information coding from retina and top-down information coding from higher visual areas. Recent studies have demonstrated the involvement of early visual areas such as primary visual area (V1) in recognition and memory formation. V1 neurons are not passive transformers of sensory inputs but work as adaptive processor, changing their function according to behavioral context. Top-down signals affect tuning property of V1 neurons and contribute to the gating of sensory information relevant to behavior. However, little is known about the neuronal mechanism underlying the gating of task-relevant information in V1. To address this issue, we focus on task-dependent tuning modulations of V1 neurons in two tasks of perceptual learning. We develop a model of the V1, which receives feedforward input from lateral geniculate nucleus and top-down input from a higher visual area. We show here that the change in a balance between excitation and inhibition in V1 connectivity is necessary for gating task-relevant information in V1. The balance change well accounts for the modulations of tuning characteristic and temporal properties of V1 neuronal responses. We also show that the balance change of V1 connectivity is shaped by top-down signals with temporal correlations reflecting the perceptual strategies of the two tasks. We propose a learning mechanism by which synaptic balance is modulated. To conclude, top-down signal changes the synaptic balance between excitation and inhibition in V1 connectivity, enabling early visual area such as V1 to gate context-dependent information under multiple task performances. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Primary migration of Jurassic coal-derived oil in Santanghu basin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, W.; Zhong, N.; Ren, D. [China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing (China). Dept of Resource Exploitation Engineering

2000-11-01

It is known that the differential evolution of the multiple macerals results in 'oil generation by stage', and that 'early generation, early expulsion' is one of the preconditions for the efficient accumulation of the coal-derived oil. Based upon the study on the evolution of the physical properties, related to the hydrocarbon expulsion, of the Jurassic organic rock in Santanghu basin during the course of maturation, the mechanism of the primary migration of its coal-derived oil was discussed. The rapid loss of the inherent moisture in the organic rock was not accordant with the main generation stage of the coal-derived oil, so it was unrealistic that the oil migrated by dissolution in the expelled water. It is thought that the special forming mechanism of the continuous 'bitumen network' under the condition of over-pressure and an earlier history of primary migration may be essential to the Jurassic coal-derived oil in Santanghu basin. 17 refs., 4 figs.

Mechanical properties of tannin-based rigid foams undergoing compression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Celzard, A., E-mail: Alain.Celzard@enstib.uhp-nancy.fr [Institut Jean Lamour - UMR CNRS 7198, CNRS - Nancy-Universite - UPV-Metz, Departement Chimie et Physique des Solides et des Surfaces, ENSTIB, 27 rue du Merle Blanc, BP 1041, 88051 Epinal cedex 9 (France); Zhao, W. [Institut Jean Lamour - UMR CNRS 7198, CNRS - Nancy-Universite - UPV-Metz, Departement Chimie et Physique des Solides et des Surfaces, ENSTIB, 27 rue du Merle Blanc, BP 1041, 88051 Epinal cedex 9 (France); Pizzi, A. [ENSTIB-LERMAB, Nancy-University, 27 rue du Merle Blanc, BP 1041, 88051 Epinal cedex 9 (France); Fierro, V. [Institut Jean Lamour - UMR CNRS 7198, CNRS - Nancy-Universite - UPV-Metz, Departement Chimie et Physique des Solides et des Surfaces, ENSTIB, 27 rue du Merle Blanc, BP 1041, 88051 Epinal cedex 9 (France)

2010-06-25

The mechanical properties of a new class of extremely lightweight tannin-based materials, namely organic foams and their carbonaceous counterparts are detailed. Scaling laws are shown to describe correctly the observed behaviour. Information about the mechanical characteristics of the elementary forces acting within these solids is derived. It is suggested that organic materials present a rather bending-dominated behaviour and are partly plastic. On the contrary, carbon foams obtained by pyrolysis of the former present a fracture-dominated behaviour and are purely brittle. These conclusions are supported by the differences in the exponent describing the change of Young's modulus as a function of relative density, while that describing compressive strength is unchanged. Features of the densification strain also support such conclusions. Carbon foams of very low density may absorb high energy when compressed, making them valuable materials for crash protection.

A Compositional Relevance Model for Adaptive Information Retrieval

Science.gov (United States)

Mathe, Nathalie; Chen, James; Lu, Henry, Jr. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

There is a growing need for rapid and effective access to information in large electronic documentation systems. Access can be facilitated if information relevant in the current problem solving context can be automatically supplied to the user. This includes information relevant to particular user profiles, tasks being performed, and problems being solved. However most of this knowledge on contextual relevance is not found within the contents of documents, and current hypermedia tools do not provide any easy mechanism to let users add this knowledge to their documents. We propose a compositional relevance network to automatically acquire the context in which previous information was found relevant. The model records information on the relevance of references based on user feedback for specific queries and contexts. It also generalizes such information to derive relevant references for similar queries and contexts. This model lets users filter information by context of relevance, build personalized views of documents over time, and share their views with other users. It also applies to any type of multimedia information. Compared to other approaches, it is less costly and doesn't require any a priori statistical computation, nor an extended training period. It is currently being implemented into the Computer Integrated Documentation system which enables integration of various technical documents in a hypertext framework.

Anticipation in turn-taking: mechanisms and information sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Riest, Carina; Jorschick, Annett B; de Ruiter, Jan P

2015-01-01

During conversations participants alternate smoothly between speaker and hearer roles with only brief pauses and overlaps. There are two competing types of accounts about how conversationalists accomplish this: (a) the signaling approach and (b) the anticipatory ('projection') approach. We wanted to investigate, first, the relative merits of these two accounts, and second, the relative contribution of semantic and syntactic information to the timing of next turn initiation. We performed three button-press experiments using turn fragments taken from natural conversations to address the following questions: (a) Is turn-taking predominantly based on anticipation or on reaction, and (b) what is the relative contribution of semantic and syntactic information to accurate turn-taking. In our first experiment we gradually manipulated the information available for anticipation of the turn end (providing information about the turn end in advance to completely removing linguistic information). The results of our first experiment show that the distribution of the participants' estimation of turn-endings for natural turns is very similar to the distribution for pure anticipation. We conclude that listeners are indeed able to anticipate a turn-end and that this strategy is predominantly used in turn-taking. In Experiment 2 we collected purely reacted responses. We used the distributions from Experiments 1 and 2 together to estimate a new dependent variable called Reaction Anticipation Proportion. We used this variable in our third experiment where we manipulated the presence vs. absence of semantic and syntactic information by low-pass filtering open-class and closed class words in the turn. The results suggest that for turn-end anticipation, both semantic and syntactic information are needed, but that the semantic information is a more important anticipation cue than syntactic information.

Novel Alleviation Mechanisms of Aluminum Phytotoxicity via Released Biosilicon from Rice Straw-Derived Biochars

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Linbo; Chen, Baoliang; Chen, Mengfang

2016-07-01

Replacing biosilicon and biocarbon in soil via biochar amendment is a novel approach for soil amelioration and pollution remediation. The unique roles of silicon (Si)-rich biochar in aluminum (Al) phytotoxicity alleviation have not been discovered. In this study, the alleviation of Al phytotoxicity to wheat plants (root tips cell death) by biochars fabricated from rice straw pyrolyzed at 400 and 700 °C (RS400 and RS700) and the feedstock (RS100) were studied using a slurry system containing typical acidic soils for a 15-day exposure experiment. The distributions of Al and Si in the slurry solution, soil and plant root tissue were monitored by staining methods, chemical extractions and SEM-EDS observations. We found that the biological sourced silicon in biochars served dual roles in Al phytotoxicity alleviation in acidic soil slurry. On one hand, the Si particles reduced the amount of soil exchangeable Al and prevented the migration of Al to the plant. More importantly, the Si released from biochars synchronously absorbed by the plants and coordinated with Al to form Al-Si compounds in the epidermis of wheat roots, which is a new mechanism for Al phytotoxicity alleviation in acidic soil slurry by biochar amendment. In addition, the steady release of Si from the rice straw-derived biochars was a sustainable Si source for aluminosilicate reconstruction in acidic soil.

"Impacts of Information Technology on Society: Information, Intellectual Property and Coordination Mechanism"(in Japanese)

OpenAIRE

Masahiro Okuno-Fujiwara; Takuya Nakaizumi

2001-01-01

We analyzed the effects of the progress and propagation of information technology on economic activity and the form of economic organizations from three different viewpoints. First, drastic reduction of information production and information processing costs produced the bursts of information, the rapid change of economy activity, and the globalization of economy. Second is the digitalization of goods and services, which made unbundling of information written in digital signal from the medium...

Microscopically derived free energy of dislocations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kooiman, M.; Hütter, M.; Geers, M.G.D.

2015-01-01

The dynamics of large amounts of dislocations is the governing mechanism in metal plasticity. The free energy of a continuous dislocation density profile plays a crucial role in the description of the dynamics of dislocations, as free energy derivatives act as the driving forces of dislocation

The rules of information aggregation and emergence of collective intelligent behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bettencourt, Luis

2008-01-01

Information is a peculiar quantity. Unlike matter or energy, the aggregation of knowledge from many individuals can in fact produce more (or less) information than the sum of its parts. We use the formalism of information theory to derive general principles of information aggregation and collective organization under which information pooling can be synergetic or to identify when it will be redundant. We then show how several problems of collective cognition and coordination can be understood in terms of the conditions that allow for the minimization of uncertainty (maximization of predictability) under information pooling over many individuals. We discuss in some detail how collective coordination in swarms, markets, language processing and collaborative filtering may be guided by the optimal aggregation of information over many sources and identify circumstances when these processes fail, leading e.g. to inefficient markets. The contrast to approaches to understand coordination and collaboration via traditional decision and game theory is discussed as well as the incentives to individuals and groups to find optimal information aggregation mechanisms.

On the geometry of mixed states and the Fisher information tensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Contreras, I., E-mail: icontrer@illinois.edu [Department of Mathematics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1409 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Ercolessi, E., E-mail: ercolessi@bo.infn.it [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Bologna and INFN, V. Irnerio 46, 40127 Bologna (Italy); Schiavina, M., E-mail: michele.schiavina@math.uzh.ch [Institut für Mathematik, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich (Switzerland)

2016-06-15

In this paper, we will review the co-adjoint orbit formulation of finite dimensional quantum mechanics, and in this framework, we will interpret the notion of quantum Fisher information index (and metric). Following previous work of part of the authors, who introduced the definition of Fisher information tensor, we will show how its antisymmetric part is the pullback of the natural Kostant–Kirillov–Souriau symplectic form along some natural diffeomorphism. In order to do this, we will need to understand the symmetric logarithmic derivative as a proper 1-form, settling the issues about its very definition and explicit computation. Moreover, the fibration of co-adjoint orbits, seen as spaces of mixed states, is also discussed.

17 CFR 200.507 - Declassification dates on derivative documents.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Declassification dates on derivative documents. 200.507 Section 200.507 Commodity and Securities Exchanges SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE... of National Security Information and Material § 200.507 Declassification dates on derivative...

Single-process versus multiple-strategy models of decision making: evidence from an information intrusion paradigm.

Science.gov (United States)

Söllner, Anke; Bröder, Arndt; Glöckner, Andreas; Betsch, Tilmann

2014-02-01

When decision makers are confronted with different problems and situations, do they use a uniform mechanism as assumed by single-process models (SPMs) or do they choose adaptively from a set of available decision strategies as multiple-strategy models (MSMs) imply? Both frameworks of decision making have gathered a lot of support, but only rarely have they been contrasted with each other. Employing an information intrusion paradigm for multi-attribute decisions from givens, SPM and MSM predictions on information search, decision outcomes, attention, and confidence judgments were derived and tested against each other in two experiments. The results consistently support the SPM view: Participants seemingly using a "take-the-best" (TTB) strategy do not ignore TTB-irrelevant information as MSMs would predict, but adapt the amount of information searched, choose alternative choice options, and show varying confidence judgments contingent on the quality of the "irrelevant" information. The uniformity of these findings underlines the adequacy of the novel information intrusion paradigm and comprehensively promotes the notion of a uniform decision making mechanism as assumed by single-process models. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Data-Driven Derivation of an "Informer Compound Set" for Improved Selection of Active Compounds in High-Throughput Screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Paricharak, Shardul; IJzerman, Adriaan P; Jenkins, Jeremy L; Bender, Andreas; Nigsch, Florian

2016-09-26

Despite the usefulness of high-throughput screening (HTS) in drug discovery, for some systems, low assay throughput or high screening cost can prohibit the screening of large numbers of compounds. In such cases, iterative cycles of screening involving active learning (AL) are employed, creating the need for smaller "informer sets" that can be routinely screened to build predictive models for selecting compounds from the screening collection for follow-up screens. Here, we present a data-driven derivation of an informer compound set with improved predictivity of active compounds in HTS, and we validate its benefit over randomly selected training sets on 46 PubChem assays comprising at least 300,000 compounds and covering a wide range of assay biology. The informer compound set showed improvement in BEDROC(α = 100), PRAUC, and ROCAUC values averaged over all assays of 0.024, 0.014, and 0.016, respectively, compared to randomly selected training sets, all with paired t-test p-values agnostic fashion. This approach led to a consistent improvement in hit rates in follow-up screens without compromising scaffold retrieval. The informer set is adjustable in size depending on the number of compounds one intends to screen, as performance gains are realized for sets with more than 3,000 compounds, and this set is therefore applicable to a variety of situations. Finally, our results indicate that random sampling may not adequately cover descriptor space, drawing attention to the importance of the composition of the training set for predicting actives.

Statistical mechanics of nonequilibrium liquids

CERN Document Server

Evans, Denis J; Craig, D P; McWeeny, R

1990-01-01

Statistical Mechanics of Nonequilibrium Liquids deals with theoretical rheology. The book discusses nonlinear response of systems and outlines the statistical mechanical theory. In discussing the framework of nonequilibrium statistical mechanics, the book explains the derivation of a nonequilibrium analogue of the Gibbsian basis for equilibrium statistical mechanics. The book reviews the linear irreversible thermodynamics, the Liouville equation, and the Irving-Kirkwood procedure. The text then explains the Green-Kubo relations used in linear transport coefficients, the linear response theory,

Quantum mechanics with quantum time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kapuscik, E.

1984-01-01

Using a non-canonical Lie structure of classical mechanics a new algebra of quantum mechanical observables is constructed. The new algebra, in addition to the notion of classical time, makes it possible to introduce the notion of quantum time. A new type of uncertainty relation is derived. (author)

Physical fracture properties (fracture surfaces as information sources; crackgrowth and fracture mechanisms; exemples of cracks)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meny, Lucienne.

1979-06-01

Fracture surfaces are considered as a useful source of informations: an introduction to fractography is presented; the fracture surface may be observed through X ray microanalysis, and other physical methods such as Auger electron spectroscopy or secundary ion emission. The mechanisms of macroscopic and microscopic crackgrowth and fracture are described, in the case of unstable fracture (cleavage, ductile with shear, intergranular brittleness) and of progressive crack propagation (creep, fatigue). Exemples of cracks are presented in the last chapter [fr

Foundations of mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zorski, Henryk; Bazanski, Stanislaw; Gutowski, Roman; Slawianowski, Jan; Wilmanski, Krysztof; Wozniak, Czeslaw

1992-01-01

In the last 3 decades the field of mechanics has seen spectacular progress due to the demand for applications in problems of cosmology, thermonuclear fusion, metallurgy, etc. This book provides a broad and thorough overview on the foundations of mechanics. It discusses theoretical mechanics and continuum mechanics, as well as phenomenological thermodynamics, quantum mechanics and relativistic mechanics. Each chapter presents the basic physical facts of interest without going into details and derivations and without using advanced mathematical formalism. The first part constitutes a classical exposition of Lagrange's and Hamiltonian's analytical mechanics on which most of the continuum theory is based. The section on continuum mechanics focuses mainly on the axiomatic foundations, with many pointers for further research in this area. Special attention is given to modern continuum thermodynamics, both for the foundations and applications. A section on quantum mechanics is also included, since the phenomenological description of various quantum phenomena is becoming of increasing importance. refs.; figs.; tabs

NMR-Assisted Structure Elucidation of an Anticancer Steroid-β-Enaminone Derivative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donald Poirier

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The fortuitous modification of a quinoline-proline-piperazine side chain linked to a steroid in the presence of lithium (trimethylsilyl acetylide has generated an unknown product that is more active than its precursor. After having characterized two β-enaminones (two-carbon homologation compounds that were generated from a simplified model side chain, we have identified the unknown product as being the β-enaminone steroid derivative 1. NMR analysis, especially two-dimensional (2D experiments (correlation spectroscopy (COSY, NOE spectroscopy (NOESY, heteronuclear single-quantum correlation (HSQC and heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation (HMBC provided crucial information that was found essential in the characterization of enaminone 1. We also proposed a mechanism to rationalize the formation of this biologically active compound.

Nonextensive entropies derived from Gauss' principle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wada, Tatsuaki

2011-01-01

Gauss' principle in statistical mechanics is generalized for a q-exponential distribution in nonextensive statistical mechanics. It determines the associated stochastic and statistical nonextensive entropies which satisfy Greene-Callen principle concerning on the equivalence between microcanonical and canonical ensembles. - Highlights: → Nonextensive entropies are derived from Gauss' principle and ensemble equivalence. → Gauss' principle is generalized for a q-exponential distribution. → I have found the condition for satisfying Greene-Callen principle. → The associated statistical q-entropy is found to be normalized Tsallis entropy.

Lung cancer-derived Dickkopf1 is associated with bone metastasis and the mechanism involves the inhibition of osteoblast differentiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chu, Tianqing; Teng, Jiajun; Jiang, Liyan; Zhong, Hua; Han, Baohui, E-mail: baohuihan1@163.com

2014-01-17

Highlights: •DKK1 level was associated with NSCLC bone metastases. •Lung tumor cells derived DKK1 inhibited osteoblast differentiation. •Lung tumor cells derived DKK1 modulates β-catenin and RUNX2. -- Abstract: Wnt/β-catenin signaling and Dickkopf1 (DKK1) play important roles in the progression of lung cancer, which preferably metastasizes to skeleton. But the role of them in bone dissemination is poorly understood. This study aims to define the role of DKK1 in lung cancer bone metastases and investigate the underlying mechanism. Our results demonstrated that DKK1 over-expression was a frequent event in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) blood samples, and serous DKK1 level was much higher in bone metastatic NSCLC compared to non-bone metastatic NSCLC. We also found that conditioned medium from DKK1 over-expressing lung cancer cells inhibited the differentiation of osteoblast, determined by alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin secretion, whereas the conditioned medium from DKK1 silencing lung cancer cells exhibited the opposite effects. Mechanistically, DKK1 reduced the level of β-catenin and RUNX2, as well as inhibiting the nuclear translocation of β-catenin. Taken together, these results suggested that lung cancer-produced DKK1 may be an important mechanistic link between NSCLC and bone metastases, and targeting DKK1 may be an effective method to treat bone metastase of NSCLC.

Lung cancer-derived Dickkopf1 is associated with bone metastasis and the mechanism involves the inhibition of osteoblast differentiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, Tianqing; Teng, Jiajun; Jiang, Liyan; Zhong, Hua; Han, Baohui

2014-01-01

Highlights: •DKK1 level was associated with NSCLC bone metastases. •Lung tumor cells derived DKK1 inhibited osteoblast differentiation. •Lung tumor cells derived DKK1 modulates β-catenin and RUNX2. -- Abstract: Wnt/β-catenin signaling and Dickkopf1 (DKK1) play important roles in the progression of lung cancer, which preferably metastasizes to skeleton. But the role of them in bone dissemination is poorly understood. This study aims to define the role of DKK1 in lung cancer bone metastases and investigate the underlying mechanism. Our results demonstrated that DKK1 over-expression was a frequent event in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) blood samples, and serous DKK1 level was much higher in bone metastatic NSCLC compared to non-bone metastatic NSCLC. We also found that conditioned medium from DKK1 over-expressing lung cancer cells inhibited the differentiation of osteoblast, determined by alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin secretion, whereas the conditioned medium from DKK1 silencing lung cancer cells exhibited the opposite effects. Mechanistically, DKK1 reduced the level of β-catenin and RUNX2, as well as inhibiting the nuclear translocation of β-catenin. Taken together, these results suggested that lung cancer-produced DKK1 may be an important mechanistic link between NSCLC and bone metastases, and targeting DKK1 may be an effective method to treat bone metastase of NSCLC

Evaluating Lignite-Derived Products (LDPs) for Agriculture - Does Research Inform Practice?

Science.gov (United States)

Patti, Antonio; Rose, Michael; Little, Karen; Jackson, Roy; Cavagnaro, Timothy

2014-05-01

Lignite-derived products (LDPs), including humic acids and organo-mineral soil conditioners, are being marketed in many parts of the world. They are promoted as plant growth stimulants, additives that improve plant nutrient uptake as well as providing humic materials to improve soil structure and combat soil degradation. There are mixed views regarding the efficacy of these products and there is a lack of scientific studies that verify the efficacy of these products in the field. Anecdotally, agricultural producers become repeat users of the products when they see economic benefits, such as increases in crop yields, while others abandon repeat use when no benefits were seen. In this paper, we present results from a literature meta-analysis1 and a number of field studies that examine the potential for LDPs to improve soil fertility and plant growth. Our findings suggest that complex interactions between LDPs, soil types, environmental conditions and plant species mean that a 'one-size fits all' product or solution is unlikely; and that changes to soil characteristics brought about by LDPs are more apparent over longer time periods than a single cropping season. Most of these studies have not been undertaken in full field trial conditions, where the crop has been grown to harvest. Limited studies in small plots or glass-house conditions often report early benefits. It is not known if these benefits persist. Moreover, the actual composition of these additives may vary significantly and is rarely specified in full. In a study of our own, a small plot experiment evaluated the effect of a single application of a commercial potassium humate product from Victorian lignite on ryegrass and lucerne grown in a sandy, nutrient deficient, low organic matter soil. Treatment resulted in increased shoot growth (up to 33%) of ryegrass during the pasture establishment phase. Root growth was also improved with a 47% increase at 0-10 cm depth and 122% increase at 10-30 cm depth

Testing Nonassociative Quantum Mechanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Bojowald, Martin; Brahma, Suddhasattwa; Büyükçam, Umut

2015-11-27

The familiar concepts of state vectors and operators in quantum mechanics rely on associative products of observables. However, these notions do not apply to some exotic systems such as magnetic monopoles, which have long been known to lead to nonassociative algebras. Their quantum physics has remained obscure. This Letter presents the first derivation of potentially testable physical results in nonassociative quantum mechanics, based on effective potentials. They imply new effects which cannot be mimicked in usual quantum mechanics with standard magnetic fields.

Human dental pulp-derived stem cells promote locomotor recovery after complete transection of the rat spinal cord by multiple neuro-regenerative mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, Kiyoshi; Yamamoto, Akihito; Matsubara, Kohki; Nakamura, Shoko; Naruse, Mami; Yamagata, Mari; Sakamoto, Kazuma; Tauchi, Ryoji; Wakao, Norimitsu; Imagama, Shiro; Hibi, Hideharu; Kadomatsu, Kenji; Ishiguro, Naoki; Ueda, Minoru

2012-01-01

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to persistent functional deficits due to loss of neurons and glia and to limited axonal regeneration after injury. Here we report that transplantation of human dental pulp stem cells into the completely transected adult rat spinal cord resulted in marked recovery of hind limb locomotor functions. Transplantation of human bone marrow stromal cells or skin-derived fibroblasts led to substantially less recovery of locomotor function. The human dental pulp stem cells exhibited three major neuroregenerative activities. First, they inhibited the SCI-induced apoptosis of neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, which improved the preservation of neuronal filaments and myelin sheaths. Second, they promoted the regeneration of transected axons by directly inhibiting multiple axon growth inhibitors, including chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan and myelin-associated glycoprotein, via paracrine mechanisms. Last, they replaced lost cells by differentiating into mature oligodendrocytes under the extreme conditions of SCI. Our data demonstrate that tooth-derived stem cells may provide therapeutic benefits for treating SCI through both cell-autonomous and paracrine neuroregenerative activities.

Lorentz-covariant reduced-density-operator theory for relativistic-quantum-information processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Doyeol; Lee, Hyuk-jae; Hwang, Sung Woo

2003-01-01

In this paper, we derived a Lorentz-covariant quantum Liouville equation for the density operator which describes the relativistic-quantum-information processing from Tomonaga-Schwinger equation and an exact formal solution for the reduced density operator is obtained using the projector operator technique and the functional calculus. When all the members of the family of the hypersurfaces become flat hyperplanes, it is shown that our results agree with those of the nonrelativistic case, which is valid only in some specified reference frame. To show that our formulation can be applied to practical problems, we derived the polarization of the vacuum in quantum electrodynamics up to the second order. The formulation presented in this work is general and could be applied to related fields such as quantum electrodynamics and relativistic statistical mechanics

Conformational analysis of vitamin D 3 derivatives by molecular mechanics . Part II. 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 and analogues

Science.gov (United States)

Mosquera, Ricardo A.; Rios, Miguel A.; Tovar, Clara A.; Maestro, Miguel

1989-10-01

The conformational analysis of vitamin D 3 derivatives, including the biologically active form 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (III) and several synthetic analogues: b-deoxy-1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (IV), 3-deoxy-3α-methyl-1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (V), 3-deoxy-3β-methyl-1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (VI), and 3-deoxy-3,3-dimethyl-1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (VII), has been carried out employing Allinger's molecular mechanics method. The results obtained for conformational equilibrium populations are found to be in good agreement with those provided by NMR studies. Comparison of the active form of vitamin D 3 (1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3) with the other species reveals no important geometrical differences.

Physiological arousal in processing recognition information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guy Hochman

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The recognition heuristic (RH; Goldstein and Gigerenzer, 2002 suggests that, when applicable, probabilistic inferences are based on a noncompensatory examination of whether an object is recognized or not. The overall findings on the processes that underlie this fast and frugal heuristic are somewhat mixed, and many studies have expressed the need for considering a more compensatory integration of recognition information. Regardless of the mechanism involved, it is clear that recognition has a strong influence on choices, and this finding might be explained by the fact that recognition cues arouse affect and thus receive more attention than cognitive cues. To test this assumption, we investigated whether recognition results in a direct affective signal by measuring physiological arousal (i.e., peripheral arterial tone in the established city-size task. We found that recognition of cities does not directly result in increased physiological arousal. Moreover, the results show that physiological arousal increased with increasing inconsistency between recognition information and additional cue information. These findings support predictions derived by a compensatory Parallel Constraint Satisfaction model rather than predictions of noncompensatory models. Additional results concerning confidence ratings, response times, and choice proportions further demonstrated that recognition information and other cognitive cues are integrated in a compensatory manner.

QUANTUM MECHANICS WITHOUT STATISTICAL POSTULATES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geiger, G.

2000-01-01

The Bohmian formulation of quantum mechanics describes the measurement process in an intuitive way without a reduction postulate. Due to the chaotic motion of the hidden classical particle all statistical features of quantum mechanics during a sequence of repeated measurements can be derived in the framework of a deterministic single system theory

Annual Research Review: An expanded account of information-processing mechanisms in risk for child and adolescent anxiety and depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Jennifer Y F; Waters, Allison M

2017-04-01

Anxiety and depression occurring during childhood and adolescence are common and costly. While early-emerging anxiety and depression can arise through a complex interplay of 'distal' factors such as genetic and environmental influences, temperamental characteristics and brain circuitry, the more proximal mechanisms that transfer risks on symptoms are poorly delineated. Information-processing biases, which differentiate youth with and without anxiety and/or depression, could act as proximal mechanisms that mediate more distal risks on symptoms. This article reviews the literature on information-processing biases, their associations with anxiety and depression symptoms in youth and with other distal risk factors, to provide direction for further research. Based on strategic searches of the literature, we consider how youth with and without anxiety and/or depression vary in how they deploy attention to social-affective stimuli, discriminate between threat and safety cues, retain memories of negative events and appraise ambiguous information. We discuss how these information-processing biases are similarly or differentially expressed on anxiety and depression and whether these biases are linked to genetic and environmental factors, temperamental characteristics and patterns of brain circuitry functioning implicated in anxiety and depression. Biases in attention and appraisal characterise both youth anxiety and depression but with some differences in how these are expressed for each symptom type. Difficulties in threat-safety cue discrimination characterise anxiety and are understudied in depression, while biases in the retrieval of negative and overgeneral memories have been observed in depression but are understudied in anxiety. Information-processing biases have been studied in relation to some distal factors but not systematically, so relationships remain inconclusive. Biases in attention, threat-safety cue discrimination, memory and appraisal may characterise

Identification of general linear mechanical systems

Science.gov (United States)

Sirlin, S. W.; Longman, R. W.; Juang, J. N.

1983-01-01

Previous work in identification theory has been concerned with the general first order time derivative form. Linear mechanical systems, a large and important class, naturally have a second order form. This paper utilizes this additional structural information for the purpose of identification. A realization is obtained from input-output data, and then knowledge of the system input, output, and inertia matrices is used to determine a set of linear equations whereby we identify the remaining unknown system matrices. Necessary and sufficient conditions on the number, type and placement of sensors and actuators are given which guarantee identificability, and less stringent conditions are given which guarantee generic identifiability. Both a priori identifiability and a posteriori identifiability are considered, i.e., identifiability being insured prior to obtaining data, and identifiability being assured with a given data set.

Market mechanisms for compensating hazardous work: a critical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shakow, D.

1984-01-01

Adam Smith's theory that the marketplace can compensate workers for social inequities (i.e., hazards, boredom, etc.) in the work place is applied to the nuclear industry. The author argues that market mechanisms are unlikely to ensure adequate compensation for work-related hazards. He summarizes and critiques the neoclassical compensating-wage hypothesis, then reviews empirical evidence in support of the hypothesis in light of an alternative hypothesis derived from the literature on labor market segmentation. He challenges the assumption of perfect labor mobility and perfect information. A promising direction for further research would be a structural analysis of the emerging market for temporary workers. 13 references, 2 figures

In vivo inhibitory activity of andrographolide derivative ADN-9 against liver cancer and its mechanisms involved in inhibition of tumor angiogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wei; Zhao, Jin; Wang, Yake; Xu, Haiwei; Wu, Zhenwei; Hu, Yangyang; Jiang, Kunkun; Shen, Pengpeng; Ma, Cuiyun; Guan, Zhenzhen; Zhang, Yan; Ma, Jiahui; Shang, Ning; Yan, Guangming; Wang, Zhenji; Dai, Guifu

2017-07-15

It is well known that liver cancer is a highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. Andrographolide (AD), a major bioactive component of Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F.), is a potential anti-cancer pharmacophore and the synthesis of AD derivatives with better cytotoxicity to cancer cells has attracted considerable attentions. In the present study, we evaluated the in vivo inhibitory effects of ADN-9, a 15-benzylidene substituted derivative of AD, on the growth and metastasis of murine hepatoma H22 using an orthotopic xenograft model and a subcutaneous xenograft model, and we further studied the anti-angiogenic action and the related mechanisms of ADN-9 in vivo and in vitro. Importantly, ADN-9 remarkably suppressed the growth and metastasis of both orthotopic and subcutaneous xenograft tumors, and the serum AFP level in orthotopic hepatoma-bearing mice treated with 100mg/kg ADN-9 (ig.) was decreased to the normal level. We also found that ADN-9 showed stronger abilities than AD in shrinking tumors, suppressing the invasion and metastasis of H22 cells, decreasing the MVD and promoting tumor cell apoptosis in subcutaneous xenograft of mice. Additionally, ADN-9 exhibited stronger inhibitory activity than AD against the migration and VEGF-induced capillary-like tube formation in HUVECs, which was further proved to be associated with attenuating VEGF/VEGFR2/AKT signaling pathway. The present research provides the first evidence that a 15-substituted AD derivative is more promising than the parent compound in therapeutic treatment of liver cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spacetime information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartle, J.B.

1995-01-01

In usual quantum theory, the information available about a quantum system is defined in terms of the density matrix describing it on a spacelike surface. This definition must be generalized for extensions of quantum theory which neither require, nor always permit, a notion of state on a spacelike surface. In particular, it must be generalized for the generalized quantum theories appropriate when spacetime geometry fluctuates quantum mechanically or when geometry is fixed but not foliable by spacelike surfaces. This paper introduces a four-dimensional notion of the information available about a quantum system's boundary conditions in the various sets of decohering, coarse-grained histories it may display. This spacetime notion of information coincides with the familiar one when quantum theory is formulable in terms of states on spacelike surfaces but generalizes this notion when it cannot be so formulated. The idea of spacetime information is applied in several contexts: When spacetime geometry is fixed the information available through alternatives restricted to a fixed spacetime region is defined. The information available through histories of alternatives of general operators is compared to that obtained from the more limited coarse grainings of sum-over-histories quantum mechanics that refer only to coordinates. The definition of information is considered in generalized quantum theories. We consider as specific examples time-neutral quantum mechanics with initial and final conditions, quantum theories with nonunitary evolution, and the generalized quantum frameworks appropriate for quantum spacetime. In such theories complete information about a quantum system is not necessarily available on any spacelike surface but must be searched for throughout spacetime. The information loss commonly associated with the ''evolution of pure states into mixed states'' in black hole evaporation is thus not in conflict with the principles of generalized quantum mechanics

Modeling of the influence of transparency of the derivatives market on financial depth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina Burdenko

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The market of derivative tools becomes an integral part of the financial market, the functions which are carrying out in it peculiar only to it: hedging, distribution of risks, ensuring liquidity of basic assets, information support of future movement of the prices, decrease in asymmetry of information in the financial markets. However, the insufficiency or lack of transparent information can lead to emergence of the crisis phenomena, shocks in the financial market and growth of system risk. Emergence of need for strengthening of information function of the market of derivatives changes of requirements to transparency of information had been caused by financial crisis of 2008-2009. In this article the attempt of an assessment of influence was made by means of autoregressive models the change of requirements to standard transparency, such as qualitative characteristic of the derivatives market, on quantitative indices of the financial market, in particular financial depth. The results of research demonstrate that reforming of the legislation concerning strengthening of transparency in the derivatives market positively influences the growth of financial depth. The research of this question will promote the best understanding of importance of reforming of regulation of the derivatives market, in particular strengthening of requirements to transparency. Recommendations of the further researches concern the needs of input of reforms of financial regulation in the derivatives market in Ukraine, and, thus, to provide the corresponding conditions for his development

Mechanical properties and total hydroxycinnamic derivative release of starch/glycerol/Melissa officinalis extract films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Letícia Mello Rechia

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical properties of starch/glycerol/Melissa officinalis, a topical drug delivery system for labial herpes treatment. Four films were prepared with different concentrations of starch, glycerol, and Melissa officinalis extract. The results revealed that increasing the glycerol concentration in the film reduced elasticity modulus and tensile strength, exhibiting a plasticizing effect. The increase in free volume resulted in increased release of hydroxycinnamic derivatives expressed as rosmarinic acid.O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as propriedades mecânicas e o mecanismo de liberação de um sistema tópico de liberação prolongada para o tratamento do Herpes labial a partir de filmes de amido/glicerol/extrato de Melissa officinalis, planta com comprovada atividade antiviral. Foram obtidos quatro filmes poliméricos com diferentes concentrações de amido, glicerol e extrato de Melissa officinalis os quais foram caracterizados mecanicamente e determinado o perfil de liberação de derivados hidroxicinâmicos. Os resultados demonstraram que o aumento da concentração de glicerol no filme produz uma redução no módulo de elasticidade e na tensão de deformação como conseqüência do efeito plastificante. O aumento no volume livre do polímero resultou em aumento da liberação dos derivados hidroxicinâmicos expressos como ácido rosmarínico.

The ZX-calculus is complete for stabilizer quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Backens, Miriam

2014-01-01

The ZX-calculus is a graphical calculus for reasoning about quantum systems and processes. It is known to be universal for pure state qubit quantum mechanics (QM), meaning any pure state, unitary operation and post-selected pure projective measurement can be expressed in the ZX-calculus. The calculus is also sound, i.e. any equality that can be derived graphically can also be derived using matrix mechanics. Here, we show that the ZX-calculus is complete for pure qubit stabilizer QM, meaning any equality that can be derived using matrices can also be derived pictorially. The proof relies on bringing diagrams into a normal form based on graph states and local Clifford operations. (paper)

Data Derivation Investigation

OpenAIRE

S. S. Kadam; P.B. Kumbharkar

2015-01-01

Malicious software is a major issue in today’s computer world. Such software can silently reside in user’s computer and can easily interact with computing resources. It is necessary to improve the honesty of host and its system data. For improvement in security and honesty of host, this work is introduced. This mechanism ensures the correct origin or provenance of critical system information and prevents utilization of host resources by malware. Using this mechanism the source where a piece o...

Quantum mechanics from general relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sachs, M.

1986-01-01

A generalization of quantum mechanics is demonstrated in the context of general relativity, following from a generally covariant field theory of inertia. Nonrelativistically, the formalism corresponds with linear quantum mechanics. In the limit of special relativity, nonlinearity remains and several new features are derived: (1) Particle-antiparticle pairs do not annihilate; an exact bound state solution is derived corresponding with all experimental facts about annihilation/creation - which, in approximation, gives the blackbody radiation spectrum for a sea of such pairs. (2) A result is proven, without approximation, that is physically equivalent to the Pauli exclusion principle - which, in linear approximation, gives the totally antisymmetrised many-body wave function and Fermi-Dirac statistics. (3) The hydrogen spectrum is derived, including the Lamb shifts, in agreement with experiment; new results are found for high energy electron-proton scattering. (4) Finally, several applications to the elementary particle domain are demonstrated, in agreement with results from experimental high energy physics. (Auth.)

Several foundational and information theoretic implications of Bell’s theorem

Science.gov (United States)

Kar, Guruprasad; Banik, Manik

2016-08-01

In 1935, Albert Einstein and two colleagues, Boris Podolsky and Nathan Rosen (EPR) developed a thought experiment to demonstrate what they felt was a lack of completeness in quantum mechanics (QM). EPR also postulated the existence of more fundamental theory where physical reality of any system would be completely described by the variables/states of that fundamental theory. This variable is commonly called hidden variable and the theory is called hidden variable theory (HVT). In 1964, John Bell proposed an empirically verifiable criterion to test for the existence of these HVTs. He derived an inequality, which must be satisfied by any theory that fulfill the conditions of locality and reality. He also showed that QM, as it violates this inequality, is incompatible with any local-realistic theory. Later it has been shown that Bell’s inequality (BI) can be derived from different set of assumptions and it also find applications in useful information theoretic protocols. In this review, we will discuss various foundational as well as information theoretic implications of BI. We will also discuss about some restricted nonlocal feature of quantum nonlocality and elaborate the role of Uncertainty principle and Complementarity principle in explaining this feature.

Transition from the mechanics of material points to the mechanics of structured particles

Science.gov (United States)

Somsikov, V. M.

2016-01-01

In this paper, necessity of creation of mechanics of structured particles is discussed. The way to create this mechanics within the laws of classical mechanics with the use of energy equation is shown. The occurrence of breaking of time symmetry within the mechanics of structured particles is shown, as well as the introduction of concept of entropy in the framework of classical mechanics. The way to create the mechanics of non-equilibrium systems in the thermodynamic approach is shown. It is also shown that the use of hypothesis of holonomic constraints while deriving the canonical Lagrange equation made it impossible to describe irreversible dynamics. The difference between the mechanics of structured particles and the mechanics of material points is discussed. It is also shown that the matter is infinitely divisible according to the laws of classical mechanics.

Orthotopic Patient-Derived Glioblastoma Xenografts in Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Zhongye; Kader, Michael; Sen, Rajeev; Placantonakis, Dimitris G

2018-01-01

Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) provide in vivo glioblastoma (GBM) models that recapitulate actual tumors. Orthotopic tumor xenografts within the mouse brain are obtained by injection of GBM stem-like cells derived from fresh surgical specimens. These xenografts reproduce GBM's histologic complexity and hallmark biological behaviors, such as brain invasion, angiogenesis, and resistance to therapy. This method has become essential for analyzing mechanisms of tumorigenesis and testing the therapeutic effect of candidate agents in the preclinical setting. Here, we describe a protocol for establishing orthotopic tumor xenografts in the mouse brain with human GBM cells.

Mechanism of hyperphagia contributing to obesity in brain-derived neurotrophic factor knockout mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, E A; Biddinger, J E; Jones, K R; McAdams, J; Worman, A

2013-01-15

Global-heterozygous and brain-specific homozygous knockouts (KOs) of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) cause late- and early-onset obesity, respectively, both involving hyperphagia. Little is known about the mechanism underlying this hyperphagia or whether BDNF loss from peripheral tissues could contribute to overeating. Since global-homozygous BDNF-KO is perinatal lethal, a BDNF-KO that spared sufficient brainstem BDNF to support normal health was utilized to begin to address these issues. Meal pattern and microstructure analyses suggested overeating of BDNF-KO mice was mediated by deficits in both satiation and satiety that resulted in increased meal size and frequency and implicated a reduction of vagal signaling from the gut to the brain. Meal-induced c-Fos activation in the nucleus of the solitary tract, a more direct measure of vagal afferent signaling, however, was not decreased in BDNF-KO mice, and thus was not consistent with a vagal afferent role. Interestingly though, meal-induced c-Fos activation was increased in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (DMV) of BDNF-KO mice. This could imply that augmentation of vago-vagal digestive reflexes occurred (e.g., accommodation), which would support increased meal size and possibly increased meal number by reducing the increase in intragastric pressure produced by a given amount of ingesta. Additionally, vagal sensory neuron number in BDNF-KO mice was altered in a manner consistent with the increased meal-induced activation of the DMV. These results suggest reduced BDNF causes satiety and satiation deficits that support hyperphagia, possibly involving augmentation of vago-vagal reflexes mediated by central pathways or vagal afferents regulated by BDNF levels. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time Dependent Quantum Mechanics

OpenAIRE

Morrison, Peter G.

2012-01-01

We present a systematic method for dealing with time dependent quantum dynamics, based on the quantum brachistochrone and matrix mechanics. We derive the explicit time dependence of the Hamiltonian operator for a number of constrained finite systems from this formalism. Once this has been achieved we go on to calculate the wavevector as a function of time, in order to demonstrate the use of matrix methods with respect to several concrete examples. Interesting results are derived for elliptic ...

A new strategy for earthquake focal mechanisms using waveform-correlation-derived relative polarities and cluster analysis: Application to the 2014 Long Valley Caldera earthquake swarm

Science.gov (United States)

Shelly, David R.; Hardebeck, Jeanne L.; Ellsworth, William L.; Hill, David P.

2016-01-01

In microseismicity analyses, reliable focal mechanisms can typically be obtained for only a small subset of located events. We address this limitation here, presenting a framework for determining robust focal mechanisms for entire populations of very small events. To achieve this, we resolve relative P and S wave polarities between pairs of waveforms by using their signed correlation coefficients—a by-product of previously performed precise earthquake relocation. We then use cluster analysis to group events with similar patterns of polarities across the network. Finally, we apply a standard mechanism inversion to the grouped data, using either catalog or correlation-derived P wave polarity data sets. This approach has great potential for enhancing analyses of spatially concentrated microseismicity such as earthquake swarms, mainshock-aftershock sequences, and industrial reservoir stimulation or injection-induced seismic sequences. To demonstrate its utility, we apply this technique to the 2014 Long Valley Caldera earthquake swarm. In our analysis, 85% of the events (7212 out of 8494 located by Shelly et al. [2016]) fall within five well-constrained mechanism clusters, more than 12 times the number with network-determined mechanisms. Of the earthquakes we characterize, 3023 (42%) have magnitudes smaller than 0.0. We find that mechanism variations are strongly associated with corresponding hypocentral structure, yet mechanism heterogeneity also occurs where it cannot be resolved by hypocentral patterns, often confined to small-magnitude events. Small (5–20°) rotations between mechanism orientations and earthquake location trends persist when we apply 3-D velocity models and might reflect a geometry of en echelon, interlinked shear, and dilational faulting.

Characterisation of bovine epiblast-derived outgrowth colonies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østrup, Esben; Gjørret, Jakob; Schauser, Kirsten Hallundbæk

2010-01-01

The aim of the present study was to characterise bovine epiblast-derived outgrowth colonies (OCs) with respect to the embryonic origin of their cellular components. Epiblasts were isolated mechanically from bovine Day 12 embryos. Epiblasts were cultured on feeder layers of SNL cells (neomycin...

Catalytic mechanism of the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene over Fe–Co/Mg(Al)O derived from hydrotalcites

KAUST Repository

Tope, Balkrishna B.

2011-11-01

Catalytic mechanism of ethylbenzene dehydrogenation over Fe-Co/Mg(Al)O derived from hydrotalcites has been studied based on the XAFS and XPS catalyst characterization and the FTIR measurements of adsorbed species. Fe-Co/Mg(Al)O showed synergy, whereas Fe-Ni/Mg(Al)O showed no synergy, in the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. Ni species were stably incorporated as Ni2+ in the regular sites in periclase and spinel structure in the Fe-Ni/Mg(Al)O. Contrarily, Co species exists as a mixture of Co3+/Co2+ in the Fe-Co/Mg(Al)O and was partially isolated from the regular sites in the structures with increasing the Co content. Co addition enhanced Lewis acidity of Fe3+ active sites by forming Fe3+-O-Co 3+/2+(1/1) bond, resulting in an increase in the activity. FTIR of ethylbenzene adsorbed on the Fe-Co/Mg(Al)O clearly showed formations of C-O bond and π-adsorbed aromatic ring. This suggests that ethylbenzene was strongly adsorbed on the Fe3+ acid sites via π-bonding and the dehydrogenation was initiated by α-H+ abstraction from ethyl group on Mg2+-O2- basic sites, followed by C-O-Mg bond formation. The α-H+ abstraction by O2-(-Mg 2+) was likely followed by β-H abstraction, leading to the formations of styrene and H2. Such catalytic mechanism by the Fe 3+ acid-O2-(-Mg2+) base couple and the Fe 3+/Fe2+ reduction-oxidation cycle was further assisted by Co3+/Co2+, leading to a good catalytic activity for the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Asymmetric information and macroeconomic dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkins, Raymond J.; Aoki, Masanao; Roy Frieden, B.

2010-09-01

We show how macroeconomic dynamics can be derived from asymmetric information. As an illustration of the utility of this approach we derive the equilibrium density, non-equilibrium densities and the equation of motion for the response to a demand shock for productivity in a simple economy. Novel consequences of this approach include a natural incorporation of time dependence into macroeconomics and a common information-theoretic basis for economics and other fields seeking to link micro-dynamics and macro-observables.

Mathematical analysis of the impact mechanism of information platform on agro-product supply chain and agro-product competitiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiang Qi-Jie

2017-04-01

Full Text Available How to optimize agro-product supply chain to promote its operating efficiency so as to enhance the competitiveness of regional agricultural products has posed a problem to academic circles, business circles and governments of various levels. One way to solve this problem is to introduce an information platform into the supply chain, which this essay focuses on. Firstly, a review of existing research findings concerning the agro-product competitiveness, agro-product supply chain (ASC and information platform was given. Secondly, we constructed a mathematical model to analyze the impact of information platform on the bullwhip effect in ASC. Thirdly, another mathematical model was constructed to help compare and analyze the impact of information platform on information acquisition of members in ASC. The research results show that the implantation of information platform can mitigate the bullwhip effect in ASC, and members can determine order amount or production more close to the actual market demand. And also the information platform can reduce the time for members in ASC to get information from other members. Besides, information platform can help ASC to alleviate information asymmetry among upstream and downstream members. Furthermore, researches about the operating mechanism and pattern, technical feature and running structure of the information platform, along with their impacts on agro-product supply chain and the competitiveness of agricultural products need to be advanced.

Mathematical analysis of the impact mechanism of information platform on agro-product supply chain and agro-product competitiveness

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Qi-Jie; Jin, Mao-Zhu; Ren, Pei-Yu

2017-04-01

How to optimize agro-product supply chain to promote its operating efficiency so as to enhance the competitiveness of regional agricultural products has posed a problem to academic circles, business circles and governments of various levels. One way to solve this problem is to introduce an information platform into the supply chain, which this essay focuses on. Firstly, a review of existing research findings concerning the agro-product competitiveness, agro-product supply chain (ASC) and information platform was given. Secondly, we constructed a mathematical model to analyze the impact of information platform on the bullwhip effect in ASC. Thirdly, another mathematical model was constructed to help compare and analyze the impact of information platform on information acquisition of members in ASC. The research results show that the implantation of information platform can mitigate the bullwhip effect in ASC, and members can determine order amount or production more close to the actual market demand. And also the information platform can reduce the time for members in ASC to get information from other members. Besides, information platform can help ASC to alleviate information asymmetry among upstream and downstream members. Furthermore, researches about the operating mechanism and pattern, technical feature and running structure of the information platform, along with their impacts on agro-product supply chain and the competitiveness of agricultural products need to be advanced.

Mechanical properties of melt-derived erbium oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neuman, A.D.; Blacic, M.J.; Platero, M.; Romero, R.S.; McClellan, K.J.; Petrovic, J.J.

1998-01-01

Erbium oxide (Er 2 O 3 ) is a rare earth oxide that is chemically and thermally stable and has a melting point of 2,430 C. There is relatively little information available regarding single crystal growth of erbia or the properties of erbia. In this study, erbia single crystals have been grown in a Xenon Optical Floating Zone Unit (XeOFZ) capable of melting materials at temperatures up to 3,000 C. Erbia was melt synthesized in the XeOFZ unit in a container less fashion, proving for little chance of contamination. Crystals were grown in compressed air and in reducing atmospheres. A recurring problem with melt synthesis of erbia is the appearance of flakes at the edges of the melt zone during growth; these flakes disrupt the growth process. The processing details and an initial survey of the physical properties of erbia single crystals is discussed

Lectures on fluid mechanics

CERN Document Server

Shinbrot, Marvin

2012-01-01

Readable and user-friendly, this high-level introduction explores the derivation of the equations of fluid motion from statistical mechanics, classical theory, and a portion of the modern mathematical theory of viscous, incompressible fluids. 1973 edition.

Central mechanisms of taste: Cognition, emotion and taste-elicited behaviors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takashi Yamamoto

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Taste is unique among sensory systems in its innate association with mechanisms of reward and aversion in addition to its recognition of quality, e.g., sucrose is sweet and preferable, and quinine is bitter and aversive. Taste information is sent to the reward system and feeding center via the prefrontal cortices such as the mediodorsal and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices in rodents and the orbitofrontal cortex in primates. The amygdala, which receives taste inputs, also influences reward and feeding. In terms of neuroactive substances, palatability is closely related to benzodiazepine derivatives and β-endorphin, both of which facilitate consumption of food and fluid. The reward system contains the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum and finally sends information to the lateral hypothalamic area, the feeding center. The dopaminergic system originating from the ventral tegmental area mediates the motivation to consume palatable food. The actual ingestive behavior is promoted by the orexigenic neuropeptides from the hypothalamus. Even palatable food can become aversive and avoided as a consequence of a postingestional unpleasant experience such as malaise. The neural mechanisms of this conditioned taste aversion will also be elucidated.

On some new properties of fractional derivatives with Mittag-Leffler kernel

Science.gov (United States)

Baleanu, Dumitru; Fernandez, Arran

2018-06-01

We establish a new formula for the fractional derivative with Mittag-Leffler kernel, in the form of a series of Riemann-Liouville fractional integrals, which brings out more clearly the non-locality of fractional derivatives and is easier to handle for certain computational purposes. We also prove existence and uniqueness results for certain families of linear and nonlinear fractional ODEs defined using this fractional derivative. We consider the possibility of a semigroup property for these derivatives, and establish extensions of the product rule and chain rule, with an application to fractional mechanics.

Mechanisms underlying sodium nitroprusside-induced tolerance in the mouse aorta: Role of ROS and cyclooxygenase-derived prostanoids.

Science.gov (United States)

Diniz, Mariana C; Olivon, Vania C; Tavares, Lívia D; Simplicio, Janaina A; Gonzaga, Natália A; de Souza, Daniele G; Bendhack, Lusiane M; Tirapelli, Carlos R; Bonaventura, Daniella

2017-05-01

To determine the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced tolerance. Additionally, we evaluated the role of ROS on NF-κB activation and pro-inflammatory cytokines production during SNP-induced tolerance. To induce in vitro tolerance, endothelium-intact or -denuded aortic rings isolated from male Balb-c mice were incubated for 15, 30, 45 or 60min with SNP (10nmol/L). Tolerance to SNP was observed after incubation of endothelium-denuded, but not endothelium-intact aortas for 60min with this inorganic nitrate. Pre-incubation of denuded rings with tiron (superoxide anion (O 2 - ) scavenger), and the NADPH oxidase inhibitors apocynin and atorvastatin reversed SNP-induced tolerance. l-NAME (non-selective NOS inhibitor) and l-arginine (NOS substrate) also prevented SNP-induced tolerance. Similarly, ibuprofen (non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor), nimesulide (selective COX-2 inhibitor), AH6809 (prostaglandin PGF 2 α receptor antagonist) or SQ29584 [PGH 2 /thromboxane TXA 2 receptor antagonist] reversed SNP-induced tolerance. Increased ROS generation was detected in tolerant arteries and both tiron and atorvastatin reversed this response. Tiron prevented tolerance-induced increase on O 2 - and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) levels. The increase onp65/NF-κB expression and TNF-α production in tolerant arteries was prevented by tiron. The major new finding of our study is that SNP-induced tolerance is mediated by NADPH-oxidase derived ROS and vasoconstrictor prostanoids derived from COX-2, which are capable of reducing the vasorelaxation induced by SNP. Additionally, we found that ROS mediate the activation of NF-κB and the production of TNF-α in tolerant arteries. These findings identify putative molecular mechanisms whereby SNP induces tolerance in the vasculature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anti-cancer activities of diospyrin, its derivatives and analogues

KAUST Repository

Sagar, Sunil; Kaur, Mandeep; Minneman, Kenneth P.; Bajic, Vladimir B.

2010-01-01

Natural products have played a vital role in drug discovery and development process for cancer. Diospyrin, a plant based bisnaphthoquinonoid, has been used as a lead molecule in an effort to develop anti-cancer drugs. Several derivatives/analogues have been synthesized and screened for their pro-apoptotic/anti-cancer activities so far. Our review is focused on the pro-apoptotic/anti-cancer activities of diospyrin, its derivatives/analogues and the different mechanisms potentially involved in the bioactivity of these compounds. Particular focus has been placed on the different mechanisms (both chemical and molecular) thought to underlie the bioactivity of these compounds. A brief bioinformatics analysis at the end of the article provides novel insights into the new potential mechanisms and pathways by which these compounds might exert their effects and lead to a better realization of the full therapeutic potential of these compounds as anti-cancer drugs. © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Anti-cancer activities of diospyrin, its derivatives and analogues

KAUST Repository

Sagar, Sunil

2010-09-01

Natural products have played a vital role in drug discovery and development process for cancer. Diospyrin, a plant based bisnaphthoquinonoid, has been used as a lead molecule in an effort to develop anti-cancer drugs. Several derivatives/analogues have been synthesized and screened for their pro-apoptotic/anti-cancer activities so far. Our review is focused on the pro-apoptotic/anti-cancer activities of diospyrin, its derivatives/analogues and the different mechanisms potentially involved in the bioactivity of these compounds. Particular focus has been placed on the different mechanisms (both chemical and molecular) thought to underlie the bioactivity of these compounds. A brief bioinformatics analysis at the end of the article provides novel insights into the new potential mechanisms and pathways by which these compounds might exert their effects and lead to a better realization of the full therapeutic potential of these compounds as anti-cancer drugs. © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Conformal invariance of extended spinning particle mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siegel, W.

1988-01-01

Recently a mechanics action has been considered with extended, local, one-dimensional supersymmetry. The authors show this action is conformally invariant in arbitrary spacetime dimensions, and derive the corresponding quantum mechanical restriction on the Lorentz representations it describes

Carpatizine, a novel bridged oxazine derivative generated by non-enzymatic reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Peng; MacMillan, John B

2017-06-27

Carpatizine (1), a new bridged oxazine derivative, was isolated from a marine-derived Streptomyces strain SNE-011. The structure was fully determined by spectroscopic analysis, ECD calculations and chemical methods. A plausible non-enzymatic reaction mechanism from daryamide D leading to carpatizine was presented, which was confirmed by chemical transformation.

Synthesis, kinetic mechanism and docking studies of vanillin derivatives as inhibitors of mushroom tyrosinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashraf, Zaman; Rafiq, Muhammad; Seo, Sung-Yum; Babar, Mustafeez Mujtaba; Zaidi, Najam-us-Sahar Sadaf

2015-09-01

The purpose of the present study was to discover the extent of contribution to antityrosinase activity by adding hydroxy substituted benzoic acid, cinnamic acid and piperazine residues to vanillin. The study showed the transformation of vanillin into esters as shown in (4a-4d), (6a-6b), and (8a-8b). In addition, the relationship between structures of these esters and their mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity was explored. The kinetics of inhibition on mushroom tyrosinase by these esters was also investigated. It was found that hydroxyl substituted benzoic acid derivatives were weak inhibitors; however hydroxy or chloro substituted cinnamic acid and piperazine substituted derivatives were able to induce significant tyrosinase inhibition. The mushroom tyrosinase (PDBID 2ZWE) was docked with synthesized vanillin derivatives and their calculated binding energies were compared with experimental IC50 values which provided positive correlation. The most potent derivative 2-(4-formyl-2-methoxyphenoxy)-2-oxoethyl (2E)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate (6a) possesses hydroxy substituted cinnamic acid scaffold having IC50 value 16.13 μM with binding energy of -7.2 kcal/mol. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity of (6a) is comparable with standard kojic acid. Kinetic analysis indicated that compound 6a was mixed-type tyrosinase inhibitor with inhibition constant values Ki (13 μM) and Ki' (53 μM) and formed reversible enzyme inhibitor complex. The active vanillin analog (6a) was devoid of toxic effects as shown in cytotoxic studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

17 CFR 200.506 - Derivative classification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Derivative classification. 200.506 Section 200.506 Commodity and Securities Exchanges SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ORGANIZATION; CONDUCT AND ETHICS; AND INFORMATION AND REQUESTS Classification and Declassification of National Security...

The Effect of Mineral Powders Derived From Industrial Wastes on Selected Mechanical Properties of Concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Galińska, Anna; Czarnecki, Sławomir

2017-10-01

In recent years, concrete has been the most popular construction material. The main component of the concrete is cement. However, its production and transport causes significant emissions of CO2. Reports in the literature show that many laboratories are attempting to modify the composition of the concrete using various additives. These attempts are primarily designed to eliminate parts of cement. The greater part of the cement will be replaced with the selected additive, the more significant is the economic and ecological effect. Most attempts are related to the replacement of the selected additive in an amount of from 10 to 30% by weight of cement. Mineral powders, which are waste material producing crushed aggregate, are increasingly used for this purpose. Management of the waste carries significant cost related to their storage and disposal. With this in mind, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of mineral powders derived from industrial wastes on selected mechanical properties of concrete. In particular, the aim was to determine the effect of quartz and quartz-feldspar powders. For this purpose, 40, 50, 60% by weight of the cement was replaced by the selected powders. The results obtained were analysed and compared with previous attempts to replace the selected additive in an amount of from 10 to 30% by weight of cement.

On a quantum version of conservation laws for derivative nonlinear Schrodinger equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sen, S.; Chowdhury, A.R.

1988-01-01

The authors derived the quantum mechanical versions of infinite number of conservation laws associated with Derivative Nonlinear Schrodinger equation with the help of a methodology used in string theory. The renormalised version of the conserved quantities are obtained with explicit forms of the counter terms

Derivation of the Second Law of Thermodynamics from Boltzmann's Distribution Law.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, P. G.

1988-01-01

Shows how the thermodynamic condition for equilibrium in an isolated system can be derived by the application of Boltzmann's law to a simple physical system. States that this derivation could be included in an introductory course on chemical equilibrium to help prepare students for a statistical mechanical treatment presented in the curriculum.…

FINANCIAL DERIVATIVES - MEANINGS BEYOND SUBPRIME CRISIS STIGMA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FELICIA RAMONA BIRĂU

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Derivatives are designed as complex financial instruments and their main aim is to manage the risk associated with the underlying asset, in order to ensure against fluctuations in value, or to profit from periods of inactivity, instability or decline. In recent years financial derivatives have experienced a fulminant development and also they have been perceived as an effective lever of the modern economy. The subprime crisis was triggered by a quite significant financial infrastructure glitch, which coalesced around certain factors influence, such as : highly permissive regulation of financial markets, speculative bubbles, underperforming risk management, liquidity injections and structural imbalances. Despite the fact that is a innovative segment and quite difficult affordable as understanding level of the operation mechanisms, financial derivatives were only the tool triggering this global dimension crisis.

Evaluation of ferrolysis in arsenate adsorption on the paddy soil derived from an Oxisol.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Jun; Dai, Zhaoxia; Sun, Rui; Zhao, Zhenjie; Dong, Ying; Hong, Zhineng; Xu, Renkou

2017-07-01

Iron oxides are dominant effective adsorbents for arsenate in iron oxide-rich variable charge soils. Oxisol-derived paddy soils undergo intensive ferrolysis, which results in high leaching and transformation of iron oxides. However, little information is available concerning the effect of ferrolysis on arsenate adsorption by paddy soil and parent Oxisol. In the present study, we examined the arsenate affinity of soils using arsenate adsorption/desorption isotherms, zeta potential, adsorption kinetics, pH effect and phosphate competition experiments. Results showed that ferrolysis in an alternating flooding-drying Oxisol-derived paddy soil resulted in a significant decrease of free iron oxides and increase of amorphous iron oxides in the surface and subsurface layers. There were more reactive sites exposed on amorphous than on crystalline iron oxides. Therefore, disproportionate ratios of arsenate adsorption capacities and contents of free iron oxides were observed in the studied Oxisols compared with paddy soils. The Gibbs free energy values corroborated that both electrostatic and non-electrostatic adsorption mechanisms contributed to the arsenate adsorption by bulk soils, and the kinetic adsorption data further suggested that the rate-limiting step was chemisorption. The zeta potential of soil colloids decreased after arsenate was adsorbed on the surfaces, forming inner-sphere complexes and thus transferring their negative charges to the soil particle surfaces. The adsorption/desorption isotherms showed that non-electrostatic adsorption was the main mechanism responsible for arsenate binding to the Oxisol and derived paddy soils, representing 91.42-94.65% of the adsorption capacities. Further studies revealed that arsenate adsorption was greatly inhibited by increasing suspension pH and incorporation of phosphate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analyses of carnivore microsatellites and their intimate association with tRNA-derived SINEs.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Giráldez, Francesc; Andrés, Olga; Domingo-Roura, Xavier; Bosch, Montserrat

2006-10-23

The popularity of microsatellites has greatly increased in the last decade on account of their many applications. However, little is currently understood about the factors that influence their genesis and distribution among and within species genomes. In this work, we analyzed carnivore microsatellite clones from GenBank to study their association with interspersed repeats and elucidate the role of the latter in microsatellite genesis and distribution. We constructed a comprehensive carnivore microsatellite database comprising 1236 clones from GenBank. Thirty-three species of 11 out of 12 carnivore families were represented, although two distantly related species, the domestic dog and cat, were clearly overrepresented. Of these clones, 330 contained tRNALys-derived SINEs and 357 contained other interspersed repeats. Our rough estimates of tRNA SINE copies per haploid genome were much higher than published ones. Our results also revealed a distinct juxtaposition of AG and A-rich repeats and tRNALys-derived SINEs suggesting their coevolution. Both microsatellites arose repeatedly in two regions of the interspersed repeat. Moreover, microsatellites associated with tRNALys-derived SINEs showed the highest complexity and less potential instability. Our results suggest that tRNALys-derived SINEs are a significant source for microsatellite generation in carnivores, especially for AG and A-rich repeat motifs. These observations indicate two modes of microsatellite generation: the expansion and variation of pre-existing tandem repeats and the conversion of sequences with high cryptic simplicity into a repeat array; mechanisms which are not specific to tRNALys-derived SINEs. Microsatellite and interspersed repeat coevolution could also explain different distribution of repeat types among and within species genomes.Finally, due to their higher complexity and lower potential informative content of microsatellites associated with tRNALys-derived SINEs, we recommend avoiding

Analyses of carnivore microsatellites and their intimate association with tRNA-derived SINEs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bosch Montserrat

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The popularity of microsatellites has greatly increased in the last decade on account of their many applications. However, little is currently understood about the factors that influence their genesis and distribution among and within species genomes. In this work, we analyzed carnivore microsatellite clones from GenBank to study their association with interspersed repeats and elucidate the role of the latter in microsatellite genesis and distribution. Results We constructed a comprehensive carnivore microsatellite database comprising 1236 clones from GenBank. Thirty-three species of 11 out of 12 carnivore families were represented, although two distantly related species, the domestic dog and cat, were clearly overrepresented. Of these clones, 330 contained tRNALys-derived SINEs and 357 contained other interspersed repeats. Our rough estimates of tRNA SINE copies per haploid genome were much higher than published ones. Our results also revealed a distinct juxtaposition of AG and A-rich repeats and tRNALys-derived SINEs suggesting their coevolution. Both microsatellites arose repeatedly in two regions of the insterspersed repeat. Moreover, microsatellites associated with tRNALys-derived SINEs showed the highest complexity and less potential instability. Conclusion Our results suggest that tRNALys-derived SINEs are a significant source for microsatellite generation in carnivores, especially for AG and A-rich repeat motifs. These observations indicate two modes of microsatellite generation: the expansion and variation of pre-existing tandem repeats and the conversion of sequences with high cryptic simplicity into a repeat array; mechanisms which are not specific to tRNALys-derived SINEs. Microsatellite and interspersed repeat coevolution could also explain different distribution of repeat types among and within species genomes. Finally, due to their higher complexity and lower potential informative content of microsatellites

Theoretical challenges in understanding the inhibition mechanism of aluminum corrosion in basic media in the presence of some p-phenol derivatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lashgari, Mohsen

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Research highlights: → Quantum electrochemical/thermodynamical models for inhibition mechanism. → A new insight based on local deactivation of corrosive agents at interface region. → Protonation/deprotonation cycle of phenolic species inside electrical double layer. - Abstract: Using quantum electrochemical/thermodynamical approaches based on coupled cluster/polarized continuum models and density functional theory (CM/PCM-DFT), we investigated the corrosion inhibition mechanism of Al/NaOH system in the presence of some p-phenol derivatives. The influencing parameters on inhibitory action, i.e. charges on oxygen and hydrogen atoms of hydroxyl group, charge transfer, interaction energy, molecular activity and softness, electric dipole moment and de-solvation free energy, were determined for both neutral and deprotonated species at metal|solution interface. A good correlation was observed between these parameters and inhibition efficiency data reported in the literature. By introducing an appropriate thermodynamic procedure, we also determined the proton-loss tendency of the molecules nearby interface. The results were amazing and revealed a complicated protonation/deprotonation cycle for inhibitor species inside electrical double layer; the corrosive agents in the vicinity of metal surface become locally neutralized and pushed away.

New modes of assisted mechanical ventilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Suarez-Sipmann, F

2014-05-01

Recent major advances in mechanical ventilation have resulted in new exciting modes of assisted ventilation. Compared to traditional ventilation modes such as assisted-controlled ventilation or pressure support ventilation, these new modes offer a number of physiological advantages derived from the improved patient control over the ventilator. By implementing advanced closed-loop control systems and using information on lung mechanics, respiratory muscle function and respiratory drive, these modes are specifically designed to improve patient-ventilator synchrony and reduce the work of breathing. Depending on their specific operational characteristics, these modes can assist spontaneous breathing efforts synchronically in time and magnitude, adapt to changing patient demands, implement automated weaning protocols, and introduce a more physiological variability in the breathing pattern. Clinicians have now the possibility to individualize and optimize ventilatory assistance during the complex transition from fully controlled to spontaneous assisted ventilation. The growing evidence of the physiological and clinical benefits of these new modes is favoring their progressive introduction into clinical practice. Future clinical trials should improve our understanding of these modes and help determine whether the claimed benefits result in better outcomes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

The Mechanisms of Aberrant Protein Aggregation

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Samuel; Vendruscolo, Michele; Dobson, Chris; Knowles, Tuomas

2012-02-01

We discuss the development of a kinetic theory for understanding the aberrant loss of solubility of proteins. The failure to maintain protein solubility results often in the assembly of organized linear structures, commonly known as amyloid fibrils, the formation of which is associated with over 50 clinical disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. A true microscopic understanding of the mechanisms that drive these aggregation processes has proved difficult to achieve. To address this challenge, we apply the methodologies of chemical kinetics to the biomolecular self-assembly pathways related to protein aggregation. We discuss the relevant master equation and analytical approaches to studying it. In particular, we derive the underlying rate laws in closed-form using a self-consistent solution scheme; the solutions that we obtain reveal scaling behaviors that are very generally present in systems of growing linear aggregates, and, moreover, provide a general route through which to relate experimental measurements to mechanistic information. We conclude by outlining a study of the aggregation of the Alzheimer's amyloid-beta peptide. The study identifies the dominant microscopic mechanism of aggregation and reveals previously unidentified therapeutic strategies.

Effectiveness of interactive tutorials in promoting "which-path" information reasoning in advanced quantum mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Maries, Alexandru; Sayer, Ryan; Singh, Chandralekha

2017-12-01

Research suggests that introductory physics students often have difficulty using a concept in contexts different from the ones in which they learned it without explicit guidance to help them make the connection between the different contexts. We have been investigating advanced students' learning of quantum mechanics concepts and have developed interactive tutorials which strive to help students learn these concepts. Two such tutorials, focused on the Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) and the double-slit experiment (DSE), help students learn how to use the concept of "which-path" information to reason about the presence or absence of interference in these two experiments in different situations. After working on a pretest that asked students to predict interference in the MZI with single photons and polarizers of various orientations placed in one or both paths of the MZI, students worked on the MZI tutorial which, among other things, guided them to reason in terms of which-path information in order to predict interference in similar situations. We investigated the extent to which students were able to use reasoning related to which-path information learned in the MZI tutorial to answer analogous questions on the DSE (before working on the DSE tutorial). After students worked on the DSE pretest they worked on a DSE tutorial in which they learned to use the concept of which-path information to answer questions about interference in the DSE with single particles with mass sent through the two slits and a monochromatic lamp placed between the slits and the screen. We investigated if this additional exposure to the concept of which-path information promoted improved learning and performance on the DSE questions with single photons and polarizers placed after one or both slits. We find evidence that both tutorials promoted which-path information reasoning and helped students use this reasoning appropriately in contexts different from the ones in which they had learned

5S rRNA-derived and tRNA-derived SINEs in fruit bats.

Science.gov (United States)

Gogolevsky, Konstantin P; Vassetzky, Nikita S; Kramerov, Dmitri A

2009-05-01

Most short retroposons (SINEs) descend from cellular tRNA of 7SL RNA. Here, four new SINEs were found in megabats (Megachiroptera) but neither in microbats nor in other mammals. Two of them, MEG-RS and MEG-RL, descend from another cellular RNA, 5S rRNA; one (MEG-T2) is a tRNA-derived SINE; and MEG-TR is a hybrid tRNA/5S rRNA SINE. Insertion locus analysis suggests that these SINEs were active in the recent fruit bat evolution. Analysis of MEG-RS and MEG-RL in comparison with other few 5S rRNA-derived SINEs demonstrates that the internal RNA polymerase III promoter is their most invariant region, while the secondary structure is more variable. The mechanisms underlying the modular structure of these and other SINEs as well as their variation are discussed. The scenario of evolution of MEG SINEs is proposed.

Leghemoglobin-derived radicals. Evidence for multiple protein-derived radicals and the initiation of peribacteroid membrane damage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moreau, S; Davies, Michael Jonathan; Mathieu, C

1996-01-01

, with the consequent generation of lipid-derived radicals. The formation of such radicals may result in the depletion of membrane antioxidants and the initiation of lipid peroxidation. This transfer of damage from the heme center via the protein surface to neighboring membranes may be of considerable biological......-derived phenoxyl radical present at Tyr-133 in the soybean protein and Tyr-138 in the lupin protein. To obtain further information on these protein radicals and their potential interaction with the physiologically important peribacteroid membrane (which surrounds the microsymbiont in vivo), EPR spin trapping......); these radicals may be side chain- or alpha-carbon-derived, their exact sites have not been determined. Some of these radicals are on the protein surface and may be key intermediates in the formation of protein dimers. These radicals have been shown to be capable of reacting with peribacteroid membrane fractions...

Safety assessment on polyethylene glycols (PEGs) and their derivatives as used in cosmetic products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fruijtier-Poelloth, Claudia

2005-01-01

This assessment focusses on polyethylene glycols (PEGs) and on anionic or nonionic PEG derivatives, which are currently used in cosmetics in Europe. These compounds are used in a great variety of cosmetic applications because of their solubility and viscosity properties, and because of their low toxicity. The PEGs, their ethers, and their fatty acid esters produce little or no ocular or dermal irritation and have extremely low acute and chronic toxicities. They do not readily penetrate intact skin, and in view of the wide use of preparations containing PEG and PEG derivatives, only few case reports on sensitisation reactions have been published, mainly involving patients with exposure to PEGs in medicines or following exposure to injured or chronically inflamed skin. On healthy skin, the sensitising potential of these compounds appears to be negligible. For some representative substances of this class, information was available on reproductive and developmental toxicity, on genotoxicty and carcinogenic properties. Taking into consideration all available information from related compounds, as well as the mode and mechanism of action, no safety concern with regard to these endpoints could be identified. Based on the available data it is therefore concluded that PEGs of a wide molecular weight range (200 to over 10,000), their ethers (laureths. ceteths, ceteareths, steareths, and oleths), and fatty acid esters (laurates, dilaurates, stearates, distearates) are safe for use in cosmetics. Limited data were available for PEG sorbitan/sorbitol fatty acid esters, PEG sorbitan beeswax and PEG soy sterols. Taking into account all the information available for closely related compounds, it can be assumed that these compounds as presently used in cosmetic preparations will not present a risk for human health. PEG castor oils and PEG hydrogenated castor oils have caused anaphylactic reactions when used in intravenous medicinal products. Their topical use in cosmetics is

Derivation of integral energy balance for the manotea facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pollman, Anthony, E-mail: pollman@nps.edu [Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering Department, United States Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93943 (United States); Marzo, Marino di [Fire Protection Engineering Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States)

2013-12-15

Highlights: • An integral energy balance was derived for the MANOTEA facility. • A second equation was derived which frames transients in terms of inventory alone. • Both equations were implemented and showed good agreement with experimental data. • The equations capture the physical mechanisms behind MANOTEA transients. • Physical understanding is required in order to properly model these transients with TRACE. - Abstract: Rapid-condensation-induced fluid motion occurs in several nuclear reactor accident sequences, as well as during normal operation. Modeling these events is central to our ability to regulate and ensure safe reactor operations. The UMD-USNA Near One-dimensional Transient Experimental Apparatus (MANOTEA) was constructed in order to create a rapid-condensation dataset for subsequent comparison to TRACE output. This paper outlines a derivation of the energy balance for the facility. A path integral based on mass and energy, rather than fluid mechanical, considerations is derived in order to characterize the physical mechanisms governing MANOTEA transients. This equation is further simplified to obtain an expression that frames transients in term of liquid inventory alone. Using data obtained from an actual transient, the path integral is implemented using three variables (change in liquid inventory, liquid inventory as a function of time, and change in metal temperature) to predict the outcome of a fourth independently measured variable (condenser pressure as a function of time). The implementation yields a very good approximation of the actual data. The inventory equation is also implemented and shows reasonable agreement. These equations, and the physical intuition that they yield, are key to properly characterizing MANOTEA transients and any subsequent modeling efforts.

Real time information management for improving productivity in metallurgical complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bascur, O.A.; Kennedy, J.P.

1999-01-01

Applying the latest information technologies in industrial plants has become a serious challenge to management and technical teams. The availability of real time and historical operations information to identify the most critical part of the processing system from mechanical integrity is a must for global plant optimization. Expanded use of plant information on the desktop is a standard tool for revenue improvement, cost reduction, and adherence to production constraints. The industrial component desktop supports access to information for process troubleshooting, continuous improvement and innovation by plant and staff personnel. Collaboration between groups enables the implementation of an overall process effectiveness index based on losses due to equipment availability, production and product quality. The key to designing technology is to use the Internet based technologies created by Microsoft for its marketplace-office automation and the Web. Time derived variables are used for process analysis, troubleshooting and performance assessment. Connectivity between metallurgical complexes, research centers and their business system has become a reality. Two case studies of large integrated mining/metallurgical complexes are highlighted. (author)

Indirect and two fold measurements in quantum mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fer, Francis

1981-01-01

Keeping strictly in the positivist, probabilistic and hilbertian frame of quantum mechanics, the author develops a criticism of the accepted theory of indirect and twofold measurements. He shows that this theory cannot logically derive from the usual axiomatics, namely from the so-called reduction-of-state axiom. He proposes a modified statement (already used sometimes) of this axiom, which leads to a reliable theory of indirect and twofold measurements. The results are particularly: a) that a measurement made on a sub-system does not modify the mathematical representation of the complementary system, nor its prior probability distributions; b) that measurement is nothing else than an information which enables to correct the probabilities of further measurements according to the classical rules of the calculus of probabilities [fr

Functional Differences in Engineered Myocardium from Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived versus Neonatal Cardiomyocytes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feinberg, Adam W.; Ripplinger, Crystal M.; van der Meer, Peter; Sheehy, Sean P.; Domian, Ibrahim; Chien, Kenneth R.; Parker, Kevin Kit

2013-01-01

Stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes represent unique tools for cell-and tissue-based regenerative therapies, drug discovery and safety, and studies of fundamental heart-failure mechanisms. However, the degree to which stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes compare to mature cardiomyocytes is often debated.

Simulation of chemical reactions using fractional derivatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zabadal, J.; Vilhena, M.; Livotto, P.

2001-01-01

In this work a new approach to solve time-dependant Schroedinger equation for molecular systems is proposed. The method employs functional derivatives to describe the time evolution of the wave functions in reactive systems, in order to establish the mechanisms and products of the reaction. A numerical simulation is reported

Space-Derived Transparency: Players, Policies, Implications, and Synergies

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kinnan, C

2001-01-01

.... Democratization and globalization, the proliferation of information technologies, the availability of commercial space high-resolution imagery, and the growing influence of NGOs invite this question: What is (space-derived...

Carnitine derivatives: clinical usefulness.

Science.gov (United States)

Malaguarnera, Mariano

2012-03-01

Carnitine and its derivatives are natural substances involved in both carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. This review summarizes the recent progress in the field in relation to the molecular mechanisms. The pool of different carnitine derivatives is formed by acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), propionyl-L-carnitine (PLC), and isovaleryl-carnitine. ALC may have a preferential effect on the brain tissue. ALC represents a compound of great interest for its wide clinical application in various neurological disorders: it may be of benefit in treating Alzheimer's dementia, depression in the elderly, HIV infection, chronic fatigue syndrome, peripheral neuropathies, ischemia and reperfusion of the brain, and cognitive impairment associated with various conditions. PLC has been demonstrated to replenish the intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle by the propionyl-CoA moiety, a greater affinity for the sarcolemmal carrier, peripheral vasodilator activity, a greater positive inotropism, and more rapid entry into myocytes. Most studies of the therapeutic use of PLC are focused on the prevention and treatment of ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, hypertrophic heart disease, and peripheral arterial disease. ALC and PLC are considered well tolerated without significant side-effects. A number of therapeutic effects possibly come from the interaction of carnitine and its derivatives with the elements of cellular membranes.

Word learning mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Angela Xiaoxue; Arunachalam, Sudha

2017-07-01

How do children acquire the meanings of words? Many word learning mechanisms have been proposed to guide learners through this challenging task. Despite the availability of rich information in the learner's linguistic and extralinguistic input, the word-learning task is insurmountable without such mechanisms for filtering through and utilizing that information. Different kinds of words, such as nouns denoting object concepts and verbs denoting event concepts, require to some extent different kinds of information and, therefore, access to different kinds of mechanisms. We review some of these mechanisms to examine the relationship between the input that is available to learners and learners' intake of that input-that is, the organized, interpreted, and stored representations they form. We discuss how learners segment individual words from the speech stream and identify their grammatical categories, how they identify the concepts denoted by these words, and how they refine their initial representations of word meanings. WIREs Cogn Sci 2017, 8:e1435. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1435 This article is categorized under: Linguistics > Language Acquisition Psychology > Language. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Synthesis of 2-amino-4H-chromene derivatives under microwave ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

ing method to construct the 2-amino-4H-chromene skeleton. 2. Experimental. 2.1 Materials and methods .... ing 2-amino-4H-chromene (3a–r) derivatives in good .... Students. Supplementary information. The electronic supporting information ...

Finite element analysis of an atomistically derived cohesive model for brittle fracture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lloyd, J T; McDowell, D L; Zimmerman, J A; Jones, R E; Zhou, X W

2011-01-01

In order to apply information from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in problems governed by engineering length and time scales, a coarse graining methodology must be used. In previous work by Zhou et al (2009 Acta Mater. 57 4671–86), a traction-separation cohesive model was developed using results from MD simulations with atomistic-to-continuum measures of stress and displacement. Here, we implement this cohesive model within a combined finite element/cohesive surface element framework (referred to as a finite element approach or FEA), and examine the ability for the atomistically informed FEA to directly reproduce results from MD. We find that FEA shows close agreement of both stress and crack opening displacement profiles at the cohesive interface, although some differences do exist that can be attributed to the stochastic nature of finite temperature MD. The FEA methodology is then used to study slower loading rates that are computationally expensive for MD. We find that the crack growth process initially exhibits a rate-independent relationship between crack length and boundary displacement, followed by a rate-dependent regime where, at a given amount of boundary displacement, a lower applied strain rate produces a longer crack length. Our method is also extended to larger length scales by simulating a compact tension fracture-mechanics specimen with sub-micrometer dimensions. Such a simulation shows a computational speedup of approximately four orders of magnitude over conventional atomistic simulation, while exhibiting the expected fracture-mechanics response. Finally, differences between FEA and MD are explored with respect to ensemble and temperature effects in MD, and their impact on the cohesive model and crack growth behavior. These results enable us to make several recommendations to improve the methodology used to derive cohesive laws from MD simulations. In light of this work, which has critical implications for efforts to derive continuum laws

76 FR 13629 - Draft Guidance for Industry on Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls Information-Fermentation...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-14

...] Draft Guidance for Industry on Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls Information--Fermentation-Derived... Controls (CMC) Information-- Fermentation-Derived Intermediates, Drug Substances, and Related Drug Products... documentation to submit to support the CMC information for fermentation-derived intermediates, drug substances...

International cooperative information systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

Developing countries need mechanisms by which the information they generate themselves and development information from the rest of the world can be retrieved. The international cooperative information system is such a mechanism. Delegates to the Seminar on International Cooperative Information Systems were informed about various existing systems (INIS, AGRIS, INFOTERRA, TCDC/INRES, POPIN, DEVSIS, and INPADROC), some specialized information systems and services (CDS/ISIS and the Cassava Information Centre), and computer programs for information processing (INIS/AGRIS, CDS/ISIS, and MINISIS). The participants suggested some changes that should be made on both the national and the international levels to ensure that these systems meet the needs of developing countries more effectively. (LL)

Antibacterial activity of 3-methylbenzo[d]thiazol-methylquinolinium derivatives and study of their action mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Ning; Du, Ruo-Lan; Zheng, Yuan-Yuan; Guo, Qi; Cai, Sen-Yuan; Liu, Zhi-Hua; Fang, Zhi-Yuan; Yuan, Wen-Chang; Liu, Ting; Li, Xiao-Mei; Lu, Yu-Jing; Wong, Kwok-Yin

2018-12-01

The increasing incidence of multidrug resistant bacterial infection renders an urgent need for the development of new antibiotics. To develop small molecules disturbing FtsZ activity has been recognized as promising approach to search for antibacterial of high potency systematically. Herein, a series of novel quinolinium derivatives were synthesized and their antibacterial activities were investigated. The compounds show strong antibacterial activities against different bacteria strains including MRSA, VRE and NDM-1 Escherichia coli. Among these derivatives, a compound bearing a 4-fluorophenyl group (A2) exhibited a superior antibacterial activity and its MICs to the drug-resistant strains are found lower than those of methicillin and vancomycin. The biological results suggest that these quinolinium derivatives can disrupt the GTPase activity and dynamic assembly of FtsZ, and thus inhibit bacterial cell division and then cause bacterial cell death. These compounds deserve further evaluation for the development of new antibacterial agents targeting FtsZ.

Mechanics of active surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Salbreux, Guillaume; Jülicher, Frank

2017-09-01

We derive a fully covariant theory of the mechanics of active surfaces. This theory provides a framework for the study of active biological or chemical processes at surfaces, such as the cell cortex, the mechanics of epithelial tissues, or reconstituted active systems on surfaces. We introduce forces and torques acting on a surface, and derive the associated force balance conditions. We show that surfaces with in-plane rotational symmetry can have broken up-down, chiral, or planar-chiral symmetry. We discuss the rate of entropy production in the surface and write linear constitutive relations that satisfy the Onsager relations. We show that the bending modulus, the spontaneous curvature, and the surface tension of a passive surface are renormalized by active terms. Finally, we identify active terms which are not found in a passive theory and discuss examples of shape instabilities that are related to active processes in the surface.

Measuring memory with the order of fractional derivative

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Maolin; Wang, Zaihua; Hu, Haiyan

2013-12-01

Fractional derivative has a history as long as that of classical calculus, but it is much less popular than it should be. What is the physical meaning of fractional derivative? This is still an open problem. In modeling various memory phenomena, we observe that a memory process usually consists of two stages. One is short with permanent retention, and the other is governed by a simple model of fractional derivative. With the numerical least square method, we show that the fractional model perfectly fits the test data of memory phenomena in different disciplines, not only in mechanics, but also in biology and psychology. Based on this model, we find that a physical meaning of the fractional order is an index of memory.

AGRIS: Categorization and information retrieval based on IBM's IRMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmid, H.; Leatherdale, D.

1976-01-01

The subject breakdown of the AGRIS data base by categories interlinked with object and geographical codes is described. The use of these categories and codes in a mechanized information retrieval system is then considered. The system is a modification of IBM's Information Retrieval and Management System (IRMS); it allows for batch processing on an IBM/360 or /370 computer operated under OS or VS. As IRMS was developed for use with a controlled vocabulary, the search possibilities on the AGRIS files are necessarily limited. An artificial vocabulary is presented, derived from the AGRIS subject categories, object codes, geographic codes, language codes, and bibliographic data: type of record, literary indicator, volume/issue number, and the country code of the submitting centre. The use of the IRMS system for AGRIS is described, with details of programming deliberately omitted. Program descriptions with data set definitions and file formats are presented separately

Project mechanisms challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perthuis, Ch. de

2005-06-01

The project mechanism complete the quotas systems concerning the carbon dioxide emissions market. The author explains and discusses these mechanisms and provides a panorama of the existing and developing projects. More specially she brings information on the mechanism of clean developments and renewable energies, the coordinated mechanisms, the agricultural projects, the financing of the projects and the exchange systeme of the New south Wales. (A.L.B.)

A multivector derivative approach to Lagrangian field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lasenby, A.; Gull, S.; Doran, C.

1993-01-01

A new calculus, based upon the multivector derivative, is developed for Lagrangian mechanics and field theory, providing streamlined and rigorous derivations of the Euler-Lagrange equations. A more general form of Noether's theorem is found which is appropriate to both discrete and continuous symmetries. This is used to find the conjugate currents of the Dirac theory, where it improves on techniques previously used for analyses of local observables. General formulas for the canonical stress-energy and angular-momentum tensors are derived, with spinors and vectors treated in a unified way. It is demonstrated that the antisymmetric terms in the stress-energy tensor are crucial to the correct treatment of angular momentum. The multivector derivative is extended to provide a functional calculus for linear functions which is more compact and more powerful than previous formalisms. This is demonstrated in a reformulation of the functional derivative with respect to the metric, which is then used to recover the full canonical stress-energy tensor. Unlike conventional formalisms, which result in a symmetric stress-energy tensor, this reformulation retains the potentially important antisymmetric contribution. 23 refs

Nambu mechanics for stochastic magnetization dynamics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thibaudeau, Pascal, E-mail: pascal.thibaudeau@cea.fr [CEA DAM/Le Ripault, BP 16, F-37260 Monts (France); Nussle, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.nussle@cea.fr [CEA DAM/Le Ripault, BP 16, F-37260 Monts (France); CNRS-Laboratoire de Mathématiques et Physique Théorique (UMR 7350), Fédération de Recherche “Denis Poisson” (FR2964), Département de Physique, Université de Tours, Parc de Grandmont, F-37200 Tours (France); Nicolis, Stam, E-mail: stam.nicolis@lmpt.univ-tours.fr [CNRS-Laboratoire de Mathématiques et Physique Théorique (UMR 7350), Fédération de Recherche “Denis Poisson” (FR2964), Département de Physique, Université de Tours, Parc de Grandmont, F-37200 Tours (France)

2017-06-15

Highlights: • The LLG equation can be formulated in the framework of dissipative Nambu mechanics. • A master equation is derived for the spin dynamics for additive/multiplicative noises. • The derived stochastic equations are compared to moment equations obtained by closures. - Abstract: The Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert (LLG) equation describes the dynamics of a damped magnetization vector that can be understood as a generalization of Larmor spin precession. The LLG equation cannot be deduced from the Hamiltonian framework, by introducing a coupling to a usual bath, but requires the introduction of additional constraints. It is shown that these constraints can be formulated elegantly and consistently in the framework of dissipative Nambu mechanics. This has many consequences for both the variational principle and for topological aspects of hidden symmetries that control conserved quantities. We particularly study how the damping terms of dissipative Nambu mechanics affect the consistent interaction of magnetic systems with stochastic reservoirs and derive a master equation for the magnetization. The proposals are supported by numerical studies using symplectic integrators that preserve the topological structure of Nambu equations. These results are compared to computations performed by direct sampling of the stochastic equations and by using closure assumptions for the moment equations, deduced from the master equation.

Abstractions for Mechanical Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sloth, Christoffer; Wisniewski, Rafael

2012-01-01

mechanical system. The tangential manifolds are generated using constants of motion, which can be derived from Noether's theorem. The transversal manifolds are subsequently generated on a reduced space, given by the Routhian, via action-angle coordinates. The method fully applies for integrable systems. We...

Mechanical modeling for magnetorheological elastomer isolators based on constitutive equations and electromagnetic analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qi; Dong, Xufeng; Li, Luyu; Ou, Jinping

2018-06-01

As constitutive models are too complicated and existing mechanical models lack universality, these models are beyond satisfaction for magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) devices. In this article, a novel universal method is proposed to build concise mechanical models. Constitutive model and electromagnetic analysis were applied in this method to ensure universality, while a series of derivations and simplifications were carried out to obtain a concise formulation. To illustrate the proposed modeling method, a conical MRE isolator was introduced. Its basic mechanical equations were built based on equilibrium, deformation compatibility, constitutive equations and electromagnetic analysis. An iteration model and a highly efficient differential equation editor based model were then derived to solve the basic mechanical equations. The final simplified mechanical equations were obtained by re-fitting the simulations with a novel optimal algorithm. In the end, verification test of the isolator has proved the accuracy of the derived mechanical model and the modeling method.

76 FR 69333 - Derivatives Clearing Organization General Provisions and Core Principles

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-08

... Management)); 75 FR 78185 (Dec. 15, 2010) (Core Principles J, K, L, and M (Information Management)); 75 FR... Parts 1, 21, 39 et al. Derivatives Clearing Organization General Provisions and Core Principles; Final... Derivatives Clearing Organization General Provisions and Core Principles AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading...

Classical to quantum mechanical tunneling mechanism crossover in thermal transitions between magnetic states.

Science.gov (United States)

Vlasov, Sergei; Bessarab, Pavel F; Uzdin, Valery M; Jónsson, Hannes

2016-12-22

Transitions between states of a magnetic system can occur by jumps over an energy barrier or by quantum mechanical tunneling through the energy barrier. The rate of such transitions is an important consideration when the stability of magnetic states is assessed for example for nanoscale candidates for data storage devices. The shift in transition mechanism from jumps to tunneling as the temperature is lowered is analyzed and a general expression derived for the crossover temperature. The jump rate is evaluated using a harmonic approximation to transition state theory. First, the minimum energy path for the transition is found with the geodesic nudged elastic band method. The activation energy for the jumps is obtained from the maximum along the path, a saddle point on the energy surface, and the eigenvalues of the Hessian matrix at that point as well as at the initial state minimum used to estimate the entropic pre-exponential factor. The crossover temperature for quantum mechanical tunneling is evaluated from the second derivatives of the energy with respect to orientation of the spin vector at the saddle point. The resulting expression is applied to test problems where analytical results have previously been derived, namely uniaxial and biaxial spin systems with two-fold anisotropy. The effect of adding four-fold anisotropy on the crossover temperature is demonstrated. Calculations of the jump rate and crossover temperature for tunneling are also made for a molecular magnet containing an Mn 4 group. The results are in excellent agreement with previously reported experimental measurements on this system.

Geometric derivation of the quantum speed limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, Philip J.; Kok, Pieter

2010-01-01

The Mandelstam-Tamm and Margolus-Levitin inequalities play an important role in the study of quantum-mechanical processes in nature since they provide general limits on the speed of dynamical evolution. However, to date there has been only one derivation of the Margolus-Levitin inequality. In this paper, alternative geometric derivations for both inequalities are obtained from the statistical distance between quantum states. The inequalities are shown to hold for unitary evolution of pure and mixed states, and a counterexample to the inequalities is given for evolution described by completely positive trace-preserving maps. The counterexample shows that there is no quantum speed limit for nonunitary evolution.

Structural phenotyping of stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasqualini, Francesco Silvio; Sheehy, Sean Paul; Agarwal, Ashutosh; Aratyn-Schaus, Yvonne; Parker, Kevin Kit

2015-03-10

Structural phenotyping based on classical image feature detection has been adopted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind genetically or pharmacologically induced changes in cell morphology. Here, we developed a set of 11 metrics to capture the increasing sarcomere organization that occurs intracellularly during striated muscle cell development. To test our metrics, we analyzed the localization of the contractile protein α-actinin in a variety of primary and stem-cell derived cardiomyocytes. Further, we combined these metrics with data mining algorithms to unbiasedly score the phenotypic maturity of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is mechanical dyssynchrony still a major determinant for responses after cardiac resynchronization therapy?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Qing; Yu Cheuk Man

2011-01-01

The assessment of mechanical dyssynchrony by advanced echocardiographic technologies and its importance in selecting more appropriate candidates for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) have been disputed, after the announcement of the Predictors of Response to CRT (PROSPECT) trial, as the first evidence derived from a multicenter study. However, attempts in this field have never been stopped, as it appears that the fundamental mechanism of CRT is the correction of dyssynchrony where the detection of baseline dyssynchrony is of particular significance. The QRS width provides simple but very limited information. On the other hand, non-invasive imaging tools such as echocardiography have the capacity for more detailed analysis of mechanical dyssynchrony. We reviewed a number of clinical studies published in the post-PROSPECT era, designed to figure out a predictive algorithm where dyssynchrony measure is included, for identifying the most suitable patients before device implantation. From the analysis, mechanical dyssynchrony remains to be a major determinant for clinical outcomes after CRT, although discrepancies have arisen with respect to the single-center nature, echocardiographic methodologies, and relative merit when compared with other predicting factors. (author)

Sulfonamide-Linked Ciprofloxacin, Sulfadiazine and Amantadine Derivatives as a Novel Class of Inhibitors of Jack Bean Urease; Synthesis, Kinetic Mechanism and Molecular Docking.

Science.gov (United States)

Channar, Pervaiz Ali; Saeed, Aamer; Albericio, Fernando; Larik, Fayaz Ali; Abbas, Qamar; Hassan, Mubashir; Raza, Hussain; Seo, Sung-Yum

2017-08-16

Sulfonamide derivatives serve as an important building blocks in the drug design discovery and development (4D) process. Ciprofloxacin-, sulfadiazine- and amantadine-based sulfonamides were synthesized as potent inhibitors of jack bean urease and free radical scavengers. Molecular diversity was explored and electronic factors were also examined. All 24 synthesized compounds exhibited excellent potential against urease enzyme. Compound 3e (IC 50 = 0.081 ± 0.003 µM), 6a (IC 50 = 0.0022 ± 0.0002 µM), 9e (IC 50 = 0.0250 ± 0.0007 µM) and 12d (IC 50 = 0.0266 ± 0.0021 µM) were found to be the lead compounds compared to standard (thiourea, IC 50 = 17.814 ± 0.096 µM). Molecular docking studies were performed to delineate the binding affinity of the molecules and a kinetic mechanism of enzyme inhibition was propounded. Compounds 3e , 6a and 12d exhibited a mixed type of inhibition, while derivative 9e revealed a non-competitive mode of inhibition. Compounds 12a , 12b , 12d , 12e and 12f showed excellent radical scavenging potency in comparison to the reference drug vitamin C.

Contact geometry and quantum mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Herczeg, Gabriel; Waldron, Andrew

2018-06-01

We present a generally covariant approach to quantum mechanics in which generalized positions, momenta and time variables are treated as coordinates on a fundamental "phase-spacetime". We show that this covariant starting point makes quantization into a purely geometric flatness condition. This makes quantum mechanics purely geometric, and possibly even topological. Our approach is especially useful for time-dependent problems and systems subject to ambiguities in choices of clock or observer. As a byproduct, we give a derivation and generalization of the Wigner functions of standard quantum mechanics.

Antidiabetic plant-derived nutraceuticals: a critical review.

Science.gov (United States)

Naveen, Jayapal; Baskaran, Vallikannan

2018-06-01

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the major health problems in the world, especially amongst the urban population. Chemically synthesized drugs used to decrease the ill effects of DM and its secondary complications cause adverse side effects, viz., weight gain, gastrointestinal disturbances, and heart failure. Currently, various other approaches, viz., diet control, physical exercise and use of antidiabetic plant-derived molecules/foods are advocated to manage DM, as they are economical with fewer or no side effects. This review mainly focuses on antidiabetic plants, chemically characterized plant molecules and plant-based foods in the treatment of DM. Very little science-based evidence is available on the mechanism of action of plant-derived food molecules on the DM targets. Critical DM targets include α-amylase, α-glucosidase, DPP-IV, aldose reductase, PPAR-γ, AMP kinase and GLUT4. In-depth studies carried out on a few of those targets with specific mechanisms of action are addressed in this review. This review may help future researchers in identifying a right plant molecule to treat DM or to develop food formulations for DM management.

What is Quantum Information?

Science.gov (United States)

Lombardi, Olimpia; Fortin, Sebastian; Holik, Federico; López, Cristian

2017-04-01

Preface; Introduction; Part I. About the Concept of Information: 1. About the concept of information Sebastian Fortin and Olimpia Lombardi; 2. Representation, information, and theories of information Armond Duwell; 3. Information, communication, and manipulability Olimpia Lombardi and Cristian López; Part II. Information and quantum mechanics: 4. Quantum versus classical information Jeffrey Bub; 5. Quantum information and locality Dennis Dieks; 6. Pragmatic information in quantum mechanics Juan Roederer; 7. Interpretations of quantum theory: a map of madness Adán Cabello; Part III. Probability, Correlations, and Information: 8. On the tension between ontology and epistemology in quantum probabilities Amit Hagar; 9. Inferential versus dynamical conceptions of physics David Wallace; 10. Classical models for quantum information Federico Holik and Gustavo Martin Bosyk; 11. On the relative character of quantum correlations Guido Bellomo and Ángel Ricardo Plastino; Index.

Influence of mechanical stimulation on human dermal fibroblasts derived from different body sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuang, Ruixia; Wang, Zhiguo; Xu, Quanchen; Liu, Su; Zhang, Weidong

2015-01-01

Mechanical stimulation is highly associated with pathogenesis of human hypertrophic scar. Although much work has focused on the influence of mechanical stress on fibroblast populations from various tissues and organs in the human body, their effects on cultured dermal fibroblasts by the area of the body have not been as well studied. In this study, cultures of skin fibroblasts from two different body sites were subjected to cyclic mechanical stimulation with a 10% stretching amplitude at a frequency of 0.1 Hz for 24, 36 and 48 hours, respectively, and thereafter harvested for experimental assays. Fibroblasts from scapular upper back skin, subjected to mechanical loads for 36 and 48 hours, respectively, were observed to proliferate at a higher rate and reach confluent more rapidly during in vitro culturing, had higher expression levels of mRNA and protein production of integrin β1, p130Cas and TGF β1 versus those from medial side of upper arm. These data indicate that skin fibroblasts, with regard to originated body sites studied in the experiments, display a diversity of mechanotransduction properties and biochemical reactions in response to applied mechanical stress, which contributes to the increased susceptibility to hypertrophic scars formation at certain areas of human body characterized by higher skin and muscle tension.

Can Some Marine-Derived Fungal Metabolites Become Actual Anticancer Agents?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nelson G. M. Gomes

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Marine fungi are known to produce structurally unique secondary metabolites, and more than 1000 marine fungal-derived metabolites have already been reported. Despite the absence of marine fungal-derived metabolites in the current clinical pipeline, dozens of them have been classified as potential chemotherapy candidates because of their anticancer activity. Over the last decade, several comprehensive reviews have covered the potential anticancer activity of marine fungal-derived metabolites. However, these reviews consider the term “cytotoxicity” to be synonymous with “anticancer agent”, which is not actually true. Indeed, a cytotoxic compound is by definition a poisonous compound. To become a potential anticancer agent, a cytotoxic compound must at least display (i selectivity between normal and cancer cells (ii activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR cancer cells; and (iii a preferentially non-apoptotic cell death mechanism, as it is now well known that a high proportion of cancer cells that resist chemotherapy are in fact apoptosis-resistant cancer cells against which pro-apoptotic drugs have more than limited efficacy. The present review thus focuses on the cytotoxic marine fungal-derived metabolites whose ability to kill cancer cells has been reported in the literature. Particular attention is paid to the compounds that kill cancer cells through non-apoptotic cell death mechanisms.

A permutation information theory tour through different interest rate maturities: the Libor case.

Science.gov (United States)

Bariviera, Aurelio Fernández; Guercio, María Belén; Martinez, Lisana B; Rosso, Osvaldo A

2015-12-13

This paper analyses Libor interest rates for seven different maturities and referred to operations in British pounds, euros, Swiss francs and Japanese yen, during the period 2001-2015. The analysis is performed by means of two quantifiers derived from information theory: the permutation Shannon entropy and the permutation Fisher information measure. An anomalous behaviour in the Libor is detected in all currencies except euros during the years 2006-2012. The stochastic switch is more severe in one, two and three months maturities. Given the special mechanism of Libor setting, we conjecture that the behaviour could have been produced by the manipulation that was uncovered by financial authorities. We argue that our methodology is pertinent as a market overseeing instrument. © 2015 The Author(s).

Synthesis and characterization of novel sulfonamides derivatives

African Journals Online (AJOL)

3Department of Chemistry, Comsat Institute of Information & Technology Riawind road. Lahore ... Newer sulfonamides and their derivatives has obtained great attention in pharmaceutical field in ... MS data was recorded on Finnigan MAT 112 mass ..... potent and orally active sulfonamide ETB selective antagonists. Bioorg.

Maintenance of relational information in working memory leads to suppression of the sensory cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Ikkai, Akiko; Blacker, Kara J; Lakshmanan, Balaji M; Ewen, Joshua B; Courtney, Susan M

2014-10-15

Working memory (WM) for sensory-based information about individual objects and their locations appears to involve interactions between lateral prefrontal and sensory cortexes. The mechanisms and representations for maintenance of more abstract, nonsensory information in WM are unknown, particularly whether such actively maintained information can become independent of the sensory information from which it was derived. Previous studies of WM for individual visual items found increased electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha (8-13 Hz) power over posterior electrode sites, which appears to correspond to the suppression of cortical areas that represent irrelevant sensory information. Here, we recorded EEG while participants performed a visual WM task that involved maintaining either concrete spatial coordinates or abstract relational information. Maintenance of relational information resulted in higher alpha power in posterior electrodes. Furthermore, lateralization of alpha power due to a covert shift of attention to one visual hemifield was marginally weaker during storage of relational information than during storage of concrete information. These results suggest that abstract relational information is maintained in WM differently from concrete, sensory representations and that during maintenance of abstract information, posterior sensory regions become task irrelevant and are thus suppressed. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

New derivation of quantum equations from classical stochastic arguments

OpenAIRE

Bergeron, H.

2003-01-01

In a previous article [H. Bergeron, J. Math. Phys. 42, 3983 (2001)], we presented a method to obtain a continuous transition from classical to quantum mechanics starting from the usual phase space formulation of classical mechanics. This procedure was based on a Koopman-von Neumann approach where classical equations are reformulated into a quantumlike form. In this article, we develop a different derivation of quantum equations, based on purely classical stochastic arguments, taking some elem...

Using Annotated Conceptual Models to Derive Information System Implementations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony Berglas

1994-05-01

Full Text Available Producing production quality information systems from conceptual descriptions is a time consuming process that employs many of the world's programmers. Although most of this programming is fairly routine, the process has not been amenable to simple automation because conceptual models do not provide sufficient parameters to make all the implementation decisions that are required, and numerous special cases arise in practice. Most commercial CASE tools address these problems by essentially implementing a waterfall model in which the development proceeds from analysis through design, layout and coding phases in a partially automated manner, but the analyst/programmer must heavily edit each intermediate stage. This paper demonstrates that by recognising the nature of information systems, it is possible to specify applications completely using a conceptual model that has een annotated with additional parameters that guide automated implementation. More importantly, it will be argued that a manageable number of annotations are sufficient to implement realistic applications, and techniques will be described that enabled the author's commercial CASE tool, the Intelligent Develope to automated implementation without requiring complex theorem proving technology.

A quantitative approach to modeling the information processing of NPP operators under input information overload

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong Hyun; Seong, Poong Hyun

2002-01-01

This paper proposes a quantitative approach to modeling the information processing of NPP operators. The aim of this work is to derive the amount of the information processed during a certain control task under input information overload. We primarily develop the information processing model having multiple stages, which contains information flow. Then the uncertainty of the information is quantified using the Conant's model, a kind of information theory. We also investigate the applicability of this approach to quantifying the information reduction of operators under the input information overload

State-Space Modelling of Loudspeakers using Fractional Derivatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

King, Alexander Weider; Agerkvist, Finn T.

2015-01-01

This work investigates the use of fractional order derivatives in modeling moving-coil loudspeakers. A fractional order state-space solution is developed, leading the way towards incorporating nonlinearities into a fractional order system. The method is used to calculate the response of a fractio......This work investigates the use of fractional order derivatives in modeling moving-coil loudspeakers. A fractional order state-space solution is developed, leading the way towards incorporating nonlinearities into a fractional order system. The method is used to calculate the response...... of a fractional harmonic oscillator, representing the mechanical part of a loudspeaker, showing the effect of the fractional derivative and its relationship to viscoelasticity. Finally, a loudspeaker model with a fractional order viscoelastic suspension and fractional order voice coil is fit to measurement data...

Theoretical physics 2 analytical mechanics

CERN Document Server

Nolting, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

This textbook offers a clear and comprehensive introduction to analytical mechanics, one of the core components of undergraduate physics courses.It follows on naturally from the previous volumes in this series, thus expanding the knowledge in classical mechanics. The book starts with a thorough introduction into Lagrangian mechanics, detailing the d’Alembert principle, Hamilton’s principle and conservation laws. It continues with an in-depth explanation of Hamiltonian mechanics, illustrated by canonical and Legendre transformation, the generalization to quantum mechanics through Poisson brackets and all relevant variational principles. Finally, the Hamilton-Jacobi theory and the transition to wave mechanics are presented in detail. Ideally suited to undergraduate students with some grounding in classical mechanics, the book is enhanced throughout with learning features such as boxed inserts and chapter summaries, with key mathematical derivations highlighted to aid understanding. The text is supported by ...

An information theory-based approach to modeling the information processing of NPP operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong Hyun; Seong, Poong Hyun

2002-01-01

This paper proposes a quantitative approach to modeling the information processing of NPP operators. The aim of this work is to derive the amount of the information processed during a certain control task. The focus will be on i) developing a model for information processing of NPP operators and ii) quantifying the model. To resolve the problems of the previous approaches based on the information theory, i.e. the problems of single channel approaches, we primarily develop the information processing model having multiple stages, which contains information flows. Then the uncertainty of the information is quantified using the Conant's model, a kind of information theory

What is quantum information ?

CERN Document Server

Fortin, Sebastian; Holik, Federico; López, Cristian

2017-01-01

Combining physics and philosophy, this is a uniquely interdisciplinary examination of quantum information science which provides an up-to-date examination of developments in this field. The authors provide coherent definitions and theories of information, taking clearly defined approaches to considering information in connection with quantum mechanics, probability, and correlations. Concepts addressed include entanglement of quantum states, the relation of quantum correlations to quantum information, and the meaning of the informational approach for the foundations of quantum mechanics. Furthermore, the mathematical concept of information in the communicational context, and the notion of pragmatic information are considered. Suitable as both a discussion of the conceptual and philosophical problems of this field and a comprehensive stand-alone introduction, this book will benefit both experienced and new researchers in quantum information and the philosophy of physics.

Ferroquine and its derivatives: new generation of antimalarial agents.