Stable expression of mtlD gene imparts multiple stress tolerance in finger millet.

Science.gov (United States)

Hema, Ramanna; Vemanna, Ramu S; Sreeramulu, Shivakumar; Reddy, Chandrasekhara P; Senthil-Kumar, Muthappa; Udayakumar, Makarla

2014-01-01

Finger millet is susceptible to abiotic stresses, especially drought and salinity stress, in the field during seed germination and early stages of seedling development. Therefore developing stress tolerant finger millet plants combating drought, salinity and associated oxidative stress in these two growth stages is important. Cellular protection through osmotic adjustment and efficient free radical scavenging ability during abiotic stress are important components of stress tolerance mechanisms in plants. Mannitol, an osmolyte, is known to scavenge hydroxyl radicals generated during various abiotic stresses and thereby minimize stress damage in several plant species. In this study transgenic finger millet plants expressing the mannitol biosynthetic pathway gene from bacteria, mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (mtlD), were developed through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation. mtlD gene integration in the putative transgenic plants was confirmed by Southern blot. Further, performance of transgenic finger millet under drought, salinity and oxidative stress was studied at plant level in T1 generation and in T1 and T2 generation seedlings. Results from these experiments showed that transgenic finger millet had better growth under drought and salinity stress compared to wild-type. At plant level, transgenic plants showed better osmotic adjustment and chlorophyll retention under drought stress compared to the wild-type. However, the overall increase in stress tolerance of transgenics for the three stresses, especially for oxidative stress, was only marginal compared to other mtlD gene expressing plant species reported in the literature. Moreover, the Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation protocol developed for finger millet in this study can be used to introduce diverse traits of agronomic importance in finger millet.

Designing monitoring programs for chemicals of emerging concern in potable reuse--what to include and what not to include?

Science.gov (United States)

Drewes, J E; Anderson, P; Denslow, N; Olivieri, A; Schlenk, D; Snyder, S A; Maruya, K A

2013-01-01

This study discussed a proposed process to prioritize chemicals for reclaimed water monitoring programs, selection of analytical methods required for their quantification, toxicological relevance of chemicals of emerging concern regarding human health, and related issues. Given that thousands of chemicals are potentially present in reclaimed water and that information about those chemicals is rapidly evolving, a transparent, science-based framework was developed to guide prioritization of which compounds of emerging concern (CECs) should be included in reclaimed water monitoring programs. The recommended framework includes four steps: (1) compile environmental concentrations (e.g., measured environmental concentration or MEC) of CECs in the source water for reuse projects; (2) develop a monitoring trigger level (MTL) for each of these compounds (or groups thereof) based on toxicological relevance; (3) compare the environmental concentration (e.g., MEC) to the MTL; CECs with a MEC/MTL ratio greater than 1 should be prioritized for monitoring, compounds with a ratio less than '1' should only be considered if they represent viable treatment process performance indicators; and (4) screen the priority list to ensure that a commercially available robust analytical method is available for that compound.

Tau and β-Amyloid Are Associated with Medial Temporal Lobe Structure, Function, and Memory Encoding in Normal Aging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marks, Shawn M. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Helen Wills Neuroscience Inst.; Lockhart, Samuel N. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Helen Wills Neuroscience Inst.; Baker, Suzanne L. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging; Jagust, William J. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Helen Wills Neuroscience Inst.; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging

2017-03-22

Normal aging is associated with a decline in episodic memory and also with aggregation of the β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau proteins and atrophy of medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures crucial to memory formation. Although some evidence suggests that Aβ is associated with aberrant neural activity, the relationships among these two aggregated proteins, neural function, and brain structure are poorly understood. Using in vivo human Aβ and tau imaging, we demonstrate that increased Aβ and tau are both associated with aberrant fMRI activity in the MTL during memory encoding in cognitively normal older adults. This pathological neural activity was in turn associated with worse memory performance and atrophy within the MTL. A mediation analysis revealed that the relationship with regional atrophy was explained by MTL tau. These findings broaden the concept of cognitive aging to include evidence of Alzheimer’s disease-related protein aggregation as an underlying mechanism of age-related memory impairment.

Designing monitoring programs for chemicals of emerging concern in potable reuse ⋯ What to include and what not to include?

KAUST Repository

Drewes, Jorg; Anderson, Paul D.; Denslow, Nancy D.; Olivieri, Adam W.; Schlenk, Daniel K.; Snyder, Shane A.; Maruya, Keith

2012-01-01

This study discussed a proposed process to prioritize chemicals for reclaimed water monitoring programs, selection of analytical methods required for their quantification, toxicological relevance of chemicals of emerging concern regarding human health, and related issues. Given that thousands of chemicals are potentially present in reclaimed water and that information about those chemicals is rapidly evolving, a transparent, science-based framework was developed to guide prioritization of which compounds of emerging concern (CECs) should be included in reclaimed water monitoring programs. The recommended framework includes four steps: (1) compile environmental concentrations (e.g., measured environmental concentration or MEC) of CECs in the source water for reuse projects; (2) develop a monitoring trigger level (MTL) for each of these compounds (or groups thereof) based on toxicological relevance; (3) compare the environmental concentration (e.g., MEC) to the MTL; CECs with a MEC/MTL ratio greater than 1 should be prioritized for monitoring, compounds with a ratio less than '1' should only be considered if they represent viable treatment process performance indicators; and (4) screen the priority list to ensure that a commercially available robust analytical method is available for that compound. © IWA Publishing 2013.

Designing monitoring programs for chemicals of emerging concern in potable reuse ⋯ What to include and what not to include?

KAUST Repository

Drewes, Jorg

2012-11-01

This study discussed a proposed process to prioritize chemicals for reclaimed water monitoring programs, selection of analytical methods required for their quantification, toxicological relevance of chemicals of emerging concern regarding human health, and related issues. Given that thousands of chemicals are potentially present in reclaimed water and that information about those chemicals is rapidly evolving, a transparent, science-based framework was developed to guide prioritization of which compounds of emerging concern (CECs) should be included in reclaimed water monitoring programs. The recommended framework includes four steps: (1) compile environmental concentrations (e.g., measured environmental concentration or MEC) of CECs in the source water for reuse projects; (2) develop a monitoring trigger level (MTL) for each of these compounds (or groups thereof) based on toxicological relevance; (3) compare the environmental concentration (e.g., MEC) to the MTL; CECs with a MEC/MTL ratio greater than 1 should be prioritized for monitoring, compounds with a ratio less than \\'1\\' should only be considered if they represent viable treatment process performance indicators; and (4) screen the priority list to ensure that a commercially available robust analytical method is available for that compound. © IWA Publishing 2013.

Familiarity and recollection vs representational models of medial temporal lobe structures: A single-case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lacot, Emilie; Vautier, Stéphane; Kőhler, Stefan; Pariente, Jérémie; Martin, Chris B; Puel, Michèle; Lotterie, Jean-Albert; Barbeau, Emmanuel J

2017-09-01

Although it is known that medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures support declarative memory, the fact these structures have different architectonics and circuitry suggests they may also play different functional roles. Selective lesions of MTL structures offer an opportunity to understand these roles. We report, in this study, on JMG, a patient who presents highly unusual lesions that completely affected all MTL structures except for the right hippocampus and parts of neighbouring medial parahippocampal cortex. We first demonstrate that JMG shows preserved recall for visual material on 5 experimental tasks. This finding suggests that his right hippocampus is functional, even though it appears largely disconnected from most of its MTL afferents. In contrast, JMG performed very poorly, as compared to control subjects, on 7 tasks of visual recognition memory for single items. Although he sometimes performed above chance, neither familiarity nor recollection appeared fully preserved. These results indicate that extrahippocampal structures, damaged bilaterally in JMG, perform critical operations for item recognition; and that the hippocampus cannot take over that role, including recollection, when these structures are largely damaged. Finally, in a set of 3 recognition memory tasks with scenes as stimuli, JMG performed at the level of control participants and obtained normal indices of familiarity and recollection. Overall, our findings suggest that the right hippocampus and remnants of parahippocampal cortex can support recognition memory for scenes in the absence of preserved item-recognition memory. The patterns of dissociations, which we report in the present study, provide support for a representational account of the functional organization of MTL structures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stress-Induced Cracking of Fluorocarbon Rubber MTL-0002 After Exposure to DS-2

Science.gov (United States)

1993-09-01

recipe is as described in Table I. Table 1. MTL-0002 recipe Component PHR Fluorel 2174 80 Fluorel 2145 20 Carnauba Wax 3 N-990 Carbon Black 30 Maglite D...that this is the V7D proportioning) and that better compression set values could be obtained by using I to 2 phr Carnauba Wax instead of the 3 phr...hydroxide. If additional compression set resistance is desired, the level of Carnauba Wax should also be reduced. However, a post-cure heat treatment is not

Non-commutative multiple-valued logic algebras

CERN Document Server

Ciungu, Lavinia Corina

2014-01-01

This monograph provides a self-contained and easy-to-read introduction to non-commutative multiple-valued logic algebras; a subject which has attracted much interest in the past few years because of its impact on information science, artificial intelligence and other subjects.   A study of the newest results in the field, the monograph includes treatment of pseudo-BCK algebras, pseudo-hoops, residuated lattices, bounded divisible residuated lattices, pseudo-MTL algebras, pseudo-BL algebras and pseudo-MV algebras. It provides a fresh perspective on new trends in logic and algebras in that algebraic structures can be developed into fuzzy logics which connect quantum mechanics, mathematical logic, probability theory, algebra and soft computing.   Written in a clear, concise and direct manner, Non-Commutative Multiple-Valued Logic Algebras will be of interest to masters and PhD students, as well as researchers in mathematical logic and theoretical computer science.

Individual differences in associative memory among older adults explained by hippocampal subfield structure and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Valerie A; Bernstein, Jeffrey D; Favila, Serra E; Rutt, Brian K; Kerchner, Geoffrey A; Wagner, Anthony D

2017-11-07

Older adults experience impairments in episodic memory, ranging from mild to clinically significant. Given the critical role of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) in episodic memory, age-related changes in MTL structure and function may partially account for individual differences in memory. Using ultra-high-field 7T structural MRI and high-resolution 3T functional MRI (hr-fMRI), we evaluated MTL subfield thickness and function in older adults representing a spectrum of cognitive health. Participants performed an associative memory task during hr-fMRI in which they encoded and later retrieved face-name pairs. Motivated by prior research, we hypothesized that differences in performance would be explained by the following: ( i ) entorhinal cortex (ERC) and CA1 apical neuropil layer [CA1-stratum radiatum lacunosum moleculare (SRLM)] thickness, and ( ii ) activity in ERC and the dentate gyrus (DG)/CA3 region. Regression analyses revealed that this combination of factors significantly accounted for variability in memory performance. Among these metrics, CA1-SRLM thickness was positively associated with memory, whereas DG/CA3 retrieval activity was negatively associated with memory. Furthermore, including structural and functional metrics in the same model better accounted for performance than did single-modality models. These results advance the understanding of how independent but converging influences of both MTL subfield structure and function contribute to age-related memory impairment, complementing findings in the rodent and human postmortem literatures.

Probing the structural and dynamical properties of liquid water with models including non-local electron correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Del Ben, Mauro; Hutter, Jürg; VandeVondele, Joost

2015-01-01

Water is a ubiquitous liquid that displays a wide range of anomalous properties and has a delicate structure that challenges experiment and simulation alike. The various intermolecular interactions that play an important role, such as repulsion, polarization, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals interactions, are often difficult to reproduce faithfully in atomistic models. Here, electronic structure theories including all these interactions at equal footing, which requires the inclusion of non-local electron correlation, are used to describe structure and dynamics of bulk liquid water. Isobaric-isothermal (NpT) ensemble simulations based on the Random Phase Approximation (RPA) yield excellent density (0.994 g/ml) and fair radial distribution functions, while various other density functional approximations produce scattered results (0.8-1.2 g/ml). Molecular dynamics simulation in the microcanonical (NVE) ensemble based on Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) yields dynamical properties in the condensed phase, namely, the infrared spectrum and diffusion constant. At the MP2 and RPA levels of theory, ice is correctly predicted to float on water, resolving one of the anomalies as resulting from a delicate balance between van der Waals and hydrogen bonding interactions. For several properties, obtaining quantitative agreement with experiment requires correction for nuclear quantum effects (NQEs), highlighting their importance, for structure, dynamics, and electronic properties. A computed NQE shift of 0.6 eV for the band gap and absorption spectrum illustrates the latter. Giving access to both structure and dynamics of condensed phase systems, non-local electron correlation will increasingly be used to study systems where weak interactions are of paramount importance

Memory for fearful faces across development: specialization of amygdala nuclei and medial temporal lobe structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinabiaux, Charlotte; Hertz-Pannier, Lucie; Chiron, Catherine; Rodrigo, Sébastian; Jambaqué, Isabelle; Noulhiane, Marion

2013-01-01

Enhanced memory for emotional faces is a significant component of adaptive social interactions, but little is known on its neural developmental correlates. We explored the role of amygdaloid complex (AC) and medial temporal lobe (MTL) in emotional memory recognition across development, by comparing fMRI activations of successful memory encoding of fearful and neutral faces in children (n = 12; 8-12 years) and adolescents (n = 12; 13-17 years). Memory for fearful faces was enhanced compared with neutral ones in adolescents, as opposed to children. In adolescents, activations associated with successful encoding of fearful faces were centered on baso-lateral AC nuclei, hippocampus, enthorhinal and parahippocampal cortices. In children, successful encoding of fearful faces relied on activations of centro-mesial AC nuclei, which was not accompanied by functional activation of MTL memory structures. Successful encoding of neutral faces depended on activations in anterior MTL region (hippocampal head and body) in adolescents, but more posterior ones (hippocampal tail and parahippocampal cortex) in children. In conclusion, two distinct functional specializations emerge from childhood to adolescence and result in the enhancement of memory for these particular stimuli: the specialization of baso-lateral AC nuclei, which is associated with the expertise in processing emotional facial expression, and which is intimately related to the specialization of MTL memory network. How the interplay between specialization of AC nuclei and of MTL memory structures is fundamental for the edification of social interactions remains to be elucidated.

Memory for fearful faces across development: specialization of amygdala nuclei and medial temporal lobe structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charlotte ePinabiaux

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Enhanced memory for emotional faces is a significant component of adaptive social interactions, but little is known on its neural developmental correlates. We explored the role of amygdaloid complex (AC and medial temporal lobe (MTL in emotional memory recognition across development, by comparing fMRI activations of successful memory encoding of fearful and neutral faces in children (n=12; 8-12 years and adolescents (n=12; 13-17 years. Memory for fearful faces was enhanced compared with neutral ones in adolescents, as opposed to children. In adolescents, activations associated with successful encoding of fearful faces were centered on baso-lateral AC nuclei, hippocampus, enthorhinal and parahippocampal cortices. In children, successful encoding of fearful faces relied on activations of centro-mesial AC nuclei, which was not accompanied by functional activation of MTL memory structures. Successful encoding of neutral faces depended on activations in anterior MTL region (hippocampal head and body in adolescents, but more posterior ones (hippocampal tail and parahippocampal cortex in children. In conclusion, two distinct functional specializations emerge from childhood to adolescence and result in the enhancement of memory for these particular stimuli: the specialization of baso-lateral AC nuclei, which is associated with the expertise in processing emotional facial expression, and which is intimately related to the specialization of MTL memory network. How the interplay between specialization of AC nuclei and of MTL memory structures is fundamental for the edification of social interactions remains to be elucidated.

Dissociating the neural correlates of intra-item and inter-item working-memory binding.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carinne Piekema

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Integration of information streams into a unitary representation is an important task of our cognitive system. Within working memory, the medial temporal lobe (MTL has been conceptually linked to the maintenance of bound representations. In a previous fMRI study, we have shown that the MTL is indeed more active during working-memory maintenance of spatial associations as compared to non-spatial associations or single items. There are two explanations for this result, the mere presence of the spatial component activates the MTL, or the MTL is recruited to bind associations between neurally non-overlapping representations. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The current fMRI study investigates this issue further by directly comparing intrinsic intra-item binding (object/colour, extrinsic intra-item binding (object/location, and inter-item binding (object/object. The three binding conditions resulted in differential activation of brain regions. Specifically, we show that the MTL is important for establishing extrinsic intra-item associations and inter-item associations, in line with the notion that binding of information processed in different brain regions depends on the MTL. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings indicate that different forms of working-memory binding rely on specific neural structures. In addition, these results extend previous reports indicating that the MTL is implicated in working-memory maintenance, challenging the classic distinction between short-term and long-term memory systems.

What, if anything, is the medial temporal lobe, and how can the amygdala be part of it if there is no such thing?

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Elisabeth A; Wise, Steven P

2004-11-01

Should the medial temporal lobe (MTL) of primates--which includes allocortical structures such as the hippocampus, neocortical structures such as the parahippocampal cortex, and nuclear structures such as the basolateral amygdala--be considered a single "thing"? According to the prevailing view, here termed the reification theory, the answer is yes. According to this theory, the MTL functions as an amalgamated entity that provides the neuronal mechanisms for declarative memory; the greater the damage to the MTL or any of its components, the greater the deleterious effects on declarative memory. A countervailing view, here called the balkanization theory, holds that the various components of the MTL process and store different kinds of information. According to this theory, damage to each part of the MTL causes a unique set of behavioral deficits-some involving memory, others involving perception, and yet others involving response selection. The empirical neuropsychological evidence favors the balkanization theory, as do some new concepts in theoretical neuroanatomy.

Identification of putative estrogen receptor-mediated endocrine disrupting chemicals using QSAR- and structure-based virtual screening approaches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Liying; Sedykh, Alexander; Tripathi, Ashutosh [Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States); Zhu, Hao [The Rutgers Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ (United States); Department of Chemistry, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ (United States); Afantitis, Antreas; Mouchlis, Varnavas D.; Melagraki, Georgia [NovaMechanics Ltd., Nicosia (Cyprus); Rusyn, Ivan, E-mail: iir@unc.edu [Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States); Tropsha, Alexander, E-mail: alex_tropsha@unc.edu [Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States)

2013-10-01

Identification of endocrine disrupting chemicals is one of the important goals of environmental chemical hazard screening. We report on the development of validated in silico predictors of chemicals likely to cause estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated endocrine disruption to facilitate their prioritization for future screening. A database of relative binding affinity of a large number of ERα and/or ERβ ligands was assembled (546 for ERα and 137 for ERβ). Both single-task learning (STL) and multi-task learning (MTL) continuous quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) models were developed for predicting ligand binding affinity to ERα or ERβ. High predictive accuracy was achieved for ERα binding affinity (MTL R{sup 2} = 0.71, STL R{sup 2} = 0.73). For ERβ binding affinity, MTL models were significantly more predictive (R{sup 2} = 0.53, p < 0.05) than STL models. In addition, docking studies were performed on a set of ER agonists/antagonists (67 agonists and 39 antagonists for ERα, 48 agonists and 32 antagonists for ERβ, supplemented by putative decoys/non-binders) using the following ER structures (in complexes with respective ligands) retrieved from the Protein Data Bank: ERα agonist (PDB ID: 1L2I), ERα antagonist (PDB ID: 3DT3), ERβ agonist (PDB ID: 2NV7), and ERβ antagonist (PDB ID: 1L2J). We found that all four ER conformations discriminated their corresponding ligands from presumed non-binders. Finally, both QSAR models and ER structures were employed in parallel to virtually screen several large libraries of environmental chemicals to derive a ligand- and structure-based prioritized list of putative estrogenic compounds to be used for in vitro and in vivo experimental validation. - Highlights: • This is the largest curated dataset inclusive of ERα and β (the latter is unique). • New methodology that for the first time affords acceptable ERβ models. • A combination of QSAR and docking enables prediction of affinity and function. �

Identification of putative estrogen receptor-mediated endocrine disrupting chemicals using QSAR- and structure-based virtual screening approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Liying; Sedykh, Alexander; Tripathi, Ashutosh; Zhu, Hao; Afantitis, Antreas; Mouchlis, Varnavas D.; Melagraki, Georgia; Rusyn, Ivan; Tropsha, Alexander

2013-01-01

Identification of endocrine disrupting chemicals is one of the important goals of environmental chemical hazard screening. We report on the development of validated in silico predictors of chemicals likely to cause estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated endocrine disruption to facilitate their prioritization for future screening. A database of relative binding affinity of a large number of ERα and/or ERβ ligands was assembled (546 for ERα and 137 for ERβ). Both single-task learning (STL) and multi-task learning (MTL) continuous quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) models were developed for predicting ligand binding affinity to ERα or ERβ. High predictive accuracy was achieved for ERα binding affinity (MTL R 2 = 0.71, STL R 2 = 0.73). For ERβ binding affinity, MTL models were significantly more predictive (R 2 = 0.53, p < 0.05) than STL models. In addition, docking studies were performed on a set of ER agonists/antagonists (67 agonists and 39 antagonists for ERα, 48 agonists and 32 antagonists for ERβ, supplemented by putative decoys/non-binders) using the following ER structures (in complexes with respective ligands) retrieved from the Protein Data Bank: ERα agonist (PDB ID: 1L2I), ERα antagonist (PDB ID: 3DT3), ERβ agonist (PDB ID: 2NV7), and ERβ antagonist (PDB ID: 1L2J). We found that all four ER conformations discriminated their corresponding ligands from presumed non-binders. Finally, both QSAR models and ER structures were employed in parallel to virtually screen several large libraries of environmental chemicals to derive a ligand- and structure-based prioritized list of putative estrogenic compounds to be used for in vitro and in vivo experimental validation. - Highlights: • This is the largest curated dataset inclusive of ERα and β (the latter is unique). • New methodology that for the first time affords acceptable ERβ models. • A combination of QSAR and docking enables prediction of affinity and function. • The results

SCOPE-mTL: A non-invasive tool for identifying and lateralizing mesial temporal lobe seizures prior to scalp EEG ictal onset.

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Alice D; Maus, Douglas; Zafar, Sahar F; Cole, Andrew J; Cash, Sydney S

2017-09-01

In mesial temporal lobe (mTL) epilepsy, seizure onset can precede the appearance of a scalp EEG ictal pattern by many seconds. The ability to identify this early, occult mTL seizure activity could improve lateralization and localization of mTL seizures on scalp EEG. Using scalp EEG spectral features and machine learning approaches on a dataset of combined scalp EEG and foramen ovale electrode recordings in patients with mTL epilepsy, we developed an algorithm, SCOPE-mTL, to detect and lateralize early, occult mTL seizure activity, prior to the appearance of a scalp EEG ictal pattern. Using SCOPE-mTL, 73% of seizures with occult mTL onset were identified as such, and no seizures that lacked an occult mTL onset were identified as having one. Predicted mTL seizure onset times were highly correlated with actual mTL seizure onset times (r=0.69). 50% of seizures with early mTL onset were lateralizable prior to scalp ictal onset, with 94% accuracy. SCOPE-mTL can identify and lateralize mTL seizures prior to scalp EEG ictal onset, with high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Quantitative analysis of scalp EEG can provide important information about mTL seizures, even in the absence of a visible scalp EEG ictal correlate. Copyright © 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The medial temporal lobes distinguish between within-item and item-context relations during autobiographical memory retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheldon, Signy; Levine, Brian

2015-12-01

During autobiographical memory retrieval, the medial temporal lobes (MTL) relate together multiple event elements, including object (within-item relations) and context (item-context relations) information, to create a cohesive memory. There is consistent support for a functional specialization within the MTL according to these relational processes, much of which comes from recognition memory experiments. In this study, we compared brain activation patterns associated with retrieving within-item relations (i.e., associating conceptual and sensory-perceptual object features) and item-context relations (i.e., spatial relations among objects) with respect to naturalistic autobiographical retrieval. We developed a novel paradigm that cued participants to retrieve information about past autobiographical events, non-episodic within-item relations, and non-episodic item-context relations with the perceptuomotor aspects of retrieval equated across these conditions. We used multivariate analysis techniques to extract common and distinct patterns of activity among these conditions within the MTL and across the whole brain, both in terms of spatial and temporal patterns of activity. The anterior MTL (perirhinal cortex and anterior hippocampus) was preferentially recruited for generating within-item relations later in retrieval whereas the posterior MTL (posterior parahippocampal cortex and posterior hippocampus) was preferentially recruited for generating item-context relations across the retrieval phase. These findings provide novel evidence for functional specialization within the MTL with respect to naturalistic memory retrieval. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The feeling of familiarity for music in patients with a unilateral temporal lobe lesion: A gating study.

Science.gov (United States)

Huijgen, Josefien; Dellacherie, Delphine; Tillmann, Barbara; Clément, Sylvain; Bigand, Emmanuel; Dupont, Sophie; Samson, Séverine

2015-10-01

Previous research has indicated that the medial temporal lobe (MTL), and more specifically the perirhinal cortex, plays a role in the feeling of familiarity for non-musical stimuli. Here, we examined contribution of the MTL to the feeling of familiarity for music by testing patients with unilateral MTL lesions. We used a gating paradigm: segments of familiar and unfamiliar musical excerpts were played with increasing durations (250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 ms and complete excerpts), and participants provided familiarity judgments for each segment. Based on the hypothesis that patients might need longer segments than healthy controls (HC) to identify excerpts as familiar, we examined the onset of the emergence of familiarity in HC, patients with a right MTL resection (RTR), and patients with a left MTL resection (LTR). In contrast to our hypothesis, we found that the feeling of familiarity was relatively spared in patients with a right or left MTL lesion, even for short excerpts. All participants were able to differentiate familiar from unfamiliar excerpts as early as 500 ms, although the difference between familiar and unfamiliar judgements was greater in HC than in patients. These findings suggest that a unilateral MTL lesion does not impair the emergence of the feeling of familiarity. We also assessed whether the dynamics of the musical excerpt (linked to the type and amount of information contained in the excerpts) modulated the onset of the feeling of familiarity in the three groups. The difference between familiar and unfamiliar judgements was greater for high than for low-dynamic excerpts for HC and RTR patients, but not for LTR patients. This indicates that the LTR group did not benefit in the same way from dynamics. Overall, our results imply that the recognition of previously well-learned musical excerpts does not depend on the integrity of either right or the left MTL structures. Patients with a unilateral MTL resection may compensate for the effects of

The Leadership Formula: P*M*D

Science.gov (United States)

2007-08-01

group. 3. Non-calculative MTL – those graded high in this factor evinced a strong link to cultural values. Collectivist values were found to be in...the baby’s needs for both dependence and autonomy molds an unconscious psychological structure in the baby – an internal working model - which, in...questionnaires that included a personality questionnaire, a cultural value questionnaire, and a leadership self efficacy questionnaire. In addition

Non-Gaussian Methods for Causal Structure Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Shohei

2018-05-22

Causal structure learning is one of the most exciting new topics in the fields of machine learning and statistics. In many empirical sciences including prevention science, the causal mechanisms underlying various phenomena need to be studied. Nevertheless, in many cases, classical methods for causal structure learning are not capable of estimating the causal structure of variables. This is because it explicitly or implicitly assumes Gaussianity of data and typically utilizes only the covariance structure. In many applications, however, non-Gaussian data are often obtained, which means that more information may be contained in the data distribution than the covariance matrix is capable of containing. Thus, many new methods have recently been proposed for using the non-Gaussian structure of data and inferring the causal structure of variables. This paper introduces prevention scientists to such causal structure learning methods, particularly those based on the linear, non-Gaussian, acyclic model known as LiNGAM. These non-Gaussian data analysis tools can fully estimate the underlying causal structures of variables under assumptions even in the presence of unobserved common causes. This feature is in contrast to other approaches. A simulated example is also provided.

Electron diffraction study of {alpha}-AlMnSi crystals including non-crystallographic axes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, G.L.; Bursill, L.A.

1997-06-01

The structure of crystalline {alpha}-AlMnSi is examined by electron diffraction. Six distinct zone axes are examined, including both normal crystallographic and non-crystallographic zones axes, allowing the space group symmetry to be studied. Electron diffraction patterns characteristic of Pm3-bar were obtained for thicker specimens. However, for very thin specimens, as used for HRTEM imaging, the electron diffraction patterns were characteristic of Im3-bar space group symmetry. The structural basis of the Pm3-bar to Im3-bar transformation may be understood in terms of an analysis of the icosahedral structural elements located at the corners and body-centers of the cubic unit cell. A method for indexing the non-crystallographic zone axis diffraction patterns is described. An electron diffraction pattern of the 5-fold axis of the quasicrystalline phase i-AlMnSi is also included; this is compared with the experimental results and calculations for the [0{tau}1] axis of Pm3-bar and Im3-bar crystalline phases. 26 refs., 4 tabs., 7 figs.

Some Mathematical Structures Including Simplified Non-Relativistic Quantum Teleportation Equations and Special Relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woesler, Richard

2007-01-01

The computations of the present text with non-relativistic quantum teleportation equations and special relativity are totally speculative, physically correct computations can be done using quantum field theory, which remain to be done in future. Proposals for what might be called statistical time loop experiments with, e.g., photon polarization states are described when assuming the simplified non-relativistic quantum teleportation equations and special relativity. However, a closed time loop would usually not occur due to phase incompatibilities of the quantum states. Histories with such phase incompatibilities are called inconsistent ones in the present text, and it is assumed that only consistent histories would occur. This is called an exclusion principle for inconsistent histories, and it would yield that probabilities for certain measurement results change. Extended multiple parallel experiments are proposed to use this statistically for transmission of classical information over distances, and regarding time. Experiments might be testable in near future. However, first a deeper analysis, including quantum field theory, remains to be done in future

Ecphory of Autobiographical Memories: an fMRI Study on Recent and Remote Memory Retrieval

Science.gov (United States)

Steinvorth, Sarah; Corkin, Suzanne; Halgren, Eric

2006-01-01

Ecphory occurs when one recollects a past event cued by a trigger, such as a picture, odor, or name. It is a central component of autobiographical memory, which allows us to “travel mentally back in time” and re-experience specific events from our personal past. Using fMRI and focusing on the role of medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures, we investigated the brain bases of autobiographical memory and whether they change with the age of memories. Importantly, we used an ecphory task in which the remote character of the memories was ensured. The results showed that a large bilateral network supports autobiographical memory: temporal lobe, temporo-occipito-parietal junction, dorsal prefrontal cortex, medial frontal cortex, retrosplenial cortex and surrounding areas, and MTL structures. This network, including MTL structures, changed little with the age of the memories. PMID:16257547

Medial temporal lobe reinstatement of content-specific details predicts source memory

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Jackson C.; Preston, Alison R.

2016-01-01

Leading theories propose that when remembering past events, medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures reinstate the neural patterns that were active when those events were initially encoded. Accurate reinstatement is hypothesized to support detailed recollection of memories, including their source. While several studies have linked cortical reinstatement to successful retrieval, indexing reinstatement within the MTL network and its relationship to memory performance has proved challenging. Here, we addressed this gap in knowledge by having participants perform an incidental encoding task, during which they visualized people, places, and objects in response to adjective cues. During a surprise memory test, participants saw studied and novel adjectives and indicated the imagery task they performed for each adjective. A multivariate pattern classifier was trained to discriminate the imagery tasks based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) responses from hippocampus and MTL cortex at encoding. The classifier was then tested on MTL patterns during the source memory task. We found that MTL encoding patterns were reinstated during successful source retrieval. Moreover, when participants made source misattributions, errors were predicted by reinstatement of incorrect source content in MTL cortex. We further observed a gradient of content-specific reinstatement along the anterior-posterior axis of hippocampus and MTL cortex. Within anterior hippocampus, we found that reinstatement of person content was related to source memory accuracy, whereas reinstatement of place information across the entire hippocampal axis predicted correct source judgments. Content-specific reinstatement was also graded across MTL cortex, with PRc patterns evincing reactivation of people and more posterior regions, including PHc, showing evidence for reinstatement of places and objects. Collectively, these findings provide key evidence that source recollection relies on reinstatement of past

Total internal conversion coefficient of the 260. 9 keV (7/sup +/->3/sup -/) transition in sup(198m)Tl

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Venkateswara Rao, N.; Suryanarayana, C.; Narayana, D.G.S.; Bhuloka Reddy, S.; Satynarayana, G.; Sastry, D.L.; Chintalapudi, S.N.

1986-02-21

The 1.87 hours 543.7 keV (7/sup +/) isomeric state in /sup 198/Tl is produced via /sup 197/Au(..cap alpha.., 3n)sup(198m)Tl (Esub(..cap alpha..) = 35 MeV) reaction. The total conversion coefficient of 260.9 keV (7/sup +/ -> 3/sup -/) is determined for the first time by the intensity balance method. The value of ..cap alpha..sub(T)(260.9 keV) is found to be 40.1 +- 8.6 which is in good agreement with the theoretical value of Hager and Seltzer for pure M4 transition. The gamma transition probability of the 260.9 keV (M4) is calculated using the present value of ..cap alpha..sub(T) and compared with the single-particle estimate.

Default network connectivity in medial temporal lobe amnesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Scott M; Salat, David H; Verfaellie, Mieke

2012-10-17

There is substantial overlap between the brain regions supporting episodic memory and the default network. However, in humans, the impact of bilateral medial temporal lobe (MTL) damage on a large-scale neural network such as the default mode network is unknown. To examine this issue, resting fMRI was performed with amnesic patients and control participants. Seed-based functional connectivity analyses revealed robust default network connectivity in amnesia in cortical default network regions such as medial prefrontal cortex, posterior medial cortex, and lateral parietal cortex, as well as evidence of connectivity to residual MTL tissue. Relative to control participants, decreased posterior cingulate cortex connectivity to MTL and increased connectivity to cortical default network regions including lateral parietal and medial prefrontal cortex were observed in amnesic patients. In contrast, somatomotor network connectivity was intact in amnesic patients, indicating that bilateral MTL lesions may selectively impact the default network. Changes in default network connectivity in amnesia were largely restricted to the MTL subsystem, providing preliminary support from MTL amnesic patients that the default network can be fractionated into functionally and structurally distinct components. To our knowledge, this is the first examination of the default network in amnesia.

Non-classical structures of organic compounds: unusual stereochemistry and hypercoordination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minkin, Vladimir I; Minyaev, Ruslan M; Hoffmann, Roald

2002-01-01

Non-classical structures of organic compounds are defined as molecules containing non-tetrahedral tetracoordinate and/or hypercoordinate carbon atoms. The evolution of the views on this subject is considered and the accumulated theoretical and experimental data on the structures and dynamic transformations of non-classical organic compounds are systematised. It is shown that computational analysis using the methods and the software potential of modern quantum chemistry has now acquired high predictive capacity and is the most important source of data on the structures of non-classical compounds. The bibliography includes 227 references.

Economic growth and marine biodiversity: influence of human social structure on decline of marine trophic levels.

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Clausen, Rebecca; York, Richard

2008-04-01

We assessed the effects of economic growth, urbanization, and human population size on marine biodiversity. We used the mean trophic level (MTL) of marine catch as an indicator of marine biodiversity and conducted cross-national time-series analyses (1960-2003) of 102 nations to investigate human social influences on fish catch and trends in MTL. We constructed path models to examine direct and indirect effects relating to marine catch and MTL. Nations' MTLs declined with increased economic growth, increased urbanization, and increased population size, in part because of associated increased catch. These findings contradict the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, which claims that economic modernization will reduce human impact on the environment. To make informed decisions on issues of marine resource management, policy makers, nonprofit entities, and professional societies must recognize the need to include social analyses in overall conservation-research strategies. The challenge is to utilize the socioeconomic and ecological research in the service of a comprehensive marine-conservation movement.

An FFT-accelerated time-domain multiconductor transmission line simulator

KAUST Repository

Bagci, Hakan

2010-02-01

A fast time-domain multiconductor transmission line (MTL) simulator for analyzing general MTL networks is presented. The simulator models the networks as homogeneous MTLs that are excited by external fields and driven/terminated/ connected by potentially nonlinear lumped circuitry. It hybridizes an MTL solver derived from time-domain integral equations (TDIEs) in unknown wave coefficients for each MTL with a circuit solver rooted in modified nodal analysis equations in unknown node voltages and voltage-source currents for each circuit. These two solvers are rigorously interfaced at MTL and circuit terminals, and the resulting coupled system of equations is solved simultaneously for all MTL and circuit unknowns at each time step. The proposed simulator is amenable to hybridization, is fast Fourier transform (FFT)-accelerated, and is highly accurate: 1) It can easily be hybridized with TDIE-based field solvers (in a fully rigorous mathematical framework) for performing electromagnetic interference and compatibility analysis on electrically large and complex structures loaded with MTL networks. 2) It is accelerated by an FFT algorithm that calculates temporal convolutions of time-domain MTL Green functions in only O(Ntlog2 N t) rather than O(Ntt2) operations, where N t is the number of time steps of simulation. Moreover, the algorithm, which operates on temporal samples of MTL Green functions, is indifferent to the method used to obtain them. 3) It approximates MTL voltages, currents, and wave coefficients, using high-order temporal basis functions. Various numerical examples, including the crosstalk analysis of a (twisted) unshielded twisted-pair (UTP)-CAT5 cable and the analysis of field coupling into UTP-CAT5 and RG-58 cables located on an airplane, are presented to demonstrate the accuracy, efficiency, and versatility of the proposed simulator. © 2010 IEEE.

Do we see what we should see? Describing non-covalent interactions in protein structures including precision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manickam Gurusaran

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The power of X-ray crystal structure analysis as a technique is to `see where the atoms are'. The results are extensively used by a wide variety of research communities. However, this `seeing where the atoms are' can give a false sense of security unless the precision of the placement of the atoms has been taken into account. Indeed, the presentation of bond distances and angles to a false precision (i.e. to too many decimal places is commonplace. This article has three themes. Firstly, a basis for a proper representation of protein crystal structure results is detailed and demonstrated with respect to analyses of Protein Data Bank entries. The basis for establishing the precision of placement of each atom in a protein crystal structure is non-trivial. Secondly, a knowledge base harnessing such a descriptor of precision is presented. It is applied here to the case of salt bridges, i.e. ion pairs, in protein structures; this is the most fundamental place to start with such structure-precision representations since salt bridges are one of the tenets of protein structure stability. Ion pairs also play a central role in protein oligomerization, molecular recognition of ligands and substrates, allosteric regulation, domain motion and α-helix capping. A new knowledge base, SBPS (Salt Bridges in Protein Structures, takes these structural precisions into account and is the first of its kind. The third theme of the article is to indicate natural extensions of the need for such a description of precision, such as those involving metalloproteins and the determination of the protonation states of ionizable amino acids. Overall, it is also noted that this work and these examples are also relevant to protein three-dimensional structure molecular graphics software.

Structural Dynamic Analyses And Test Predictions For Spacecraft Structures With Non-Linearities

Science.gov (United States)

Vergniaud, Jean-Baptiste; Soula, Laurent; Newerla, Alfred

2012-07-01

The overall objective of the mechanical development and verification process is to ensure that the spacecraft structure is able to sustain the mechanical environments encountered during launch. In general the spacecraft structures are a-priori assumed to behave linear, i.e. the responses to a static load or dynamic excitation, respectively, will increase or decrease proportionally to the amplitude of the load or excitation induced. However, past experiences have shown that various non-linearities might exist in spacecraft structures and the consequences of their dynamic effects can significantly affect the development and verification process. Current processes are mainly adapted to linear spacecraft structure behaviour. No clear rules exist for dealing with major structure non-linearities. They are handled outside the process by individual analysis and margin policy, and analyses after tests to justify the CLA coverage. Non-linearities can primarily affect the current spacecraft development and verification process on two aspects. Prediction of flights loads by launcher/satellite coupled loads analyses (CLA): only linear satellite models are delivered for performing CLA and no well-established rules exist how to properly linearize a model when non- linearities are present. The potential impact of the linearization on the results of the CLA has not yet been properly analyzed. There are thus difficulties to assess that CLA results will cover actual flight levels. Management of satellite verification tests: the CLA results generated with a linear satellite FEM are assumed flight representative. If the internal non- linearities are present in the tested satellite then there might be difficulties to determine which input level must be passed to cover satellite internal loads. The non-linear behaviour can also disturb the shaker control, putting the satellite at risk by potentially imposing too high levels. This paper presents the results of a test campaign performed in

Functional neuroimaging studies of episodic memory. Functional dissociation in the medial temporal lobe structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsukiura, Takashi

2008-01-01

Previous functional neuroimaging studies have demonstrated the critical role of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) regions in the encoding and retrieval of episodic memory. It has also been shown that an emotional factor in human memory enhances episodic encoding and retrieval. However, there is little evidence regarding the specific contribution of each MTL region to the relational, contextual, and emotional processes of episodic memory. The goal of this review article is to identify differential activation patterns of the processes between MTL regions. Results from functional neuroimaging studies of episodic memory show that the hippocampus is involved in encoding the relation between memory items, whereas the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices (anterior parahippocampal gyrus) contribute to the encoding of a single item. Additionally, the parahippocampal cortex (posterior parahippocampal gyrus) is selectively activated during the processing of contextual information of episodic memory. A similar pattern of functional dissociation is found in episodic memory retrieval. Functional neuroimaging has also shown that emotional information of episodic memory enhances amygdala-MTL correlations and that this enhancement is observed during both the encoding and retrieval of emotional memories. These findings from pervious neuroimaging studies suggest that different MTL regions could organize memory for personally experienced episodes via the 'relation' and 'context' factors of episodic memory, and that the emotional factor of episodes could modulate the functional organization in the MTL regions. (author)

Enzyme II/sup Mtl/ of the Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system: identification of the activity-linked cysteine on the mannitol carrier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pas, H.H.; Robillard, G.T.

1988-01-01

The cysteine of the membrane-bound mannitol-specific enzyme II (EII/sup Mtl/) of the Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system have been labeled with 4-vinylpyridine. After proteolytic breakdown and reversed-phase HPLC, the peptides containing cysteines 110, 384, and 571 could be identified. N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) treatment of the native unphosphorylated enzyme results in incorporation of one NEM label per molecule and loss of enzymatic activity. NEM treatment and inactivation prevented 4-vinylpyridine incorporation into the Cys-384-containing peptide, identifying this residue as the activity-linked cysteine. Both oxidation and phosphorylation of the native enzyme protected the enzyme against NEM labeling of Cys-384. Positive identification of the activity-linked cysteine was accomplished by inactivation with [ 14 C]iodoacetamide, proteolytic fragmentation, isolation of the peptide, and amino acid sequencing

Catalyst support structure, catalyst including the structure, reactor including a catalyst, and methods of forming same

Science.gov (United States)

Van Norman, Staci A.; Aston, Victoria J.; Weimer, Alan W.

2017-05-09

Structures, catalysts, and reactors suitable for use for a variety of applications, including gas-to-liquid and coal-to-liquid processes and methods of forming the structures, catalysts, and reactors are disclosed. The catalyst material can be deposited onto an inner wall of a microtubular reactor and/or onto porous tungsten support structures using atomic layer deposition techniques.

Multi-structure docking analysis of BACE1 crystal structures and non-peptidic ligands.

Science.gov (United States)

Haghighijoo, Zahra; Hemmateenejad, Bahram; Edraki, Najmeh; Miri, Ramin; Emami, Saeed

2017-09-01

In order to design novel non-peptidic inhibitors of BACE1, many research groups have attempted using computational studies including docking analyses. Since there are too many 3D structures for BACE1 in the protein database, the selection of suitable crystal structures is a key prerequisite for the successful application of molecular docking. We employed a multi-structure docking protocol. In which 615 ligands' structures were docked into 150 BACE1 structures. The large number of the resultant docking scores were post-processed by different data analysis methods including exploratory data analysis, regression analysis and discriminant analysis. It was found that using one crystal structure for docking did not result in high accuracy for predicting activity of the BACE1 inhibitors. Instead, using of the multi-structural docking scores, post-processed by chemometrics methods arrived to highly accurate predictive models. In this regards, the PDB accession codes of 4B70, 4DVF and 2WEZ could discriminate between active and inactive compounds, with higher accuracy. Clustering of the BACE1 structures based on principal component analysis of the crystallographic structures the revealed that the discriminant structures are in the center of the clusters. Thus, these structures can be selected as predominant crystal structures for docking studies of non-peptidic BACE1 inhibitors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structure and chemical organization of the accessory olfactory bulb in the goat.

Science.gov (United States)

Mogi, Kazutaka; Sakurai, Katsuyasu; Ichimaru, Toru; Ohkura, Satoshi; Mori, Yuji; Okamura, Hiroaki

2007-03-01

The structure and chemical composition of the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) were examined in male and female goats. Sections were subjected to either Nissl staining, Klüver-Barrera staining, lectin histochemistry, or immunohistochemistry for nitric oxide synthase (NOS), neuropeptide Y (NPY), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH), and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). The goat AOB was divided into four layers: the vomeronasal nerve layer (VNL), glomerular layer (GL), mitral/tufted (M/T) cell layer (MTL), and granule cell layer (GRL). Quantitative and morphometric analyses indicated that a single AOB contained 5,000-8,000 putative M/T cells with no sex differences, whereas the AOB was slightly larger in males. Of the 21 lectins examined, 7 specifically bound to the VNL and GL, and 1 bound not only to the VNL, but also to the MTL and GRL. In either of these cases, no heterogeneity of lectin staining was observed in the rostrocaudal direction. NOS-, TH-, DBH-, and GAD-immunoreactivity (ir) were observed in the MTL and GRL, whereas NPY-ir was present only in the GRL. In the GL, periglomerular cells with GAD-ir were found in abundance, and a subset of periglomerular cells containing TH-ir was also found. Double-labeling immunohistochemistry revealed that virtually all periglomerular cells containing TH-ir were colocalized with GAD-ir.

Non-bilayer structures in mitochondrial membranes regulate ATP synthase activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Gasanov, Sardar E; Kim, Aleksandr A; Yaguzhinsky, Lev S; Dagda, Ruben K

2018-02-01

Cardiolipin (CL) is an anionic phospholipid at the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) that facilitates the formation of transient non-bilayer (non-lamellar) structures to maintain mitochondrial integrity. CL modulates mitochondrial functions including ATP synthesis. However, the biophysical mechanisms by which CL generates non-lamellar structures and the extent to which these structures contribute to ATP synthesis remain unknown. We hypothesized that CL and ATP synthase facilitate the formation of non-bilayer structures at the IMM to stimulate ATP synthesis. By using 1 H NMR and 31 P NMR techniques, we observed that increasing the temperature (8°C to 37°C), lowering the pH (3.0), or incubating intact mitochondria with CTII - an IMM-targeted toxin that increases the formation of immobilized non-bilayer structures - elevated the formation of non-bilayer structures to stimulate ATP synthesis. The F 0 sector of the ATP synthase complex can facilitate the formation of non-bilayer structures as incubating model membranes enriched with IMM-specific phospholipids with exogenous DCCD-binding protein of the F 0 sector (DCCD-BPF) elevated the formation of immobilized non-bilayer structures to a similar manner as CTII. Native PAGE assays revealed that CL, but not other anionic phospholipids, specifically binds to DCCD-BPF to promote the formation of stable lipid-protein complexes. Mechanistically, molecular docking studies identified two lipid binding sites for CL in DCCD-BPF. We propose a new model of ATP synthase regulation in which CL mediates the formation of non-bilayer structures that serve to cluster protons and ATP synthase complexes as a mechanism to enhance proton translocation to the F 0 sector, and thereby increase ATP synthesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Entorhinal Tau Pathology, Episodic Memory Decline, and Neurodegeneration in Aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Maass, Anne; Lockhart, Samuel N; Harrison, Theresa M; Bell, Rachel K; Mellinger, Taylor; Swinnerton, Kaitlin; Baker, Suzanne L; Rabinovici, Gil D; Jagust, William J

2018-01-17

The medial temporal lobe (MTL) is an early site of tau accumulation and MTL dysfunction may underlie episodic-memory decline in aging and dementia. Postmortem data indicate that tau pathology in the transentorhinal cortex is common by age 60, whereas spread to neocortical regions and worsening of cognition is associated with β-amyloid (Aβ). We used [ 18 F]AV-1451 and [ 11 C]PiB positron emission tomography, structural MRI, and neuropsychological assessment to investigate how in vivo tau accumulation in temporal lobe regions, Aβ, and MTL atrophy contribute to episodic memory in cognitively normal older adults ( n = 83; age, 77 ± 6 years; 58% female). Stepwise regressions identified tau in MTL regions known to be affected in old age as the best predictor of episodic-memory performance independent of Aβ status. There was no interactive effect of MTL tau with Aβ on memory. Higher MTL tau was related to higher age in the subjects without evidence of Aβ. Among temporal lobe subregions, episodic memory was most strongly related to tau-tracer uptake in the parahippocampal gyrus, particularly the posterior entorhinal cortex, which in our parcellation includes the transentorhinal cortex. In subjects with longitudinal MRI and cognitive data ( n = 57), entorhinal atrophy mirrored patterns of tau pathology and their relationship with memory decline. Our data are consistent with neuropathological studies and further suggest that entorhinal tau pathology underlies memory decline in old age even without Aβ. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Tau tangles and β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques are key lesions in Alzheimer's disease (AD) but both pathologies also occur in cognitively normal older people. Neuropathological data indicate that tau tangles in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) underlie episodic-memory impairments in AD dementia. However, it remains unclear whether MTL tau pathology also accounts for memory impairments often seen in elderly people and how Aβ affects this relationship

Material specific lateralization of medial temporal lobe function: An fMRI investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalton, Marshall A; Hornberger, Michael; Piguet, Olivier

2016-03-01

The theory of material specific lateralization of memory function posits that left and right MTL regions are asymmetrically involved in mnemonic processing of verbal and nonverbal material respectively. Lesion and functional imaging (fMRI) studies provide robust evidence for a left MTL asymmetry in the verbal memory domain. Evidence for a right MTL/nonverbal asymmetry is not as robust. A handful of fMRI studies have investigated this issue but have generally utilised nonverbal stimuli which are amenable to semantic elaboration. This fMRI study aimed to investigate the neural correlates of recognition memory processing in 20 healthy young adults (mean age = 26 years) for verbal stimuli and nonverbal stimuli that were specifically designed to minimize verbalisation. Analyses revealed that the neural correlates of recognition memory processing for verbal and nonverbal stimuli were differentiable and asymmetrically recruited the left and right MTL respectively. The right perirhinal cortex and hippocampus were preferentially involved in successful recognition memory of items devoid of semantic information. In contrast, the left anterior hippocampus was preferentially involved in successful recognition memory of stimuli which contained semantic meaning. These results suggest that the left MTL is preferentially involved in mnemonic processing of verbal/semantic information. In contrast, the right MTL is preferentially involved in visual/non-semantic mnemonic processing. We propose that during development, the left MTL becomes specialised for verbal mnemonic processing due to its proximity with left lateralised cortical language processing areas while visual/non-semantic mnemonic processing gets 'crowded out' to become predominantly, but not completely, the domain of the right MTL. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Contributions of Feature Binding During Encoding and Functional Connectivity of the Medial Temporal Lobe Structures to Episodic Memory Deficits Across the Prodromal and First-Episode Phases of Schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Haut, Kristen M; van Erp, Theo G M; Knowlton, Barbara; Bearden, Carrie E; Subotnik, Kenneth; Ventura, Joseph; Nuechterlein, Keith H; Cannon, Tyrone D

2015-03-01

Patients with and at risk for psychosis may have difficulty using associative strategies to facilitate episodic memory encoding and recall. In parallel studies, patients with first-episode schizophrenia ( n = 27) and high psychosis risk ( n = 28) compared with control participants ( n = 22 and n = 20, respectively) underwent functional MRI during a remember-know memory task. Psychophysiological interaction analyses, using medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures as regions of interest, were conducted to measure functional connectivity patterns supporting successful episodic memory. During encoding, patients with first-episode schizophrenia demonstrated reduced functional coupling between MTL regions and regions involved in stimulus representations, stimulus selection, and cognitive control. Relative to control participants and patients with high psychosis risk who did not convert to psychosis, patients with high psychosis risk who later converted to psychosis also demonstrated reduced connectivity between MTL regions and auditory-verbal and visual-association regions. These results suggest that episodic memory deficits in schizophrenia are related to inefficient recruitment of cortical connections involved in associative memory formation; such deficits precede the onset of psychosis among those individuals at high clinical risk.

Non-metallic structural wrap systems for pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, R.H.; Wesley Rowley, C.

2001-01-01

The use of thermoplastics and reinforcing fiber has been a long-term application of non-metallic material for structural applications. With the advent of specialized epoxies and carbon reinforcing fiber, structural strength approaching and surpassing steel has been used in a wide variety of applications, including nuclear power plants. One of those applications is a NSWS for pipe and other structural members. The NSWS is system of integrating epoxies with reinforcing fiber in a wrapped geometrical configuration. This paper specifically addresses the repair of degraded pipe in heat removal systems used in nuclear power plants, which is typically caused by corrosion, erosion, or abrasion. Loss of structural material leads to leaks, which can be arrested by a NSWS for the pipe. The technical aspects of using thermoplastics to structurally improve degraded pipe in nuclear power plants has been addressed in the ASME B and PV Code Case N-589. Using the fundamentals described in that Code Case, this paper shows how this technology can be extended to pipe repair from the outside. This NSWS has already been used extensively in non-nuclear applications and in one nuclear application. The cost to apply this NSWS is typically substantially less than replacing the pipe and may be technically superior to replacing the pipe. (author)

Generalized SMO algorithm for SVM-based multitask learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Feng; Cherkassky, Vladimir

2012-06-01

Exploiting additional information to improve traditional inductive learning is an active research area in machine learning. In many supervised-learning applications, training data can be naturally separated into several groups, and incorporating this group information into learning may improve generalization. Recently, Vapnik proposed a general approach to formalizing such problems, known as "learning with structured data" and its support vector machine (SVM) based optimization formulation called SVM+. Liang and Cherkassky showed the connection between SVM+ and multitask learning (MTL) approaches in machine learning, and proposed an SVM-based formulation for MTL called SVM+MTL for classification. Training the SVM+MTL classifier requires the solution of a large quadratic programming optimization problem which scales as O(n(3)) with sample size n. So there is a need to develop computationally efficient algorithms for implementing SVM+MTL. This brief generalizes Platt's sequential minimal optimization (SMO) algorithm to the SVM+MTL setting. Empirical results show that, for typical SVM+MTL problems, the proposed generalized SMO achieves over 100 times speed-up, in comparison with general-purpose optimization routines.

Working Memory, Long-Term Memory, and Medial Temporal Lobe Function

Science.gov (United States)

Jeneson, Annette; Squire, Larry R.

2012-01-01

Early studies of memory-impaired patients with medial temporal lobe (MTL) damage led to the view that the hippocampus and related MTL structures are involved in the formation of long-term memory and that immediate memory and working memory are independent of these structures. This traditional idea has recently been revisited. Impaired performance…

Functional imaging of semantic memory predicts postoperative episodic memory functions in chronic temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Köylü, Bülent; Walser, Gerald; Ischebeck, Anja; Ortler, Martin; Benke, Thomas

2008-08-05

Medial temporal (MTL) structures have crucial functions in episodic (EM), but also in semantic memory (SM) processing. Preoperative functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activity within the MTL is increasingly used to predict post-surgical memory capacities. Based on the hypothesis that EM and SM memory functions are both hosted by the MTL the present study wanted to explore the relationship between SM related activations in the MTL as assessed before and the capacity of EM functions after surgery. Patients with chronic unilateral left (n=14) and right (n=12) temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) performed a standard word list learning test pre- and postoperatively, and a fMRI procedure before the operation using a semantic decision task. SM processing caused significant bilateral MTL activations in both patient groups. While right TLE patients showed asymmetry of fMRI activation with more activation in the left MTL, left TLE patients had almost equal activation in both MTL regions. Contrasting left TLE versus right TLE patients revealed greater activity within the right MTL, whereas no significant difference was observed for the reverse contrast. Greater effect size in the MTL region ipsilateral to the seizure focus was significantly and positively correlated with preoperative EM abilities. Greater effect size in the contralateral MTL was correlated with better postoperative verbal EM, especially in left TLE patients. These results suggest that functional imaging of SM tasks may be useful to predict postoperative verbal memory in TLE. They also advocate a common neuroanatomical basis for SM and EM processes in the MTL.

Reliability evaluation of containments including soil-structure interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pires, J.; Hwang, H.; Reich, M.

1985-12-01

Soil-structure interaction effects on the reliability assessment of containment structures are examined. The probability-based method for reliability evaluation of nuclear structures developed at Brookhaven National Laboratory is extended to include soil-structure interaction effects. In this method, reliability of structures is expressed in terms of limit state probabilities. Furthermore, random vibration theory is utilized to calculate limit state probabilities under random seismic loads. Earthquake ground motion is modeled by a segment of a zero-mean, stationary, filtered Gaussian white noise random process, represented by its power spectrum. All possible seismic hazards at a site, represented by a hazard curve, are also included in the analysis. The soil-foundation system is represented by a rigid surface foundation on an elastic halfspace. Random and other uncertainties in the strength properties of the structure, in the stiffness and internal damping of the soil, are also included in the analysis. Finally, a realistic reinforced concrete containment is analyzed to demonstrate the application of the method. For this containment, the soil-structure interaction effects on; (1) limit state probabilities, (2) structural fragility curves, (3) floor response spectra with probabilistic content, and (4) correlation coefficients for total acceleration response at specified structural locations, are examined in detail. 25 refs., 21 figs., 12 tabs

A human volunteer study to assess the impact of confectionery sweeteners on the gut microbiota composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Beards, Emma; Tuohy, Kieran; Gibson, Glenn

2010-09-01

Sweeteners are being sourced to lower the energetic value of confectionery including chocolates. Some, especially non-digestible carbohydrates, may possess other benefits for human health upon their fermentation by the colonic microbiota. The present study assessed non-digestible carbohydrate sweeteners, selected for use in low-energy chocolates, for their ability to beneficially modulate faecal bacterial profiles in human volunteers. Forty volunteers consumed a test chocolate (low-energy or experimental chocolate) containing 22.8 g of maltitol (MTL), MTL and polydextrose (PDX), or MTL and resistant starch for fourteen consecutive days. The dose of the test chocolates was doubled every 2 weeks over a 6-week period. Numbers of faecal bifidobacteria significantly increased with all the three test treatments. Chocolate containing the PDX blend also significantly increased faecal lactobacilli (P = 0.00 001) after the 6 weeks. The PDX blend also showed significant increases in faecal propionate and butyrate (P = 0.002 and 0.006, respectively). All the test chocolates were well tolerated with no significant change in bowel habit or intestinal symptoms even at a daily dose of 45.6 g of non-digestible carbohydrate sweetener. This is of importance not only for giving manufacturers a sugar replacement that can reduce energetic content, but also for providing a well-tolerated means of delivering high levels of non-digestible carbohydrates into the colon, bringing about improvements in the biomarkers of gut health.

The KnowRISK project: Tools and strategies to reduce non-structural damage

Science.gov (United States)

Sousa Oliveira, Carlos; Lopes, Mário; Mota de Sá, Francisco; Amaral Ferreia, Mónica; Candeias, Paulo; Campos Costa, Alfredo; Rupakhety, Rajesh; Meroni, Fabrizio; Azzaro, Raffaele; D'Amico, Salvatore; Langer, Horst; Musacchio, Gemma; Sousa Silva, Delta; Falsaperla, Susanna; Scarfì, Luciano; Tusa, Giuseppina; Tuvé, Tiziana

2016-04-01

The project KnowRISK (Know your city, Reduce seISmic risK through non-structural elements) is financed by the European Commission to develop prevention measures that may reduce non-structural damage in urban areas. Pilot areas of the project are within the three European participating countries, namely Portugal, Iceland and Italy. Non-structural components of a building include all those components that are not part of the structural system, more specifically the architectural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as furniture, fixtures, equipment, and contents. Windows, partitions, granite veneer, piping, ceilings, air conditioning ducts and equipment, elevators, computer and hospital equipment, file cabinets, and retail merchandise are all examples of non-structural components that are vulnerable to earthquake damage. We will use the experience gained during past earthquakes, which struck in particular Iceland, Italy and Portugal (Azores). Securing the non-structural elements improves the safety during an earthquake and saves lives. This paper aims at identifying non-structural seismic protection measures in the pilot areas and to develop a portfolio of good practices for the most common and serious non-structural vulnerabilities. This systematic identification and the portfolio will be achieved through a "cross-knowledge" strategy based on previous researches, evidence of non-structural damage in past earthquakes. Shake table tests of a group of non-structural elements will be performed. These tests will be filmed and, jointly with portfolio, will serve as didactic supporting tools to be used in workshops with building construction stakeholders and in risk communication activities. A Practical Guide for non-structural risk reduction will be specifically prepared for citizens on the basis of the outputs of the project, taking into account the local culture and needs of each participating country.

Non-linear soil-structure interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolf, J.P.

1984-01-01

The basic equation of motion to analyse the interaction of a non-linear structure and an irregular soil with the linear unbounded soil is formulated in the time domain. The contribution of the unbounded soil involves convolution integrals of the dynamic-stiffness coefficients in the time domain and the corresponding motions. As another possibility, a flexibility formulation fot the contribution of the unbounded soil using the dynamic-flexibility coefficients in the time domain, together with the direct-stiffness method for the structure and the irregular soil can be applied. As an example of a non-linear soil-structure-interaction analysis, the partial uplift of the basemat of a structure is examined. (Author) [pt

18 CFR 415.51 - Prior non-conforming structures.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Prior non-conforming structures. 415.51 Section 415.51 Conservation of Power and Water Resources DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION... damaged by any means, including a flood, to the extent of 50 percent or more of its market value at that...

Medial temporal lobe-dependent repetition suppression and enhancement due to implicit versus explicit processing of individual repeated search displays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas eGeyer

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Using visual search, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI and patient studies have demonstrated that medial temporal lobe (MTL structures differentiate repeated from novel displays – even when observers are unaware of display repetitions. This suggests a role for MTL in both explicit and, importantly, implicit learning of repeated sensory information (Greene et al., 2007. However, recent behavioral studies suggest, by examining visual search and recognition performance concurrently, that observers have explicit knowledge of at least some of the repeated displays (Geyer et al., 2010. The aim of the present fMRI study was thus to contribute new evidence regarding the contribution of MTL structures to explicit versus implicit learning in visual search. It was found that MTL activation was increased for explicit and, respectively, decreased for implicit relative to baseline displays. These activation differences were most pronounced in left anterior parahippocampal cortex, especially when observers were highly trained on the repeated displays. The data are taken to suggest that explicit and implicit memory processes are linked within MTL structures, but expressed via functionally separable mechanisms (repetition enhancement vs. -suppression. They further show that repetition effects in visual search would have to be investigated at the display level.

HRTEM study of α-AlMnSi crystals including non-crystallographic projection axes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, G.L.; Bursill, L.A.

1997-01-01

The structure of α-AlMnSi is examined by atomic resolution high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and computer-based image matching techniques. Six distinct zone axes are examined; including both normal crystallographic and non-crystallographic zones axes of the structural motifs, which have m3-bar 5 icosahedral symmetry. The results provide a sound basis for understanding HRTEM images of the quasicrystalline alloy i-AlMnSi; thus it was examined to what extent the requirements for obtaining so-called structure images of complex alloy structures may be met experimentally and define when the images may be reliably interpreted on the basis of computer simulation and image-matching at about 0.17nm resolution. Most difficulty was experienced in obtaining the experimental images, especially for the non-crystallographic zones, which are very sensitive to slight changes in orientation off the desired zone axis or projection, the rate at which the crystal thickness is increasing (wedge-angle) and the orientation of the surfaces of the specimen. Surface amorphous layers due to oxidation and/or electron-induced irradiation damage also limit the efficiency of the HRTEM analysis. For the thin specimens used for HRTEM, both the electron diffraction patterns and the HRTEM images are characteristic of Im3-bar space group symmetry. It is suggested that this Im3-bar symmetry may be an example of a statistical symmetry, where the local symmetry is close to Pm3-bar but the average symmetry is Im3-bar. The transition from Pm3-bar to Im3-bar may be understood in terms of an analysis of small changes in the outer shells of the large icosahedral structural elements which are located at the corners and body-centers of the cubic unit cell. 21 refs., 3 tabs., 10 figs

HRTEM study of {alpha}-AlMnSi crystals including non-crystallographic projection axes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, G.L.; Bursill, L.A.

1997-06-01

The structure of {alpha}-AlMnSi is examined by atomic resolution high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and computer-based image matching techniques. Six distinct zone axes are examined; including both normal crystallographic and non-crystallographic zones axes of the structural motifs, which have m3-bar 5 icosahedral symmetry. The results provide a sound basis for understanding HRTEM images of the quasicrystalline alloy i-AlMnSi; thus it was examined to what extent the requirements for obtaining so-called structure images of complex alloy structures may be met experimentally and define when the images may be reliably interpreted on the basis of computer simulation and image-matching at about 0.17nm resolution. Most difficulty was experienced in obtaining the experimental images, especially for the non-crystallographic zones, which are very sensitive to slight changes in orientation off the desired zone axis or projection, the rate at which the crystal thickness is increasing (wedge-angle) and the orientation of the surfaces of the specimen. Surface amorphous layers due to oxidation and/or electron-induced irradiation damage also limit the efficiency of the HRTEM analysis. For the thin specimens used for HRTEM, both the electron diffraction patterns and the HRTEM images are characteristic of Im3-bar space group symmetry. It is suggested that this Im3-bar symmetry may be an example of a statistical symmetry, where the local symmetry is close to Pm3-bar but the average symmetry is Im3-bar. The transition from Pm3-bar to Im3-bar may be understood in terms of an analysis of small changes in the outer shells of the large icosahedral structural elements which are located at the corners and body-centers of the cubic unit cell. 21 refs., 3 tabs., 10 figs.

Working memory, long-term memory, and medial temporal lobe function

Science.gov (United States)

Jeneson, Annette; Squire, Larry R.

2012-01-01

Early studies of memory-impaired patients with medial temporal lobe (MTL) damage led to the view that the hippocampus and related MTL structures are involved in the formation of long-term memory and that immediate memory and working memory are independent of these structures. This traditional idea has recently been revisited. Impaired performance in patients with MTL lesions on tasks with short retention intervals, or no retention interval, and neuroimaging findings with similar tasks have been interpreted to mean that the MTL is sometimes needed for working memory and possibly even for visual perception itself. We present a reappraisal of this interpretation. Our main conclusion is that, if the material to be learned exceeds working memory capacity, if the material is difficult to rehearse, or if attention is diverted, performance depends on long-term memory even when the retention interval is brief. This fundamental notion is better captured by the terms subspan memory and supraspan memory than by the terms short-term memory and long-term memory. We propose methods for determining when performance on short-delay tasks must depend on long-term (supraspan) memory and suggest that MTL lesions impair performance only when immediate memory and working memory are insufficient to support performance. In neuroimaging studies, MTL activity during encoding is influenced by the memory load and correlates positively with long-term retention of the material that was presented. The most parsimonious and consistent interpretation of all the data is that subspan memoranda are supported by immediate memory and working memory and are independent of the MTL. PMID:22180053

Reactivation of medial temporal lobe and occipital lobe during the retrieval of color information: A positron emission tomography study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ueno, Aya; Abe, Nobuhito; Suzuki, Maki; Hirayama, Kazumi; Mori, Etsuro; Tashiro, Manabu; Itoh, Masatoshi; Fujii, Toshikatsu

2007-02-01

It is widely accepted that memory traces of an event include various types of information about the content of the event and about the circumstances in which the individual experienced it. However, how these various types of information are stored and later retrieved is poorly understood. One hypothesis postulates that the retrieval of specific event information reactivates regions that were active during the encoding of this information, with the aid of binding functions of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures. We used positron emission tomography to identify the brain regions related to the encoding and retrieval of color information. Specifically, we assessed whether overlapping activity was found in both the MTL structures and color-related cortical regions during the encoding and retrieval of color information attached with meaningless shapes. During the study, subjects were asked to encode colored (red or green) and achromatic random shapes. At subsequent testing, subjects were presented with only achromatic shapes, which had been presented with or without colors during encoding, and were engaged in retrieval tasks of shapes and colors. Overlapping activity was found in the MTL and occipital lobe (the lingual and inferior occipital gyri) in the right hemisphere during the encoding and retrieval of meaningless shapes with color information compared with those without color information. Although there are some limitations to be considered, the present findings seem to support the view that the retrieval of specific event information is associated with reactivation of both the MTL structures and the regions involved during encoding of the information.

Enhancement of Neocortical-Medial Temporal EEG Correlations during Non-REM Sleep

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolai Axmacher

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Interregional interactions of oscillatory activity are crucial for the integrated processing of multiple brain regions. However, while the EEG in virtually all brain structures passes through substantial modifications during sleep, it is still an open question whether interactions between neocortical and medial temporal EEG oscillations also depend on the state of alertness. Several previous studies in animals and humans suggest that hippocampal-neocortical interactions crucially depend on the state of alertness (i.e., waking state or sleep. Here, we analyzed scalp and intracranial EEG recordings during sleep and waking state in epilepsy patients undergoing presurgical evaluation. We found that the amplitudes of oscillations within the medial temporal lobe and the neocortex were more closely correlated during sleep, in particular during non-REM sleep, than during waking state. Possibly, the encoding of novel sensory inputs, which mainly occurs during waking state, requires that medial temporal dynamics are rather independent from neocortical dynamics, while the consolidation of memories during sleep may demand closer interactions between MTL and neocortex.

Hardware-Based Non-Optimum Factors for Launch Vehicle Structural Design

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, K. Chauncey; Cerro, Jeffrey A.

2010-01-01

During aerospace vehicle conceptual and preliminary design, empirical non-optimum factors are typically applied to predicted structural component weights to account for undefined manufacturing and design details. Non-optimum factors are developed here for 32 aluminum-lithium 2195 orthogrid panels comprising the liquid hydrogen tank barrel of the Space Shuttle External Tank using measured panel weights and manufacturing drawings. Minimum values for skin thickness, axial and circumferential blade stiffener thickness and spacing, and overall panel thickness are used to estimate individual panel weights. Panel non-optimum factors computed using a coarse weights model range from 1.21 to 1.77, and a refined weights model (including weld lands and skin and stiffener transition details) yields non-optimum factors of between 1.02 and 1.54. Acreage panels have an average 1.24 non-optimum factor using the coarse model, and 1.03 with the refined version. The observed consistency of these acreage non-optimum factors suggests that relatively simple models can be used to accurately predict large structural component weights for future launch vehicles.

Hydrogel formation by multivalent IDPs: A reincarnation of the microtrabecular lattice?

Science.gov (United States)

Tompa, Peter

2013-01-01

Based on high-voltage electron microscopic (HVEM) data of fixed cultured cells, an elaborate three-dimensional network of filaments, including and interconnecting other elements of the cytoskeleton, was observed in cells some half a century ago. Despite many attempts and comparative studies, this "microtrabecular lattice" (MTL) of the cytoplasmic ground substance could not be established as a genuine component of the eukaryotic cell, and is mostly considered today as a sample-preparation artifact of protein adherence and cross-linking to the cytoskeleton. Here we elaborate on the provocative idea that recent observations of hydrogel-forming phase transitions of repetitive regions of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) bear resemblance in creation, organization and physical appearance to the MTL. We review this phenomenon in detail, and suggest that phase transitions of actin regulatory proteins, neurofilament side-arms and other proteins could generate non-uniform spatial distribution of cytoplasmic material in the vicinity of the cytoskeleton that might even give rise to fixation phenomena resembling the MTL. Whether such hydrogel formation by IDPs is a general physical phenomenon, will remain to be seen, nevertheless, the underlying organizational principle provokes novel experimental studies to uncover the ensuing higher-level regulation of cell physiology, in which the despised and long-forgotten concept of MTL might give some interesting leads.

Dam safety review using non-destructive methods for reinforced concrete structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Philibert, Alain; Saint-Pierre, Francois; Turcotte, Bernard [Le Groupe S.M. International Inc., Sherbrooke, (Canada)

2010-07-01

Dams built at the beginning of the twentieth century include concrete structures that were put in under rehabilitation works. In some cases, the details of the structures are not well documented. In other cases, concrete damage can be hidden under new layers of undamaged material. This requires that the dam safety review in a real investigation gather the information necessary for carrying out the hydraulic and stability studies required by the Dam Safety Act. This paper presented the process of dam safety review using non-destructive methods for reinforced concrete structures. Two reinforced concrete dams built in the 1900's, the Eustic dam on the Coaticook River and the Frontenac dam on the Magog River near Sherbrooke, were evaluated by S.M. International using non-destructive methods such as sonic and ground penetrating radar methods. The studies allowed mapping of concrete damage and provided geometric information on some non visible structure elements that were part of previous reinforcement operations.

Including non-public data and studies in systematic reviews and systematic maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Haddaway, Neal R; Collins, Alexandra M; Coughlin, Deborah; Kohl, Christian

2017-02-01

Systematic reviews and maps should be based on the best available evidence, and reviewers should make all reasonable efforts to source and include potentially relevant studies. However, reviewers may not be able to consider all existing evidence, since some data and studies may not be publicly available. Including non-public studies in reviews provides a valuable opportunity to increase systematic review/map comprehensiveness, potentially mitigating negative impacts of publication bias. Studies may be non-public for many reasons: some may still be in the process of being published (publication can take a long time); some may not be published due to author/publisher restrictions; publication bias may make it difficult to publish non-significant or negative results. Here, we consider what forms these non-public studies may take and the implications of including them in systematic reviews and maps. Reviewers should carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of including non-public studies, weighing risks of bias against benefits of increased comprehensiveness. As with all systematic reviews and maps, reviewers must be transparent about methods used to obtain data and avoid risks of bias in their synthesis. We make tentative suggestions for reviewers in situations where non-public data may be present in an evidence base. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non linear structures seismic analysis by modal synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aita, S.; Brochard, D.; Guilbaud, D.; Gibert, R.J.

1987-01-01

The structures submitted to a seismic excitation, may present a great amplitude response which induces a non linear behaviour. These non linearities have an important influence on the response of the structure. Even in this case (local shocks) the modal synthesis method remains attractive. In this paper we will present the way of taking into account, a local non linearity (shock between structures) in the seismic response of structures, by using the modal synthesis method [fr

Non-relativistic conformal symmetries and Newton-Cartan structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duval, C; Horvathy, P A

2009-01-01

This paper provides us with a unifying classification of the conformal infinitesimal symmetries of non-relativistic Newton-Cartan spacetime. The Lie algebras of non-relativistic conformal transformations are introduced via the Galilei structure. They form a family of infinite-dimensional Lie algebras labeled by a rational 'dynamical exponent', z. The Schroedinger-Virasoro algebra of Henkel et al corresponds to z = 2. Viewed as projective Newton-Cartan symmetries, they yield, for timelike geodesics, the usual Schroedinger Lie algebra, for which z = 2. For lightlike geodesics, they yield, in turn, the Conformal Galilean Algebra (CGA) of Lukierski, Stichel and Zakrzewski (alias 'alt' of Henkel), with z = 1. Physical systems realizing these symmetries include, e.g. classical systems of massive and massless non-relativistic particles, and also hydrodynamics, as well as Galilean electromagnetism.

Multi-task Vector Field Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Binbin; Yang, Sen; Zhang, Chiyuan; Ye, Jieping; He, Xiaofei

2012-01-01

Multi-task learning (MTL) aims to improve generalization performance by learning multiple related tasks simultaneously and identifying the shared information among tasks. Most of existing MTL methods focus on learning linear models under the supervised setting. We propose a novel semi-supervised and nonlinear approach for MTL using vector fields. A vector field is a smooth mapping from the manifold to the tangent spaces which can be viewed as a directional derivative of functions on the manifold. We argue that vector fields provide a natural way to exploit the geometric structure of data as well as the shared differential structure of tasks, both of which are crucial for semi-supervised multi-task learning. In this paper, we develop multi-task vector field learning (MTVFL) which learns the predictor functions and the vector fields simultaneously. MTVFL has the following key properties. (1) The vector fields MTVFL learns are close to the gradient fields of the predictor functions. (2) Within each task, the vector field is required to be as parallel as possible which is expected to span a low dimensional subspace. (3) The vector fields from all tasks share a low dimensional subspace. We formalize our idea in a regularization framework and also provide a convex relaxation method to solve the original non-convex problem. The experimental results on synthetic and real data demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed approach.

Non-linear seismic analysis of structures coupled with fluid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Descleve, P.; Derom, P.; Dubois, J.

1983-01-01

This paper presents a method to calculate non-linear structure behaviour under horizontal and vertical seismic excitation, making possible the full non-linear seismic analysis of a reactor vessel. A pseudo forces method is used to introduce non linear effects and the problem is solved by superposition. Two steps are used in the method: - Linear calculation of the complete model. - Non linear analysis of thin shell elements and calculation of seismic induced pressure originating from linear and non linear effects, including permanent loads and thermal stresses. Basic aspects of the mathematical formulation are developed. It has been applied to axi-symmetric shell element using a Fourier series solution. For the fluid interaction effect, a comparison is made with a dynamic test. In an example of application, the displacement and pressure time history are given. (orig./GL)

The mating type-like loci of Candida glabrata.

Science.gov (United States)

Yáñez-Carrillo, Patricia; Robledo-Márquez, Karina A; Ramírez-Zavaleta, Candy Y; De Las Peñas, Alejandro; Castaño, Irene

2014-01-01

Candida glabrata, a haploid and opportunistic fungal pathogen that has not known sexual cycle, has conserved the majority of the genes required for mating and cell type identity. The C. glabrata genome contains three mating-type-like loci called MTL1, MTL2 and MTL3. The three loci encode putative transcription factors, a1, α1 and α2 that regulate cell type identity and sexual reproduction in other fungi like the closely related Saccharomyces cerevisiae. MTL1 can contain either a or α information. MTL2, which contains a information and MTL3 with α information, are relatively close to two telomeres. MTL1 and MTL2 are transcriptionally active, while MTL3 is subject to an incomplete silencing nucleated at the telomere that depends on the silencing proteins Sir2, Sir3, Sir4, yKu70/80, Rif1, Rap1 and Sum1. C. glabrata does not seem to maintain cell type identity, as cell type-specific genes are expressed regardless of the type (or even absence) of mating information. These data highlight important differences in the control of mating and cell type identity between the non-pathogenic yeast S. cerevisiae and C. glabrata, which might explain the absence of a sexual cycle in C. glabrata. The fact that C. glabrata has conserved the vast majority of the genes involved in mating might suggest that some of these genes perhaps have been rewired to control other processes important for the survival inside the host as a commensal or as a human pathogen. This manuscript is part of the series of works presented at the "V International Workshop: Molecular genetic approaches to the study of human pathogenic fungi" (Oaxaca, Mexico, 2012). Copyright © 2013 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Age-Dependent Mesial Temporal Lobe Lateralization in Language FMRI

Science.gov (United States)

Sepeta, Leigh N.; Berl, Madison M.; Wilke, Marko; You, Xiaozhen; Mehta, Meera; Xu, Benjamin; Inati, Sara; Dustin, Irene; Khan, Omar; Austermuehle, Alison; Theodore, William H.; Gaillard, William D.

2015-01-01

Objective FMRI activation of the mesial temporal lobe (MTL) may be important for epilepsy surgical planning. We examined MTL activation and lateralization during language fMRI in children and adults with focal epilepsy. Methods 142 controls and patients with left hemisphere focal epilepsy (Pediatric: epilepsy, n = 17, mean age = 9.9 ± 2.0; controls, n = 48; mean age = 9.1 ± 2.6; Adult: epilepsy, n = 20, mean age = 26.7 ± 5.8; controls, n = 57, mean age = 26.2 ± 7.5) underwent 3T fMRI using a language task (auditory description decision task). Image processing and analyses were conducted in SPM8; ROIs included MTL, Broca’s area, and Wernicke’s area. We assessed group and individual MTL activation, and examined degree of lateralization. Results Patients and controls (pediatric and adult) demonstrated group and individual MTL activation during language fMRI. MTL activation was left lateralized for adults but less so in children (p’s < 0.005). Patients did not differ from controls in either age group. Stronger left-lateralized MTL activation was related to older age (p = 0.02). Language lateralization (Broca’s and Wernicke’s) predicted 19% of the variance in MTL lateralization for adults (p = 0.001), but not children. Significance Language fMRI may be used to elicit group and individual MTL activation. The developmental difference in MTL lateralization and its association with language lateralization suggests a developmental shift in lateralization of MTL function, with increased left lateralization across the age span. This shift may help explain why children have better memory outcomes following resection compared to adults. PMID:26696589

Non-Canonical Roles of Dengue Virus Non-Structural Proteins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julianna D. Zeidler

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The Flaviviridae family comprises a number of human pathogens, which, although sharing structural and functional features, cause diseases with very different outcomes. This can be explained by the plurality of functions exerted by the few proteins coded by viral genomes, with some of these functions shared among members of a same family, but others being unique for each virus species. These non-canonical functions probably have evolved independently and may serve as the base to the development of specific therapies for each of those diseases. Here it is discussed what is currently known about the non-canonical roles of dengue virus (DENV non-structural proteins (NSPs, which may account for some of the effects specifically observed in DENV infection, but not in other members of the Flaviviridae family. This review explores how DENV NSPs contributes to the physiopathology of dengue, evasion from host immunity, metabolic changes, and redistribution of cellular components during infection.

Metabolism of non-structural carbohydrates in ruminants

OpenAIRE

Cañizares, G. I L [UNESP; Rodrigues, L. [UNESP; Cañizares, M. C. [UNESP

2009-01-01

The carbohydrates provide 50 to 80% of the dry matter of grain and roughage and can be divided into structural (cellulose, hemicellulose) and non-structural (starch, pectin and sugars). The non-structural carbohydrates are primarily digested in the rumen and its dynamic process is a sequence for the supply of nutrients to the intestine. The quality and quantity of products resulting from ruminal fermentation are dependent on the type and activity of microorganisms in the rumen influenced by t...

Integrating what and when across the primate medial temporal lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Naya, Yuji; Suzuki, Wendy A

2011-08-05

Episodic memory or memory for the detailed events in our lives is critically dependent on structures of the medial temporal lobe (MTL). A fundamental component of episodic memory is memory for the temporal order of items within an episode. To understand the contribution of individual MTL structures to temporal-order memory, we recorded single-unit activity and local field potential from three MTL areas (hippocampus and entorhinal and perirhinal cortex) and visual area TE as monkeys performed a temporal-order memory task. Hippocampus provided incremental timing signals from one item presentation to the next, whereas perirhinal cortex signaled the conjunction of items and their relative temporal order. Thus, perirhinal cortex appeared to integrate timing information from hippocampus with item information from visual sensory area TE.

Structured telephone support or non-invasive telemonitoring for patients with heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Inglis, Sally C; Clark, Robyn A; Dierckx, Riet; Prieto-Merino, David; Cleland, John G F

2015-10-31

Specialised disease management programmes for heart failure aim to improve care, clinical outcomes and/or reduce healthcare utilisation. Since the last version of this review in 2010, several new trials of structured telephone support and non-invasive home telemonitoring have been published which have raised questions about their effectiveness. To review randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of structured telephone support or non-invasive home telemonitoring compared to standard practice for people with heart failure, in order to quantify the effects of these interventions over and above usual care. We updated the searches of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Health Technology AsseFssment Database (HTA) on the Cochrane Library; MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), CINAHL (EBSCO), Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Conference Proceedings Citation Index- Science (CPCI-S) on Web of Science (Thomson Reuters), AMED, Proquest Theses and Dissertations, IEEE Xplore and TROVE in January 2015. We handsearched bibliographies of relevant studies and systematic reviews and abstract conference proceedings. We applied no language limits. We included only peer-reviewed, published RCTs comparing structured telephone support or non-invasive home telemonitoring to usual care of people with chronic heart failure. The intervention or usual care could not include protocol-driven home visits or more intensive than usual (typically four to six weeks) clinic follow-up. We present data as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Primary outcomes included all-cause mortality, all-cause and heart failure-related hospitalisations, which we analysed using a fixed-effect model. Other outcomes included length of stay, health-related quality of life, heart failure knowledge and self care, acceptability and cost; we described and tabulated these. We performed meta-regression to assess homogeneity (the

A Pencil Rescues Impaired Performance on a Visual Discrimination Task in Patients with Medial Temporal Lobe Lesions

Science.gov (United States)

Knutson, Ashley R.; Hopkins, Ramona O.; Squire, Larry R.

2013-01-01

We tested proposals that medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures support not just memory but certain kinds of visual perception as well. Patients with hippocampal lesions or larger MTL lesions attempted to identify the unique object among twin pairs of objects that had a high degree of feature overlap. Patients were markedly impaired under the more…

Non-reciprocal wave propagation in one-dimensional nonlinear periodic structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benbiao Luo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We study a one-dimensional nonlinear periodic structure which contains two different spring stiffness and an identical mass in each period. The linear dispersion relationship we obtain indicates that our periodic structure has obvious advantages compared to other kinds of periodic structures (i.e. those with the same spring stiffness but two different mass, including its increased flexibility for manipulating the band gap. Theoretically, the optical cutoff frequency remains unchanged while the acoustic cutoff frequency shifts to a lower or higher frequency. A numerical simulation verifies the dispersion relationship and the effect of the amplitude-dependent signal filter. Based upon this, we design a device which contains both a linear periodic structure and a nonlinear periodic structure. When incident waves with the same, large amplitude pass through it from opposite directions, the output amplitude of the forward input is one order magnitude larger than that of the reverse input. Our devised, non-reciprocal device can potentially act as an acoustic diode (AD without an electrical circuit and frequency shifting. Our result represents a significant step forwards in the research of non-reciprocal wave manipulation.

Non-linear Simulations of MHD Instabilities in Tokamaks Including Eddy Current Effects and Perspectives for the Extension to Halo Currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoelzl, M; Merkel, P; Lackner, K; Strumberger, E; Huijsmans, G T A; Aleynikova, K; Liu, F; Atanasiu, C; Nardon, E; Fil, A; McAdams, R; Chapman, I

2014-01-01

The dynamics of large scale plasma instabilities can be strongly influenced by the mutual interaction with currents flowing in conducting vessel structures. Especially eddy currents caused by time-varying magnetic perturbations and halo currents flowing directly from the plasma into the walls are important. The relevance of a resistive wall model is directly evident for Resistive Wall Modes (RWMs) or Vertical Displacement Events (VDEs). However, also the linear and non-linear properties of most other large-scale instabilities may be influenced significantly by the interaction with currents in conducting structures near the plasma. The understanding of halo currents arising during disruptions and VDEs, which are a serious concern for ITER as they may lead to strong asymmetric forces on vessel structures, could also benefit strongly from these non-linear modeling capabilities. Modeling the plasma dynamics and its interaction with wall currents requires solving the magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) equations in realistic toroidal X-point geometry consistently coupled with a model for the vacuum region and the resistive conducting structures. With this in mind, the non-linear finite element MHD code JOREK [1, 2] has been coupled [3] with the resistive wall code STARWALL [4], which allows us to include the effects of eddy currents in 3D conducting structures in non-linear MHD simulations. This article summarizes the capabilities of the coupled JOREK-STARWALL system and presents benchmark results as well as first applications to non-linear simulations of RWMs, VDEs, disruptions triggered by massive gas injection, and Quiescent H-Mode. As an outlook, the perspectives for extending the model to halo currents are described

Identification of Non-Linear Structures using Recurrent Neural Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkegaard, Poul Henning; Nielsen, Søren R. K.; Hansen, H. I.

Two different partially recurrent neural networks structured as Multi Layer Perceptrons (MLP) are investigated for time domain identification of a non-linear structure.......Two different partially recurrent neural networks structured as Multi Layer Perceptrons (MLP) are investigated for time domain identification of a non-linear structure....

Identification of Non-Linear Structures using Recurrent Neural Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkegaard, Poul Henning; Nielsen, Søren R. K.; Hansen, H. I.

1995-01-01

Two different partially recurrent neural networks structured as Multi Layer Perceptrons (MLP) are investigated for time domain identification of a non-linear structure.......Two different partially recurrent neural networks structured as Multi Layer Perceptrons (MLP) are investigated for time domain identification of a non-linear structure....

Evaluating structured assessment of anaesthesiologists' non-technical skills

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jepsen, R M H G; Dieckmann, P; Spanager, L

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Non-technical skills (NTS) are essential for safe and efficient anaesthesia. Assessment instruments with appropriate validity evidence can be used to ensure that anaesthesiologists possess the NTS necessary to deliver high-standard patient care. The aims were to collect validity...... evidence using a contemporary validity framework for the assessment instrument Anaesthesiologists' Non-Technical Skills in Denmark (ANTSdk) regarding response process and internal structure (including reliability), and to investigate the effect of rater training on these properties. METHODS: An explorative...... study was undertaken at the Danish Institute for Medical Simulation, Copenhagen, Denmark. In a 1-day session, using ANTSdk, a convenience sample of 19 anaesthesiologists rated trainee anaesthesiologists' NTS in nine video-recorded simulation scenarios before and after a 3-h training session. RESULTS...

Volumetric analysis of medial temporal lobe structures in brain development from childhood to adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Shiyan; Pruessner, Jens C; Coupé, Pierrick; Collins, D Louis

2013-07-01

Puberty is an important stage of development as a child's sexual and physical characteristics mature because of hormonal changes. To better understand puberty-related effects on brain development, we investigated the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of 306 subjects from 4 to 18 years of age. Subjects were grouped into before and during puberty groups according to their sexual maturity levels measured by the puberty scores. An appearance model-based automatic segmentation method with patch-based local refinement was employed to segment the MRI data and extract the volumes of medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures including the amygdala (AG), the hippocampus (HC), the entorhinal/perirhinal cortex (EPC), and the parahippocampal cortex (PHC). Our analysis showed age-related volumetric changes for the AG, HC, right EPC, and left PHC but only before puberty. After onset of puberty, these volumetric changes then correlate more with sexual maturity level, as measured by the puberty score. When normalized for brain volume, the volumes of the right HC decrease for boys; the volumes of the left HC increase for girls; and the volumes of the left and right PHC decrease for boys. These findings suggest that the rising levels of testosterone in boys and estrogen in girls might have opposite effects, especially for the HC and the PHC. Our findings on sex-specific and sexual maturity-related volumes may be useful in better understanding the MTL developmental differences and related learning, memory, and emotion differences between boys and girls during puberty. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The medial temporal lobe supports sensing-based visual working memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodrich, Robin I; Yonelinas, Andrew P

2016-08-01

It is well established that the medial temporal lobe (MTL), including the hippocampus, is essential for long-term memory. In addition, recent studies suggest that the MTL may also support visual working memory (VWM), but the conditions under which the MTL plays a critical role are not yet clear. To address this issue, we used a color change detection paradigm to examine the effects of MTL damage on VWM by analyzing the receiver operating characteristics of patients with MTL damage and healthy age- and education-matched controls. Compared to controls, patients with MTL damage demonstrated significant reductions in VWM accuracy. Importantly, the patients were not impaired at making accurate high-confidence judgments that a change had occurred; however, they were impaired when making low-confidence responses indicating that they sensed whether or not there had been a visual change. Moreover, these impairments were observed under conditions that emphasized the retrieval of complex bindings or the retrieval of high-resolution bindings. That is, patients with MTL damage exhibited VWM impairments when they were required to remember either a larger number of low-resolution bindings (i.e., set size of 5 and obvious color changes) or a smaller number of high-resolution bindings (i.e., set size of 3 and subtle color changes). The results indicate that only some VWM processes are dependent on the MTL, and are consistent with the proposal that the MTL plays a critical role in forming complex, high-resolution bindings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of non-structural components and soil-structure interaction on the seismic response of framed structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ditommaso, Rocco; Auletta, Gianluca; Iacovino, Chiara; Nigro, Antonella; Carlo Ponzo, Felice

2017-04-01

In this paper, several nonlinear numerical models of reinforced concrete framed structures have been defined in order to evaluate the effects of non-structural elements and soil-structure interaction on the elastic dynamic behaviour of buildings. In the last few years, many and various studies have highlighted the significant effects derived from the interaction between structural and non-structural components on the main dynamic characteristics of a building. Usually, structural and non-structural elements act together, adding both masses and stiffness. The presence of infill panels is generally neglected in the design process of structural elements, although these elements can significantly increase the lateral stiffness of a structure leading to a modification in the dynamic properties. Particularly, at the Damage Limit State (where an elastic behaviour is expected), soil-structure interaction effects and non-structural elements may further affect the elastic natural period of buildings, changing the spectral accelerations compared with those provided by seismic codes in case of static analyses. In this work, a parametric study has been performed in order to evaluate the elastic fundamental period of vibration of buildings as a function of structural morphology (height, plan area, ratio between plan dimensions), infills presence and distribution and soil characteristics. Acknowledgements This study was partially funded by the Italian Department of Civil Protection within the project DPC-RELUIS 2016 - RS4 ''Seismic observatory of structures and health monitoring'' and by the "Centre of Integrated Geomorphology for the Mediterranean Area - CGIAM" within the Framework Agreement with the University of Basilicata "Study, Research and Experimentation in the Field of Analysis and Monitoring of Seismic Vulnerability of Strategic and Relevant Buildings for the purposes of Civil Protection and Development of Innovative Strategies of Seismic Reinforcement".

Neural Correlate of Anterograde Amnesia in Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Nahum, Louis; Pignat, Jean-Michel; Bouzerda-Wahlen, Aurélie; Gabriel, Damien; Liverani, Maria Chiara; Lazeyras, François; Ptak, Radek; Richiardi, Jonas; Haller, Sven; Thorens, Gabriel; Zullino, Daniele F; Guggisberg, Adrian G; Schnider, Armin

2015-09-01

The neural correlate of anterograde amnesia in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is still debated. While the capacity to learn new information has been associated with integrity of the medial temporal lobe (MTL), previous studies indicated that the WKS is associated with diencephalic lesions, mainly in the mammillary bodies and anterior or dorsomedial thalamic nuclei. The present study tested the hypothesis that amnesia in WKS is associated with a disrupted neural circuit between diencephalic and hippocampal structures. High-density evoked potentials were recorded in four severely amnesic patients with chronic WKS, in five patients with chronic alcoholism without WKS, and in ten age matched controls. Participants performed a continuous recognition task of pictures previously shown to induce a left medial temporal lobe dependent positive potential between 250 and 350 ms. In addition, the integrity of the fornix was assessed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). WKS, but not alcoholic patients without WKS, showed absence of the early, left MTL dependent positive potential following immediate picture repetitions. DTI indicated disruption of the fornix, which connects diencephalic and hippocampal structures. The findings support an interpretation of anterograde amnesia in WKS as a consequence of a disconnection between diencephalic and MTL structures with deficient contribution of the MTL to rapid consolidation.

Independent delta/theta rhythms in the human hippocampus and entorhinal cortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florian Mormann

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Theta oscillations in the medial temporal lobe (MTL of mammals are involved in various functions such as spatial navigation, sensorimotor integration, and cognitive processing. While the theta rhythm was originally assumed to originate in the medial septum, more recent studies suggest autonomous theta generation in the MTL. Although coherence between entorhinal and hippocampal theta activity has been found to influence memory formation, it remains unclear whether these two structures can generate theta independently. In this study we analyzed intracranial electroencephalographic (EEG recordings from 22 patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis undergoing presurgical evaluation prior to resection of the epileptic focus. Using a wavelet-based, frequency-band-specific measure of phase synchronization, we quantified synchrony between 10 different recording sites along the longitudinal axis of the hippocampal formation in the non-epileptic brain hemisphere. We compared EEG synchrony between adjacent recording sites (i within the entorhinal cortex, (ii within the hippocampus, and (iii between the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. We observed a significant interregional gap in synchrony for the delta and theta band, indicating the existence of independent delta/theta rhythms in different subregions of the human MTL. The interaction of these rhythms could represent the temporal basis for the information processing required for mnemonic encoding and retrieval.

Optimization of piezoelectric cantilever energy harvesters including non-linear effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, R; McWilliam, S; Popov, A A

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a versatile non-linear model for predicting piezoelectric energy harvester performance. The presented model includes (i) material non-linearity, for both substrate and piezoelectric layers, and (ii) geometric non-linearity incorporated by assuming inextensibility and accurately representing beam curvature. The addition of a sub-model, which utilizes the transfer matrix method to predict eigenfrequencies and eigenvectors for segmented beams, allows for accurate optimization of piezoelectric layer coverage. A validation of the overall theoretical model is performed through experimental testing on both uniform and non-uniform samples manufactured in-house. For the harvester composition used in this work, the magnitude of material non-linearity exhibited by the piezoelectric layer is 35 times greater than that of the substrate layer. It is also observed that material non-linearity, responsible for reductions in resonant frequency with increases in base acceleration, is dominant over geometric non-linearity for standard piezoelectric harvesting devices. Finally, over the tested range, energy loss due to damping is found to increase in a quasi-linear fashion with base acceleration. During an optimization study on piezoelectric layer coverage, results from the developed model were compared with those from a linear model. Unbiased comparisons between harvesters were realized by using devices with identical natural frequencies—created by adjusting the device substrate thickness. Results from three studies, each with a different assumption on mechanical damping variations, are presented. Findings showed that, depending on damping variation, a non-linear model is essential for such optimization studies with each model predicting vastly differing optimum configurations. (paper)

Peripheral inflammation acutely impairs human spatial memory via actions on medial temporal lobe glucose metabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Neil A; Doeller, Christian F; Voon, Valerie; Burgess, Neil; Critchley, Hugo D

2014-10-01

Inflammation impairs cognitive performance and is implicated in the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. Rodent studies demonstrated key roles for inflammatory mediators in many processes critical to memory, including long-term potentiation, synaptic plasticity, and neurogenesis. They also demonstrated functional impairment of medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures by systemic inflammation. However, human data to support this position are limited. Sequential fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography together with experimentally induced inflammation was used to investigate effects of a systemic inflammatory challenge on human MTL function. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scanning was performed in 20 healthy participants before and after typhoid vaccination and saline control injection. After each scanning session, participants performed a virtual reality spatial memory task analogous to the Morris water maze and a mirror-tracing procedural memory control task. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography data demonstrated an acute reduction in human MTL glucose metabolism after inflammation. The inflammatory challenge also selectively compromised human spatial, but not procedural, memory; this effect that was independent of actions on motivation or psychomotor response. Effects of inflammation on parahippocampal and rhinal glucose metabolism directly mediated actions of inflammation on spatial memory. These data demonstrate acute sensitivity of human MTL to mild peripheral inflammation, giving rise to associated functional impairment in the form of reduced spatial memory performance. Our findings suggest a mechanism for the observed epidemiologic link between inflammation and risk of age-related cognitive decline and progression of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2014 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fourier imaging of non-linear structure formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brandbyge, Jacob; Hannestad, Steen, E-mail: jacobb@phys.au.dk, E-mail: sth@phys.au.dk [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade 120, DK-8000 Aarhus C (Denmark)

2017-04-01

We perform a Fourier space decomposition of the dynamics of non-linear cosmological structure formation in ΛCDM models. From N -body simulations involving only cold dark matter we calculate 3-dimensional non-linear density, velocity divergence and vorticity Fourier realizations, and use these to calculate the fully non-linear mode coupling integrals in the corresponding fluid equations. Our approach allows for a reconstruction of the amount of mode coupling between any two wavenumbers as a function of redshift. With our Fourier decomposition method we identify the transfer of power from larger to smaller scales, the stable clustering regime, the scale where vorticity becomes important, and the suppression of the non-linear divergence power spectrum as compared to linear theory. Our results can be used to improve and calibrate semi-analytical structure formation models.

Fourier imaging of non-linear structure formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandbyge, Jacob; Hannestad, Steen

2017-01-01

We perform a Fourier space decomposition of the dynamics of non-linear cosmological structure formation in ΛCDM models. From N -body simulations involving only cold dark matter we calculate 3-dimensional non-linear density, velocity divergence and vorticity Fourier realizations, and use these to calculate the fully non-linear mode coupling integrals in the corresponding fluid equations. Our approach allows for a reconstruction of the amount of mode coupling between any two wavenumbers as a function of redshift. With our Fourier decomposition method we identify the transfer of power from larger to smaller scales, the stable clustering regime, the scale where vorticity becomes important, and the suppression of the non-linear divergence power spectrum as compared to linear theory. Our results can be used to improve and calibrate semi-analytical structure formation models.

EVAPORATION: a new vapour pressure estimation methodfor organic molecules including non-additivity and intramolecular interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Compernolle

2011-09-01

Full Text Available We present EVAPORATION (Estimation of VApour Pressure of ORganics, Accounting for Temperature, Intramolecular, and Non-additivity effects, a method to predict (subcooled liquid pure compound vapour pressure p⁰ of organic molecules that requires only molecular structure as input. The method is applicable to zero-, mono- and polyfunctional molecules. A simple formula to describe log₁₀p⁰(T is employed, that takes into account both a wide temperature dependence and the non-additivity of functional groups. In order to match the recent data on functionalised diacids an empirical modification to the method was introduced. Contributions due to carbon skeleton, functional groups, and intramolecular interaction between groups are included. Molecules typically originating from oxidation of biogenic molecules are within the scope of this method: aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, ethers, esters, nitrates, acids, peroxides, hydroperoxides, peroxy acyl nitrates and peracids. Therefore the method is especially suited to describe compounds forming secondary organic aerosol (SOA.

Meta-structure and tunable optical device including the same

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Seunghoon; Papadakis, Georgia Theano; Atwater, Harry

2017-12-26

A meta-structure and a tunable optical device including the same are provided. The meta-structure includes a plurality of metal layers spaced apart from one another, an active layer spaced apart from the plurality of metal layers and having a carrier concentration that is tuned according to an electric signal applied to the active layer and the plurality of metal layers, and a plurality of dielectric layers spaced apart from one another and each having one surface contacting a metal layer among the plurality of metal layers and another surface contacting the active layer.

The effect of SNR structure on non-equilibrium X-ray spectra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, A.J.S.; Sarazin, C.L.

1983-01-01

A technique is presented for characterizing the ionization structure and consequent thermal X-ray emission of a SNR when non-equilibrium ionization effects are important. The technique allows different theoretical SNR models to be compared and contrasted rapidly in advance of detailed numerical computations. In particular it is shown that the spectrum of a Sedov remnant can probably be applied satisfactorily in a variety of SNR structures, including the reverse shock model advocated by Chevalier (1982) for Type I SN, the isothermal similarity solution of Solinger, Rappaport and Buff (1975), and various inhomogenous or 'messy' structures. (Auth.)

Non-Stationary Dependence Structures for Spatial Extremes

KAUST Repository

Huser, Raphaë l; Genton, Marc G.

2016-01-01

been developed, and fitted to various types of data. However, a recurrent problem is the modeling of non-stationarity. In this paper, we develop non-stationary max-stable dependence structures in which covariates can be easily incorporated. Inference

Material model for non-linear finite element analyses of large concrete structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Engen, Morten; Hendriks, M.A.N.; Øverli, Jan Arve; Åldstedt, Erik; Beushausen, H.

2016-01-01

A fully triaxial material model for concrete was implemented in a commercial finite element code. The only required input parameter was the cylinder compressive strength. The material model was suitable for non-linear finite element analyses of large concrete structures. The importance of including

An impedance function approach for soil-structure interaction analyses including structure-to-structure interaction effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gantayat, A.; Kamil, H.

1981-01-01

The dynamic soil-structure and structure-to-structure interaction effects may be determined in one of the two ways: by modeling the entire soil-structure system by a finite-element model, or by using a frequency-dependent (or frequency-independent) impedance function approach. In seismic design of nuclear power plant structures, the normal practice is to use the first approach because of its simplicity and easy availability of computer codes to perform such analyses. However, in the finite-element approach, because of the size and cost restrictions, the three-dimensional behavior of the entire soil-structure system and the radiation damping in soil are only approximately included by using a two-dimensional finite-element mesh. In using the impedance function approach, the soil-structure analyses can be performed in four steps: (a) determination of the dynamic properties of the fixed base superstructure, (b) determination of foundation and structure impedance matrices and input motions, (c) evaluation of foundation motion, (d) analysis of the fixed base superstructure using computed foundation motion. (orig./RW)

Testing the importance of the Medial Temporal Lobes in human interoception: Does it matter if there is a memory component to the task?

Science.gov (United States)

Berriman, Joanne; Stevenson, Richard J; Thayer, Zoe C; Thompson, Elizabeth; Mohamed, Armin; Watson, John D G; Miller, Laurie A

2016-10-01

Interoception is the ability to consciously perceive internal bodily states. Neuroimaging suggests that the insula (IC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) mediate interoception, while studies involving patients/animals with brain lesions suggest the medial temporal lobe (MTL) is particularly important. One reason for these contrasting conclusions may lie in the types of interoceptive task used by these different approaches. Some tasks probably require integration of current physiological state with mnemonic information (e.g., how much one last ate), and these may be especially reliant upon MTL processing. We compared one task that probably requires integration - a water load task - with one that likely does not - a heart-rate tracking task - in two individuals with selective MTL damage (and with intact IC and ACC). A group of matched healthy individuals served as controls. The main finding was that individuals with MTL damage, relative to controls, were equally and significantly impaired on both types of interoception task. This suggests that MTL structures are involved in mediating interoception even when using a task (heart rate tracking) that does not seemingly require memory and that in neuroimaging studies activates the IC and ACC. The reasons for this apparent inconsistency with neuroimaging findings and the functional role of the MTL in interoception are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Episodic memory in aspects of large-scale brain networks

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Woorim; Chung, Chun Kee; Kim, June Sic

2015-01-01

Understanding human episodic memory in aspects of large-scale brain networks has become one of the central themes in neuroscience over the last decade. Traditionally, episodic memory was regarded as mostly relying on medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures. However, recent studies have suggested involvement of more widely distributed cortical network and the importance of its interactive roles in the memory process. Both direct and indirect neuro-modulations of the memory network have been tried in experimental treatments of memory disorders. In this review, we focus on the functional organization of the MTL and other neocortical areas in episodic memory. Task-related neuroimaging studies together with lesion studies suggested that specific sub-regions of the MTL are responsible for specific components of memory. However, recent studies have emphasized that connectivity within MTL structures and even their network dynamics with other cortical areas are essential in the memory process. Resting-state functional network studies also have revealed that memory function is subserved by not only the MTL system but also a distributed network, particularly the default-mode network (DMN). Furthermore, researchers have begun to investigate memory networks throughout the entire brain not restricted to the specific resting-state network (RSN). Altered patterns of functional connectivity (FC) among distributed brain regions were observed in patients with memory impairments. Recently, studies have shown that brain stimulation may impact memory through modulating functional networks, carrying future implications of a novel interventional therapy for memory impairment. PMID:26321939

Episodic memory in aspects of large-scale brain networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Woorim eJeong

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Understanding human episodic memory in aspects of large-scale brain networks has become one of the central themes in neuroscience over the last decade. Traditionally, episodic memory was regarded as mostly relying on medial temporal lobe (MTL structures. However, recent studies have suggested involvement of more widely distributed cortical network and the importance of its interactive roles in the memory process. Both direct and indirect neuro-modulations of the memory network have been tried in experimental treatments of memory disorders. In this review, we focus on the functional organization of the MTL and other neocortical areas in episodic memory. Task-related neuroimaging studies together with lesion studies suggested that specific sub-regions of the MTL are responsible for specific components of memory. However, recent studies have emphasized that connectivity within MTL structures and even their network dynamics with other cortical areas are essential in the memory process. Resting-state functional network studies also have revealed that memory function is subserved by not only the MTL system but also a distributed network, particularly the default-mode network. Furthermore, researchers have begun to investigate memory networks throughout the entire brain not restricted to the specific resting-state network. Altered patterns of functional connectivity among distributed brain regions were observed in patients with memory impairments. Recently, studies have shown that brain stimulation may impact memory through modulating functional networks, carrying future implications of a novel interventional therapy for memory impairment.

Resection of the medial temporal lobe disconnects the rostral superior temporal gyrus from some of its projection targets in the frontal lobe and thalamus.

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz, Monica; Mishkin, Mortimer; Saunders, Richard C

2009-09-01

Auditory memory in the monkey does not appear to extend beyond the limits of working memory. It is therefore surprising that this ability is impaired by medial temporal lobe (MTL) resections, because such lesions spare working memory in other sensory modalities. To determine whether MTL ablations might have caused the auditory deficit through inadvertent transection of superior temporal gyrus (STG) projections to its downstream targets, and, if so, which targets might have been compromised, we injected anterograde tracer (biotinylated dextran amine) in the STG of both the normal and MTL-lesioned hemispheres of split-brain monkeys. Interhemispheric comparison of label failed to show any effect of the MTL ablation on efferents from caudal STG, which projects to the inferior prefrontal convexity. However, the ablation did consistently interrupt the normally dense projections from rostral STG to both the ventral medial prefrontal cortex and medial thalamic nuclei. The findings support the possibility that the auditory working memory deficit after MTL ablation is due to transection of downstream auditory projections, and indicate that the candidate structures for mediating auditory working memory are the ventral medial prefrontal cortical areas, the medial thalamus, or both.

AAMQS: A non-linear QCD analysis of new HERA data at small-x including heavy quarks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albacete, Javier L.; Armesto, Nestor; Salgado, Carlos A.; Milhano, Jose Guilherme; Quiroga Arias, Paloma

2011-01-01

We present a global analysis of available data on inclusive structure functions and reduced cross sections measured in electron-proton scattering at small values of Bjorken-x, x<0.01, including the latest data from HERA on reduced cross sections. Our approach relies on the dipole formulation of DIS together with the use of the non-linear running coupling Balitsky-Kovchegov equation for the description of the small-x dynamics. We improve our previous studies by including the heavy quark (charm and beauty) contribution to the reduced cross sections, and also by considering a variable flavor scheme for the running of the coupling. We obtain a good description of the data, with the fit parameters remaining stable with respect to our previous analyses where only light quarks were considered. The inclusion of the heavy quark contributions resulted in a good description of available experimental data for the charm component of the structure function and reduced cross section provided the initial transverse distribution of heavy quarks was allowed to differ from (more specifically, to have a smaller radius than) that of the light flavors. (orig.)

AAMQS: A non-linear QCD analysis of new HERA data at small-x including heavy quarks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albacete, Javier L. [CEA/Saclay, URA 2306, Unite de Recherche Associee au CNRS, Institut de Physique Theorique, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex (France); Armesto, Nestor; Salgado, Carlos A. [Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Departamento de Fisica de Particulas and IGFAE, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Milhano, Jose Guilherme [Instituto Superior Tecnico (IST), Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, CENTRA, Lisboa (Portugal); Theory Unit, CERN, Physics Department, Geneve 23 (Switzerland); Quiroga Arias, Paloma [UPMC Univ. Paris 6 and CNRS UMR7589, LPTHE, Paris (France)

2011-07-15

We present a global analysis of available data on inclusive structure functions and reduced cross sections measured in electron-proton scattering at small values of Bjorken-x, x<0.01, including the latest data from HERA on reduced cross sections. Our approach relies on the dipole formulation of DIS together with the use of the non-linear running coupling Balitsky-Kovchegov equation for the description of the small-x dynamics. We improve our previous studies by including the heavy quark (charm and beauty) contribution to the reduced cross sections, and also by considering a variable flavor scheme for the running of the coupling. We obtain a good description of the data, with the fit parameters remaining stable with respect to our previous analyses where only light quarks were considered. The inclusion of the heavy quark contributions resulted in a good description of available experimental data for the charm component of the structure function and reduced cross section provided the initial transverse distribution of heavy quarks was allowed to differ from (more specifically, to have a smaller radius than) that of the light flavors. (orig.)

Innate and Cultural Spatial Time: A Developmental Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Magnani

2017-05-01

Full Text Available We reviewed literature to understand when a spatial map for time is available in the brain. We carefully defined the concepts of metrical map of time and of conceptual representation of time as the mental time line (MTL in order to formulate our position. It is that both metrical map and conceptual representation of time are spatial in nature. The former should be innate, related to motor/implicit timing, it should represent all magnitudes with an analogic and bi-dimensional structure. The latter MTL should be learned, available at about 8–10 years-old and related to cognitive/explicit time. It should have uni-dimensional, linear and directional structure (left-to-right in Western culture. We bear the centrality of the development of number cognition, of time semantic concepts and of reading/writing habits for the development of ordinality and linearity of the MTL.

Systems and strippable coatings for decontaminating structures that include porous material

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Robert V [Idaho Falls, ID; Avci, Recep [Bozeman, MT; Groenewold, Gary S [Idaho Falls, ID

2011-12-06

Methods of removing contaminant matter from porous materials include applying a polymer material to a contaminated surface, irradiating the contaminated surface to cause redistribution of contaminant matter, and removing at least a portion of the polymer material from the surface. Systems for decontaminating a contaminated structure comprising porous material include a radiation device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a surface of a structure, and at least one spray device configured to apply a capture material onto the surface of the structure. Polymer materials that can be used in such methods and systems include polyphosphazine-based polymer materials having polyphosphazine backbone segments and side chain groups that include selected functional groups. The selected functional groups may include iminos, oximes, carboxylates, sulfonates, .beta.-diketones, phosphine sulfides, phosphates, phosphites, phosphonates, phosphinates, phosphine oxides, monothio phosphinic acids, and dithio phosphinic acids.

Improved protein structure reconstruction using secondary structures, contacts at higher distance thresholds, and non-contacts.

Science.gov (United States)

Adhikari, Badri; Cheng, Jianlin

2017-08-29

Residue-residue contacts are key features for accurate de novo protein structure prediction. For the optimal utilization of these predicted contacts in folding proteins accurately, it is important to study the challenges of reconstructing protein structures using true contacts. Because contact-guided protein modeling approach is valuable for predicting the folds of proteins that do not have structural templates, it is necessary for reconstruction studies to focus on hard-to-predict protein structures. Using a data set consisting of 496 structural domains released in recent CASP experiments and a dataset of 150 representative protein structures, in this work, we discuss three techniques to improve the reconstruction accuracy using true contacts - adding secondary structures, increasing contact distance thresholds, and adding non-contacts. We find that reconstruction using secondary structures and contacts can deliver accuracy higher than using full contact maps. Similarly, we demonstrate that non-contacts can improve reconstruction accuracy not only when the used non-contacts are true but also when they are predicted. On the dataset consisting of 150 proteins, we find that by simply using low ranked predicted contacts as non-contacts and adding them as additional restraints, can increase the reconstruction accuracy by 5% when the reconstructed models are evaluated using TM-score. Our findings suggest that secondary structures are invaluable companions of contacts for accurate reconstruction. Confirming some earlier findings, we also find that larger distance thresholds are useful for folding many protein structures which cannot be folded using the standard definition of contacts. Our findings also suggest that for more accurate reconstruction using predicted contacts it is useful to predict contacts at higher distance thresholds (beyond 8 Å) and predict non-contacts.

A heuristic approach to optimization of structural topology including self-weight

Science.gov (United States)

Tajs-Zielińska, Katarzyna; Bochenek, Bogdan

2018-01-01

Topology optimization of structures under a design-dependent self-weight load is investigated in this paper. The problem deserves attention because of its significant importance in the engineering practice, especially nowadays as topology optimization is more often applied when designing large engineering structures, for example, bridges or carrying systems of tall buildings. It is worth noting that well-known approaches of topology optimization which have been successfully applied to structures under fixed loads cannot be directly adapted to the case of design-dependent loads, so that topology generation can be a challenge also for numerical algorithms. The paper presents the application of a simple but efficient non-gradient method to topology optimization of elastic structures under self-weight loading. The algorithm is based on the Cellular Automata concept, the application of which can produce effective solutions with low computational cost.

A Non-Structural Investigation of VIX Risk Neutral Density

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barletta, Andrea; Santucci de Magistris, Paolo; Violante, Francesco

We propose a non-structural pricing method to derive the risk-neutral density (RND) implied by options on the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX). The methodology is based on orthogonal polynomial expansions around a kernel density and yields the RND of the underlying asset without the need for a paramet......We propose a non-structural pricing method to derive the risk-neutral density (RND) implied by options on the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX). The methodology is based on orthogonal polynomial expansions around a kernel density and yields the RND of the underlying asset without the need...... for a parametric specification. The classic family of Laguerre expansions is extended to include the GIG and the generalized Weibull kernels, thus relaxing the conditions required on the tail decay rate of the RND to ensure convergence. We show that the proposed methodology yields an accurate approximation...... of the RND in a large variety of cases, also when the no-arbitrage and efficient option prices are contaminated by measurement errors. Our empirical investigation, based on a panel of traded VIX options, reveals some stylized facts on the RND of VIX. We find that a common stochastic factor drives the dynamic...

ENEA activities on seismic isolation of nuclear and non-nuclear structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martelli, A.; Masoni, P.; Forni, M.; Indirli, M.; Spadoni, B.; Di Pasquale, G.; Lucarelli, V.; Sano, T.; Bonacina, G.; Castoldi, A.

1989-01-01

Work on seismic isolation of nuclear and non-nuclear structures was started by ENEA in cooperation with ISMES in 1988. The first activity consisted of a proposal for guidelines for seismically isolated nuclear plants using high-damping, steel-laminated elastomer bearings. This is being performed in the framework of an agreement with General Electric Company. Furthermore, research and development work has been defined and recently initiated to support development of the seismic isolation guidelines as well as that of qualification procedures for seismic isolation systems in general. The present R and D work includes static and dynamic experiments on single bearings, shake table tests with multi-axial simultaneous excitations on reduced-scale mockups of isolated structures supported by multiple bearings, and dynamic tests on large-scale isolated structures with on-site test techniques. It also includes the development and validation of finite-element nonlinear models of the single bearings, as well as those of simplified design tools for the analysis of the isolated structures dynamic behavior. Extension of this work is foreseen in a wider national frame

The Medial Temporal Lobe – Conduit of Parallel Connectivity: A model for Attention, Memory, and Perception.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian B. Mozaffari

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Based on the notion that the brain is equipped with a hierarchical organization, which embodies environmental contingencies across many time scales, this paper suggests that the medial temporal lobe (MTL – located deep in the hierarchy – serves as a bridge connecting supra to infra – MTL levels. Bridging the upper and lower regions of the hierarchy provides a parallel architecture that optimizes information flow between upper and lower regions to aid attention, encoding, and processing of quick complex visual phenomenon. Bypassing intermediate hierarchy levels, information conveyed through the MTL ‘bridge’ allows upper levels to make educated predictions about the prevailing context and accordingly select lower representations to increase the efficiency of predictive coding throughout the hierarchy. This selection or activation/deactivation is associated with endogenous attention. In the event that these ‘bridge’ predictions are inaccurate, this architecture enables the rapid encoding of novel contingencies. A review of hierarchical models in relation to memory is provided along with a new theory, Medial-temporal-lobe Conduit for Parallel Connectivity (MCPC. In this scheme, consolidation is considered as a secondary process, occurring after a MTL-bridged connection, which eventually allows upper and lower levels to access each other directly. With repeated reactivations, as contingencies become consolidated, less MTL activity is predicted. Finally, MTL bridging may aid processing transient but structured perceptual events, by allowing communication between upper and lower levels without calling on intermediate levels of representation.

On the obstructions to non-Cliffordian pin structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chamblin, A. (Dept. of Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics, Univ. of Cambridge (United Kingdom))

1994-07-01

We derive the topological obstructions to the existence of non-Cliffordian pin structures on four-dimensional spacetimes. We apply these obstructions to the study of non-Cliffordian pin-Lorentz cobordism. We note that our method of derivation applies equally well in any dimension and in any signature, and we present a general format for calculating obstructions in these situations. Finally, we interpret the breakdown of pin structure and discuss the relevance of this to aspects of physics. (orig.)

Cleft analysis of Zika virus non-structural protein 1

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Somsri Wiwanitkit; Viroj Wiwanitkit

2017-01-01

The non-structural protein 1 is an important molecule of the viruses in flavivirus group including to Zika virus. Recently, the NS1 of Zika virus was discovered. There is still no complete information of the molecular interaction of NS1 of Zika virus which can be the clue for explanation for its pathogenesis and further drug search. Here the authors report the cleft analysis of NS1 of Zika virus and the result can be useful for future development of good diagnostic tool and antiviral drug finding for management of Zika virus.

Cleft analysis of Zika virus non-structural protein 1

OpenAIRE

Somsri Wiwanitkit; Viroj Wiwanitkit

2017-01-01

The non-structural protein 1 is an important molecule of the viruses in flavivirus group including to Zika virus. Recently, the NS1 of Zika virus was discovered. There is still no complete information of the molecular interaction of NS1 of Zika virus which can be the clue for explanation for its pathogenesis and further drug search. Here the authors report the cleft analysis of NS1 of Zika virus and the result can be useful for future development of good diagnostic tool and antiviral drug fin...

Visual rating of medial temporal lobe metabolism in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease using FDG-PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mosconi, Lisa; Santi, Susan De; Li, Yi; Li, Juan; Zhan, Jiong; Boppana, Madhu; Tsui, Wai Hon; Leon, Mony J. de; Pupi, Alberto

2006-01-01

This study was designed to examine the utility of visual inspection of medial temporal lobe (MTL) metabolism in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) using FDG-PET scans. Seventy-five subjects [27 normal controls (NL), 26 MCI, and 22 AD] with FDG-PET and MRI scans were included in this study. We developed a four-point visual rating scale to evaluate the presence and severity of MTL hypometabolism on FDG-PET scans. The visual MTL ratings were compared with quantitative glucose metabolic rate (MR glc ) data extracted using regions of interest (ROIs) from the MRI-coregistered PET scans of all subjects. A standard rating evaluation of neocortical hypometabolism was also completed. Logistic regressions were used to determine and compare the diagnostic accuracy of the MTL and cortical ratings. For both MTL and cortical ratings, high intra- and inter-rater reliabilities were found (p values glc measures (p values <0.001). The combination of MTL and cortical ratings significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy over the cortical rating alone, with 100% of AD, 77% of MCI, and 85% of NL cases being correctly identified. This study shows that the visual rating of MTL hypometabolism on PET is reliable, yields a diagnostic accuracy equal to the quantitative ROI measures, and is clinically useful and more sensitive than cortical ratings for patients with MCI. We suggest this method be further evaluated for its potential in the early diagnosis of AD. (orig.)

Visual rating of medial temporal lobe metabolism in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease using FDG-PET

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mosconi, Lisa [New York University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY (United States); University of Florence, Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Florence (Italy); New York University School of Medicine, Center for Brain Health, New York, NY (United States); Santi, Susan De; Li, Yi; Li, Juan; Zhan, Jiong; Boppana, Madhu [New York University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY (United States); Tsui, Wai Hon; Leon, Mony J. de [New York University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY (United States); Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY (United States); Pupi, Alberto [University of Florence, Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Florence (Italy)

2006-02-01

This study was designed to examine the utility of visual inspection of medial temporal lobe (MTL) metabolism in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) using FDG-PET scans. Seventy-five subjects [27 normal controls (NL), 26 MCI, and 22 AD] with FDG-PET and MRI scans were included in this study. We developed a four-point visual rating scale to evaluate the presence and severity of MTL hypometabolism on FDG-PET scans. The visual MTL ratings were compared with quantitative glucose metabolic rate (MR{sub glc}) data extracted using regions of interest (ROIs) from the MRI-coregistered PET scans of all subjects. A standard rating evaluation of neocortical hypometabolism was also completed. Logistic regressions were used to determine and compare the diagnostic accuracy of the MTL and cortical ratings. For both MTL and cortical ratings, high intra- and inter-rater reliabilities were found (p values <0.001). The MTL rating was highly correlated with and yielded a diagnostic accuracy equivalent to the ROI MR{sub glc} measures (p values <0.001). The combination of MTL and cortical ratings significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy over the cortical rating alone, with 100% of AD, 77% of MCI, and 85% of NL cases being correctly identified. This study shows that the visual rating of MTL hypometabolism on PET is reliable, yields a diagnostic accuracy equal to the quantitative ROI measures, and is clinically useful and more sensitive than cortical ratings for patients with MCI. We suggest this method be further evaluated for its potential in the early diagnosis of AD. (orig.)

Poisson structures for reduced non-holonomic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos, Arturo

2004-01-01

Borisov, Mamaev and Kilin have recently found certain Poisson structures with respect to which the reduced and rescaled systems of certain non-holonomic problems, involving rolling bodies without slipping, become Hamiltonian, the Hamiltonian function being the reduced energy. We study further the algebraic origin of these Poisson structures, showing that they are of rank 2 and therefore the mentioned rescaling is not necessary. We show that they are determined, up to a non-vanishing factor function, by the existence of a system of first-order differential equations providing two integrals of motion. We generalize the form of the Poisson structures and extend their domain of definition. We apply the theory to the rolling disc, the Routh's sphere, the ball rolling on a surface of revolution, and its special case of a ball rolling inside a cylinder

Network structure beyond food webs: mapping non-trophic and trophic interactions on Chilean rocky shores.

Science.gov (United States)

Sonia Kéfi; Berlow, Eric L; Wieters, Evie A; Joppa, Lucas N; Wood, Spencer A; Brose, Ulrich; Navarrete, Sergio A

2015-01-01

How multiple types of non-trophic interactions map onto trophic networks in real communities remains largely unknown. We present the first effort, to our knowledge, describing a comprehensive ecological network that includes all known trophic and diverse non-trophic links among >100 coexisting species for the marine rocky intertidal community of the central Chilean coast. Our results suggest that non-trophic interactions exhibit highly nonrandom structures both alone and with respect to food web structure. The occurrence of different types of interactions, relative to all possible links, was well predicted by trophic structure and simple traits of the source and target species. In this community, competition for space and positive interactions related to habitat/refuge provisioning by sessile and/or basal species were by far the most abundant non-trophic interactions. If these patterns are orroborated in other ecosystems, they may suggest potentially important dynamic constraints on the combined architecture of trophic and non-trophic interactions. The nonrandom patterning of non-trophic interactions suggests a path forward for developing a more comprehensive ecological network theory to predict the functioning and resilience of ecological communities.

Carbamazepine reduces memory induced activation of mesial temporal lobe structures: a pharmacological fMRI-study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Okujava Michael

2001-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background and Purpose It is not known whether carbamazepine (CBZ; a drug widely used in neurology and psychiatry influences the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD contrast changes induced by neuronal activation and measured by functional MRI (fMRI. We aimed to investigate the influence of CBZ on memory induced activation of the mesial temporal lobes in patients with symptomatic temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE. Material and Methods Twenty-one individual patients with refractory symptomatic TLE with different CBZ serum levels and 20 healthy controls were studied using BOLD fMRI. Mesial temporal lobe (MTL activation was induced by a task that is based on the retrieval of individually familiar visuo-spatial knowledge. The extent of significant MTL fMRI activation was measured and correlated with the CBZ serum level. Results In TLE patients, the extent of significant fMRI activation over both MTL was negatively correlated to the CBZ serum level (Spearman r = -0.654, P Conclusions In TLE patients, carbamazepine reduces the fMRI-detectable changes within the mesial temporal lobes as induced by effortful memory retrieval. FMRI appears to be suitable to study the effects of chronic drug treatment in patients with epilepsy.

Structure Learning in Stochastic Non-linear Dynamical Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, R. D.; Smelyanskiy, V. N.; Luchinsky, D. G.

2005-12-01

A great many systems can be modeled in the non-linear dynamical systems framework, as x˙ = f(x) + ξ(t), where f(x) is the potential function for the system, and ξ(t) is the driving noise. Modeling the potential using a set of basis functions, we derive the posterior for the basis coefficients. A more challenging problem is to determine the set of basis functions that are required to model a particular system. We show that using the Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC) to rank models, and the beam search technique, that we can accurately determine the structure of simple non-linear dynamical system models, and the structure of the coupling between non-linear dynamical systems where the individual systems are known. This last case has important ecological applications, for example in predator-prey systems, where the very structure of the coupling between predator-prey pairs can have great ecological significance.

Algorithm-Dependent Generalization Bounds for Multi-Task Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Tongliang; Tao, Dacheng; Song, Mingli; Maybank, Stephen J

2017-02-01

Often, tasks are collected for multi-task learning (MTL) because they share similar feature structures. Based on this observation, in this paper, we present novel algorithm-dependent generalization bounds for MTL by exploiting the notion of algorithmic stability. We focus on the performance of one particular task and the average performance over multiple tasks by analyzing the generalization ability of a common parameter that is shared in MTL. When focusing on one particular task, with the help of a mild assumption on the feature structures, we interpret the function of the other tasks as a regularizer that produces a specific inductive bias. The algorithm for learning the common parameter, as well as the predictor, is thereby uniformly stable with respect to the domain of the particular task and has a generalization bound with a fast convergence rate of order O(1/n), where n is the sample size of the particular task. When focusing on the average performance over multiple tasks, we prove that a similar inductive bias exists under certain conditions on the feature structures. Thus, the corresponding algorithm for learning the common parameter is also uniformly stable with respect to the domains of the multiple tasks, and its generalization bound is of the order O(1/T), where T is the number of tasks. These theoretical analyses naturally show that the similarity of feature structures in MTL will lead to specific regularizations for predicting, which enables the learning algorithms to generalize fast and correctly from a few examples.

Hamiltonian structures of some non-linear evolution equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tu, G.Z.

1983-06-01

The Hamiltonian structure of the O(2,1) non-linear sigma model, generalized AKNS equations, are discussed. By reducing the O(2,1) non-linear sigma model to its Hamiltonian form some new conservation laws are derived. A new hierarchy of non-linear evolution equations is proposed and shown to be generalized Hamiltonian equations with an infinite number of conservation laws. (author)

Accurate SHAPE-directed RNA secondary structure modeling, including pseudoknots.

Science.gov (United States)

Hajdin, Christine E; Bellaousov, Stanislav; Huggins, Wayne; Leonard, Christopher W; Mathews, David H; Weeks, Kevin M

2013-04-02

A pseudoknot forms in an RNA when nucleotides in a loop pair with a region outside the helices that close the loop. Pseudoknots occur relatively rarely in RNA but are highly overrepresented in functionally critical motifs in large catalytic RNAs, in riboswitches, and in regulatory elements of viruses. Pseudoknots are usually excluded from RNA structure prediction algorithms. When included, these pairings are difficult to model accurately, especially in large RNAs, because allowing this structure dramatically increases the number of possible incorrect folds and because it is difficult to search the fold space for an optimal structure. We have developed a concise secondary structure modeling approach that combines SHAPE (selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension) experimental chemical probing information and a simple, but robust, energy model for the entropic cost of single pseudoknot formation. Structures are predicted with iterative refinement, using a dynamic programming algorithm. This melded experimental and thermodynamic energy function predicted the secondary structures and the pseudoknots for a set of 21 challenging RNAs of known structure ranging in size from 34 to 530 nt. On average, 93% of known base pairs were predicted, and all pseudoknots in well-folded RNAs were identified.

Method for prefetching non-contiguous data structures

Science.gov (United States)

Blumrich, Matthias A [Ridgefield, CT; Chen, Dong [Croton On Hudson, NY; Coteus, Paul W [Yorktown Heights, NY; Gara, Alan G [Mount Kisco, NY; Giampapa, Mark E [Irvington, NY; Heidelberger, Philip [Cortlandt Manor, NY; Hoenicke, Dirk [Ossining, NY; Ohmacht, Martin [Brewster, NY; Steinmacher-Burow, Burkhard D [Mount Kisco, NY; Takken, Todd E [Mount Kisco, NY; Vranas, Pavlos M [Bedford Hills, NY

2009-05-05

A low latency memory system access is provided in association with a weakly-ordered multiprocessor system. Each processor in the multiprocessor shares resources, and each shared resource has an associated lock within a locking device that provides support for synchronization between the multiple processors in the multiprocessor and the orderly sharing of the resources. A processor only has permission to access a resource when it owns the lock associated with that resource, and an attempt by a processor to own a lock requires only a single load operation, rather than a traditional atomic load followed by store, such that the processor only performs a read operation and the hardware locking device performs a subsequent write operation rather than the processor. A simple perfecting for non-contiguous data structures is also disclosed. A memory line is redefined so that in addition to the normal physical memory data, every line includes a pointer that is large enough to point to any other line in the memory, wherein the pointers to determine which memory line to prefect rather than some other predictive algorithm. This enables hardware to effectively prefect memory access patterns that are non-contiguous, but repetitive.

Comparison of explicit and incidental learning strategies in memory-impaired patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Christine N; Urgolites, Zhisen J; Hopkins, Ramona O; Squire, Larry R

2014-01-07

Declarative memory for rapidly learned, novel associations is thought to depend on structures in the medial temporal lobe (MTL), whereas associations learned more gradually can sometimes be supported by nondeclarative memory and by structures outside the MTL. A recent study suggested that even rapidly learned associations can be supported by structures outside the MTL when an incidental encoding procedure termed "fast mapping" (FM) is used. We tested six memory-impaired patients with bilateral damage to hippocampus and one patient with large bilateral lesions of the MTL. Participants saw photographs and names of animals, plants, and foods that were previously unfamiliar (e.g., mangosteen). Instead of asking participants to study name-object pairings for a later memory test (as with traditional memory instructions), participants answered questions that allowed them to infer which object corresponded to a particular name. In a second condition, participants learned name-object associations of unfamiliar items by using standard, explicit encoding instructions (e.g., remember the mangosteen). In FM and explicit encoding conditions, patients were impaired (and performed no better than a group that was given the same tests but had not previously studied the material). The same results were obtained in a second experiment that used the same procedures with modifications to allow for more robust learning and more reliable measures of performance. Thus, our results with the FM procedure and memory-impaired patients yielded the same deficits in learning and memory that have been obtained by using other more traditional paradigms.

Effects of Different Types of Front-of-Pack Labelling Information on the Healthiness of Food Purchases—A Randomised Controlled Trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce Neal

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Front-of-pack nutrition labelling may support healthier packaged food purchases. Australia has adopted a novel Health Star Rating (HSR system, but the legitimacy of this choice is unknown. Objective: To define the effects of different formats of front-of-pack labelling on the healthiness of food purchases and consumer perceptions. Design: Individuals were assigned at random to access one of four different formats of nutrition labelling—HSR, multiple traffic light labels (MTL, daily intake guides (DIG, recommendations/warnings (WARN—or control (the nutrition information panel, NIP. Participants accessed nutrition information by using a smartphone application to scan the bar-codes of packaged foods, while shopping. The primary outcome was healthiness defined by the mean transformed nutrient profile score of packaged foods that were purchased over four weeks. Results: The 1578 participants, mean age 38 years, 84% female recorded purchases of 148,727 evaluable food items. The mean healthiness of the purchases in the HSR group was non-inferior to MTL, DIG, or WARN (all p < 0.001 at 2% non-inferiority margin. When compared to the NIP control, there was no difference in the mean healthiness of purchases for HSR, MTL, or DIG (all p > 0.07, but WARN resulted in healthier packaged food purchases (mean difference 0.87; 95% confidence interval 0.03 to 1.72; p = 0.04. HSR was perceived by participants as more useful than DIG, and easier to understand than MTL or DIG (all p < 0.05. Participants also reported the HSR to be easier to understand, and the HSR and MTL to be more useful, than NIP (all p < 0.03. Conclusions: These real-world data align with experimental findings and provide support for the policy choice of HSR. Recommendation/warning labels warrant further exploration, as they may be a stronger driver of healthy food purchases.

A new 3D immersed boundary method for non-Newtonian fluid-structure-interaction with application

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Luoding

2017-11-01

Motivated by fluid-structure-interaction (FSI) phenomena in life sciences (e.g., motions of sperm and cytoskeleton in complex fluids), we introduce a new immersed boundary method for FSI problems involving non-Newtonian fluids in three dimensions. The non-Newtonian fluids are modelled by the FENE-P model (including the Oldroyd-B model as an especial case) and numerically solved by a lattice Boltzmann scheme (the D3Q7 model). The fluid flow is modelled by the lattice Boltzmann equations and numerically solved by the D3Q19 model. The deformable structure and the fluid-structure-interaction are handled by the immersed boundary method. As an application, we study a FSI toy problem - interaction of an elastic plate (flapped at its leading edge and restricted nowhere else) with a non-Newtonian fluid in a 3D flow. Thanks to the support of NSF-DMS support under research Grant 1522554.

Assessing the sources of the fishing down marine food web process in the Argentinean-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés J. Jaureguizar

2008-03-01

Full Text Available The temporal trend in the mean trophic level (mTL, fisheries-in-balance index (FIB, trophic categories landing (TrC and landing profile (LP of the exploited marine community (82 species in the Argentinean-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone (AUCFZ were examined from 1989 to 2003. The total landings (Yt (rs=-0.561; P< 0.05 and the Yt of carnivores and top predators has declined, while the Yt of herbivores, detritivores and omnivores has increased. Consequently, the mTL significantly decreased (rs =-0.88; P< 0.01 at a rate of 0.41 from 1991 (mTL =3.81 to 2003 (mTL =3.4, and the FIB index has declined in the last 6 years. The LP temporal pattern showed four periods with significant differences in their species composition and Primary Production Required, which shows a strong decline in the traditional fishery resources (i.e. Merluccius hubbsi, Micropogonias furnieri, and increases in crustacean (Chaceon notilis, molluscs (Zygochlamys patagonica and some fishes (Macrodon ancylodon, Macruronus magallanicus, Rajidae. The mTL trend reflects the changes in the AUCFZ landing structure. This was characterized by large, slow-growing and late-maturing species during the early 1990s, while during recent years, early 2000s, it was mainly characterized by medium-sized fishes, crustaceans and molluscs. The examination of the mTL, FBI, TrC trajectories and LP temporal pattern suggests that new fishery resources are developing or that the fishing effort has been redistributed from overexploited resources to lightly exploited resources. In addition, the examination of discriminator and common species, and the fact that traditional resources are being over-fished support the hypothesis that the mTL trend has been influenced more by the impacts of new fishing technologies than the changes in market-driven exploitation and environmental fluctuation. These results provide evidence of the fishing down process along AUCFZ.

Cleft analysis of Zika virus non-structural protein 1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Somsri Wiwanitkit

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The non-structural protein 1 is an important molecule of the viruses in flavivirus group including to Zika virus. Recently, the NS1 of Zika virus was discovered. There is still no complete information of the molecular interaction of NS1 of Zika virus which can be the clue for explanation for its pathogenesis and further drug search. Here the authors report the cleft analysis of NS1 of Zika virus and the result can be useful for future development of good diagnostic tool and antiviral drug finding for management of Zika virus.

Earthquake analysis of structures including structure-soil interaction by a substructure method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chopra, A.K.; Guttierrez, J.A.

1977-01-01

A general substructure method for analysis of response of nuclear power plant structures to earthquake ground motion, including the effects of structure-soil interaction, is summarized. The method is applicable to complex structures idealized as finite element systems and the soil region treated as either a continuum, for example as a viscoelastic halfspace, or idealized as a finite element system. The halfspace idealization permits reliable analysis for sites where essentially similar soils extend to large depths and there is no rigid boundary such as soil-rock interface. For sites where layers of soft soil are underlain by rock at shallow depth, finite element idealization of the soil region is appropriate; in this case, the direct and substructure methods would lead to equivalent results but the latter provides the better alternative. Treating the free field motion directly as the earthquake input in the substructure eliminates the deconvolution calculations and the related assumption-regarding type and direction of earthquake waves-required in the direct method. (Auth.)

Memory for Items and Relationships among Items Embedded in Realistic Scenes: Disproportionate Relational Memory Impairments in Amnesia

Science.gov (United States)

Hannula, Deborah E.; Tranel, Daniel; Allen, John S.; Kirchhoff, Brenda A.; Nickel, Allison E.; Cohen, Neal J.

2014-01-01

Objective The objective of this study was to examine the dependence of item memory and relational memory on medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures. Patients with amnesia, who either had extensive MTL damage or damage that was relatively restricted to the hippocampus, were tested, as was a matched comparison group. Disproportionate relational memory impairments were predicted for both patient groups, and those with extensive MTL damage were also expected to have impaired item memory. Method Participants studied scenes, and were tested with interleaved two-alternative forced-choice probe trials. Probe trials were either presented immediately after the corresponding study trial (lag 1), five trials later (lag 5), or nine trials later (lag 9) and consisted of the studied scene along with a manipulated version of that scene in which one item was replaced with a different exemplar (item memory test) or was moved to a new location (relational memory test). Participants were to identify the exact match of the studied scene. Results As predicted, patients were disproportionately impaired on the test of relational memory. Item memory performance was marginally poorer among patients with extensive MTL damage, but both groups were impaired relative to matched comparison participants. Impaired performance was evident at all lags, including the shortest possible lag (lag 1). Conclusions The results are consistent with the proposed role of the hippocampus in relational memory binding and representation, even at short delays, and suggest that the hippocampus may also contribute to successful item memory when items are embedded in complex scenes. PMID:25068665

Hybrid Model Representation of a TLP Including Flexible Topsides in Non-Linear Regular Waves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wehmeyer, Christof; Ferri, Francesco; Andersen, Morten Thøtt

2014-01-01

technologies able to solve this challenge is the floating wind turbine foundation. For the ultimate limit state, where higher order wave loads have a significant influence, a design tool that couples non-linear excitations with structural dynamics is required. To properly describe the behavior...

Non-structural Components influencing Hospital Disaster Preparedness in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Samsuddin, N. M.; Takim, R.; Nawawi, A. H.; Rosman, M. R.; SyedAlwee, S. N. A.

2018-04-01

Hospital disaster preparedness refers to measures taken by the hospital’s stakeholders to prepare, reduce the effects of disaster and ensure effective coordination during incident response. Among the measures, non-structural components (i.e., medical laboratory equipment & supplies; architectural; critical lifeline; external; updated building document; and equipment & furnishing) are critical towards hospital disaster preparedness. Nevertheless, over the past few years these components are badly affected due to various types of disasters. Hence, the objective of this paper is to investigate the non-structural components influencing hospital’s disaster preparedness. Cross-sectional survey was conducted among thirty-one (31) Malaysian hospital’s employees. A total of 6 main constructs with 107 non-structural components were analysed and ranked by using SPSS and Relative Importance Index (RII). The results revealed that 6 main constructs (i.e. medical laboratory equipment & supplies; architectural; critical lifeline; external; updated building document; and equipment & furnishing) are rated as ‘very critical’ by the respondents. Among others, availability of medical laboratory equipment and supplies for diagnostic and equipment was ranked first. The results could serve as indicators for the public hospitals to improve its disaster preparedness in terms of planning, organising, knowledge training, equipment, exercising, evaluating and corrective actions through non-structural components.

Visual working memory capacity and the medial temporal lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeneson, Annette; Wixted, John T; Hopkins, Ramona O; Squire, Larry R

2012-03-07

Patients with medial temporal lobe (MTL) damage are sometimes impaired at remembering visual information across delays as short as a few seconds. Such impairments could reflect either impaired visual working memory capacity or impaired long-term memory (because attention has been diverted or because working memory capacity has been exceeded). Using a standard change-detection task, we asked whether visual working memory capacity is intact or impaired after MTL damage. Five patients with hippocampal lesions and one patient with large MTL lesions saw an array of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 colored squares, followed after 3, 4, or 8 s by a second array where one of the colored squares was cued. The task was to decide whether the cued square had the same color as the corresponding square in the first array or a different color. At the 1 s delay typically used to assess working memory capacity, patients performed as well as controls at all array sizes. At the longer delays, patients performed as well as controls at small array sizes, thought to be within the capacity limit, and worse than controls at large array sizes, thought to exceed the capacity limit. The findings suggest that visual working memory capacity in humans is intact after damage to the MTL structures and that damage to these structures impairs performance only when visual working memory is insufficient to support performance.

Earthquake analysis of structures including structure-soil interaction by a substructure method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chopra, A.K.; Guttierrez, J.A.

1977-01-01

A general substructure method for analysis of response of nuclear power plant structures to earthquake ground motion, including the effects of structure-soil interaction, is summarized. The method is applicable to complex structures idealized as finite element systems and the soil region treated as either a continuum, for example as a viscoelastic halfspace, or idealized as a finite element system. The halfspace idealization permits reliable analysis for sites where essentially similar soils extend to large depths and there is no rigid boundary such as soil-rock interface. For sites where layers of soft soil are underlain by rock at shallow depth, finite element idealization of the soil region is appropriate; in this case, the direct and substructure methods would lead to equivalent results but the latter provides the better alternative. Treating the free field motion directly as the earthquake input in the substructure method eliminates the deconvolution calculations and the related assumption -regarding type and direction of earthquake waves- required in the direct method. The substructure method is computationally efficient because the two substructures-the structure and the soil region- are analyzed separately; and, more important, it permits taking advantage of the important feature that response to earthquake ground motion is essentially contained in the lower few natural modes of vibration of the structure on fixed base. For sites where essentially similar soils extend to large depths and there is no obvious rigid boundary such as a soil-rock interface, numerical results for earthquake response of a nuclear reactor structure are presented to demonstrate that the commonly used finite element method may lead to unacceptable errors; but the substructure method leads to reliable results

Incipient preoperative reorganization processes of verbal memory functions in patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Milian, Monika; Zeltner, Lena; Erb, Michael; Klose, Uwe; Wagner, Kathrin; Frings, Lars; Veil, Cornelia; Rona, Sabine; Lerche, Holger; Klamer, Silke

2015-01-01

We previously reported nonlinear correlations between verbal episodic memory performance and BOLD signal in memory fMRI in healthy subjects. The purpose of the present study was to examine this observation in patients with left mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) who often experience memory decline and need reliable prediction tools before epilepsy surgery with hippocampectomy. Fifteen patients with left mTLE (18-57years, nine females) underwent a verbal memory fMRI paradigm. Correlations between BOLD activity and neuropsychological data were calculated for the i) hippocampus (HC) as well as ii) extrahippocampal mTL structures. Memory performance was systematically associated with activations within the right HC as well as with activations within the left extrahippocampal mTL regions (amygdala and parahippocampal gyrus). As hypothesized, the analyses revealed cubic relationships, with one peak in patients with marginal memory performance and another peak in patients with very good performance. The nonlinear correlations between memory performance and activations might reflect the compensatory recruitment of neural resources to maintain memory performance in patients with ongoing memory deterioration. The present data suggest an already incipient preoperative reorganization process of verbal memory in non-amnesic patients with left mTLE by simultaneously tapping the resources of the right HC and left extrahippocampal mTL regions. Thus, in the preoperative assessment, both neuropsychological performance and memory fMRI should be considered together. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

nRC: non-coding RNA Classifier based on structural features.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiannaca, Antonino; La Rosa, Massimo; La Paglia, Laura; Rizzo, Riccardo; Urso, Alfonso

2017-01-01

Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) are small non-coding sequences involved in gene expression regulation of many biological processes and diseases. The recent discovery of a large set of different ncRNAs with biologically relevant roles has opened the way to develop methods able to discriminate between the different ncRNA classes. Moreover, the lack of knowledge about the complete mechanisms in regulative processes, together with the development of high-throughput technologies, has required the help of bioinformatics tools in addressing biologists and clinicians with a deeper comprehension of the functional roles of ncRNAs. In this work, we introduce a new ncRNA classification tool, nRC (non-coding RNA Classifier). Our approach is based on features extraction from the ncRNA secondary structure together with a supervised classification algorithm implementing a deep learning architecture based on convolutional neural networks. We tested our approach for the classification of 13 different ncRNA classes. We obtained classification scores, using the most common statistical measures. In particular, we reach an accuracy and sensitivity score of about 74%. The proposed method outperforms other similar classification methods based on secondary structure features and machine learning algorithms, including the RNAcon tool that, to date, is the reference classifier. nRC tool is freely available as a docker image at https://hub.docker.com/r/tblab/nrc/. The source code of nRC tool is also available at https://github.com/IcarPA-TBlab/nrc.

Non-Markovian decay of a three-level cascade atom in a structured reservoir

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalton, B.J.; Garraway, B.M.

2003-01-01

The dynamics of a three-level atom in a cascade (or ladder) configuration with both transitions coupled to a single structured reservoir of quantized electromagnetic field modes is treated using Laplace transform methods applied to the coupled amplitude equations. In this system two-photon excitation of the reservoir occurs, and both sequences for emitting the two photons are allowed and included in the theory. An integral equation is found to govern the complex amplitudes of interest. It is shown that the dynamics of the atomic system is completely determined in terms of reservoir structure functions, which are products of the mode density with the coupling constant squared. This dependence on reservoir structure functions rather than on the mode density or coupling constants alone, shows that it may be possible to extend pseudomode theory to treat multiphoton excitation of a structured reservoir--pseudomodes being introduced in one-one correspondence with the poles of reservoir structure functions in the complex frequency plane. A general numerical method for solving the integral equations based on discretizing frequency space, and applicable to different structured reservoirs such as high-Q cavities and photonic band-gap systems, is presented. An application to a high-Q-cavity case with identical Lorentzian reservoir structure functions is made, and the non-Markovian decay of the excited state shown. A formal solution to the integral equations in terms of right and left eigenfunctions of a non-Hermitian kernel is also given. The dynamics of the cascade atom, with the two transitions coupled to two separate structured reservoirs of quantized electromagnetic field modes, is treated similarly to the single structured reservoir situation. Again the dynamics only depends on reservoir structure functions. As only one sequence of emitting the two photons now occurs, the integral equation for the amplitudes can be solved analytically. The non-Markovian decay of the

Non-linear finite element analysis in structural mechanics

CERN Document Server

Rust, Wilhelm

2015-01-01

This monograph describes the numerical analysis of non-linearities in structural mechanics, i.e. large rotations, large strain (geometric non-linearities), non-linear material behaviour, in particular elasto-plasticity as well as time-dependent behaviour, and contact. Based on that, the book treats stability problems and limit-load analyses, as well as non-linear equations of a large number of variables. Moreover, the author presents a wide range of problem sets and their solutions. The target audience primarily comprises advanced undergraduate and graduate students of mechanical and civil engineering, but the book may also be beneficial for practising engineers in industry.

DIESYS—dynamically non-linear dielectric elastomer energy generating synergetic structures: perspectives and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antoniadis, I A; Venetsanos, D T; Papaspyridis, F G

2013-01-01

Dielectric elastomer based generators (DEGs) offer some unique properties over energy generators based on other materials. These properties include high energy density, high efficiency over a broad range of frequencies, low compliance, the ability to produce high strain, large area, low cost films with no toxic materials and wide range environmental tolerance. As further shown in this paper, DEG materials can also exhibit a non-linear dynamic behavior, enhancing broad-band energy transfer. More specifically, dielectric elastomer (DE) energy generating synergetic structures (DIESYS) are considered as dynamic energy absorbers. Two elementary characteristic DIESYS design concepts are examined, leading to a typical antagonistic configuration for in-plane oscillations and a typical synagonistic configuration for out-of-plane oscillations. Originally, all the DE elements of the structure are assumed to be always in tension during all the phases of the harvesting cycle, conforming to the traditional concept of operation of DE structures. As shown in this paper, the traditional always-in-tension concept results in a linear dynamic system response, despite the fact that the implemented (DE) parts are considered to have been made of a non-linear (hyperelastic) material. In contrast, the proposed loose-part concept ensures the appearance of a non-linear broad-band system response, enhancing energy transfer from the environmental source. (paper)

BAND STRUCTURE OF NON-STEIOCHIOMETRIC LARGE-SIZED NANOCRYSTALLITES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I.V.Kityk

2004-01-01

Full Text Available A band structure of large-sized (from 20 to 35nm non-steichiometric nanocrystallites (NC of the Si2-xCx (1.04 < x < 1.10 has been investigated using different band energy approaches and a modified Car-Parinello molecular dynamics structure optimization of the NC interfaces. The non-steichiometric excess of carbon favors the appearance of a thin prevailingly carbon-contained layer (with thickness of about 1 nm covering the crystallites. As a consequence, one can observe a substantial structure reconstruction of boundary SiC crystalline layers. The numerical modeling has shown that these NC can be considered as SiC reconstructed crystalline films with thickness of about 2 nm covering the SiC crystallites. The observed data are considered within the different one-electron band structure methods. It was shown that the nano-sized carbon sheet plays a key role in a modified band structure. Independent manifestation of the important role played by the reconstructed confined layers is due to the experimentally discovered excitonic-like resonances. Low-temperature absorption measurements confirm the existence of sharp-like absorption resonances originating from the reconstructed layers.

Sensorless Speed Control including zero speed of Non Salient PM Synchronous Drives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Henrik

This paper presents a position sensorless drive of non salient pole PM synchronous motors for all speeds including zero speed. Using adaptive Lyapunov design a new approach for the design of an observer is developed. The resulting scheme leads to a nonlinear full order observer for the motor states...

Sensorless Speed Control including zero speed of Non Salient PM Synchronous Drives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Henrik

2005-01-01

This paper presents a position sensorless drive of non salient pole PM synchronous motors for all speeds including zero speed. Using adaptive Lyapunov design a new approach for the design of an observer is developed. The resulting scheme leads to a nonlinear full order observer for the motor states...

Sensorless speed Control including Zero Speed on Non Salient PM Synchronous Drives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Henrik

2006-01-01

This paper presents a position sensorless drive of non salient pole PM synchronous motors for all speeds including zero speed. Using adaptive Lyapunov design a new approach for the design of an observer is developed. The resulting scheme leads to a nonlinear full order observer for the motor states...

Quadratic Hamiltonians on non-symmetric Poisson structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arribas, M.; Blesa, F.; Elipe, A.

2007-01-01

Many dynamical systems may be represented in a set of non-canonical coordinates that generate an su(2) algebraic structure. The topology of the phase space is the one of the S 2 sphere, the Poisson structure is the one of the rigid body, and the Hamiltonian is a parametric quadratic form in these 'spherical' coordinates. However, there are other problems in which the Poisson structure losses its symmetry. In this paper we analyze this case and, we show how the loss of the spherical symmetry affects the phase flow and parametric bifurcations for the bi-parametric cases

Neural activity in the medial temporal lobe reveals the fidelity of mental time travel.

Science.gov (United States)

Kragel, James E; Morton, Neal W; Polyn, Sean M

2015-02-18

Neural circuitry in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) is critically involved in mental time travel, which involves the vivid retrieval of the details of past experience. Neuroscientific theories propose that the MTL supports memory of the past by retrieving previously encoded episodic information, as well as by reactivating a temporal code specifying the position of a particular event within an episode. However, the neural computations supporting these abilities are underspecified. To test hypotheses regarding the computational mechanisms supported by different MTL subregions during mental time travel, we developed a computational model that linked a blood oxygenation level-dependent signal to cognitive operations, allowing us to predict human performance in a memory search task. Activity in the posterior MTL, including parahippocampal cortex, reflected how strongly one reactivates the temporal context of a retrieved memory, allowing the model to predict whether the next memory will correspond to a nearby moment in the study episode. A signal in the anterior MTL, including perirhinal cortex, indicated the successful retrieval of list items, without providing information regarding temporal organization. A hippocampal signal reflected both processes, consistent with theories that this region binds item and context information together to form episodic memories. These findings provide evidence for modern theories that describe complementary roles of the hippocampus and surrounding parahippocampal and perirhinal cortices during the retrieval of episodic memories, shaping how humans revisit the past. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/352914-13$15.00/0.

Mechanical behaviour of cracked welded structures including mismatch effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hornet, P.

2002-01-01

The most important parameters for predicting more precisely the fracture behaviour of welded structures have been identified. In particular, the plasticity development at the crack tip in the ligament appeared as a major parameter to evaluate the yield load of such a complex structure. In this way defect assessments procedures have been developed or modified to take into account the mismatch effect that is to say the mechanical properties of the different material constituting the weld joint. This paper is a synthesis of the work done in the past at Electricite de France on this topic in regards with other work done in France or around the World. The most important parameters which control the plasticity development at the crack tip and so mainly influence the fracture behaviour of welded structures are underlined: the mismatch ratio (weld to base metal yield strength ratio), the mismatch ratio (weld to base metal yield strength ratio), the ligament size and the weld width. Moreover, commonly used fracture toughness testing procedures developed in case of homogeneous specimens cannot be used in a straight forward manner and so has to be modified to take into account the mismatch effect. Number or defect assessment procedures taking into account the mismatch effect by considering the yield load of the welded structure are shortly described. Then, the 'Equivalent Material Method' developed at EDF which allows a good prediction of the applied J-Integral at the crack tip is more detailed. This procedure includes not only both weld and base metal yield strength, the structure geometry, the crack size and the weld dimension using the yield load of the real structures but also includes the effect of both weld and base metal strain hardening exponents. Some validations of this method are proposed. Finally, the ability of finite element modelling to predict the behaviour of such welded structures is demonstrated by modelling real experiments: crack located in the middle of

Thermal Insulation System for Non-Vacuum Applications Including a Multilayer Composite

Science.gov (United States)

Fesmire, James E. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

The thermal insulation system of the present invention is for non-vacuum applications and is specifically tailored to the ambient pressure environment with any level of humidity or moisture. The thermal insulation system includes a multilayered composite including i) at least one thermal insulation layer and at least one compressible barrier layer provided as alternating, successive layers, and ii) at least one reflective film provided on at least one surface of the thermal insulation layer and/or said compressible barrier layer. The different layers and materials and their combinations are designed to provide low effective thermal conductivity for the system by managing all modes of heat transfer. The thermal insulation system includes an optional outer casing surrounding the multilayered composite. The thermal insulation system is particularly suited for use in any sub-ambient temperature environment where moisture or its adverse effects are a concern. The thermal insulation system provides physical resilience against damaging mechanical effects including compression, flexure, impact, vibration, and thermal expansion/contraction.

Non-B DNA Secondary Structures and Their Resolution by RecQ Helicases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudha Sharma

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In addition to the canonical B-form structure first described by Watson and Crick, DNA can adopt a number of alternative structures. These non-B-form DNA secondary structures form spontaneously on tracts of repeat sequences that are abundant in genomes. In addition, structured forms of DNA with intrastrand pairing may arise on single-stranded DNA produced transiently during various cellular processes. Such secondary structures have a range of biological functions but also induce genetic instability. Increasing evidence suggests that genomic instabilities induced by non-B DNA secondary structures result in predisposition to diseases. Secondary DNA structures also represent a new class of molecular targets for DNA-interactive compounds that might be useful for targeting telomeres and transcriptional control. The equilibrium between the duplex DNA and formation of multistranded non-B-form structures is partly dependent upon the helicases that unwind (resolve these alternate DNA structures. With special focus on tetraplex, triplex, and cruciform, this paper summarizes the incidence of non-B DNA structures and their association with genomic instability and emphasizes the roles of RecQ-like DNA helicases in genome maintenance by resolution of DNA secondary structures. In future, RecQ helicases are anticipated to be additional molecular targets for cancer chemotherapeutics.

Finite Element Analysis and Die Design of Non-specific Engineering Structure of Aluminum Alloy during Extrusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, D.-C.; Lu, Y.-Y.

2010-01-01

Aluminum extension applies to industrial structure, light load, framework rolls and conveyer system platform. Many factors must be controlled in processing the non-specific engineering structure (hollow shape) of the aluminum alloy during extrusion, to obtain the required plastic strain and desired tolerance values. The major factors include the forming angle of the die and temperature of billet and various materials. This paper employs rigid-plastic finite element (FE) DEFORM 3D software to investigate the plastic deformation behavior of an aluminum alloy (A6061, A5052, A3003) workpiece during extrusion for the engineering structure of the aluminum alloy. This work analyzes effective strain, effective stress, damage and die radius load distribution of the billet under various conditions. The analytical results confirm the suitability of the current finite element software for the non-specific engineering structure of aluminum alloy extrusion.

Analysis of Smart Composite Structures Including Debonding

Science.gov (United States)

Chattopadhyay, Aditi; Seeley, Charles E.

1997-01-01

Smart composite structures with distributed sensors and actuators have the capability to actively respond to a changing environment while offering significant weight savings and additional passive controllability through ply tailoring. Piezoelectric sensing and actuation of composite laminates is the most promising concept due to the static and dynamic control capabilities. Essential to the implementation of these smart composites are the development of accurate and efficient modeling techniques and experimental validation. This research addresses each of these important topics. A refined higher order theory is developed to model composite structures with surface bonded or embedded piezoelectric transducers. These transducers are used as both sensors and actuators for closed loop control. The theory accurately captures the transverse shear deformation through the thickness of the smart composite laminate while satisfying stress free boundary conditions on the free surfaces. The theory is extended to include the effect of debonding at the actuator-laminate interface. The developed analytical model is implemented using the finite element method utilizing an induced strain approach for computational efficiency. This allows general laminate geometries and boundary conditions to be analyzed. The state space control equations are developed to allow flexibility in the design of the control system. Circuit concepts are also discussed. Static and dynamic results of smart composite structures, obtained using the higher order theory, are correlated with available analytical data. Comparisons, including debonded laminates, are also made with a general purpose finite element code and available experimental data. Overall, very good agreement is observed. Convergence of the finite element implementation of the higher order theory is shown with exact solutions. Additional results demonstrate the utility of the developed theory to study piezoelectric actuation of composite

The discrete ordinate method in association with the finite-volume method in non-structured mesh; Methode des ordonnees discretes associee a la methode des volumes finis en maillage non structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Le Dez, V; Lallemand, M [Ecole Nationale Superieure de Mecanique et d` Aerotechnique (ENSMA), 86 - Poitiers (France); Sakami, M; Charette, A [Quebec Univ., Chicoutimi, PQ (Canada). Dept. des Sciences Appliquees

1997-12-31

The description of an efficient method of radiant heat transfer field determination in a grey semi-transparent environment included in a 2-D polygonal cavity with surface boundaries that reflect the radiation in a purely diffusive manner is proposed, at the equilibrium and in radiation-conduction coupling situation. The technique uses simultaneously the finite-volume method in non-structured triangular mesh, the discrete ordinate method and the ray shooting method. The main mathematical developments and comparative results with the discrete ordinate method in orthogonal curvilinear coordinates are included. (J.S.) 10 refs.

The discrete ordinate method in association with the finite-volume method in non-structured mesh; Methode des ordonnees discretes associee a la methode des volumes finis en maillage non structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Le Dez, V.; Lallemand, M. [Ecole Nationale Superieure de Mecanique et d`Aerotechnique (ENSMA), 86 - Poitiers (France); Sakami, M.; Charette, A. [Quebec Univ., Chicoutimi, PQ (Canada). Dept. des Sciences Appliquees

1996-12-31

The description of an efficient method of radiant heat transfer field determination in a grey semi-transparent environment included in a 2-D polygonal cavity with surface boundaries that reflect the radiation in a purely diffusive manner is proposed, at the equilibrium and in radiation-conduction coupling situation. The technique uses simultaneously the finite-volume method in non-structured triangular mesh, the discrete ordinate method and the ray shooting method. The main mathematical developments and comparative results with the discrete ordinate method in orthogonal curvilinear coordinates are included. (J.S.) 10 refs.

Non-coboundary Poisson–Lie structures on the book group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballesteros, Ángel; Blasco, Alfonso; Musso, Fabio

2012-01-01

All possible Poisson–Lie (PL) structures on the 3D real Lie group generated by a dilation and two commuting translations are obtained. Their classification is fully performed by relating these PL groups to the corresponding Lie bialgebra structures on the corresponding ‘book’ Lie algebra. By construction, all these Poisson structures are quadratic Poisson–Hopf algebras for which the group multiplication is a Poisson map. In contrast to the case of simple Lie groups, it turns out that most of the PL structures on the book group are non-coboundary ones. Moreover, from the viewpoint of Poisson dynamics, the most interesting PL book structures are just some of these non-coboundaries, which are explicitly analysed. In particular, we show that the two different q-deformed Poisson versions of the sl(2, R) algebra appear as two distinguished cases in this classification, as well as the quadratic Poisson structure that underlies the integrability of a large class of 3D Lotka–Volterra equations. Finally, the quantization problem for these PL groups is sketched. (paper)

Visual integration enhances associative memory equally for young and older adults without reducing hippocampal encoding activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Memel, Molly; Ryan, Lee

2017-06-01

The ability to remember associations between previously unrelated pieces of information is often impaired in older adults (Naveh-Benjamin, 2000). Unitization, the process of creating a perceptually or semantically integrated representation that includes both items in an associative pair, attenuates age-related associative deficits (Bastin et al., 2013; Ahmad et al., 2015; Zheng et al., 2015). Compared to non-unitized pairs, unitized pairs may rely less on hippocampally-mediated binding associated with recollection, and more on familiarity-based processes mediated by perirhinal cortex (PRC) and parahippocampal cortex (PHC). While unitization of verbal materials improves associative memory in older adults, less is known about the impact of visual integration. The present study determined whether visual integration improves associative memory in older adults by minimizing the need for hippocampal (HC) recruitment and shifting encoding to non-hippocampal medial temporal structures, such as the PRC and PHC. Young and older adults were presented with a series of objects paired with naturalistic scenes while undergoing fMRI scanning, and were later given an associative memory test. Visual integration was varied by presenting the object either next to the scene (Separated condition) or visually integrated within the scene (Combined condition). Visual integration improved associative memory among young and older adults to a similar degree by increasing the hit rate for intact pairs, but without increasing false alarms for recombined pairs, suggesting enhanced recollection rather than increased reliance on familiarity. Also contrary to expectations, visual integration resulted in increased hippocampal activation in both age groups, along with increases in PRC and PHC activation. Activation in all three MTL regions predicted discrimination performance during the Separated condition in young adults, while only a marginal relationship between PRC activation and performance was

Non-Destructive Testing for Concrete Structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tengku Sarah Tengku Amran; Noor Azreen Masenwat; Mohamad Pauzi Ismail

2015-01-01

Nondestructive testing (NDT) is a technique to determine the integrity of a material, component or structure. It is essential in the inspection of alteration, repair and new construction in the building industry. There are a number of non-destructive testing techniques that can be applied to determine the integrity of concrete in a completed structure. Each has its own advantages and limitations. For concrete, these problems relate to strength, cracking, dimensions, delamination, and inhomogeneities. NDT is reasonably good and reliable tool to measure the property of concrete which also gives the fair indication of the compressive strength development. This paper discussed the concrete inspection using combined methods of NDT. (author)

Turbulent intermittent structure in non-homogeneous non-local flows

Science.gov (United States)

Mahjoub, O. B.; Castilla, R.; Vindel, J. M.; Redondo, J. M.

2010-05-01

Data from SABLES98 experimental campaign have been used in order to study the influence of stability (from weak to strong stratification) on intermittency [1]. Standard instrumentation, 14 thermocouples and 3 sonic anemometers at three levels (5.8, 13.5 and 32 m) were available in September 1998 and calculations are done in order to evaluate structure functions and the scale to scale characteristics. Using BDF [2-4] as well as other models of cascades, the spectral equilibrium values were used to calculate fluxes of momentum and heat as well as non-homogeneous models and the turbulent mixing produced. The differences in structure and higher order moments between stable, convective and neutral turbulence were used to identify differences in turbulent intermittent mixing and velocity PDF's. The intermittency of atmospheric turbulence in strongly stable situations affected by buoyancy and internal waves are seen to modify the structure functions exponents and intermittency, depending on the modulus of the Richardson's number,Ri, as well as of the Monin-Obukhov and Ozmidov lengthscales. The topological aspects of the turbulence affected by stratification reduce the vertical length-scales to a maximum described by the Thorpe and the Ozmidov lenth-scales, but intermittency, Kurtosis and other higher order descriptors of the turbulence based on spectral wavelet analysis are also affected in a complex way [5,6]. The relationship between stratification, intermittency, µ(Ri) and the fractal dimension of the stable flows and between the dispersion, the fractal dimension are discussed. The data analyzed is from the campaign SABLES-98 at the north-west Iberian Peninsula plateau.(Cuxart et al. 2000). Conditional statistics of the relationship between µ(Ri) are confirmed as in (Vindel et al 2008)[4] and compared with laboratory experiments and with 2D-3D aspects of the turbulence cascade. The use of BDF [3] model comparing the corresponding relative scaling exponents which are

Expansion of the relativistic Fokker-Planck equation including non-linear terms and a non-Maxwellian background

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shkarofsky, I.P.

1997-01-01

The relativistic Fokker-Planck collision term in Braams and Karney [Phys. Fluids B 1, 1355 (1989)] is expanded using Cartesian tensors (equivalent to associated Legendre spherical harmonics) retaining all non-linear terms and an arbitrary zeroth order distribution background. Expressions are given for collision terms between all harmonics and the background distribution in terms of the j and y functions in Braams and Karney. The results reduce to Braams and Karney for the first order harmonic term with a Maxwellian background and to those given by Shkarofsky [Can. J. Phys. 41, 1753 (1963)] in the non-relativistic limit. Expressions for the energy and momentum transfer associated with relativistic Coulomb collisions are given. The fast two dimensional Fokker-Planck solver in Shoucri and Shkarofsky [Comput. Phys. Commun. 82, 287 (1994)] has been extended to include the second order harmonic term. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Unique structural modulation of a non-native substrate by cochaperone DnaJ.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiwari, Satyam; Kumar, Vignesh; Jayaraj, Gopal Gunanathan; Maiti, Souvik; Mapa, Koyeli

2013-02-12

The role of bacterial DnaJ protein as a cochaperone of DnaK is strongly appreciated. Although DnaJ unaccompanied by DnaK can bind unfolded as well as native substrate proteins, its role as an individual chaperone remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that DnaJ binds a model non-native substrate with a low nanomolar dissociation constant and, more importantly, modulates the structure of its non-native state. The structural modulation achieved by DnaJ is different compared to that achieved by the DnaK-DnaJ complex. The nature of structural modulation exerted by DnaJ is suggestive of a unique unfolding activity on the non-native substrate by the chaperone. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the zinc binding motif along with the C-terminal substrate binding domain of DnaJ is necessary and sufficient for binding and the subsequent binding-induced structural alterations of the non-native substrate. We hypothesize that this hitherto unknown structural alteration of non-native states by DnaJ might be important for its chaperoning activity by removing kinetic traps of the folding intermediates.

Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Structural Proteins Are the Primary Viral Determinants of Non-Viraemic Transmission between Ticks whereas Non-Structural Proteins Affect Cytotoxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Khasnatinov, Maxim A; Tuplin, Andrew; Gritsun, Dmitri J; Slovak, Mirko; Kazimirova, Maria; Lickova, Martina; Havlikova, Sabina; Klempa, Boris; Labuda, Milan; Gould, Ernest A; Gritsun, Tamara S

2016-01-01

Over 50 million humans live in areas of potential exposure to tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). The disease exhibits an estimated 16,000 cases recorded annually over 30 European and Asian countries. Conventionally, TBEV transmission to Ixodes spp. ticks occurs whilst feeding on viraemic animals. However, an alternative mechanism of non-viraemic transmission (NVT) between infected and uninfected ticks co-feeding on the same transmission-competent host, has also been demonstrated. Here, using laboratory-bred I. ricinus ticks, we demonstrate low and high efficiency NVT for TBEV strains Vasilchenko (Vs) and Hypr, respectively. These virus strains share high sequence similarity but are classified as two TBEV subtypes. The Vs strain is a Siberian subtype, naturally associated with I. persulcatus ticks whilst the Hypr strain is a European subtype, transmitted by I. ricinus ticks. In mammalian cell culture (porcine kidney cell line PS), Vs and Hypr induce low and high cytopathic effects (cpe), respectively. Using reverse genetics, we engineered a range of viable Vs/Hypr chimaeric strains, with substituted genes. No significant differences in replication rate were detected between wild-type and chimaeric viruses in cell culture. However, the chimaeric strain Vs[Hypr str] (Hypr structural and Vs non-structural genomic regions) demonstrated high efficiency NVT in I. ricinus whereas the counterpart Hypr[Vs str] was not transmitted by NVT, indicating that the virion structural proteins largely determine TBEV NVT transmission efficiency between ticks. In contrast, in cell culture, the extent of cpe was largely determined by the non-structural region of the TBEV genome. Chimaeras with Hypr non-structural genes were more cytotoxic for PS cells when compared with Vs genome-based chimaeras.

Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Structural Proteins Are the Primary Viral Determinants of Non-Viraemic Transmission between Ticks whereas Non-Structural Proteins Affect Cytotoxicity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maxim A Khasnatinov

Full Text Available Over 50 million humans live in areas of potential exposure to tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV. The disease exhibits an estimated 16,000 cases recorded annually over 30 European and Asian countries. Conventionally, TBEV transmission to Ixodes spp. ticks occurs whilst feeding on viraemic animals. However, an alternative mechanism of non-viraemic transmission (NVT between infected and uninfected ticks co-feeding on the same transmission-competent host, has also been demonstrated. Here, using laboratory-bred I. ricinus ticks, we demonstrate low and high efficiency NVT for TBEV strains Vasilchenko (Vs and Hypr, respectively. These virus strains share high sequence similarity but are classified as two TBEV subtypes. The Vs strain is a Siberian subtype, naturally associated with I. persulcatus ticks whilst the Hypr strain is a European subtype, transmitted by I. ricinus ticks. In mammalian cell culture (porcine kidney cell line PS, Vs and Hypr induce low and high cytopathic effects (cpe, respectively. Using reverse genetics, we engineered a range of viable Vs/Hypr chimaeric strains, with substituted genes. No significant differences in replication rate were detected between wild-type and chimaeric viruses in cell culture. However, the chimaeric strain Vs[Hypr str] (Hypr structural and Vs non-structural genomic regions demonstrated high efficiency NVT in I. ricinus whereas the counterpart Hypr[Vs str] was not transmitted by NVT, indicating that the virion structural proteins largely determine TBEV NVT transmission efficiency between ticks. In contrast, in cell culture, the extent of cpe was largely determined by the non-structural region of the TBEV genome. Chimaeras with Hypr non-structural genes were more cytotoxic for PS cells when compared with Vs genome-based chimaeras.

Structural Changes of Lumbar Muscles in Non-specific Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Goubert, Dorien; Oosterwijck, Jessica Van; Meeus, Mira; Danneels, Lieven

2016-01-01

Lumbar muscle dysfunction due to pain might be related to altered lumbar muscle structure. Macroscopically, muscle degeneration in low back pain (LBP) is characterized by a decrease in cross-sectional area and an increase in fat infiltration in the lumbar paraspinal muscles. In addition microscopic changes, such as changes in fiber distribution, might occur. Inconsistencies in results from different studies make it difficult to draw firm conclusions on which structural changes are present in the different types of non-specific LBP. Insights regarding structural muscle alterations in LBP are, however, important for prevention and treatment of non-specific LBP. The goal of this article is to review which macro- and/or microscopic structural alterations of the lumbar muscles occur in case of non-specific chronic low back pain (CLBP), recurrent low back pain (RLBP), and acute low back pain (ALBP). Systematic review. All selected studies were case-control studies. A systematic literature search was conducted in the databases PubMed and Web of Science. Only full texts of original studies regarding structural alterations (atrophy, fat infiltration, and fiber type distribution) in lumbar muscles of patients with non-specific LBP compared to healthy controls were included. All included articles were scored on methodological quality. Fifteen studies were found eligible after screening title, abstract, and full text for inclusion and exclusion criteria. In CLBP, moderate evidence of atrophy was found in the multifidus; whereas, results in the paraspinal and the erector spinae muscle remain inconclusive. Also moderate evidence occurred in RLBP and ALBP, where no atrophy was shown in any lumbar muscle. Conflicting results were seen in undefined LBP groups. Results concerning fat infiltration were inconsistent in CLBP. On the other hand, there is moderate evidence in RLBP that fat infiltration does not occur, although a larger muscle fat index was found in the erector spinae

Life management for a non replaceable structure: the reactor building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres, V.; Francia, L.

1998-01-01

Phase 1 of UNESA N.P.P. Lifetime Management Project identified and ranked important components, relative to plant life management. The list showed the Reactor Containment Structure in the third position, and thirteen concrete structures were among the list top twenty. Since the Reactor Containment Building, together with the Reactor Vessel, is the only non-replaceable plant component, and has a big impact on the plant technical life, there is an increasing interest on understanding its behavior to maintain structural integrity. This paper presents: a) IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Coordinated Research Program experiences and studies. Under this Program, international experts address the most frequent degradation mechanisms affecting the containment building. b) IAEA Aging Management Program adapted to our plants. The paper addresses the aging mechanisms affecting the concrete structures, reinforcing steel and prestress systems as well as the aging management programs and the mitigation and control methods. Finally, this paper presents a new module called STRUCTURES, included in phase 2 of the above mentioned project, which will monitor and document the different aging mechanisms and management programs described in item b) regarding the Reactor Containment Building (concrete liner, post stressing system, anchor elements). This module will also support the Maintenance Rule related practices. (Author)

Experiment and numerical simulation on the characteristics of fluid–structure interactions of non-rigid airships

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaocui Wu

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Fluid–structure interaction is an important issue for non-rigid airships with inflated envelopes. In this study, a wind tunnel test is conducted, and a loosely coupled procedure is correspondingly established for numerical simulation based on computational fluid dynamics and nonlinear finite element analysis methods. The typical results of the numerical simulation and wind tunnel experiment, including the overall lift and deformation, are in good agreement with each other. The results obtained indicate that the effect of fluid–structure interaction is noticeable and should be considered for non-rigid airships. Flow-induced deformation can further intensify the upward lift force and pitching moment, which can lead to a large deformation. Under a wind speed of 15 m/s, the lift force of the non-rigid model is increased to approximately 60% compared with that of the rigid model under a high angle of attack.

A protocol for manual segmentation of medial temporal lobe subregions in 7 Tesla MRI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Berron

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Recent advances in MRI and increasing knowledge on the characterization and anatomical variability of medial temporal lobe (MTL anatomy have paved the way for more specific subdivisions of the MTL in humans. In addition, recent studies suggest that early changes in many neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases are better detected in smaller subregions of the MTL rather than with whole structure analyses. Here, we developed a new protocol using 7 Tesla (T MRI incorporating novel anatomical findings for the manual segmentation of entorhinal cortex (ErC, perirhinal cortex (PrC; divided into area 35 and 36, parahippocampal cortex (PhC, and hippocampus; which includes the subfields subiculum (Sub, CA1, CA2, as well as CA3 and dentate gyrus (DG which are separated by the endfolial pathway covering most of the long axis of the hippocampus. We provide detailed instructions alongside slice-by-slice segmentations to ease learning for the untrained but also more experienced raters. Twenty-two subjects were scanned (19–32 yrs, mean age = 26 years, 12 females with a turbo spin echo (TSE T2-weighted MRI sequence with high-resolution oblique coronal slices oriented orthogonal to the long axis of the hippocampus (in-plane resolution 0.44×0.44 mm2 and 1.0 mm slice thickness. The scans were manually delineated by two experienced raters, to assess intra- and inter-rater reliability. The Dice Similarity Index (DSI was above 0.78 for all regions and the Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC were between 0.76 to 0.99 both for intra- and inter-rater reliability. In conclusion, this study presents a fine-grained and comprehensive segmentation protocol for MTL structures at 7 T MRI that closely follows recent knowledge from anatomical studies. More specific subdivisions (e.g. area 35 and 36 in PrC, and the separation of DG and CA3 may pave the way for more precise delineations thereby enabling the detection of early volumetric changes in dementia and

Methods of using structures including catalytic materials disposed within porous zeolite materials to synthesize hydrocarbons

Science.gov (United States)

Rollins, Harry W [Idaho Falls, ID; Petkovic, Lucia M [Idaho Falls, ID; Ginosar, Daniel M [Idaho Falls, ID

2011-02-01

Catalytic structures include a catalytic material disposed within a zeolite material. The catalytic material may be capable of catalyzing a formation of methanol from carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide, and the zeolite material may be capable of catalyzing a formation of hydrocarbon molecules from methanol. The catalytic material may include copper and zinc oxide. The zeolite material may include a first plurality of pores substantially defined by a crystal structure of the zeolite material and a second plurality of pores dispersed throughout the zeolite material. Systems for synthesizing hydrocarbon molecules also include catalytic structures. Methods for synthesizing hydrocarbon molecules include contacting hydrogen and at least one of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide with such catalytic structures. Catalytic structures are fabricated by forming a zeolite material at least partially around a template structure, removing the template structure, and introducing a catalytic material into the zeolite material.

Medial temporal lobe damage causes deficits in episodic memory and episodic future thinking not attributable to deficits in narrative construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Race, Elizabeth; Keane, Margaret M; Verfaellie, Mieke

2011-07-13

The medial temporal lobe (MTL) makes critical contributions to episodic memory, but its contributions to episodic future thinking remain a matter of debate. By one view, imagining future events relies on MTL mechanisms that also support memory for past events. Alternatively, it has recently been suggested that future thinking is independent of MTL-mediated processes and can be supported by regions outside the MTL. The current study investigated the nature and necessity of MTL involvement in imagining the future and tested the novel hypothesis that the MTL contributes to future thinking by supporting online binding processes related to narrative construction. Human amnesic patients with well characterized MTL damage and healthy controls constructed narratives about (1) future events, (2) past events, and (3) visually presented pictures. While all three tasks place similar demands on narrative construction, only the past and future conditions require memory/future thinking to mentally generate relevant narrative information. Patients produced impoverished descriptions of both past and future events but were unimpaired at producing detailed picture narratives. In addition, future-thinking performance positively correlated with episodic memory performance but did not correlate with picture narrative performance. Finally, future-thinking impairments were present when MTL lesions were restricted to the hippocampus and did not depend on the presence of neural damage outside the MTL. These results indicate that the ability to generate and maintain a detailed narrative is preserved in amnesia and suggest that a common MTL mechanism supports both episodic memory and episodic future thinking.

Self-organization of dissipative and coherent vortex structures in non-equilibrium magnetized two-dimensional plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bystrenko, O; Bystrenko, T

2010-01-01

The properties of non-equilibrium magnetized plasmas confined in planar geometry are studied on the basis of first-principle microscopic Langevin dynamics computer simulations. The non-equilibrium state of plasmas is maintained due to the recombination and generation of charges. The intrinsic microscopic structure of non-equilibrium steady-state magnetized plasmas, in particular the inter-particle correlations and self-organization of vortex structures, are examined. The simulations have been performed for a wide range of parameters including strong plasma coupling, high charge recombination and generation rates and intense magnetic field. As is shown in simulations, the non-equilibrium recombination and generation processes trigger the formation of ordered dissipative or coherent drift vortex states in 2D plasmas with distinctly spatially separated components, which are far from thermal equilibrium. This is evident from the unusual properties of binary distributions and behavior of the Coulomb energy of the system, which turn out to be quite different from the ones typical for the equilibrium state of plasmas under the same conditions.

Methods used for the treatment of non-proportionally damped structural systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conoscente, J.P.; Maslenikov, O.R.; Johnson, J.J.

1993-05-01

Non-proportional or non-classical damping is defined as a form of viscous damping that introduces coupling between the undamped modal coordinates of motion. Such problems have practical applications in the dynamic analysis of soil-structure systems, structure-equipment systems, and structural systems made of materials with different energy dissipation capacities, which is applicable to seismic analysis of nuclear power plants. Presented in this report is a review of the methods most commonly used in structural analysis for the solution of the dynamic response of systems with non-proportional damping. Both rigorous and approximate methods are described. Since rigorous methods usually require large computational efforts, approximate methods using undamped mode shapes are often preferred. In the study described here, the accuracy of three approximate methods was evaluated for three benchmark problems, with various parametric variations. Results were compared with the exact solution for different combinations of structural properties. Based on these results, conclusions and recommendations are presented for the use of the selected approximate methods

On the effects of the two-body non-fine-structure operators of the Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badnell, N.R.

1997-01-01

We have incorporated the two-body non-fine-structure operators of the Breit-Pauli Hamiltonian, namely contact spin-spin, two-body Darwin and orbit-orbit, into the program AUTOSTRUCTURE. Illustrative results are presented, including some for reactions involving the process of autoionization. (author)

Biomechanics of subcellular structures by non-invasive Brillouin microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Antonacci, Giuseppe; Braakman, Sietse

2016-11-01

Cellular biomechanics play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of several diseases. Unfortunately, current methods to measure biomechanical properties are invasive and mostly limited to the surface of a cell. As a result, the mechanical behaviour of subcellular structures and organelles remains poorly characterised. Here, we show three-dimensional biomechanical images of single cells obtained with non-invasive, non-destructive Brillouin microscopy with an unprecedented spatial resolution. Our results quantify the longitudinal elastic modulus of subcellular structures. In particular, we found the nucleoli to be stiffer than both the nuclear envelope (p biomechanics and its role in pathophysiology.

Non-empirical energy density functional for the nuclear structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rot ival, V.

2008-09-01

The energy density functional (EDF) formalism is the tool of choice for large-scale low-energy nuclear structure calculations both for stable experimentally known nuclei whose properties are accurately reproduced and systems that are only theoretically predicted. We highlight in the present dissertation the capability of EDF methods to tackle exotic phenomena appearing at the very limits of stability, that is the formation of nuclear halos. We devise a new quantitative and model-independent method that characterizes the existence and properties of halos in medium- to heavy-mass nuclei, and quantifies the impact of pairing correlations and the choice of the energy functional on the formation of such systems. These results are found to be limited by the predictive power of currently-used EDFs that rely on fitting to known experimental data. In the second part of this dissertation, we initiate the construction of non-empirical EDFs that make use of the new paradigm for vacuum nucleon-nucleon interactions set by so-called low-momentum interactions generated through the application of renormalization group techniques. These soft-core vacuum potentials are used as a step-stone of a long-term strategy which connects modern many-body techniques and EDF methods. We provide guidelines for designing several non-empirical models that include in-medium many-body effects at various levels of approximation, and can be handled in state-of-the art nuclear structure codes. In the present work, the first step is initiated through the adjustment of an operator representation of low-momentum vacuum interactions using a custom-designed parallel evolutionary algorithm. The first results highlight the possibility to grasp most of the relevant physics for low-energy nuclear structure using this numerically convenient Gaussian vertex. (author)

An explicit method in non-linear soil-structure interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunar, R.R.

1981-01-01

The explicit method of analysis in the time domain is ideally suited for the solution of transient dynamic non-linear problems. Though the method is not new, its application to seismic soil-structure interaction is relatively new and deserving of public discussion. This paper describes the principles of the explicit approach in soil-structure interaction and it presents a simple algorithm that can be used in the development of explicit computer codes. The paper also discusses some of the practical considerations like non-reflecting boundaries and time steps. The practicality of the method is demonstrated using a computer code, PRESS, which is used to compare the treatment of strain-dependent properties using average strain levels over the whole time history (the equivalent linear method) and using the actual strain levels at every time step to modify the soil properties (non-linear method). (orig.)

Contributions of non-intrusive coupling in nonlinear structural mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duval, Mickael

2016-01-01

This PhD thesis, part of the ANR ICARE project, aims at developing methods for complex analysis of large scale structures. The scientific challenge is to investigate very localised areas, but potentially critical as of mechanical systems resilience. Classically, representation models, discretizations, mechanical behaviour models and numerical tools are used at both global and local scales for simulation needs of graduated complexity. Global problem is handled by a generic code with topology (plate formulation, geometric approximation...) and behaviour (homogenization) simplifications while local analysis needs implementation of specialized tools (routines, dedicated codes) for an accurate representation of the geometry and behaviour. The main goal of this thesis is to develop an efficient non-intrusive coupling tool for multi-scale and multi-model structural analysis. Constraints of non-intrusiveness result in the non-modification of the stiffness operator, connectivity and the global model solver, allowing to work in a closed source software environment. First, we provide a detailed study of global/local non-intrusive coupling algorithm. Making use of several relevant examples (cracking, elastic-plastic behaviour, contact...), we show the efficiency and the flexibility of such coupling method. A comparative analysis of several optimisation tools is also carried on, and the interacting multiple patches situation is handled. Then, non-intrusive coupling is extended to globally non-linear cases, and a domain decomposition method with non-linear re-localization is proposed. Such methods allowed us to run a parallel computation using only sequential software, on a high performance computing cluster. Finally, we apply the coupling algorithm to mesh refinement with patches of finite elements. We develop an explicit residual based error estimator suitable for multi-scale solutions arising from the non-intrusive coupling, and apply it inside an error driven local mesh

The structural bases of long-term anabiosis in non-spore-forming bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Suzina, Natalia E.; Mulyukin, Andrey L.; Dmitriev, Vladimir V.; Nikolaev, Yury A.; Shorokhova, Anna P.; Bobkova, Yulia S.; Barinova, Ekaterina S.; Plakunov, Vladimir K.; El-Registan, Galina I.; Duda, Vitalii I.

2006-01-01

Peculiarities of the structural organization in non-spore-forming bacteria associated with long-term anabiosis were revealed both in laboratory cultures and in natural populations isolated from 1 3-Myr-old Eastern Siberian permafrost and tundra soil. Different advanced methods were used, including (a) high-resolution electron microscopy; (b) simulation of in situ conditions in the laboratory by varying the composition of growth medium and cultivation conditions; (c) low-temperature fractionation to isolate and concentrate microbial cells from natural soils; (d) comparative morphological analysis of microbial cells in model cultures and natural soils (in situ). Under laboratory conditions, the intense formation of resting cells by representatives of various taxa of eubacteria and halophilic archaea occurred in 2 9-month-old cultures grown in carbon-, nitrogen-, or phosphorus-limited media, in starved cell suspensions in the presence of sodium silicate, or on soil agar. Among resting cells, we revealed cystlike forms having a complicated structure and common features. These included a thick capsule; a thickened and multiprofile cell wall; the presence of large intramembrane particles on PF- and EF-fracture surfaces; fine-grained or lumpy cytoplasm; and a condensed nucleoid. The general morphological properties, ultrastructural organization, physiological features of cystlike cells, and their ability to germinate under the appropriate conditions suggest the existence of constitutive dormancy in non-spore-forming bacteria. It was found that the majority of microorganisms in permafrost and tundra soil are cystlike cells, very similar to those in laboratory cultures. Anabiotic (resting) cystlike cells are responsible for the survival of non-spore-formers in extreme Earth habitats and may be regarded as possible analogs of extraterrestrial forms of microbial life.

Method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy using microstrip transmission line coils

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoliang; Ugurbil, Kamil; Chen, Wei

2006-04-04

Apparatus and method for MRI imaging using a coil constructed of microstrip transmission line (MTL coil) are disclosed. In one method, a target is positioned to be imaged within the field of a main magnetic field of a magnet resonance imaging (MRI) system, a MTL coil is positioned proximate the target, and a MRI image is obtained using the main magnet and the MTL coil. In another embodiment, the MRI coil is used for spectroscopy. MRI imaging and spectroscopy coils are formed using microstrip transmission line. These MTL coils have the advantageous property of good performance while occupying a relatively small space, thus allowing MTL coils to be used inside restricted areas more easily than some other prior art coils. In addition, the MTL coils are relatively simple to construct of inexpensive components and thus relatively inexpensive compared to other designs. Further, the MTL coils of the present invention can be readily formed in a wide variety of coil configurations, and used in a wide variety of ways. Further, while the MTL coils of the present invention work well at high field strengths and frequencies, they also work at low frequencies and in low field strengths as well.

Medial Temporal Lobe Contributions to Episodic Future Thinking: Scene Construction or Future Projection?

Science.gov (United States)

Palombo, D J; Hayes, S M; Peterson, K M; Keane, M M; Verfaellie, M

2018-02-01

Previous research has shown that the medial temporal lobes (MTL) are more strongly engaged when individuals think about the future than about the present, leading to the suggestion that future projection drives MTL engagement. However, future thinking tasks often involve scene processing, leaving open the alternative possibility that scene-construction demands, rather than future projection, are responsible for the MTL differences observed in prior work. This study explores this alternative account. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we directly contrasted MTL activity in 1) high scene-construction and low scene-construction imagination conditions matched in future thinking demands and 2) future-oriented and present-oriented imagination conditions matched in scene-construction demands. Consistent with the alternative account, the MTL was more active for the high versus low scene-construction condition. By contrast, MTL differences were not observed when comparing the future versus present conditions. Moreover, the magnitude of MTL activation was associated with the extent to which participants imagined a scene but was not associated with the extent to which participants thought about the future. These findings help disambiguate which component processes of imagination specifically involve the MTL. Published by Oxford University Press 2016.

Immune Response of Multiparous Hyper-Immunized Sows against Peptides from Non-Structural and Structural Proteins of PRRSV

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edgar Rascón-Castelo

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the humoral and cellular responses of commercial multiparous and hyper-immunized sows against peptides from non-structural (nsp and structural proteins of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV. We selected sows with different numbers of parities from a commercial farm. Management practices on this farm include the use of the MLV commercial vaccine four times per year, plus two vaccinations during the acclimation period. The humoral response was evaluated via the antibody recognition of peptides from nsp and structural proteins, and the cellular response was assessed by measuring the frequency of peptide and PRRSV-specific IFN-gamma-secreting cells (IFNγ-SC. Our results show that sows with six parities have more antibodies against peptides from structural proteins than against peptides from nsp. The analysis of the cellular response revealed that the number of immunizations did not affect the frequency of IFNγ-SC and that the response was stronger against peptides from structural proteins (M protein than against nsp (nsp2. In summary, these results demonstrate that multiparous, hyper-immunized sows have a stronger immune humoral response to PRRSV structural peptides than nsp, but no differences in IFNγ-SC against the same peptides were observed.

Group actions, non-Kähler complex manifolds and SKT structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poddar Mainak

2018-02-01

Full Text Available We give a construction of integrable complex structures on the total space of a smooth principal bundle over a complex manifold, with an even dimensional compact Lie group as structure group, under certain conditions. This generalizes the constructions of complex structure on compact Lie groups by Samelson and Wang, and on principal torus bundles by Calabi-Eckmann and others. It also yields large classes of new examples of non-Kähler compact complex manifolds. Moreover, under suitable restrictions on the base manifold, the structure group, and characteristic classes, the total space of the principal bundle admits SKT metrics. This generalizes recent results of Grantcharov et al. We study the Picard group and the algebraic dimension of the total space in some cases. We also use a slightly generalized version of the construction to obtain (non-Kähler complex structures on tangential frame bundles of complex orbifolds.

Structural brain correlates of associative memory in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Nina; Laukka, Erika J; Kalpouzos, Grégoria; Naveh-Benjamin, Moshe; Bäckman, Lars; Brehmer, Yvonne

2015-09-01

Associative memory involves binding two or more items into a coherent memory episode. Relative to memory for single items, associative memory declines greatly in aging. However, older individuals vary substantially in their ability to memorize associative information. Although functional studies link associative memory to the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and prefrontal cortex (PFC), little is known about how volumetric differences in MTL and PFC might contribute to individual differences in associative memory. We investigated regional gray-matter volumes related to individual differences in associative memory in a sample of healthy older adults (n=54; age=60years). To differentiate item from associative memory, participants intentionally learned face-scene picture pairs before performing a recognition task that included single faces, scenes, and face-scene pairs. Gray-matter volumes were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry region-of-interest (ROI) analyses. To examine volumetric differences specifically for associative memory, item memory was controlled for in the analyses. Behavioral results revealed large variability in associative memory that mainly originated from differences in false-alarm rates. Moreover, associative memory was independent of individuals' ability to remember single items. Older adults with better associative memory showed larger gray-matter volumes primarily in regions of the left and right lateral PFC. These findings provide evidence for the importance of PFC in intentional learning of associations, likely because of its involvement in organizational and strategic processes that distinguish older adults with good from those with poor associative memory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Medial Temporal Lobe Damage Causes Deficits in Episodic Memory and Episodic Future Thinking Not Attributable to Deficits in Narrative Construction

Science.gov (United States)

Race, Elizabeth; Keane, Margaret M.; Verfaellie, Mieke

2015-01-01

The medial temporal lobe (MTL) makes critical contributions to episodic memory, but its contributions to episodic future thinking remain a matter of debate. By one view, imagining future events relies on MTL mechanisms that also support memory for past events. Alternatively, it has recently been suggested that future thinking is independent of MTL-mediated processes and can be supported by regions outside the MTL. The current study investigated the nature and necessity of MTL involvement in imagining the future and tested the novel hypothesis that the MTL contributes to future thinking by supporting online binding processes related to narrative construction. Human amnesic patients with well-characterized MTL damage and healthy controls constructed narratives about (a) future events, (b) past events, and (c) visually-presented pictures. While all three tasks place similar demands on narrative construction, only the past and future conditions require memory/future thinking to mentally generate relevant narrative information. Patients produced impoverished descriptions of both past and future events but were unimpaired at producing detailed picture narratives. In addition, future-thinking performance positively correlated with episodic memory performance but did not correlate with picture narrative performance. Finally, future-thinking impairments were present when MTL lesions were restricted to the hippocampus and did not depend on the presence of neural damage outside the MTL. These results indicate that the ability to generate and maintain a detailed narrative is preserved in amnesia and suggest that a common MTL mechanism supports both episodic memory and episodic future thinking. PMID:21753003

Path-integral isomorphic Hamiltonian for including nuclear quantum effects in non-adiabatic dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Xuecheng; Shushkov, Philip; Miller, Thomas F.

2018-03-01

We describe a path-integral approach for including nuclear quantum effects in non-adiabatic chemical dynamics simulations. For a general physical system with multiple electronic energy levels, a corresponding isomorphic Hamiltonian is introduced such that Boltzmann sampling of the isomorphic Hamiltonian with classical nuclear degrees of freedom yields the exact quantum Boltzmann distribution for the original physical system. In the limit of a single electronic energy level, the isomorphic Hamiltonian reduces to the familiar cases of either ring polymer molecular dynamics (RPMD) or centroid molecular dynamics Hamiltonians, depending on the implementation. An advantage of the isomorphic Hamiltonian is that it can easily be combined with existing mixed quantum-classical dynamics methods, such as surface hopping or Ehrenfest dynamics, to enable the simulation of electronically non-adiabatic processes with nuclear quantum effects. We present numerical applications of the isomorphic Hamiltonian to model two- and three-level systems, with encouraging results that include improvement upon a previously reported combination of RPMD with surface hopping in the deep-tunneling regime.

Non-destructive X-ray examination of weft knitted wire structures

Science.gov (United States)

Obermann, M.; Ellouz, M.; Aumann, S.; Martens, Y.; Bartelt, P.; Klöcker, M.; Kordisch, T.; Ehrmann, A.; Weber, M. O.

2016-07-01

Conductive yarns or wires are often integrated in smart textiles to enable data or energy transmission. In woven fabrics, these conductive parts are fixed at defined positions and thus protected from external loads. Knitted fabrics, however, have relatively loose structures, resulting in higher impacts of possible mechanical forces on the individual yarns. Hence, metallic wires with smaller diameters in particular are prone to break when integrated in knitted fabrics. In a recent project, wires of various materials including copper, silver and nickel with diameters varying between 0.05 mm and 0.23 mm were knitted in combination with textile yarns. Hand flat knitting machines of appropriate gauges were used to produce different structures. On these samples, non-destructive examinations, using an industrial X-ray system Seifert x|cube (225 kV) equipped with a minifocus X-ray tube, were carried out, directly after knitting as well as after different mechanical treatments (tensile, burst, and washing tests). In this way, structural changes of the stitch geometry could be visualized before failure. In this paper, the loop geometries in the knitted fabrics are depicted depending on knitted structures, wire properties and the applied mechanical load. Consequently, it is shown which metallic wires and yarns are most suitable to be integrated into knitted smart textiles.

The Role of Structure in Learning Non-Euclidean Geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Asmuth, Jennifer A.

2009-01-01

How do people learn novel mathematical information that contradicts prior knowledge? The focus of this thesis is the role of structure in the acquisition of knowledge about hyperbolic geometry, a non-Euclidean geometry. In a series of three experiments, I contrast a more holistic structure--training based on closed figures--with a mathematically…

Far-red fluorescent probes for canonical and non-canonical nucleic acid structures: current progress and future implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Suseela, Y V; Narayanaswamy, Nagarjun; Pratihar, Sumon; Govindaraju, Thimmaiah

2018-02-05

The structural diversity and functional relevance of nucleic acids (NAs), mainly deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), are indispensable for almost all living organisms, with minute aberrations in their structure and function becoming causative factors in numerous human diseases. The standard structures of NAs, termed canonical structures, are supported by Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding. Under special physiological conditions, NAs adopt distinct spatial organisations, giving rise to non-canonical conformations supported by hydrogen bonding other than the Watson-Crick type; such non-canonical structures have a definite function in controlling gene expression and are considered as novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Development of molecular probes for these canonical and non-canonical DNA/RNA structures has been an active field of research. Among the numerous probes studied, probes with turn-on fluorescence in the far-red (600-750 nm) region are highly sought-after due to minimal autofluorescence and cellular damage. Far-red fluorescent probes are vital for real-time imaging of NAs in live cells as they provide good resolution and minimal perturbation of the cell under investigation. In this review, we present recent advances in the area of far-red fluorescent probes of DNA/RNA and non-canonical G-quadruplex structures. For the sake of continuity and completeness, we provide a brief overview of visible fluorescent probes. Utmost importance is given to design criteria, characteristic properties and biological applications, including in cellulo imaging, apart from critical discussion on limitations of the far-red fluorescent probes. Finally, we offer current and future prospects in targeting canonical and non-canonical NAs specific to cellular organelles, through sequence- and conformation-specific far-red fluorescent probes. We also cover their implications in chemical and molecular biology, with particular focus on decoding various disease

Non-equilibrium quasiparticle processes in superconductor tunneling structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perold, W.J.

1990-01-01

A broad overview is presented of the phenomenon of superconductivity. The tunneling of quasiparticles in superconducter-insulator structures is described. Related non-equilibrium processes, such as superconductor bandgap suppresion, quasiparticle diffusion and recombination, and excess quasiparticle collection are discussed. The processes are illustrated with numerical computer simulation data. The importance of the inter-relationship between these processes in practical multiple tunneling junction superconducting device structures is also emphasized. 14 refs., 8 figs

Non-Stationary Dependence Structures for Spatial Extremes

KAUST Repository

Huser, Raphaël

2016-03-03

Max-stable processes are natural models for spatial extremes because they provide suitable asymptotic approximations to the distribution of maxima of random fields. In the recent past, several parametric families of stationary max-stable models have been developed, and fitted to various types of data. However, a recurrent problem is the modeling of non-stationarity. In this paper, we develop non-stationary max-stable dependence structures in which covariates can be easily incorporated. Inference is performed using pairwise likelihoods, and its performance is assessed by an extensive simulation study based on a non-stationary locally isotropic extremal t model. Evidence that unknown parameters are well estimated is provided, and estimation of spatial return level curves is discussed. The methodology is demonstrated with temperature maxima recorded over a complex topography. Models are shown to satisfactorily capture extremal dependence.

Soil-structure interaction including nonlinear soil

OpenAIRE

Gicev, Vlado

2008-01-01

There are two types of models of soil-structure system depending upon the rigidity of foundation: models with rigid and models with flexible foundation. Main features of the soil-structure interaction phenomenon: -wave scattering, -radiation damping, -reduction of the system frequencies. In this presentation, the influence of interaction on the development of nonlinear zones in the soil is studied.

Including Students with Disabilities in Common Non-Summative Assessments. NCEO Brief. Number 6

Science.gov (United States)

National Center on Educational Outcomes, 2012

2012-01-01

Inclusive large-scale assessments have become the norm in states across the U.S. Participation rates of students with disabilities in these assessments have increased dramatically since the mid-1990s. As consortia of states move toward the development and implementation of assessment systems that include both non-summative assessments and…

On the behaviour of non-singlet structure functions at small x

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bluemlein, J.

1995-10-01

The resummation of O(α s l+1 ln 2l x) terms in the evolution kernels of non-singlet combinations of unpolarized and polarized structure functions is investigated. The agreement with complete calculations up to order α s 2 is demonstrated, and the leading small-x contributions to the three-loop non-singlet splitting functions P ± are derived. The additional contributions due to the resummed terms are studied numerically for the most important non-singlet structure functions. They are found to be about 1% or smaller in the kinematical regions accessible at present and in the forseeable future. (orig.)

Relative Stabilities of Conserved and Non-Conserved Structures in the OB-Fold Superfamily

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Andrei T. Alexandrescu

2009-05-01

Full Text Available The OB-fold is a diverse structure superfamily based on a β-barrel motif that is often supplemented with additional non-conserved secondary structures. Previous deletion mutagenesis and NMR hydrogen exchange studies of three OB-fold proteins showed that the structural stabilities of sites within the conserved β-barrels were larger than sites in non-conserved segments. In this work we examined a database of 80 representative domain structures currently classified as OB-folds, to establish the basis of this effect. Residue-specific values were obtained for the number of Cα-Cα distance contacts, sequence hydrophobicities, crystallographic B-factors, and theoretical B-factors calculated from a Gaussian Network Model. All four parameters point to a larger average flexibility for the non-conserved structures compared to the conserved β-barrels. The theoretical B-factors and contact densities show the highest sensitivity.Our results suggest a model of protein structure evolution in which novel structural features develop at the periphery of conserved motifs. Core residues are more resistant to structural changes during evolution since their substitution would disrupt a larger number of interactions. Similar factors are likely to account for the differences in stability to unfolding between conserved and non-conserved structures.

Fast and accurate non-sequential protein structure alignment using a new asymmetric linear sum assignment heuristic.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Peter; Pullan, Wayne; Yang, Yuedong; Zhou, Yaoqi

2016-02-01

The three dimensional tertiary structure of a protein at near atomic level resolution provides insight alluding to its function and evolution. As protein structure decides its functionality, similarity in structure usually implies similarity in function. As such, structure alignment techniques are often useful in the classifications of protein function. Given the rapidly growing rate of new, experimentally determined structures being made available from repositories such as the Protein Data Bank, fast and accurate computational structure comparison tools are required. This paper presents SPalignNS, a non-sequential protein structure alignment tool using a novel asymmetrical greedy search technique. The performance of SPalignNS was evaluated against existing sequential and non-sequential structure alignment methods by performing trials with commonly used datasets. These benchmark datasets used to gauge alignment accuracy include (i) 9538 pairwise alignments implied by the HOMSTRAD database of homologous proteins; (ii) a subset of 64 difficult alignments from set (i) that have low structure similarity; (iii) 199 pairwise alignments of proteins with similar structure but different topology; and (iv) a subset of 20 pairwise alignments from the RIPC set. SPalignNS is shown to achieve greater alignment accuracy (lower or comparable root-mean squared distance with increased structure overlap coverage) for all datasets, and the highest agreement with reference alignments from the challenging dataset (iv) above, when compared with both sequentially constrained alignments and other non-sequential alignments. SPalignNS was implemented in C++. The source code, binary executable, and a web server version is freely available at: http://sparks-lab.org yaoqi.zhou@griffith.edu.au. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Tree decomposition based fast search of RNA structures including pseudoknots in genomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yinglei; Liu, Chunmei; Malmberg, Russell; Pan, Fangfang; Cai, Liming

2005-01-01

Searching genomes for RNA secondary structure with computational methods has become an important approach to the annotation of non-coding RNAs. However, due to the lack of efficient algorithms for accurate RNA structure-sequence alignment, computer programs capable of fast and effectively searching genomes for RNA secondary structures have not been available. In this paper, a novel RNA structure profiling model is introduced based on the notion of a conformational graph to specify the consensus structure of an RNA family. Tree decomposition yields a small tree width t for such conformation graphs (e.g., t = 2 for stem loops and only a slight increase for pseudo-knots). Within this modelling framework, the optimal alignment of a sequence to the structure model corresponds to finding a maximum valued isomorphic subgraph and consequently can be accomplished through dynamic programming on the tree decomposition of the conformational graph in time O(k(t)N(2)), where k is a small parameter; and N is the size of the projiled RNA structure. Experiments show that the application of the alignment algorithm to search in genomes yields the same search accuracy as methods based on a Covariance model with a significant reduction in computation time. In particular; very accurate searches of tmRNAs in bacteria genomes and of telomerase RNAs in yeast genomes can be accomplished in days, as opposed to months required by other methods. The tree decomposition based searching tool is free upon request and can be downloaded at our site h t t p ://w.uga.edu/RNA-informatics/software/index.php.

Structural studies on a non-toxic homologue of type II RIPs from ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Structural studies on a non-toxic homologue of type II RIPs from bitter gourd: Molecular basis of non-toxicity, conformational selection and glycan structure. MS accepted http://www.ias.ac.in/jbiosci. THYAGESHWAR CHANDRAN, ALOK SHARMA and M VIJAYAN. J. Biosci. 40(5), October 2015, 929–941, © Indian Academy of ...

Seismic reliability assessment of RC structures including soil–structure interaction using wavelet weighted least squares support vector machine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khatibinia, Mohsen; Javad Fadaee, Mohammad; Salajegheh, Javad; Salajegheh, Eysa

2013-01-01

An efficient metamodeling framework in conjunction with the Monte-Carlo Simulation (MCS) is introduced to reduce the computational cost in seismic reliability assessment of existing RC structures. In order to achieve this purpose, the metamodel is designed by combining weighted least squares support vector machine (WLS-SVM) and a wavelet kernel function, called wavelet weighted least squares support vector machine (WWLS-SVM). In this study, the seismic reliability assessment of existing RC structures with consideration of soil–structure interaction (SSI) effects is investigated in accordance with Performance-Based Design (PBD). This study aims to incorporate the acceptable performance levels of PBD into reliability theory for comparing the obtained annual probability of non-performance with the target values for each performance level. The MCS method as the most reliable method is utilized to estimate the annual probability of failure associated with a given performance level in this study. In WWLS-SVM-based MCS, the structural seismic responses are accurately predicted by WWLS-SVM for reducing the computational cost. To show the efficiency and robustness of the proposed metamodel, two RC structures are studied. Numerical results demonstrate the efficiency and computational advantages of the proposed metamodel for the seismic reliability assessment of structures. Furthermore, the consideration of the SSI effects in the seismic reliability assessment of existing RC structures is compared to the fixed base model. It shows which SSI has the significant influence on the seismic reliability assessment of structures.

Parametric and Non-Parametric Vibration-Based Structural Identification Under Earthquake Excitation

Science.gov (United States)

Pentaris, Fragkiskos P.; Fouskitakis, George N.

2014-05-01

The problem of modal identification in civil structures is of crucial importance, and thus has been receiving increasing attention in recent years. Vibration-based methods are quite promising as they are capable of identifying the structure's global characteristics, they are relatively easy to implement and they tend to be time effective and less expensive than most alternatives [1]. This paper focuses on the off-line structural/modal identification of civil (concrete) structures subjected to low-level earthquake excitations, under which, they remain within their linear operating regime. Earthquakes and their details are recorded and provided by the seismological network of Crete [2], which 'monitors' the broad region of south Hellenic arc, an active seismic region which functions as a natural laboratory for earthquake engineering of this kind. A sufficient number of seismic events are analyzed in order to reveal the modal characteristics of the structures under study, that consist of the two concrete buildings of the School of Applied Sciences, Technological Education Institute of Crete, located in Chania, Crete, Hellas. Both buildings are equipped with high-sensitivity and accuracy seismographs - providing acceleration measurements - established at the basement (structure's foundation) presently considered as the ground's acceleration (excitation) and at all levels (ground floor, 1st floor, 2nd floor and terrace). Further details regarding the instrumentation setup and data acquisition may be found in [3]. The present study invokes stochastic, both non-parametric (frequency-based) and parametric methods for structural/modal identification (natural frequencies and/or damping ratios). Non-parametric methods include Welch-based spectrum and Frequency response Function (FrF) estimation, while parametric methods, include AutoRegressive (AR), AutoRegressive with eXogeneous input (ARX) and Autoregressive Moving-Average with eXogeneous input (ARMAX) models[4, 5

A user exposure based approach for non-structural road network vulnerability analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Jin

Full Text Available Aiming at the dense urban road network vulnerability without structural negative consequences, this paper proposes a novel non-structural road network vulnerability analysis framework. Three aspects of the framework are mainly described: (i the rationality of non-structural road network vulnerability, (ii the metrics for negative consequences accounting for variant road conditions, and (iii the introduction of a new vulnerability index based on user exposure. Based on the proposed methodology, a case study in the Sioux Falls network which was usually threatened by regular heavy snow during wintertime is detailedly discussed. The vulnerability ranking of links of Sioux Falls network with respect to heavy snow scenario is identified. As a result of non-structural consequences accompanied by conceivable degeneration of network, there are significant increases in generalized travel time costs which are measurements for "emotionally hurt" of topological road network.

Non-destructive testing and evaluation for structural integrity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baldev Raj; Jayakumar, T.; Rao, B.P.C.

1995-01-01

In this paper, a brief description of the physical concepts of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods and the physical/derived parameters that are used for assessing defects, stresses and microstructures are given. A few case studies highlighting the importance of non-destructive testing and evaluation for structural integrity assessment are also discussed based on the investigations carried out. Emerging concepts like intelligent processing of materials, expert systems, neural networks, use of multisensors with fusion of data and exploitation of signal analysis and imaging approaches are also addressed in this paper. (author). 92 refs., 1 tab

Non-covalent associative structure of coal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shui, H. [Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan (China). School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

2004-06-01

The recent progress of non-covalent associative structure of coal and the mechanisms of the carbon disulphide-N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (CS{sub 2}/NMP) are mixed solvent and the additive addition enhancing the extraction yield of coals are reviewed, and the aggregation behaviour of coal in solid and solution states are presented, and the aggregation behavior of coal in solid and solution states are introduced in this paper. Coal extraction and swelling in organic solvents at room temperature were the most useful methods to understand the associative structure of coal. CS{sub 2}/NMP is a unique solvent to give high extraction yields for some bituminous coals. Some additives such as tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) can dissociate the stronger interactions among coal molecules and enhance the extraction yields of coal in the mixed solvent. 37 refs., 1 fig.

Extracting a Purely Non-rigid Deformation Field of a Single Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Demirci, Stefanie; Manstad-Hulaas, Frode; Navab, Nassir

During endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) treatment, the aortic shape is subject to severe deformation that is imposed by medical instruments such as guide wires, catheters, and the stent graft. The problem definition of deformable registration of images covering the entire abdominal region, however, is highly ill-posed. We present a new method for extracting the deformation of an aneurysmatic aorta. The outline of the procedure includes initial rigid alignment of two abdominal scans, segmentation of abdominal vessel trees, and automatic reduction of their centerline structures to one specified region of interest around the aorta. Our non-rigid registration procedure then only computes local non-rigid deformation and leaves out all remaining global rigid transformations. In order to evaluate our method, experiments for the extraction of aortic deformation fields are conducted on 15 patient datasets from endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) treatment. A visual assessment of the registration results were performed by two vascular surgeons and one interventional radiologist who are all experts in EVAR procedures.

Structure/property relationships in non-linear optical materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cole, J M [Institut Max von Laue - Paul Langevin (ILL), 38 - Grenoble (France); [Durham Univ. (United Kingdom); Howard, J A.K. [Durham Univ. (United Kingdom); McIntyre, G J [Institut Max von Laue - Paul Langevin (ILL), 38 - Grenoble (France)

1997-04-01

The application of neutrons to the study of structure/property relationships in organic non-linear optical materials (NLOs) is described. In particular, charge-transfer effects and intermolecular interactions are investigated. Charge-transfer effects are studied by charge-density analysis and an example of one such investigation is given. The study of intermolecular interactions concentrates on the effects of hydrogen-bonding and an example is given of two structurally similar molecules with very disparate NLO properties, as a result of different types of hydrogen-bonding. (author). 3 refs.

Seismic evaluation of a cooling water reservoir facility including fluid-structure and soil-structure interaction effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kabir, A.F.; Maryak, M.E.

1991-01-01

Seismic analyses and structural evaluations were performed for a cooling water reservoir of a nuclear reactor facility. The horizontal input seismic motion was the NRC Reg. guide 1.60 spectrum shape anchored at 0.20g zero period acceleration. Vertical input was taken as two-thirds of the horizontal input. Soil structure interaction and hydrodynamic effects were addressed in the seismic analyses. Uncertainties in the soil properties were accounted for by considering three soil profiles. Two 2-dimensional SSI models and a 3-dimensional static model. Representing different areas of the reservoir structures were developed and analyzed to obtain seismic forces and moments, and accelerations at various locations. The results included in this paper indicated that both hydrodynamic and soil-structure interaction effects are significant contributors to the seismic responses of the water-retaining walls of the reservoir

Bounds of thermal stability of infinite cylindrical structures with non-uniform internal heat generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadalla, M.A.

1992-01-01

This paper presents an overview analyses of the thermal instability or thermal viability of infinite cylindrical structures with non-linear and non-uniform internal heat generation. The structure may be subjected to different and combined boundary conditions. An analytical solution is obtained for the generalized problem in spite of the non-linearity and the non-homogeneity of the source term. Four case studies with different boundary conditions are presented. The analyses show that the critical parameter for thermal stability may be though of as an altitude of surface below which the cylindrical structure will be thermally stable and performance worthy. The results also show that the bounds of thermal stability of a cylindrical structure system (solid or hollow) is eminently determined by the boundary conditions to which the system is subjected and can significantly alter the life-span of the structure

FLOOD RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN URBAN NIGERIA: INTEGRATING TRADITIONAL AND NON-STRUCTURAL METHODS OF MITIGATING AND ADAPTING TO FLOODING IN CROSS RIVER STATE, SOUTH-EASTERN NIGERIA (II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RICHARD INGWE

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Flood resilience and sustainable development in urban Nigeria: integrating traditional and non-structural methods of mitigating and adapting to flooding in cross river state, south-eastern Nigeria. We examined application of non-structural measures in addition to conventional structural approaches by Government Agency and community for flood management in Cross River State (Nigeria at: regional-ambit and community levels. We used focus group discussion in depth interview, and observation methods to collect data from primary and secondary sources. Our findings include: emphasis on structural flood control measures by government agencies contrasted to use of rudimentary non-structural approaches by communities. Conceptual frames proposed for managing disasters include: emphasizing future climate change impacts based on multiple scales (temporal, spatial and societal and emphasizing historical response to disasters without increasing the visibility of climate change. We conclude that community institutions, non-government/civil society organizations should lead public institutions in promoting flood resilience based on integrated non-structural to structural measures and show recent developments regarding civil society coalition committed towards promoting environmental governance in Nigeria. Frequent flooding associated with huge losses of lives and property in the study areas, as in most of urban Nigeria, persuade us to recommend that strategically placed civil society be supported by donor/funding organizations to promote integrated non-structural and traditional-structural measures to achieve urban flood resilience nationwide.

FLOOD RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN URBAN NIGERIA: INTEGRATING TRADITIONAL AND NON-STRUCTURAL METHODS OF MITIGATING AND ADAPTING TO FLOODING IN CROSS RIVER STATE, SOUTH-EASTERN NIGERIA (I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RICHARD INGWE

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Flood resilience and sustainable development in urban Nigeria: integrating traditional and non-structural methods of mitigating and adapting to flooding in cross river state, south-eastern Nigeria. We examined application of non-structural measures in addition to conventional structural approaches by Government Agency and community for flood management in Cross River State (Nigeria at: regional-ambit and community levels. We used focus group discussion in depth interview, and observation methods to collect datafrom primary and secondary sources. Our findings include: emphasis on structural flood control measures by government agencies contrasted to use of rudimentary non-structural approaches by communities. Conceptual frames proposed for managing disasters include: emphasizing future climate change impacts based on multiple scales (temporal, spatial and societal and emphasizing historical response to disasters without increasing the visibility of climate change. We conclude that community institutions, non-government/civil society organizations should lead public institutions in promoting flood resilience based on integrated non-structural to structural measures and show recent developments regarding civil society coalition committed towards promoting environmental governance in Nigeria. Frequent flooding associated with huge losses of lives and property in the studyareas, as in most of urban Nigeria, persuade us to recommend that strategically placed civil society be supported by donor/funding organizations to promote integrated non-structural and traditional-structural measures to achieve urban flood resilience nationwide.

The SR Approach: a new Estimation Method for Non-Linear and Non-Gaussian Dynamic Term Structure Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Martin Møller; Christensen, Bent Jesper

This paper suggests a new and easy approach to estimate linear and non-linear dynamic term structure models with latent factors. We impose no distributional assumptions on the factors and they may therefore be non-Gaussian. The novelty of our approach is to use many observables (yields or bonds p...

Effects of structured versus non-structured learning on achievement and attitudes of fifth graders in a public aquarium

Science.gov (United States)

Kafka, Merryl Audrey

The investigator analyzed the main effect of a structured-learning experience in an informal setting, as well as interactions between the students' learning-style variations toward the element of structure and the imposed instructional conditions. The subjects consisted of 170 students enrolled in two public schools located in Brooklyn, New York. The students were predominantly a White multi-ethnic population consisting of 118 Caucasians, 25 Hispanics, 24 Asians, and 3 African-Americans. Three randomly assigned classes (n = 81) were provided trip sheets, which directed students on how to learn new information with written questions and directives. Three randomly assigned non-structured classes (n = 89) experienced the same exhibit in a free-form manner. Science-based criterion-referenced pre- and posttests were administered, in addition to Learning Style Inventories (Dunn, Dunn, & Price, 1996) and a modified Semantic Differential Scale (Pizzo, 1981), which was used to measure attitudinal levels. The non-structured group had access to similar content information in the form of exhibit graphics, but apparently they chose not to read it as carefully or engage in the information-seeking process as intensely as the students equipped with trip sheets. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) indicated that a structured-learning experience produced significantly higher science-achievement test scores than in a non-structured-learning experience (p = .0001). In addition, there was no single learning-style variation (preference, aversion, or no preference) to structure that produced significantly higher gains than another. Furthermore, attitudinal scores were not significantly different between structured and non-structured groups, as well as among homogeneous subsets of students with learning-style variations that matched, mismatched, or indicated no-preferenced positions on the element of structure. Hence, a moderate amount of structure resulted in academic gains without

Health Promotion Behavior of Chinese International Students in Korea Including Acculturation Factors: A Structural Equation Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sun Jung; Yoo, Il Young

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study was to explain the health promotion behavior of Chinese international students in Korea using a structural equation model including acculturation factors. A survey using self-administered questionnaires was employed. Data were collected from 272 Chinese students who have resided in Korea for longer than 6 months. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The p value of final model is .31. The fitness parameters of the final model such as goodness of fit index, adjusted goodness of fit index, normed fit index, non-normed fit index, and comparative fit index were more than .95. Root mean square of residual and root mean square error of approximation also met the criteria. Self-esteem, perceived health status, acculturative stress and acculturation level had direct effects on health promotion behavior of the participants and the model explained 30.0% of variance. The Chinese students in Korea with higher self-esteem, perceived health status, acculturation level, and lower acculturative stress reported higher health promotion behavior. The findings can be applied to develop health promotion strategies for this population. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Estimation of non-linear effective permeability of magnetic materials with fine structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waki, H.; Igarashi, H.; Honma, T.

2006-01-01

This paper describes a homogenization method for magnetic materials with fine structure. In this method, the structures of the magnetic materials are assumed to be periodic, and the unit cell is defined. The effective permeability is determined on the basis of magnetic energy balance in the unit cell. This method can be applied not only for linear problems but also for non-linear ones. In this paper, estimation of the effective permeability of non-linear magnetic materials by using the homogenization method is described in detail, and then the validity for the non-liner problems is tested for two-dimensional problems. It is shown that this homogenization method gives accurate non-linear effective permeability

Ecological stages of the Venice Lagoon analysed using landing time series data

Science.gov (United States)

Libralato, Simone; Pranovi, Fabio; Raicevich, Saša; Da Ponte, Filippo; Giovanardi, Otello; Pastres, Roberto; Torricelli, Patrizia; Mainardi, Danilo

2004-11-01

The time series of landings in the Venice Lagoon from 1945 to 2001 were analysed with the aim of explaining the ecosystem changes occurred. The comparative analysis of the total landings and mean Trophic Level (mTL) time series allowed to identify four different stages in the lagoon ecosystem. The first period, from 1945 to 1973, was characterised by increasing trends in the landings and their mTL. The second one, from 1974 to 1989, showed a decrease in the landings but still an increase in the mTL. The third period, from 1990 to 1998, had again a positive trend in the landings, but the mTL showed a sharp decline. After 1998, a slight decreasing trend in both mTL and landings was observed: the analyses of the artisanal fishery landings only date back to 1995 this effect. The presence of four distinct periods was also confirmed by the analysis of the trends of other indices estimated using landings data: the Fishing in Balance index (FiB), the Trophic Efficiency (TE) and the Pelagic on Demersal landings ratio (P/D). In the first period, the increasing fishing pressure, along with no evidence of ecosystem crisis, suggested that an increased nutrient discharge was supporting it; analogously, the bottom-up effects had driven the dynamics of the ecosystem also in the second period, when the decrease in nutrient loads caused a shift of the primary producers from planktonic to macrobenthic. The spreading of the Manila clam, a non-native species, and the development of its massive mechanical exploitation have been the main forces driving the ecosystem during the third period, for which, however, no signs of crises were detected. The fourth period showed evidence of the "fishing down the food web" effect. Possible causes of such an effect were investigated and allowed us to conclude that not overfishing, but the effects of mechanical harvesting of the Manila clam had caused relevant impacts on habitat and benthic communities, concluding that the present level of

Causal structure and algebraic classification of non-dissipative linear optical media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuller, Frederic P.; Witte, Christof; Wohlfarth, Mattias N.R.

2010-01-01

In crystal optics and quantum electrodynamics in gravitational vacua, the propagation of light is not described by a metric, but an area metric geometry. In this article, this prompts us to study conditions for linear electrodynamics on area metric manifolds to be well-posed. This includes an identification of the timelike future cones and their duals associated to an area metric geometry, and thus paves the ground for a discussion of the related local and global causal structures in standard fashion. In order to provide simple algebraic criteria for an area metric manifold to present a consistent spacetime structure, we develop a complete algebraic classification of area metric tensors up to general transformations of frame. This classification, valuable in its own right, is then employed to prove a theorem excluding the majority of algebraic classes of area metrics as viable spacetimes. Physically, these results classify and drastically restrict the viable constitutive tensors of non-dissipative linear optical media.

Automated Volumetry and Regional Thickness Analysis of Hippocampal Subfields and Medial Temporal Cortical Structures in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Science.gov (United States)

Yushkevich, Paul A.; Pluta, John B.; Wang, Hongzhi; Xie, Long; Ding, Song-Lin; Gertje, E. C.; Mancuso, Lauren; Kliot, Daria; Das, Sandhitsu R.; Wolk, David A.

2014-01-01

We evaluate a fully automatic technique for labeling hippocampal subfields and cortical subregions in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) in in vivo 3 Tesla MRI. The method performs segmentation on a T2-weighted MRI scan with 0.4 × 0.4 × 2.0 mm3 resolution, partial brain coverage, and oblique orientation. Hippocampal subfields, entorhinal cortex, and perirhinal cortex are labeled using a pipeline that combines multi-atlas label fusion and learning-based error correction. In contrast to earlier work on automatic subfield segmentation in T2-weighted MRI (Yushkevich et al., 2010), our approach requires no manual initialization, labels hippocampal subfields over a greater anterior-posterior extent, and labels the perirhinal cortex, which is further subdivided into Brodmann areas 35 and 36. The accuracy of the automatic segmentation relative to manual segmentation is measured using cross-validation in 29 subjects from a study of amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI), and is highest for the dentate gyrus (Dice coefficient is 0.823), CA1 (0.803), perirhinal cortex (0.797) and entorhinal cortex (0.786) labels. A larger cohort of 83 subjects is used to examine the effects of aMCI in the hippocampal region using both subfield volume and regional subfield thickness maps. Most significant differences between aMCI and healthy aging are observed bilaterally in the CA1 subfield and in the left Brodmann area 35. Thickness analysis results are consistent with volumetry, but provide additional regional specificity and suggest non-uniformity in the effects of aMCI on hippocampal subfields and MTL cortical subregions. PMID:25181316

Proceedings of the national workshop on non destructive evaluation of structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

In spite of the care and best efforts to improve the quality of structures, problems do occur, raising alarm. This makes doubtful about the understanding. Distresses in the structures start immediately after construction and these are often concealed under the external finishes. A defect takes time to manifest itself. To add further, structures remain unattended for several years. As it is uneconomical to replace the assets before the intended service life by another capital investment, it is essential to periodically monitor the health of structures throughout its life. Success of both, the construction and restoration work depends on right diagnosis of the problem thorough proper testing techniques. Non destructive evaluation is one of the reliable methods for the scientific assessment of health and prediction of residual service life of structure. The workshop shall provide a platform to students, engineers and professionals for acquaintance with the current state of art technology of non-destructive evaluation techniques. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

Medial Temporal Lobe Activity during Source Retrieval Reflects Information Type, Not Memory Strength

Science.gov (United States)

Diana, Rachel A.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.; Ranganath, Charan

2010-01-01

The medial temporal lobes (MTLs) are critical for episodic memory but the functions of MTL subregions are controversial. According to memory strength theory, MTL subregions collectively support declarative memory in a graded manner. In contrast, other theories assert that MTL subregions support functionally distinct processes. For instance, one…

Non-hydrodynamic model of plasma focus structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imshennik, V.S.; Zueva, N.M.; Lokutsievskij, O.V.; Mikhajlova, M.S.

1985-01-01

Experimental and theoretical plasma focus study has resulted in the necessity of creating a non-hydrodynamic plasma focus structure model (MKHD model). This model describes the final stage of plasma focus, which starts immediately after maximum plasma compression. It is related to a very limited space near the neck of the sausage instability. The MKHD model is two-dimensional, axially symmetric and collisionless with respect to the ions and magnetohydrodynamic with respect to the electrons; it accounts for the pinch instability of the sausage type (m=0 mode). The MKHD model, first of all, explains the long time of the plasma focus existence and non-thermonuclear peculiarities in the neutron yield. The initial and boundary conditions are formulated in accordance with the experiments and the results of computations in the 2D MHD model. A non-stationary process of plasma focus dynamics is studied numerically for a relatively long time - about 20 ns; this time is, in principle, not restricted. The computations show that the external edge of the neck expands rather slowly (at a speed that is lower than the thermal ion velocity, by an order of magnitude), and the magnetic field energy is converted to the kinetic energy of the chaotic ion motion (which is doubled for the time of computation). A 'supra-thermal' tail (with the deuterium ion energy higher than 10 keV) forms slowly at the ion distribution function; this tail determines a substantial part of the total neutron yield. The formation of stable vortices, which actually determine the structure of the plasma flow during the developed non-hydrodynamic stage of the plasma focus, is also found in the computations. These properties of the development of the sausage instability, as found in the numerical experiment with the MKHD plasma focus model, are in qualitative agreement with the behaviour of an instability of the same type in the MHD models of the Z-pinch

On the (non-)optimality of Michell structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sigmund, Ole; Aage, Niels; Andreassen, Erik

2016-01-01

Optimal analytical Michell frame structures have been extensively used as benchmark examples in topology optimization, including truss, frame, homogenization, density and level-set based approaches. However, as we will point out, partly the interpretation of Michell’s structural continua...... as discrete frame structures is not accurate and partly, it turns out that limiting structural topology to frame-like structures is a rather severe design restriction and results in structures that are quite far from being stiffness optimal. The paper discusses the interpretation of Michell’s theory...... in the context of numerical topology optimization and compares various topology optimization results obtained with the frame restriction to cases with no design restrictions. For all examples considered, the true stiffness optimal structures are composed of sheets (2D) or closed-walled shell structures (3D...

Non-destructive methods and means for quality control of structural products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dmitriev, V.V.

1989-01-01

Progressive non-destructive methods (acoustic, magnetic, radiation with liquid penetrants) and means of control of structural product quality, allowing to determine the state of products and structures not only immediately after their production but directly at the erected or reconstructed objects are described

Representation-free description of light-pulse atom interferometry including non-inertial effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kleinert, Stephan, E-mail: stephan.kleinert@uni-ulm.de [Institut für Quantenphysik and Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology (IQST), Universität Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081 Ulm (Germany); Kajari, Endre; Roura, Albert [Institut für Quantenphysik and Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology (IQST), Universität Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081 Ulm (Germany); Schleich, Wolfgang P. [Institut für Quantenphysik and Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology (IQST), Universität Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081 Ulm (Germany); Texas A& M University Institute for Advanced Study (TIAS), Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering (IQSE) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A& M University College Station, TX 77843-4242 (United States)

2015-12-30

Light-pulse atom interferometers rely on the wave nature of matter and its manipulation with coherent laser pulses. They are used for precise gravimetry and inertial sensing as well as for accurate measurements of fundamental constants. Reaching higher precision requires longer interferometer times which are naturally encountered in microgravity environments such as drop-tower facilities, sounding rockets and dedicated satellite missions aiming at fundamental quantum physics in space. In all those cases, it is necessary to consider arbitrary trajectories and varying orientations of the interferometer set-up in non-inertial frames of reference. Here we provide a versatile representation-free description of atom interferometry entirely based on operator algebra to address this general situation. We show how to analytically determine the phase shift as well as the visibility of interferometers with an arbitrary number of pulses including the effects of local gravitational accelerations, gravity gradients, the rotation of the lasers and non-inertial frames of reference. Our method conveniently unifies previous results and facilitates the investigation of novel interferometer geometries.

At the intersection of non-coding transcription, DNA repair, chromatin structure, and cellular senescence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryosuke eOhsawa

2013-07-01

Full Text Available It is well accepted that non-coding RNAs play a critical role in regulating gene expression. Recent paradigm-setting studies are now revealing that non-coding RNAs, other than microRNAs, also play intriguing roles in the maintenance of chromatin structure, in the DNA damage response, and in adult human stem cell aging. In this review, we will discuss the complex inter-dependent relationships among non-coding RNA transcription, maintenance of genomic stability, chromatin structure and adult stem cell senescence. DNA damage-induced non-coding RNAs transcribed in the vicinity of the DNA break regulate recruitment of the DNA damage machinery and DNA repair efficiency. We will discuss the correlation between non-coding RNAs and DNA damage repair efficiency and the potential role of changing chromatin structures around double-strand break sites. On the other hand, induction of non-coding RNA transcription from the repetitive Alu elements occurs during human stem cell aging and hinders efficient DNA repair causing entry into senescence. We will discuss how this fine balance between transcription and genomic instability may be regulated by the dramatic changes to chromatin structure that accompany cellular senescence.

Effects of medial temporal lobe degeneration on brain perfusion in amnestic MCI of AD type: deafferentation and functional compensation?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guedj, Eric; Barbeau, Emmanuel J.; Didic, Mira; Poncet, Michel; Ceccaldi, Mathieu; Felician, Olivier; Laforte, Catherine de; Mundler, Olivier; Ranjeva, Jean-Philippe; Cozzone, Patrick J.

2009-01-01

Cortical atrophy is correlated with the progression of neuropathological lesions within the medial temporal lobes (MTL) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our aim was to determine which local and remote functional changes result from MTL volume loss at the predementia stage. We studied the relationship between entorhinal and hippocampal MR volumes and whole-brain SPECT perfusion via a voxel-based correlative analysis in 19 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment with a memory profile suggestive of early AD. Right MTL volumes were positively correlated with remote posterior perfusion of the posterior cingulate cortex, and negatively correlated with remote anterior perfusion of the right medial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. There was no local correlation between volumes and perfusion within the MTL. These findings provide further insight into functional changes that result from MTL volume loss during the predementia stage of AD. The positive correlation between MTL volumes and posterior cingulate perfusion may reflect the deafferentation of a temporocingulate network due to mediotemporal degeneration. The paradoxical negative correlation between MTL volumes and prefrontal perfusion may result from recruitment of an alternative anterior temporofrontal network. It remains to be investigated how the ''net sum'' of this perfusion modulation affects memory and other cognitive domains through a possible compensatory perspective. (orig.)

Effects of medial temporal lobe degeneration on brain perfusion in amnestic MCI of AD type: deafferentation and functional compensation?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guedj, Eric [Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de la Timone, Service Central de Biophysique et de Medecine Nucleaire, Marseille Cedex 5 (France); Universite de la Mediterranee Aix-Marseille II, Laboratoire de Neurophysiologie et Neuropsychologie, Inserm U751, Faculte de Medecine, Marseille (France); Universite de la Mediterranee Aix-Marseille II, Centre de Resonance Magnetique Biologique et Medicale (CRMBM), UMR CNRS 6612, Faculte de Medecine, Marseille (France); Barbeau, Emmanuel J. [CNRS - Universite Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition, UMR-5549, Toulouse (France); Didic, Mira; Poncet, Michel; Ceccaldi, Mathieu [CHU Timone, Service de Neurologie et de Neuropsychologie, Marseille (France); Universite de la Mediterranee Aix-Marseille II, Laboratoire de Neurophysiologie et Neuropsychologie, Inserm U751, Faculte de Medecine, Marseille (France); Felician, Olivier [CHU Timone, Service de Neurologie et de Neuropsychologie, Marseille (France); Universite de la Mediterranee Aix-Marseille II, Laboratoire de Neurophysiologie et Neuropsychologie, Inserm U751, Faculte de Medecine, Marseille (France); Centre Saint-Charles, Laboratoire de Neurobiologie Integrative et Adaptative, UMR CNRS 6149, Marseille (France); Laforte, Catherine de; Mundler, Olivier [Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de la Timone, Service Central de Biophysique et de Medecine Nucleaire, Marseille Cedex 5 (France); Ranjeva, Jean-Philippe; Cozzone, Patrick J. [Universite de la Mediterranee Aix-Marseille II, Centre de Resonance Magnetique Biologique et Medicale (CRMBM), UMR CNRS 6612, Faculte de Medecine, Marseille (France)

2009-07-15

Cortical atrophy is correlated with the progression of neuropathological lesions within the medial temporal lobes (MTL) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our aim was to determine which local and remote functional changes result from MTL volume loss at the predementia stage. We studied the relationship between entorhinal and hippocampal MR volumes and whole-brain SPECT perfusion via a voxel-based correlative analysis in 19 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment with a memory profile suggestive of early AD. Right MTL volumes were positively correlated with remote posterior perfusion of the posterior cingulate cortex, and negatively correlated with remote anterior perfusion of the right medial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. There was no local correlation between volumes and perfusion within the MTL. These findings provide further insight into functional changes that result from MTL volume loss during the predementia stage of AD. The positive correlation between MTL volumes and posterior cingulate perfusion may reflect the deafferentation of a temporocingulate network due to mediotemporal degeneration. The paradoxical negative correlation between MTL volumes and prefrontal perfusion may result from recruitment of an alternative anterior temporofrontal network. It remains to be investigated how the ''net sum'' of this perfusion modulation affects memory and other cognitive domains through a possible compensatory perspective. (orig.)

Is nuclear structure relevant to non-mesonic hyper-nuclear weak decay?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, H.C.; Ponce, W.A.

2001-01-01

Full text: The focus of existing studies of the non-mesonic hypernuclear weak decay has been on the two-body process ΛN → NN, whereas the investigation on effects of nuclear structure is relatively rare. Some authors even assumed that the nuclear structure is irrelevant to the non mesonic hypernuclear weak decay. In this work we try to reveal the importance of nuclear structure in non mesonic weak decay of the Λ - hypernuclei through examining the relevance of many-body properties as well as the single particle properties of different nuclear models. For hypernucleus 12 Λ C, a comparison between the L-S coupling (realized by the symmetry model SU(4) x SU(3) and the j-j coupling (realized by the single particle shell model) gives an estimate of the range of nuclear structure effects. It has been found that while the total decay rate is almost independent of coupling schemes, the ratio Γn/Γp has a difference of around 30% between the two limits of many-body wave functions. There also exists a strong dependence of the total decay rate and the ratio Γn/Γp on the single particle properties of shell model, such as the binding energy of nucleon and the parameters of harmonic oscillator orbits, etc. Therefore, one may conclude that the nuclear structure is relevant to the non-mesonic hypernuclear weak decay. With the mechanism of ΛN → NN transition being restricted to one pion exchange (OPE) only, the consequences of possible contribution from the ΔI = 3/2 channel is investigated in a phenomenological manner. It has been shown that a mixing of ΔI = 3/2 channel will change the total decay rate as well as the ratio Γn/Γp considerably. (Author)

Non-structural carbohydrates in woody plants compared among laboratories

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Quentin, Audrey G.; Pinkard, Elizabeth A.; Ryan, Michael G.; Tissue, David T.; Baggett, Scott L.; Adams, Henry D.; Maillard, Pascale; Marchand, Jacqueline; Landhäusser, Simon M.; Lacointe, André; Gibon, Yves; Anderegg, William R.L.; Asao, Shinichi; Atkin, Owen K.; Bonhomme, Marc; Claye, Caroline; Chow, Pak S.; Clément-Vidal, Anne; Davies, Noel W.; Dickman, Turin L.; Dumbur, Rita; Ellsworth, David S.; Falk, Kristen; Galiano, Lucía; Grünzweig, José M.; Hartmann, Henrik; Hoch, Günter; Hood, Sharon; Jones, Joanna E.; Koike, Takayoshi; Kuhlmann, Iris; Lloret, Francisco; Maestro, Melchor; Mansfield, Shawn D.; Martínez-Vilalta, Jordi; Maucourt, Mickael; McDowell, Nathan G.; Moing, Annick; Muller, Bertrand; Nebauer, Sergio G.; Niinemets, Ülo; Palacio, Sara; Piper, Frida; Raveh, Eran; Richter, Andreas; Rolland, Gaëlle; Rosas, Teresa; Joanis, Brigitte Saint; Sala, Anna; Smith, Renee A.; Sterck, Frank; Stinziano, Joseph R.; Tobias, Mari; Unda, Faride; Watanabe, Makoto; Way, Danielle A.; Weerasinghe, Lasantha K.; Wild, Birgit; Wiley, Erin; Woodruff, David R.

2015-01-01

Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in plant tissue are frequently quantified to make inferences about plant responses to environmental conditions. Laboratories publishing estimates of NSC of woody plants use many different methods to evaluate NSC. We asked whether NSC estimates in the recent

Non-Contact Smartphone-Based Monitoring of Thermally Stressed Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ozturk, Turgut; Mas, David; Rizzo, Piervincenzo

2018-01-01

The in-situ measurement of thermal stress in beams or continuous welded rails may prevent structural anomalies such as buckling. This study proposed a non-contact monitoring/inspection approach based on the use of a smartphone and a computer vision algorithm to estimate the vibrating characteristics of beams subjected to thermal stress. It is hypothesized that the vibration of a beam can be captured using a smartphone operating at frame rates higher than conventional 30 Hz, and the first few natural frequencies of the beam can be extracted using a computer vision algorithm. In this study, the first mode of vibration was considered and compared to the information obtained with a conventional accelerometer attached to the two structures investigated, namely a thin beam and a thick beam. The results show excellent agreement between the conventional contact method and the non-contact sensing approach proposed here. In the future, these findings may be used to develop a monitoring/inspection smartphone application to assess the axial stress of slender structures, to predict the neutral temperature of continuous welded rails, or to prevent thermal buckling. PMID:29670034

Patterns of hippocampal-neocortical interactions in the retrieval of episodic autobiographical memories across the entire life-span of aged adults

Science.gov (United States)

Viard, Armelle; Lebreton, Karine; Chételat, Gaël; Desgranges, Béatrice; Landeau, Brigitte; Young, Alan; De La Sayette, Vincent; Eustache, Francis; Piolino, Pascale

2010-01-01

We previously demonstrated that Episodic Autobiographical Memories (EAMs) rely on a network of brain regions comprising the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and distributed neocortical regions regardless of their remoteness. The findings supported the model of memory consolidation which proposes a permanent role of MTL during EAM retrieval (Multiple-Trace Theory or MTT) rather than a temporary role (standard model). Our present aim was to expand the results by examining the interactions between the MTL and neocortical regions (or MTL-neocortical links) during EAM retrieval with varying retention intervals. We used an experimental paradigm specially designed to engage aged participants in the recollection of EAMs, extracted from five different time-periods, covering their whole life-span, in order to examine correlations between activation in the MTL and neocortical regions. The nature of the memories was checked at debriefing by means of behavioral measures to control the degree of episodicity and properties of memories. Targeted correlational analyses carried out on the MTL, frontal, lateral temporal and posterior regions revealed strong links between the MTL and neocortex during the retrieval of both recent and remote EAMs, challenging the standard model of memory consolidation and supporting MTT instead. Further confirmation was given by results showing that activation in the left and right hippocampi significantly correlated during the retrieval of both recent and remote memories. Correlations among extra-MTL neocortical regions also emerged for all time-periods, confirming the critical role of the prefrontal, temporal (lateral temporal cortex and temporal pole), precuneus and posterior cingulate regions in EAM retrieval. Overall, this paper emphasizes the role of a bilateral network of MTL and neocortical areas whose activation correlate during the recollection of rich phenomenological recent and remote EAMs. PMID:19338022

Primordial Non-Gaussianity in the Large-Scale Structure of the Universe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent Desjacques

2010-01-01

generated the cosmological fluctuations observed today. Any detection of significant non-Gaussianity would thus have profound implications for our understanding of cosmic structure formation. The large-scale mass distribution in the Universe is a sensitive probe of the nature of initial conditions. Recent theoretical progress together with rapid developments in observational techniques will enable us to critically confront predictions of inflationary scenarios and set constraints as competitive as those from the Cosmic Microwave Background. In this paper, we review past and current efforts in the search for primordial non-Gaussianity in the large-scale structure of the Universe.

Analysis of Quantum Effects in Non-Uniformly Doped MOS Structures

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Fiegna, Claudio

1997-01-01

This paper presents results from the self-consistent solution of Schrodinger and Poisson equations obtained in one-dimensional non-uniformly doped MOS structures suitable for the fabrication of very short transistors...

The KnowRISK project - Know your city, Reduce seISmic risK through non-structural elements

Science.gov (United States)

Sousa Oliveria, Carlos; Amaral Ferreira, Mónica; Lopez, Mário; Sousa Silva, Delta; Musacchio, Gemma; Rupakhety, Rajesh; Falsaperla, Susanna; Meroni, Fabrizio; Langer, Horst

2016-04-01

Historically, there is a tendency to focus on seismic structural performance of buildings, neglecting the potential for damage of non-structural elements. In particular, non-structural elements of buildings are their architectural parts (i.e. partitions, ceilings, cladding), electrical and mechanical components (i.e., distribution panels, piping, plumbing), and contents (e.g., furniture, bookcases, computers and desktop equipment). Damage of these elements often contributes significantly to earthquake impacts. In the 1999 Izmit Earthquake, Turkey, 50% of the injuries and 3% of human losses were caused by non-structural failures. In the 2010-2011 Christchurch Earthquakes (New Zealand), 40% of building damage was induced by non-structural malfunctions. Around 70%-85% of construction cost goes into these elements, and their damage can strongly influence the ability of communities to cope with and recover from earthquakes. The project Know your city, Reduce seISmic risK through non-structural elements (KnowRISK) aims at facilitating local communities' access to expert knowledge on non-structural seismic protection solutions. The project will study seismic scenarios critical for non-structural damage, produce a portfolio of non-structural protection measures and investigate the level of awareness in specific communities. We will implement risk communication strategies that will take into account the social and cultural background and a participatory approach to raise awareness in local communities. The paradox between the progress of scientific knowledge and the ongoing increase of losses from natural disasters worldwide is a well-identified gap in the UN Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015, in which one of the main priorities is the investment on "knowledge use, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience". The KnowRISK is well aligned with these priorities and will contribute to participatory action aimed at: i) transferring expert knowledge

Autonoetic Consciousness in Autobiographical Memories after Medial Temporal Lobe Resection

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M. Noulhiane

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims to investigate autonoetic consciousness associated with episodic autobiographical memory in patients who had undergone unilateral medial temporal lobe resection for intractable epilepsy. Autonoetic consciousness, defined as the conscious feeling of mentally travelling back in time to relive a specific event, was assessed using the Remember/Know (R/K paradigm across different time periods as proposed in the autobiographical memory task developed by Piolino et al. (TEMPau task. Results revealed that the two patient groups (left and right temporal resection gave reduced sense of reliving (R responses and more familiarity (K responses than healthy controls. This poor autonoetic consciousness was highlighted when patients were asked to justify their Remember responses by recalling sensory-perceptive, affective or spatiotemporal specific details across all life periods. These results support the bilateral MTL contribution to episodic autobiographical memory covering the entire lifespan, which is consistent with the multiple trace theory of MTL function [7,9]. This study also demonstrates the bilateral involvement of MTL structures in recalling specific details of personal events characterized by autonoetic consciousness.

Autonoetic Consciousness in Autobiographical Memories after Medial Temporal Lobe Resection

Science.gov (United States)

Noulhiane, M.; Piolino, P.; Hasboun, D.; Clemenceau, S.; Baulac, M.; Samson, S.

2008-01-01

This study aims to investigate autonoetic consciousness associated with episodic autobiographical memory in patients who had undergone unilateral medial temporal lobe resection for intractable epilepsy. Autonoetic consciousness, defined as the conscious feeling of mentally travelling back in time to relive a specific event, was assessed using the Remember/Know (R/K) paradigm across different time periods as proposed in the autobiographical memory task developed by Piolino et al. (TEMPau task). Results revealed that the two patient groups (left and right temporal resection) gave reduced sense of reliving (R) responses and more familiarity (K) responses than healthy controls. This poor autonoetic consciousness was highlighted when patients were asked to justify their Remember responses by recalling sensory-perceptive, affective or spatiotemporal specific details across all life periods. These results support the bilateral MTL contribution to episodic autobiographical memory covering the entire lifespan, which is consistent with the multiple trace theory of MTL function [7,9]. This study also demonstrates the bilateral involvement of MTL structures in recalling specific details of personal events characterized by autonoetic consciousness. PMID:18413911

Non-Linear Structural Dynamics Characterization using a Scanning Laser Vibrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Pai, P. F.; Lee, S.-Y.

2003-01-01

This paper presents the use of a scanning laser vibrometer and a signal decomposition method to characterize non-linear dynamics of highly flexible structures. A Polytec PI PSV-200 scanning laser vibrometer is used to measure transverse velocities of points on a structure subjected to a harmonic excitation. Velocity profiles at different times are constructed using the measured velocities, and then each velocity profile is decomposed using the first four linear mode shapes and a least-squares curve-fitting method. From the variations of the obtained modal \\ielocities with time we search for possible non-linear phenomena. A cantilevered titanium alloy beam subjected to harmonic base-excitations around the second. third, and fourth natural frequencies are examined in detail. Influences of the fixture mass. gravity. mass centers of mode shapes. and non-linearities are evaluated. Geometrically exact equations governing the planar, harmonic large-amplitude vibrations of beams are solved for operational deflection shapes using the multiple shooting method. Experimental results show the existence of 1:3 and 1:2:3 external and internal resonances. energy transfer from high-frequency modes to the first mode. and amplitude- and phase- modulation among several modes. Moreover, the existence of non-linear normal modes is found to be questionable.

Nonlinear dynamic analysis of framed structures including soil-structure interaction effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmood, M.N.; Ahmed, S.Y.

2008-01-01

The role of oil-structure interaction on seismic behavior of reinforced concrete structures is investigated in this paper. A finite element approach has been adopted to model the interaction system that consists of the reinforced concrete plane frame, soil deposit and interface which represents the frictional between foundation of the structure and subsoil. The analysis is based on the elasto-plastic behavior of the frame members (beams and columns) that is defined by the ultimate axial force-bending moment interaction curve, while the cap model is adopted to govern the elasto-plastic behavior of the soil material. Mohr-Coulomb failure law is used to determine the initiation of slippage at the interface, while the separation is assumed to determine the initiation of slippage at the interface, while the separation is assumed to occur when the stresses at the interface becomes tension stresses. New-Mark's Predictor-Corrector algorithm is adopted for nonlinear dynamic analysis. The main aim of present work is to evaluate the sensitivity of structures to different behavior of the soil and interface layer when subjected to an earthquake excitation. Predicted results of the dynamic analysis of the interaction system indicate that the soil-structure interaction problem can have beneficial effects on the structural behavior when different soil models (elastic and elasto-plastic) and interface conditions (perfect bond and permitted slip)are considered. (author)

Induction of Metallothionein Expression After Exposure to Conventional Cigarette Smoke but Not Electronic Cigarette (ECIG-Generated Aerosol in Caenorhabditis elegans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Cobb

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Aim: With the invention of electronic cigarettes (ECIG, many questions have been raised regarding their safety as an alternative to smoking conventional cigarettes. Conventional cigarette smoke contains a variety of toxicants including heavy metals. However, ECIG-generated aerosol contains only trace amounts of metals, adding to the argument for it being a safer alternative. In response to heavy metal exposure, metallothioneins are induced in cells to help store the metal, detoxify the body, and are also known responders to oxidative stress. In an attempt to add to the evaluation of the safety of ECIGs, metallothionein expression was quantified using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as an assessment of stress induced cellular damage caused by exposure.Methods: Adult nematodes were exposed to either ECIG aerosol or conventional cigarette smoke at doses of 15, 30, and 45 puffs, the equivalent of one, two, and three cigarettes, respectively. Movement, survival, and stress-induced sleep were assessed for up to 24 h after exposure. Relative expression levels for mtl-1 and mtl-2, C. elegans metallothionein genes, were analyzed after 1, 5, and 24 h post exposure using quantitative RT-PCR.Results: Nematodes exposed to conventional cigarette smoke underwent stress-induced sleep in a dose dependent manner with animals recovering to values within the range of air control after 5 h post exposure. Those exposed to ECIG aerosol did not undergo stress-induced sleep and were indistinguishable from controls. The expression of mtl-1 increased in a dose and time dependent manner in C. elegans exposed to conventional cigarette smoke, with a maximum expression observed at 5 h post exposure of 45 puffs. No induction of mtl-2 was observed in any animals. Additionally, ECIG aerosol did not induce expression of mtl-1 and mtl-2 at levels different than those of untreated.Conclusion: ECIG aerosol failed to induce a stress response in C. elegans. In contrast

Low pre-existing gray matter volume in the medial temporal lobe and white matter lesions are associated with postoperative cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kengo Maekawa

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD is recognized as a complication in the elderly after cardiac surgery. Imaging of the brain provides evidence of neurodegeneration in elderly patients; however, abnormalities in brain structure and their relation to POCD are uncertain. This pilot study investigated whether loss of gray matter in the bilateral medial temporal lobe (MTL, seen in preoperative MRI, was associated with POCD. METHODS: Data were collected prospectively on 28 elderly patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery. MRI of the brains of all patients were assessed for prior cerebral infarctions, and carotid and intracranial arterial stenosis. Patients also completed six neuropsychological tests of memory, attention and executive function before and after surgery. POCD was defined as an individual decrease in more than two tests of at least 1 standard deviation from the group baseline mean for that test. The degree of gray matter loss in the MTL of each patient was calculated using voxel-based morphometry with three-dimensional, T1-weighted MRI. This represented the degree of gray matter change as a Z score. RESULTS: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction was identified in 8 of the 28 patients (29%. Patients with POCD had significantly more white matter lesions on MRI, and greater loss of gray matter in the bilateral MTL (average Z score 2.0±0.9 than patients without POCD. An analysis by stepwise logistic regression identified gray matter loss in the MTL and cerebral infarctions on MRI as independent predictors of POCD. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings suggested that reduced gray matter in the bilateral MTL and white matter lesions existed in brains of elderly cardiac surgery patients who experienced POCD. Additional studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings.

A systematic review of structured versus non-structured breastfeeding programmes to support the initiation and duration of exclusive breastfeeding in acute and primary healthcare settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Beake, Sarah; Pellowe, Carol; Dykes, Fiona; Schmied, Virginia; Bick, Debra

2011-01-01

Background: Breastfeeding has many important health benefits for the woman and her baby. Despite evidence of benefit from a large number of well conducted studies, breastfeeding uptake and the duration of exclusive breastfeeding remain low in many countries. In order to improve breastfeeding rates, policy and guidelines at global, individual country level and in local healthcare settings have recommended that structured programmes to support breastfeeding should be introduced. The objective of this review was to consider the evidence of outcomes of structured compared with non-structured breastfeeding programmes in acute maternity care settings to support initiation and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. The definition of structured programme used included a multi-faceted or single intervention approach to support breastfeeding; definition of non-structured included support offered within standard care. The review considered quantitative and qualitative studies which addressed outcomes following the introduction of a structured programme in acute healthcare settings to support breastfeeding compared with no programme. The primary outcomes of interest were uptake of breastfeeding and duration of exclusive breastfeeding (only breast milk, including milk expressed). Studies which only considered community based interventions were not included. A search of the literature published between 1992 and 2010 was conducted, which followed a four step process. After a limited search of MEDLINE and CINAHL to identify key words contained in the title or abstract and index terms to describe relevant interventions, a second extensive search was undertaken using identified key words and index terms. The third step included a search of reference lists and bibliographies of relevant articles and the fourth step included a search of grey and unpublished literature and national databasesMethodological quality: Methodological quality was assessed using checklists developed by the

Dominance of objects over context in a mediotemporal lobe model of schizophrenia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia M Talamini

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: A large body of evidence suggests impaired context processing in schizophrenia. Here we propose that this impairment arises from defective integration of mediotemporal 'what' and 'where' routes, carrying object and spatial information to the hippocampus. METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS: We have previously shown, in a mediotemporal lobe (MTL model, that the abnormal connectivity between MTL regions observed in schizophrenia can explain the episodic memory deficits associated with the disorder. Here we show that the same neuropathology leads to several context processing deficits observed in patients with schizophrenia: 1 failure to choose subordinate stimuli over dominant ones when the former fit the context, 2 decreased contextual constraints in memory retrieval, as reflected in increased false alarm rates and 3 impaired retrieval of contextual information in source monitoring. Model analyses show that these deficits occur because the 'schizophrenic MTL' forms fragmented episodic representations, in which objects are overrepresented at the expense of spatial contextual information. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: These findings highlight the importance of MTL neuropathology in schizophrenia, demonstrating that it may underlie a broad spectrum of deficits, including context processing and memory impairments. It is argued that these processing deficits may contribute to central schizophrenia symptoms such as contextually inappropriate behavior, associative abnormalities, conversational drift, concreteness and delusions.

Fornix and medial temporal lobe lesions lead to comparable deficits in complex visual perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Lech, Robert K; Koch, Benno; Schwarz, Michael; Suchan, Boris

2016-05-04

Recent research dealing with the structures of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) has shifted away from exclusively investigating memory-related processes and has repeatedly incorporated the investigation of complex visual perception. Several studies have demonstrated that higher level visual tasks can recruit structures like the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex in order to successfully perform complex visual discriminations, leading to a perceptual-mnemonic or representational view of the medial temporal lobe. The current study employed a complex visual discrimination paradigm in two patients suffering from brain lesions with differing locations and origin. Both patients, one with extensive medial temporal lobe lesions (VG) and one with a small lesion of the anterior fornix (HJK), were impaired in complex discriminations while showing otherwise mostly intact cognitive functions. The current data confirmed previous results while also extending the perceptual-mnemonic theory of the MTL to the main output structure of the hippocampus, the fornix. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Delexical Structures Contrastively: A Common Trap for Non-Native Speakers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjeta Vrbinc

2004-12-01

Full Text Available This article deals with delexical structures and in particular with the problems non-native speakers are faced with when encoding. First, it gives reasons why it is necessary to study the structures and then it discusses the delexical structures in English (monolingual context. The second part of the article focuses on the bilingual aspect, i.e. the translation of English delexical structures into Slovene. Some problems concerning the bilingual context are presented, especially as regards aspect and the difference between the translation of English delexical structures in isolation (e.g. in a dictionary and within the context. The last part of the article concentrates on the dictionary treatment of delexical structures and provides some examples taken from the latest editions of the leading EFL monolingual dictionaries.

Some consequences of a non-commutative space-time structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vilela Mendes, R.

2005-01-01

The existence of a fundamental length (or fundamental time) has been conjectured in many contexts. Here we discuss some consequences of a fundamental constant of this type, which emerges as a consequence of deformation-stability considerations leading to a non-commutative space-time structure. This mathematically well defined structure is sufficiently constrained to allow for unambiguous experimental predictions. In particular we discuss the phase-space volume modifications and their relevance for the calculation of the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuz'min sphere. The (small) corrections to the spectrum of the Coulomb problem are also computed. (orig.)

Concept cells through associative learning of high-level representations.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, Leila; Thorpe, Simon J

2014-10-22

In this issue of Neuron, Quian Quiroga et al. (2014) show that neurons in the human medial temporal lobe (MTL) follow subjects' perceptual states rather than the features of the visual input. Patients with MTL damage however have intact perceptual abilities but suffer instead from extreme forgetfulness. Thus, the reported MTL neurons could create new memories of the current perceptual state.

New Nuclear Materials Including Non Metallic Fuel Elements. Vol. I. Proceedings of the Conference on New Nuclear Materials Technology, Including Non Metallic Fuel Elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1963-01-01

One of the major aims of the International Atomic Energy Agency in furthering the peaceful uses of atomic energy is to encourage the development of economical nuclear power. Certainly, one of the more obvious methods of producing economical nuclear power is the development of economical fuels that can be used at high temperatures for long periods of time, and which have sufficient strength and integrity to operate under these conditions without permitting the release of fission products. In addition it is desirable that after irradiation these new fuels be economically reprocessed to reduce further the cost of the fuel cycle. As nuclear power becomes more and more competitive with conventional power the interest in new and more efficient higher-temperature fuels naturally increases rapidly. For these reasons, the Agency organized a Conference on New Nuclear Materials Technology, Including Non-Metallic Fuel Elements, which was held from 1 to 5 July 1963 at the International Hotel, Prague, with the assistance and co-operation of the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. A total of 151 scientists attended, from 23 countries and 4 international organizations. The participants heard and discussed more than 60 scientific papers

Structure prediction and functional analysis of a non-permutated lectin from Dioclea grandiflora.

Science.gov (United States)

de Sousa, Bruno Lopes; Nagano, Celso Shiniti; Simões, Rafael da Conceição; Silva-Filho, José Caetano; Cunha, Rodrigo Maranguape da Silva; Cajazeiras, João Batista; do Nascimento, Kyria Santiago; Cavada, Benildo Sousa

2016-12-01

Legume lectins have been widely studied and applied for many purposes in the last few decades, but many of their physiological aspects remain elusive. The Diocleinae legume subtribe, which includes intensively explored lectins, such as ConA, presents an unusual and extensive post-translational process which results in minor alterations in protein structure, in turn making its function elusive. Despite previous reports about Diocleinae precursor activity, no structural or functional analyses have ever been carried out to understand the impacts of post-translational processing relative to lectin structure and binding specificity. Here we analyzed the functionality of a non glycosylated, recombinantly expressed lectin precursor from Dioclea grandiflora through inhibition assays, corroborating the experimental data with structural information generated by molecular modeling, docking calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. We demonstrate that Diocleinae precursors are active and share the same carbohydrate specificity as mature lectins. At the same time, however, subtle structural alterations were detected and mostly result in an "incomplete" functionality of the precursor, as consequence of an immature binding site and an unstructured tetramer interface, affecting carbohydrate binding and oligomer formation, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

Extraction of non-timber forest products, including fodder and fuelwood, in Mudumalai, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganesan, B.

1993-01-01

Mudumalai is biologically rich with a wealth of plant and animal life. Increasing human numbers and current patterns of non-timber forest product, fodder and fuelwood extraction threaten the integrity of the ecosystem. Change in management of the protected areas that include the Mudumalai region is needed. In particular, policies relating to grazing and basic energy requirements need to be reexamined. At the same time, mechanisms must be developed to increase rural incomes using means other than exploitation of natural resources. 7 refs., 3 tabs

Multi-energy radiography for non-destructive testing of materials and structures for civil engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naydenov, S.V.; Ryzhikov, V.

2003-01-01

Development of the technological base of modern non-destructive testing require new methods allowing determination of specified properties of materials and structures under study. A traditional direction of works is determination of internal spatial structure of the materials and other constructions. Restoration of this geometrical information is of qualitative character, though provides for determination of technical parameters affecting physical properties of the system. Reconstruction of the chemical composition, density and atomic structure (effective atomic number) is an inverse problem of direct quantitative determination of properties starting from data obtained by means of non-destructive testing. In the present work, we propose the use of multi-energy radiography for reconstruction of the substantial structure of materials. In framework of simple theoretical model it is shown that, using multi-channel absorption of X-rays, important substantial characteristics of materials and multi-compound structures can be readily reconstructed. The results obtained show high efficiency of 2-energy radiography for non-destructive testing in civil engineering

Structure and lattice dynamics in non-centrosymmetric borates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stein, W.D.R.

2007-01-01

This thesis deals with a study of structural and lattice dynamical properties of some noncentrosymmetric borates with outstanding non-linear optical properties. The focus was on the compound bismuth triborate (BiB 3 O 6 ). The structure of the tetraborates MB 4 O 7 (M=Pb,Sr,Ba) was also investigated. The structural investigations in bismuth triborate include powder and single crystal diffraction experiments on X-ray and neutron sources. The crystal structure was under examination in the temperature range from 100 K to room temperature and the lattice constants in the temperature range from 20 K to 800 K. The lattice constants show a nearly linear dependency from temperature. Our observations are in good agreement with investigations of the thermal expansion, which shows a strong anisotropy within the layer-like structure of bismuth triborate. Within the borate layers, along the polar axis a strong positive and in the orthogonal direction a negative thermal expansion is observed. This effect can be explained by a zig-zag effect within the borate layers. The lone electron pair at the bismuth atom is discussed to be possibly the origin of the temperature dependency of the coordination environment of the bismuth atom. The influence of the lone electron pair on the crystal structure is raising by lowering the temperature. At the bismuth atom distinct anharmonic effects are observed, where the maximum points along the direction of the polar axis and therefore along the direction of the lone electron pair. The phonon dispersion of bismuth triborate has been investigated by inelastic neutron scattering. The low symmetry of the crystal structure depicts to be a special challenge. The dispersion was observed along the three reciprocal lattice constants. Along the polar axis the dispersion could be characterized to a maximum energy of 20 THz. The low energy acoustic branch along the polar axis shows a softening at the zone boundary. In the orthogonal directions the dispersion

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-01-01

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

Coherent application of a contact structure to formulate Classical Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knobbe, E; Roekaerts, D.J.E.M.

2017-01-01

This contribution presents an outline of a new mathematical formulation for
Classical Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics (CNET) based on a contact
structure in differential geometry. First a non-equilibrium state space is introduced as the third key element besides the first and second law of

Achieving Radiation Tolerance through Non-Equilibrium Grain Boundary Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Vetterick, Gregory A; Gruber, Jacob; Suri, Pranav K; Baldwin, Jon K; Kirk, Marquis A; Baldo, Pete; Wang, Yong Q; Misra, Amit; Tucker, Garritt J; Taheri, Mitra L

2017-09-25

Many methods used to produce nanocrystalline (NC) materials leave behind non-equilibrium grain boundaries (GBs) containing excess free volume and higher energy than their equilibrium counterparts with identical 5 degrees of freedom. Since non-equilibrium GBs have increased amounts of both strain and free volume, these boundaries may act as more efficient sinks for the excess interstitials and vacancies produced in a material under irradiation as compared to equilibrium GBs. The relative sink strengths of equilibrium and non-equilibrium GBs were explored by comparing the behavior of annealed (equilibrium) and as-deposited (non-equilibrium) NC iron films on irradiation. These results were coupled with atomistic simulations to better reveal the underlying processes occurring on timescales too short to capture using in situ TEM. After irradiation, NC iron with non-equilibrium GBs contains both a smaller number density of defect clusters and a smaller average defect cluster size. Simulations showed that excess free volume contribute to a decreased survival rate of point defects in cascades occurring adjacent to the GB and that these boundaries undergo less dramatic changes in structure upon irradiation. These results suggest that non-equilibrium GBs act as more efficient sinks for defects and could be utilized to create more radiation tolerant materials in future.

Multidimensional scaling of emotional responses to music in patients with temporal lobe resection.

Science.gov (United States)

Dellacherie, D; Bigand, E; Molin, P; Baulac, M; Samson, S

2011-10-01

The present study investigated emotional responses to music by using multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis in patients with right or left medial temporal lobe (MTL) lesions and matched normal controls (NC). Participants were required to evaluate emotional dissimilarities of nine musical excerpts that were selected to express graduated changes along the valence and arousal dimensions. For this purpose, they rated dissimilarity between pairs of stimuli on an eight-point scale and the resulting matrices were submitted to an MDS analysis. The results showed that patients did not differ from NC participants in evaluating emotional feelings induced by the musical excerpts, suggesting that all participants were able to distinguish refined emotions. We concluded that the ability to detect and use emotional valence and arousal when making dissimilarity judgments was not strongly impaired by a right or left MTL lesion. This finding has important clinical implications and is discussed in light of current neuropsychological studies on emotion. It suggests that emotional responses to music can be at least partially preserved at a non-verbal level in patients with unilateral temporal lobe damage including the amygdala. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

The Lie-Poisson structure of integrable classical non-linear sigma models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bordemann, M.; Forger, M.; Schaeper, U.; Laartz, J.

1993-01-01

The canonical structure of classical non-linear sigma models on Riemannian symmetric spaces, which constitute the most general class of classical non-linear sigma models known to be integrable, is shown to be governed by a fundamental Poisson bracket relation that fits into the r-s-matrix formalism for non-ultralocal integrable models first discussed by Maillet. The matrices r and s are computed explicitly and, being field dependent, satisfy fundamental Poisson bracket relations of their own, which can be expressed in terms of a new numerical matrix c. It is proposed that all these Poisson brackets taken together are representation conditions for a new kind of algebra which, for this class of models, replaces the classical Yang-Baxter algebra governing the canonical structure of ultralocal models. The Poisson brackets for the transition matrices are also computed, and the notorious regularization problem associated with the definition of the Poisson brackets for the monodromy matrices is discussed. (orig.)

Laterality effects in functional connectivity of the angular gyrus during rest and episodic retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellana, Buddhika; Liu, Zhongxu; Anderson, John A E; Moscovitch, Morris; Grady, Cheryl L

2016-01-08

The angular gyrus (AG) is consistently reported in neuroimaging studies of episodic memory retrieval and is a fundamental node within the default mode network (DMN). Its specific contribution to episodic memory is debated, with some suggesting it is important for the subjective experience of episodic recollection, rather than retrieval of objective episodic details. Across studies of episodic retrieval, the left AG is recruited more reliably than the right. We explored functional connectivity of the right and left AG with the DMN during rest and retrieval to assess whether connectivity could provide insight into the nature of this laterality effect. Using data from the publically available 1000 Functional Connectome Project, 8min of resting fMRI data from 180 healthy young adults were analysed. Whole-brain functional connectivity at rest was measured using a seed-based Partial Least Squares (seed-PLS) approach (McIntosh and Lobaugh, 2004) with bilateral AG seeds. A subsequent analysis used 6-min of rest and 6-min of unconstrained, silent retrieval of autobiographical events from a new sample of 20 younger adults. Analysis of this dataset took a more targeted approach to functional connectivity analysis, consisting of univariate pairwise correlations restricted to nodes of the DMN. The seed-PLS analysis resulted in two Latent Variables that together explained ~86% of the shared cross-block covariance. The first LV revealed a common network consistent with the DMN and engaging the AG bilaterally, whereas the second LV revealed a less robust, yet significant, laterality effect in connectivity - the left AG was more strongly connected to the DMN. Univariate analyses of the second sample again revealed better connectivity between the left AG and the DMN at rest. However, during retrieval the left AG was more strongly connected than the right to non-medial temporal (MTL) nodes of the DMN, and MTL nodes were more strongly connected to the right AG. The multivariate

Linear elastic analysis of pavement structure under non-circular loading

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Maina, JW

2012-10-01

Full Text Available the development of a method for pavement structural analysis considering both uniform and non-uniform loads acting over a rectangular area. In this approach, three components of displacements, which satisfy Navier’s equations, are expressed using Neuber...

Controlling Non-Equilibrium Structure Formation on the Nanoscale.

Science.gov (United States)

Buchmann, Benedikt; Hecht, Fabian Manfred; Pernpeintner, Carla; Lohmueller, Theobald; Bausch, Andreas R

2017-12-06

Controlling the structure formation of gold nanoparticle aggregates is a promising approach towards novel applications in many fields, ranging from (bio)sensing to (bio)imaging to medical diagnostics and therapeutics. To steer structure formation, the DNA-DNA interactions of DNA strands that are coated on the surface of the particles have become a valuable tool to achieve precise control over the interparticle potentials. In equilibrium approaches, this technique is commonly used to study particle crystallization and ligand binding. However, regulating the structural growth processes from the nano- to the micro- and mesoscale remains elusive. Here, we show that the non-equilibrium structure formation of gold nanoparticles can be stirred in a binary heterocoagulation process to generate nanoparticle clusters of different sizes. The gold nanoparticles are coated with sticky single stranded DNA and mixed at different stoichiometries and sizes. This not only allows for structural control but also yields access to the optical properties of the nanoparticle suspensions. As a result, we were able to reliably control the kinetic structure formation process to produce cluster sizes between tens of nanometers up to micrometers. Consequently, the intricate optical properties of the gold nanoparticles could be utilized to control the maximum of the nanoparticle suspension extinction spectra between 525 nm and 600 nm. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Structural comparison of hazardous and non-hazardous coals based on gas sorption experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lakatos, J.; Toth, J. [Research Lab. for Mining Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Miskolc-Egyetemvaros (Hungary); Radnai-Gyoengyoes, Z. [Geopard Ltd., Pecs (Hungary); Bokanyi, L. [Miskolc Univ., Miskolc-Egyetemvaros (Hungary). Dept. of Process Engineering

1997-12-31

Comparison of carbon-dioxide and propane sorption at ambient temperature was used for characterising the difference of the structure of hazardous and non hazardous coals. However, hazardous coals were found more microporous or contain more closed pores than non hazardous ones, this difference couldn`t have been enlarged and attributed to one petrographic component by producing the density fractions. Gas sorption isobars (nitrogen, methane, ethane) are proposed to make a distinction between fine pore structure of coals. (orig.)

[Effect of manual acupuncture stimulation of "Zusanli" (ST 36) on gastric motility, and SP and motilin activities in gastric antrum and nucleus raphe magnus in gastric hyperactivity and hypoactivity rats].

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Chun-Chuan; Peng, Yan; Lin, Ya-Ping; Yi, Shou-Xiang; Chen, Ping; Hou, Yan-Ling; Shi, Dong-Mei

2013-10-01

To observe the changes of gastric motility and levels of substance P (SP) and motilin (MTL) in the gastric antrum and Nucleus Raphe Magnus (NRM) after manual acupuncture stimulation of "Zusanli" (ST 36) in gastric hyperactivity and hypoactivity rats, so as to analyze the role of NRM in acupuncture mediated adjustment of gastric motility. Fifty SD rats were randomly and equally divided into control, gastric hyperactivity (G-Hypera) model, gastric hypoactivity (G-Hypoa) model, acupuncture + G-Hypera and acupuncture + G-Hypoa groups (10 rats/group). G-Hypera model was established by intravenous (tail vein) injection of Maxolon (0.5 mL/200 g) and G-Hypoa model established by intravenous injection of Atropin (0.5 mL/200 g), respectively. After insertion of acupuncture needles into bilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36), the needles were repeatedly manipulated at a frequency of about 2 Hz for 5 min. The intragastric pressure was recorded and analyzed using a physiological signal analysis system. The SP and MTL contents of gastric antrum were measured by ELISA, and SP and MTL immunoactivity of NRM was determined by immunohistochemistry. In gastric hyperactivity rats, compared with the control group, the intragastric pressure (not systolic frequency), SP and MTL contents in the gastric antrum and MTL immunoactivity of NRM were significantly increased (P effect on gastric motility, which is closely associated with its functions in regulating gastric SP and MTL level and the expression of MTL and SP in the NRM of brainstem.

Association of perception of front-of-pack labels with dietary, lifestyle and health characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Méjean, Caroline; Macouillard, Pauline; Péneau, Sandrine; Lassale, Camille; Hercberg, Serge; Castetbon, Katia

2014-01-01

To identify patterns of perception of front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labels and determine dietary, lifestyle and health profiles related to such patterns. Cross-sectional. 28,952 French adults participating in the web-based Nutrinet-Santé cohort. Perception was measured using indicators of understanding and acceptability for three simple FOP labels ("green tick", the logo of the French Nutrition and Health Program and "simple traffic lights" (STL)), and two detailed FOP formats ("multiple traffic lights" (MTL) and "color range" logo (CR)), placed on ready-to-eat soup packages. Dietary intake data were collected using three web-based 24 h records. Associations of perception patterns with individual characteristics, including diet, lifestyle and health status, were examined using analysis of covariance and logistic regression, adjusted for socio-demographic and economic factors. No clear trend emerged concerning differences in dietary intake between perception groups. Low physical activity and obesity were more frequent in the 'favorable to STL' group (respectively, 20.7% and 10.7%). The 'favorable to MTL' group included the highest percentage of individuals who declared type 2 diabetes (2.2%). Persons with hypertension were proportionally more numerous in the 'favorable to MTL' and the 'favorable to CR logo' groups (respectively, 9.5% and 9.3%). After adjustment for socio-demographic and economic factors, no FOP label stood out as being more suitable than another for reaching populations with poor diet. However, both STL and MTL may be most appropriate for increasing awareness of healthy eating among groups at higher risk of nutrition-related chronic diseases.

Cholinergic Enhancement of Brain Activation in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI during Episodic Memory Encoding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shannon L Risacher

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the physiological impact of treatment with donepezil (Aricept on neural circuitry supporting episodic memory encoding in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI using functional MRI (fMRI. Methods: 18 patients with MCI and 20 age-matched healthy controls (HC were scanned twice while performing an event-related verbal episodic encoding task. MCI participants were scanned before treatment and after approximately 3 months on donepezil; HC were untreated but rescanned at the same interval. Voxel-level analyses assessed treatment effects in activation profile relative to retest changes in non-treated HC. Changes in task-related connectivity in medial temporal circuitry were also evaluated, as were associations between brain activation pattern, task-related functional connectivity, task performance, and clinical measures of cognition.Results: At baseline, the MCI group showed reduced activation during encoding relative to HC in the right medial temporal lobe (MTL; hippocampal/parahippocampal and additional regions, as well as attenuated task-related deactivation, relative to rest, in a medial parietal lobe cluster. After treatment, the MCI group showed normalized MTL activation and improved parietal deactivation. These changes were associated with cognitive performance. After treatment, the MCI group also demonstrated increased task-related functional connectivity from the right MTL cluster seed region to a network of other sites including the basal nucleus/caudate and bilateral frontal lobes. Increased functional connectivity was associated with improved task performance.Conclusions: Pharmacologic enhancement of cholinergic function in amnestic MCI is associated with changes in brain activation pattern and functional connectivity during episodic memory processing which are in turn related to increased cognitive performance. fMRI is a promising biomarker for assessing treatment related changes in brain function.

Performance and non-destructive evaluation methods of airborne radome and stealth structures

Science.gov (United States)

Panwar, Ravi; Ryul Lee, Jung

2018-06-01

In the past few years, great effort has been devoted to the fabrication of highly efficient, broadband radome and stealth (R&S) structures for distinct control, guidance, surveillance and communication applications for airborne platforms. The evaluation of non-planar aircraft R&S structures in terms of their electromagnetic performance and structural damage is still a very challenging task. In this article, distinct measurement techniques are discussed for the electromagnetic performance and non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of R&S structures. This paper deals with an overview of the transmission line method and free space measurement based microwave measurement techniques for the electromagnetic performance evaluation of R&S structures. In addition, various conventional as well as advanced methods, such as millimetre and terahertz wave based imaging techniques with great potential for NDE of load bearing R&S structures, are also discussed in detail. A glimpse of in situ NDE techniques with corresponding experimental setup for R&S structures is also presented. The basic concepts, measurement ranges and their instrumentation, measurement method of different R&S structures and some miscellaneous topics are discussed in detail. Some of the challenges and issues pertaining to the measurement of curved R&S structures are also presented. This study also lists various mathematical models and analytical techniques for the electromagnetic performance evaluation and NDE of R&S structures. The research directions described in this study may be of interest to the scientific community in the aerospace sectors.

Upscaling the Use of Mixed Recycled Aggregates in Non-Structural Low Cement Concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Uceda, Antonio; Ayuso, Jesús; Jiménez, José Ramón; Agrela, Francisco; Barbudo, Auxiliadora; De Brito, Jorge

2016-02-02

This research aims to produce non-structural concrete with mixed recycled aggregates (MRA) in upscaled applications with low-cement content. Four slabs were executed with concrete made with different ratios of coarse MRA (0%, 20%, 40% and 100%), using the mix design, the mixing procedures and the facilities from a nearby concrete production plant. The analysis of the long-term compressive and splitting tensile strengths in concrete cores, extracted from the slabs, allowed the highlighting of the long-term high strength development potential of MRA incorporation. The study of cast specimens produced in situ under the same conditions as the slabs showed, firstly, that the use of MRA has a great influence on the properties related to durability, secondly, that the loss of compressive strength for total MRA incorporation relative to control concrete increases proportionally with the class strength, and, thirdly, that the mechanical properties (including Schmidt hammer results) from the concrete slabs showed no significant differences relative to the control concrete for coarse aggregates replacements up to 40%. Therefore, this upscaled experimental study supports the application of concrete with 100% coarse MRA incorporation and low cement content in non-structural civil works such as bike lanes, gutters, ground slabs, leveling surfaces, and subgrades for foundations. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there have not been any upscaled applications of concrete with MRA and low cement content.

Upscaling the Use of Mixed Recycled Aggregates in Non-Structural Low Cement Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio López-Uceda

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This research aims to produce non-structural concrete with mixed recycled aggregates (MRA in upscaled applications with low-cement content. Four slabs were executed with concrete made with different ratios of coarse MRA (0%, 20%, 40% and 100%, using the mix design, the mixing procedures and the facilities from a nearby concrete production plant. The analysis of the long-term compressive and splitting tensile strengths in concrete cores, extracted from the slabs, allowed the highlighting of the long-term high strength development potential of MRA incorporation. The study of cast specimens produced in situ under the same conditions as the slabs showed, firstly, that the use of MRA has a great influence on the properties related to durability, secondly, that the loss of compressive strength for total MRA incorporation relative to control concrete increases proportionally with the class strength, and, thirdly, that the mechanical properties (including Schmidt hammer results from the concrete slabs showed no significant differences relative to the control concrete for coarse aggregates replacements up to 40%. Therefore, this upscaled experimental study supports the application of concrete with 100% coarse MRA incorporation and low cement content in non-structural civil works such as bike lanes, gutters, ground slabs, leveling surfaces, and subgrades for foundations. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there have not been any upscaled applications of concrete with MRA and low cement content.

Non-kinematic Flux-transport Dynamos Including the Effects of Diffusivity Quenching

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ichimura, Chiaki; Yokoyama, Takaaki [Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

2017-04-10

Turbulent magnetic diffusivity is quenched when strong magnetic fields suppress turbulent motion in a phenomenon known as diffusivity quenching. Diffusivity quenching can provide a mechanism for amplifying magnetic field and influencing global velocity fields through Lorentz force feedback. To investigate this effect, we conducted mean field flux-transport dynamo simulations that included the effects of diffusivity quenching in a non-kinematic regime. We found that toroidal magnetic field strength is amplified by up to approximately 1.5 times in the convection zone as a result of diffusivity quenching. This amplification is much weaker than that in kinematic cases as a result of Lorentz force feedback on the system’s differential rotation. While amplified toroidal fields lead to the suppression of equatorward meridional flow locally near the base of the convection zone, large-scale equatorward transport of magnetic flux via meridional flow, which is the essential process of the flux-transport dynamo, is sustainable in our calculations.

Non-Noetherian symmetries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hojman, Sergio A.

1996-01-01

The purpose of these lectures is to present some of the ways in which non-Noetherian symmetries are used in contemporary mathematical physics. These include, among others, obtaining conservation laws for dynamical systems, solving non-linear problems, getting alternative Lagrangians for systems of differential equations and constructing symplectic structures and Hamiltonians for dynamical systems starting from scratch

Dynamic Analysis of Wind Turbines Including Soil-Structure Interaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harte, M.; Basu, B.; Nielsen, Søren R.K.

2012-01-01

This paper investigates the along-wind forced vibration response of an onshore wind turbine. The study includes the dynamic interaction effects between the foundation and the underlying soil, as softer soils can influence the dynamic response of wind turbines. A Multi-Degree-of-Freedom (MDOF......) horizontal axes onshore wind turbine model is developed for dynamic analysis using an Euler–Lagrangian approach. The model is comprised of a rotor blade system, a nacelle and a flexible tower connected to a foundation system using a substructuring approach. The rotor blade system consists of three rotating...... for displacement of the turbine system are obtained and the modal frequencies of the combined turbine-foundation system are estimated. Simulations are presented for the MDOF turbine structure subjected to wind loading for different soil stiffness conditions. Steady state and turbulent wind loading, developed using...

Non-destructive testing on aramid fibres for the long-term assessment of interventions on heritage structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceravolo, R; Pinotti, E; Surace, C; Fragonara, L Zanotti; De Marchi, A

2015-01-01

High strength fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) are composite materials made of fibres such as carbon, aramid and/or glass, and a resin matrix. FRPs are commonly used for structural repair and strengthening interventions and exhibit high potential for applications to existing constructions, including heritage buildings. In regard to aramid fibres, uncertainties about the long-term behaviour of these materials have often made the designers reluctant to use them in structural engineering. The present study describes simple and non-destructive nonlinearity tests for assessing damage or degradation of structural properties in Kevlar fibres. This was obtained by using high precision measurements to detect small deviations in the dynamic response measured on fibres and ropes. The change in dynamic properties was then related to a damage produced by exposure of the sample to UV rays for a defined time period, which simulated long-term sun exposure. In order to investigate the sensitivity of such an approach to damage detection, non-linearity characterisation tests were conducted on aramid fibres in both damaged and undamaged states. With the purpose of carrying out dynamic tests on small fibre specimens, a dedicated instrumentation was designed and built in cooperation with the Metrology Laboratory of the Department of Electronics at the Politecnico di Torino. (paper)

A multicenter reproducibility study of single-voxel {sup 1}H-MRS of the medial temporal lobe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Traeber, Frank; Block, Wolfgang; Guer, Okan; Schild, Hans H. [University of Bonn, Department of Radiology, Bonn (Germany); Freymann, Nikolaus; Heun, Reinhard; Jessen, Frank [University of Bonn, Department of Psychiatry, Bonn (Germany); Kucinski, Thomas [University of Hamburg, Department of Neuroradiology, Hamburg (Germany); Hammen, Thilo [University of Erlangen, Department of Psychiatry, Erlangen (Germany); Ende, Gabriele [Central Institute of Mental Health, NMR Research in Psychiatry, Mannheim (Germany); Pilatus, Ulrich [University of Frankfurt, Department of Neuroradiology, Frankfurt (Germany); Hampel, Harald [University of Munich, Department of Psychiatry, Munich (Germany)

2006-05-15

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ({sup 1}H-MRS) has provided evidence for a reduction of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) in cerebral disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease. Within the {sup 1}H-MRS study of the German Research Network on Dementia, we determined the multicenter reproducibility of single-voxel {sup 1}H-MRS of the MTL. At five sites with 1.5T MR systems, single-voxel {sup 1}H spectra from the MTL of an identical healthy subject were measured. The same subject was also examined at one of the sites five times to assess intracenter stability. The protocol included water-suppressed spectra with TE 272 ms and TE 30 ms and unsuppressed spectra for absolute quantification of metabolite concentrations. The intracenter reproducibility of absolute NAA concentration, expressed as coefficient of variation (CV), was 1.8%. CV for the concentrations of creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), and myoinositol (MI) and for the ratios NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, and MI/NAA varied by 11-16%. Intercenter CV was 3.9% for NAA and were below 10% for all other metabolites and metabolic ratios. Our study demonstrates that quantitative assessment of NAA with single-voxel MRS can be performed with high intercenter reproducibility. This is the basis for applying {sup 1}H-MRS in large-scale early recognition and treatment studies in MTL affecting disorders. (orig.)

A multicenter reproducibility study of single-voxel 1H-MRS of the medial temporal lobe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Traeber, Frank; Block, Wolfgang; Guer, Okan; Schild, Hans H.; Freymann, Nikolaus; Heun, Reinhard; Jessen, Frank; Kucinski, Thomas; Hammen, Thilo; Ende, Gabriele; Pilatus, Ulrich; Hampel, Harald

2006-01-01

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H-MRS) has provided evidence for a reduction of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) in cerebral disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease. Within the 1 H-MRS study of the German Research Network on Dementia, we determined the multicenter reproducibility of single-voxel 1 H-MRS of the MTL. At five sites with 1.5T MR systems, single-voxel 1 H spectra from the MTL of an identical healthy subject were measured. The same subject was also examined at one of the sites five times to assess intracenter stability. The protocol included water-suppressed spectra with TE 272 ms and TE 30 ms and unsuppressed spectra for absolute quantification of metabolite concentrations. The intracenter reproducibility of absolute NAA concentration, expressed as coefficient of variation (CV), was 1.8%. CV for the concentrations of creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), and myoinositol (MI) and for the ratios NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, and MI/NAA varied by 11-16%. Intercenter CV was 3.9% for NAA and were below 10% for all other metabolites and metabolic ratios. Our study demonstrates that quantitative assessment of NAA with single-voxel MRS can be performed with high intercenter reproducibility. This is the basis for applying 1 H-MRS in large-scale early recognition and treatment studies in MTL affecting disorders. (orig.)

Bioinspired Architecture Selection for Multitask Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés Bueno-Crespo

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Faced with a new concept to learn, our brain does not work in isolation. It uses all previously learned knowledge. In addition, the brain is able to isolate the knowledge that does not benefit us, and to use what is actually useful. In machine learning, we do not usually benefit from the knowledge of other learned tasks. However, there is a methodology called Multitask Learning (MTL, which is based on the idea that learning a task along with other related tasks produces a transfer of information between them, what can be advantageous for learning the first one. This paper presents a new method to completely design MTL architectures, by including the selection of the most helpful subtasks for the learning of the main task, and the optimal network connections. In this sense, the proposed method realizes a complete design of the MTL schemes. The method is simple and uses the advantages of the Extreme Learning Machine to automatically design a MTL machine, eliminating those factors that hinder, or do not benefit, the learning process of the main task. This architecture is unique and it is obtained without testing/error methodologies that increase the computational complexity. The results obtained over several real problems show the good performances of the designed networks with this method.

An ArcGIS approach to include tectonic structures in point data regionalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Darsow, Andreas; Schafmeister, Maria-Theresia; Hofmann, Thilo

2009-01-01

Point data derived from drilling logs must often be regionalized. However, aquifers may show discontinuous surface structures, such as the offset of an aquitard caused by tectonic faults. One main challenge has been to incorporate these structures into the regionalization process of point data. We combined ordinary kriging and inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation to account for neotectonic structures in the regionalization process. The study area chosen to test this approach is the largest porous aquifer in Austria. It consists of three basins formed by neotectonic events and delimited by steep faults with a vertical offset of the aquitard up to 70 m within very short distances. First, ordinary kriging was used to incorporate the characteristic spatial variability of the aquitard location by means of a variogram. The tectonic faults could be included into the regionalization process by using breaklines with buffer zones. All data points inside the buffer were deleted. Last, IDW was performed, resulting in an aquitard map representing the discontinuous surface structures. This approach enables one to account for such surfaces using the standard software package ArcGIS; therefore, it could be adopted in many practical applications.

Model - including thermal creep effects - for the analysis of three-dimensional concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez, C.; Rebora, B.; Favrod, J.D.

1979-01-01

This article presents the most recent developments and results of research carried out by IPEN to establish a mathematical model for the non-linear rheological three-dimensional analysis of massive prestressed concrete structures. The main point of these latest developments is the simulation of the creep of concrete submitted to high temperatures over a long period of time. This research, financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation, has taken an increased importance with the advent of nuclear reactor vessels of the HHT type and new conceptions concerning the cooling of their concrete (replacement of the thermal insulation by a zone of hot concrete). (orig.)

Extending the Intermediate Data Structure (IDS for longitudinal historical databases to include geographic data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Finn Hedefalk

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The Intermediate Data Structure (IDS is a standardised database structure for longitudinal historical databases. Such a common structure facilitates data sharing and comparative research. In this study, we propose an extended version of IDS, named IDS-Geo, that also includes geographic data. The geographic data that will be stored in IDS-Geo are primarily buildings and/or property units, and the purpose of these geographic data is mainly to link individuals to places in space. When we want to assign such detailed spatial locations to individuals (in times before there were any detailed house addresses available, we often have to create tailored geographic datasets. In those cases, there are benefits of storing geographic data in the same structure as the demographic data. Moreover, we propose the export of data from IDS-Geo using an eXtensible Markup Language (XML Schema. IDS-Geo is implemented in a case study using historical property units, for the period 1804 to 1913, stored in a geographically extended version of the Scanian Economic Demographic Database (SEDD. To fit into the IDS-Geo data structure, we included an object lifeline representation of all of the property units (based on the snapshot time representation of single historical maps and poll-tax registers. The case study verifies that the IDS-Geo model is capable of handling geographic data that can be linked to demographic data.

South African Medical Journal - Vol 107, No 4 (2017)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Systemic lupus erythematosus: A possible cause of non-alcoholic Wernicke's encephalopathy · EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. M.T.L. Nyo, D Magazi, M.M.T.M. Ally, 299-301. http://dx.doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2017.v107i4.12053 ...

Kinetic models of gene expression including non-coding RNAs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhdanov, Vladimir P., E-mail: zhdanov@catalysis.r

2011-03-15

In cells, genes are transcribed into mRNAs, and the latter are translated into proteins. Due to the feedbacks between these processes, the kinetics of gene expression may be complex even in the simplest genetic networks. The corresponding models have already been reviewed in the literature. A new avenue in this field is related to the recognition that the conventional scenario of gene expression is fully applicable only to prokaryotes whose genomes consist of tightly packed protein-coding sequences. In eukaryotic cells, in contrast, such sequences are relatively rare, and the rest of the genome includes numerous transcript units representing non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). During the past decade, it has become clear that such RNAs play a crucial role in gene expression and accordingly influence a multitude of cellular processes both in the normal state and during diseases. The numerous biological functions of ncRNAs are based primarily on their abilities to silence genes via pairing with a target mRNA and subsequently preventing its translation or facilitating degradation of the mRNA-ncRNA complex. Many other abilities of ncRNAs have been discovered as well. Our review is focused on the available kinetic models describing the mRNA, ncRNA and protein interplay. In particular, we systematically present the simplest models without kinetic feedbacks, models containing feedbacks and predicting bistability and oscillations in simple genetic networks, and models describing the effect of ncRNAs on complex genetic networks. Mathematically, the presentation is based primarily on temporal mean-field kinetic equations. The stochastic and spatio-temporal effects are also briefly discussed.

Properties of Ti-6Al-4V non-stochastic lattice structures fabricated via electron beam melting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cansizoglu, O.; Harrysson, O.; Cormier, D.; West, H.; Mahale, T.

2008-01-01

This paper addresses foams which are known as non-stochastic foams, lattice structures, or repeating open cell structure foams. The paper reports on preliminary research involving the design and fabrication of non-stochastic Ti-6Al-4V alloy structures using the electron beam melting (EBM) process. Non-stochastic structures of different cell sizes and densities were investigated. The structures were tested in compression and bending, and the results were compared to results from finite element analysis simulations. It was shown that the build angle and the build orientation affect the properties of the lattice structures. The average compressive strength of the lattice structures with a 10% relative density was 10 MPa, the flexural modulus was 200 MPa and the strength to density ration was 17. All the specimens were fabricated on the EBM A2 machine using a melt speed of 180 mm/s and a beam current of 2 mA. Future applications and FEA modeling were discussed in the paper

Hierarchical structure of ecological and non-ecological processes of differentiation shaped ongoing gastropod radiation in the Malawi Basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Bocxlaer, Bert

2017-09-13

Ecological processes, non-ecological processes or a combination of both may cause reproductive isolation and speciation, but their specific roles and potentially complex interactions in evolutionary radiations remain poorly understood, which defines a central knowledge gap at the interface of microevolution and macroevolution. Here I examine genome scans in combination with phenotypic and environmental data to disentangle how ecological and non-ecological processes contributed to population differentiation and speciation in an ongoing radiation of Lanistes gastropods from the Malawi Basin. I found a remarkable hierarchical structure of differentiation mechanisms in space and time: neutral and mutation-order processes are older and occur mainly between regions, whereas more recent adaptive processes are the main driver of genetic differentiation and reproductive isolation within regions. The strongest differentiation occurs between habitats and between regions, i.e. when ecological and non-ecological processes act synergistically. The structured occurrence of these processes based on the specific geographical setting and ecological opportunities strongly influenced the potential for evolutionary radiation. The results highlight the importance of interactions between various mechanisms of differentiation in evolutionary radiations, and suggest that non-ecological processes are important in adaptive radiations, including those of cichlids. Insight into such interactions is critical to understanding large-scale patterns of organismal diversity. © 2017 The Author(s).

New non-structured discretizations for fluid flows with reinforced incompressibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heib, S.

2003-01-01

This work deals with the discretization of Stokes and Navier-Stokes equations modeling the flow of incompressible fluids on 2-D or 3-D non-structured meshes. Triangles and tetrahedrons are used for 2-D and 3-D meshes, respectively. The developments and calculations are performed with the code Priceles (fast CEA-EdF industrial platform for large Eddy simulation). This code allows to perform simulations both on structured and non-structured meshes. A finite-volume resolution method is used: a finite difference volume (FDV) method is used for the structured meshes and a finite element volume (FEV) method is used for the non-structured meshes. The finite element used in the beginning of this work has several defects. Starting from this situation, the discretization is improved by adding modifications to this element and the new elements introduced are analyzed theoretically. In parallel to these analyses, the new discretizations are implemented in order to test them numerically and to confirm the theoretical analyses. The first chapter presents the physical and mathematical modeling used in this work. The second chapter treats of the discretization of Stokes equations and presents the FEV resolution method. Chapter 3 presents a first attempt of improvement of this finite element and leads to the proposal of a new element which is presented in details. The problem encountered with the new discretization leads to a modification presented in chapter 4. This new discretization gives all the expected convergence results and sometimes shows super-convergence properties. Chapter 5 deals with the study and discretization of the Navier-Stokes equations. The study of the filtered Navier-Stokes equations, used for large Eddy simulations, requires to give a particular attention to the discretization of the diffusive terms. Then, the convective terms are considered. The effects of the convective terms in the initial discretization and in the improved method are compared. The use of

Non-Newtonian fluid structure interaction in flexible biomimetic microchannels

Science.gov (United States)

Kiran, M.; Dasgupta, Sunando; Chakraborty, Suman

2017-11-01

To investigate the complex fluid structure interactions in a physiologically relevant microchannel with deformable wall and non-Newtonian fluid that flows within it, we fabricated cylindrical microchannels of various softness out of PDMS. Experiments to measure the transient pressure drop across the channel were carried out with high sampling frequencies to capture the intricate flow physics. In particular, we showed that the waveforms varies greatly for each of the non-Newtonian and Newtonian cases for both non-deformable and deformable microchannels in terms of the peak amplitude, r.m.s amplitude and the crest factor. In addition, we carried out frequency sweep experiments to evaluate the frequency response of the system. We believe that these results will aid in the design of polymer based microfluidic phantoms for arterial FSI studies, and in particular for studying blood analog fluids in cylindrical microchannels as well as developing frequency specific Lab-on-chip systems for medical diagnostics.

Multiple factors, including non-motor impairments, influence decision making with regard to exercise participation in Parkinson's disease: a qualitative enquiry.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Christine; Clemson, Lindy; Canning, Colleen G

2016-01-01

To explore how the meaning of exercise and other factors interact and influence the exercise behaviour of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) enrolled in a 6-month minimally supervised exercise program to prevent falls, regardless of whether they completed the prescribed exercise or not. This qualitative study utilised in-depth semi-structured interviews analysed using grounded theory methodology. Four main themes were constructed from the data: adapting to change and loss, the influence of others, making sense of the exercise experience and hope for a more active future. Participation in the PD-specific physiotherapy program involving group exercise provided an opportunity for participants to reframe their identity of their "active" self. Three new influences on exercise participation were identified and explored: non-motor impairments of apathy and fatigue, the belief in a finite energy quota, and the importance of feedback. A model was developed incorporating the themes and influences to explain decision-making for exercise participation in this group. Complex and interacting issues, including non-motor impairments, need to be considered in order to enhance the development and ongoing implementation of effective exercise programmes for people with PD. Exercise participation can assist individuals to reframe their identity as they are faced with losses associated with Parkinson's disease and ageing. Non-motor impairments of apathy and fatigue may influence exercise participation in people with Parkinson's disease. Particular attention needs to be paid to the provision of feedback in exercise programs for people with Parkinson's disease as it important for their decision-making about continuing exercise.

Altered dynamic functional connectivity in the default mode network in patients with cirrhosis and minimal hepatic encephalopathy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Hua-Jun; Lin, Hai-Long; Chen, Qiu-Feng; Liu, Peng-Fei

2017-01-01

Abnormal brain intrinsic functional connectivity (FC) has been documented in minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) by static connectivity analysis. However, changes in dynamic FC (dFC) remain unknown. We aimed to identify altered dFC within the default mode network (DMN) associated with MHE. Resting-state functional MRI data were acquired from 20 cirrhotic patients with MHE and 24 healthy controls. DMN seed regions were defined using seed-based FC analysis (centered on the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)). Dynamic FC architecture was calculated using a sliding time-window method. K-means clustering (number of clusters = 2-4) was applied to estimate FC states. When the number of clusters was 2, MHE patients presented weaker connectivity strengths compared with controls in states 1 and 2. In state 1, decreased FC strength was found between the PCC/precuneus (PCUN) and right medial temporal lobe (MTL)/bilateral lateral temporal cortex (LTC); left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and right MTL/left LTC; right IPL and right MTL/bilateral LTC; right MTL and right LTC; and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and right MTL/bilateral LTC. In state 2, reduced FC strength was observed between the PCC/PCUN and bilateral MTL/bilateral LTC; left IPL and left MTL/bilateral LTC/MPFC; and left LTC and right LTC. Altered connectivities from state 1 were correlated with patient cognitive performance. Similar findings were observed when the number of clusters was set to 3 or 4. Aberrant dynamic DMN connectivity is an additional characteristic of MHE. Dynamic connectivity analysis offers a novel paradigm for understanding MHE-related mechanisms. (orig.)

Altered dynamic functional connectivity in the default mode network in patients with cirrhosis and minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Hua-Jun; Lin, Hai-Long [Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Department of Radiology, Fuzhou (China); Chen, Qiu-Feng; Liu, Peng-Fei [Central South University, School of Information Science and Engineering, Changsha (China)

2017-09-15

Abnormal brain intrinsic functional connectivity (FC) has been documented in minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) by static connectivity analysis. However, changes in dynamic FC (dFC) remain unknown. We aimed to identify altered dFC within the default mode network (DMN) associated with MHE. Resting-state functional MRI data were acquired from 20 cirrhotic patients with MHE and 24 healthy controls. DMN seed regions were defined using seed-based FC analysis (centered on the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)). Dynamic FC architecture was calculated using a sliding time-window method. K-means clustering (number of clusters = 2-4) was applied to estimate FC states. When the number of clusters was 2, MHE patients presented weaker connectivity strengths compared with controls in states 1 and 2. In state 1, decreased FC strength was found between the PCC/precuneus (PCUN) and right medial temporal lobe (MTL)/bilateral lateral temporal cortex (LTC); left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and right MTL/left LTC; right IPL and right MTL/bilateral LTC; right MTL and right LTC; and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and right MTL/bilateral LTC. In state 2, reduced FC strength was observed between the PCC/PCUN and bilateral MTL/bilateral LTC; left IPL and left MTL/bilateral LTC/MPFC; and left LTC and right LTC. Altered connectivities from state 1 were correlated with patient cognitive performance. Similar findings were observed when the number of clusters was set to 3 or 4. Aberrant dynamic DMN connectivity is an additional characteristic of MHE. Dynamic connectivity analysis offers a novel paradigm for understanding MHE-related mechanisms. (orig.)

Computational and experimental analyses of the wave propagation through a bar structure including liquid-solid interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sang Jin [UST Graduate School, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Rhee, Hui Nam [Division of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sunchon National University, Sunchon (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Doo Byung; Park, Jin Ho [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-08-15

In this research, we study the propagation of longitudinal and transverse waves through a metal rod including a liquid layer using computational and experimental analyses. The propagation characteristics of longitudinal and transverse waves obtained by the computational and experimental analyses were consistent with the wave propagation theory for both cases, that is, the homogeneous metal rod and the metal rod including a liquid layer. The fluid-structure interaction modeling technique developed for the computational wave propagation analysis in this research can be applied to the more complex structures including solid-liquid interfaces.

Comparative evaluation of six ELISAs for the detection of antibodies to the non-structural proteins of foot-and-mouth disease virus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brocchi, E.; Bergmann, I.E.; Dekker, A.

2006-01-01

To validate the use of serology in substantiating freedom from infection after foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks have been controlled by measures that include vaccination, 3551 sera were tested with six assays that detect antibodies to the non-structural proteins of FMD virus. The sera came...

Effects of Different Types of Front-of-Pack Labelling Information on the Healthiness of Food Purchases-A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Neal, Bruce; Crino, Michelle; Dunford, Elizabeth; Gao, Annie; Greenland, Rohan; Li, Nicole; Ngai, Judith; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona; Pettigrew, Simone; Sacks, Gary; Webster, Jacqui; Wu, Jason HY

2017-11-24

Front-of-pack nutrition labelling may support healthier packaged food purchases. Australia has adopted a novel Health Star Rating (HSR) system, but the legitimacy of this choice is unknown. To define the effects of different formats of front-of-pack labelling on the healthiness of food purchases and consumer perceptions. Individuals were assigned at random to access one of four different formats of nutrition labelling-HSR, multiple traffic light labels (MTL), daily intake guides (DIG), recommendations/warnings (WARN)-or control (the nutrition information panel, NIP). Participants accessed nutrition information by using a smartphone application to scan the bar-codes of packaged foods, while shopping. The primary outcome was healthiness defined by the mean transformed nutrient profile score of packaged foods that were purchased over four weeks. The 1578 participants, mean age 38 years, 84% female recorded purchases of 148,727 evaluable food items. The mean healthiness of the purchases in the HSR group was non-inferior to MTL, DIG, or WARN (all p 0.07), but WARN resulted in healthier packaged food purchases (mean difference 0.87; 95% confidence interval 0.03 to 1.72; p = 0.04). HSR was perceived by participants as more useful than DIG, and easier to understand than MTL or DIG (all p food purchases.

O'nyong nyong virus molecular determinants of unique vector specificity reside in non-structural protein 3.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kali D Saxton-Shaw

Full Text Available O'nyong nyong virus (ONNV and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV are two closely related alphaviruses with very different infection patterns in the mosquito, Anopheles gambiae. ONNV is the only alphavirus transmitted by anopheline mosquitoes, but specific molecular determinants of infection of this unique vector specificity remain unidentified. Fifteen distinct chimeric viruses were constructed to evaluate both structural and non-structural regions of the genome and infection patterns were determined through artificial infectious feeds in An. gambiae with each of these chimeras. Only one region, non-structural protein 3 (nsP3, was sufficient to up-regulate infection to rates similar to those seen with parental ONNV. When ONNV non-structural protein 3 (nsP3 replaced nsP3 from CHIKV virus in one of the chimeric viruses, infection rates in An. gambiae went from 0% to 63.5%. No other single gene or viral region addition was able to restore infection rates. Thus, we have shown that a non-structural genome element involved in viral replication is a major element involved in ONNV's unique vector specificity.

Dielectric laser acceleration of non-relativistic electrons at a photonic structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Breuer, John

2013-08-29

This thesis reports on the observation of dielectric laser acceleration of non-relativistic electrons via the inverse Smith-Purcell effect in the optical regime. Evanescent modes in the vicinity of a periodic grating structure can travel at the same velocity as the electrons along the grating surface. A longitudinal electric field component is used to continuously impart momentum onto the electrons. This is only possible in the near-field of a suitable photonic structure, which means that the electron beam has to pass the structure within about one wavelength. In our experiment we exploit the third spatial harmonic of a single fused silica grating excited by laser pulses derived from a Titanium:sapphire oscillator and accelerate non-relativistic 28 keV electrons. We measure a maximum energy gain of 280 eV, corresponding to an acceleration gradient of 25 MeV/m, already comparable with state-of-the-art radio-frequency linear accelerators. To experience this acceleration gradient the electrons approach the grating closer than 100 nm. We present the theory behind grating-based particle acceleration and discuss simulation results of dielectric laser acceleration in the near-field of photonic grating structures, which is excited by near-infrared laser light. Our measurements show excellent agreement with our simulation results and therefore confirm the direct acceleration with the light field. We further discuss the acceleration inside double grating structures, dephasing effects of non-relativistic electrons as well as the space charge effect, which can limit the attainable peak currents of these novel accelerator structures. The photonic structures described in this work can be readily concatenated and therefore represent a scalable realization of dielectric laser acceleration. Furthermore, our structures are directly compatible with the microstructures used for the acceleration of relativistic electrons demonstrated in parallel to this work by our collaborators in

Collective and non-collective structures in nuclei of mass region A ≈ 125

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, A. K.

2014-01-01

Generation of angular momentum in nuclei is a key question in nuclear structure studies. In single particle model, it is due to alignment of spin of individual nucleon available in the valence space, whereas coherent motion of nucleons are assumed in the collective model. The nuclei near the closed shell at Z = 50 with mass number A ≈ 120-125 represent ideal cases to explore the interplay between these competing mechanisms and the transition from non-collective to collective behavior or vice versa. Recent spectroscopic studies of nuclei in this region reveal several non-collective maximally aligned states representing the first kind of excitation mechanism, where 8-12 particles above the 114 Sn align their spins to generate these states. Deformed rotational bands feeding the non-collective states in the spin range I=20-25 and excitation energies around 10 MeV have also been observed. Structure of the collective and non-collective states are discussed in the framework of Cranked-Nilsson-Strutinsky model

Experimental demonstration of non-reciprocal transmission in a nonlinear photonic-crystal Fano structure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yu, Yi; Chen, Yaohui; Hu, Hao

2015-01-01

We suggest and experimentally demonstrate a photonic-crystal structure with more than 30 dB difference between forward and backward transmission levels. The non-reciprocity relies on the combination of ultrafast carrier nonlinearities and spatial symmetry breaking in a Fano structure employing...

Nuclear matter descriptions including quark structure of the hadrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huguet, R.

2008-07-01

It is nowadays well established that nucleons are composite objects made of quarks and gluons, whose interactions are described by Quantum chromodynamics (QCD). However, because of the non-perturbative character of QCD at the energies of nuclear physics, a description of atomic nuclei starting from quarks and gluons is still not available. A possible alternative is to construct effective field theories based on hadronic degrees of freedom, in which the interaction is constrained by QCD. In this framework, we have constructed descriptions of infinite nuclear matter in relativistic mean field theories taking into account the quark structure of hadrons. In a first approach, the in medium modifications of mesons properties is dynamically obtained in a Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) quark model. This modification is taken into account in a relativistic mean field theory based on a meson exchange interaction between nucleons. The in-medium modification of mesons masses and the properties of infinite nuclear matter have been studied. In a second approach, the long and short range contributions to the in-medium modification of the nucleon are determined. The short range part is obtained in a NJL quark model of the nucleon. The long range part, related to pions exchanges between nucleons, has been determined in the framework of Chiral Perturbation theory. These modifications have been used to constrain the couplings of a point coupling relativistic mean field model. A realistic description of the saturation properties of nuclear matter is obtained. (author)

TRANSAT-- method for detecting the conserved helices of functional RNA structures, including transient, pseudo-knotted and alternative structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiebe, Nicholas J P; Meyer, Irmtraud M

2010-06-24

The prediction of functional RNA structures has attracted increased interest, as it allows us to study the potential functional roles of many genes. RNA structure prediction methods, however, assume that there is a unique functional RNA structure and also do not predict functional features required for in vivo folding. In order to understand how functional RNA structures form in vivo, we require sophisticated experiments or reliable prediction methods. So far, there exist only a few, experimentally validated transient RNA structures. On the computational side, there exist several computer programs which aim to predict the co-transcriptional folding pathway in vivo, but these make a range of simplifying assumptions and do not capture all features known to influence RNA folding in vivo. We want to investigate if evolutionarily related RNA genes fold in a similar way in vivo. To this end, we have developed a new computational method, Transat, which detects conserved helices of high statistical significance. We introduce the method, present a comprehensive performance evaluation and show that Transat is able to predict the structural features of known reference structures including pseudo-knotted ones as well as those of known alternative structural configurations. Transat can also identify unstructured sub-sequences bound by other molecules and provides evidence for new helices which may define folding pathways, supporting the notion that homologous RNA sequence not only assume a similar reference RNA structure, but also fold similarly. Finally, we show that the structural features predicted by Transat differ from those assuming thermodynamic equilibrium. Unlike the existing methods for predicting folding pathways, our method works in a comparative way. This has the disadvantage of not being able to predict features as function of time, but has the considerable advantage of highlighting conserved features and of not requiring a detailed knowledge of the cellular

Large x Behaviour and the Non-Perturbative Structure of Hadronic Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anthony W. Thomas

2005-02-01

While the traditional interest in structure functions has been the confirmation of the predictions of perturbative QCD, this data also contains a wealth of information on how QCD works in the infrared, or confinement, region. As the challenge of the strong force now turns to the study of QCD in the non-perturbative region, such information is extremely valuable.We outline some of the key issues for both nucleon and nuclear structure functions.

OWNERSHIP AND CAPITAL STRUCTURE OF PAKISTANI NON-FINANCIAL FIRMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khan Shoaib

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Existi ng literature has not yet defi ned a clear-cut relati onship between ownership structure and capital structure. This study aims to contribute to this controversial argument by examining the impact of internal (managerial ownership and external ownership on fi nancing preferences using the case of non-fi nancial fi rms listed on Karachi stock exchange during the period of 2008-2012. Our results suggest that the external ownership has a signifi cant eff ect on capital structure in accordance with the presence of blockholders. In contrast, the internal ownership has a complicated eff ect; it shows signifi cant positi ve and negati ve relati onship to leverage at lower and certain higher proporti on of managerial shareholding respecti vely. Besides, the combined analyses suggest that the presence of blockholders negates the impact of managerial ownership on capital structure. This implies that the presence of large and dominant shareholders in Pakistani fi rms may have caused a bias for debt fi nancing to protect their voti ng power and returns.

Association of perception of front-of-pack labels with dietary, lifestyle and health characteristics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline Méjean

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To identify patterns of perception of front-of-pack (FOP nutrition labels and determine dietary, lifestyle and health profiles related to such patterns. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: 28,952 French adults participating in the web-based Nutrinet-Santé cohort. OUTCOME MEASURES: Perception was measured using indicators of understanding and acceptability for three simple FOP labels ("green tick", the logo of the French Nutrition and Health Program and "simple traffic lights" (STL, and two detailed FOP formats ("multiple traffic lights" (MTL and "color range" logo (CR, placed on ready-to-eat soup packages. Dietary intake data were collected using three web-based 24 h records. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Associations of perception patterns with individual characteristics, including diet, lifestyle and health status, were examined using analysis of covariance and logistic regression, adjusted for socio-demographic and economic factors. RESULTS: No clear trend emerged concerning differences in dietary intake between perception groups. Low physical activity and obesity were more frequent in the 'favorable to STL' group (respectively, 20.7% and 10.7%. The 'favorable to MTL' group included the highest percentage of individuals who declared type 2 diabetes (2.2%. Persons with hypertension were proportionally more numerous in the 'favorable to MTL' and the 'favorable to CR logo' groups (respectively, 9.5% and 9.3%. CONCLUSIONS: After adjustment for socio-demographic and economic factors, no FOP label stood out as being more suitable than another for reaching populations with poor diet. However, both STL and MTL may be most appropriate for increasing awareness of healthy eating among groups at higher risk of nutrition-related chronic diseases.

Industrial Structure, Menu Costs and the Non-Neutrality of Money

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dixon, Huw David; Hansen, Claus Thustrup

by perfect competition. The mixed industrial structure implies that there is a misallocation of the input (labour) between sectors. Following a 5% monetary expansion, the menu costs required for price rigidity in the monopolistic sector can be 50 times smaller than in the symmetric case, while the ratio......New Keynesian literature assumes symmetric industrial structure when analysing explanations of monetary non-neutrality. We analyse the impact of modifying this assumption by allowing for a mixed industrial structure; some industries are characterized by monopolistic competition, and others...... of welfare gain to private loss can be as large as 200 times the corresponding symmetric case. This implies that in real world economies, menu costs may be even more significant than previously thought...

Accounting for the Confound of Meninges in Segmenting Entorhinal and Perirhinal Cortices in T1-Weighted MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Long; Wisse, Laura E M; Das, Sandhitsu R; Wang, Hongzhi; Wolk, David A; Manjón, Jose V; Yushkevich, Paul A

2016-10-01

Quantification of medial temporal lobe (MTL) cortices, including entorhinal cortex (ERC) and perirhinal cortex (PRC), from in vivo MRI is desirable for studying the human memory system as well as in early diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease. However, ERC and PRC are commonly over-segmented in T1-weighted (T1w) MRI because of the adjacent meninges that have similar intensity to gray matter in T1 contrast. This introduces errors in the quantification and could potentially confound imaging studies of ERC/PRC. In this paper, we propose to segment MTL cortices along with the adjacent meninges in T1w MRI using an established multi-atlas segmentation framework together with super-resolution technique. Experimental results comparing the proposed pipeline with existing pipelines support the notion that a large portion of meninges is segmented as gray matter by existing algorithms but not by our algorithm. Cross-validation experiments demonstrate promising segmentation accuracy. Further, agreement between the volume and thickness measures from the proposed pipeline and those from the manual segmentations increase dramatically as a result of accounting for the confound of meninges. Evaluated in the context of group discrimination between patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and normal controls, the proposed pipeline generates more biologically plausible results and improves the statistical power in discriminating groups in absolute terms comparing to other techniques using T1w MRI. Although the performance of the proposed pipeline is inferior to that using T2-weighted MRI, which is optimized to image MTL sub-structures, the proposed pipeline could still provide important utilities in analyzing many existing large datasets that only have T1w MRI available.

DNA base dimers are stabilized by hydrogen-bonding interactions including non-Watson-Crick pairing near graphite surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Shankar, Akshaya; Jagota, Anand; Mittal, Jeetain

2012-10-11

Single- and double-stranded DNA are increasingly being paired with surfaces and nanoparticles for numerous applications, such as sensing, imaging, and drug delivery. Unlike the majority of DNA structures in bulk that are stabilized by canonical Watson-Crick pairing between Ade-Thy and Gua-Cyt, those adsorbed on surfaces are often stabilized by noncanonical base pairing, quartet formation, and base-surface stacking. Not much is known about these kinds of interactions. To build an understanding of the role of non-Watson-Crick pairing on DNA behavior near surfaces, one requires basic information on DNA base pair stacking and hydrogen-bonding interactions. All-atom molecular simulations of DNA bases in two cases--in bulk water and strongly adsorbed on a graphite surface--are conducted to study the relative strengths of stacking and hydrogen bond interactions for each of the 10 possible combinations of base pairs. The key information obtained from these simulations is the free energy as a function of distance between two bases in a pair. We find that stacking interactions exert the dominant influence on the stability of DNA base pairs in bulk water as expected. The strength of stability for these stacking interactions is found to decrease in the order Gua-Gua > Ade-Gua > Ade-Ade > Gua-Thy > Gua-Cyt > Ade-Thy > Ade-Cyt > Thy-Thy > Cyt-Thy > Cyt-Cyt. On the other hand, mutual interactions of surface-adsorbed base pairs are stabilized mostly by hydrogen-bonding interactions in the order Gua-Cyt > Ade-Gua > Ade-Thy > Ade-Ade > Cyt-Thy > Gua-Gua > Cyt-Cyt > Ade-Cyt > Thy-Thy > Gua-Thy. Interestingly, several non-Watson-Crick base pairings, which are commonly ignored, have similar stabilization free energies due to interbase hydrogen bonding as Watson-Crick pairs. This clearly highlights the importance of non-Watson-Crick base pairing in the development of secondary structures of oligonucleotides near surfaces.

Sequence, structure and function relationships in flaviviruses as assessed by evolutive aspects of its conserved non-structural protein domains.

Science.gov (United States)

da Fonseca, Néli José; Lima Afonso, Marcelo Querino; Pedersolli, Natan Gonçalves; de Oliveira, Lucas Carrijo; Andrade, Dhiego Souto; Bleicher, Lucas

2017-10-28

Flaviviruses are responsible for serious diseases such as dengue, yellow fever, and zika fever. Their genomes encode a polyprotein which, after cleavage, results in three structural and seven non-structural proteins. Homologous proteins can be studied by conservation and coevolution analysis as detected in multiple sequence alignments, usually reporting positions which are strictly necessary for the structure and/or function of all members in a protein family or which are involved in a specific sub-class feature requiring the coevolution of residue sets. This study provides a complete conservation and coevolution analysis on all flaviviruses non-structural proteins, with results mapped on all well-annotated available sequences. A literature review on the residues found in the analysis enabled us to compile available information on their roles and distribution among different flaviviruses. Also, we provide the mapping of conserved and coevolved residues for all sequences currently in SwissProt as a supplementary material, so that particularities in different viruses can be easily analyzed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RNAHelix: computational modeling of nucleic acid structures with Watson-Crick and non-canonical base pairs.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharyya, Dhananjay; Halder, Sukanya; Basu, Sankar; Mukherjee, Debasish; Kumar, Prasun; Bansal, Manju

2017-02-01

Comprehensive analyses of structural features of non-canonical base pairs within a nucleic acid double helix are limited by the availability of a small number of three dimensional structures. Therefore, a procedure for model building of double helices containing any given nucleotide sequence and base pairing information, either canonical or non-canonical, is seriously needed. Here we describe a program RNAHelix, which is an updated version of our widely used software, NUCGEN. The program can regenerate duplexes using the dinucleotide step and base pair orientation parameters for a given double helical DNA or RNA sequence with defined Watson-Crick or non-Watson-Crick base pairs. The original structure and the corresponding regenerated structure of double helices were found to be very close, as indicated by the small RMSD values between positions of the corresponding atoms. Structures of several usual and unusual double helices have been regenerated and compared with their original structures in terms of base pair RMSD, torsion angles and electrostatic potentials and very high agreements have been noted. RNAHelix can also be used to generate a structure with a sequence completely different from an experimentally determined one or to introduce single to multiple mutation, but with the same set of parameters and hence can also be an important tool in homology modeling and study of mutation induced structural changes.

Non-verbal emotion communication training induces specific changes in brain function and structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreifelts, Benjamin; Jacob, Heike; Brück, Carolin; Erb, Michael; Ethofer, Thomas; Wildgruber, Dirk

2013-01-01

The perception of emotional cues from voice and face is essential for social interaction. However, this process is altered in various psychiatric conditions along with impaired social functioning. Emotion communication trainings have been demonstrated to improve social interaction in healthy individuals and to reduce emotional communication deficits in psychiatric patients. Here, we investigated the impact of a non-verbal emotion communication training (NECT) on cerebral activation and brain structure in a controlled and combined functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and voxel-based morphometry study. NECT-specific reductions in brain activity occurred in a distributed set of brain regions including face and voice processing regions as well as emotion processing- and motor-related regions presumably reflecting training-induced familiarization with the evaluation of face/voice stimuli. Training-induced changes in non-verbal emotion sensitivity at the behavioral level and the respective cerebral activation patterns were correlated in the face-selective cortical areas in the posterior superior temporal sulcus and fusiform gyrus for valence ratings and in the temporal pole, lateral prefrontal cortex and midbrain/thalamus for the response times. A NECT-induced increase in gray matter (GM) volume was observed in the fusiform face area. Thus, NECT induces both functional and structural plasticity in the face processing system as well as functional plasticity in the emotion perception and evaluation system. We propose that functional alterations are presumably related to changes in sensory tuning in the decoding of emotional expressions. Taken together, these findings highlight that the present experimental design may serve as a valuable tool to investigate the altered behavioral and neuronal processing of emotional cues in psychiatric disorders as well as the impact of therapeutic interventions on brain function and structure.

[Magnetotherapy of initial manifestations of cerebrovascular disorders in hypertension].

Science.gov (United States)

Miasnikov, I G

1992-01-01

The paper is concerned with the data on 147 subjects who underwent magnetotherapy with the unit "Magniter-AMT-01" applied to the cervical area. The main group included 102 subjects, 45 person served as control. The purpose of the work was to base the application of MT under inpatient and home conditions with the use of the above-indicated unit. In view of this fact, a study was made of cerebral hemo- and thermodynamics with the aid of rheoencephalography and encephaloradiothermography under the action of different modes of the functioning of the unit "Magniter-AMT-01" (pulse and variable magnet induction fields 12-15 mTl and 30-35 mTl). A method of measuring magnetosensitivity of patients depending on the temperature reaction of the brain to a single MT session was elaborated. The greatest clinical effect was attained with the use of pulse magnetic field 15 mTl. Magnetotherapy with the use of the unit "Magniter-AMT-01" provided good results under inpatient and home conditions. The magnetosensitive patients demonstrated the highest effect.

Non-linear quantitative structure-activity relationship for adenine derivatives as competitive inhibitors of adenosine deaminase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadat Hayatshahi, Sayyed Hamed; Abdolmaleki, Parviz; Safarian, Shahrokh; Khajeh, Khosro

2005-01-01

Logistic regression and artificial neural networks have been developed as two non-linear models to establish quantitative structure-activity relationships between structural descriptors and biochemical activity of adenosine based competitive inhibitors, toward adenosine deaminase. The training set included 24 compounds with known k i values. The models were trained to solve two-class problems. Unlike the previous work in which multiple linear regression was used, the highest of positive charge on the molecules was recognized to be in close relation with their inhibition activity, while the electric charge on atom N1 of adenosine was found to be a poor descriptor. Consequently, the previously developed equation was improved and the newly formed one could predict the class of 91.66% of compounds correctly. Also optimized 2-3-1 and 3-4-1 neural networks could increase this rate to 95.83%

From structure prediction to genomic screens for novel non-coding RNAs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gorodkin, Jan; Hofacker, Ivo L.

2011-01-01

Abstract: Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are receiving more and more attention not only as an abundant class of genes, but also as regulatory structural elements (some located in mRNAs). A key feature of RNA function is its structure. Computational methods were developed early for folding and prediction....... This and the increased amount of available genomes have made it possible to employ structure-based methods for genomic screens. The field has moved from folding prediction of single sequences to computational screens for ncRNAs in genomic sequence using the RNA structure as the main characteristic feature. Whereas early...... upon some of the concepts in current methods that have been applied in genomic screens for de novo RNA structures in searches for novel ncRNA genes and regulatory RNA structure on mRNAs. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the different strategies and how they can complement each other....

Structural determinants for protein adsorption/non-adsorption to silica surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathe, Christelle; Devineau, Stephanie; Aude, Jean-Christophe; Lagniel, Gilles; Chedin, Stephane; Legros, Veronique; Mathon, Marie-Helene; Renault, Jean-Philippe; Pin, Serge; Boulard, Yves; Labarre, Jean

2013-01-01

The understanding of the mechanisms involved in the interaction of proteins with inorganic surfaces is of major interest in both fundamental research and applications such as nano-technology. However, despite intense research, the mechanisms and the structural determinants of protein/surface interactions are still unclear. We developed a strategy consisting in identifying, in a mixture of hundreds of soluble proteins, those proteins that are adsorbed on the surface and those that are not. If the two protein subsets are large enough, their statistical comparative analysis must reveal the physicochemical determinants relevant for adsorption versus non-adsorption. This methodology was tested with silica nanoparticles. We found that the adsorbed proteins contain a higher number of charged amino acids, particularly arginine, which is consistent with involvement of this basic amino acid in electrostatic interactions with silica. The analysis also identified a marked bias toward low aromatic amino acid content (phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine and histidine) in adsorbed proteins. Structural analyses and molecular dynamics simulations of proteins from the two groups indicate that non-adsorbed proteins have twice as many p-p interactions and higher structural rigidity. The data are consistent with the notion that adsorption is correlated with the flexibility of the protein and with its ability to spread on the surface. Our findings led us to propose a refined model of protein adsorption. (authors)

Structural determinants for protein adsorption/non-adsorption to silica surface.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christelle Mathé

Full Text Available The understanding of the mechanisms involved in the interaction of proteins with inorganic surfaces is of major interest in both fundamental research and applications such as nanotechnology. However, despite intense research, the mechanisms and the structural determinants of protein/surface interactions are still unclear. We developed a strategy consisting in identifying, in a mixture of hundreds of soluble proteins, those proteins that are adsorbed on the surface and those that are not. If the two protein subsets are large enough, their statistical comparative analysis must reveal the physicochemical determinants relevant for adsorption versus non-adsorption. This methodology was tested with silica nanoparticles. We found that the adsorbed proteins contain a higher number of charged amino acids, particularly arginine, which is consistent with involvement of this basic amino acid in electrostatic interactions with silica. The analysis also identified a marked bias toward low aromatic amino acid content (phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine and histidine in adsorbed proteins. Structural analyses and molecular dynamics simulations of proteins from the two groups indicate that non-adsorbed proteins have twice as many π-π interactions and higher structural rigidity. The data are consistent with the notion that adsorption is correlated with the flexibility of the protein and with its ability to spread on the surface. Our findings led us to propose a refined model of protein adsorption.

On the systems of automatic non-destructive control of NPP metallic structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grebennik, V.S.; Lantukh, V.M.

1980-01-01

The main stages of developing automatic systems of non- destructive control (NC) of NPP metallic structures are pointed out. The main requirements for automatic NC systems are formulated. Recommendations on the use of the developed experimental automatic facilities for control of certain NPP components are given. It is noted that the present facilities may be used in the future in development of modular sets of non-destructive control systems [ru

Regge-like initial input and evolution of non-singlet structure ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Regge-like initial input and evolution of non-singlet structure functions from DGLAP equation up to next-next-to-leading order at low x and low Q. 2. NAYAN MANI NATH1,2,∗, MRINAL KUMAR DAS1 and JAYANTA KUMAR SARMA1. 1Department of Physics, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784 028, India. 2Department of Physics ...

Archetypal sandwich-structured CuO for high performance non-enzymatic sensing of glucose

Science.gov (United States)

Meher, Sumanta Kumar; Rao, G. Ranga

2013-02-01

In the quest to enhance the selectivity and sensitivity of novel structured metal oxides for electrochemical non-enzymatic sensing of glucose, we report here a green synthesis of unique sandwich-structured CuO on a large scale under microwave mediated homogeneous precipitation conditions. The physicochemical studies carried out by XRD and BET methods show that the monoclinic CuO formed via thermal decomposition of Cu2(OH)2CO3 possesses monomodal channel-type pores with largely improved surface area (~43 m2 g-1) and pore volume (0.163 cm3 g-1). The fascinating surface morphology and pore structure of CuO is formulated due to homogeneous crystallization and microwave induced self assembly during synthesis. The cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry studies show diffusion controlled glucose oxidation at ~0.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) with extremely high sensitivity of 5342.8 μA mM-1 cm-2 and respective detection limit and response time of ~1 μM and ~0.7 s, under a wide dynamic concentration range of glucose. The chronoamperometry measurements demonstrate that the sensitivity of CuO to glucose is unaffected by the absence of dissolved oxygen and presence of poisoning chloride ions in the reaction medium, which essentially implies high poison resistance activity of the sandwich-structured CuO. The sandwich-structured CuO also shows insignificant interference/significant selectivity to glucose, even in the presence of high concentrations of other sugars as well as reducing species. In addition, the sandwich-structured CuO shows excellent reproducibility (relative standard deviation of ~2.4% over ten identically fabricated electrodes) and outstanding long term stability (only ~1.3% loss in sensitivity over a period of one month) during non-enzymatic electrochemical sensing of glucose. The unique microstructure and suitable channel-type pore architecture provide structural stability and maximum accessible electroactive surface for unimpeded mobility of glucose as well as the

A deterministic model for the growth of non-conducting electrical tree structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dodd, S J

2003-01-01

Electrical treeing is of interest to the electrical generation, transmission and distribution industries as it is one of the causes of insulation failure in electrical machines, switchgear and transformer bushings. In this paper a deterministic electrical tree growth model is described. The model is based on electrostatics and local electron avalanches to model partial discharge activity within the growing tree structure. Damage to the resin surrounding the tree structure is dependent on the local electrostatic energy dissipation by partial discharges within the tree structure and weighted by the magnitudes of the local electric fields in the resin surrounding the tree structure. The model is successful in simulating the formation of branched structures without the need of a random variable, a requirement of previous stochastic models. Instability in the spatial development of partial discharges within the tree structure takes the role of the stochastic element as used in previous models to produce branched tree structures. The simulated electrical trees conform to the experimentally observed behaviour; tree length versus time and electrical tree growth rate as a function of applied voltage for non-conducting electrical trees. The phase synchronous partial discharge activity and the spatial distribution of emitted light from the tree structure are also in agreement with experimental data for non-conducting trees as grown in a flexible epoxy resin and in polyethylene. The fact that similar tree growth behaviour is found using pure amorphous (epoxy resin) and semicrystalline (polyethylene) materials demonstrate that neither annealed or quenched noise, representing material inhomogeneity, is required for the formation of irregular branched structures (electrical trees). Instead, as shown in this paper, branched growth can occur due to the instability of individual discharges within the tree structure

Ion pairs in non-redundant protein structures

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Ion pairs contribute to several functions including the activity of catalytic triads, fusion of viral membranes, stability in thermophilic proteins and solvent–protein interactions. Furthermore, they have the ability to affect the stability of protein structures and are also a part of the forces that act to hold monomers together.

Estimating structural equation models with non-normal variables by using transformations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Montfort, van K.; Mooijaart, A.; Meijerink, F.

2009-01-01

We discuss structural equation models for non-normal variables. In this situation the maximum likelihood and the generalized least-squares estimates of the model parameters can give incorrect estimates of the standard errors and the associated goodness-of-fit chi-squared statistics. If the sample

24 CFR 1000.160 - Are non-dwelling structures developed, acquired or assisted under the IHBG program subject to...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Are non-dwelling structures...-dwelling structures developed, acquired or assisted under the IHBG program subject to limitations on cost or design standards? Yes. Non-dwelling structures must be of a design, size and with features or...

Low Non-structured Antiretroviral Therapy Interruptions in HIV-Infected Persons Who Inject Drugs Receiving Multidisciplinary Comprehensive HIV Care at an Outpatient Drug Abuse Treatment Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallecillo, Gabriel; Mojal, Sergio; Roquer, Albert; Samos, Pilar; Luque, Sonia; Martinez, Diana; Martires, Paula Karen; Torrens, Marta

2016-05-01

Continuous HIV treatment is necessary to ensure successful combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of patient-initiated non-structured treatment interruptions in HIV-infected persons who inject drugs and who received a multidisciplinary comprehensive program, including medical HIV care, drug-dependence treatment and psychosocial support, at a drug outpatient addiction center. Non-structured treatment interruptions were defined as ≥30 consecutive days off cART without medical indication. During a median follow-up of 53.8 months, 37/132 (28 %) patients experienced the first non-structured treatment interruptions. The cumulative probability of cART interruption at 5 years was 31.2 % (95 % CI 22.4-40.0). Current drug use injection ≥1/day (HR 14.77; 95 % CI 5.90-36.96) and cART naive patients (HR 0.35, 95 % CI 0.14-0.93) were predictive factors for non-structured treatment interruptions. HIV care provided at a drug addiction center is a useful strategy to sustain continuous cART, however, drug abstinence is essential for the long-term maintenance of cART.

Emerging non-volatile memories

CERN Document Server

Hong, Seungbum; Wouters, Dirk

2014-01-01

This book is an introduction to the fundamentals of emerging non-volatile memories and provides an overview of future trends in the field. Readers will find coverage of seven important memory technologies, including Ferroelectric Random Access Memory (FeRAM), Ferromagnetic RAM (FMRAM), Multiferroic RAM (MFRAM), Phase-Change Memories (PCM), Oxide-based Resistive RAM (RRAM), Probe Storage, and Polymer Memories. Chapters are structured to reflect diffusions and clashes between different topics. Emerging Non-Volatile Memories is an ideal book for graduate students, faculty, and professionals working in the area of non-volatile memory. This book also: Covers key memory technologies, including Ferroelectric Random Access Memory (FeRAM), Ferromagnetic RAM (FMRAM), and Multiferroic RAM (MFRAM), among others. Provides an overview of non-volatile memory fundamentals. Broadens readers' understanding of future trends in non-volatile memories.

Enhanced non-radiative energy transfer in hybrid III-nitride structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, R. M.; Athanasiou, M.; Bai, J.; Liu, B.; Wang, T.

2015-01-01

The effect of surface states has been investigated in hybrid organic/inorganic white light emitting structures that employ high efficiency, nearfield non-radiative energy transfer (NRET) coupling. The structures utilize blue emitting InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (MQW) nanorod arrays to minimize the separation with a yellow emitting F8BT coating. Surface states due to the exposed III-nitride surfaces of the nanostructures are found to reduce the NRET coupling rate. The surface states are passivated by deposition of a silicon nitride layer on the III-nitride nanorod surface leading to reduced surface recombination. A low thickness surface passivation is shown to increase the NRET coupling rate by 4 times compared to an un-passivated hybrid structure. A model is proposed to explain the increased NRET rate for the passivated hybrid structures based on the reduction in surface electron depletion of the passivated InGaN/GaN MQW nanorods surfaces

An RNA secondary structure bias for non-homologous reverse transcriptase-mediated deletions in vivo

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duch, Mogens; Carrasco, Maria L; Jespersen, Thomas

2004-01-01

Murine leukemia viruses harboring an internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-directed translational cassette are able to replicate, but undergo loss of heterologous sequences upon continued passage. While complete loss of heterologous sequences is favored when these are flanked by a direct repeat......, deletion mutants with junction sites within the heterologous cassette may also be retrieved, in particular from vectors without flanking repeats. Such deletion mutants were here used to investigate determinants of reverse transcriptase-mediated non-homologous recombination. Based upon previous structural...... result from template switching during first-strand cDNA synthesis and that the choice of acceptor sites for non-homologous recombination are guided by non-paired regions. Our results may have implications for recombination events taking place within structured regions of retroviral RNA genomes...

Structures that Include a Semi-Outdoor Space

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Papachristou, C.; Foteinaki, Kyriaki; Kazanci, Ongun Berk

2016-01-01

The thermal environment of buildings with a second "skin" and semi-outdoor space is examined in the present study. A literature review was conducted on similar structures and only a few studies were found focusing on the thermal environment. Two different building case studies were chosen with di...

Linear velocity fields in non-Gaussian models for large-scale structure

Science.gov (United States)

Scherrer, Robert J.

1992-01-01

Linear velocity fields in two types of physically motivated non-Gaussian models are examined for large-scale structure: seed models, in which the density field is a convolution of a density profile with a distribution of points, and local non-Gaussian fields, derived from a local nonlinear transformation on a Gaussian field. The distribution of a single component of the velocity is derived for seed models with randomly distributed seeds, and these results are applied to the seeded hot dark matter model and the global texture model with cold dark matter. An expression for the distribution of a single component of the velocity in arbitrary local non-Gaussian models is given, and these results are applied to such fields with chi-squared and lognormal distributions. It is shown that all seed models with randomly distributed seeds and all local non-Guassian models have single-component velocity distributions with positive kurtosis.

Canonical structure of evolution equations with non-linear ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The dispersion produced is compensated by non-linear effects resulting in the formation of exponentially localized .... determining the values of Lagrange's multipliers αis. We postulate that a slightly .... c3 «w2x -v. (36). To include the effect of the secondary constraint c3 in the total Hamiltonian H we modify. (33) as. 104.

Computer simulation of the structure and properties of non-crystalline oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belashchenko, D.K.

1997-01-01

The structure data and some properties of non-crystalline (liquid and amorphous) oxide systems are discussed that were obtained using computer simulation methods. The simple oxide models, the homological serii of simple oxides, the models of binary and multi-components oxide systems are considered. Also the results of the simulation of ionic transfer in electric field are discussed. Ionic theory of oxides allows to predict the structure, thermodynamic and other properties for many oxide systems except the phosphate and vanadate oxides and some others

The next-next-to-leading QCD approximation for non-singlet moments of deep inelastic structure functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larin, S.A.; Ritbergen, T. van; Vermaseren, J.A.M.

1993-12-01

We obtain the analytic next-next-to-leading perturbative QCD corrections in the leading twist approximation for the moments N = 2, 4, 6, 8 of the non-singlet deep inelastic structure functions F 2 and F L . We calculate the three-loop anomalous dimensions of the corresponding non-singlet operators and the three-loop coefficient functions of the structure function F L . (orig.)

Isotopic ages of rocks along the Median Tectonic Line in the Yoshino area, Nara Prefecture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibata, Ken; Sugiyama, Yuichi; Uchiumi, Shigeru; Takagi, Hideo.

1988-01-01

K-Ar, Rb-Sr and fission-track age determinations were carried out on rocks along the Median Tectonic Line (MTL) in the Yoshino area, Nara Prefecture. K-Ar ages on th Ryoke granitic rocks range from 35.3 to 75.9 Ma. Within about 1000 m of MTL the ages decrease toward MTL, probably caused by the hydrothermal alteration associated with cataclasis. The Takamiyama acidic rocks give a K-Ar age of 12.8 Ma. The cooling rate of the granitic rocks, calculated from K-Ar ages and closure temperatures of minerals, is 23 - 27degC/Ma. K-Ar ages for muscovites from pelitic schists in the Sambagawa belt are 62.3 - 69.4 Ma, whereas K-Ar whole-rock ages for phyllites in the Shimanto belt are 57.1 - 76.7 Ma; decrease in age is not observed even near MTL. Rb-Sr ages for muscovites from the schists are 70.4 and 72.5 Ma, which are assumed to indicate the time of metamorphism. The phyllites give a Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron age of 77.1±6.1 Ma, which is interpreted to represent the time of diagenesis or weak metamorphism. Fission-track ages for zircons from the Ryoke granitic rocks range from 37.0 to 68.2 Ma and decrease toward MTL. Fission-track ages of zircon are generally close to K-Ar ages of K-feldspar for the same rocks. From this fact the closure temperature for zircon is estimated to be lower than 200degC. The fine fractions (<2μm) separated from MTL fault gouges at Michaya and Takamiyama give K-Ar ages of 36.7 and 18.3 Ma, respectively. These ages probably represent the time of hydrothermal alteration following the major fault movement of MTL associated with cataclasis. (author)

Microwave effective surface impedance of structures including a high-Tc superconducting film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartemann, P.

1992-01-01

The microwave effective surface impedances of different stacks made of high-temperature superconducting films, dielectric materials and bulk normal metals were computed. The calculations were based on the two-fluid model of superconductors and the conventional transmission line theory. These effective impedances are compared to the calculated intrinsic surface impedances of the stacked superconducting films. The considered superconducting material has been the oxide YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 epitaxially grown on crystalline substrates (MgO, LaAlO 3 , SrTiO 3 ), the film thickness ranging from a few nm to 1μm. Discrepancies between the effective surface resistances or reactances and the corresponding intrinsic values were determined at 10 GHz for non resonant or resonant structures. At resonance the surface resistance discrepancy exhibits a sharp peak which reaches 10 4 or more in relative value according to the geometry and the used materials. Obviously the effective surface reactance shows also huge variations about the resonance and may be negative. Moreover geometries allowing to obtain an effective resistance smaller than the film intrinsic value have been found. The effects of the resonance phenomenon on the electromagnetic wave reflectivity and reflection phase shift are investigated. Therefore the reported theoretical results demonstrate that the effective surface impedance of YBCO films with a thickness smaller than 500 nm can be very different from the intrinsic film impedance according to the structures. (Author). 3 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs

Memory for relations in the short term and the long term after medial temporal lobe damage.

Science.gov (United States)

Squire, Larry R

2017-05-01

A central idea about the organization of declarative memory and the function of the hippocampus is that the hippocampus provides for the coding of relationships between items. A question arises whether this idea refers to the process of forming long-term memory or whether, as some studies have suggested, memory for relations might depend on the hippocampus even at short retention intervals and even when the task falls within the province of short-term (working) memory. The latter formulation appears to place the operation of relational memory into conflict with the idea that working memory is independent of medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures. In this report, the concepts of relational memory and working memory are discussed in the light of a simple demonstration experiment. Patients with MTL lesions successfully learned and recalled two word pairs when tested directly after learning but failed altogether when tested after a delay. The results do not contradict the idea that the hippocampus has a fundamental role in relational memory. However, there is a need for further elaboration and specification of the idea in order to explain why patients with MTL lesions can establish relational memory in the short term but not in long-term memory. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

VL: a further case of erroneous recollection.

Science.gov (United States)

Craik, Fergus I M; Barense, Morgan D; Rathbone, Clare J; Grusec, Joan E; Stuss, Donald T; Gao, Fuqiang; Scott, Christopher J M; Black, Sandra E

2014-04-01

We report a single-case study of a female patient (VL) who exhibited frequent episodes of erroneous recollections triggered by everyday events. Based on neuropsychological testing, VL was classified as suffering from mild to moderate dementia (MMSE=18) and was given a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer׳s disease. Her memory functions were uniformly impaired but her verbal abilities were generally well preserved. A structural MRI scan showed extensive areas of gray matter atrophy particularly in frontal and medial-temporal (MTL) areas. Results of experimental recognition tests showed that VL had very high false alarm rates on tests using pictures, faces and auditory stimuli, but lower false alarm rates on verbal tests. We provide a speculative account of her erroneous recollections in terms of her MTL and frontal pathology. In outline, we suggest that owing to binding failures in MTL regions, VL׳s recognition processes were forced to rely on earlier than normal stages of analysis. Environmental features on a given recognition trial may have combined with fragments persisting from previous trials resulting in erroneous feelings of familiarity and of recollection that were not discounted or edited out, due to her impaired frontal processes. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Medial temporal lobe roles in human path integration.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naohide Yamamoto

Full Text Available Path integration is a process in which observers derive their location by integrating self-motion signals along their locomotion trajectory. Although the medial temporal lobe (MTL is thought to take part in path integration, the scope of its role for path integration remains unclear. To address this issue, we administered a variety of tasks involving path integration and other related processes to a group of neurosurgical patients whose MTL was unilaterally resected as therapy for epilepsy. These patients were unimpaired relative to neurologically intact controls in many tasks that required integration of various kinds of sensory self-motion information. However, the same patients (especially those who had lesions in the right hemisphere walked farther than the controls when attempting to walk without vision to a previewed target. Importantly, this task was unique in our test battery in that it allowed participants to form a mental representation of the target location and anticipate their upcoming walking trajectory before they began moving. Thus, these results put forth a new idea that the role of MTL structures for human path integration may stem from their participation in predicting the consequences of one's locomotor actions. The strengths of this new theoretical viewpoint are discussed.

Optimizing multiple sequence alignments using a genetic algorithm based on three objectives: structural information, non-gaps percentage and totally conserved columns.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortuño, Francisco M; Valenzuela, Olga; Rojas, Fernando; Pomares, Hector; Florido, Javier P; Urquiza, Jose M; Rojas, Ignacio

2013-09-01

Multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) are widely used approaches in bioinformatics to carry out other tasks such as structure predictions, biological function analyses or phylogenetic modeling. However, current tools usually provide partially optimal alignments, as each one is focused on specific biological features. Thus, the same set of sequences can produce different alignments, above all when sequences are less similar. Consequently, researchers and biologists do not agree about which is the most suitable way to evaluate MSAs. Recent evaluations tend to use more complex scores including further biological features. Among them, 3D structures are increasingly being used to evaluate alignments. Because structures are more conserved in proteins than sequences, scores with structural information are better suited to evaluate more distant relationships between sequences. The proposed multiobjective algorithm, based on the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm, aims to jointly optimize three objectives: STRIKE score, non-gaps percentage and totally conserved columns. It was significantly assessed on the BAliBASE benchmark according to the Kruskal-Wallis test (P algorithm also outperforms other aligners, such as ClustalW, Multiple Sequence Alignment Genetic Algorithm (MSA-GA), PRRP, DIALIGN, Hidden Markov Model Training (HMMT), Pattern-Induced Multi-sequence Alignment (PIMA), MULTIALIGN, Sequence Alignment Genetic Algorithm (SAGA), PILEUP, Rubber Band Technique Genetic Algorithm (RBT-GA) and Vertical Decomposition Genetic Algorithm (VDGA), according to the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (P 0.05) with the advantage of being able to use less structures. Structural information is included within the objective function to evaluate more accurately the obtained alignments. The source code is available at http://www.ugr.es/~fortuno/MOSAStrE/MO-SAStrE.zip.

Manipulation resolves non-trivial structure of corrole monolayer on Ag(111)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tebi, Stefano; Serrano, Giulia; Koch, Reinhold; Müllegger, Stefan; Aldahhak, Hazem; Rauls, Eva; Schmidt, Wolf Gero; Schöfberger, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

Non-trivial arrangement of molecules within a molecular network complicates structure determination due to interdigitation, partial overlap, or stacking. We demonstrate that combined imaging and lateral manipulation with a scanning tunneling microscope resolves the intricate structure of a molecular network in two-dimensions in a straightforward manner. The network, formed by a monolayer of 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)-corrole molecules on Ag(111), is manipulated for the first time with single-molecule precision. Our results reveal a shingle-like packing of partially overlapping corrole molecules. Density functional theory calculations support our findings. (paper)

Joint application of non-invasive techniques to characterize the dynamic behaviuor of engineering structures

Science.gov (United States)

Gallipoli, M. R.; Perrone, A.; Stabile, T. A.; Ponzo, F. C.; Ditommaso, R.

2012-04-01

The systematic monitoring of strategic civil infrastructures such as bridges, large dams or high-rise buildings in order to ensure their structural stability is a strategic issue particularly in earthquake-prone regions. Nevertheless, in areas less exposed to seismic hazard, the monitoring is also an important tool for civil engineers, for instance if they have to deal with structures exposed to heavy operational demands for extended periods of time and whose structural integrity might be in question or at risk. A continuous monitoring of such structures allows the identification of their fundamental response characteristics and the changes of these over time, the latter representing indicators for potential structural degradation. The aim of this paper is the estimation of fundamental dynamic parameters of some civil infrastructures by the joint application of fast executable, non-invasive techniques such as the Ambient Noise Standard Spectral Ratio, and Ground-Based microwave Radar Interferometer techniques. The joint approach combine conventional, non-conventional and innovative techniques in order to set up a non destructive evaluation procedure allowing for a multi-sensing monitoring at a multi-scale and multi-depth levels (i.e. with different degrees of spatial resolution and different subsurface depths). In particular, techniques based on ambient vibration recordings have become a popular tool for characterizing the seismic response and state-of-health of strategic civil infrastructure. The primary advantage of these approaches lies in the fact that no transient earthquake signals or even active excitation of the structure under investigation are required. The microwave interferometry radar technology, it has proven to be a powerful remote sensing tool for vibration measurement of structures, such as bridge, heritage architectural structures, vibrating stay cables, and engineering structures. The main advantage of this radar technique is the possibility to

Relationship Structure, Relationship Texture: Case Studies in Non/Monogamies Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica Joan Kean

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This article develops case studies from qualitative interviews with people in negotiated non-monogamous relationships to ask what discursive or practical factors besides non/monogamy might play a role in assessments of a relationship’s structure or worth. Beginning with an auto-ethnographic reflection on the way the ‘significance’ was recognised and misrecognised in one polyamorous ‘thrupple’, I introduce three case studies of people in negotiated non-monogamous relationships in order to bring a cultural studies method of the particular to the study of intimacy. For the individuals in these case studies, the practice and experience of non/monogamy is inextricably linked to the ideas and practices surrounding gender, sexuality, sex work, friendship, HIV status and ability. Sketching a middle path between the romantic’s dream of love as a state of exception or exemption from the social and the theorist’s map of the patterned effects of hetero- and mono-normativities, this article attends to the contingency, flexibility and incoherence which so often underpins the sense we make of relationships, even as that sense is shaped by the practices, ideals and institutions of intimacy, love and friendship.

Non-linear finite element analyses applicable for the design of large reinforced concrete structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Engen, M; Hendriks, M.A.N.; Øverli, Jan Arve; Åldstedt, Erik

2017-01-01

In order to make non-linear finite element analyses applicable during assessments of the ultimate load capacity or the structural reliability of large reinforced concrete structures, there is need for an efficient solution strategy with a low modelling uncertainty. A solution strategy comprises

Distribution of melatonin receptor in human fetal brain

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG Guo-quan; SHAO Fu-yuan; ZHAO Ying; LIU Zhi-min

2001-01-01

Objective: To study the distribution of 2 kinds of melatonin receptor subtypes (mtl and MT2) in human fetal brain. Methods: The fetal brain tissues were sliced and the distribution ofmelatonin receptors in human fetal brain were detected using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Results: Melatonin receptor mtl existed in the cerebellun and hypothalamus, melatonin receptor MT2 exists in hypothalamus, occipital and medulla. Conclusion: Two kinds of melatonin receptors, mtl and MT2 exist in the membrane and cytosol of brain cells, indicating that human fetal brain is a target organ of melatonin.

Entanglement beyond tensor product structure: algebraic aspects of quantum non-separability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derkacz, Łukasz; Gwóźdź, Marek; Jakóbczyk, Lech

2012-01-01

An algebraic approach to quantum non-separability is applied to the case of two qubits. It is based on the partition of the algebra of observables into independent subalgebras and the tensor product structure of the Hilbert space is not exploited. Even in this simple case, such a general formulation has some advantages. Using algebraic formalism, we can explicitly show the relativity of the notion of entanglement to the observables measured in the system and characterize separable and non-separable pure states. As a universal measure of non-separability of pure states, we propose to take the so-called total correlation. This quantity depends on the state as well as on the algebraic partition. Its numerical value is given by the norm of the corresponding correlation matrix. (paper)

Containment nuclear plant structures evaluation by non destructive testing: strategy and results

OpenAIRE

GARNIER, Vincent; HENAULT, Jean-Marie; HAFID, Hamid; VERDIER, Jérôme; CHAIX, Jean François; ABRAHAM, Odile; SBARTAÏ, Zoubir Medhi; BALAYSSAC, Jean Pierre; PIWAKOWSKI, Bogdan; VILLAIN, Géraldine; DEROBERT, Xavier; PAYAN, Cédric; RAKOTONARIVO, Sandrine; LAROSE, Eric; SOGBOSSI, Hognon

2016-01-01

Containment nuclear plants structures are an ultimate barrier in the event of an accident. Mechanical resistance and tightness are the two functions that they are expected to provide. To evaluate their capacity to perform them, destructive testing cannot be used to characterize the material. Non-Destructive Tests then represent a relevant solution to test concrete and the struc- ture. The article positions NDT within the context of containment structures supervision and maintenance, and prese...

Structural and Functional Models of Non-Heme Iron Enzymes : A Study of the 2-His-1-Carboxylate Facial Triad Structural Motif

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruijnincx, P.C.A.

2007-01-01

The structural and functional modeling of a specific group of non-heme iron enzymes by the synthesis of small synthetic analogues is the topic of this thesis. The group of non-heme iron enzymes with the 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad has recently been established as a common platform for the

Board Size, Non-Executive Board Members and Financial Performance in Non-Usury Banks in Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GholamReza Karami

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Prior studies investigating the relation between the financial performance and corporate governance mechanisms for firms in Tehran Stock Exchange mainly exclude banks due to their different types of rules and structure. We study the relation between corporate governance structure and financial performance of the banks under the non-usury banking act. We study various corporate governance factors including board size and the number of non-executive board members using a sample of 21 banks for 2010 to 2012. Result show a significant positive correlation among board size and financial performance. However, non-executive board members do not correlate with financial performance.

The next-next-to-leading QCD approximation for non-singlet moments of deep inelastic structure functions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larin, S.A.; Ritbergen, T. van; Vermaseren, J.A.M.

1993-12-01

We obtain the analytic next-next-to-leading perturbative QCD corrections in the leading twist approximation for the moments N = 2, 4, 6, 8 of the non-singlet deep inelastic structure functions F{sub 2} and F{sub L}. We calculate the three-loop anomalous dimensions of the corresponding non-singlet operators and the three-loop coefficient functions of the structure function F{sub L}. (orig.).

Identification of the structure parameters using short-time non-stationary stochastic excitation

Science.gov (United States)

Jarczewska, Kamila; Koszela, Piotr; Śniady, PaweŁ; Korzec, Aleksandra

2011-07-01

In this paper, we propose an approach to the flexural stiffness or eigenvalue frequency identification of a linear structure using a non-stationary stochastic excitation process. The idea of the proposed approach lies within time domain input-output methods. The proposed method is based on transforming the dynamical problem into a static one by integrating the input and the output signals. The output signal is the structure reaction, i.e. structure displacements due to the short-time, irregular load of random type. The systems with single and multiple degrees of freedom, as well as continuous systems are considered.

Retrieving Risk-Neutral Densities Embedded in VIX Options: a Non-Structural Approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barletta, Andrea; Santucci de Magistris, Paolo; Violante, Francesco

We propose a non-structural pricing method to retrieve the risk-neutral density implied by options contracts on the CBOE VIX. The method is based on orthogonal polynomial expansions around a kernel density and yields the risk-neutral density of the underlying asset without the need for modeling its...... dynamics. The method imposes only mild regularity conditions on shape of the density. The approach can be thought of as an alternative to Hermite expansions where the kernel has positive support. .e family of Laguerre kernels is extended to include the GIG and the generalized Weibull densities, which, due...... to their flexible rate of decay, are better suited at modeling the density of the VIX. Based on this technique, we propose a simple and robust way to estimate the expansion coefficients by means of a principal components analysis. We show that the proposed methodology yields an accurate approximation of the risk...

Liquid metal MHD studies with non-magnetic and ferro-magnetic structural material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patel, A., E-mail: anipatel2009@gmail.com [Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar 382428, Gujarat (India); Bhattacharyay, R. [Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar 382428, Gujarat (India); Swain, P.K.; Satyamurthy, P. [Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Mumbai 400085, Maharashtra (India); Sahu, S.; Rajendrakumar, E. [Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar 382428, Gujarat (India); Ivanov, S.; Shishko, A.; Platacis, E.; Ziks, A. [Institute of Physics, University of Latvia, Salaspils 2169 (Latvia)

2014-10-15

Highlights: • Effect of structural material on liquid metal MHD phenomena is studied. • Two identical test sections, one made of SS316L (non-magnetic) and other made of SS430 (ferromagnetic) structural material, are considered. • Wall electric potential and liquid metal pressure drop are compared under various experimental conditions. • Experimental results suggest screening of external magnetic field for SS430 material below the saturation magnetic field. - Abstract: In most of the liquid metal MHD experiments reported in the literature to study liquid breeder blanket performance, SS316/SS304 grade steels are used as the structural material which is non-magnetic. On the other hand, the structural material for fusion blanket systems has been proposed to be ferritic martensitic grade steel (FMS) which is ferromagnetic in nature. In the recent experimental campaign, liquid metal MHD experiments have been carried out with two identical test sections: one made of SS316L (non-magnetic) and another with SS430 (ferromagnetic), to compare the effect of structural materials on MHD phenomena for various magnetic fields (up to 4 T). The maximum Hartmann number and interaction number are 1047 and 300, respectively. Each test section consists of square channel (25 mm × 25 mm) cross-section with two U bends, with inlet and outlet at the middle portion of two horizontal legs, respectively. Pb–Li enters into the test section through a square duct and distributed into two parallel paths through a partition plate. In each parallel path, it travels ∼0.28 m length in plane perpendicular to the magnetic field and faces two 90° bends before coming out of the test section through a single square duct. The wall electrical potential and MHD pressure drop across the test sections are compared under identical experimental conditions. Similar MHD behavior is observed with both the test section at higher value of the magnetic field (>2 T)

New insights into transcription fidelity: thermal stability of non-canonical structures in template DNA regulates transcriptional arrest, pause, and slippage.

Science.gov (United States)

Tateishi-Karimata, Hisae; Isono, Noburu; Sugimoto, Naoki

2014-01-01

The thermal stability and topology of non-canonical structures of G-quadruplexes and hairpins in template DNA were investigated, and the effect of non-canonical structures on transcription fidelity was evaluated quantitatively. We designed ten template DNAs: A linear sequence that does not have significant higher-order structure, three sequences that form hairpin structures, and six sequences that form G-quadruplex structures with different stabilities. Templates with non-canonical structures induced the production of an arrested, a slipped, and a full-length transcript, whereas the linear sequence produced only a full-length transcript. The efficiency of production for run-off transcripts (full-length and slipped transcripts) from templates that formed the non-canonical structures was lower than that from the linear. G-quadruplex structures were more effective inhibitors of full-length product formation than were hairpin structure even when the stability of the G-quadruplex in an aqueous solution was the same as that of the hairpin. We considered that intra-polymerase conditions may differentially affect the stability of non-canonical structures. The values of transcription efficiencies of run-off or arrest transcripts were correlated with stabilities of non-canonical structures in the intra-polymerase condition mimicked by 20 wt% polyethylene glycol (PEG). Transcriptional arrest was induced when the stability of the G-quadruplex structure (-ΔG°37) in the presence of 20 wt% PEG was more than 8.2 kcal mol(-1). Thus, values of stability in the presence of 20 wt% PEG are an important indicator of transcription perturbation. Our results further our understanding of the impact of template structure on the transcription process and may guide logical design of transcription-regulating drugs.

Bioinspired Non-iridescent Structural Color from Polymer Blend Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Nallapaneni, Asritha; Shawkey, Matthew; Karim, Alamgir

Colors exhibited in biological species are either due to natural pigments, sub-micron structural variation or both. Structural colors thus exhibited can be iridescent (ID) or non-iridescent (NID) in nature. NID colors originate due to interference and coherent scattering of light with quasi-ordered micro- and nano- structures. Specifically, in Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) these nanostructures develop as a result of phase separation of β-keratin from cytoplasm present in cells. We replicate these structures via spinodal blend phase separation of PS-PMMA thin films. Colors of films vary from ultraviolet to blue. Scattering of UV-visible light from selectively leeched phase separated blends are studied in terms of varying domain spacing (200nm to 2 μm) of film. We control these parameters by tuning annealing time and temperature. Angle-resolved spectroscopy studies suggest that the films are weakly iridescent and scattering from phase-separated films is more diffused when compared to well-mixed films. This study offers solutions to several color-based application in paints and coatings industry.

Guidebook on non-destructive testing of concrete structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency has been active in the promotion of non-destructive testing (NDT) technology for many years. NDT is an important component of a number of IAEA regional projects. This guidebook deals with NDT of concrete. This book covers a wide range of NDT methods including industrial radiography, ultrasonic testing, electromagnetic testing, infrared thermography, etc. Codes, standards, specifications and procedures are also covered

Identification and characterization of a novel non-structural protein of bluetongue virus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maxime Ratinier

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Bluetongue virus (BTV is the causative agent of a major disease of livestock (bluetongue. For over two decades, it has been widely accepted that the 10 segments of the dsRNA genome of BTV encode for 7 structural and 3 non-structural proteins. The non-structural proteins (NS1, NS2, NS3/NS3a play different key roles during the viral replication cycle. In this study we show that BTV expresses a fourth non-structural protein (that we designated NS4 encoded by an open reading frame in segment 9 overlapping the open reading frame encoding VP6. NS4 is 77-79 amino acid residues in length and highly conserved among several BTV serotypes/strains. NS4 was expressed early post-infection and localized in the nucleoli of BTV infected cells. By reverse genetics, we showed that NS4 is dispensable for BTV replication in vitro, both in mammalian and insect cells, and does not affect viral virulence in murine models of bluetongue infection. Interestingly, NS4 conferred a replication advantage to BTV-8, but not to BTV-1, in cells in an interferon (IFN-induced antiviral state. However, the BTV-1 NS4 conferred a replication advantage both to a BTV-8 reassortant containing the entire segment 9 of BTV-1 and to a BTV-8 mutant with the NS4 identical to the homologous BTV-1 protein. Collectively, this study suggests that NS4 plays an important role in virus-host interaction and is one of the mechanisms played, at least by BTV-8, to counteract the antiviral response of the host. In addition, the distinct nucleolar localization of NS4, being expressed by a virus that replicates exclusively in the cytoplasm, offers new avenues to investigate the multiple roles played by the nucleolus in the biology of the cell.

Designing green derivatives of β-blocker Metoprolol: a tiered approach for green and sustainable pharmacy and chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Rastogi, Tushar; Leder, Christoph; Kümmerer, Klaus

2014-09-01

The presences of micro-pollutants (active pharmaceutical ingredients, APIs) are increasingly seen as a challenge of the sustainable management of water resources worldwide due to ineffective effluent treatment and other measures for their input prevention. Therefore, novel approaches are needed like designing greener pharmaceuticals, i.e. better biodegradability in the environment. This study addresses a tiered approach of implementing green and sustainable chemistry principles for theoretically designing better biodegradable and pharmacologically improved pharmaceuticals. Photodegradation process coupled with LC-MS(n) analysis and in silico tools such as quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) analysis and molecular docking proved to be a very significant approach for the preliminary stages of designing chemical structures that would fit into the "benign by design" concept in the direction of green and sustainable pharmacy. Metoprolol (MTL) was used as an example, which itself is not readily biodegradable under conditions found in sewage treatment and the aquatic environment. The study provides the theoretical design of new derivatives of MTL which might have the same or improved pharmacological activity and are more degradable in the environment than MTL. However, the in silico toxicity prediction by QSAR of those photo-TPs indicated few of them might be possibly mutagenic and require further testing. This novel approach of theoretically designing 'green' pharmaceuticals can be considered as a step forward towards the green and sustainable pharmacy field. However, more knowledge and further experience have to be collected on the full scope, opportunities and limitations of this approach. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical simulation of a nonlinear coupled fluid-structure problem. Application to the design of naval nuclear propulsion structures; Modelisation et simulation numerique d'un probleme couple fluide/structure non lineaire: application au dimensionnement de structures nucleaires de propulsion navale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sigrist, J.F

2004-11-15

The present work deals with the numerical simulation of a coupled fluid/structure problem with fluid free surface. A generic coupled fluid/structure system is defined, on which a linear problem (modal analysis) and a non-linear problem (temporal analysis) are stated. In the linear case, a strong coupled method is used. It is based on a finite element approach of the structure problem and a finite or a boundary element approach of the fluid problem. The coupled problem is formulated in terms of pressure and displacement, leading to a non-symmetric problem which is solved with an appropriate algorithm. In the non-linear case, the structure problem is described with non-linear equations of motion, whereas the fluid problem is modeled with the Stokes equations. The numerical resolution of the coupled problem is based on a weak coupling procedure. The fluid problem is solved with a finite volume technique, using a moving mesh technique to adjust the structure motion, a VOF method for the description of the free surface and the PISO algorithm for the time integration. The structure problem is solved with a finite element technique, using an explicit/implicit time integration algorithm. A procedure is developed in order to handle the coupling in space (fluid forces and structure displacement exchanges between fluid and structure mesh, fluid re-meshing) and in time (staggered explicit algorithm, dynamic filtering of numerical oscillations). The non linear coupled problem is solved using a CFD code, whose use for FSI problem is validated with a benchmark presented in this work. A comparison is proposed between numerical results and analytical solution for two elementary fluid problems. The validation process can be applied for any CFD numerical code. A numerical study is then proposed on the generic coupled case in order to describe the fluid/structure interaction phenomenon (added mass, displaced mass, mode coupling, influence of structural non-linearity). An industrial

CAPITAL STRUCTURE OF UKRAINIAN NON-FINANCIAL COMPANIES IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Chernenko

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the dynamics of Ukrainian non-financial firms' capital structure within a historical perspective. It shows that firm financing since 1990 was a derivative from economic and institutional changes, and current levels of leverage are lower than ones of foreign peers. Whereas in the short-term we can expect some market recovery, long-term dynamics relies almost exclusively on the successof institutional reforms.

Experimental validation for calcul methods of structures having shock non-linearity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brochard, D.; Buland, P.

1987-01-01

For the seismic analysis of non-linear structures, numerical methods have been developed which need to be validated on experimental results. The aim of this paper is to present the design method of a test program which results will be used for this purpose. Some applications to nuclear components will illustrate this presentation [fr

New Nuclear Materials Including Non Metallic Fuel Elements. Vol. II. Proceedings of the Conference on New Nuclear Materials Technology, Including Non Metallic Fuel Elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1963-01-01

One of the major aims of the International Atomic Energy Agency in furthering the peaceful uses of atomic energy is to encourage the development of economical nuclear power. Certainly, one of the more obvious methods of producing economical nuclear power is the development of economical fuels that can be used at high temperatures for long periods of time, and which have sufficient strength and integrity to operate under these conditions without permitting the release of fission products. In addition it is desirable that after irradiation these new fuels be economically reprocessed to reduce further the cost of the fuel cycle. As nuclear power becomes more and more competitive with conventional power the interest in new and more efficient higher-temperature fuels naturally increases rapidly. For these reasons, the Agency organized a Conference on New Nuclear Materials Technology, Including Non-Metallic Fuel Elements, which was held from 1 to 5 July 1963 at the International Hotel, Prague, with the assistance and co-operation of the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. A total of 151 scientists attended, from 23 countries and 4 international organizations. The participants heard and discussed more than 60 scientific papers. The Agency wishes to thank the scientists who attended this Conference for their papers and for many spirited discussions that truly mark a successful meeting. The Agency wishes also to record its gratitude for the assistance and generous hospitality accorded the Conference, the participants and the Agency's staff by the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic and by the people of Prague. The scientific information contained in these Proceedings should help to quicken the pace of progress in the fabrication of new and m ore economical fuels, and it is hoped that these proceedings will be found useful to all workers in this and related fields

Structural evolution of amino acid crystals under stress from a non-empirical density functional

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabatini, Riccardo; Küçükbenli, Emine; De Gironcoli, Stefano; Kolb, Brian; Thonhauser, T

2012-01-01

Use of the non-local correlation functional vdW-DF (from ‘van der Waals density functional’; Dion M et al 2004 Phys. Rev. Lett. 92 246401) has become a popular approach for including van der Waals interactions within density functional theory. In this work, we extend the vdW-DF theory and derive the corresponding stress tensor in a fashion similar to the LDA and GGA approach, which allows for a straightforward implementation in any electronic structure code. We then apply our methodology to investigate the structural evolution of amino acid crystals of glycine and l-alanine under pressure up to 10 GPa - with and without van der Waals interactions - and find that for an accurate description of intermolecular interactions and phase transitions in these systems, the inclusion of van der Waals interactions is crucial. For glycine, calculations including the vdW-DF (vdW-DF-c09x) functional are found to systematically overestimate (underestimate) the crystal lattice parameters, yet the stability ordering of the different polymorphs is determined accurately, at variance with the GGA case. In the case of l-alanine, our vdW-DF results agree with recent experiments that question the phase transition reported for this crystal at 2.3 GPa, as the a and c cell parameters happen to become equal but no phase transition is observed.

The nonlinear ambipolar drift and periodic structure of non-self-sustained discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dem'yanov, A.V.; Mazalov, D.A.; Napartovich, A.P.

1995-01-01

Gas discharge is well known to be strongly nonlinear self-organizing system. The diverse nonlinear structures, observed at different conditions (arc, stationary and non-stationary strata, hot spot patterns on the electrodes and so on), are usually explained by the theory taking into account the processes of diffusion and thermoconductivity. In plasma of high pressure discharge these processes become negligible within the characteristic intervals. At these conditions electron drift becomes the main process. Owing to the continuity of full current and plasma quasineutrality there appear effective flows of convective type with the rate depending on the concentration of charged particles. It is this reason that is responsible for the observed structure of the non-moving luminous layers in non-self-sustained discharge in 10%H 2 +Ar mixture under p≥l atm. The present report shows the results of detail experimental and theoretical study of this phenomenon. The experiments have been carried out on the setup with the discharge gap of about 1 cm or of much greater size. Mach-Zender interferometer and an image-converter intensifier operating as a strip or framing camera. The experiments have been carried out under the pressure 1-3 atm. They show that the stationary layers sequentially appear one after another along the direction from the cathode to the anode. Interferometry shows that there is a gas density modulation corresponding to the periodical structure of fringes. The picture of Fig.1 is a typical interferogram, and that of Fig.2 is a gas density distribution restored from it

Non-standard base pairing and stacked structures in methyl xanthine clusters

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Callahan, M. P.; Gengeliczki, Z.; Svadlenak, N.; Valdes, Haydee; Hobza, Pavel; de Vries, M. S.

2008-01-01

Roč. 10, č. 19 (2008), s. 2819-2826 ISSN 1463-9076 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC512 Grant - others:NSF(US) CHE-0615401 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : non-standard base pairing * stacked structures * in methyl xanthine Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 4.064, year: 2008

The intersubject and intrasubject reproducibility of FMRI activation during three encoding tasks: implications for clinical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrington, Greg S.; Tomaszewski Farias, Sarah; Buonocore, Michael H.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.

2006-01-01

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the inter- and intrasubject reproducibility of FMRI activation for three memory encoding tasks previously used in the context of presurgical functional mapping. The primary region of interest (ROI) was the medial temporal lobe (MTL). Comparative ROIs included the inferior frontal and fusiform gyri which are less affected by susceptibility-induced signal losses than the MTL regions. Eighteen subjects were scanned using three memory encoding paradigms: word-pair, pattern, and scene encoding. Nine subjects underwent repeat scanning. Intersubject reproducibility of FMRI activation was evaluated by examining the percent of subjects who showed activation within a given ROI and the range to which individual laterality indices (LIs) varied from the mean. Intrasubject test-retest reproducibility was evaluated by examining the LI test-retest correlation, the average difference between LIs from two separate imaging sessions, and concordance ratios of activation volumes (R volume and R overlap ). For scene encoding the reproducibility of activation volume and LIs within the MTL were as good as or better than the reproducibility within the fusiform and inferior frontal ROIs. For pattern encoding and word-pair encoding, the reproducibility of activation volume and LIs within the MTL tended to be worse compared to the fusiform and inferior frontal ROIs. The differences in FMRI reproducibility appeared more dependent on the task than the susceptibility effects. The results of this study suggest that FMRI-based assessment of the neural substrates of memory using a scene encoding task may be a useful clinical tool. (orig.)

The intersubject and intrasubject reproducibility of FMRI activation during three encoding tasks: implications for clinical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harrington, Greg S. [Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Radiology, Richmond, VA (United States); Tomaszewski Farias, Sarah [University of California at Davis, Department of Neurology, Sacramento (United States); Buonocore, Michael H. [University of California at Davis, Department of Radiology, Sacramento (United States); Yonelinas, Andrew P. [University of California at Davis, Department of Psychology, Davis (United States)

2006-07-15

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the inter- and intrasubject reproducibility of FMRI activation for three memory encoding tasks previously used in the context of presurgical functional mapping. The primary region of interest (ROI) was the medial temporal lobe (MTL). Comparative ROIs included the inferior frontal and fusiform gyri which are less affected by susceptibility-induced signal losses than the MTL regions. Eighteen subjects were scanned using three memory encoding paradigms: word-pair, pattern, and scene encoding. Nine subjects underwent repeat scanning. Intersubject reproducibility of FMRI activation was evaluated by examining the percent of subjects who showed activation within a given ROI and the range to which individual laterality indices (LIs) varied from the mean. Intrasubject test-retest reproducibility was evaluated by examining the LI test-retest correlation, the average difference between LIs from two separate imaging sessions, and concordance ratios of activation volumes (R{sub volume} and R{sub overlap}). For scene encoding the reproducibility of activation volume and LIs within the MTL were as good as or better than the reproducibility within the fusiform and inferior frontal ROIs. For pattern encoding and word-pair encoding, the reproducibility of activation volume and LIs within the MTL tended to be worse compared to the fusiform and inferior frontal ROIs. The differences in FMRI reproducibility appeared more dependent on the task than the susceptibility effects. The results of this study suggest that FMRI-based assessment of the neural substrates of memory using a scene encoding task may be a useful clinical tool. (orig.)

Differential contributions of the anterior temporal and medial temporal lobe to the retrieval of memory for person identity information.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukiura, Takashi; Suzuki, Chisato; Shigemune, Yayoi; Mochizuki-Kawai, Hiroko

2008-12-01

Although previous studies have suggested the importance of the bilateral anterior temporal (ATL) and medial temporal lobes (MTL) in the retrieval of person identity information, there is little evidence concerning how these regions differentially contribute to the process. Here we investigated this question using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Before scanning, subjects learned associations among faces (F), names (N), and job titles (as a form of person-related semantics, S). During retrieval with fMRI, subjects were presented with previously learned and new S stimuli, and judged whether the stimuli were old or new. Successful retrieval (H) trials were divided into three conditions: retrieval of S and associated F and N (HSFN); retrieval of S and associated F (HSF); and retrieval of S only (HS). The left ATL was significantly activated in HSFN, compared to HSF or HS, whereas the right ATL and MTL were significantly activated in HSFN and HSF relative to HS. In addition, activity in bilateral ATL was significantly correlated with reaction time for HSFN, whereas we found no significant correlation between activity in the right MTL and reaction time in any condition. The present findings suggest that the left ATL may mediate associations between names and person-related semantic information, whereas the right ATL mediates the association between faces and person-related semantic information in memory for person identity information. In addition, activation of the right MTL region implies that this area may contribute to a more general relational processing of associative components, including memory for person identity information. Copyright 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A displacement-based approach for determining non-linear effects on pre-tensioned-cable cross-braced structures

Science.gov (United States)

Giaccu, Gian Felice; Caracoglia, Luca

2017-04-01

Pre-tensioned-cable bracing systems are widely employed in structural engineering to limit lateral deflections and stabilize structures. A suitable configuration of the pre-tensioned-cable bracing systems in a structure is an important issue since the internal force distribution, emerging from the interaction with the existing structure, significantly affects the structural dynamic behavior. The design, however, is often based on the intuition and the previous experience of the engineer. In recent years, the authors have been investigating the non-linear dynamic response of cable systems, installed on cable-stayed bridges, and in particular the so-called "cable-cross-tie systems" forming a cable network. The bracing cables (cross-ties) can exhibit slackening or snapping. Therefore, a non-linear unilateral model, combined with the taut-cable theory, is required to simulate the incipient slackening conditions in the stays. Capitalizing from this work on non-linear cable dynamics, this paper proposes a new approach to analyze, in laterally- braced truss structures, the unilateral effects and dynamic response accounting for the loss in the pre-tensioning force imparted to the bracing cables. This effect leads to non-linear vibration of the structure. In this preliminary study, the free vibrations of the structure are investigated by using the "Equivalent Linearization Method". A performance coefficient, a real positive number between 0.5 and 1.0, is defined and employed to monitor the relative reduction in the apparent stiffness of the braces during structural vibration, "mode by mode". It is shown that the system can exhibit alternate unilateral behavior of the cross-braces. A reduction of the performance coefficient close to fifty percent is observed in the braces when the initial pre-tensioning force is small. On the other hand the performance coefficient tends to one in the case of a high level of pre-stress. It is concluded that the performance coefficient may

Evidence for non-Abelian dark matter from large scale structure?

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2015-01-01

If dark matter multiplicity arises from a weakly coupled non-Abelian dark gauge group the corresponding "dark gluons" can have interesting signatures in cosmology which I will review: 1. the "dark gluons" contribute to the radiation content of the universe and 2. gluon interactions with the dark matter may explain the >3 sigma discrepancy between precision fits to the CMB from Planck and direct measurements of large scale structure in the universe.

College Student Motivation to Lead in Relation to Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Leadership Self-Efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, YoonJung; Harrist, Steve; Steele, Misty; Murn, Lindsay T.

2015-01-01

We investigated basic need satisfaction and leadership self-efficacy as psychological antecedents of college students' motivation to lead (MTL), while controlling for individual differences by gender and academic class. Preliminary analyses revealed significant gender differences with males scoring higher than females on calculative MTL and…

Non-Newtonian behavior and molecular structure of Cooee bitumen under shear flow

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lemarchand, Claire; Bailey, Nicholas; Daivis, Peter

2015-01-01

The rheology and molecular structure of a model bitumen (Cooee bitumen) under shear are investigated in the non-Newtonian regime using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. The shear viscosity, normal stress differences, and pressure of the bitumen mixture are computed at different shear...... rates and different temperatures. The model bitumen is shown to be a shear-thinning fluid at all temperatures. In addition, the Cooee model is able to reproduce experimental results showing the formation of nanoaggregates composed of stacks of flat aromatic molecules in bitumen. These nanoaggregates...

Mechanical instability in non-uniform atomic structure: Application to amorphous metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umeno, Yoshitaka; Kitamura, Takayuki; Tagawa, Motoki

2007-01-01

It is important to reveal the deformation of amorphous metal in the atomistic scale level as materials with non-crystal structure have been attracting attention with their prominent functions. In this paper atomistic simulations of tensile deformation of an amorphous model are conducted and local mechanical instability is analyzed to clarify the deformation mechanism of the amorphous structure. Instability causing sharp stress drop is associated with unstable motion of atoms within local region. The size of the region where the unstable atomic motion occurs corresponds to the magnitude of total stress decrease. At instability with large stress decrease the deformation at the onset of the instability propagates to surrounding region, which gives rise to a hysteresis loop in the stress-strain relation. This manifests the microscopic mechanism of the plasticity of amorphous structure

Medial temporal and neocortical contributions to remote memory for semantic narratives: evidence from amnesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Verfaellie, Mieke; Bousquet, Kathryn; Keane, Margaret M

2014-08-01

Studies of remote memory for semantic facts and concepts suggest that hippocampal lesions lead to a temporally graded impairment that extends no more than ten years prior to the onset of amnesia. Such findings have led to the notion that once consolidated, semantic memories are represented neocortically and are no longer dependent on the hippocampus. Here, we examined the fate of well-established semantic narratives following medial temporal lobe (MTL) lesions. Seven amnesic patients, five with lesions restricted to the MTL and two with lesions extending into lateral temporal cortex (MTL+), were asked to recount fairy tales and bible stories that they rated as familiar. Narratives were scored for number and type of details, number of main thematic elements, and order in which the main thematic elements were recounted. In comparison to controls, patients with MTL lesions produced fewer details, but the number and order of main thematic elements generated was intact. By contrast, patients with MTL+ lesions showed a pervasive impairment, affecting not only the generation of details, but also the generation and ordering of main steps. These findings challenge the notion that, once consolidated, semantic memories are no longer dependent on the hippocampus for retrieval. Possible hippocampal contributions to the retrieval of detailed semantic narratives are discussed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Spectral element modelling of wave propagation in isotropic and anisotropic shell-structures including different types of damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulte, R T; Fritzen, C-P; Moll, J

2010-01-01

During the last decades, guided waves have shown great potential for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) applications. These waves can be excited and sensed by piezoelectric elements that can be permanently attached onto a structure offering online monitoring capability. However, the setup of wave based SHM systems for complex structures may be very difficult and time consuming. For that reason there is a growing demand for efficient simulation tools providing the opportunity to design wave based SHM systems in a virtual environment. As usually high frequency waves are used, the associated short wavelength leads to the necessity of a very dense mesh, which makes conventional finite elements not well suited for this purpose. Therefore in this contribution a flat shell spectral element approach is presented. By including electromechanical coupling a SHM system can be simulated entirely from actuator voltage to sensor voltage. Besides a comparison to measured data for anisotropic materials including delamination, a numerical example of a more complex, stiffened shell structure with debonding is presented.

Overfishing and the replacement of demersal finfish by shellfish: an example from the English Channel.

Science.gov (United States)

Molfese, Carlotta; Beare, Doug; Hall-Spencer, Jason M

2014-01-01

The worldwide depletion of major fish stocks through intensive industrial fishing is thought to have profoundly altered the trophic structure of marine ecosystems. Here we assess changes in the trophic structure of the English Channel marine ecosystem using a 90-year time-series (1920-2010) of commercial fishery landings. Our analysis was based on estimates of the mean trophic level (mTL) of annual landings and the Fishing-in-Balance index (FiB). Food webs of the Channel ecosystem have been altered, as shown by a significant decline in the mTL of fishery landings whilst increases in the FiB index suggest increased fishing effort and fishery expansion. Large, high trophic level species (e.g. spurdog, cod, ling) have been increasingly replaced by smaller, low trophic level fish (e.g. small spotted catsharks) and invertebrates (e.g. scallops, crabs and lobster). Declining trophic levels in fisheries catches have occurred worldwide, with fish catches progressively being replaced by invertebrates. We argue that a network of fisheries closures would help rebalance the trophic status of the Channel and allow regeneration of marine ecosystems.

Properties of Non-Structural Concrete Made with Mixed Recycled Aggregates and Low Cement Content.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Uceda, Antonio; Ayuso, Jesús; López, Martin; Jimenez, José Ramón; Agrela, Francisco; Sierra, María José

2016-01-26

In spite of not being legally accepted in most countries, mixed recycled aggregates (MRA) could be a suitable raw material for concrete manufacturing. The aims of this research were as follows: (i) to analyze the effect of the replacement ratio of natural coarse aggregates with MRA, the amount of ceramic particles in MRA, and the amount of cement, on the mechanical and physical properties of a non-structural concrete made with a low cement content; and (ii) to verify if it is possible to achieve a low-strength concrete that replaces a greater amount of natural aggregate with MRA and that has a low cement content. Two series of concrete mixes were manufactured using 180 and 200 kg/m³ of CEM II/A-V 42.5 R type Portland cement. Each series included seven concrete mixes: one with natural aggregates; two MRA with different ceramic particle contents; and one for each coarse aggregate replacement ratio (20%, 40%, and 100%). To study their properties, compressive and splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, density, porosity, water penetration, and sorptivity, tests were performed. The results confirmed that the main factors affecting the properties analyzed in this research are the amount of cement and the replacement ratio; the two MRAs used in this work presented a similar influence on the properties. A non-structural, low-strength concrete (15 MPa) with an MRA replacement ratio of up to 100% for 200 kg/m³ of cement was obtained. This type of concrete could be applied in the construction of ditches, sidewalks, and other similar civil works.

Stochastic Finite Element Analysis of Non-Linear Structures Modelled by Plasticity Theory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frier, Christian; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard

2003-01-01

A Finite Element Reliability Method (FERM) is introduced to perform reliability analyses on two-dimensional structures in plane stress, modeled by non-linear plasticity theory. FERM is a coupling between the First Order Reliability Method (FORM) and the Finite Element Method (FEM). FERM can be us...

The sheaf-theoretic structure of non-locality and contextuality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abramsky, Samson; Brandenburger, Adam

2011-01-01

We use the mathematical language of sheaf theory to give a unified treatment of non-locality and contextuality, in a setting that generalizes the familiar probability tables used in non-locality theory to arbitrary measurement covers; this includes Kochen-Specker configurations and more. We show that contextuality, and non-locality as a special case, correspond exactly to obstructions to the existence of global sections. We describe a linear algebraic approach to computing these obstructions, which allows a systematic treatment of arguments for non-locality and contextuality. We distinguish a proper hierarchy of strengths of no-go theorems, and show that three leading examples—due to Bell, Hardy and Greenberger, Horne and Zeilinger, respectively—occupy successively higher levels of this hierarchy. A general correspondence is shown between the existence of local hidden-variable realizations using negative probabilities, and no-signalling; this is based on a result showing that the linear subspaces generated by the non-contextual and no-signalling models, over an arbitrary measurement cover, coincide. Maximal non-locality is generalized to maximal contextuality, and characterized in purely qualitative terms, as the non-existence of global sections in the support. A general setting is developed for the Kochen-Specker-type results, as generic, model-independent proofs of maximal contextuality, and a new combinatorial condition is given, which generalizes the ‘parity proofs’ commonly found in the literature. We also show how our abstract setting can be represented in quantum mechanics. This leads to a strengthening of the usual no-signalling theorem, which shows that quantum mechanics obeys no-signalling for arbitrary families of commuting observables, not just those represented on different factors of a tensor product. (paper)

A study of structure of phenomenology of consciousness in meditative and non-meditative states.

Science.gov (United States)

Venkatesh, S; Raju, T R; Shivani, Y; Tompkins, G; Meti, B L

1997-04-01

Twelve senior Kundalini (Chakra) meditators were assessed during meditation session and non-meditation or control session using Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory. The data has been analyzed using structural analysis to measure the altered state of consciousness and the identity state by comparing meditative state with non-meditative state. The structural analysis of pattern of consciousness during the meditative state revealed altered experience in perception (percentile rank PR = 90), meaning (PR = 82) and time sense (PR = 87), while positive affect dimension showed increased joy (PR = 73) and love (PR = 67). The imagery vividness (PR = 72), self-awareness (PR = 77), rationality (PR = 73) and arousal (PR = 69) were found to be structurally different from the ordinary state. With regards to identity state meditative experience was found to produce statistically significant changes in terms of intensity in meaning (P < 0.05), time sense (P < 0.05), joy (P < 0.05), love (P < 0.05) and state of awareness (P < 0.01). Our results indicate that long term practice of meditation appears to produce structural as well as intensity changes in phenomenological experiences of consciousness.

Comparison of Family Power Structure and Identity Style Between Delinquent and Non-Delinquent Juveniles.

Science.gov (United States)

Khodabakhshi Koolaee, Anahita; Rahmatizadeh, Masoumeh; Shaghelanilor, Hossein; Pocock, Lesley

2015-12-01

Adolescence denotes a time in which youth begins to experience dangerous behaviors like substance use and delinquency. In this study, we investigated the family power structure and identity style in delinquent and non-delinquent juveniles residing in Tehran, Iran. To accomplish the goal of the study, 80 adolescent delinquents of the correction and rehabilitation centers aged between 15 and 18 years were selected with convenience sampling method and 80 students of secondary school age between 15 and 18 years in Tehran, Iran in 2012. They answered the instrument of family power structure (Saidian, 2004) and identity style (ISI-6G: White et al. 1998). The obtained data were analyzed using the independent t-test, chi-square test, and Levene's test. The findings indicated a significant difference between delinquent and non-delinquent juveniles with regard to family power structure, its subscales (P family has a significant effect on deviant behavior and identity style in adolescents. So, family power structure can be considered in therapeutic interventions (prevention and treatment) for adolescent delinquency.

Non-linear dynamics of wind turbine wings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Jesper Winther; Nielsen, Søren R.K.

2006-01-01

The paper deals with the formulation of non-linear vibrations of a wind turbine wing described in a wing fixed moving coordinate system. The considered structural model is a Bernoulli-Euler beam with due consideration to axial twist. The theory includes geometrical non-linearities induced...

Mounting Systems for Structural Members, Fastening Assemblies Thereof, and Vibration Isolation Systems Including the Same

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Ken (Inventor); Hindle, Timothy (Inventor); Barber, Tim Daniel (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Mounting systems for structural members, fastening assemblies thereof, and vibration isolation systems including the same are provided. Mounting systems comprise a pair of mounting brackets, each clamped against a fastening assembly forming a mounting assembly. Fastening assemblies comprise a spherical rod end comprising a spherical member having a through opening and an integrally threaded shaft, first and second seating members on opposite sides of the spherical member and each having a through opening that is substantially coaxial with the spherical member through opening, and a partially threaded fastener that threadably engages each mounting bracket forming the mounting assembly. Structural members have axial end portions, each releasably coupled to a mounting bracket by the integrally threaded shaft. Axial end portions are threaded in opposite directions for permitting structural member rotation to adjust a length thereof to a substantially zero strain position. Structural members may be vibration isolator struts in vibration isolation systems.

Strain effect on graphene nanoribbon carrier statistic in the presence of non-parabolic band structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izuani Che Rosid, N A; Ahmadi, M T; Ismail, Razali

2016-01-01

The effect of tensile uniaxial strain on the non-parabolic electronic band structure of armchair graphene nanoribbon (AGNR) is investigated. In addition, the density of states and the carrier statistic based on the tight-binding Hamiltonian are modeled analytically. It is found that the property of AGNR in the non-parabolic band region is varied by the strain. The tunable energy band gap in AGNR upon strain at the minimum energy is described for each of n-AGNR families in the non-parabolic approximation. The behavior of AGNR in the presence of strain is attributed to the breakable AGNR electronic band structure, which varies the physical properties from its normality. The linear relation between the energy gap and the electrical properties is featured to further explain the characteristic of the deformed AGNR upon strain. (paper)

New MRI Markers for Alzheimer's Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Diffusion Tensor Imaging and a Comparison with Medial Temporal Lobe Measurements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Clerx, L.; Visser, P.J.; Verhey, F.; Aalten, P.

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for early Alzheimer's disease (AD) in comparison to widely accepted medial temporal lobe (MTL) atrophy measurements. A systematic literature research was performed into DTI and MTL atrophy in AD and

From structure prediction to genomic screens for novel non-coding RNAs.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorodkin, Jan; Hofacker, Ivo L

2011-08-01

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are receiving more and more attention not only as an abundant class of genes, but also as regulatory structural elements (some located in mRNAs). A key feature of RNA function is its structure. Computational methods were developed early for folding and prediction of RNA structure with the aim of assisting in functional analysis. With the discovery of more and more ncRNAs, it has become clear that a large fraction of these are highly structured. Interestingly, a large part of the structure is comprised of regular Watson-Crick and GU wobble base pairs. This and the increased amount of available genomes have made it possible to employ structure-based methods for genomic screens. The field has moved from folding prediction of single sequences to computational screens for ncRNAs in genomic sequence using the RNA structure as the main characteristic feature. Whereas early methods focused on energy-directed folding of single sequences, comparative analysis based on structure preserving changes of base pairs has been efficient in improving accuracy, and today this constitutes a key component in genomic screens. Here, we cover the basic principles of RNA folding and touch upon some of the concepts in current methods that have been applied in genomic screens for de novo RNA structures in searches for novel ncRNA genes and regulatory RNA structure on mRNAs. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the different strategies and how they can complement each other.

Is nuclear structure relevant to non-mesonic hyper-nuclear weak decay?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, H.C.; Aristizabal, M.F.; Ponce, W.A.

2002-01-01

This work studies the relevance of nuclear structure in the non-mesonic weak decay of Λ-hypernuclei, with the mechanism of ΛN → NN transition being restricted to one pion exchange (OPE) only. As an application, for the hypernucleus Λ 12 C a comparison between the L-S coupling and the j-j coupling gives an estimate of the range of nuclear structure effects. A considerable dependence is found of the total decay rate and the ratio Γ n /Γ p on the single particle properties of nuclear models. The possible contribution from the ΔI = 3/2 channel is investigated in a phenomenological manner. (author)

An equivalent frequency approach for determining non-linear effects on pre-tensioned-cable cross-braced structures

Science.gov (United States)

Giaccu, Gian Felice

2018-05-01

Pre-tensioned cable braces are widely used as bracing systems in various structural typologies. This technology is fundamentally utilized for stiffening purposes in the case of steel and timber structures. The pre-stressing force imparted to the braces provides to the system a remarkable increment of stiffness. On the other hand, the pre-tensioning force in the braces must be properly calibrated in order to satisfactorily meet both serviceability and ultimate limit states. Dynamic properties of these systems are however affected by non-linear behavior due to potential slackening of the pre-tensioned brace. In the recent years the author has been working on a similar problem regarding the non-linear response of cables in cable-stayed bridges and braced structures. In the present paper a displacement-based approach is used to examine the non-linear behavior of a building system. The methodology operates through linearization and allows obtaining an equivalent linearized frequency to approximately characterize, mode by mode, the dynamic behavior of the system. The equivalent frequency depends on both the mechanical characteristics of the system, the pre-tensioning level assigned to the braces and a characteristic vibration amplitude. The proposed approach can be used as a simplified technique, capable of linearizing the response of structural systems, characterized by non-linearity induced by the slackening of pre-tensioned braces.

Domain-specific impairment of source memory following a right posterior medial temporal lobe lesion.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Jan; Koch, Benno; Schwarz, Michael; Daum, Irene

2007-01-01

This single case analysis of memory performance in a patient with an ischemic lesion affecting posterior but not anterior right medial temporal lobe (MTL) indicates that source memory can be disrupted in a domain-specific manner. The patient showed normal recognition memory for gray-scale photos of objects (visual condition) and spoken words (auditory condition). While memory for visual source (texture/color of the background against which pictures appeared) was within the normal range, auditory source memory (male/female speaker voice) was at chance level, a performance pattern significantly different from the control group. This dissociation is consistent with recent fMRI evidence of anterior/posterior MTL dissociations depending upon the nature of source information (visual texture/color vs. auditory speaker voice). The findings are in good agreement with the view of dissociable memory processing by the perirhinal cortex (anterior MTL) and parahippocampal cortex (posterior MTL), depending upon the neocortical input that these regions receive. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

An efficient, large-scale, non-lattice-detection algorithm for exhaustive structural auditing of biomedical ontologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guo-Qiang; Xing, Guangming; Cui, Licong

2018-04-01

One of the basic challenges in developing structural methods for systematic audition on the quality of biomedical ontologies is the computational cost usually involved in exhaustive sub-graph analysis. We introduce ANT-LCA, a new algorithm for computing all non-trivial lowest common ancestors (LCA) of each pair of concepts in the hierarchical order induced by an ontology. The computation of LCA is a fundamental step for non-lattice approach for ontology quality assurance. Distinct from existing approaches, ANT-LCA only computes LCAs for non-trivial pairs, those having at least one common ancestor. To skip all trivial pairs that may be of no practical interest, ANT-LCA employs a simple but innovative algorithmic strategy combining topological order and dynamic programming to keep track of non-trivial pairs. We provide correctness proofs and demonstrate a substantial reduction in computational time for two largest biomedical ontologies: SNOMED CT and Gene Ontology (GO). ANT-LCA achieved an average computation time of 30 and 3 sec per version for SNOMED CT and GO, respectively, about 2 orders of magnitude faster than the best known approaches. Our algorithm overcomes a fundamental computational barrier in sub-graph based structural analysis of large ontological systems. It enables the implementation of a new breed of structural auditing methods that not only identifies potential problematic areas, but also automatically suggests changes to fix the issues. Such structural auditing methods can lead to more effective tools supporting ontology quality assurance work. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FlexAID: Revisiting Docking on Non-Native-Complex Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudreault, Francis; Najmanovich, Rafael J

2015-07-27

Small-molecule protein docking is an essential tool in drug design and to understand molecular recognition. In the present work we introduce FlexAID, a small-molecule docking algorithm that accounts for target side-chain flexibility and utilizes a soft scoring function, i.e. one that is not highly dependent on specific geometric criteria, based on surface complementarity. The pairwise energy parameters were derived from a large dataset of true positive poses and negative decoys from the PDBbind database through an iterative process using Monte Carlo simulations. The prediction of binding poses is tested using the widely used Astex dataset as well as the HAP2 dataset, while performance in virtual screening is evaluated using a subset of the DUD dataset. We compare FlexAID to AutoDock Vina, FlexX, and rDock in an extensive number of scenarios to understand the strengths and limitations of the different programs as well as to reported results for Glide, GOLD, and DOCK6 where applicable. The most relevant among these scenarios is that of docking on flexible non-native-complex structures where as is the case in reality, the target conformation in the bound form is not known a priori. We demonstrate that FlexAID, unlike other programs, is robust against increasing structural variability. FlexAID obtains equivalent sampling success as GOLD and performs better than AutoDock Vina or FlexX in all scenarios against non-native-complex structures. FlexAID is better than rDock when there is at least one critical side-chain movement required upon ligand binding. In virtual screening, FlexAID results are lower on average than those of AutoDock Vina and rDock. The higher accuracy in flexible targets where critical movements are required, intuitive PyMOL-integrated graphical user interface and free source code as well as precompiled executables for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS make FlexAID a welcome addition to the arsenal of existing small-molecule protein docking methods.

Application of golay complementary coded excitation schemes for non-destructive testing of sandwich structures

Science.gov (United States)

Arora, Vanita; Mulaveesala, Ravibabu

2017-06-01

In recent years, InfraRed Thermography (IRT) has become a widely accepted non-destructive testing technique to evaluate the structural integrity of composite sandwich structures due to its full-field, remote, fast and in-service inspection capabilities. This paper presents a novel infrared thermographic approach named as Golay complementary coded thermal wave imaging is presented to detect disbonds in a sandwich structure having face sheets from Glass/Carbon Fibre Reinforced (GFR/CFR) laminates and core of the wooden block.

Brain cortical structural differences between non-central nervous system cancer patients treated with and without chemotherapy compared to non-cancer controls: a cross-sectional pilot MRI study using clinically indicated scans

Science.gov (United States)

Shiroishi, Mark S.; Gupta, Vikash; Bigjahan, Bavrina; Cen, Steven Y.; Rashid, Faisal; Hwang, Darryl H.; Lerner, Alexander; Boyko, Orest B.; Liu, Chia-Shang Jason; Law, Meng; Thompson, Paul M.; Jahanshad, Neda

2017-11-01

Background: Increases in cancer survival have made understanding the basis of cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) more important. CRCI neuroimaging studies have traditionally used dedicated research brain MRIs in breast cancer survivors with small sample sizes; little is known about other non-CNS cancers. However, there is a wealth of unused data from clinically-indicated MRIs that could be used to study CRCI. Objective: Evaluate brain cortical structural differences in those with non-CNS cancers using clinically-indicated MRIs. Design: Cross-sectional Patients: Adult non-CNS cancer and non-cancer control (C) patients who underwent clinically-indicated MRIs. Methods: Brain cortical surface area and thickness were measured using 3D T1-weighted images. An age-adjusted linear regression model was used and the Benjamini and Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) corrected for multiple comparisons. Group comparisons were: cancer cases with chemotherapy (Ch+), cancer cases without chemotherapy (Ch-) and subgroup of lung cancer cases with and without chemotherapy vs C. Results: Sixty-four subjects were analyzed: 22 Ch+, 23 Ch- and 19 C patients. Subgroup analysis of 16 LCa was also performed. Statistically significant decreases in either cortical surface area or thickness were found in multiple ROIs primarily within the frontal and temporal lobes for all comparisons. Limitations: Several limitations were apparent including a small sample size that precluded adjustment for other covariates. Conclusions: Our preliminary results suggest that various types of non-CNS cancers, both with and without chemotherapy, may result in brain structural abnormalities. Also, there is a wealth of untapped clinical MRIs that could be used for future CRCI studies.

24 CFR 1000.162 - How will a recipient know that non-dwelling structures assisted under the IHBG program meet the...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...-dwelling structures assisted under the IHBG program meet the requirements of 1000.160? 1000.162 Section... that non-dwelling structures assisted under the IHBG program meet the requirements of 1000.160? (a) The... non-dwelling structure meets the limitation requirements of § 1000.160. If the recipient develops...

Giant Magnetoresistance Sensors: A Review on Structures and Non-Destructive Eddy Current Testing Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damhuji Rifai

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Non-destructive eddy current testing (ECT is widely used to examine structural defects in ferromagnetic pipe in the oil and gas industry. Implementation of giant magnetoresistance (GMR sensors as magnetic field sensors to detect the changes of magnetic field continuity have increased the sensitivity of eddy current techniques in detecting the material defect profile. However, not many researchers have described in detail the structure and issues of GMR sensors and their application in eddy current techniques for nondestructive testing. This paper will describe the implementation of GMR sensors in non-destructive testing eddy current testing. The first part of this paper will describe the structure and principles of GMR sensors. The second part outlines the principles and types of eddy current testing probe that have been studied and developed by previous researchers. The influence of various parameters on the GMR measurement and a factor affecting in eddy current testing will be described in detail in the third part of this paper. Finally, this paper will discuss the limitations of coil probe and compensation techniques that researchers have applied in eddy current testing probes. A comprehensive review of previous studies on the application of GMR sensors in non-destructive eddy current testing also be given at the end of this paper.

Giant Magnetoresistance Sensors: A Review on Structures and Non-Destructive Eddy Current Testing Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Rifai, Damhuji; Abdalla, Ahmed N.; Ali, Kharudin; Razali, Ramdan

2016-01-01

Non-destructive eddy current testing (ECT) is widely used to examine structural defects in ferromagnetic pipe in the oil and gas industry. Implementation of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors as magnetic field sensors to detect the changes of magnetic field continuity have increased the sensitivity of eddy current techniques in detecting the material defect profile. However, not many researchers have described in detail the structure and issues of GMR sensors and their application in eddy current techniques for nondestructive testing. This paper will describe the implementation of GMR sensors in non-destructive testing eddy current testing. The first part of this paper will describe the structure and principles of GMR sensors. The second part outlines the principles and types of eddy current testing probe that have been studied and developed by previous researchers. The influence of various parameters on the GMR measurement and a factor affecting in eddy current testing will be described in detail in the third part of this paper. Finally, this paper will discuss the limitations of coil probe and compensation techniques that researchers have applied in eddy current testing probes. A comprehensive review of previous studies on the application of GMR sensors in non-destructive eddy current testing also be given at the end of this paper. PMID:26927123

Non-iridescent structural colors from uniform-sized SiO2 colloids

Science.gov (United States)

Topçu, Gökhan; Güner, Tuğrul; Demir, Mustafa M.

2018-05-01

Structural colors have recently attracted interest from diverse fields of research due to their ease of fabrication and eco-friendliness. These types of colors are, in principle, achieved by periodically arranged submicron-diameter colloidal particles. The interaction of light with a structure containing long-range ordered colloidal particles leads to coloration; this usually varies depending on the angle of observation (iridescence). However, the majority of the applications demand constant color that is independent of the viewing angle (non-iridescence). In this work, silica colloids were obtained using the Stöber method at different sizes from 150 to 300 nm in an alcoholic dispersion. The casting of the dispersion on a substrate leaves behind a photonic crystal showing a colorful iridescent film. However, centrifugation and redispersion of the SiO2 particles into fresh solvent may cause the formation of small, aggregated silica domains in the new dispersion. The casting of this dispersion allows for the development of photonic glass, presumably due to the accumulation of aggregates showing stable colloidal film independent of viewing angle. Moreover, depending on the size of the silica colloids, non-iridescent photonic glasses with various colors (violet, blue, green, and orange) are obtained.

The nutritional geometry of liver disease including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Stephen J; Raubenheimer, David; Cogger, Victoria C; Macia, Laurence; Solon-Biet, Samantha M; Le Couteur, David G; George, Jacob

2018-02-01

Nutrition has a profound effect on chronic liver disease, especially non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Most observational studies and clinical trials have focussed on the effects of total energy intake, or the intake of individual macronutrients and certain micronutrients, such as vitamin D, on liver disease. Although these studies have shown the importance of nutrition on hepatic outcomes, there is not yet any unifying framework for understanding the relationship between diet and liver disease. The Geometric Framework for Nutrition (GFN) is an innovative model for designing nutritional experiments or interpreting nutritional data that can determine the effects of nutrients and their interactions on animal behaviour and phenotypes. Recently the GFN has provided insights into the relationship between dietary energy and macronutrients on obesity and ageing in mammals including humans. Mouse studies using the GFN have disentangled the effects of macronutrients on fatty liver and the gut microbiome. The GFN is likely to play a significant role in disentangling the effects of nutrients on liver disease, especially NAFLD, in humans. Copyright © 2017 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Secondary defects in non-metallic solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashbee, K.H.G.; Hobbs, L.W.

1977-01-01

This paper points out features of secondary defect formation which are peculiar to non-metallic solids (excluding elemental semiconductors). Most of the materials of interest are compounds of two or more (usually more or less ionic) atomic species, and immediate consequence of which is a need to maintain both stoichiometry (or accommodate non-stoichiometry) and order. Primary defects in these solids, whether produced thermally, chemically or by irradiation, seldom are present or aggregate in exactly stoichiometric proportions, and the resulting extending defect structures can be quite distinct from those found in metallic solids. Where stoichiometry is maintained, it is often convenient to describe extended defects in terms of alterations in the arrangement of 'molecular' units. The adoption of this procedure enables several novel features of extended defect structures in non-metals to be explained. There are several ways in which a range of non-stoichiometry can be accommodated, which include structural elimination of point defects, nucleation of new coherent phases of altered stoichiometry, and decomposition. (author)

Design and construction of the SSCL magnet test laboratory cryogenic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, M.A.; Kobel, T.A.

1992-01-01

The intent of this document is to provide a brief summary of the execution, by Process Systems International, Inc. (PSI), of the Design and Construction of the SSCL Magnet Test Laboratory Cryogenic Systems. This $30 million project requires the expenditure of over 200,000 manhours and the procurement of $17 million in materials within a two year period. SSC magnets will be performance tested at the Magnet Test Laboratory (MTL) and the Accelerator System String Test (ASST) facility under conditions simulating the environment of the SSC main ring. The cryogenic system consists of test stands (five for MTL, one for ASST) and the associated equipment including cryogenic storage, purification, thermal conditioning, and helium refrigeration necessary to support the test program

Improved Riccati Transfer Matrix Method for Free Vibration of Non-Cylindrical Helical Springs Including Warping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.M. Yu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Free vibration equations for non-cylindrical (conical, barrel, and hyperboloidal types helical springs with noncircular cross-sections, which consist of 14 first-order ordinary differential equations with variable coefficients, are theoretically derived using spatially curved beam theory. In the formulation, the warping effect upon natural frequencies and vibrating mode shapes is first studied in addition to including the rotary inertia, the shear and axial deformation influences. The natural frequencies of the springs are determined by the use of improved Riccati transfer matrix method. The element transfer matrix used in the solution is calculated using the Scaling and Squaring method and Pad'e approximations. Three examples are presented for three types of springs with different cross-sectional shapes under clamped-clamped boundary condition. The accuracy of the proposed method has been compared with the FEM results using three-dimensional solid elements (Solid 45 in ANSYS code. Numerical results reveal that the warping effect is more pronounced in the case of non-cylindrical helical springs than that of cylindrical helical springs, which should be taken into consideration in the free vibration analysis of such springs.

A non-local structural derivative model for characterization of ultraslow diffusion in dense colloids

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Yingjie; Chen, Wen

2018-03-01

Ultraslow diffusion has been observed in numerous complicated systems. Its mean squared displacement (MSD) is not a power law function of time, but instead a logarithmic function, and in some cases grows even more slowly than the logarithmic rate. The distributed-order fractional diffusion equation model simply does not work for the general ultraslow diffusion. Recent study has used the local structural derivative to describe ultraslow diffusion dynamics by using the inverse Mittag-Leffler function as the structural function, in which the MSD is a function of inverse Mittag-Leffler function. In this study, a new stretched logarithmic diffusion law and its underlying non-local structural derivative diffusion model are proposed to characterize the ultraslow diffusion in aging dense colloidal glass at both the short and long waiting times. It is observed that the aging dynamics of dense colloids is a class of the stretched logarithmic ultraslow diffusion processes. Compared with the power, the logarithmic, and the inverse Mittag-Leffler diffusion laws, the stretched logarithmic diffusion law has better precision in fitting the MSD of the colloidal particles at high densities. The corresponding non-local structural derivative diffusion equation manifests clear physical mechanism, and its structural function is equivalent to the first-order derivative of the MSD.

Episodic reinstatement in the medial temporal lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Staresina, Bernhard P; Henson, Richard N A; Kriegeskorte, Nikolaus; Alink, Arjen

2012-12-12

The essence of episodic memory is our ability to reexperience past events in great detail, even in the absence of external stimulus cues. Does the phenomenological reinstatement of past experiences go along with reinstating unique neural representations in the brain? And if so, how is this accomplished by the medial temporal lobe (MTL), a brain region intimately linked to episodic memory? Computational models suggest that such reinstatement (also termed "pattern completion") in cortical regions is mediated by the hippocampus, a key region of the MTL. Although recent functional magnetic resonance imaging studies demonstrated reinstatement of coarse item properties like stimulus category or task context across different brain regions, it has not yet been shown whether reinstatement can be observed at the level of individual, discrete events-arguably the defining feature of episodic memory-nor whether MTL structures like the hippocampus support this "true episodic" reinstatement. Here we show that neural activity patterns for unique word-scene combinations encountered during encoding are reinstated in human parahippocampal cortex (PhC) during retrieval. Critically, this reinstatement occurs when word-scene combinations are successfully recollected (even though the original scene is not visually presented) and does not encompass other stimulus domains (such as word-color associations). Finally, the degree of PhC reinstatement across retrieval events correlated with hippocampal activity, consistent with a role of the hippocampus in coordinating pattern completion in cortical regions.

Evaluation for the retention of reproductive structures by Bt and non ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The retention of the reproductive structures (bolls) was evaluated at 90,120 and 160 days of maturity in eight Bt and non-Bt hybrids from three Private R&D establishments on three dates of sowings (90,120 and 160 days of maturity) and two spacings of 67.5 x 60 cm and 100 x 30 cm. Ankur group Bt hybrids; 651, 2226 and ...

Crystal Structure of the Dithiol Oxidase DsbA Enzyme from Proteus Mirabilis Bound Non-covalently to an Active Site Peptide Ligand

Science.gov (United States)

Kurth, Fabian; Duprez, Wilko; Premkumar, Lakshmanane; Schembri, Mark A.; Fairlie, David P.; Martin, Jennifer L.

2014-01-01

The disulfide bond forming DsbA enzymes and their DsbB interaction partners are attractive targets for development of antivirulence drugs because both are essential for virulence factor assembly in Gram-negative pathogens. Here we characterize PmDsbA from Proteus mirabilis, a bacterial pathogen increasingly associated with multidrug resistance. PmDsbA exhibits the characteristic properties of a DsbA, including an oxidizing potential, destabilizing disulfide, acidic active site cysteine, and dithiol oxidase catalytic activity. We evaluated a peptide, PWATCDS, derived from the partner protein DsbB and showed by thermal shift and isothermal titration calorimetry that it binds to PmDsbA. The crystal structures of PmDsbA, and the active site variant PmDsbAC30S were determined to high resolution. Analysis of these structures allows categorization of PmDsbA into the DsbA class exemplified by the archetypal Escherichia coli DsbA enzyme. We also present a crystal structure of PmDsbAC30S in complex with the peptide PWATCDS. The structure shows that the peptide binds non-covalently to the active site CXXC motif, the cis-Pro loop, and the hydrophobic groove adjacent to the active site of the enzyme. This high-resolution structural data provides a critical advance for future structure-based design of non-covalent peptidomimetic inhibitors. Such inhibitors would represent an entirely new antibacterial class that work by switching off the DSB virulence assembly machinery. PMID:24831013

Sleep-effects on implicit and explicit memory in repeated visual search.

Science.gov (United States)

Geyer, Thomas; Mueller, Hermann J; Assumpcao, Leonardo; Gais, Steffen

2013-01-01

In repeated visual search tasks, facilitation of reaction times (RTs) due to repetition of the spatial arrangement of items occurs independently of RT facilitation due to improvements in general task performance. Whereas the latter represents typical procedural learning, the former is a kind of implicit memory that depends on the medial temporal lobe (MTL) memory system and is impaired in patients with amnesia. A third type of memory that develops during visual search is the observers' explicit knowledge of repeated displays. Here, we used a visual search task to investigate whether procedural memory, implicit contextual cueing, and explicit knowledge of repeated configurations, which all arise independently from the same set of stimuli, are influenced by sleep. Observers participated in two experimental sessions, separated by either a nap or a controlled rest period. In each of the two sessions, they performed a visual search task in combination with an explicit recognition task. We found that (1) across sessions, MTL-independent procedural learning was more pronounced for the nap than rest group. This confirms earlier findings, albeit from different motor and perceptual tasks, showing that procedural memory can benefit from sleep. (2) Likewise, the sleep group compared with the rest group showed enhanced context-dependent configural learning in the second session. This is a novel finding, indicating that the MTL-dependent, implicit memory underlying contextual cueing is also sleep-dependent. (3) By contrast, sleep and wake groups displayed equivalent improvements in explicit recognition memory in the second session. Overall, the current study shows that sleep affects MTL-dependent as well as MTL-independent memory, but it affects different, albeit simultaneously acquired, forms of MTL-dependent memory differentially.

A tobacco cDNA reveals two different transcription patterns in vegetative and reproductive organs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. da Silva

2002-08-01

Full Text Available In order to identify genes expressed in the pistil that may have a role in the reproduction process, we have established an expressed sequence tags project to randomly sequence clones from a Nicotiana tabacum stigma/style cDNA library. A cDNA clone (MTL-8 showing high sequence similarity to genes encoding glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins was chosen for further characterization. Based on the extensive identity of MTL-8 to the RGP-1a sequence of N. sylvestris, a primer was defined to extend the 5' sequence of MTL-8 by RT-PCR from stigma/style RNAs. The amplification product was sequenced and it was confirmed that MTL-8 corresponds to an mRNA encoding a glycine-rich RNA-binding protein. Two transcripts of different sizes and expression patterns were identified when the MTL-8 cDNA insert was used as a probe in RNA blots. The largest is 1,100 nucleotides (nt long and markedly predominant in ovaries. The smaller transcript, with 600 nt, is ubiquitous to the vegetative and reproductive organs analyzed (roots, stems, leaves, sepals, petals, stamens, stigmas/styles and ovaries. Plants submitted to stress (wounding, virus infection and ethylene treatment presented an increased level of the 600-nt transcript in leaves, especially after tobacco necrosis virus infection. In contrast, the level of the 1,100-nt transcript seems to be unaffected by the stress conditions tested. Results of Southern blot experiments have suggested that MTL-8 is present in one or two copies in the tobacco genome. Our results suggest that the shorter transcript is related to stress while the larger one is a flower predominant and nonstress-inducible messenger.

Non-Linear Three Dimensional Finite Elements for Composite Concrete Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Kohnehpooshi

Full Text Available Abstract The current investigation focused on the development of effective and suitable modelling of reinforced concrete component with and without strengthening. The modelling includes physical and constitutive models. New interface elements have been developed, while modified constitutive law have been applied and new computational algorithm is utilised. The new elements are the Truss-link element to model the interaction between concrete and reinforcement bars, the interface element between two plate bending elements and the interface element to represent the interfacial behaviour between FRP, steel plates and concrete. Nonlinear finite-element (FE codes were developed with pre-processing. The programme was written using FORTRAN language. The accuracy and efficiency of the finite element programme were achieved by analyzing several examples from the literature. The application of the 3D FE code was further enhanced by carrying out the numerical analysis of the three dimensional finite element analysis of FRP strengthened RC beams, as well as the 3D non-linear finite element analysis of girder bridge. Acceptable distributions of slip, deflection, stresses in the concrete and FRP plate have also been found. These results show that the new elements are effective and appropriate to be used for structural component modelling.

MASTR: multiple alignment and structure prediction of non-coding RNAs using simulated annealing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindgreen, Stinus; Gardner, Paul P; Krogh, Anders

2007-01-01

function that considers sequence conservation, covariation and basepairing probabilities. The results show that the method is very competitive to similar programs available today, both in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency. AVAILABILITY: Source code available from http://mastr.binf.ku.dk/......MOTIVATION: As more non-coding RNAs are discovered, the importance of methods for RNA analysis increases. Since the structure of ncRNA is intimately tied to the function of the molecule, programs for RNA structure prediction are necessary tools in this growing field of research. Furthermore......, it is known that RNA structure is often evolutionarily more conserved than sequence. However, few existing methods are capable of simultaneously considering multiple sequence alignment and structure prediction. RESULT: We present a novel solution to the problem of simultaneous structure prediction...

Non-Uniform Sampling and J-UNIO Automation for Efficient Protein NMR Structure Determination.

Science.gov (United States)

Didenko, Tatiana; Proudfoot, Andrew; Dutta, Samit Kumar; Serrano, Pedro; Wüthrich, Kurt

2015-08-24

High-resolution structure determination of small proteins in solution is one of the big assets of NMR spectroscopy in structural biology. Improvements in the efficiency of NMR structure determination by advances in NMR experiments and automation of data handling therefore attracts continued interest. Here, non-uniform sampling (NUS) of 3D heteronuclear-resolved [(1)H,(1)H]-NOESY data yielded two- to three-fold savings of instrument time for structure determinations of soluble proteins. With the 152-residue protein NP_372339.1 from Staphylococcus aureus and the 71-residue protein NP_346341.1 from Streptococcus pneumonia we show that high-quality structures can be obtained with NUS NMR data, which are equally well amenable to robust automated analysis as the corresponding uniformly sampled data. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

From structure prediction to genomic screens for novel non-coding RNAs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Gorodkin

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs are receiving more and more attention not only as an abundant class of genes, but also as regulatory structural elements (some located in mRNAs. A key feature of RNA function is its structure. Computational methods were developed early for folding and prediction of RNA structure with the aim of assisting in functional analysis. With the discovery of more and more ncRNAs, it has become clear that a large fraction of these are highly structured. Interestingly, a large part of the structure is comprised of regular Watson-Crick and GU wobble base pairs. This and the increased amount of available genomes have made it possible to employ structure-based methods for genomic screens. The field has moved from folding prediction of single sequences to computational screens for ncRNAs in genomic sequence using the RNA structure as the main characteristic feature. Whereas early methods focused on energy-directed folding of single sequences, comparative analysis based on structure preserving changes of base pairs has been efficient in improving accuracy, and today this constitutes a key component in genomic screens. Here, we cover the basic principles of RNA folding and touch upon some of the concepts in current methods that have been applied in genomic screens for de novo RNA structures in searches for novel ncRNA genes and regulatory RNA structure on mRNAs. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the different strategies and how they can complement each other.

Digital Recording and Non-Destructive Techniques for the Understanding of Structural Performance for Rehabilitating Historic Structures at the Kathmandu Valley after Gorkha Earthquake 2015

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, S.; Reina Ortiz, M.; Gutland, M.; Napolitano, R.; Morris, I. M.; Santana Quintero, M.; Erochko, J.; Kawan, S.; Shrestha, R. G.; Awal, P.; Suwal, S.; Duwal, S.; Maharjan, D. K.

2017-08-01

On 25 April 2015, the Gorkha earthquake of magnitude 7.8, severely damaged the cultural heritage sites of Nepal. In particular, the seven monument zones of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site suffered extensive damage. Out of 195 surveyed monuments, 38 have completely collapsed and 157 partially damaged (DoA, 2015). In particular, the world historic city of Bhaktapur was heavily affected by the earthquake. There is, in general, a lack of knowledge regarding the traditional construction technology used in many of the most important temple monuments in Bhaktapur. To address this limitation and to assist in reconstruction and rehabilitation of the area, this study documents the existing condition of different historic structures in the Kathmandu Valley. In particular, the Nyatapola Temple is studied in detail. To record and document the condition of this temple, a combination of laser scanning and terrestrial and aerial photogrammetry are used. By also including evaluation of the temple and its supporting plinth structure using non-destructive evaluation techniques like geo-radar and micro-tremor dynamic analysis, this study will form the basis of a structural analysis study to assess the anticipated future seismic performance of the Nyatapola Temple.

Neuronal codes for visual perception and memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Quian Quiroga, Rodrigo

2016-03-01

In this review, I describe and contrast the representation of stimuli in visual cortical areas and in the medial temporal lobe (MTL). While cortex is characterized by a distributed and implicit coding that is optimal for recognition and storage of semantic information, the MTL shows a much sparser and explicit coding of specific concepts that is ideal for episodic memory. I will describe the main characteristics of the coding in the MTL by the so-called concept cells and will then propose a model of the formation and recall of episodic memory based on partially overlapping assemblies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of impulse generated by the detonation of anti-tank mines by using the VLIP technique

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

De Koker, PM

2009-09-01

Full Text Available -120 mm Mortar. Artillery rounds up to 155mm MTL-06 A/T HC AT-4 MTL-07 A/T SFF TMRP-6, TMRP-7, TMK-2, UKA-63 MTL-08 UXO heavy size 250-500 kg a/c bombs, sea mines 1 Landwards Sciences is a....8000 1.0000 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 Time [s] D is pl ac em en t [ m [ Displacement Linear (Displacement) Displacement TMA3 #2 y = 14.026x + 0.0086 0.0000 0.2000 0.4000 0.6000 0.8000 1.0000 1.2000 1.4000 1.6000 0 0...

Three-point phase correlations: A new measure of non-linear large-scale structure

CERN Document Server

Wolstenhulme, Richard; Obreschkow, Danail

2015-01-01

We derive an analytical expression for a novel large-scale structure observable: the line correlation function. The line correlation function, which is constructed from the three-point correlation function of the phase of the density field, is a robust statistical measure allowing the extraction of information in the non-linear and non-Gaussian regime. We show that, in perturbation theory, the line correlation is sensitive to the coupling kernel F_2, which governs the non-linear gravitational evolution of the density field. We compare our analytical expression with results from numerical simulations and find a very good agreement for separations r>20 Mpc/h. Fitting formulae for the power spectrum and the non-linear coupling kernel at small scales allow us to extend our prediction into the strongly non-linear regime. We discuss the advantages of the line correlation relative to standard statistical measures like the bispectrum. Unlike the latter, the line correlation is independent of the linear bias. Furtherm...

Numerical modeling for the electromagnetic non-destructive evaluation: application to the non-destructive evaluation of concrete; Modelisation numerique pour l'evaluation non destructive electromagnetique: application au controle non destructif des structures en beton

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Travassos, L

2007-06-15

Concrete is the most common building material and accounts for a large part of the systems that are necessary for a country to operate smoothly including buildings, roads, and bridges. Nondestructive testing is one of the techniques that can be used to assess the structural condition. It provides non perceptible information that conventional techniques of evaluation unable to do. The main objective of this work is the numerical simulation of a particular technique of nondestructive testing: the radar. The numerical modeling of the radar assessment of concrete structures make it possible to envisage the behavior of the system and its capacity to detect defects in various configurations. To achieve this objective, it was implemented electromagnetic wave propagation models in concrete structures, by using various numerical techniques to examine different aspects of the radar inspection. First of all, we implemented the finite-difference time-domain method in 3D which allows to take into account concrete characteristics such as porosity, salt content and the degree of saturation of the mixture by using Debye models. In addition, a procedure to improve the radiation pattern of bow-tie antennas is presented. This approach involves the Moment Method in conjunction with the Multi objective Genetic Algorithm. Finally, we implemented imaging algorithms which can perform fast and precise characterization of buried targets in inhomogeneous medium by using three different methods. The performance of the proposed algorithms is confirmed by numerical simulations. (author)

Spatial and Temporal Episodic Memory Retrieval Recruit Dissociable Functional Networks in the Human Brain

Science.gov (United States)

Ekstrom, Arne D.; Bookheimer, Susan Y.

2007-01-01

Imaging, electrophysiological studies, and lesion work have shown that the medial temporal lobe (MTL) is important for episodic memory; however, it is unclear whether different MTL regions support the spatial, temporal, and item elements of episodic memory. In this study we used fMRI to examine retrieval performance emphasizing different aspects…

Adaptation to Cognitive Context and Item Information in the Medial Temporal Lobes

Science.gov (United States)

Diana, Rachel A.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.; Ranganath, Charan

2012-01-01

The medial temporal lobes (MTL) play an essential role in episodic memory, and accumulating evidence indicates that two MTL subregions--the perirhinal (PRc) and parahippocampal (PHc) cortices--might have different functions. According to the binding of item and context theory ( [16] and [21]), PRc is involved in processing item information, the…

Electrochemical cell structure including an ionomeric barrier

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Timothy N.; Hibbs, Michael

2017-06-20

An apparatus includes an electrochemical half-cell comprising: an electrolyte, an anode; and an ionomeric barrier positioned between the electrolyte and the anode. The anode may comprise a multi-electron vanadium phosphorous alloy, such as VP.sub.x, wherein x is 1-5. The electrochemical half-cell is configured to oxidize the vanadium and phosphorous alloy to release electrons. A method of mitigating corrosion in an electrochemical cell includes disposing an ionomeric barrier in a path of electrolyte or ion flow to an anode and mitigating anion accumulation on the surface of the anode.

Impact simulation of liquid-filled containers including fluid-structure interaction--Part 1: Theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauve, R.G.; Morandin, G.D.; Nadeau, E.

1993-01-01

In a number of applications, the hydrodynamic effect of a fluid must be included in the structural evaluation of liquid-filled vessels undergoing transient loading. Prime examples are liquid radioactive waste transportation packages. These packages must demonstrate the ability to withstand severe accidental impact scenarios. A hydrodynamic model of the fluid is developed using a finite element discretization of the momentum equations for a three-dimensional continuum. An inviscid fluid model with an isotropic stress state is considered. A barotropic equation of state, relating volumetric strain to pressure, is used to characterize the fluid behavior. The formulation considers the continuum as a compressible medium only, so that no tension fields are permitted. The numerical technique is incorporated into the existing general-purpose three-dimensional structural computer code H3DMAP. Part 1 of the paper describes the theory and implementation along with comparisons with classical theory. Part 2 describes the experimental validations of the theoretical approach. Excellent correlation between predicted and experimental results is obtained

Properties of Non-Structural Concrete Made with Mixed Recycled Aggregates and Low Cement Content

Science.gov (United States)

López-Uceda, Antonio; Ayuso, Jesús; López, Martin; Jimenez, José Ramón; Agrela, Francisco; Sierra, María José

2016-01-01

In spite of not being legally accepted in most countries, mixed recycled aggregates (MRA) could be a suitable raw material for concrete manufacturing. The aims of this research were as follows: (i) to analyze the effect of the replacement ratio of natural coarse aggregates with MRA, the amount of ceramic particles in MRA, and the amount of cement, on the mechanical and physical properties of a non-structural concrete made with a low cement content; and (ii) to verify if it is possible to achieve a low-strength concrete that replaces a greater amount of natural aggregate with MRA and that has a low cement content. Two series of concrete mixes were manufactured using 180 and 200 kg/m3 of CEM II/A-V 42.5 R type Portland cement. Each series included seven concrete mixes: one with natural aggregates; two MRA with different ceramic particle contents; and one for each coarse aggregate replacement ratio (20%, 40%, and 100%). To study their properties, compressive and splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, density, porosity, water penetration, and sorptivity, tests were performed. The results confirmed that the main factors affecting the properties analyzed in this research are the amount of cement and the replacement ratio; the two MRAs used in this work presented a similar influence on the properties. A non-structural, low-strength concrete (15 MPa) with an MRA replacement ratio of up to 100% for 200 kg/m3 of cement was obtained. This type of concrete could be applied in the construction of ditches, sidewalks, and other similar civil works. PMID:28787874

The development of brain systems associated with successful memory retrieval of scenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ofen, Noa; Chai, Xiaoqian J; Schuil, Karen D I; Whitfield-Gabrieli, Susan; Gabrieli, John D E

2012-07-18

Neuroanatomical and psychological evidence suggests prolonged maturation of declarative memory systems in the human brain from childhood into young adulthood. Here, we examine functional brain development during successful memory retrieval of scenes in children, adolescents, and young adults ages 8-21 via functional magnetic resonance imaging. Recognition memory improved with age, specifically for accurate identification of studied scenes (hits). Successful retrieval (correct old-new decisions for studied vs unstudied scenes) was associated with activations in frontal, parietal, and medial temporal lobe (MTL) regions. Activations associated with successful retrieval increased with age in left parietal cortex (BA7), bilateral prefrontal, and bilateral caudate regions. In contrast, activations associated with successful retrieval did not change with age in the MTL. Psychophysiological interaction analysis revealed that there were, however, age-relate changes in differential connectivity for successful retrieval between MTL and prefrontal regions. These results suggest that neocortical regions related to attentional or strategic control show the greatest developmental changes for memory retrieval of scenes. Furthermore, these results suggest that functional interactions between MTL and prefrontal regions during memory retrieval also develop into young adulthood. The developmental increase of memory-related activations in frontal and parietal regions for retrieval of scenes and the absence of such an increase in MTL regions parallels what has been observed for memory encoding of scenes.

Assuring the reliability of structural components - experimental data and non-destructive examination requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lucia, A.C.

1984-01-01

The probability of failure of a structural component can be estimated by either statistical methods or a probabilistic structural reliability approach (where the failure is seen as a level crossing of a damage stochastic process which develops in space and in time). The probabilistic approach has the advantage that it makes available not only an absolute value of the failure probability but also a lot of additional information. The disadvantage of the probabilistic approach is its complexity. It is discussed for the following situations: reliability of a structural component, material properties, data for fatigue crack growth evaluation, a bench mark exercise on reactor pressure vessel failure probability computation, and non-destructive examination for assuring a given level of structural reliability. (U.K.)

A Comparison of Effectiveness of Structured and Non-Structured Strategies of Rhetorical Invention for Written Argumentation Produced by Community College Students

OpenAIRE

Smolova, Alona A

1999-01-01

A recent shift in the composition studies has resulted in the renewal of interest in rhetorical invention. There is no uniformity among researchers and professionals about the optimal conditions preceding the composing process, especially among college students. This study was intended to explore the effectiveness of structured (Larson's Heuristic) and non-structured (freewriting) strategies of rhetorical invention produced by community college students. The objectives of this study were to d...

On structural identifiability analysis of the cascaded linear dynamic systems in isotopically non-stationary 13C labelling experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Weilu; Wang, Zejian; Huang, Mingzhi; Zhuang, Yingping; Zhang, Siliang

2018-06-01

The isotopically non-stationary 13C labelling experiments, as an emerging experimental technique, can estimate the intracellular fluxes of the cell culture under an isotopic transient period. However, to the best of our knowledge, the issue of the structural identifiability analysis of non-stationary isotope experiments is not well addressed in the literature. In this work, the local structural identifiability analysis for non-stationary cumomer balance equations is conducted based on the Taylor series approach. The numerical rank of the Jacobian matrices of the finite extended time derivatives of the measured fractions with respect to the free parameters is taken as the criterion. It turns out that only one single time point is necessary to achieve the structural identifiability analysis of the cascaded linear dynamic system of non-stationary isotope experiments. The equivalence between the local structural identifiability of the cascaded linear dynamic systems and the local optimum condition of the nonlinear least squares problem is elucidated in the work. Optimal measurements sets can then be determined for the metabolic network. Two simulated metabolic networks are adopted to demonstrate the utility of the proposed method. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quasiparticle semiconductor band structures including spin-orbit interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Malone, Brad D; Cohen, Marvin L

2013-03-13

We present first-principles calculations of the quasiparticle band structure of the group IV materials Si and Ge and the group III-V compound semiconductors AlP, AlAs, AlSb, InP, InAs, InSb, GaP, GaAs and GaSb. Calculations are performed using the plane wave pseudopotential method and the 'one-shot' GW method, i.e. G(0)W(0). Quasiparticle band structures, augmented with the effects of spin-orbit, are obtained via a Wannier interpolation of the obtained quasiparticle energies and calculated spin-orbit matrix. Our calculations explicitly treat the shallow semicore states of In and Ga, which are known to be important in the description of the electronic properties, as valence states in the quasiparticle calculation. Our calculated quasiparticle energies, combining both the ab initio evaluation of the electron self-energy and the vector part of the pseudopotential representing the spin-orbit effects, are in generally very good agreement with experimental values. These calculations illustrate the predictive power of the methodology as applied to group IV and III-V semiconductors.

Neural Correlates of Confidence during Item Recognition and Source Memory Retrieval: Evidence for Both Dual-Process and Strength Memory Theories

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Scott M.; Buchler, Norbou; Stokes, Jared; Kragel, James; Cabeza, Roberto

2011-01-01

Although the medial-temporal lobes (MTL), PFC, and parietal cortex are considered primary nodes in the episodic memory network, there is much debate regarding the contributions of MTL, PFC, and parietal subregions to recollection versus familiarity (dual-process theory) and the feasibility of accounts on the basis of a single memory strength…

Detecting Molecular Features of Spectra Mainly Associated with Structural and Non-Structural Carbohydrates in Co-Products from BioEthanol Production Using DRIFT with Uni- and Multivariate Molecular Spectral Analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Peiqiang; Damiran, Daalkhaijav; Azarfar, Arash; Niu, Zhiyuan

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to use DRIFT spectroscopy with uni- and multivariate molecular spectral analyses as a novel approach to detect molecular features of spectra mainly associated with carbohydrate in the co-products (wheat DDGS, corn DDGS, blend DDGS) from bioethanol processing in comparison with original feedstock (wheat (Triticum), corn (Zea mays)). The carbohydrates related molecular spectral bands included: A_Cell (structural carbohydrates, peaks area region and baseline: ca. 1485–1188 cm−1), A_1240 (structural carbohydrates, peak area centered at ca. 1240 cm−1 with region and baseline: ca. 1292–1198 cm−1), A_CHO (total carbohydrates, peaks region and baseline: ca. 1187–950 cm−1), A_928 (non-structural carbohydrates, peak area centered at ca. 928 cm−1 with region and baseline: ca. 952–910 cm−1), A_860 (non-structural carbohydrates, peak area centered at ca. 860 cm−1 with region and baseline: ca. 880–827 cm−1), H_1415 (structural carbohydrate, peak height centered at ca. 1415 cm−1 with baseline: ca. 1485–1188 cm−1), H_1370 (structural carbohydrate, peak height at ca. 1370 cm−1 with a baseline: ca. 1485–1188 cm−1). The study shows that the grains had lower spectral intensity (KM Unit) of the cellulosic compounds of A_1240 (8.5 vs. 36.6, P carbohydrate of A_928 (17.3 vs. 2.0) and A_860 (20.7 vs. 7.6) than their co-products from bioethanol processing. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in the peak area intensities of A_Cell (structural CHO) at 1292–1198 cm−1 and A_CHO (total CHO) at 1187–950 cm−1 with average molecular infrared intensity KM unit of 226.8 and 508.1, respectively. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in the peak height intensities of H_1415 and H_1370 (structural CHOs) with average intensities 1.35 and 1.15, respectively. The multivariate molecular spectral analyses were able to discriminate and classify between the corn and corn DDGS molecular spectra, but not wheat and wheat DDGS. This

Technique for large-scale structural mapping at uranium deposits i in non-metamorphosed sedimentary cover rocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kochkin, B.T.

1985-01-01

The technique for large-scale construction (1:1000 - 1:10000), reflecting small amplitude fracture plicate structures, is given for uranium deposits in non-metamorphozed sedimentary cover rocks. Structure drill log sections, as well as a set of maps with the results of area analysis of hidden disturbances, structural analysis of iso-pachous lines and facies of platform mantle horizons serve as sour ce materials for structural mapplotting. The steps of structural map construction are considered: 1) structural carcass construction; 2) reconstruction of structure contour; 3) time determination of structure initiation; 4) plotting of an additional geologic load

Crystal structures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis GlgE and complexes with non-covalent inhibitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lindenberger, Jared J.; Veleti, Sri Kumar; Wilson, Brittney N.; Sucheck, Steven J.; Ronning, Donald R. (Toledo)

2015-08-06

GlgE is a bacterial maltosyltransferase that catalyzes the elongation of a cytosolic, branched α-glucan. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb), inactivation of GlgE (Mtb GlgE) results in the rapid death of the organism due to a toxic accumulation of the maltosyl donor, maltose-1-phosphate (M1P), suggesting that GlgE is an intriguing target for inhibitor design. In this study, the crystal structures of the Mtb GlgE in a binary complex with maltose and a ternary complex with maltose and a maltosyl-acceptor molecule, maltohexaose, were solved to 3.3 Å and 4.0 Å, respectively. The maltohexaose structure reveals a dominant site for α-glucan binding. To obtain more detailed interactions between first generation, non-covalent inhibitors and GlgE, a variant Streptomyces coelicolor GlgEI (Sco GlgEI-V279S) was made to better emulate the Mtb GlgE M1P binding site. The structure of Sco GlgEI-V279S complexed with α-maltose-C-phosphonate (MCP), a non-hydrolyzable substrate analogue, was solved to 1.9 Å resolution, and the structure of Sco GlgEI-V279S complexed with 2,5-dideoxy-3-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-2,5-imino-D-mannitol (DDGIM), an oxocarbenium mimic, was solved to 2.5 Å resolution. These structures detail important interactions that contribute to the inhibitory activity of these compounds, and provide information on future designs that may be exploited to improve upon these first generation GlgE inhibitors.

Identification of an Equivalent Linear Model for a Non-Linear Time-Variant RC-Structure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkegaard, Poul Henning; Andersen, P.; Brincker, Rune

are investigated and compared with ARMAX models used on a running window. The techniques are evaluated using simulated data generated by the non-linear finite element program SARCOF modeling a 10-storey 3-bay concrete structure subjected to amplitude modulated Gaussian white noise filtered through a Kanai......This paper considers estimation of the maximum softening for a RC-structure subjected to earthquake excitation. The so-called Maximum Softening damage indicator relates the global damage state of the RC-structure to the relative decrease of the fundamental eigenfrequency in an equivalent linear...

T-duality with H-flux. Non-commutativity, T-folds and G x G structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grange, P.

2006-09-01

Various approaches to T-duality with NSNS three-form flux are reconciled. Non-commutative torus fibrations are shown to be the open-string version of T-folds. The non-geometric T-dual of a three-torus with uniform flux is embedded into a generalized complex six-torus, and the non-geometry is probed by D0-branes regarded as generalized complex submanifolds. The non-commutativity scale, which is present in these compactifications, is given by a holomorphic Poisson bivector that also encodes the variation of the dimension of the world-volume of D-branes under monodromy. This bivector is shown to exist in SU(3) x SU(3) structure compactifications, which have been proposed as mirrors to NSNS-flux backgrounds. The two SU(3)-invariant spinors are generically not parallel, thereby giving rise to a non-trivial Poisson bivector. Furthermore we show that for non-geometric T-duals, the Poisson bivector may not be decomposable into the tensor product of vectors. (orig.)

Discerning non-autonomous dynamics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clemson, Philip T.; Stefanovska, Aneta, E-mail: aneta@lancaster.ac.uk

2014-09-30

Structure and function go hand in hand. However, while a complex structure can be relatively safely broken down into the minutest parts, and technology is now delving into nanoscales, the function of complex systems requires a completely different approach. Here the complexity clearly arises from nonlinear interactions, which prevents us from obtaining a realistic description of a system by dissecting it into its structural component parts. At best, the result of such investigations does not substantially add to our understanding or at worst it can even be misleading. Not surprisingly, the dynamics of complex systems, facilitated by increasing computational efficiency, is now readily tackled in the case of measured time series. Moreover, time series can now be collected in practically every branch of science and in any structural scale—from protein dynamics in a living cell to data collected in astrophysics or even via social networks. In searching for deterministic patterns in such data we are limited by the fact that no complex system in the real world is autonomous. Hence, as an alternative to the stochastic approach that is predominantly applied to data from inherently non-autonomous complex systems, theory and methods specifically tailored to non-autonomous systems are needed. Indeed, in the last decade we have faced a huge advance in mathematical methods, including the introduction of pullback attractors, as well as time series methods that cope with the most important characteristic of non-autonomous systems—their time-dependent behaviour. Here we review current methods for the analysis of non-autonomous dynamics including those for extracting properties of interactions and the direction of couplings. We illustrate each method by applying it to three sets of systems typical for chaotic, stochastic and non-autonomous behaviour. For the chaotic class we select the Lorenz system, for the stochastic the noise-forced Duffing system and for the non

Discerning non-autonomous dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clemson, Philip T.; Stefanovska, Aneta

2014-01-01

Structure and function go hand in hand. However, while a complex structure can be relatively safely broken down into the minutest parts, and technology is now delving into nanoscales, the function of complex systems requires a completely different approach. Here the complexity clearly arises from nonlinear interactions, which prevents us from obtaining a realistic description of a system by dissecting it into its structural component parts. At best, the result of such investigations does not substantially add to our understanding or at worst it can even be misleading. Not surprisingly, the dynamics of complex systems, facilitated by increasing computational efficiency, is now readily tackled in the case of measured time series. Moreover, time series can now be collected in practically every branch of science and in any structural scale—from protein dynamics in a living cell to data collected in astrophysics or even via social networks. In searching for deterministic patterns in such data we are limited by the fact that no complex system in the real world is autonomous. Hence, as an alternative to the stochastic approach that is predominantly applied to data from inherently non-autonomous complex systems, theory and methods specifically tailored to non-autonomous systems are needed. Indeed, in the last decade we have faced a huge advance in mathematical methods, including the introduction of pullback attractors, as well as time series methods that cope with the most important characteristic of non-autonomous systems—their time-dependent behaviour. Here we review current methods for the analysis of non-autonomous dynamics including those for extracting properties of interactions and the direction of couplings. We illustrate each method by applying it to three sets of systems typical for chaotic, stochastic and non-autonomous behaviour. For the chaotic class we select the Lorenz system, for the stochastic the noise-forced Duffing system and for the non

Voice, Post-Structural Representation and the Subjectivity of "Included" Students

Science.gov (United States)

Whitburn, Ben

2016-01-01

Aligned with the broader movement from structuralism to the post-structuralisms [Lather, P. 2013. "Methodology-21: What Do We Do in the Afterward?" "International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education" 26 (6): 634-645; St. Pierre, E. A. 2009. "Afterword: Decentering Voice in Qualitative Inquiry." In "Voice…

NUMERICAL MODELLING AS NON-DESTRUCTIVE METHOD FOR THE ANALYSES AND DIAGNOSIS OF STONE STRUCTURES: MODELS AND POSSIBILITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nataša Štambuk-Cvitanović

1999-12-01

Full Text Available Assuming the necessity of analysis, diagnosis and preservation of existing valuable stone masonry structures and ancient monuments in today European urban cores, numerical modelling become an efficient tool for the structural behaviour investigation. It should be supported by experimentally found input data and taken as a part of general combined approach, particularly non-destructive techniques on the structure/model within it. For the structures or their detail which may require more complex analyses three numerical models based upon finite elements technique are suggested: (1 standard linear model; (2 linear model with contact (interface elements; and (3 non-linear elasto-plastic and orthotropic model. The applicability of these models depend upon the accuracy of the approach or type of the problem, and will be presented on some characteristic samples.

Structural, Functional, and Metabolic Brain Markers Differentiate Collision versus Contact and Non-Contact Athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Churchill, Nathan W; Hutchison, Michael G; Di Battista, Alex P; Graham, Simon J; Schweizer, Tom A

2017-01-01

There is growing concern about how participation in contact sports affects the brain. Retrospective evidence suggests that contact sports are associated with long-term negative health outcomes. However, much of the research to date has focused on former athletes with significant health problems. Less is known about the health of current athletes in contact and collision sports who have not reported significant medical issues. In this cross-sectional study, advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate multiple aspects of brain physiology in three groups of athletes participating in non-contact sports ( N  = 20), contact sports ( N  = 22), and collision sports ( N  = 23). Diffusion tensor imaging was used to assess white matter microstructure based on measures of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD); resting-state functional MRI was used to evaluate global functional connectivity; single-voxel spectroscopy was used to compare ratios of neural metabolites, including N -acetyl aspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), choline, and myo-inositol. Multivariate analysis revealed structural, functional, and metabolic measures that reliably differentiated between sport groups. The collision group had significantly elevated FA and reduced MD in white matter, compared to both contact and non-contact groups. In contrast, the collision group showed significant reductions in functional connectivity and the NAA/Cr metabolite ratio, relative to only the non-contact group, while the contact group overlapped with both non-contact and collision groups. For brain regions associated with contact sport participation, athletes with a history of concussion also showed greater alterations in FA and functional connectivity, indicating a potential cumulative effect of both contact exposure and concussion history on brain physiology. These findings indicate persistent differences in brain physiology for athletes participating in contact and collision sports

Brain-responsive neurostimulation in patients with medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Geller, Eric B; Skarpaas, Tara L; Gross, Robert E; Goodman, Robert R; Barkley, Gregory L; Bazil, Carl W; Berg, Michael J; Bergey, Gregory K; Cash, Sydney S; Cole, Andrew J; Duckrow, Robert B; Edwards, Jonathan C; Eisenschenk, Stephan; Fessler, James; Fountain, Nathan B; Goldman, Alicia M; Gwinn, Ryder P; Heck, Christianne; Herekar, Aamar; Hirsch, Lawrence J; Jobst, Barbara C; King-Stephens, David; Labar, Douglas R; Leiphart, James W; Marsh, W Richard; Meador, Kimford J; Mizrahi, Eli M; Murro, Anthony M; Nair, Dileep R; Noe, Katherine H; Park, Yong D; Rutecki, Paul A; Salanova, Vicenta; Sheth, Raj D; Shields, Donald C; Skidmore, Christopher; Smith, Michael C; Spencer, David C; Srinivasan, Shraddha; Tatum, William; Van Ness, Paul C; Vossler, David G; Wharen, Robert E; Worrell, Gregory A; Yoshor, Daniel; Zimmerman, Richard S; Cicora, Kathy; Sun, Felice T; Morrell, Martha J

2017-06-01

Evaluate the seizure-reduction response and safety of mesial temporal lobe (MTL) brain-responsive stimulation in adults with medically intractable partial-onset seizures of mesial temporal lobe origin. Subjects with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) were identified from prospective clinical trials of a brain-responsive neurostimulator (RNS System, NeuroPace). The seizure reduction over years 2-6 postimplantation was calculated by assessing the seizure frequency compared to a preimplantation baseline. Safety was assessed based on reported adverse events. There were 111 subjects with MTLE; 72% of subjects had bilateral MTL onsets and 28% had unilateral onsets. Subjects had one to four leads placed; only two leads could be connected to the device. Seventy-six subjects had depth leads only, 29 had both depth and strip leads, and 6 had only strip leads. The mean follow-up was 6.1 ± (standard deviation) 2.2 years. The median percent seizure reduction was 70% (last observation carried forward). Twenty-nine percent of subjects experienced at least one seizure-free period of 6 months or longer, and 15% experienced at least one seizure-free period of 1 year or longer. There was no difference in seizure reduction in subjects with and without mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS), bilateral MTL onsets, prior resection, prior intracranial monitoring, and prior vagus nerve stimulation. In addition, seizure reduction was not dependent on the location of depth leads relative to the hippocampus. The most frequent serious device-related adverse event was soft tissue implant-site infection (overall rate, including events categorized as device-related, uncertain, or not device-related: 0.03 per implant year, which is not greater than with other neurostimulation devices). Brain-responsive stimulation represents a safe and effective treatment option for patients with medically intractable epilepsy, including patients with unilateral or bilateral MTLE who are not candidates for

The Role of Motivation to Lead for Leadership Training Effectiveness

Science.gov (United States)

Stiehl, Sibylle K.; Felfe, Jörg; Elprana, Gwen; Gatzka, Magdalena B.

2015-01-01

In this study, the construct of motivation to lead (MtL) is considered as a predictor of leadership training effectiveness. MtL, the individual preference to take on leadership roles, is a motivation that specifically relates to the content of leadership training. A total of 132 managers participated in a longitudinal follow-up study. The…

Insulin Resistance Predicts Medial Temporal Hypermetabolism in Mild Cognitive Impairment Conversion to Alzheimer Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Willette, Auriel A.; Modanlo, Nina