Altered movement patterns and muscular activity during single and double leg squats in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Trulsson, Anna; Miller, Michael; Hansson, Gert-Åke; Gummesson, Christina; Garwicz, Martin

2015-02-13

Individuals with Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury often show altered movement patterns, suggested to be partly due to impaired sensorimotor control. Here, we therefore aimed to assess muscular activity during movements often used in ACL-rehabilitation and to characterize associations between deviations in muscular activity and specific altered movement patterns, using and further exploring the previously developed Test for substitution Patterns (TSP). Sixteen participants (10 women) with unilateral ACL rupture performed Single and Double Leg Squats (SLS; DLS). Altered movement patterns were scored according to TSP, and Surface Electromyography (SEMG) was recorded bilaterally in six hip, thigh and shank muscles. To quantify deviations in muscular activity, SEMG ratios were calculated between homonymous muscles on injured and non-injured sides, and between antagonistic muscles on the same side. Correlations between deviations of injured/non-injured side SEMG ratios and specific altered movement patterns were calculated. Injured/non-injured ratios were low at transition from knee flexion to extension in quadriceps in SLS, and in quadriceps and hamstrings in DLS. On injured side, the quadriceps/hamstrings ratio prior to the beginning of DLS and end of DLS and SLS, and tibialis/gastrocnemius ratio at end of DLS were lower than on non-injured side. Correlations were found between specific altered movement patterns and deviating muscular activity at transition from knee flexion to extension in SLS, indicating that the more deviating the muscular activity on injured side, the more pronounced the altered movement pattern. "Knee medial to supporting foot" correlated to lower injured/non-injured ratios in gluteus medius (rs = -0.73, p = 0.001), "lateral displacement of hip-pelvis-region" to lower injured/non-injured ratios in quadriceps (rs = -0.54, p = 0.03) and "displacement of trunk" to higher injured/non-injured ratios in gluteus medius (rs = 0.62, p = 0

Analysis of InP-based single photon avalanche diodes based on a single recess-etching process

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kiwon

2018-04-01

Effects of the different etching techniques have been investigated by analyzing electrical and optical characteristics of two-types of single-diffused single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). The fabricated two-types of SPADs have no diffusion depth variation by using a single diffusion process at the same time. The dry-etched SPADs show higher temperature dependence of a breakdown voltage, larger dark-count-rate (DCR), and lower photon-detection-efficiency (PDE) than those of the wet-etched SPADs due to plasma-induced damage of dry-etching process. The results show that the dry etching damages can more significantly affect the performance of the SPADs based on a single recess-etching process.

The Effect of Technology-Based Altered Readability Levels on Struggling Readers' Science Comprehension

Science.gov (United States)

Marino, Matthew T.; Coyne, Michael; Dunn, Michael

2010-01-01

This article reports findings from a study examining how altered readability levels affected struggling readers' (N = 288) comprehension of scientific concepts and vocabulary. Specifically, the researchers were interested in learning what effect altered readability levels have when low ability readers participate in a technology-based science…

Impact of altering DSM-IV criteria for anorexia and bulimia nervosa on the base rates of eating disorder diagnoses.

Science.gov (United States)

Thaw, J M; Williamson, D A; Martin, C K

2001-09-01

The diagnostic criteria used to define eating disorders have been the focus of debate for many years. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of altering DSM-IV diagnostic criteria upon the base rates of anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). Five controversial criteria were systematically modified and the impact of these changes on base rates of full-syndrome and partial-syndrome eating disorders was assessed in 193 patients referred to two specialty eating disorder clinics. Modification of a single criterion resulted in relatively small changes in base rates of AN and BN, whereas modification of the two severity criteria led to more substantial changes. These findings have significant implications for future modifications of the DSM classification.

Single-crystal growth of ceria-based materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulbrich, Gregor

2015-01-01

In this work it could be shown that Skull-Melting is a suitable method for growing ceria single crystals. Twenty different ceria-based single crystals could be manufactured. It was possible to dope ceria single crystals with Gd, Sm, Y, Zr, Ti, Ta, and Pr in different concentrations. Also co-doping with the named metals was realized. However, there remain some problems for growing ceria-based single crystals by Skull-Melting. As ignition metal zirconium was used because no ceria-based material works well. For that reason all single crystals show small zirconium contamination. Another problem is the formation of oxygen by the heat-induced reduction of ceria during the melting process. Because of that the skull of sintered material is often destroyed by gas pressure. This problem had to be solved individually for every single crystal. The obtained single crystals were characterized using different methods. To ensure the single crystal character the y were examined by Laue diffraction. All manufactured crystals are single crystals. Also powder diffraction patterns of the milled and oxidized samples were measured. For the determination of symmetry and metric the structural parameters were analyzed by the Rietveld method. All synthesized materials crystallize in space group Fm-3m known from calcium fluoride. The cubic lattice parameter a was determined for all crystals. In the case of series with different cerium and zirconium concentrations a linear correlation between cerium content and cubic lattice parameter was detected. The elemental composition was determined by WDX. All crystals show a homogeneous elemental distribution. The oxygen content was calculated because the WDX method isn't useful for determination.

Increased frequency of single base substitutions in a population of transcripts expressed in cancer cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bianchetti Laurent

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Single Base Substitutions (SBS that alter transcripts expressed in cancer originate from somatic mutations. However, recent studies report SBS in transcripts that are not supported by the genomic DNA of tumor cells. Methods We used sequence based whole genome expression profiling, namely Long-SAGE (L-SAGE and Tag-seq (a combination of L-SAGE and deep sequencing, and computational methods to identify transcripts with greater SBS frequencies in cancer. Millions of tags produced by 40 healthy and 47 cancer L-SAGE experiments were compared to 1,959 Reference Tags (RT, i.e. tags matching the human genome exactly once. Similarly, tens of millions of tags produced by 7 healthy and 8 cancer Tag-seq experiments were compared to 8,572 RT. For each transcript, SBS frequencies in healthy and cancer cells were statistically tested for equality. Results In the L-SAGE and Tag-seq experiments, 372 and 4,289 transcripts respectively, showed greater SBS frequencies in cancer. Increased SBS frequencies could not be attributed to known Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP, catalogued somatic mutations or RNA-editing enzymes. Hypothesizing that Single Tags (ST, i.e. tags sequenced only once, were indicators of SBS, we observed that ST proportions were heterogeneously distributed across Embryonic Stem Cells (ESC, healthy differentiated and cancer cells. ESC had the lowest ST proportions, whereas cancer cells had the greatest. Finally, in a series of experiments carried out on a single patient at 1 healthy and 3 consecutive tumor stages, we could show that SBS frequencies increased during cancer progression. Conclusion If the mechanisms generating the base substitutions could be known, increased SBS frequency in transcripts would be a new useful biomarker of cancer. With the reduction of sequencing cost, sequence based whole genome expression profiling could be used to characterize increased SBS frequency in patient’s tumor and aid diagnostic.

Increased frequency of single base substitutions in a population of transcripts expressed in cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianchetti, Laurent; Kieffer, David; Féderkeil, Rémi; Poch, Olivier

2012-01-01

Single Base Substitutions (SBS) that alter transcripts expressed in cancer originate from somatic mutations. However, recent studies report SBS in transcripts that are not supported by the genomic DNA of tumor cells. We used sequence based whole genome expression profiling, namely Long-SAGE (L-SAGE) and Tag-seq (a combination of L-SAGE and deep sequencing), and computational methods to identify transcripts with greater SBS frequencies in cancer. Millions of tags produced by 40 healthy and 47 cancer L-SAGE experiments were compared to 1,959 Reference Tags (RT), i.e. tags matching the human genome exactly once. Similarly, tens of millions of tags produced by 7 healthy and 8 cancer Tag-seq experiments were compared to 8,572 RT. For each transcript, SBS frequencies in healthy and cancer cells were statistically tested for equality. In the L-SAGE and Tag-seq experiments, 372 and 4,289 transcripts respectively, showed greater SBS frequencies in cancer. Increased SBS frequencies could not be attributed to known Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP), catalogued somatic mutations or RNA-editing enzymes. Hypothesizing that Single Tags (ST), i.e. tags sequenced only once, were indicators of SBS, we observed that ST proportions were heterogeneously distributed across Embryonic Stem Cells (ESC), healthy differentiated and cancer cells. ESC had the lowest ST proportions, whereas cancer cells had the greatest. Finally, in a series of experiments carried out on a single patient at 1 healthy and 3 consecutive tumor stages, we could show that SBS frequencies increased during cancer progression. If the mechanisms generating the base substitutions could be known, increased SBS frequency in transcripts would be a new useful biomarker of cancer. With the reduction of sequencing cost, sequence based whole genome expression profiling could be used to characterize increased SBS frequency in patient’s tumor and aid diagnostic

Intelligent IPv6 based iot network monitoring and altering system on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Intelligent IPv6 based iot network monitoring and altering system on Cooja framework. ... Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS ... Keywords: IoT; Cooja framework; Contiki OS; packet monitoring.

Rheumatoid cachexia and other nutritional alterations in rheumatologic diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Hurtado-Torres, Gilberto Fabián; González-Baranda, Lourdes Larisa; Abud-Mendoza, Carlos

2015-01-01

The prevalence of nutritional alterations in rheumatologic diseases ranges from 4 to 95%, depending on the detection method used. Formerly described as the single term rheumatoid cachexia, nutritional alterations can currently be grouped and subdivided based on the physiopathological mechanisms involved: chronic disease-related inflammatory conditions (cachexia), malnutrition associated to acute malnutrition inflammatory conditions (protein-caloric malnutrition) and starvation-related malnutrition. Clinical manifestations of malnutrition associated to rheumatic diseases vary from the patient with low weight or overweight and obesity; with lean body mass depletion as well as functional repercussions, and impact of quality of life as a common denominator. Additionally, the associated increase in body fat mass increases the risk for cardiovascular morbidity. A multidisciplinary approach towards rheumatic diseases should include aspects oriented towards prevention, early identification, diagnosis and correction of nutritional alterations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Alcohol sensor based on single-mode-multimode-single-mode fiber structure

Science.gov (United States)

Mefina Yulias, R.; Hatta, A. M.; Sekartedjo, Sekartedjo

2016-11-01

Alcohol sensor based on Single-mode -Multimode-Single-mode (SMS) fiber structure is being proposed to sense alcohol concentration in alcohol-water mixtures. This proposed sensor uses refractive index sensing as its sensing principle. Fabricated SMS fiber structure had 40 m of multimode length. With power input -6 dBm and wavelength 1550 nm, the proposed sensor showed good response with sensitivity 1,983 dB per % v/v with measurement range 05 % v/v and measurement span 0,5% v/v.

Calix[4]arene Based Single-Molecule Magnets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karotsis, Georgios; Teat, Simon J.; Wernsdorfer, Wolfgang; Piligkos, Stergios; Dalgarno, Scott J.; Brechin, Euan K.

2009-06-04

Single-molecule magnets (SMMs) have been the subject of much interest in recent years because their molecular nature and inherent physical properties allow the crossover between classical and quantum physics to be observed. The macroscopic observation of quantum phenomena - tunneling between different spin states, quantum interference between tunnel paths - not only allows scientists to study quantum mechanical laws in great detail, but also provides model systems with which to investigate the possible implementation of spin-based solid state qubits and molecular spintronics. The isolation of small, simple SMMs is therefore an exciting prospect. To date almost all SMMs have been made via the self-assembly of 3d metal ions in the presence of bridging/chelating organic ligands. However, very recently an exciting new class of SMMs, based on 3d metal clusters (or single lanthanide ions) housed within polyoxometalates, has appeared. These types of molecule, in which the SMM is completely encapsulated within (or shrouded by) a 'protective' organic or inorganic sheath have much potential for design and manipulation: for example, for the removal of unwanted dipolar interactions, the introduction of redox activity, or to simply aid functionalization for surface grafting. Calix[4]arenes are cyclic (typically bowl-shaped) polyphenols that have been used extensively in the formation of versatile self-assembled supramolecular structures. Although many have been reported, p-{sup t}But-calix[4]arene and calix[4]arene (TBC4 and C4 respectively, Figure 1A) are frequently encountered due to (a) synthetic accessibility, and (b) vast potential for alteration at either the upper or lower rim of the macrocyclic framework. Within the field of supramolecular chemistry, TBC4 is well known for interesting polymorphic behavior and phase transformations within anti-parallel bi-layer arrays, while C4 often forms self-included trimers. The polyphenolic nature of calix[n]arenes (where

Distributed Feedback Laser Based on Single Crystal Perovskite

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Shang; Xiao, Shumin; Song, Qinghai

2017-06-01

We demonstrate a single crystal perovskite based, with grating-structured photoresist on top, highly polarized distributed feedback laser. A lower laser threshold than the Fabry-Perot mode lasers from the same single crystal CH3NH3PbBr3 microplate was obtained. Single crystal CH3NH3PbBr3 microplates was synthesized with one-step solution processed precipitation method. Once the photoresist on top of the microplate was patterned with electron beam, the device was realized. This one-step fabrication process utilized the advantage of single crystal to the greatest extend. The ultra-low defect density in single crystalline microplate offer an opportunity for lower threshold lasing action compare with poly-crystal perovskite films. In the experiment, the lasing action based on the distributed feedback grating design was found with lower threshold and higher intensity than the Fabry-Perot mode lasers supported by the flat facets of the same microplate.

Optimize Etching Based Single Mode Fiber Optic Temperature Sensor

OpenAIRE

Ajay Kumar; Dr. Pramod Kumar

2014-01-01

This paper presents a description of etching process for fabrication single mode optical fiber sensors. The process of fabrication demonstrates an optimized etching based method to fabricate single mode fiber (SMF) optic sensors in specified constant time and temperature. We propose a single mode optical fiber based temperature sensor, where the temperature sensing region is obtained by etching its cladding diameter over small length to a critical value. It is observed that th...

Graphene-Based Josephson-Junction Single-Photon Detector

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Evan D.; Efetov, Dmitri K.; Lee, Gil-Ho; Heuck, Mikkel; Crossno, Jesse; Ohki, Thomas A.; Kim, Philip; Englund, Dirk; Fong, Kin Chung

2017-08-01

We propose to use graphene-based Josephson junctions (GJJs) to detect single photons in a wide electromagnetic spectrum from visible to radio frequencies. Our approach takes advantage of the exceptionally low electronic heat capacity of monolayer graphene and its constricted thermal conductance to its phonon degrees of freedom. Such a system could provide high-sensitivity photon detection required for research areas including quantum information processing and radio astronomy. As an example, we present our device concepts for GJJ single-photon detectors in both the microwave and infrared regimes. The dark count rate and intrinsic quantum efficiency are computed based on parameters from a measured GJJ, demonstrating feasibility within existing technologies.

Compatibility of pedigree-based and marker-based relationship matrices for single-step genetic evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Ole Fredslund

2012-01-01

Single-step methods for genomic prediction have recently become popular because they are conceptually simple and in practice such a method can completely replace a pedigree-based method for routine genetic evaluation. An issue with single-step methods is compatibility between the marker-based rel...

Single-fraction vs. fractionated linac-based stereotactic radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma: a single-institution study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, O. W. M.; Vandertop, W. P.; Baayen, J. C.; Slotman, B. J.

2003-01-01

PURPOSE: In this single-institution trial, we investigated whether fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy is superior to single-fraction linac-based radiosurgery with respect to treatment-related toxicity and local control in patients with vestibular schwannoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: All 129

Single-Photon Technologies Based on Quantum-Dots in Photonic Crystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lehmann, Tau Bernstorff

-photon purity under quasi-resonantexcitation. Furthermore the waveguide based platform demonstrates indistinguishable single-photonsat timescales up to 13 ns.A setup for active demultiplexing of single-photons to a three-fold single-photon state is proposed.Using a fast electro-optical modulator, single...

Gray and white matter alterations in early HIV-infected patients: Combined voxel-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bo; Liu, Zhenyu; Liu, Jiaojiao; Tang, Zhenchao; Li, Hongjun; Tian, Jie

2016-06-01

To investigate both the gray matter (GM) and whiter matter (WM) alterations in a homogeneous cohort of early HIV-infected patients by combining voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Twenty-six HIV and 26 control subjects enrolled in this study with 3D T1 and diffusion-tensor imaging acquired on a 3.0T Siemens scanner. Group differences in regional GM were assessed using VBM analysis, while differences in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and relative anisotropy (RD) of WM were evaluated using TBSS analysis. After that, interactions between GM changes and white matter alterations were investigated by using a correlation analysis. The HIV-infected patients displayed decreased GM volume, mainly located in the bilateral frontal cortices, bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, and left supplementary motor area (P 0.05). Our results indicate that structural brain alterations occurred early in HIV-infected patients. The current study may shed further light on the potential brain effects of HIV. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;43:1474-1483. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Esthetic outcome and alterations of soft tissue around single implant crowns: a 2-year prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Ying-Xin; Shi, Jun-Yu; Zhuang, Long-Fei; Qiao, Shi-Chong; Xu, You-You; Lai, Hong-Chang

2015-08-01

The aim of this prospective study was to assess the esthetic outcome and alterations of peri-implant soft tissue using tissue-level implants. Furthermore, the influencing factors, including grafting and gingival biotype, of esthetic outcome of peri-implant soft tissue were also evaluated. Of 38 patients with single missing anterior tooth in maxilla were treated with a Straumann (®) Standard Plus SLA implant. Bone augmentation was performed in 24 patients. Follow-up was conducted at 12 and 24 months after definitive crowns placement. Esthetic outcome using the pink esthetic score/white esthetic score (PES/WES) and clinical parameters were evaluated. The mean PES/WES value at baseline, 1-year, and 2-year examination was 13.79, 14.87, and 14.96. Significant improvement was found between baseline and 1-year examination (P esthetic area. Favorable short-term esthetic outcome and stability of soft tissue around single implant crowns can be expected in patients with or without graft. However, graft procedures might have an unfavorable effect on the esthetic outcome. Gingival biotype can be considered as prognostic factor for esthetic outcome. RCTs with long-term follow-up are needed to provide evidence for the long-term stability of peri-implant soft tissue using tissue-level implant systems. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

SNPs altering ammonium transport activity of human Rhesus factors characterized by a yeast-based functional assay.

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Aude Deschuyteneer

Full Text Available Proteins of the conserved Mep-Amt-Rh family, including mammalian Rhesus factors, mediate transmembrane ammonium transport. Ammonium is an important nitrogen source for the biosynthesis of amino acids but is also a metabolic waste product. Its disposal in urine plays a critical role in the regulation of the acid/base homeostasis, especially with an acid diet, a trait of Western countries. Ammonium accumulation above a certain concentration is however pathologic, the cytotoxicity causing fatal cerebral paralysis in acute cases. Alteration in ammonium transport via human Rh proteins could have clinical outcomes. We used a yeast-based expression assay to characterize human Rh variants resulting from non synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs with known or unknown clinical phenotypes and assessed their ammonium transport efficiency, protein level, localization and potential trans-dominant impact. The HsRhAG variants (I61R, F65S associated to overhydrated hereditary stomatocytosis (OHSt, a disease affecting erythrocytes, proved affected in intrinsic bidirectional ammonium transport. Moreover, this study reveals that the R202C variant of HsRhCG, the orthologue of mouse MmRhcg required for optimal urinary ammonium excretion and blood pH control, shows an impaired inherent ammonium transport activity. Urinary ammonium excretion was RHcg gene-dose dependent in mouse, highlighting MmRhcg as a limiting factor. HsRhCG(R202C may confer susceptibility to disorders leading to metabolic acidosis for instance. Finally, the analogous R211C mutation in the yeast ScMep2 homologue also impaired intrinsic activity consistent with a conserved functional role of the preserved arginine residue. The yeast expression assay used here constitutes an inexpensive, fast and easy tool to screen nsSNPs reported by high throughput sequencing or individual cases for functional alterations in Rh factors revealing potential causal variants.

A Single-Channel EOG-Based Speller.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Shenghong; Li, Yuanqing

2017-11-01

Electrooculography (EOG) signals, which can be used to infer the intentions of a user based on eye movements, are widely used in human-computer interface (HCI) systems. Most existing EOG-based HCI systems incorporate a limited number of commands because they generally associate different commands with a few different types of eye movements, such as looking up, down, left, or right. This paper presents a novel single-channel EOG-based HCI that allows users to spell asynchronously by only blinking. Forty buttons corresponding to 40 characters displayed to the user via a graphical user interface are intensified in a random order. To select a button, the user must blink his/her eyes in synchrony as the target button is flashed. Two data processing procedures, specifically support vector machine (SVM) classification and waveform detection, are combined to detect eye blinks. During detection, we simultaneously feed the feature vectors extracted from the ongoing EOG signal into the SVM classification and waveform detection modules. Decisions are made based on the results of the SVM classification and waveform detection. Three online experiments were conducted with eight healthy subjects. We achieved an average accuracy of 94.4% and a response time of 4.14 s for selecting a character in synchronous mode, as well as an average accuracy of 93.43% and a false positive rate of 0.03/min in the idle state in asynchronous mode. The experimental results, therefore, demonstrated the effectiveness of this single-channel EOG-based speller.

Single-photon sources based on single molecules in solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moerner, W E

2004-01-01

Single molecules in suitable host crystals have been demonstrated to be useful single-photon emitters both at liquid-helium temperatures and at room temperature. The low-temperature source achieved controllable emission of single photons from a single terrylene molecule in p-terphenyl by an adiabatic rapid passage technique. In contrast with almost all other single-molecule systems, terrylene single molecules show extremely high photostability under continuous, high-intensity irradiation. A room-temperature source utilizing this material has been demonstrated, in which fast pumping into vibrational sidebands of the electronically excited state achieved efficient inversion of the emissive level. This source yielded a single-photon emission probability p(1) of 0.86 at a detected count rate near 300 000 photons s -1 , with very small probability of emission of more than one photon. Thus, single molecules in solids can be considered as contenders for applications of single-photon sources such as quantum key distribution

Valuing hydrological alteration in Multi-Objective reservoir management

Science.gov (United States)

Bizzi, S.; Pianosi, F.; Soncini-Sessa, R.

2012-04-01

Water management through dams and reservoirs is worldwide necessary to support key human-related activities ranging from hydropower production to water allocation for agricultural production, and flood risk mitigation. Advances in multi-objectives (MO) optimization techniques and ever growing computing power make it possible to design reservoir operating policies that represent Pareto-optimal tradeoffs between the multiple interests analysed. These progresses if on one hand are likely to enhance performances of commonly targeted objectives (such as hydropower production or water supply), on the other risk to strongly penalize all the interests not directly (i.e. mathematically) optimized within the MO algorithm. Alteration of hydrological regime, although is a well established cause of ecological degradation and its evaluation and rehabilitation are commonly required by recent legislation (as the Water Framework Directive in Europe), is rarely embedded as an objective in MO planning of optimal releases from reservoirs. Moreover, even when it is explicitly considered, the criteria adopted for its evaluation are doubted and not commonly trusted, undermining the possibility of real implementation of environmentally friendly policies. The main challenges in defining and assessing hydrological alterations are: how to define a reference state (referencing); how to define criteria upon which to build mathematical indicators of alteration (measuring); and finally how to aggregate the indicators in a single evaluation index that can be embedded in a MO optimization problem (valuing). This paper aims to address these issues by: i) discussing benefits and constrains of different approaches to referencing, measuring and valuing hydrological alteration; ii) testing two alternative indices of hydrological alteration in the context of MO problems, one based on the established framework of Indices of Hydrological Alteration (IHA, Richter et al., 1996), and a novel satisfying the

Simultaneous Detection of Both Single Nucleotide Variations and Copy Number Alterations by Next-Generation Sequencing in Gorlin Syndrome.

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Kei-ichi Morita

Full Text Available Gorlin syndrome (GS is an autosomal dominant disorder that predisposes affected individuals to developmental defects and tumorigenesis, and caused mainly by heterozygous germline PTCH1 mutations. Despite exhaustive analysis, PTCH1 mutations are often unidentifiable in some patients; the failure to detect mutations is presumably because of mutations occurred in other causative genes or outside of analyzed regions of PTCH1, or copy number alterations (CNAs. In this study, we subjected a cohort of GS-affected individuals from six unrelated families to next-generation sequencing (NGS analysis for the combined screening of causative alterations in Hedgehog signaling pathway-related genes. Specific single nucleotide variations (SNVs of PTCH1 causing inferred amino acid changes were identified in four families (seven affected individuals, whereas CNAs within or around PTCH1 were found in two families in whom possible causative SNVs were not detected. Through a targeted resequencing of all coding exons, as well as simultaneous evaluation of copy number status using the alignment map files obtained via NGS, we found that GS phenotypes could be explained by PTCH1 mutations or deletions in all affected patients. Because it is advisable to evaluate CNAs of candidate causative genes in point mutation-negative cases, NGS methodology appears to be useful for improving molecular diagnosis through the simultaneous detection of both SNVs and CNAs in the targeted genes/regions.

Simultaneous Detection of Both Single Nucleotide Variations and Copy Number Alterations by Next-Generation Sequencing in Gorlin Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Morita, Kei-ichi; Naruto, Takuya; Tanimoto, Kousuke; Yasukawa, Chisato; Oikawa, Yu; Masuda, Kiyoshi; Imoto, Issei; Inazawa, Johji; Omura, Ken; Harada, Hiroyuki

2015-01-01

Gorlin syndrome (GS) is an autosomal dominant disorder that predisposes affected individuals to developmental defects and tumorigenesis, and caused mainly by heterozygous germline PTCH1 mutations. Despite exhaustive analysis, PTCH1 mutations are often unidentifiable in some patients; the failure to detect mutations is presumably because of mutations occurred in other causative genes or outside of analyzed regions of PTCH1, or copy number alterations (CNAs). In this study, we subjected a cohort of GS-affected individuals from six unrelated families to next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis for the combined screening of causative alterations in Hedgehog signaling pathway-related genes. Specific single nucleotide variations (SNVs) of PTCH1 causing inferred amino acid changes were identified in four families (seven affected individuals), whereas CNAs within or around PTCH1 were found in two families in whom possible causative SNVs were not detected. Through a targeted resequencing of all coding exons, as well as simultaneous evaluation of copy number status using the alignment map files obtained via NGS, we found that GS phenotypes could be explained by PTCH1 mutations or deletions in all affected patients. Because it is advisable to evaluate CNAs of candidate causative genes in point mutation-negative cases, NGS methodology appears to be useful for improving molecular diagnosis through the simultaneous detection of both SNVs and CNAs in the targeted genes/regions.

High brightness single photon sources based on photonic wires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Claudon, J.; Bleuse, J.; Bazin, M.

2009-01-01

We present a novel single-photon-source based on the emission of a semiconductor quantum dot embedded in a single-mode photonic wire. This geometry ensures a very large coupling (> 95%) of the spontaneous emission to the guided mode. Numerical simulations show that a photon collection efficiency...

On the pathologically altered pulmonary pattern

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ginzburg, M.A.; Kinoshenko, Yu.T.

1982-01-01

The notions ''normal'' and ''pathologically altered pulmonary pattern'' are specified. A grouping of lung pattern alterations based on morphopathogenetic features is provided: blood and lymphatic vascular alterations, changes in the bronchi, lung stroma, and combined alterations. Radiologic appearance of the altered pulmonary pattern is classified in keeping with the basic principles of an X-ray shade examination. The terms, such as ''enriching'', ''strengthening'', ''deformation'', etc., used for describing the pathologically altered pulmonary pattern are defined

A single nucleotide change affects fur-dependent regulation of sodB in H. pylori.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beth M Carpenter

Full Text Available Helicobacter pylori is a significant human pathogen that has adapted to survive the many stresses found within the gastric environment. Superoxide Dismutase (SodB is an important factor that helps H. pylori combat oxidative stress. sodB was previously shown to be repressed by the Ferric Uptake Regulator (Fur in the absence of iron (apo-Fur regulation [1]. Herein, we show that apo regulation is not fully conserved among all strains of H. pylori. apo-Fur dependent changes in sodB expression are not observed under iron deplete conditions in H. pylori strains G27, HPAG1, or J99. However, Fur regulation of pfr and amiE occurs as expected. Comparative analysis of the Fur coding sequence between G27 and 26695 revealed a single amino acid difference, which was not responsible for the altered sodB regulation. Comparison of the sodB promoters from G27 and 26695 also revealed a single nucleotide difference within the predicted Fur binding site. Alteration of this nucleotide in G27 to that of 26695 restored apo-Fur dependent sodB regulation, indicating that a single base difference is at least partially responsible for the difference in sodB regulation observed among these H. pylori strains. Fur binding studies revealed that alteration of this single nucleotide in G27 increased the affinity of Fur for the sodB promoter. Additionally, the single base change in G27 enabled the sodB promoter to bind to apo-Fur with affinities similar to the 26695 sodB promoter. Taken together these data indicate that this nucleotide residue is important for direct apo-Fur binding to the sodB promoter.

Single Frequency Network Based Distributed Passive Radar Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wan Xian-rong

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The research and application of passive radar are heading from single transmitter-receiver pair to multiple transmitter-receiver pairs. As an important class of the illuminators of opportunity, most of modern digital broadcasting and television systems work on Single Frequency Network (SFN, which intrinsically determines that the passive radar based on such illuminators must be distributed and networked. In consideration of the remarkable working and processing mode of passive radar under SFN configuration, this paper proposes the concept of SFN-based Distributed Passive Radar (SDPR. The main characteristics and key problems of SDPR are first described. Then several potential solutions are discussed for part of the key technologies. The feasibility of SDPR is demonstrated by preliminary experimental results. Finally, the concept of four network convergence that includes the broadcast based passive radar network is conceived, and its application prospects are discussed.

A kernel version of multivariate alteration detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Allan Aasbjerg; Vestergaard, Jacob Schack

2013-01-01

Based on the established methods kernel canonical correlation analysis and multivariate alteration detection we introduce a kernel version of multivariate alteration detection. A case study with SPOT HRV data shows that the kMAD variates focus on extreme change observations.......Based on the established methods kernel canonical correlation analysis and multivariate alteration detection we introduce a kernel version of multivariate alteration detection. A case study with SPOT HRV data shows that the kMAD variates focus on extreme change observations....

Solar-Based Boost Differential Single Phase Inverter | Eya | Nigerian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Solar-Based Boost Differential Single Phase Inverter. ... Solar-based boost differential inverter is reduced down to 22.37% in closed loop system with the aid of Proportional –integral-Differential (PID) ... The dc power source is photovoltaic cell.

The long tail of molecular alterations in non-small cell lung cancer: a single-institution experience of next-generation sequencing in clinical molecular diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Fumagalli, Caterina; Vacirca, Davide; Rappa, Alessandra; Passaro, Antonio; Guarize, Juliana; Rafaniello Raviele, Paola; de Marinis, Filippo; Spaggiari, Lorenzo; Casadio, Chiara; Viale, Giuseppe; Barberis, Massimo; Guerini-Rocco, Elena

2018-03-13

Molecular profiling of advanced non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) is essential to identify patients who may benefit from targeted treatments. In the last years, the number of potentially actionable molecular alterations has rapidly increased. Next-generation sequencing allows for the analysis of multiple genes simultaneously. To evaluate the feasibility and the throughput of next-generation sequencing in clinical molecular diagnostics of advanced NSCLC. A single-institution cohort of 535 non-squamous NSCLC was profiled using a next-generation sequencing panel targeting 22 actionable and cancer-related genes. 441 non-squamous NSCLC (82.4%) harboured at least one gene alteration, including 340 cases (63.6%) with clinically relevant molecular aberrations. Mutations have been detected in all but one gene ( FGFR1 ) of the panel. Recurrent alterations were observed in KRAS , TP53 , EGFR , STK11 and MET genes, whereas the remaining genes were mutated in <5% of the cases. Concurrent mutations were detected in 183 tumours (34.2%), mostly impairing KRAS or EGFR in association with TP53 alterations. The study highlights the feasibility of targeted next-generation sequencing in clinical setting. The majority of NSCLC harboured mutations in clinically relevant genes, thus identifying patients who might benefit from different targeted therapies. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Chronic unpredictable stress alters gene expression in rat single dentate granule cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Qin, Y.J.; Karst, H.; Joëls, M.

2004-01-01

The rat adrenal hormone corticosterone binds to low and high affinity receptors, discretely localized in brain, including the dentate gyrus. Differential activation of the two receptor types under physiological conditions alters gene expression and functional characteristics of hippocampal neurones.

Modafinil alters decision making based on feedback history - a randomized placebo-controlled double blind study in humans.

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Bellebaum, Christian; Kuchinke, Lars; Roser, Patrik

2017-02-01

Modafinil is becoming increasingly popular as a cognitive enhancer. Research on the effects of modafinil on cognitive function have yielded mixed results, with negative findings for simple memory and attention tasks and enhancing effects for more complex tasks. In the present study we examined whether modafinil, due to its known effect on the dopamine level in the striatum, alters feedback-related choice behaviour. We applied a task that separately tests the choice of previously rewarded behaviours (approach) and avoidance of previously punished behaviours. 18 participants received a single dose of 200 mg modafinil. Their performance was compared to a group of 22 participants who received placebo in a double-blind design. Modafinil but not placebo induced a significant bias towards approach behaviour as compared to the frequency of avoidance behaviour. General attention, overall feedback-based acquisition of choice behaviour and reaction times in high vs low conflict choices were not significantly affected by modafinil. This finding suggests that modafinil has a specific effect on dopamine-mediated choice behaviour based on the history of feedback, while a contribution of noradrenaline is also conceivable. The described change in decision making cannot be considered as cognitive enhancement, but might rather have detrimental effects on decisions in everyday life.

Parameter Screening in Microfluidics Based Hydrodynamic Single-Cell Trapping

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B. Deng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Microfluidic cell-based arraying technology is widely used in the field of single-cell analysis. However, among developed devices, there is a compromise between cellular loading efficiencies and trapped cell densities, which deserves further analysis and optimization. To address this issue, the cell trapping efficiency of a microfluidic device with two parallel micro channels interconnected with cellular trapping sites was studied in this paper. By regulating channel inlet and outlet status, the microfluidic trapping structure can mimic key functioning units of previously reported devices. Numerical simulations were used to model this cellular trapping structure, quantifying the effects of channel on/off status and trapping structure geometries on the cellular trapping efficiency. Furthermore, the microfluidic device was fabricated based on conventional microfabrication and the cellular trapping efficiency was quantified in experiments. Experimental results showed that, besides geometry parameters, cellular travelling velocities and sizes also affected the single-cell trapping efficiency. By fine tuning parameters, more than 95% of trapping sites were taken by individual cells. This study may lay foundation in further studies of single-cell positioning in microfluidics and push forward the study of single-cell analysis.

Heat Shock Protein 47: A Novel Biomarker of Phenotypically Altered Collagen-Producing Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taguchi, Takashi; Nazneen, Arifa; Al-Shihri, Abdulmonem A.; Turkistani, Khadijah A.; Razzaque, Mohammed S.

2011-01-01

Heat shock protein 47 (HSP47) is a collagen-specific molecular chaperone that helps the molecular maturation of various types of collagens. A close association between increased expression of HSP47 and the excessive accumulation of collagens is found in various human and experimental fibrotic diseases. Increased levels of HSP47 in fibrotic diseases are thought to assist in the increased assembly of procollagen, and thereby contribute to the excessive deposition of collagens in fibrotic areas. Currently, there is not a good universal histological marker to identify collagen-producing cells. Identifying phenotypically altered collagen-producing cells is essential for the development of cell-based therapies to reduce the progression of fibrotic diseases. Since HSP47 has a single substrate, which is collagen, the HSP47 cellular expression provides a novel universal biomarker to identify phenotypically altered collagen-producing cells during wound healing and fibrosis. In this brief article, we explained why HSP47 could be used as a universal marker for identifying phenotypically altered collagen-producing cells

ICan: an integrated co-alteration network to identify ovarian cancer-related genes.

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Zhou, Yuanshuai; Liu, Yongjing; Li, Kening; Zhang, Rui; Qiu, Fujun; Zhao, Ning; Xu, Yan

2015-01-01

Over the last decade, an increasing number of integrative studies on cancer-related genes have been published. Integrative analyses aim to overcome the limitation of a single data type, and provide a more complete view of carcinogenesis. The vast majority of these studies used sample-matched data of gene expression and copy number to investigate the impact of copy number alteration on gene expression, and to predict and prioritize candidate oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. However, correlations between genes were neglected in these studies. Our work aimed to evaluate the co-alteration of copy number, methylation and expression, allowing us to identify cancer-related genes and essential functional modules in cancer. We built the Integrated Co-alteration network (ICan) based on multi-omics data, and analyzed the network to uncover cancer-related genes. After comparison with random networks, we identified 155 ovarian cancer-related genes, including well-known (TP53, BRCA1, RB1 and PTEN) and also novel cancer-related genes, such as PDPN and EphA2. We compared the results with a conventional method: CNAmet, and obtained a significantly better area under the curve value (ICan: 0.8179, CNAmet: 0.5183). In this paper, we describe a framework to find cancer-related genes based on an Integrated Co-alteration network. Our results proved that ICan could precisely identify candidate cancer genes and provide increased mechanistic understanding of carcinogenesis. This work suggested a new research direction for biological network analyses involving multi-omics data.

Single-mode fiber laser based on core-cladding mode conversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Shigeru; Schülzgen, Axel; Peyghambarian, N

2008-02-15

A single-mode fiber laser based on an intracavity core-cladding mode conversion is demonstrated. The fiber laser consists of an Er-doped active fiber and two fiber Bragg gratings. One Bragg grating is a core-cladding mode converter, and the other Bragg grating is a narrowband high reflector that selects the lasing wavelength. Coupling a single core mode and a single cladding mode by the grating mode converter, the laser operates as a hybrid single-mode laser. This approach for designing a laser cavity provides a much larger mode area than conventional large-mode-area step-index fibers.

Electrical signatures of single-stranded DNA with single base mutations in a nanopore capacitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gracheva, Maria E; Aksimentiev, Aleksei; Leburton, Jean-Pierre

2006-01-01

In this paper, we evaluate the magnitude of the electrical signals produced by DNA translocation through a 1 nm diameter nanopore in a capacitor membrane with a numerical multi-scale approach, and assess the possibility of resolving individual nucleotides as well as their types in the absence of conformational disorder. We show that the maximum recorded voltage caused by the DNA translocation is about 35 mV, while the maximum voltage signal due to the DNA backbone is about 30 mV, and the maximum voltage of a DNA base is about 8 mV. Signals from individual nucleotides can be identified in the recorded voltage traces, suggesting a 1 nm diameter pore in a capacitor can be used to accurately count the number of nucleotides in a DNA strand. Furthermore, we study the effect of a single base substitution on the voltage trace, and calculate the differences among the voltage traces due to a single base mutation for the sequences C 3 AC 7 , C 3 CC 7 , C 3 GC 7 and C 3 TC 7 . The calculated voltage differences are in the 5-10 mV range. The calculated maximum voltage caused by the translocation of individual bases varies from 2 to 9 mV, which is experimentally detectable

Investigations of alteration zones based on fluid inclusion microthermometry at Sungun porphyry copper deposit, Iran

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Omid ASGHARI

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The Sungun porphyry copper deposit is located in East Azerbaijan, NW of Iran. The porphyries occur as stocks and dikes ranging in composition from quartz monzodiorite to quartz monzonite. Four types of hypogene alteration are developed; potassic, phyllic, propylitic and argillic. Three types of fluid inclusions are typically observed at Sungun; (1 vapor-rich, (2 liquid-rich and (3 multi-phase. Halite is the principal solid phase in the latter. The primary multiphase inclusions within the quartz crystals were chosen for micro-thermometric analyses and considered to calculate the geological pressure and hydrothermal fluid density. In potassic zone, the average of homogenization temperature is 413.6 °C while in phyllic alteration, 375.9 °C. As expected in potassic alteration, the temperature of hydrothermal solutions is higher than that in the phyllic zone. The salinity of the hydrothermal fluids has a high coherency with homogenization temperature, so the average of salinity in potassic samples is 46.3 (wt% NaCl which is higher than phyllic samples. Based on the location of potassic alteration, as expected, the lithostatic pressure is much more than the phyllic one. Finally, the average density of hydrothermal fluids in the potassically altered samples is 1.124 (gr/cm3 which is higher than the ones in phyllic zone (1.083 gr/cm3 .

Welding and Weldability of Directionally Solidified Single Crystal Nickel-Base Superalloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vitek, J M; David, S A; Reed, R W; Burke, M A; Fitzgerald, T J

1997-09-01

Nickel-base superalloys are used extensively in high-temperature service applications, and in particular, in components of turbine engines. To improve high-temperature creep properties, these alloys are often used in the directionally-solidified or single-crystal form. The objective of this CRADA project was to investigate the weldability of both experimental and commercial nickel-base superalloys in polycrystalline, directionally-solidified, and single-crystal forms.

A Starting Point for Fluorescence-Based Single-Molecule Measurements in Biomolecular Research

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Alexander Gust

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Single-molecule fluorescence techniques are ideally suited to provide information about the structure-function-dynamics relationship of a biomolecule as static and dynamic heterogeneity can be easily detected. However, what type of single-molecule fluorescence technique is suited for which kind of biological question and what are the obstacles on the way to a successful single-molecule microscopy experiment? In this review, we provide practical insights into fluorescence-based single-molecule experiments aiming for scientists who wish to take their experiments to the single-molecule level. We especially focus on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET experiments as these are a widely employed tool for the investigation of biomolecular mechanisms. We will guide the reader through the most critical steps that determine the success and quality of diffusion-based confocal and immobilization-based total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. We discuss the specific chemical and photophysical requirements that make fluorescent dyes suitable for single-molecule fluorescence experiments. Most importantly, we review recently emerged photoprotection systems as well as passivation and immobilization strategies that enable the observation of fluorescently labeled molecules under biocompatible conditions. Moreover, we discuss how the optical single-molecule toolkit has been extended in recent years to capture the physiological complexity of a cell making it even more relevant for biological research.

Dissociation of single-strand DNA: single-walled carbon nanotube hybrids by Watson-Crick base-pairing.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Seungwon; Cha, Misun; Park, Jiyong; Jeong, Namjo; Kim, Gunn; Park, Changwon; Ihm, Jisoon; Lee, Junghoon

2010-08-18

It has been known that single-strand DNA wraps around a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) by pi-stacking. In this paper it is demonstrated that such DNA is dissociated from the SWNT by Watson-Crick base-pairing with a complementary sequence. Measurement of field effect transistor characteristics indicates a shift of the electrical properties as a result of this "unwrapping" event. We further confirm the suggested process through Raman spectroscopy and gel electrophoresis. Experimental results are verified in view of atomistic mechanisms with molecular dynamics simulations and binding energy analyses.

Quantification of diagenetic overprint processes deduced from fossil carbonate shells and laboratory-based hydrothermal alteration experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Griesshaber, Erika; Casella, Laura; Mavromatis, Vasileios; Dietzel, Martin; Immenhauser, Adrian; Schmahl, Wolfgang

2016-04-01

Benthic and nektonic marine biogenic carbonate archives represent the foundation of numerous studies aiming at reconstructions of past climate dynamics and environmental change. However, living organisms are not in thermodynamic equilibrium and create local chemical environments where physiologic processes such as biomineralization takes place. After the death of the organism the former physiologic disequilibrium conditions are not sustained any more and all biological tissues are altered by equilibration according to the surrounding environment: diagenesis. With increasing diagenetic alteration, the biogenic structure and fingerprint fades away and is replaced by inorganic features. Thus, recrystallization of organism-specific microstructure is a clear indicator for diagenetic overprint. Microstructural data, which mirror recrystallization, are of great value for interpreting geochemical proxies for paleo-environment reconstruction. Despite more than a century of research dealing with carbonate diagenesis, many of the controlling processes and factors are only understood in a qualitative manner. One of the main issues is that diagenetically altered carbonates are usually present as the product of a complex preceding diagenetic pathway with an unknown number of intermediate steps. In this contribution we present and discuss laboratory based alteration experiments with the aim to investigate time-series data sets in a controlled manner. We conducted hydrothermal alteration experiments with modern Arctica islandica (bivalvia) and Notosaria nigricans (brachiopoda) in order to mimic diagenetic overprint. We explore first the potential of electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) measurements together with statistical data evaluation as a tool to quantify diagenetic alteration of carbonate skeletons. Subsequently, we compare microstructural patterns obtained from experimentally altered shell material with those of fossil specimens that have undergone variable degrees of

Theta and Alpha Alterations in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment in Semantic Go/NoGo Tasks

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Lydia T. Nguyen

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Growing evidence suggests that cognitive control processes are impaired in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI; however the nature of these alterations needs further examination. The current study examined differences in electroencephalographic theta and alpha power related to cognitive control processes involving response execution and response inhibition in 22 individuals with aMCI and 22 age-, sex-, and education-matched cognitively normal controls. Two Go/NoGo tasks involving semantic categorization were used. In the basic categorization task, Go/NoGo responses were made based on exemplars of a single car (Go and a single dog (NoGo. In the superordinate categorization task, responses were made based on multiple exemplars of objects (Go and animals (NoGo. Behavioral data showed that the aMCI group had more false alarms during the NoGo trials compared to controls. The EEG data revealed between group differences related to response type in theta (4–7 Hz and low-frequency alpha (8–10 Hz power. In particular, the aMCI group differed from controls in theta power during the NoGo trials at frontal and parietal electrodes, and in low-frequency alpha power during Go trials at parietal electrodes. These results suggest that alterations in theta power converge with behavioral deterioration in response inhibition, whereas alterations in low-frequency alpha power appear to precede behavioral changes in response execution. Both behavioral and electrophysiological correlates combined provide a more comprehensive characterization of cognitive control deficits in aMCI.

Extraction and analysis of reducing alteration information of oil-gas in Bashibulake uranium ore district based on ASTER remote sensing data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Fawang; Liu Dechang; Zhao Yingjun; Yang Xu

2008-01-01

Beginning with the analysis of the spectral characteristics of sandstone with reducing alteration of oil-gas in Bashibulake ore district, the extract technology of reducing alteration information based on ASTER data is presented. Several remote sensing anomaly zones of reducing alteration information similar with that in uranium deposit are interpreted in study area. On the basis of above study, these alteration anomaly information are further classified by using the advantage of ASTER data with multi-band in SWIR, the geological significance for alteration anomaly information is respectively discussed. As a result, alteration anomalies good for uranium prospecting are really selected, which provides some important information for uranium exploration in outland of Bashibulake uranium ore area. (authors)

Inflammatory and apoptotic alterations in serum and injured tissue after experimental polytrauma in mice: distinct early response compared with single trauma or "double-hit" injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Weckbach, Sebastian; Hohmann, Christoph; Braumueller, Sonja; Denk, Stephanie; Klohs, Bettina; Stahel, Philip F; Gebhard, Florian; Huber-Lang, Markus S; Perl, Mario

2013-02-01

The exact alterations of the immune system after polytrauma leading to sepsis and multiple-organ failure are poorly understood. Thus, the early local and systemic inflammatory and apoptotic response was characterized in a new polytrauma model and compared with the alterations seen after single or combined injuries. Anesthetized C57BL/6 mice were subjected to either blunt bilateral chest trauma (Tx), closed head injury, right femur fracture including contralateral soft tissue injury, or a combination of injuries (PTx). After 2 hours or 6 hours, animals were sacrificed, and the systemic as well as the local pulmonary immune response (bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL]/plasma cytokines, lung myeloperoxidase [MPO] activity, and alveolocapillary barrier dysfunction) were evaluated along with lung/brain apoptosis (lung caspase 3 Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes [PMN] Annexin V). Hemoglobin, PO2 saturation, and pH did not differ between the experimental groups. Local BAL cytokines/chemokines were significantly increased in almost all groups, which included Tx. There was no further enhancement of this local inflammatory response in the lungs in case of PTx. At 2 hours, all groups except sham and closed head injury alone revealed an increased activity of lung MPO. However, 6 hours after injury, lung MPO remained increased only in the PTx group. Increased BAL protein levels were found, reflecting enhanced lung leakage in all groups with Tx 6 hours after trauma. Only after PTx was neutrophil apoptosis significantly decreased, whereas lung caspase 3 and plasma interleukin 6/keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC) were substantially increased. The combination of different injuries leads to an earlier systemic inflammatory response when compared with the single insults. Interestingly, only after PTx but not after single or double hits was lung apoptosis increased, and PMN apoptosis was decreased along with a prolonged presence of neutrophils in the

Fluorescence-based high-throughput functional profiling of ligand-gated ion channels at the level of single cells.

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Sahil Talwar

Full Text Available Ion channels are involved in many physiological processes and are attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. Their functional properties vary according to their subunit composition, which in turn varies in a developmental and tissue-specific manner and as a consequence of pathophysiological events. Understanding this diversity requires functional analysis of ion channel properties in large numbers of individual cells. Functional characterisation of ligand-gated channels involves quantitating agonist and drug dose-response relationships using electrophysiological or fluorescence-based techniques. Electrophysiology is limited by low throughput and high-throughput fluorescence-based functional evaluation generally does not enable the characterization of the functional properties of each individual cell. Here we describe a fluorescence-based assay that characterizes functional channel properties at single cell resolution in high throughput mode. It is based on progressive receptor activation and iterative fluorescence imaging and delivers >100 dose-responses in a single well of a 384-well plate, using α1-3 homomeric and αβ heteromeric glycine receptor (GlyR chloride channels as a model system. We applied this assay with transiently transfected HEK293 cells co-expressing halide-sensitive yellow fluorescent protein and different GlyR subunit combinations. Glycine EC50 values of different GlyR isoforms were highly correlated with published electrophysiological data and confirm previously reported pharmacological profiles for the GlyR inhibitors, picrotoxin, strychnine and lindane. We show that inter and intra well variability is low and that clustering of functional phenotypes permits identification of drugs with subunit-specific pharmacological profiles. As this method dramatically improves the efficiency with which ion channel populations can be characterized in the context of cellular heterogeneity, it should facilitate systems

Investigation on Single-Molecule Junctions Based on Current–Voltage Characteristics

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Yuji Isshiki

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The relationship between the current through an electronic device and the voltage across its terminals is a current–voltage characteristic (I–V that determine basic device performance. Currently, I–V measurement on a single-molecule scale can be performed using break junction technique, where a single molecule junction can be prepared by trapping a single molecule into a nanogap between metal electrodes. The single-molecule I–Vs provide not only the device performance, but also reflect information on energy dispersion of the electronic state and the electron-molecular vibration coupling in the junction. This mini review focuses on recent representative studies on I–Vs of the single molecule junctions that cover investigation on the single-molecule diode property, the molecular vibration, and the electronic structure as a form of transmission probability, and electronic density of states, including the spin state of the single-molecule junctions. In addition, thermoelectronic measurements based on I–Vs and identification of the charged carriers (i.e., electrons or holes are presented. The analysis in the single-molecule I–Vs provides fundamental and essential information for a better understanding of the single-molecule science, and puts the single molecule junction to more practical use in molecular devices.

Altered causal connectivity of resting state brain networks in amnesic MCI.

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Peipeng Liang

Full Text Available Most neuroimaging studies of resting state networks in amnesic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI have concentrated on functional connectivity (FC based on instantaneous correlation in a single network. The purpose of the current study was to investigate effective connectivity in aMCI patients based on Granger causality of four important networks at resting state derived from functional magnetic resonance imaging data--default mode network (DMN, hippocampal cortical memory network (HCMN, dorsal attention network (DAN and fronto-parietal control network (FPCN. Structural and functional MRI data were collected from 16 aMCI patients and 16 age, gender-matched healthy controls. Correlation-purged Granger causality analysis was used, taking gray matter atrophy as covariates, to compare the group difference between aMCI patients and healthy controls. We found that the causal connectivity between networks in aMCI patients was significantly altered with both increases and decreases in the aMCI group as compared to healthy controls. Some alterations were significantly correlated with the disease severity as measured by mini-mental state examination (MMSE, and California verbal learning test (CVLT scores. When the whole-brain signal averaged over the entire brain was used as a nuisance co-variate, the within-group maps were significantly altered while the between-group difference maps did not. These results suggest that the alterations in causal influences may be one of the possible underlying substrates of cognitive impairments in aMCI. The present study extends and complements previous FC studies and demonstrates the coexistence of causal disconnection and compensation in aMCI patients, and thus might provide insights into biological mechanism of the disease.

Characterizing the response of a scintillator-based detector to single electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sang, Xiahan; LeBeau, James M.

2016-01-01

Here we report the response of a high angle annular dark field scintillator-based detector to single electrons. We demonstrate that care must be taken when determining the single electron intensity as significant discrepancies can occur when quantifying STEM images with different methods. To account for the detector response, we first image the detector using very low beam currents (∼8 fA), and subsequently model the interval between consecutive single electrons events. We find that single electrons striking the detector present a wide distribution of intensities, which we show is not described by a simple function. Further, we present a method to accurately account for the electrons within the incident probe when conducting quantitative imaging. The role detector settings play on determining the single electron intensity is also explored. Finally, we extend our analysis to describe the response of the detector to multiple electron events within the dwell interval of each pixel. - Highlights: • We show that the statistical description of single electron response of scintillator based detectors can be measured using a combination of small beam currents and short dwell times. • The average intensity from the probability distribution function can be used to normalize STEM images regardless of beam current and contrast settings. • We obtain consistent QSTEM normalization results from the single electron method and the conventional detector scan method.

Optical Microcavity: Sensing down to Single Molecules and Atoms

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Shu-Yu Su

2011-02-01

Full Text Available This review article discusses fundamentals of dielectric, low-loss, optical micro-resonator sensing, including figures of merit and a variety of microcavity designs, and future perspectives in microcavity-based optical sensing. Resonance frequency and quality (Q factor are altered as a means of detecting a small system perturbation, resulting in realization of optical sensing of a small amount of sample materials, down to even single molecules. Sensitivity, Q factor, minimum detectable index change, noises (in sensor system components and microcavity system including environments, microcavity size, and mode volume are essential parameters to be considered for optical sensing applications. Whispering gallery mode, photonic crystal, and slot-type microcavities typically provide compact, high-quality optical resonance modes for optical sensing applications. Surface Bloch modes induced on photonic crystals are shown to be a promising candidate thanks to large field overlap with a sample and ultra-high-Q resonances. Quantum optics effects based on microcavity quantum electrodynamics (QED would provide novel single-photo-level detection of even single atoms and molecules via detection of doublet vacuum Rabi splitting peaks in strong coupling.

Application of fractal modeling and PCA method for hydrothermal alteration mapping in the Saveh area (Central Iran based on ASTER multispectral data

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Mirko Ahmadfaraj

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is determination and separation of alteration zones using Concentration-Area (C-A fractal model based on remote sensing data which has been extracted from Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER images. The studied area is on the SW part of Saveh, 1:250,000 geological map, which is located in Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic belt, Central Iran. The pixel values were computed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA method used to determine phyllic, argillic, and propylitic alteration zones. The C-A fractal model is utilized for separation of different parts of alteration zones due to their intensity. The log-log C-A plots reveal multifractal nature for phyllic, argillic, and propylitic alteration zones. The obtained results based on fractal model show that the main trend of the alteration zones is in NW-SE direction. Compared to the geological map of the study area and copper mineralizations, the alteration zones have been detected properly and correlate with the mineral occurrences, intrusive rock, and faults.

Single channel blind source separation based on ICA feature extraction

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2007-01-01

A new technique is proposed to solve the blind source separation (BSS) given only a single channel observation. The basis functions and the density of the coefficients of source signals learned by ICA are used as the prior knowledge. Based on the learned prior information the learning rules of single channel BSS are presented by maximizing the joint log likelihood of the mixed sources to obtain source signals from single observation,in which the posterior density of the given measurements is maximized. The experimental results exhibit a successful separation performance for mixtures of speech and music signals.

Single-cell multiple gene expression analysis based on single-molecule-detection microarray assay for multi-DNA determination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Lu [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); Wang, Xianwei [School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); Zhang, Xiaoli [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); Wang, Jinxing [School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); Jin, Wenrui, E-mail: jwr@sdu.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China)

2015-01-07

Highlights: • A single-molecule-detection (SMD) microarray for 10 samples is fabricated. • The based-SMD microarray assay (SMA) can determine 8 DNAs for each sample. • The limit of detection of SMA is as low as 1.3 × 10{sup −16} mol L{sup −1}. • The SMA can be applied in single-cell multiple gene expression analysis. - Abstract: We report a novel ultra-sensitive and high-selective single-molecule-detection microarray assay (SMA) for multiple DNA determination. In the SMA, a capture DNA (DNAc) microarray consisting of 10 subarrays with 9 spots for each subarray is fabricated on a silanized glass coverslip as the substrate. On the subarrays, the spot-to-spot spacing is 500 μm and each spot has a diameter of ∼300 μm. The sequence of the DNAcs on the 9 spots of a subarray is different, to determine 8 types of target DNAs (DNAts). Thus, 8 types of DNAts are captured to their complementary DNAcs at 8 spots of a subarray, respectively, and then labeled with quantum dots (QDs) attached to 8 types of detection DNAs (DNAds) with different sequences. The ninth spot is used to detect the blank value. In order to determine the same 8 types of DNAts in 10 samples, the 10 DNAc-modified subarrays on the microarray are identical. Fluorescence single-molecule images of the QD-labeled DNAts on each spot of the subarray are acquired using a home-made single-molecule microarray reader. The amounts of the DNAts are quantified by counting the bright dots from the QDs. For a microarray, 8 types of DNAts in 10 samples can be quantified in parallel. The limit of detection of the SMA for DNA determination is as low as 1.3 × 10{sup −16} mol L{sup −1}. The SMA for multi-DNA determination can also be applied in single-cell multiple gene expression analysis through quantification of complementary DNAs (cDNAs) corresponding to multiple messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in single cells. To do so, total RNA in single cells is extracted and reversely transcribed into their cDNAs. Three

Polymerase-free measurement of microRNA-122 with single base specificity using single molecule arrays: Detection of drug-induced liver injury.

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David M Rissin

Full Text Available We have developed a single probe method for detecting microRNA from human serum using single molecule arrays, with sequence specificity down to a single base, and without the use of amplification by polymerases. An abasic peptide nucleic acid (PNA probe-containing a reactive amine instead of a nucleotide at a specific position in the sequence-for detecting a microRNA was conjugated to superparamagnetic beads. These beads were incubated with a sample containing microRNA, a biotinylated reactive nucleobase-containing an aldehyde group-that was complementary to the missing base in the probe sequence, and a reducing agent. When a target molecule with an exact match in sequence hybridized to the capture probe, the reactive nucleobase was covalently attached to the backbone of the probe by a dynamic covalent chemical reaction. Single molecules of the biotin-labeled probe were then labeled with streptavidin-β-galactosidase (SβG, the beads were resuspended in a fluorogenic enzyme substrate, loaded into an array of femtoliter wells, and sealed with oil. The array was imaged fluorescently to determine which beads were associated with single enzymes, and the average number of enzymes per bead was determined. The assay had a limit of detection of 500 fM, approximately 500 times more sensitive than a corresponding analog bead-based assay, with target specificity down to a single base mis-match. This assay was used to measure microRNA-122 (miR-122-an established biomarker of liver toxicity-extracted from the serum of patients who had acute liver injury due to acetaminophen, and control healthy patients. All patients with liver injury had higher levels of miR-122 in their serum compared to controls, and the concentrations measured correlated well with those determined using RT-qPCR. This approach allows rapid quantification of circulating microRNA with single-based specificity and a limit of quantification suitable for clinical use.

Tractor performance monitor based on a single-chip microcomputer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bedri, A.R.; Marley, S.J.; Buchelle, W.F.; Smay, T.A.

1981-01-01

A tractor performance monitor based on a single-chip microcomputer was developed to measure ground speed, slip, fuel consumption (rate and total), total area, theoretical time, and total time. Transducers used are presented in detail. 5 refs.

Spectral properties and ASTER-based alteration mapping of Masahim volcano facies, SE Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Tayebi, Mohammad H.; Tangestani, Majid H.; Vincent, Robert K.; Neal, Devin

2014-10-01

This study applies Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data and the Mixture Tuned Matched Filtering (MTMF) algorithm to map the sub-pixel distribution of alteration minerals associated with the Masahim volcano, SE Iran for understanding the spatial relationship between alteration minerals and volcano facies. Investigations of the alteration mineralogy were conducted using field-spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and ASTER Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) spectral data. In order to spectrally characterize the stratovolcano deposits, lithological units and alteration minerals, the volcano was divided into three facies: the Central, Proximal, and Medial-distal facies. The reflectance spectra of rock samples show absorption features of a number of minerals including white mica, kaolinite, montmorillonite, illite, goethite, hematite, jarosite, opal, and chlorite. The end-members of key alteration minerals including sericite (phyllic zone), kaolinite (argillic zone) and chlorite (propylitic zone) were extracted from imagery using the Pixel Purity Index (PPI) method and were used to map alteration minerals. Accuracy assessment through field observations was used to verify the fraction maps. The results showed that most prominent altered rocks situated at the central facies of volcano. The alteration minerals were discriminated with the coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.74, 0.81, and 0.68 for kaolinite, sericite, and chlorite, respectively. The results of this study have the potential to refine the map of alteration zones in the Masahim volcano.

Rafting in single crystal nickel-base superalloys – An overview

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

Page 1 ... aircraft engines as well as land-based power generation applications. Microstruc- ture and high temperature mechanical properties are the major factors controlling the performance of SX ... Single crystal (SX) superalloys are a group of nickel-base superalloys. They exhibit superior high temperatur mechanical ...

Network analysis of genomic alteration profiles reveals co-altered functional modules and driver genes for glioblastoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Yunyan; Wang, Hongwei; Qin, Yao; Zhang, Yujing; Zhao, Wenyuan; Qi, Lishuang; Zhang, Yuannv; Wang, Chenguang; Guo, Zheng

2013-03-01

The heterogeneity of genetic alterations in human cancer genomes presents a major challenge to advancing our understanding of cancer mechanisms and identifying cancer driver genes. To tackle this heterogeneity problem, many approaches have been proposed to investigate genetic alterations and predict driver genes at the individual pathway level. However, most of these approaches ignore the correlation of alteration events between pathways and miss many genes with rare alterations collectively contributing to carcinogenesis. Here, we devise a network-based approach to capture the cooperative functional modules hidden in genome-wide somatic mutation and copy number alteration profiles of glioblastoma (GBM) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), where a module is a set of altered genes with dense interactions in the protein interaction network. We identify 7 pairs of significantly co-altered modules that involve the main pathways known to be altered in GBM (TP53, RB and RTK signaling pathways) and highlight the striking co-occurring alterations among these GBM pathways. By taking into account the non-random correlation of gene alterations, the property of co-alteration could distinguish oncogenic modules that contain driver genes involved in the progression of GBM. The collaboration among cancer pathways suggests that the redundant models and aggravating models could shed new light on the potential mechanisms during carcinogenesis and provide new indications for the design of cancer therapeutic strategies.

Atomic-resolution single-spin magnetic resonance detection concept based on tunneling force microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, A.; Ambal, K.; Boehme, C.; Williams, C. C.

2015-05-01

A study of a force detected single-spin magnetic resonance measurement concept with atomic spatial resolution is presented. The method is based upon electrostatic force detection of spin-selection rule controlled single-electron tunneling between two electrically isolated paramagnetic states. Single-spin magnetic resonance detection is possible by measuring the force detected tunneling charge noise on and off spin resonance. Simulation results of this charge noise, based upon physical models of the tunneling and spin physics, are directly compared to measured atomic force microscopy system noise. The results show that the approach could provide single-spin measurement of electrically isolated qubit states with atomic spatial resolution at room temperature.

High Performance Relaxor-Based Ferroelectric Single Crystals for Ultrasonic Transducer Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Chen

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Relaxor-based ferroelectric single crystals Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT have drawn much attention in the ferroelectric field because of their excellent piezoelectric properties and high electromechanical coupling coefficients (d33~2000 pC/N, kt~60% near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB. Ternary Pb(In1/2Nb1/2O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3O3-PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT single crystals also possess outstanding performance comparable with PMN-PT single crystals, but have higher phase transition temperatures (rhombohedral to tetragonal Trt, and tetragonal to cubic Tc and larger coercive field Ec. Therefore, these relaxor-based single crystals have been extensively employed for ultrasonic transducer applications. In this paper, an overview of our work and perspectives on using PMN-PT and PIN-PMN-PT single crystals for ultrasonic transducer applications is presented. Various types of single-element ultrasonic transducers, including endoscopic transducers, intravascular transducers, high-frequency and high-temperature transducers fabricated using the PMN-PT and PIN-PMN-PT crystals and their 2-2 and 1-3 composites are reported. Besides, the fabrication and characterization of the array transducers, such as phased array, cylindrical shaped linear array, high-temperature linear array, radial endoscopic array, and annular array, are also addressed.

Assessing Motor Fluctuations in Parkinson's Disease Patients Based on a Single Inertial Sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-López, Carlos; Samà, Albert; Rodríguez-Martín, Daniel; Català, Andreu; Cabestany, Joan; Moreno-Arostegui, Juan Manuel; de Mingo, Eva; Rodríguez-Molinero, Alejandro

2016-12-15

Altered movement control is typically the first noticeable symptom manifested by Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Once under treatment, the effect of the medication is very patent and patients often recover correct movement control over several hours. Nonetheless, as the disease advances, patients present motor complications. Obtaining precise information on the long-term evolution of these motor complications and their short-term fluctuations is crucial to provide optimal therapy to PD patients and to properly measure the outcome of clinical trials. This paper presents an algorithm based on the accelerometer signals provided by a waist sensor that has been validated in the automatic assessment of patient's motor fluctuations (ON and OFF motor states) during their activities of daily living. A total of 15 patients have participated in the experiments in ambulatory conditions during 1 to 3 days. The state recognised by the algorithm and the motor state annotated by patients in standard diaries are contrasted. Results show that the average specificity and sensitivity are higher than 90%, while their values are higher than 80% of all patients, thereby showing that PD motor status is able to be monitored through a single sensor during daily life of patients in a precise and objective way.

Kinetics of radiation-induced structural alterations in electron-irradiated polymer-based composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaikin, Yu.A.; Potanin, A.S.; Koztaeva, U.P.

2002-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. In our previous studies measurements of internal friction temperature dependence were used for characterization of thermally activated and radiation-induced structural evolution in different types of polymer-based composites. This paper supplements these measurements with kinetic studies of internal friction (IF) parameters and EPR signals in a glass-cloth epoxy-filled laminate ST-ETF after electron irradiation up to doses of 1-10 MGy. Experiment have shown that the lifetime of free radicals in this composite considerably exceeds the characteristic time of molecular structural rearrangement due to scission and cross-linking after irradiation, as determined from IF measurements. This result is explained by slow proceeding of sterically hindered disproportionation reactions that stabilize the end groups of the macro-chain disrupt during irradiation and finally fix the act of scission. A mathematical model is formulated for description of structural evolution and alterations of IF parameters in polymer-based composites during and after electron irradiation. The description is based on the track model of radiation damage in polymers and phenomenological theory of radiation-induced structural transformations. General description does not give details of radiation-chemical conversion in different structural components of composites but indicates the direction of their structural evolution. In the model considered a composite material was divided into three parts (binder, filler, and a boundary layer). It was supposed that after primary distribution of radiation energy radiation-chemical conversion proceeds independently in each of these regions. It was also suggested that all the radical reactions were of the second order. On the example of glass-cloth laminate ST-ETF it is shown that this model allows to describe alterations in composite structural characteristics during irradiation and in the course of their self-organization after

Design of single-polarization wavelength splitter based on photonic crystal fiber.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shanshan; Zhang, Weigang; Geng, Pengcheng; Li, Xiaolan; Ruan, Juan

2011-12-20

A new single-polarization wavelength splitter based on the photonic crystal fiber (PCF) has been proposed. The full-vector finite-element method (FEM) is applied to analyze the single-polarization single-mode guiding properties. Splitting of two different wavelengths is realized by adjusting the structural parameters. The semi-vector three-dimensional beam propagation method is employed to confirm the wavelength splitting characteristics of the PCF. Numerical simulations show that the wavelengths of 1.3 μm and 1.55 μm are split for a fiber length of 10.7 mm with single-polarization guiding in each core. The crosstalk between the two cores is low over appreciable optical bandwidths.

Proposed alteration of images of molecular orbitals obtained using a scanning tunneling microscope as a probe of electron correlation.

Science.gov (United States)

Toroz, Dimitrios; Rontani, Massimo; Corni, Stefano

2013-01-04

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) allows us to image single molecules decoupled from the supporting substrate. The obtained images are routinely interpreted as the square moduli of molecular orbitals, dressed by the mean-field electron-electron interaction. Here we demonstrate that the effect of electron correlation beyond the mean field qualitatively alters the uncorrelated STS images. Our evidence is based on the ab initio many-body calculation of STS images of planar molecules with metal centers. We find that many-body correlations alter significantly the image spectral weight close to the metal center of the molecules. This change is large enough to be accessed experimentally, surviving to molecule-substrate interactions.

The role of model-based methods in the development of single scan techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laruelle, Marc

2000-01-01

Single scan techniques are highly desirable for clinical trials involving radiotracers because they increase logistical feasibility, improve patient compliance, and decrease the cost associated with the study. However, the information derived from single scans usually are biased by factors unrelated to the process of interest. Therefore, identification of these factors and evaluation of their impact on the proposed outcome measure is important. In this paper, the impact of confounding factors on single scan measurements is illustrated by discussing the effect of between-subject or between-condition differences in radiotracer plasma clearance on normalized activity ratios (specific to nonspecific ratios) in the tissue of interest. Computer simulation based on kinetic analyses are presented to demonstrate this effect. It is proposed that the presence of this and other confounding factors should not necessarily preclude clinical trials based on single scan techniques. First, knowledge of the distribution of plasma clearance values in a sample of the investigated population allows researchers to assign limits to this potential bias. This information can be integrated in the power analysis. Second, the impact of this problem will vary according to the characteristic of the radiotracer, and this information can be used in the development and selection of the radiotracer. Third, simple modification of the experimental design (such as administration of the radiotracer as a bolus, followed by constant infusion, rather than as a single bolus) might remove this potential confounding factor and allow appropriate quantification within the limits of a single scanning session. In conclusion, model-based kinetic characterization of radiotracer distribution and uptake is critical to the design and interpretation of clinical trials based on single scan techniques

Mortality in single fathers compared with single mothers and partnered parents: a population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Maria; Rahman, Farah; Vigod, Simone; Lau, Cindy; Cairney, John; Kurdyak, Paul

2018-03-01

Single parent families, including families headed by single fathers, are becoming increasingly common around the world. Previous evidence suggests that single parenthood is associated with adverse health outcomes and increased mortality; however, most studies have focused on single mothers, with little known about the health of single fathers. This study aimed to examine mortality in a large population-based sample of Canadian single fathers compared with single mothers and partnered fathers and mothers. We used a representative sample of 871 single fathers, 4590 single mothers, 16 341 partnered fathers, and 18 688 partnered mothers from the Canadian Community Health Survey (cycles 2001-12; earliest survey date: Sept 5, 2000; latest survey date: Dec 24, 2012). We anonymously linked survey participants to health administrative database records to ascertain health status at baseline and mortality from survey date up to Oct 28, 2016. We included individuals who were aged 15 years or older, living in a household with one or more biological or adopted child younger than 25 years, and living in Ontario, and we excluded those who left Ontario during the study period or had data discrepancies. Single parents were defined as those who were divorced, separated, widowed, or single, never-married, and non-cohabitating, and partnered parents were defined as those who were married or common-law partners. We investigated differences in mortality using Cox proportional hazards models with adjustment for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors. Median follow-up was 11·10 years (IQR 7·36-13·54). Mortality in single fathers (5·8 per 1000 person-years) was three-times higher than rates in single mothers (1·74 per 1000 person-years) and partnered fathers (1·94 per 1000 person-years). Single fathers had a significantly higher adjusted risk of dying than both single mothers (hazard ratio [HR] 2·49, 95% CI 1·20-5·15; p=0·01) and partnered fathers (2·06, 1·11-3�

White-light-emitting diode based on a single-layer polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, B. Z.; Zhang, X. P.; Liu, H. M.

2013-05-01

A broad-band light-emitting diode was achieved in a single-layer device based on pure poly(9,9'-dioctylfluorene-co-bis-N,N'-(4-butylphenyl)-bis-N,N'-phenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine) (PFB). Electromer emission was observed in the red with a center wavelength of about 620 nm in electroluminescence (EL) spectrum. This kind of emission exhibits strong dependence on the thickness of the PFB layer, so that the shape of the EL spectrum may be adjusted through changing the thickness of the active polymer layer to balance between the intrinsic PFB emission in the blue and the electromer emission in the red. Thus, white light emission may be achieved from such a single-layer single-material diode.

Lyapunov-Based Control Scheme for Single-Phase Grid-Connected PV Central Inverters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meza, C.; Biel, D.; Jeltsema, D.; Scherpen, J. M. A.

A Lyapunov-based control scheme for single-phase single-stage grid-connected photovoltaic central inverters is presented. Besides rendering the closed-loop system globally stable, the designed controller is able to deal with the system uncertainty that depends on the solar irradiance. A laboratory

Toward single enzyme analysis in a droplet-based micro and nanofluidic system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arayanarakool, Rerngchai

2012-01-01

In this thesis, we have demonstrated the application of micro- and nanofluidic devices to generate an array of aqueous droplets in oil phase for single-enzyme encapsulation and activity measurement. We chose droplet-based microfluidics for this purpose of monitoring single-enzyme reactions since the

Fast recognition of single molecules based on single-event photon statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Shuangli; Huang Tao; Liu Yuan; Wang Jun; Zhang Guofeng; Xiao Liantuan; Jia Suotang

2007-01-01

Mandel's Q parameter, which is determined from single-event photon statistics, provides an alternative way to recognize single molecules with fluorescence detection, other than the second-order correlation function. It is shown that the Q parameter of an assumed ideal double-molecule fluorescence with the same average photon number as that of the sample fluorescence can act as the criterion for single-molecule recognition. The influence of signal-to-background ratio and the error estimates for photon statistics are also presented. We have applied this method to ascertain single Cy5 dye molecules within hundreds of milliseconds

Quercetin does not alter the oral bioavailability of Atorvastatin in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Koritala, Rekha; Challa, Siva Reddy; Ragam, Satheesh Kumar; Geddam, Lal Babu; Venkatesh Reddy Challa, Venkatesh Reddy; Devi, Renuka; Sattenapalli, Srinu; Babu, Narendra

2015-09-01

The study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of Quercetin on the pharmacokinetics of Atorvastatin Calcium. In-vivo Pharmacokinetic studies were performed on rats in a single dose study and multiple dose study. Rats were treated with Quercetin (10 mg/kg) and Atorvastatin Calcium (20 mg/kg) orally and blood samples were collected at (0) pretreatment and 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 8, 12, 24 hours post treatment. Plasma concentrations of Atorvastatin were estimated by HPLC method. Quercetin treatment did not significantly alter the pharmacokinetic parameters of atorvastatin like AUC(0-24), AUC(0-α) , T(max), C(max) and T(½) in both single dose and multiple dose studies of Atorvastatin Calcium. Quercetin does not alter the oral bioavailability of Atorvastatin Calcium in rats.

Phosphorylation states of cell cycle and DNA repair proteins can be altered by the nsSNPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savas, Sevtap; Ozcelik, Hilmi

2005-01-01

Phosphorylation is a reversible post-translational modification that affects the intrinsic properties of proteins, such as structure and function. Non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) result in the substitution of the encoded amino acids and thus are likely to alter the phosphorylation motifs in the proteins. In this study, we used the web-based NetPhos tool to predict candidate nsSNPs that either introduce or remove putative phosphorylation sites in proteins that act in DNA repair and cell cycle pathways. Our results demonstrated that a total of 15 nsSNPs (16.9%) were likely to alter the putative phosphorylation patterns of 14 proteins. Three of these SNPs (CDKN1A-S31R, OGG1-S326C, and XRCC3-T241M) have already found to be associated with altered cancer risk. We believe that this set of nsSNPs constitutes an excellent resource for further molecular and genetic analyses. The novel systematic approach used in this study will accelerate the understanding of how naturally occurring human SNPs may alter protein function through the modification of phosphorylation mechanisms and contribute to disease susceptibility

Cross correlations of quantum key distribution based on single-photon sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Shuangli; Wang Xiaobo; Zhang Guofeng; Sun Jianhu; Zhang Fang; Xiao Liantuan; Jia Suotang

2009-01-01

We theoretically analyze the second-order correlation function in a quantum key distribution system with real single-photon sources. Based on single-event photon statistics, the influence of the modification caused by an eavesdropper's intervention and the effects of background signals on the cross correlations between authorized partners are presented. On this basis, we have shown a secure range of correlation against the intercept-resend attacks.

Ultrastructural alterations in adult Schistosoma mansoni caused by artemether

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuhua Xiao

2002-07-01

Full Text Available Progress has been made over the last decade with the development and clinical use of artemether as an agent against major human schistosome parasites. The tegument has been identified as a key target of artemether, implying detailed studies on ultrastructural damage induced by this compound. We performed a temporal examination, employing a transmission electron microscope to assess the pattern and extent of ultrastructural alterations in adult Schistosoma mansoni harboured in mice treated with a single dose of 400 mg/kg artemether. Eight hours post-treatment, damage to the tegument and subtegumental structures was seen. Tegumental alterations reached a peak 3 days after treatment and were characterized by swelling, fusion of distal cytoplasma, focal lysis of the tegumental matrix and vacuolisation. Tubercles and sensory organelles frequently degenerated or collapsed. Typical features of subtegumental alterations, including muscle fibres, syncytium and parenchyma tissues, were focal or extensive lysis, vacuolisation and degeneration of mitochondria. Severe alterations were also observed in gut epithelial cells and vitelline cells of female worms. Our findings of artemether-induced ultrastructural alterations in adult S. mansoni confirm previous results obtained with juvenile S. mansoni and S. japonicum of different ages.

Efficient fiber-coupled single-photon sources based on quantum dots

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daveau, Raphaël Sura

refrigeration with coupled quantum wells. Many photonic quantum information processing applications would benet from a highbrightness, ber-coupled source of triggered single photons. This thesis presents a study of such sources based on quantum dots coupled to unidirectional photonic-crystal waveguide devices.......6 %. This latter method opens a promising future for increasing the eciency and reliability of planar chip-based single-photon sources. Refrigeration of a solid-state system with light has potential applications for cooling small-scale electronic and photonic circuits. We show theoretically that two coupled...... semiconductor quantum wells are ecient cooling media because they support long-lived indirect electron-hole pairs. These pairs can be thermally excited to distinct higher-energy states with faster radiative recombination, thereby creating an ecient escape channel to remove thermal energy from the system. From...

DNA origami-based shape IDs for single-molecule nanomechanical genotyping

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Honglu; Chao, Jie; Pan, Dun; Liu, Huajie; Qiang, Yu; Liu, Ke; Cui, Chengjun; Chen, Jianhua; Huang, Qing; Hu, Jun; Wang, Lianhui; Huang, Wei; Shi, Yongyong; Fan, Chunhai

2017-04-01

Variations on DNA sequences profoundly affect how we develop diseases and respond to pathogens and drugs. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) provides a nanomechanical imaging approach for genetic analysis with nanometre resolution. However, unlike fluorescence imaging that has wavelength-specific fluorophores, the lack of shape-specific labels largely hampers widespread applications of AFM imaging. Here we report the development of a set of differentially shaped, highly hybridizable self-assembled DNA origami nanostructures serving as shape IDs for magnified nanomechanical imaging of single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Using these origami shape IDs, we directly genotype single molecules of human genomic DNA with an ultrahigh resolution of ~10 nm and the multiplexing ability. Further, we determine three types of disease-associated, long-range haplotypes in samples from the Han Chinese population. Single-molecule analysis allows robust haplotyping even for samples with low labelling efficiency. We expect this generic shape ID-based nanomechanical approach to hold great potential in genetic analysis at the single-molecule level.

Double minimum creep of single crystal Ni-base superalloys

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

WU, X.; Wollgramm, P.; Somsen, C.; Dlouhý, Antonín; Kostka, A.; Eggeler, G.

2016-01-01

Roč. 112, JUN (2016), s. 242-260 ISSN 1359-6454 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-22834S Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Single crystal Ni-base superalloys * Primary creep * Transmission electron microscopy * Dislocations * Stacking faults Subject RIV: JG - Metallurgy Impact factor: 5.301, year: 2016

Single Photon Counting Performance and Noise Analysis of CMOS SPAD-Based Image Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Dutton, Neale A. W.; Gyongy, Istvan; Parmesan, Luca; Henderson, Robert K.

2016-01-01

SPAD-based solid state CMOS image sensors utilising analogue integrators have attained deep sub-electron read noise (DSERN) permitting single photon counting (SPC) imaging. A new method is proposed to determine the read noise in DSERN image sensors by evaluating the peak separation and width (PSW) of single photon peaks in a photon counting histogram (PCH). The technique is used to identify and analyse cumulative noise in analogue integrating SPC SPAD-based pixels. The DSERN of our SPAD image sensor is exploited to confirm recent multi-photon threshold quanta image sensor (QIS) theory. Finally, various single and multiple photon spatio-temporal oversampling techniques are reviewed. PMID:27447643

Femtosecond laser ablation of single-wall carbon nanotube-based material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danilov, Pavel A; Ionin, Andrey A; Kudryashov, Sergey I; Makarov, Sergey V; Mel’nik, Nikolay N; Rudenko, Andrey A; Yurovskikh, Vladislav I; Zayarny, Dmitry V; Lednev, Vasily N; Obraztsova, Elena D; Pershin, Sergey M; Bunkin, Alexey F

2014-01-01

Single- and multi-shot femtosecond laser surface ablation of a single-wall carbon nanotube-based substrate at 515- and 1030 nm wavelengths was studied by scanning electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The laser ablation proceeds in two ways: as the low-fluence mesoscopic shallow disintegration of the surface nanotube packing, preserving the individual integrity and the semiconducting character of the nanotubes or as the high-fluence deep material removal apparently triggered by the strong intrinsic or impurity-mediated ablation of the individual carbon nanotubes on the substrate surface. (letter)

Synthesis and functionalization of dextran-based single-chain nanoparticles in aqueous media

OpenAIRE

Gracia R.; Marradi M.; Cossío U.; Benito A.; Pérez-San Vicente A.; Gómez-Vallejo V.; Grande H.-J.; Llop J.; and Loinaz I.

2017-01-01

Water-dispersible dextran-based single-chain polymer nanoparticles (SCPNs) were prepared in aqueous media and under mild conditions. Radiolabeling of the resulting biocompatible materials allowed the study of lung deposition of aqueous aerosols after intratracheal nebulization by means of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), demonstrating their potential use as imaging contrast agents.

DNA-Based Single-Molecule Electronics: From Concept to Function

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Beyond being the repository of genetic information, DNA is playing an increasingly important role as a building block for molecular electronics. Its inherent structural and molecular recognition properties render it a leading candidate for molecular electronics applications. The structural stability, diversity and programmability of DNA provide overwhelming freedom for the design and fabrication of molecular-scale devices. In the past two decades DNA has therefore attracted inordinate amounts of attention in molecular electronics. This review gives a brief survey of recent experimental progress in DNA-based single-molecule electronics with special focus on single-molecule conductance and I–V characteristics of individual DNA molecules. Existing challenges and exciting future opportunities are also discussed. PMID:29342091

DNA-Based Single-Molecule Electronics: From Concept to Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kun

2018-01-17

Beyond being the repository of genetic information, DNA is playing an increasingly important role as a building block for molecular electronics. Its inherent structural and molecular recognition properties render it a leading candidate for molecular electronics applications. The structural stability, diversity and programmability of DNA provide overwhelming freedom for the design and fabrication of molecular-scale devices. In the past two decades DNA has therefore attracted inordinate amounts of attention in molecular electronics. This review gives a brief survey of recent experimental progress in DNA-based single-molecule electronics with special focus on single-molecule conductance and I-V characteristics of individual DNA molecules. Existing challenges and exciting future opportunities are also discussed.

Cold-induced alteration in the global structure of the male sex ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Cold-induced alteration in the global structure of the male sex ... dar et al. 1978). Chromosome preparated from a single pair of salivary glands show extremely puffy and diffuse ..... Akhtar A. 2003 Dosage compensation: an intertwined world of.

A Nonadaptive Window-Based PLL for Single-Phase Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Golestan, Saeed; Guerrero, Josep M.; Quintero, Juan Carlos Vasquez

2018-01-01

The rectangular window filter, typically known as the moving average filter (MAF), is a quasi-ideal low-pass filter that has found wide application in designing advanced single-phase phase-locked loops (PLLs). Most often, the MAF is employed as an in-loop filter within the control loop of the sin......The rectangular window filter, typically known as the moving average filter (MAF), is a quasi-ideal low-pass filter that has found wide application in designing advanced single-phase phase-locked loops (PLLs). Most often, the MAF is employed as an in-loop filter within the control loop...... response is avoided. Nevertheless, the PLL implementation complexity considerably increases as MAFs are frequency-adaptive and, therefore, they require an additional frequency detector for estimating the grid frequency. To reduce the implementation complexity while maintaining a good performance, using...... a nonadaptive MAF-based QSG with some error compensators is suggested in this letter. The effectiveness of the resultant PLL, which is briefly called the nonadaptive MAF-based PLL, is verified using experimental results....

Post-factum detection of radiation treatment of meat and fish by means of DNA alterations identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayer, M.

1994-01-01

The doctoral thesis explains methods and experiments for post-factum detection of radiation-induced alterations of DNA. There are various manifestations of such alterations. Ionizing radiation can directly alter the bases and/or sugar component, or can indirectly induce DNA damage by way of forming water radicals. Both mechanisms result in base derivatives, released for some part from the DNA strand, or formed by alterations of the 2-deoxyribose, inducing strand breaks ( single and double strand breaks). The first part of the thesis explains the approach applying GC-MS for detection of radiation-induced base derivatives, using herring sperm DNA as a model DNA. Some typical types of base derivatives were identified (thymine glycol, 5-hydroxycytosine).Some base derivatives were also found in DNA samples derived from poultry meat. These base derivatives are known to be indicators of food processing with ionizing radiation, but surprisingly were also found in non-irradiated controls, although in minor amounts. The second part discusses the identification of strand breaks applying the pused-field gel electrophoresis. This method is capable of producing evidence that irradiation markedly enhances the short-chain DNA molecules as compared to non-irradiated controls. DNA molecules of a size of approx. 2.2 million base pairs are almost completely broken into short-chain fragments. The method reliably detects radiation treatments down to 1500 Gy, even if applied long ago. (orig./MG) [de

Structural Alterations of the Glomerular Wall And Vessels in Early ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Structural Alterations of the Glomerular Wall And Vessels in Early Stages of Diabetes Mellitus: Light and Transmission Electron Microscopic Study. ... The second group of 20 (the experimental group) was injected intraperitoneally by a single dose of streptozotocin to induce hyperglycemia. Rats were sacrificed after ten days, ...

A large-scale perspective on stress-induced alterations in resting-state networks

Science.gov (United States)

Maron-Katz, Adi; Vaisvaser, Sharon; Lin, Tamar; Hendler, Talma; Shamir, Ron

2016-02-01

Stress is known to induce large-scale neural modulations. However, its neural effect once the stressor is removed and how it relates to subjective experience are not fully understood. Here we used a statistically sound data-driven approach to investigate alterations in large-scale resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) induced by acute social stress. We compared rsfMRI profiles of 57 healthy male subjects before and after stress induction. Using a parcellation-based univariate statistical analysis, we identified a large-scale rsFC change, involving 490 parcel-pairs. Aiming to characterize this change, we employed statistical enrichment analysis, identifying anatomic structures that were significantly interconnected by these pairs. This analysis revealed strengthening of thalamo-cortical connectivity and weakening of cross-hemispheral parieto-temporal connectivity. These alterations were further found to be associated with change in subjective stress reports. Integrating report-based information on stress sustainment 20 minutes post induction, revealed a single significant rsFC change between the right amygdala and the precuneus, which inversely correlated with the level of subjective recovery. Our study demonstrates the value of enrichment analysis for exploring large-scale network reorganization patterns, and provides new insight on stress-induced neural modulations and their relation to subjective experience.

Altered lower extremity joint mechanics occur during the star excursion balance test and single leg hop after ACL-reconstruction in a collegiate athlete.

Science.gov (United States)

Samaan, Michael A; Ringleb, Stacie I; Bawab, Sebastian Y; Greska, Eric K; Weinhandl, Joshua T

2018-03-01

The effects of ACL-reconstruction on lower extremity joint mechanics during performance of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) and Single Leg Hop (SLH) are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine if altered lower extremity mechanics occur during the SEBT and SLH after ACL-reconstruction. One female Division I collegiate athlete performed the SEBT and SLH tasks, bilaterally, both before ACL injury and 27 months after ACL-reconstruction. Maximal reach, hop distances, lower extremity joint kinematics and moments were compared between both time points. Musculoskeletal simulations were used to assess muscle force production during the SEBT and SLH at both time points. Compared to the pre-injury time point, SEBT reach distances were similar in both limbs after ACL-reconstruction except for the max anterior reach distance in the ipsilateral limb. The athlete demonstrated similar hop distances, bilaterally, after ACL-reconstruction compared to the pre-injury time point. Despite normal functional performance during the SEBT and SLH, the athlete exhibited altered lower extremity joint mechanics during both of these tasks. These results suggest that measuring the maximal reach and hop distances for these tasks, in combination with an analysis of the lower extremity joint mechanics that occur after ACL-reconstruction, may help clinicians and researchers to better understand the effects of ACL-reconstruction on the neuromuscular system during the SEBT and SLH.

Growth and characterization of lead-free (K,Na)NbO3-based piezoelectric single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Hairui

2016-01-01

Lead-free piezoelectric materials have received increasing attention in the last decade, driven by environmental issues and health concerns. Of considerable interest is the (K,Na)NbO 3 (KNN)-based system, which possesses a relatively high Curie temperature and good piezoelectric properties. Abundant publications on KNN-based polycrystalline ceramics increased the interest in studying their single-crystalline form, based on two major concerns. The first concern refers to the negative role of grain interactions on the electromechanical response. The second concern deals with domain engineering. The relationship between external electric field direction, crystallographic orientation, and spontaneous polarization vectors for a specific structure can be more readily established in single crystals and thus offers a pathway for an in-depth understanding of fundamental mechanism and potential applications. The exciting enhancement of both piezoelectric and ferroelectric response in lead-based single crystals also encourages the further exploration of KNN-based piezoelectric crystals, as they possess the same perovskite structure. The main goal of this thesis is to find possible approaches for improved electromechanical properties in KNN-based piezoelectric single crystals. In Chapter 2, the current development of KNN-based single crystals as piezoelectrics is reviewed, following a short introduction of fundamental knowledge on piezoelectrics and ferroelectrics. Both submerged-seed solution growth and top-seeded solution growth techniques were employed to produce single crystals, as described detailed in Chapter 3. Emphasis is subsequently placed on issues of the crystal growth process, effective methods to enhance electrical properties, and crystallographic orientation-dependent electrical properties in Li-, Ta-, and/or Sb-substituted KNN single crystals. The main conclusions from the crystal growth aspect are presented in Chapter 4 and can be summarized as follows: (i

A continuum model for the anisotropic creep of single crystal nickel-based superalloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, Sharat C.; Rajagopal, K.R.; Rao, I.J.

2006-01-01

In this paper, we extend the constitutive theory developed by Prasad et al. [Prasad SC, Rao IJ, Rajagopal KR. A continuum model for the creep of single crystal nickel-base superalloys. Acta Mater 2005;53(3):669-79], to describe the creep anisotropy associated with crystallographic orientation in single crystal nickel-based superalloys. The constitutive theory is cast within a general thermodynamic framework that has been developed to describe the response of materials capable of existing in multiple stress free configurations ('natural configurations'). Central to the theory is the prescription of the forms for the stored energy and rate of dissipation functions. The stored energy reflects the fact that the elastic response exhibits cubic symmetry. The model takes into account the fact that the symmetry of single crystals does not change with inelastic deformation. The rate of dissipation function is also chosen to be anisotropic, in that it reflects invariance to transformations that belong to the cubic symmetry group. The model is used to simulate uniaxial creep of single crystal nickel-based superalloy CMSX-4 for loading along the , and orientations. The predictions of the theory agree well with the experimental data

Nanolithography based contacting method for electrical measurements on single template synthesized nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fusil, S.; Piraux, L.; Mátéfi-Tempfli, Stefan

2005-01-01

A reliable method enabling electrical measurements on single nanowires prepared by electrodeposition in an alumina template is described. This technique is based on electrically controlled nanoindentation of a thin insulating resist deposited on the top face of the template filled by the nanowires....... We show that this method is very flexible, allowing us to electrically address single nanowires of controlled length down to 100 nm and of desired composition. Using this approach, current densities as large as 10 A cm were successfully injected through a point contact on a single magnetic...

Dynamic optical arbitrary waveform shaping based on cascaded optical modulators of single FBG.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jingyuan; Li, Peili

2015-08-10

A dynamic optical arbitrary waveform generation (O-AWG) with amplitude and phase independently controlled in optical modulators of single fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) has been proposed. This novel scheme consists of several optical modulators. In the optical modulator (O-MOD), a uniform FBG is used to filter spectral component of the input signal. The amplitude is controlled by fiber stretcher (FS) in Mach-Zehnder interference (MZI) structure through interference of two MZI arms. The phase is manipulated via the second FS in the optical modulator. This scheme is investigated by simulation. Consequently, optical pulse trains with different waveforms as well as pulse trains with nonuniform pulse intensity, pulse spacing and pulse width within each period are obtained through FSs adjustment to alter the phase shifts of signal in each O-MOD.

Single tube genotyping of sickle cell anaemia using PCR-based SNP analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Waterfall, C M; Cobb, B D

2001-12-01

Allele-specific amplification (ASA) is a generally applicable technique for the detection of known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), deletions, insertions and other sequence variations. Conventionally, two reactions are required to determine the zygosity of DNA in a two-allele system, along with significant upstream optimisation to define the specific test conditions. Here, we combine single tube bi-directional ASA with a 'matrix-based' optimisation strategy, speeding up the whole process in a reduced reaction set. We use sickle cell anaemia as our model SNP system, a genetic disease that is currently screened using ASA methods. Discriminatory conditions were rapidly optimised enabling the unambiguous identification of DNA from homozygous sickle cell patients (HbS/S), heterozygous carriers (HbA/S) or normal DNA in a single tube. Simple downstream mathematical analyses based on product yield across the optimisation set allow an insight into the important aspects of priming competition and component interactions in this competitive PCR. This strategy can be applied to any polymorphism, defining specific conditions using a multifactorial approach. The inherent simplicity and low cost of this PCR-based method validates bi-directional ASA as an effective tool in future clinical screening and pharmacogenomic research where more expensive fluorescence-based approaches may not be desirable.

Precise mass determination of single cell with cantilever-based microbiosensor system.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bogdan Łabędź

Full Text Available Having determined the mass of a single cell of brewer yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by means of a microcantilever-based biosensor Cantisens CSR-801 (Concentris, Basel, Switzerland, it was found that its dry mass is 47,65 ± 1,05 pg. Found to be crucial in this mass determination was the cell position along the length of the cantilever. Moreover, calculations including cells positions on the cantilever provide a threefold better degree of accuracy than those which assume uniform mass distribution. We have also examined the influence of storage time on the single cell mass. Our results show that after 6 months there is an increase in the average mass of a single yeast cell.

Precise mass determination of single cell with cantilever-based microbiosensor system.

Science.gov (United States)

Łabędź, Bogdan; Wańczyk, Aleksandra; Rajfur, Zenon

2017-01-01

Having determined the mass of a single cell of brewer yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by means of a microcantilever-based biosensor Cantisens CSR-801 (Concentris, Basel, Switzerland), it was found that its dry mass is 47,65 ± 1,05 pg. Found to be crucial in this mass determination was the cell position along the length of the cantilever. Moreover, calculations including cells positions on the cantilever provide a threefold better degree of accuracy than those which assume uniform mass distribution. We have also examined the influence of storage time on the single cell mass. Our results show that after 6 months there is an increase in the average mass of a single yeast cell.

European Banking with a Single Currency

OpenAIRE

Jean Dermine

1996-01-01

At the Madrid summit in December 1995, the EU heads of state or government endorsed a three-phase plan for the introduction of the single currency. The purpose of the paper is to identify how, besides an obvious fall in revenue from intra-European currencies trading, a single currency will alter fundamentally and permanently European banking markets. A common currency will likely change the sources of competitive advantage in various markets such as those of government bonds and their fast gr...

Drinker prototype alteration and cue reminders as strategies in a tailored web-based intervention reducing adults' alcohol consumption: randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

van Lettow, Britt; de Vries, Hein; Burdorf, Alex; Boon, Brigitte; van Empelen, Pepijn

2015-02-04

Excessive alcohol use is a prevalent and worldwide problem. Excessive drinking causes a significant burden of disease and is associated with both morbidity and excess mortality. Prototype alteration and provision of a cue reminder could be useful strategies to enhance the effectiveness of online tailored interventions for excessive drinking. Through a Web-based randomized controlled trial, 2 strategies (ie, prototype alteration and cue reminders) within an existing online personalized feedback intervention (Drinktest) aimed to reduce adults' excessive drinking. It was expected that both strategies would add to Drinktest and would result in reductions in alcohol consumption by intrinsic motivation and the seizure of opportunities to act. Participants were recruited online and through printed materials. Excessive drinking adults (N=2634) were randomly assigned to 4 conditions: original Drinktest, Drinktest plus prototype alteration, Drinktest plus cue reminder, and Drinktest plus prototype alteration and cue reminder. Evaluation took place at 1-month posttest and 6-month follow-up. Differences in drinking behavior, intentions, and behavioral willingness (ie, primary outcomes) were assessed by means of longitudinal multilevel analyses using a last observation carried forward method. Measures were based on self-reports. All conditions showed reductions in drinking behavior and willingness to drink, and increased intentions to reduce drinking. Prototype alteration (B=-0.15, Pprototypes. Thus, prototype alteration and cue reminder usage may be feasible and simple intervention strategies to promote reductions in alcohol consumption among adults, with an effect up to 6 months. Nederlands Trial Register (NTR): 4169; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=4169 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6VD2jnxmB).

Drinker Prototype Alteration and Cue Reminders as Strategies in a Tailored Web-Based Intervention Reducing Adults’ Alcohol Consumption: Randomized Controlled Trial

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Background Excessive alcohol use is a prevalent and worldwide problem. Excessive drinking causes a significant burden of disease and is associated with both morbidity and excess mortality. Prototype alteration and provision of a cue reminder could be useful strategies to enhance the effectiveness of online tailored interventions for excessive drinking. Objective Through a Web-based randomized controlled trial, 2 strategies (ie, prototype alteration and cue reminders) within an existing online personalized feedback intervention (Drinktest) aimed to reduce adults’ excessive drinking. It was expected that both strategies would add to Drinktest and would result in reductions in alcohol consumption by intrinsic motivation and the seizure of opportunities to act. Methods Participants were recruited online and through printed materials. Excessive drinking adults (N=2634) were randomly assigned to 4 conditions: original Drinktest, Drinktest plus prototype alteration, Drinktest plus cue reminder, and Drinktest plus prototype alteration and cue reminder. Evaluation took place at 1-month posttest and 6-month follow-up. Differences in drinking behavior, intentions, and behavioral willingness (ie, primary outcomes) were assessed by means of longitudinal multilevel analyses using a last observation carried forward method. Measures were based on self-reports. Results All conditions showed reductions in drinking behavior and willingness to drink, and increased intentions to reduce drinking. Prototype alteration (B=–0.15, Pprototypes. Thus, prototype alteration and cue reminder usage may be feasible and simple intervention strategies to promote reductions in alcohol consumption among adults, with an effect up to 6 months. Trial Registration Nederlands Trial Register (NTR): 4169; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=4169 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6VD2jnxmB). PMID:25653199

Texture alteration detection in bitemporal images of lesions with psoriasis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maletti, Gabriela Mariel; Ersbøll, Bjarne Kjær

2003-01-01

The objective of this work is to explore the feasibility of quantifying textural change between pairs of segmented patterns without registering them. The Multi-variate Alteration Detection (M.A.D.) Transform is applied to a texture model constructed with the data of segmented psoriasis lesions im...... images. The texture model is Haralick's co-occurrence matrix, which is computed and normalized for each single band with the equalized data of a given lesion. The contribution of each single color band to the textural change is analyzed....

DIMM-SC: a Dirichlet mixture model for clustering droplet-based single cell transcriptomic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Zhe; Wang, Ting; Deng, Ke; Wang, Xiao-Feng; Lafyatis, Robert; Ding, Ying; Hu, Ming; Chen, Wei

2018-01-01

Single cell transcriptome sequencing (scRNA-Seq) has become a revolutionary tool to study cellular and molecular processes at single cell resolution. Among existing technologies, the recently developed droplet-based platform enables efficient parallel processing of thousands of single cells with direct counting of transcript copies using Unique Molecular Identifier (UMI). Despite the technology advances, statistical methods and computational tools are still lacking for analyzing droplet-based scRNA-Seq data. Particularly, model-based approaches for clustering large-scale single cell transcriptomic data are still under-explored. We developed DIMM-SC, a Dirichlet Mixture Model for clustering droplet-based Single Cell transcriptomic data. This approach explicitly models UMI count data from scRNA-Seq experiments and characterizes variations across different cell clusters via a Dirichlet mixture prior. We performed comprehensive simulations to evaluate DIMM-SC and compared it with existing clustering methods such as K-means, CellTree and Seurat. In addition, we analyzed public scRNA-Seq datasets with known cluster labels and in-house scRNA-Seq datasets from a study of systemic sclerosis with prior biological knowledge to benchmark and validate DIMM-SC. Both simulation studies and real data applications demonstrated that overall, DIMM-SC achieves substantially improved clustering accuracy and much lower clustering variability compared to other existing clustering methods. More importantly, as a model-based approach, DIMM-SC is able to quantify the clustering uncertainty for each single cell, facilitating rigorous statistical inference and biological interpretations, which are typically unavailable from existing clustering methods. DIMM-SC has been implemented in a user-friendly R package with a detailed tutorial available on www.pitt.edu/∼wec47/singlecell.html. wei.chen@chp.edu or hum@ccf.org. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author

Alloying effects of refractory elements in the dislocation of Ni-based single crystal superalloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shiyu Ma

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The alloying effects of W, Cr and Re in the [100] (010 edge dislocation cores (EDC of Ni-based single crystal superalloys are investigated using first-principles based on the density functional theory (DFT. The binding energy, Mulliken orbital population, density of states, charge density and radial distribution functions are discussed, respectively. It is clearly demonstrated that the addition of refractory elements improves the stability of the EDC systems. In addition, they can form tougher bonds with their nearest neighbour (NN Ni atoms, which enhance the mechanical properties of the Ni-based single crystal superalloys. Through comparative analysis, Cr-doped system has lower binding energy, and Cr atom has evident effect to improve the systemic stability. However, Re atom has the stronger alloying effect in Ni-based single crystal superalloys, much more effectively hindering dislocation motion than W and Cr atoms.

A COTS-based single board radiation-hardened computer for space applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, S.; Hillman, R.; Layton, P.; Krawzsenek, D.

1999-01-01

There is great community interest in the ability to use COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Shelf) technology in radiation environments. Space Electronics, Inc. has developed a high performance COTS-based radiation hardened computer. COTS approaches were selected for both hardware and software. Through parts testing, selection and packaging, all requirements have been met without parts or process development. Reliability, total ionizing dose and single event performance are attractive. The characteristics, performance and radiation resistance of the single board computer will be presented. (authors)

Music and Alterity Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josep Martí

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The concept of alterity constitutes an important issue in anthropological research and, therefore, in the study of musical practices, as well. Without it, we could hardly understand other kinds of music situated in different spaces and time from the observer. In order to effectively approach these musical practices, we have to develop strategies to help us reduce as much as possible that which distorts the vision of the other. However, beyond the strictly epistemological and methodological issues, the study of music cannot ignore the ethical question related to the manner in which Western thought has understood and treated the other: through a hierarchical and stereotypical type of thinking based on the condition of otherness. Throughout the article, different alterity procedures are presented and discussed, such as synecdochization, exoticization, undervaluation, overvaluation, misunderstanding and exclusion. Taking these different alterity strategies into account may help us to better understand how the musical other is constructed, used and ultimately instrumentalized.

Analysis and Testing of Ajax-based Single-page Web Applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mesbah, A.

2009-01-01

This dissertation has focused on better understanding the shifting web paradigm and the consequences of moving from the classical multi-page model to an Ajax-based single-page style. Specifically to that end, this work has examined this new class of software from three main software engineering

Optical measuring system with an interrogator and a polymer-based single-mode fibre optic sensor system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2017-01-01

The present invention relates to an optical measuring system comprising a polymer-based single-mode fibre-optic sensor system (102), an optical interrogator (101), and an optical arrangement (103) interconnecting the optical interrogator (101) and the polymer-based single-mode fibre-optic sensor...... system (102). The invention further relates to an optical interrogator adapted to be connected to a polymer-based single-mode fibre-optic sensor system via an optical arrangement. The interrogator comprises a broadband light source arrangement (104) and a spectrum analysing arrangement which receives...

An alter-centric perspective on employee innovation: The importance of alters' creative self-efficacy and network structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Grosser, Travis J; Venkataramani, Vijaya; Labianca, Giuseppe Joe

2017-09-01

While most social network studies of employee innovation behavior examine the focal employees' ("egos'") network structure, we employ an alter-centric perspective to study the personal characteristics of employees' network contacts-their "alters"-to better understand employee innovation. Specifically, we examine how the creative self-efficacy (CSE) and innovation behavior of employees' social network contacts affects their ability to generate and implement novel ideas. Hypotheses were tested using a sample of 144 employees in a U.S.-based product development organization. We find that the average CSE of alters in an employee's problem solving network is positively related to that employee's innovation behavior, with this relationship being mediated by these alters' average innovation behavior. The relationship between the alters' average innovation behavior and the employee's own innovation behavior is strengthened when these alters have less dense social networks. Post hoc results suggest that having network contacts with high levels of CSE also leads to an increase in ego's personal CSE 1 year later in cases where the employee's initial level of CSE was relatively low. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Fluorescence-based codetection with protein markers reveals distinct cellular compartments for altered MicroRNA expression in solid tumors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sempere, Lorenzo F; Preis, Meir; Yezefski, Todd

2010-01-01

of altered miRNA expression in solid tumors, we developed a sensitive fluorescence-based in situ hybridization (ISH) method to visualize miRNA accumulation within individual cells in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue specimens. This ISH method was implemented to be compatible with routine clinical...

Single-Image Super-Resolution Based on Rational Fractal Interpolation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yunfeng; Fan, Qinglan; Bao, Fangxun; Liu, Yifang; Zhang, Caiming

2018-08-01

This paper presents a novel single-image super-resolution (SR) procedure, which upscales a given low-resolution (LR) input image to a high-resolution image while preserving the textural and structural information. First, we construct a new type of bivariate rational fractal interpolation model and investigate its analytical properties. This model has different forms of expression with various values of the scaling factors and shape parameters; thus, it can be employed to better describe image features than current interpolation schemes. Furthermore, this model combines the advantages of rational interpolation and fractal interpolation, and its effectiveness is validated through theoretical analysis. Second, we develop a single-image SR algorithm based on the proposed model. The LR input image is divided into texture and non-texture regions, and then, the image is interpolated according to the characteristics of the local structure. Specifically, in the texture region, the scaling factor calculation is the critical step. We present a method to accurately calculate scaling factors based on local fractal analysis. Extensive experiments and comparisons with the other state-of-the-art methods show that our algorithm achieves competitive performance, with finer details and sharper edges.

Roentgenological findings in muscular alterations of extremities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palvoelgyi, R.

1978-01-01

A survey of roentgenological findings in muscular alterations of extremities based on the author's experiences and on the literature is presented. Following a description of the normal roentgen anatomy, the alterations in different diseases of interstitial lipomatosis are demonstrated. By roentgenological examinations differt muscular lesions of the extremities can be differentiated and the clinical follow-up verified. (orig.) [de

Multiple-endpoints gene alteration-based (MEGA) assay: A toxicogenomics approach for water quality assessment of wastewater effluents.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukushima, Toshikazu; Hara-Yamamura, Hiroe; Nakashima, Koji; Tan, Lea Chua; Okabe, Satoshi

2017-12-01

Wastewater effluents contain a significant number of toxic contaminants, which, even at low concentrations, display a wide variety of toxic actions. In this study, we developed a multiple-endpoints gene alteration-based (MEGA) assay, a real-time PCR-based transcriptomic analysis, to assess the water quality of wastewater effluents for human health risk assessment and management. Twenty-one genes from the human hepatoblastoma cell line (HepG2), covering the basic health-relevant stress responses such as response to xenobiotics, genotoxicity, and cytotoxicity, were selected and incorporated into the MEGA assay. The genes related to the p53-mediated DNA damage response and cytochrome P450 were selected as markers for genotoxicity and response to xenobiotics, respectively. Additionally, the genes that were dose-dependently regulated by exposure to the wastewater effluents were chosen as markers for cytotoxicity. The alterations in the expression of an individual gene, induced by exposure to the wastewater effluents, were evaluated by real-time PCR and the results were validated by genotoxicity (e.g., comet assay) and cell-based cytotoxicity tests. In summary, the MEGA assay is a real-time PCR-based assay that targets cellular responses to contaminants present in wastewater effluents at the transcriptional level; it is rapid, cost-effective, and high-throughput and can thus complement any chemical analysis for water quality assessment and management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tuneable complementary metamaterial structures based on graphene for single and multiple transparency windows.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Jun; Arigong, Bayaner; Ren, Han; Zhou, Mi; Shao, Jin; Lu, Meng; Chai, Yang; Lin, Yuankun; Zhang, Hualiang

2014-08-22

Novel graphene-based tunable plasmonic metamaterials featuring single and multiple transparency windows are numerically studied in this paper. The designed structures consist of a graphene layer perforated with quadrupole slot structures and dolmen-like slot structures printed on a substrate. Specifically, the graphene-based quadrupole slot structure can realize a single transparency window, which is achieved without breaking the structure symmetry. Further investigations have shown that the single transparency window in the proposed quadrupole slot structure is more likely originated from the quantum effect of Autler-Townes splitting. Then, by introducing a dipole slot to the quadrupole slot structure to form the dolmen-like slot structure, an additional transmission dip could occur in the transmission spectrum, thus, a multiple-transparency-window system can be achieved (for the first time for graphene-based devices). More importantly, the transparency windows for both the quadrupole slot and the dolmen-like slot structures can be dynamically controlled over a broad frequency range by varying the Fermi energy levels of the graphene layer (through electrostatic gating). The proposed slot metamaterial structures with tunable single and multiple transparency windows could find potential applications in many areas such as multiple-wavelength slow-light devices, active plasmonic switching, and optical sensing.

Accuracy of Digital Impressions and Fitness of Single Crowns Based on Digital Impressions

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xin; Lv, Pin; Liu, Yihong; Si, Wenjie; Feng, Hailan

2015-01-01

In this study, the accuracy (precision and trueness) of digital impressions and the fitness of single crowns manufactured based on digital impressions were evaluated. #14-17 epoxy resin dentitions were made, while full-crown preparations of extracted natural teeth were embedded at #16. (1) To assess precision, deviations among repeated scan models made by intraoral scanner TRIOS and MHT and model scanner D700 and inEos were calculated through best-fit algorithm and three-dimensional (3D) comparison. Root mean square (RMS) and color-coded difference images were offered. (2) To assess trueness, micro computed tomography (micro-CT) was used to get the reference model (REF). Deviations between REF and repeated scan models (from (1)) were calculated. (3) To assess fitness, single crowns were manufactured based on TRIOS, MHT, D700 and inEos scan models. The adhesive gaps were evaluated under stereomicroscope after cross-sectioned. Digital impressions showed lower precision and better trueness. Except for MHT, the means of RMS for precision were lower than 10 μm. Digital impressions showed better internal fitness. Fitness of single crowns based on digital impressions was up to clinical standard. Digital impressions could be an alternative method for single crowns manufacturing. PMID:28793417

Accuracy of Digital Impressions and Fitness of Single Crowns Based on Digital Impressions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin Yang

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, the accuracy (precision and trueness of digital impressions and the fitness of single crowns manufactured based on digital impressions were evaluated. #14-17 epoxy resin dentitions were made, while full-crown preparations of extracted natural teeth were embedded at #16. (1 To assess precision, deviations among repeated scan models made by intraoral scanner TRIOS and MHT and model scanner D700 and inEos were calculated through best-fit algorithm and three-dimensional (3D comparison. Root mean square (RMS and color-coded difference images were offered. (2 To assess trueness, micro computed tomography (micro-CT was used to get the reference model (REF. Deviations between REF and repeated scan models (from (1 were calculated. (3 To assess fitness, single crowns were manufactured based on TRIOS, MHT, D700 and inEos scan models. The adhesive gaps were evaluated under stereomicroscope after cross-sectioned. Digital impressions showed lower precision and better trueness. Except for MHT, the means of RMS for precision were lower than 10 μm. Digital impressions showed better internal fitness. Fitness of single crowns based on digital impressions was up to clinical standard. Digital impressions could be an alternative method for single crowns manufacturing.

Altered Sensory Feedbacks in Pianist's Dystonia: the altered auditory feedback paradigm and the glove effect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felicia Pei-Hsin Cheng

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Background: This study investigates the effect of altered auditory feedback (AAF in musician's dystonia (MD and discusses whether altered auditory feedback can be considered as a sensory trick in MD. Furthermore, the effect of AAF is compared with altered tactile feedback, which can serve as a sensory trick in several other forms of focal dystonia. Methods: The method is based on scale analysis (Jabusch et al. 2004. Experiment 1 employs synchronization paradigm: 12 MD patients and 25 healthy pianists had to repeatedly play C-major scales in synchrony with a metronome on a MIDI-piano with 3 auditory feedback conditions: 1. normal feedback; 2. no feedback; 3. constant delayed feedback. Experiment 2 employs synchronization-continuation paradigm: 12 MD patients and 12 healthy pianists had to repeatedly play C-major scales in two phases: first in synchrony with a metronome, secondly continue the established tempo without the metronome. There are 4 experimental conditions, among them 3 are the same altered auditory feedback as in Experiment 1 and 1 is related to altered tactile sensory input. The coefficient of variation of inter-onset intervals of the key depressions was calculated to evaluate fine motor control. Results: In both experiments, the healthy controls and the patients behaved very similarly. There is no difference in the regularity of playing between the two groups under any condition, and neither did AAF nor did altered tactile feedback have a beneficial effect on patients’ fine motor control. Conclusions: The results of the two experiments suggest that in the context of our experimental designs, AAF and altered tactile feedback play a minor role in motor coordination in patients with musicians' dystonia. We propose that altered auditory and tactile feedback do not serve as effective sensory tricks and may not temporarily reduce the symptoms of patients suffering from MD in this experimental context.

Altered level of consciousness: evidence-based management in the emergency department [digest].

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Joo Lee; Wang, Vincent J; Vazquez, Michelle N

2017-01-22

A child who presents to the emergency department with an altered level of consciousness can be clinically unstable and can pose a great diagnostic challenge. The emergency clinician must quickly develop a wide differential of possible etiologies in order to administer potentially life-saving medications or interventions. The history, physical examination, and appropriate diagnostic tests can aid greatly in rapidly narrowing the differential diagnosis. Once initial stabilization, workup, and first-line interventions are completed, most patients who present with unresolved or unidentified altered level of consciousness should be admitted for further evaluation and close monitoring. This issue provides a review of the etiologies of altered level of consciousness as well as guidance for the management and disposition of patients with this condition. [Points & Pearls is a digest of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Practice].

Molecular analysis of single oocyst of Eimeria by whole genome amplification (WGA) based nested PCR.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yunzhou; Tao, Geru; Cui, Yujuan; Lv, Qiyao; Xie, Li; Li, Yuan; Suo, Xun; Qin, Yinghe; Xiao, Lihua; Liu, Xianyong

2014-09-01

PCR-based molecular tools are widely used for the identification and characterization of protozoa. Here we report the molecular analysis of Eimeria species using combined methods of whole genome amplification (WGA) and nested PCR. Single oocyst of Eimeria stiedai or Eimeriamedia was directly used for random amplification of the genomic DNA with either primer extension preamplification (PEP) or multiple displacement amplification (MDA), and then the WGA product was used as template in nested PCR with species-specific primers for ITS-1, 18S rDNA and 23S rDNA of E. stiedai and E. media. WGA-based PCR was successful for the amplification of these genes from single oocyst. For the species identification of single oocyst isolated from mixed E. stiedai or E. media, the results from WGA-based PCR were exactly in accordance with those from morphological identification, suggesting the availability of this method in molecular analysis of eimerian parasites at the single oocyst level. WGA-based PCR method can also be applied for the identification and genetic characterization of other protists. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Based Assessment of Tract Alterations: An Application to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dobri Baldaranov

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: The potential of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI as a technical biomarker for cerebral microstructural alterations in neurodegenerative diseases is under investigation. In this study, a framework for the longitudinal analysis of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI-based mapping was applied to the assessment of predefined white matter tracts in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, as an example for a rapid progressive neurodegenerative disease.Methods: DTI was performed every 3 months in six patients with ALS (mean (M = 7.7; range 3 to 15 scans and in six controls (M = 3; range 2–5 scans with the identical scanning protocol, resulting in a total of 65 longitudinal DTI datasets. Fractional anisotropy (FA, mean diffusivity (MD, axonal diffusivity (AD, radial diffusivity (RD, and the ratio AD/RD were studied to analyze alterations within the corticospinal tract (CST which is a prominently affected tract structure in ALS and the tract correlating with Braak’s neuropathological stage 1. A correlation analysis was performed between progression rates based on DTI metrics and the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALS-FRS-R.Results: Patients with ALS showed an FA and AD/RD decline along the CST, while DTI metrics of controls did not change in longitudinal DTI scans. The FA and AD/RD decrease progression correlated significantly with ALS-FRS-R decrease progression.Conclusion: On the basis of the longitudinal assessment, DTI-based metrics can be considered as a possible noninvasive follow-up marker for disease progression in neurodegeneration. This finding was demonstrated here for ALS as a fast progressing neurodegenerative disease.

Longitudinal Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Based Assessment of Tract Alterations: An Application to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Baldaranov, Dobri; Khomenko, Andrei; Kobor, Ines; Bogdahn, Ulrich; Gorges, Martin; Kassubek, Jan; Müller, Hans-Peter

2017-01-01

Objective : The potential of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a technical biomarker for cerebral microstructural alterations in neurodegenerative diseases is under investigation. In this study, a framework for the longitudinal analysis of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-based mapping was applied to the assessment of predefined white matter tracts in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as an example for a rapid progressive neurodegenerative disease. Methods : DTI was performed every 3 months in six patients with ALS (mean (M) = 7.7; range 3 to 15 scans) and in six controls ( M = 3; range 2-5 scans) with the identical scanning protocol, resulting in a total of 65 longitudinal DTI datasets. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axonal diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), and the ratio AD/RD were studied to analyze alterations within the corticospinal tract (CST) which is a prominently affected tract structure in ALS and the tract correlating with Braak's neuropathological stage 1. A correlation analysis was performed between progression rates based on DTI metrics and the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALS-FRS-R). Results : Patients with ALS showed an FA and AD/RD decline along the CST, while DTI metrics of controls did not change in longitudinal DTI scans. The FA and AD/RD decrease progression correlated significantly with ALS-FRS-R decrease progression. Conclusion : On the basis of the longitudinal assessment, DTI-based metrics can be considered as a possible noninvasive follow-up marker for disease progression in neurodegeneration. This finding was demonstrated here for ALS as a fast progressing neurodegenerative disease.

A natural-color mapping for single-band night-time image based on FPGA

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yilun; Qian, Yunsheng

2018-01-01

A natural-color mapping for single-band night-time image method based on FPGA can transmit the color of the reference image to single-band night-time image, which is consistent with human visual habits and can help observers identify the target. This paper introduces the processing of the natural-color mapping algorithm based on FPGA. Firstly, the image can be transformed based on histogram equalization, and the intensity features and standard deviation features of reference image are stored in SRAM. Then, the real-time digital images' intensity features and standard deviation features are calculated by FPGA. At last, FPGA completes the color mapping through matching pixels between images using the features in luminance channel.

Single-crystal growth of ceria-based materials; Einkristallzuechtung von Materialien auf der Basis von Cerdioxid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ulbrich, Gregor

2015-07-23

In this work it could be shown that Skull-Melting is a suitable method for growing ceria single crystals. Twenty different ceria-based single crystals could be manufactured. It was possible to dope ceria single crystals with Gd, Sm, Y, Zr, Ti, Ta, and Pr in different concentrations. Also co-doping with the named metals was realized. However, there remain some problems for growing ceria-based single crystals by Skull-Melting. As ignition metal zirconium was used because no ceria-based material works well. For that reason all single crystals show small zirconium contamination. Another problem is the formation of oxygen by the heat-induced reduction of ceria during the melting process. Because of that the skull of sintered material is often destroyed by gas pressure. This problem had to be solved individually for every single crystal. The obtained single crystals were characterized using different methods. To ensure the single crystal character the y were examined by Laue diffraction. All manufactured crystals are single crystals. Also powder diffraction patterns of the milled and oxidized samples were measured. For the determination of symmetry and metric the structural parameters were analyzed by the Rietveld method. All synthesized materials crystallize in space group Fm-3m known from calcium fluoride. The cubic lattice parameter a was determined for all crystals. In the case of series with different cerium and zirconium concentrations a linear correlation between cerium content and cubic lattice parameter was detected. The elemental composition was determined by WDX. All crystals show a homogeneous elemental distribution. The oxygen content was calculated because the WDX method isn't useful for determination.

One digit interruption: the altered force patterns during functionally cylindrical grasping tasks in patients with trigger digits.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Po-Tsun Chen

Full Text Available Most trigger digit (TD patients complain that they have problems using their hand in daily or occupational tasks due to single or multiple digits being affected. Unfortunately, clinicians do not know much about how this disease affects the subtle force coordination among digits during manipulation. Thus, this study examined the differences in force patterns during cylindrical grasp between TD and healthy subjects. Forty-two TD patients with single digit involvement were included and sorted into four groups based on the involved digits, including thumb, index, middle and ring fingers. Twelve healthy subjects volunteered as healthy controls. Two testing tasks, holding and drinking, were performed by natural grasping with minimal forces. The relations between the force of the thumb and each finger were examined by Pearson correlation coefficients. The force amount and contribution of each digit were compared between healthy controls and each TD group by the independent t test. The results showed all TD groups demonstrated altered correlation patterns of the thumb relative to each finger. Larger forces and higher contributions of the index finger were found during holding by patients with index finger involved, and also during drinking by patients with affected thumb and with affected middle finger. Although no triggering symptom occurred during grasping, the patients showed altered force patterns which may be related to the role of the affected digit in natural grasping function. In conclusion, even if only one digit was affected, the subtle force coordination of all the digits was altered during simple tasks among the TD patients. This study provides the information for the future studies to further comprehend the possible injuries secondary to the altered finger coordination and also to adopt suitable treatment strategies.

One digit interruption: the altered force patterns during functionally cylindrical grasping tasks in patients with trigger digits.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Po-Tsun; Lin, Chien-Ju; Jou, I-Ming; Chieh, Hsiao-Feng; Su, Fong-Chin; Kuo, Li-Chieh

2013-01-01

Most trigger digit (TD) patients complain that they have problems using their hand in daily or occupational tasks due to single or multiple digits being affected. Unfortunately, clinicians do not know much about how this disease affects the subtle force coordination among digits during manipulation. Thus, this study examined the differences in force patterns during cylindrical grasp between TD and healthy subjects. Forty-two TD patients with single digit involvement were included and sorted into four groups based on the involved digits, including thumb, index, middle and ring fingers. Twelve healthy subjects volunteered as healthy controls. Two testing tasks, holding and drinking, were performed by natural grasping with minimal forces. The relations between the force of the thumb and each finger were examined by Pearson correlation coefficients. The force amount and contribution of each digit were compared between healthy controls and each TD group by the independent t test. The results showed all TD groups demonstrated altered correlation patterns of the thumb relative to each finger. Larger forces and higher contributions of the index finger were found during holding by patients with index finger involved, and also during drinking by patients with affected thumb and with affected middle finger. Although no triggering symptom occurred during grasping, the patients showed altered force patterns which may be related to the role of the affected digit in natural grasping function. In conclusion, even if only one digit was affected, the subtle force coordination of all the digits was altered during simple tasks among the TD patients. This study provides the information for the future studies to further comprehend the possible injuries secondary to the altered finger coordination and also to adopt suitable treatment strategies.

Accuracy of Dual-Energy Virtual Monochromatic CT Numbers: Comparison between the Single-Source Projection-Based and Dual-Source Image-Based Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Ueguchi, Takashi; Ogihara, Ryota; Yamada, Sachiko

2018-03-21

To investigate the accuracy of dual-energy virtual monochromatic computed tomography (CT) numbers obtained by two typical hardware and software implementations: the single-source projection-based method and the dual-source image-based method. A phantom with different tissue equivalent inserts was scanned with both single-source and dual-source scanners. A fast kVp-switching feature was used on the single-source scanner, whereas a tin filter was used on the dual-source scanner. Virtual monochromatic CT images of the phantom at energy levels of 60, 100, and 140 keV were obtained by both projection-based (on the single-source scanner) and image-based (on the dual-source scanner) methods. The accuracy of virtual monochromatic CT numbers for all inserts was assessed by comparing measured values to their corresponding true values. Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the dependency of measured CT numbers on tissue attenuation, method, and their interaction. Root mean square values of systematic error over all inserts at 60, 100, and 140 keV were approximately 53, 21, and 29 Hounsfield unit (HU) with the single-source projection-based method, and 46, 7, and 6 HU with the dual-source image-based method, respectively. Linear regression analysis revealed that the interaction between the attenuation and the method had a statistically significant effect on the measured CT numbers at 100 and 140 keV. There were attenuation-, method-, and energy level-dependent systematic errors in the measured virtual monochromatic CT numbers. CT number reproducibility was comparable between the two scanners, and CT numbers had better accuracy with the dual-source image-based method at 100 and 140 keV. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study on frequency of dental developmental alterations in a Mexican school-based population.

Science.gov (United States)

Ledesma-Montes, C; Garcés-Ortíz, M; Salcido-García, J-F; Hernández-Flores, F

2016-05-01

The aim of this study was to know the distribution of dental developmental alterations in the population requesting stomatological attention at the Admission and Diagnosis Clinic of our institution in Mexico City. We reviewed the archives and selected those files with developmental dental alterations. Analyzed data were diagnoses, age, gender, location and number of involved teeth. Of the 3.522 patients reviewed, 179 (5.1%) harbored 394 developmental dental alterations. Of them, 45.2% were males and 54.8% were females with a mean age of 16.7 years. The most common were supernumeraries, dental agenesia and dilaceration. Adults were 30.7% of the patients with dental developmental alterations. In them, the most common lesions were agenesia and supernumeraries. Mesiodens was the most frequently found supernumerary teeth (14.7%). Our finding that 30.7% of the affected patients were adults is an undescribed and unusually high proportion of patients that have implications on planning and prognosis of their stomatological treatment.

Growth and characterization of lead-free (K,Na)NbO{sub 3}-based piezoelectric single crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Hairui

2016-10-19

Lead-free piezoelectric materials have received increasing attention in the last decade, driven by environmental issues and health concerns. Of considerable interest is the (K,Na)NbO{sub 3} (KNN)-based system, which possesses a relatively high Curie temperature and good piezoelectric properties. Abundant publications on KNN-based polycrystalline ceramics increased the interest in studying their single-crystalline form, based on two major concerns. The first concern refers to the negative role of grain interactions on the electromechanical response. The second concern deals with domain engineering. The relationship between external electric field direction, crystallographic orientation, and spontaneous polarization vectors for a specific structure can be more readily established in single crystals and thus offers a pathway for an in-depth understanding of fundamental mechanism and potential applications. The exciting enhancement of both piezoelectric and ferroelectric response in lead-based single crystals also encourages the further exploration of KNN-based piezoelectric crystals, as they possess the same perovskite structure. The main goal of this thesis is to find possible approaches for improved electromechanical properties in KNN-based piezoelectric single crystals. In Chapter 2, the current development of KNN-based single crystals as piezoelectrics is reviewed, following a short introduction of fundamental knowledge on piezoelectrics and ferroelectrics. Both submerged-seed solution growth and top-seeded solution growth techniques were employed to produce single crystals, as described detailed in Chapter 3. Emphasis is subsequently placed on issues of the crystal growth process, effective methods to enhance electrical properties, and crystallographic orientation-dependent electrical properties in Li-, Ta-, and/or Sb-substituted KNN single crystals. The main conclusions from the crystal growth aspect are presented in Chapter 4 and can be summarized as follows

Base-Stock Level yang Meminimasi Biaya pada Permasalahan Single Order

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanti Octavia

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to conduct an analysis on demand characteristic and inventory cost which might potentially influence the determination of base-stock level. Appropriate base-stock level will determine the maximum profit and also reduce the stockout cost for fashion products which has high demand uncertainty and single order problem. Case study is applied on a garment company with eight fashion product types that can be classified into short and long lifetime. The effect of coefficient variation, salvage price and stockout cost is analyzed towards profits and base stock level. It can be concluded that demand variability does not affect base stock level, while stockout cost and salvage price does.

Modelling altered revenue function based on varying power consumption distribution and electricity tariff charge using data analytics framework

Science.gov (United States)

Zainudin, W. N. R. A.; Ramli, N. A.

2017-09-01

In 2010, Energy Commission (EC) had introduced Incentive Based Regulation (IBR) to ensure sustainable Malaysian Electricity Supply Industry (MESI), promotes transparent and fair returns, encourage maximum efficiency and maintains policy driven end user tariff. To cater such revolutionary transformation, a sophisticated system to generate policy driven electricity tariff structure is in great need. Hence, this study presents a data analytics framework that generates altered revenue function based on varying power consumption distribution and tariff charge function. For the purpose of this study, the power consumption distribution is being proxy using proportion of household consumption and electricity consumed in KwH and the tariff charge function is being proxy using three-tiered increasing block tariff (IBT). The altered revenue function is useful to give an indication on whether any changes in the power consumption distribution and tariff charges will give positive or negative impact to the economy. The methodology used for this framework begins by defining the revenue to be a function of power consumption distribution and tariff charge function. Then, the proportion of household consumption and tariff charge function is derived within certain interval of electricity power. Any changes in those proportion are conjectured to contribute towards changes in revenue function. Thus, these changes can potentially give an indication on whether the changes in power consumption distribution and tariff charge function are giving positive or negative impact on TNB revenue. Based on the finding of this study, major changes on tariff charge function seems to affect altered revenue function more than power consumption distribution. However, the paper concludes that power consumption distribution and tariff charge function can influence TNB revenue to some great extent.

75 FR 34755 - Privacy Act; Proposed Alteration to Existing Systems of Records, Single Family Mortgage Asset...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-18

... increase in the number of records maintained by the system. These alterations do not impact the scope...-sponsored database that makes a federal debtor's delinquency and claim information available to federal...

Alteration, slope-classified alteration, and potential lahar inundation maps of volcanoes for the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Volcano Archive

Science.gov (United States)

Mars, John C.; Hubbard, Bernard E.; Pieri, David; Linick, Justin

2015-01-01

This study identifies areas prone to lahars from hydrothermally altered volcanic edifices on a global scale, using visible and near infrared (VNIR) and short wavelength infrared (SWIR) reflectance data from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and digital elevation data from the ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) dataset. This is the first study to create a global database of hydrothermally altered volcanoes showing quantitatively compiled alteration maps and potentially affected drainages, as well as drainage-specific maps illustrating modeled lahars and their potential inundation zones. We (1) identified and prioritized 720 volcanoes based on population density surrounding the volcanoes using the Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program database (GVP) and LandScan™ digital population dataset; (2) validated ASTER hydrothermal alteration mapping techniques using Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) and ASTER data for Mount Shasta, California, and Pico de Orizaba (Citlaltépetl), Mexico; (3) mapped and slope-classified hydrothermal alteration using ASTER VNIR-SWIR reflectance data on 100 of the most densely populated volcanoes; (4) delineated drainages using ASTER GDEM data that show potential flow paths of possible lahars for the 100 mapped volcanoes; (5) produced potential alteration-related lahar inundation maps using the LAHARZ GIS code for Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico, and Mount Hood and Mount Shasta in the United States that illustrate areas likely to be affected based on DEM-derived volume estimates of hydrothermally altered rocks and the ~2x uncertainty factor inherent within a statistically-based lahar model; and (6) saved all image and vector data for 3D and 2D display in Google Earth™, ArcGIS® and other graphics display programs. In addition, these data are available from the ASTER Volcano Archive (AVA) for distribution (available at http://ava.jpl.nasa.gov/recent_alteration_zones.php).

Photon-HDF5: An Open File Format for Timestamp-Based Single-Molecule Fluorescence Experiments

OpenAIRE

Ingargiola, Antonino; Laurence, Ted; Boutelle, Robert; Weiss, Shimon; Michalet, Xavier

2016-01-01

We introduce Photon-HDF5, an open and efficient file format to simplify exchange and long-term accessibility of data from single-molecule fluorescence experiments based on photon-counting detectors such as single-photon avalanche diode, photomultiplier tube, or arrays of such detectors. The format is based on HDF5, a widely used platform- and language-independent hierarchical file format for which user-friendly viewers are available. Photon-HDF5 can store raw photon data (timestamp, channel n...

DNA-barcode directed capture and electrochemical metabolic analysis of single mammalian cells on a microelectrode array.

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, Erik S; Hsiao, Sonny C; Onoe, Hiroaki; Bertozzi, Carolyn R; Francis, Matthew B; Mathies, Richard A

2009-07-21

A microdevice is developed for DNA-barcode directed capture of single cells on an array of pH-sensitive microelectrodes for metabolic analysis. Cells are modified with membrane-bound single-stranded DNA, and specific single-cell capture is directed by the complementary strand bound in the sensor area of the iridium oxide pH microelectrodes within a microfluidic channel. This bifunctional microelectrode array is demonstrated for the pH monitoring and differentiation of primary T cells and Jurkat T lymphoma cells. Single Jurkat cells exhibited an extracellular acidification rate of 11 milli-pH min(-1), while primary T cells exhibited only 2 milli-pH min(-1). This system can be used to capture non-adherent cells specifically and to discriminate between visually similar healthy and cancerous cells in a heterogeneous ensemble based on their altered metabolic properties.

Ocean acidification alters zooplankton communities and increases top-down pressure of a cubozoan predator.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammill, Edd; Johnson, Ellery; Atwood, Trisha B; Harianto, Januar; Hinchliffe, Charles; Calosi, Piero; Byrne, Maria

2018-01-01

The composition of local ecological communities is determined by the members of the regional community that are able to survive the abiotic and biotic conditions of a local ecosystem. Anthropogenic activities since the industrial revolution have increased atmospheric CO 2 concentrations, which have in turn decreased ocean pH and altered carbonate ion concentrations: so called ocean acidification (OA). Single-species experiments have shown how OA can dramatically affect zooplankton development, physiology and skeletal mineralization status, potentially reducing their defensive function and altering their predatory and antipredatory behaviors. This means that increased OA may indirectly alter the biotic conditions by modifying trophic interactions. We investigated how OA affects the impact of a cubozoan predator on their zooplankton prey, predominantly Copepoda, Pleocyemata, Dendrobranchiata, and Amphipoda. Experimental conditions were set at either current (pCO 2 370 μatm) or end-of-the-century OA (pCO 2 1,100 μatm) scenarios, crossed in an orthogonal experimental design with the presence/absence of the cubozoan predator Carybdea rastoni. The combined effects of exposure to OA and predation by C. rastoni caused greater shifts in community structure, and greater reductions in the abundance of key taxa than would be predicted from combining the effect of each stressor in isolation. Specifically, we show that in the combined presence of OA and a cubozoan predator, populations of the most abundant member of the zooplankton community (calanoid copepods) were reduced 27% more than it would be predicted based on the effects of these stressors in isolation, suggesting that OA increases the susceptibility of plankton to predation. Our results indicate that the ecological consequences of OA may be greater than predicted from single-species experiments, and highlight the need to understand future marine global change from a community perspective. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons

Single base pair mutation analysis by PNA directed PCR clamping

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ørum, H.; Nielsen, P.E.; Egholm, M.

1993-01-01

A novel method that allows direct analysis of single base mutation by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is described. The method utilizes the finding that PNAs (peptide nucleic acids) recognize and bind to their complementary nucleic acid sequences with higher thermal stability and specificity...... allows selective amplification/suppression of target sequences that differ by only one base pair. Finally we show that PNAs can be designed in such a way that blockage can be accomplished when the PNA target sequence is located between the PCR primers....

Single cell adhesion force measurement for cell viability identification using an AFM cantilever-based micro putter

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Yajing; Nakajima, Masahiro; Kojima, Seiji; Homma, Michio; Kojima, Masaru; Fukuda, Toshio

2011-11-01

Fast and sensitive cell viability identification is a key point for single cell analysis. To address this issue, this paper reports a novel single cell viability identification method based on the measurement of single cell shear adhesion force using an atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilever-based micro putter. Viable and nonviable yeast cells are prepared and put onto three kinds of substrate surfaces, i.e. tungsten probe, gold and ITO substrate surfaces. A micro putter is fabricated from the AFM cantilever by focused ion beam etching technique. The spring constant of the micro putter is calibrated using the nanomanipulation approach. The shear adhesion force between the single viable or nonviable cell and each substrate is measured using the micro putter based on the nanorobotic manipulation system inside an environmental scanning electron microscope. The adhesion force is calculated based on the deflection of the micro putter beam. The results show that the adhesion force of the viable cell to the substrate is much larger than that of the nonviable cell. This identification method is label free, fast, sensitive and can give quantitative results at the single cell level.

Quantum dash based single section mode locked lasers for photonic integrated circuits.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Siddharth; Calò, Cosimo; Chimot, Nicolas; Radziunas, Mindaugas; Arkhipov, Rostislav; Barbet, Sophie; Accard, Alain; Ramdane, Abderrahim; Lelarge, Francois

2014-05-05

We present the first demonstration of an InAs/InP Quantum Dash based single-section frequency comb generator designed for use in photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The laser cavity is closed using a specifically designed Bragg reflector without compromising the mode-locking performance of the self pulsating laser. This enables the integration of single-section mode-locked laser in photonic integrated circuits as on-chip frequency comb generators. We also investigate the relations between cavity modes in such a device and demonstrate how the dispersion of the complex mode frequencies induced by the Bragg grating implies a violation of the equi-distance between the adjacent mode frequencies and, therefore, forbids the locking of the modes in a classical Bragg Device. Finally we integrate such a Bragg Mirror based laser with Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) to demonstrate the monolithic integration of QDash based low phase noise sources in PICs.

Experimental study of micro-milling mechanism and surface quality of a nickel-based single crystal superalloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Qi; Gong, Yadong; Zhou, Yun Guang; Wen, Xue Long [School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang (China)

2017-01-15

Micro-milling is widely used as a method for machining of micro-parts with high precision and efficiency. Taking the nickel-based single-crystal superalloy DD98 as the research object, the crystal characteristics of single-crystal materials were analysed, and the removal mechanism of single-crystal micro-milled parts was described. Based on molecular dynamics, a simulation model for nickel-based single-crystal superalloy DD98 micro-milling was established. Based on the response surface method of central composite design, the influences of spindle speed, feed rate, and milling depth on the surface roughness were examined, and a second-order regression model of the DD98 surface roughness was established. Using analysis of variance and the residuals of the model, a significant influence on surface roughness was found in the following order from large to small: Feed rate, spindle speed, and milling depth. Comparisons were conducted between the micro-milling experimental values and the predicted model values for different process parameters. The results show that the model fit is relatively high, and the adaptability is good. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of the micro-milling surfaces was performed to verify the slip and the removal mechanism of single-crystal materials. These results offer a theoretical reference and experimental basis for micro-milling of single-crystal materials.

Support effects on adsorption and catalytic activation of O2 in single atom iron catalysts with graphene-based substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Zheng-Yang; Yang, Wei-Jie; Ding, Xun-Lei; Lv, Gang; Yan, Wei-Ping

2018-03-07

The adsorption and catalytic activation of O 2 on single atom iron catalysts with graphene-based substrates were investigated systematically by density functional theory calculation. It is found that the support effects of graphene-based substrates have a significant influence on the stability of the single atom catalysts, the adsorption configuration, the electron transfer mechanism, the adsorption energy and the energy barrier. The differences in the stable adsorption configuration of O 2 on single atom iron catalysts with different graphene-based substrates can be well understood by the symmetrical matching principle based on frontier molecular orbital analysis. There are two different mechanisms of electron transfer, in which the Fe atom acts as the electron donor in single vacancy graphene-based substrates while the Fe atom mainly acts as the bridge for electron transfer in double vacancy graphene-based substrates. The Fermi softness and work function are good descriptors of the adsorption energy and they can well reveal the relationship between electronic structure and adsorption energy. This single atom iron catalyst with single vacancy graphene modified by three nitrogen atoms is a promising non-noble metal single atom catalyst in the adsorption and catalytic oxidation of O 2 . Furthermore, the findings can lay the foundation for the further study of graphene-based support effects and provide a guideline for the development and design of new non-noble-metal single atom catalysts.

Cigarette smoke exposure-associated alterations to noncoding RNA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Alan Maccani

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Environmental exposures vary by timing, severity, and frequency and may have a number of deleterious effects throughout the life course. The period of in utero development, for example, is one of the most crucial stages of development during which adverse environmental exposures can both alter the growth and development of the fetus as well as lead to aberrant fetal programming, increasing disease risk. During fetal development and beyond, the plethora of exposures, including nutrients, drugs, stress, and trauma, influence health, development, and survival. Recent research in environmental epigenetics has investigated the roles of environmental exposures in influencing epigenetic modes of gene regulation during pregnancy and at various stages of life. Many relatively common environmental exposures, such as cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug use, may have consequences for the expression and function of noncoding RNA (ncRNA, important post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. A number of ncRNA have been discovered, including microRNA (miRNA, Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA, and long noncoding RNA (long ncRNA. The best-characterized species of ncRNA are miRNA, the mature forms of which are ~22 nucleotides in length and capable of post-transcriptionally regulating target mRNA utilizing mechanisms based largely on the degree of complementarity between miRNA and target mRNA. Because miRNA can still negatively regulate gene expression when imperfectly base-paired with a target mRNA, a single miRNA can have a large number of potential mRNA targets and can regulate many different biological processes critical for health and development. The following review analyzes the current literature detailing links between cigarette smoke exposure and aberrant expression and function of noncoding RNA, assesses how such alterations may have consequences throughout the life course, and proposes future directions for this intriguing field of

Design of Water Temperature Control System Based on Single Chip Microcomputer

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Hanhong; Yan, Qiyan

2017-12-01

In this paper, we mainly introduce a multi-function water temperature controller designed with 51 single-chip microcomputer. This controller has automatic and manual water, set the water temperature, real-time display of water and temperature and alarm function, and has a simple structure, high reliability, low cost. The current water temperature controller on the market basically use bimetal temperature control, temperature control accuracy is low, poor reliability, a single function. With the development of microelectronics technology, monolithic microprocessor function is increasing, the price is low, in all aspects of widely used. In the water temperature controller in the application of single-chip, with a simple design, high reliability, easy to expand the advantages of the function. Is based on the appeal background, so this paper focuses on the temperature controller in the intelligent control of the discussion.

Measurement of single electron and nuclear spin states based on optically detected magnetic resonance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berman, Gennady P [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Bishop, Alan R [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Chernobrod, Boris M [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Hawley, Marilyn E [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Brown, Geoffrey W [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Tsifrinovich, Vladimir I [Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (United States)

2006-05-15

A novel approach for measurement of single electron and nuclear spin states is suggested. Our approach is based on optically detected magnetic resonance in a nano-probe located at the apex of an AFM tip. The method provides single electron spin sensitivity with nano-scale spatial resolution.

Measurement of single electron and nuclear spin states based on optically detected magnetic resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berman, Gennady P; Bishop, Alan R; Chernobrod, Boris M; Hawley, Marilyn E; Brown, Geoffrey W; Tsifrinovich, Vladimir I

2006-01-01

A novel approach for measurement of single electron and nuclear spin states is suggested. Our approach is based on optically detected magnetic resonance in a nano-probe located at the apex of an AFM tip. The method provides single electron spin sensitivity with nano-scale spatial resolution

Manipulation and control of a single molecular rotor on Au (111) surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hai-Gang, Zhang; Jin-Hai, Mao; Qi, Liu; Nan, Jiang; Hai-Tao, Zhou; Hai-Ming, Guo; Dong-Xia, Shi; Hong-Jun, Gao

2010-01-01

Three different methods are used to manipulate and control phthalocyanine based single molecular rotors on Au (111) surface: (1) changing the molecular structure to alter the rotation potential; (2) using the tunnelling current of the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) to change the thermal equilibrium of the molecular rotor; (3) artificial manipulation of the molecular rotor to switch the rotation on or off by an STM tip. Furthermore, a molecular 'gear wheel' is successfully achieved with two neighbouring molecules. (cross-disciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Photon-counting-based diffraction phase microscopy combined with single-pixel imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Shibuya, Kyuki; Araki, Hiroyuki; Iwata, Tetsuo

2018-04-01

We propose a photon-counting (PC)-based quantitative-phase imaging (QPI) method for use in diffraction phase microscopy (DPM) that is combined with a single-pixel imaging (SPI) scheme (PC-SPI-DPM). This combination of DPM with the SPI scheme overcomes a low optical throughput problem that has occasionally prevented us from obtaining quantitative-phase images in DPM through use of a high-sensitivity single-channel photodetector such as a photomultiplier tube (PMT). The introduction of a PMT allowed us to perform PC with ease and thus solved a dynamic range problem that was inherent to SPI. As a proof-of-principle experiment, we performed a comparison study of analogue-based SPI-DPM and PC-SPI-DPM for a 125-nm-thick indium tin oxide (ITO) layer coated on a silica glass substrate. We discuss the basic performance of the method and potential future modifications of the proposed system.

Three-Input Single-Output Voltage-Mode Multifunction Filter with Electronic Controllability Based on Single Commercially Available IC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Supachai Klungtong

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a second-order voltage-mode filter with three inputs and single-output voltage using single commercially available IC, one resistor, and two capacitors. The used commercially available IC, called LT1228, is manufactured by Linear Technology Corporation. The proposed filter is based on parallel RLC circuit. The filter provides five output filter responses, namely, band-pass (BP, band-reject (BR, low-pass (LP, high-pass (HP, and all-pass (AP functions. The selection of each filter response can be done without the requirement of active and passive component matching condition. Furthermore, the natural frequency and quality factor are electronically controlled. Besides, the nonideal case is also investigated. The output voltage node exhibits low impedance. The experimental results can validate the theoretical analyses.

GaSb-based single-mode distributed feedback lasers for sensing (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, James A.; Bezinger, Andrew; Lapointe, Jean; Poitras, Daniel; Aers, Geof C.

2017-02-01

GaSb-based tunable single-mode diode lasers can enable rapid, highly-selective and highly-sensitive absorption spectroscopy systems for gas sensing. In this work, single-mode distributed feedback (DFB) laser diodes were developed for the detection of various trace gases in the 2-3.3um range, including CO2, CO, HF, H2S, H2O and CH4. The lasers were fabricated using an index-coupled grating process without epitaxial regrowth, making the process significantly less expensive than conventional DFB fabrication. The devices are based on InGaAsSb/AlGaAsSb separate confinement heterostructures grown on GaSb by molecular beam epitaxy. DFB lasers were produced using a two step etch process. Narrow ridge waveguides were first defined by optical lithography and etched into the semiconductor. Lateral gratings were then defined on both sides of the ridge using electron-beam lithography and etched to produce the index-grating. Effective index modeling was used to optimize the ridge width, etch depths and the grating pitch to ensure single-lateral-mode operation and adequate coupling strength. The effective index method was further used to simulate the DFB laser emission spectrum, based on a transfer matrix model for light transmission through the periodic structure. The fabricated lasers exhibit single-mode operation which is tunable through the absorption features of the various target gases by adjustment of the drive current. In addition to the established open-path sensing applications, these devices have great potential for optoelectronic integrated gas sensors, making use of integrated photodetectors and possibly on-chip Si photonics waveguide structures.

Satellite single-axis attitude determination based on Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast signals

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Kaixing; Sun, Xiucong; Huang, Hai; Wang, Xinsheng; Ren, Guangwei

2017-10-01

The space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) is a new technology for air traffic management. The satellite equipped with spaceborne ADS-B system receives the broadcast signals from aircraft and transfers the message to ground stations, so as to extend the coverage area of terrestrial-based ADS-B. In this work, a novel satellite single-axis attitude determination solution based on the ADS-B receiving system is proposed. This solution utilizes the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurement of the broadcast signals from aircraft to determine the boresight orientation of the ADS-B receiving antenna fixed on the satellite. The basic principle of this solution is described. The feasibility study of this new attitude determination solution is implemented, including the link budget and the access analysis. On this basis, the nonlinear least squares estimation based on the Levenberg-Marquardt method is applied to estimate the single-axis orientation. A full digital simulation has been carried out to verify the effectiveness and performance of this solution. Finally, the corresponding results are processed and presented minutely.

Waterbomb base: a symmetric single-vertex bistable origami mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanna, Brandon H; Lund, Jason M; Magleby, Spencer P; Howell, Larry L; Lang, Robert J

2014-01-01

The origami waterbomb base is a single-vertex bistable origami mechanism that has unique properties which may prove useful in a variety of applications. It also shows promise as a test bed for smart materials and actuation because of its straightforward geometry and multiple phases of motion, ranging from simple to more complex. This study develops a quantitative understanding of the symmetric waterbomb base's kinetic behavior. This is done by completing kinematic and potential energy analyses to understand and predict bistable behavior. A physical prototype is constructed and tested to validate the results of the analyses. Finite element and virtual work analyses based on the prototype are used to explore the locations of the stable equilibrium positions and the force–deflection response. The model results are verified through comparisons to measurements on a physical prototype. The resulting models describe waterbomb base behavior and provide an engineering tool for application development. (paper)

Development of a hybrid earthquake early warning system based on single sensor technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gravirov, V.V.; Kislov, K.V.

2012-01-01

There are two methods to earthquake early warning system: the method based on a network of seismic stations and the single-sensor method. Both have advantages and drawbacks. The current systems rely on high density seismic networks. Attempts at implementing techniques based on the single-station principle encounter difficulties in the identification of earthquake in noise. The noise may be very diverse, from stationary to impulsive. It seems a promising line of research to develop hybrid warning systems with single-sensors being incorporated in the overall early warning network. This will permit using all advantages and will help reduce the radius of the hazardous zone where no earthquake warning can be produced. The main problems are highlighted and the solutions of these are discussed. The system is implemented to include three detection processes in parallel. The first is based on the study of the co-occurrence matrix of the signal wavelet transform. The second consists in using the method of a change point in a random process and signal detection in a moving time window. The third uses artificial neural networks. Further, applying a decision rule out the final earthquake detection is carried out and estimate its reliability. (author)

Analysis of dangerous area of single berth oil tanker operations based on CFD

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Lina; Zhu, Faxin; Lu, Jinshu; Wu, Wenfeng; Zhang, Min; Zheng, Hailin

2018-04-01

Based on the single process in the liquid cargo tanker berths in the state as the research object, we analyzed the single berth oil tanker in the process of VOCs diffusion theory, built network model of VOCs diffusion with Gambit preprocessor, set up the simulation boundary conditions and simulated the five detection point sources in specific factors under the influence of VOCs concentration change with time by using Fluent software. We analyzed the dangerous area of single berth oil tanker operations through the diffusion of VOCs, so as to ensure the safe operation of oil tanker.

A structurally based analytic model of growth and biomass dynamics in single species stands of conifers

Science.gov (United States)

Robin J. Tausch

2015-01-01

A theoretically based analytic model of plant growth in single species conifer communities based on the species fully occupying a site and fully using the site resources is introduced. Model derivations result in a single equation simultaneously describes changes over both, different site conditions (or resources available), and over time for each variable for each...

Single or functionalized fullerenes interacting with heme group

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Wallison Chaves; Diniz, Eduardo Moraes, E-mail: eduardo.diniz@ufma.br [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Avenida dos Portugueses, 1966, CEP 65080-805, São Luís - MA (Brazil)

2014-09-15

The heme group is responsible for iron transportation through the bloodstream, where iron participates in redox reactions, electron transfer, gases detection etc. The efficiency of such processes can be reduced if the whole heme molecule or even the iron is somehow altered from its original oxidation state, which can be caused by interactions with nanoparticles as fullerenes. To verify how such particles alter the geometry and electronic structure of heme molecule, here we report first principles calculations based on density functional theory of heme group interacting with single C{sub 60} fullerene or with C{sub 60} functionalized with small functional groups (−CH{sub 3}, −COOH, −NH{sub 2}, −OH). The calculations shown that the system heme + nanoparticle has a different spin state in comparison with heme group if the fullerene is functionalized. Also a functional group can provide a stronger binding between nanoparticle and heme molecule or inhibit the chemical bonding in comparison with single fullerene results. In addition heme molecule loses electrons to the nanoparticles and some systems exhibited a geometry distortion in heme group, depending on the binding energy. Furthermore, one find that such nanoparticles induce a formation of spin up states in heme group. Moreover, there exist modifications in density of states near the Fermi energy. Although of such changes in heme electronic structure and geometry, the iron atom remains in the heme group with the same oxidation state, so that processes that involve the iron might not be affected, only those that depend on the whole heme molecule.

A high-efficiency electrically-pumped single-photon source based on a photonics nanowire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gregersen, Niels; Nielsen, Torben Roland; Mørk, Jesper

An electrically-pumped single-photon source design with a predicted efficiency of 89% is proposed. The design is based on a quantum dot embedded in a photonic nanowire with tailored ends and optimized contact electrodes. Unlike cavity-based approaches, the photonic nanowire features broadband...

A Single Dose of LSD Does Not Alter Gene Expression of the Serotonin 2A Receptor Gene (HTR2A) or Early Growth Response Genes (EGR1-3) in Healthy Subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Dolder, Patrick C.; Grünblatt, Edna; Müller, Felix; Borgwardt, Stefan J.; Liechti, Matthias E.

2017-01-01

Rationale: Renewed interest has been seen in the use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in psychiatric research and practice. The repeated use of LSD leads to tolerance that is believed to result from serotonin (5-HT) 5-HT2A receptor downregulation. In rats, daily LSD administration for 4 days decreased frontal cortex 5-HT2A receptor binding. Additionally, a single dose of LSD acutely increased expression of the early growth response genes EGR1 and EGR2 in rat and mouse brains through 5-HT2A receptor stimulation. No human data on the effects of LSD on gene expression has been reported. Therefore, we investigated the effects of single-dose LSD administration on the expression of the 5-HT2A receptor gene (HTR2A) and EGR1-3 genes. Methods: mRNA expression levels were analyzed in whole blood as a peripheral biomarker in 15 healthy subjects before and 1.5 and 24 h after the administration of LSD (100 μg) and placebo in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Results: LSD did not alter the expression of the HTR2A or EGR1-3 genes 1.5 and 24 h after administration compared with placebo. Conclusion: No changes were observed in the gene expression of LSD’s primary target receptor gene or genes that are implicated in its downstream effects. Remaining unclear is whether chronic LSD administration alters gene expression in humans. PMID:28701958

[Algorithm of toxigenic genetically altered Vibrio cholerae El Tor biovar strain identification].

Science.gov (United States)

Smirnova, N I; Agafonov, D A; Zadnova, S P; Cherkasov, A V; Kutyrev, V V

2014-01-01

Development of an algorithm of genetically altered Vibrio cholerae biovar El Tor strai identification that ensures determination of serogroup, serovar and biovar of the studied isolate based on pheno- and genotypic properties, detection of genetically altered cholera El Tor causative agents, their differentiation by epidemic potential as well as evaluation of variability of key pathogenicity genes. Complex analysis of 28 natural V. cholerae strains was carried out by using traditional microbiological methods, PCR and fragmentary sequencing. An algorithm of toxigenic genetically altered V. cholerae biovar El Tor strain identification was developed that includes 4 stages: determination of serogroup, serovar and biovar based on phenotypic properties, confirmation of serogroup and biovar based on molecular-genetic properties determination of strains as genetically altered, differentiation of genetically altered strains by their epidemic potential and detection of ctxB and tcpA key pathogenicity gene polymorphism. The algorithm is based on the use of traditional microbiological methods, PCR and sequencing of gene fragments. The use of the developed algorithm will increase the effectiveness of detection of genetically altered variants of the cholera El Tor causative agent, their differentiation by epidemic potential and will ensure establishment of polymorphism of genes that code key pathogenicity factors for determination of origins of the strains and possible routes of introduction of the infection.

Focused ion beam patterning to dielectrophoretically assemble single nanowire based devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Ferrara, V; Massera, E; Francia, G Di; Alfano, B

2010-01-01

Direct-write processing is increasingly taking place in nanodevice fabrication. In this work, Focused Ion Beam (FIB), a powerful tool in maskless micromachining, is used for electrode patterning onto a silicon/silicon nitride substrate. Then a single palladium nanowire is assembled between electrodes by means of dielectrophoresis (DEP). The nanowire morphology depends on the electrode pattern when DEP conditions are fixed. FIB/DEP combination overcomes the problem of nanowire electrical contamination due to gallium ion bombardment and the as-grown nanowire retains its basic electrical properties. Single nanowire based devices have been fabricated with this novel approach and have been tested as hydrogen sensors, confirming the reliability of this technology.

Natural single amino acid polymorphism (F19Y) in human galectin-8: detection of structural alterations and increased growth-regulatory activity on tumor cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, Federico M; Scholz, Barbara A; Buzamet, Eliza; Kopitz, Jürgen; André, Sabine; Menéndez, Margarita; Romero, Antonio; Solís, Dolores; Gabius, Hans-Joachim

2014-03-01

Natural amino acid substitution by single-site nucleotide polymorphism can become a valuable tool for structure-activity correlations, especially if evidence for association to disease parameters exists. Focusing on the F19Y change in human galectin-8, connected clinically to rheumatoid arthritis, we here initiate the study of consequences of a single-site substitution in the carbohydrate recognition domain of this family of cellular effectors. We apply a strategically combined set of structural and cell biological techniques for comparing properties of the wild-type and variant proteins. The overall hydrodynamic behavior of the full-length protein and of the separate N-domain is not noticeably altered, but displacements in the F0 β-strand of the β-sandwich fold in the N-domain are induced, as evidenced by protein crystallography. Analysis of thermal stability by circular dichroism spectroscopy revealed perceptible differences for the full-length proteins, pointing to an impact of the substitution beyond the N-domain. In addition, small differences in thermodynamic parameters of carbohydrate binding are detected. On the level of two types of tumor cells, characteristics of binding appeared rather similar. In further comparison of the influence on proliferation, the variant proved to be more active as growth regulator in the six tested lines of neuroblastoma, erythroleukemia and colon adenocarcinoma. The seemingly subtle structural change identified here thus has functional implications in vitro, encouraging further analysis in autoimmune regulation and, in a broad context, in work with other natural single-site variants, using the documented combined strategy. The atomic coordinates and structure factors (codes 4BMB, 4BME) have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank. © 2014 FEBS.

Multi-Level Wavelet Shannon Entropy-Based Method for Single-Sensor Fault Location

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiaoning Yang

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In actual application, sensors are prone to failure because of harsh environments, battery drain, and sensor aging. Sensor fault location is an important step for follow-up sensor fault detection. In this paper, two new multi-level wavelet Shannon entropies (multi-level wavelet time Shannon entropy and multi-level wavelet time-energy Shannon entropy are defined. They take full advantage of sensor fault frequency distribution and energy distribution across multi-subband in wavelet domain. Based on the multi-level wavelet Shannon entropy, a method is proposed for single sensor fault location. The method firstly uses a criterion of maximum energy-to-Shannon entropy ratio to select the appropriate wavelet base for signal analysis. Then multi-level wavelet time Shannon entropy and multi-level wavelet time-energy Shannon entropy are used to locate the fault. The method is validated using practical chemical gas concentration data from a gas sensor array. Compared with wavelet time Shannon entropy and wavelet energy Shannon entropy, the experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve accurate location of a single sensor fault and has good anti-noise ability. The proposed method is feasible and effective for single-sensor fault location.

Advances in the Growth and Characterization of Relaxor-PT-Based Ferroelectric Single Crystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Luo

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Compared to Pb(Zr1−xTixO3 (PZT polycrystalline ceramics, relaxor-PT single crystals offer significantly improved performance with extremely high electromechanical coupling and piezoelectric coefficients, making them promising materials for piezoelectric transducers, sensors and actuators. The recent advances in crystal growth and characterization of relaxor-PT-based ferroelectric single crystals are reviewed in this paper with emphases on the following topics: (1 the large crystal growth of binary and ternary relaxor-PT-based ferroelectric crystals for commercialization; (2 the composition segregation in the crystals grown from such a solid-solution system and possible solutions to reduce it; (3 the crystal growth from new binary and ternary compositions to expand the operating temperature and electric field; (4 the crystallographic orientation dependence and anisotropic behaviors of relaxor-PT-based ferroelectriccrystals; and (5 the characterization of the dielectric, elastic and piezoelectric properties of the relaxor-PT-based ferroelectriccrystals under small and large electric fields.

Reversible Li-insertion in nanoscaffolds: A promising strategy to alter the hydrogen sorption properties of Li-based complex hydrides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ngene, Peter; Verkuijlen, Margriet H. W.; Barre, Charlotte; Kentgens, Arno P. M.; de Jongh, Petra E.

Intercalation and de-intercalation of lithium into graphene layers is a well-established phenomenon in Li-ion battery technology. Here we show how this phenomenon can be exploited to destabilize, and alter the hydrogen sorption behaviour of Li-based metal hydrides (LiBH4 and LiAlH4), thereby

Sleep Deprivation Alters Choice Strategy Without Altering Uncertainty or Loss Aversion Preferences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O'Dhaniel A Mullette-Gillman

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Sleep deprivation alters decision making; however, it is unclear what specific cognitive processes are modified to drive altered choices. In this manuscript, we examined how one night of total sleep deprivation (TSD alters economic decision making. We specifically examined changes in uncertainty preferences dissociably from changes in the strategy with which participants engage with presented choice information. With high test-retest reliability, we show that TSD does not alter uncertainty preferences or loss aversion. Rather, TSD alters the information the participants rely upon to make their choices. Utilizing a choice strategy metric which contrasts the influence of maximizing and satisficing information on choice behavior, we find that TSD alters the relative reliance on maximizing information and satisficing information, in the gains domain. This alteration is the result of participants both decreasing their reliance on cognitively-complex maximizing information and a concomitant increase in the use of readily-available satisficing information. TSD did not result in a decrease in overall information use in either domain. These results show that sleep deprivation alters decision making by altering the informational strategies that participants employ, without altering their preferences.

Sleep deprivation alters choice strategy without altering uncertainty or loss aversion preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Mullette-Gillman, O'Dhaniel A; Kurnianingsih, Yoanna A; Liu, Jean C J

2015-01-01

Sleep deprivation alters decision making; however, it is unclear what specific cognitive processes are modified to drive altered choices. In this manuscript, we examined how one night of total sleep deprivation (TSD) alters economic decision making. We specifically examined changes in uncertainty preferences dissociably from changes in the strategy with which participants engage with presented choice information. With high test-retest reliability, we show that TSD does not alter uncertainty preferences or loss aversion. Rather, TSD alters the information the participants rely upon to make their choices. Utilizing a choice strategy metric which contrasts the influence of maximizing and satisficing information on choice behavior, we find that TSD alters the relative reliance on maximizing information and satisficing information, in the gains domain. This alteration is the result of participants both decreasing their reliance on cognitively-complex maximizing information and a concomitant increase in the use of readily-available satisficing information. TSD did not result in a decrease in overall information use in either domain. These results show that sleep deprivation alters decision making by altering the informational strategies that participants employ, without altering their preferences.

Scatter measurement and correction method for cone-beam CT based on single grating scan

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Kuidong; Shi, Wenlong; Wang, Xinyu; Dong, Yin; Chang, Taoqi; Zhang, Hua; Zhang, Dinghua

2017-06-01

In cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) systems based on flat-panel detector imaging, the presence of scatter significantly reduces the quality of slices. Based on the concept of collimation, this paper presents a scatter measurement and correction method based on single grating scan. First, according to the characteristics of CBCT imaging, the scan method using single grating and the design requirements of the grating are analyzed and figured out. Second, by analyzing the composition of object projection images and object-and-grating projection images, the processing method for the scatter image at single projection angle is proposed. In addition, to avoid additional scan, this paper proposes an angle interpolation method of scatter images to reduce scan cost. Finally, the experimental results show that the scatter images obtained by this method are accurate and reliable, and the effect of scatter correction is obvious. When the additional object-and-grating projection images are collected and interpolated at intervals of 30 deg, the scatter correction error of slices can still be controlled within 3%.

Single-Case Research Design: An Alternative Strategy for Evidence-Based Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Stapleton, Drue; Hawkins, Andrew

2015-01-01

Objective: The trend of utilizing evidence-based practice (EBP) in athletic training is now requiring clinicians, researchers, educators, and students to be equipped to both engage in and make judgments about research evidence. Single-case design (SCD) research may provide an alternative approach to develop such skills and inform clinical and…

Study of nuclear glasses alteration gel and synthesis of some model gels; Etude du gel d`alteration des verres nucleaires et synthese de gels modeles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ricol, S

1995-10-05

This work deals with the general problem of alteration of the reference nuclear glass R7T7. Attention is paid particularly to the altered layer formed at the glass surface during alteration process. In opposition to previous works, related essentially to glass dissolution kinetics based on chemical analyses of lixiviated elements, this thesis deals with alteration problems through structural studies of the reference glass and derived gel. This approach allows the determination of mechanisms for the gel formation and a better understanding of the behaviour of glasses towards lixiviation. Both approaches appeared complementary. Based on several spectroscopic techniques, this work showed the particular role of cations such as calcium, zirconium and iron. Studies of silica-based synthetic gels showed the synergic effect of formers cation and of one highly coordinated cation. The variation of the wavenumber related to Si-O-Si asymmetric stretching vibration can be correlated to O/Si ratio for ternary systems Si/Na/Zr. On the contrary, the Si losses of the materials depend on the number of non-bridging oxygen atoms. In the perspective of long-term behaviour, the alteration gel presents better characteristics than initial glass. It is therefore a highly stable material in static conditions. In the same way, synthetic gels are materials with very low solubilities (much lower than the alteration gel) and could be used as confining matrices. (authors). refs., 71 figs., 37 tabs.

Changes in hydraulic conductivity of sand-bentonite mixtures accompanied with alkaline alteration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, Tetsuji; Sawaguchi, Takuma; Tsukada, Manabu; Tanaka, Tadao

2012-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. Montmorillonite is the main constituent of bentonite clay buffer materials in radioactive waste repositories. Highly alkaline environments induced by cement based materials are likely to alter montmorillonite, and to deteriorate the physical and/or chemical properties of the buffer materials. The deterioration may cause variation in hydraulic conductivity of the buffer and induce major uncertainties in the radionuclide migration analysis. Empirical data on the variation of hydraulic conductivity are, however, scarce mainly because the alteration of compacted buffer materials, sand-bentonite mixture specimen, is extremely slow (1). In this study, laboratory experiments were performed to observe changes in hydraulic conductivity of sand-bentonite mixtures accompanied with their alkaline alteration using NaOH based solutions at 80 - 90 deg. C. Our preliminary attempt to degrade sand-bentonite mixture by permeating alkaline solutions was unsuccessful, in which the flow rate of water became unstable. This was interpreted as an artifact due to generation and stagnation of air in the mixture specimen. The water conduction experimental apparatus was modified by removing membrane filter and leaving only sintered stainless steel filter, and by equipping the pressurizing tank with a preheater. Three types of experiments were performed afterwards. Series-1: Multi step alteration / water-conduction experiments. Two sand-bentonite mixture specimens with 50 mm in diameter, 10 mm in thickness and 1,600 kg m -3 in dry density were applied to hydraulic conductivity measurement and alkaline alteration process alternately. The mixture ratio was 1:1 in dry weight. The hydraulic conductivity was determined by permeating the specimens with 1.0 mol L -1 NaCl solution at 40 deg. C. While the specimens were immersed in Si, Al and Ca-adjusted 1.0 mol L -1 NaOH solution at 90 deg. C to allow alteration. In the final water-conduction step, the

Protected DNA strand displacement for enhanced single nucleotide discrimination in double-stranded DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Khodakov, Dmitriy A; Khodakova, Anastasia S; Huang, David M; Linacre, Adrian; Ellis, Amanda V

2015-03-04

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are a prime source of genetic diversity. Discriminating between different SNPs provides an enormous leap towards the better understanding of the uniqueness of biological systems. Here we report on a new approach for SNP discrimination using toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement. The distinctiveness of the approach is based on the combination of both 3- and 4-way branch migration mechanisms, which allows for reliable discrimination of SNPs within double-stranded DNA generated from real-life human mitochondrial DNA samples. Aside from the potential diagnostic value, the current study represents an additional way to control the strand displacement reaction rate without altering other reaction parameters and provides new insights into the influence of single nucleotide substitutions on 3- and 4-way branch migration efficiency and kinetics.

Paper-based device for separation and cultivation of single microalga.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chih-Chung; Liu, Yi-Ju; Yao, Da-Jeng

2015-12-01

Single-cell separation is among the most useful techniques in biochemical research, diagnosis and various industrial applications. Microalgae species have great economic importance as industrial raw materials. Microalgae species collected from environment are typically a mixed and heterogeneous population of species that must be isolated and purified for examination and further application. Conventional methods, such as serial dilution and a streaking-plate method, are intensive of labor and inefficient. We developed a paper-based device for separation and cultivation of single microalga. The fabrication was simply conducted with a common laser printer and required only a few minutes without lithographic instruments and clean-room. The driving force of the paper device was simple capillarity without a complicated pump connection that is part of most devices for microfluidics. The open-structure design of the paper device makes it operable with a common laboratory micropipette for sample transfer and manipulation with a naked eye or adaptable to a robotic system with functionality of high-throughput retrieval and analysis. The efficiency of isolating a single cell from mixed microalgae species is seven times as great as with a conventional method involving serial dilution. The paper device can serve also as an incubator for microalgae growth on simply rinsing the paper with a growth medium. Many applications such as highly expressed cell selection and various single-cell analysis would be applicable. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma: An update

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Zhao-Shan; Niu, Xiao-Jun; Wang, Wen-Hong

2016-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although recent advances in therapeutic approaches for treating HCC have improved the prognoses of patients with HCC, this cancer is still associated with a poor survival rate mainly due to late diagnosis. Therefore, a diagnosis must be made sufficiently early to perform curative and effective treatments. There is a need for a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the initiation and progression of HCC because these mechanisms are critical for making early diagnoses and developing novel therapeutic strategies. Over the past decade, much progress has been made in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying hepatocarcinogenesis. In particular, recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies have revealed numerous genetic alterations, including recurrently mutated genes and dysregulated signaling pathways in HCC. A better understanding of the genetic alterations in HCC could contribute to identifying potential driver mutations and discovering novel therapeutic targets in the future. In this article, we summarize the current advances in research on the genetic alterations, including genomic instability, single-nucleotide polymorphisms, somatic mutations and deregulated signaling pathways, implicated in the initiation and progression of HCC. We also attempt to elucidate some of the genetic mechanisms that contribute to making early diagnoses of and developing molecularly targeted therapies for HCC. PMID:27895396

Experimental demonstration of a simple displacement sensor based on a bent single-mode–multimode–single-mode fiber structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Qiang; Semenova, Yuliya; Wang, Pengfei; Hatta, Agus Muhamad; Farrell, Gerald

2011-01-01

A simple displacement sensor based on a bent single-mode–multimode–single-mode (SMS) fiber structure is proposed and experimentally investigated. The sensor offers a wider displacement range, not limited by the risk of fiber breakage, as well as a three-fold increase in displacement sensitivity by comparison with a straight SMS structure sensor. This sensor can be interrogated by either an optical spectral analyzer (OSA) or a ratiometric interrogation system: (1) if interrogated by an OSA assuming a resolution of 1 pm, it has a sensitivity of 28.2 nm for a displacement measurement range from 0 to 280 µm; (2) if interrogated by a ratiometric interrogation system, it has worst and best case resolutions of 556 and 38 nm, respectively, for a displacement measurement range from 0 to 520 µm

Alterations in Neuronal Activity in Basal Ganglia-Thalamocortical Circuits in the Parkinsonian State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana eGalvan

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In patients with Parkinson’s disease and in animal models of this disorder, neurons in the basal ganglia and related regions in thalamus and cortex show changes that can be recorded by using electrophysiologic single-cell recording techniques, including altered firing rates and patterns, pathologic oscillatory activity and increased inter-neuronal synchronization. In addition, changes in synaptic potentials or in the joint spiking activities of populations of neurons can be monitored as alterations in local field potentials, electroencephalograms or electrocorticograms. Most of the mentioned electrophysiologic changes are probably related to the degeneration of diencephalic dopaminergic neurons, leading to dopamine loss in the striatum and other basal ganglia nuclei, although degeneration of non-dopaminergic cell groups may also have a role. The altered electrical activity of the basal ganglia and associated nuclei may contribute to some of the motor signs of the disease. We here review the current knowledge of the electrophysiologic changes at the single cell level, the level of local populations of neural elements, and the level of the entire basal ganglia-thalamocortical network in parkinsonism, and discuss the possible use of this information to optimize treatment approaches to Parkinson’s disease, such as deep brain stimulation therapy.

Alterations in neuronal activity in basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits in the parkinsonian state

Science.gov (United States)

Galvan, Adriana; Devergnas, Annaelle; Wichmann, Thomas

2015-01-01

In patients with Parkinson’s disease and in animal models of this disorder, neurons in the basal ganglia and related regions in thalamus and cortex show changes that can be recorded by using electrophysiologic single-cell recording techniques, including altered firing rates and patterns, pathologic oscillatory activity and increased inter-neuronal synchronization. In addition, changes in synaptic potentials or in the joint spiking activities of populations of neurons can be monitored as alterations in local field potentials (LFPs), electroencephalograms (EEGs) or electrocorticograms (ECoGs). Most of the mentioned electrophysiologic changes are probably related to the degeneration of diencephalic dopaminergic neurons, leading to dopamine loss in the striatum and other basal ganglia nuclei, although degeneration of non-dopaminergic cell groups may also have a role. The altered electrical activity of the basal ganglia and associated nuclei may contribute to some of the motor signs of the disease. We here review the current knowledge of the electrophysiologic changes at the single cell level, the level of local populations of neural elements, and the level of the entire basal ganglia-thalamocortical network in parkinsonism, and discuss the possible use of this information to optimize treatment approaches to Parkinson’s disease, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy. PMID:25698937

Fast single image dehazing based on image fusion

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Haibo; Yang, Jie; Wu, Zhengping; Zhang, Qingnian

2015-01-01

Images captured in foggy weather conditions often fade the colors and reduce the contrast of the observed objects. An efficient image fusion method is proposed to remove haze from a single input image. First, the initial medium transmission is estimated based on the dark channel prior. Second, the method adopts an assumption that the degradation level affected by haze of each region is the same, which is similar to the Retinex theory, and uses a simple Gaussian filter to get the coarse medium transmission. Then, pixel-level fusion is achieved between the initial medium transmission and coarse medium transmission. The proposed method can recover a high-quality haze-free image based on the physical model, and the complexity of the proposed method is only a linear function of the number of input image pixels. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can allow a very fast implementation and achieve better restoration for visibility and color fidelity compared to some state-of-the-art methods.

Perfusion deficits and functional connectivity alterations in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yang; Li, Baojuan; Zhang, Xi; Zhang, Linchuan; Li, Liang; Lu, Hongbing

2016-03-01

To explore the alteration in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and functional connectivity between survivors with recent onset post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and without PTSD, survived from the same coal mine flood disaster. In this study, a processing pipeline using arterial spin labeling (ASL) sequence was proposed. Considering low spatial resolution of ASL sequence, a linear regression method was firstly used to correct the partial volume (PV) effect for better CBF estimation. Then the alterations of CBF between two groups were analyzed using both uncorrected and PV-corrected CBF maps. Based on altered CBF regions detected from the CBF analysis as seed regions, the functional connectivity abnormities in PTSD patients was investigated. The CBF analysis using PV-corrected maps indicates CBF deficits in the bilateral frontal lobe, right superior frontal gyrus and right corpus callosum of PTSD patients, while only right corpus callosum was identified in uncorrected CBF analysis. Furthermore, the regional CBF of the right superior frontal gyrus exhibits significantly negative correlation with the symptom severity in PTSD patients. The resting-state functional connectivity indicates increased connectivity between left frontal lobe and right parietal lobe. These results indicate that PV-corrected CBF exhibits more subtle perfusion changes and may benefit further perfusion and connectivity analysis. The symptom-specific perfusion deficits and aberrant connectivity in above memory-related regions may be putative biomarkers for recent onset PTSD induced by a single prolonged trauma exposure and help predict the severity of PTSD.

Study on frequency of dental developmental alterations in a MEXICAN school-based population

OpenAIRE

Ledesma Montes, Constantino; Garcés Ortíz, Maricela; Salcido García, Juan Francisco; Hernández Flores, Florentino

2016-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to know the distribution of dental developmental alterations in the population requesting stomatological attention at the Admission and Diagnosis Clinic of our institution in Mexico City. Material and Methods We reviewed the archives and selected those files with developmental dental alterations. Analyzed data were diagnoses, age, gender, location and number of involved teeth. Results Of the 3.522 patients reviewed, 179 (5.1%) harbored 394 developmental de...

Work Stress and Altered Biomarkers: A Synthesis of Findings Based on the Effort-Reward Imbalance Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Siegrist, Johannes; Li, Jian

2017-11-10

While epidemiological studies provide statistical evidence on associations of exposures such as stressful work with elevated risks of stress-related disorders (e.g., coronary heart disease or depression), additional information on biological pathways and biomarkers underlying these associations is required. In this contribution, we summarize the current state of the art on research findings linking stressful work, in terms of an established theoretical model-effort-reward imbalance-with a broad range of biomarkers. Based on structured electronic literature search and recent available systematic reviews, our synthesis of findings indicates that associations of work stress with heart rate variability, altered blood lipids, and risk of metabolic syndrome are rather consistent and robust. Significant relationships with blood pressure, heart rate, altered immune function and inflammation, cortisol release, and haemostatic biomarkers were also observed, but due to conflicting findings additional data will be needed to reach a firm conclusion. This narrative review of empirical evidence supports the argument that the biomarkers under study can act as mediators of epidemiologically established associations of work stress, as measured by effort-reward imbalance, with incident stress-related disorders.

Aqueous alteration of Japanese simulated waste glass P0798: Effects of alteration-phase formation on alteration rate and cesium retention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inagaki, Y.; Shinkai, A.; Idemistu, K.; Arima, T.; Yoshikawa, H.; Yui, M.

2006-01-01

Aqueous alteration tests were performed with a Japanese simulated waste glass P0798 in alkaline solutions as a function of pH or species/concentration of alkaline metals in the solution in order to evaluate the alteration conditions determining whether smectite (2:1 clay mineral) or analcime (zeolite) forms as the major alteration-phase. XRD analysis of the alteration-phases showed that smectite forms at any pH between 9.5 and 12, and analcime forms at pH above 11, though the formation also depends on species and concentrations of alkaline metals in the solution. These results cannot agree with the thermodynamically predicted phase stability, e.g., smectite is more stable than the thermodynamic prediction shows. On the basis of the results of alteration conditions, the alteration tests were performed under smectite forming conditions, where only smectite forms or no crystalline phases form, in order to evaluate the alteration rate and the mechanism of cesium release/retention. The results showed that the glass alteration proceeds slowly in proportion to square root of time under smectite forming conditions, which indicates that the alteration rate can be controlled by a diffusion process. It was suggested that the alteration rate under smectite forming conditions is independent of the pH, alkaline metal species/concentration in the solution and whether smectite actually forms or not. The results also indicated that most of cesium dissolved from the glass can be retained in the alteration-phases by reversible sorption onto smectite or irreversible incorporation into analcime, pollucite or solid solutions of them

Chip based single cell analysis for nanotoxicity assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Pratikkumar; Kaushik, Ajeet; Zhu, Xuena; Zhang, Chengxiao; Li, Chen-Zhong

2014-05-07

Nanomaterials, because of their tunable properties and performances, have been utilized extensively in everyday life related consumable products and technology. On exposure, beyond the physiological range, nanomaterials cause health risks via affecting the function of organisms, genomic systems, and even the central nervous system. Thus, new analytical approaches for nanotoxicity assessment to verify the feasibility of nanomaterials for future use are in demand. The conventional analytical techniques, such as spectrophotometric assay-based techniques, usually require a lengthy and time-consuming process and often produce false positives, and often cannot be implemented at a single cell level measurement for studying cell behavior without interference from its surrounding environment. Hence, there is a demand for a precise, accurate, sensitive assessment for toxicity using single cells. Recently, due to the advantages of automation of fluids and minimization of human errors, the integration of a cell-on-a-chip (CoC) with a microfluidic system is in practice for nanotoxicity assessments. This review explains nanotoxicity and its assessment approaches with advantages/limitations and new approaches to overcome the confines of traditional techniques. Recent advances in nanotoxicity assessment using a CoC integrated with a microfluidic system are also discussed in this review, which may be of use for nanotoxicity assessment and diagnostics.

Single-flux-quantum logic circuits exploiting collision-based fusion gates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asai, T.; Yamada, K.; Amemiya, Y.

2008-01-01

We propose a single-flux-quantum (SFQ) logic circuit based on the fusion computing systems--collision-based and reaction-diffusion fusion computers. A fusion computing system consists of regularly arrayed unit cells (fusion gates), where each unit has two input arms and two output arms and is connected to its neighboring cells with the arms. We designed functional SFQ circuits that implemented the fusion computation. The unit cell was able to be made with ten Josephson junctions. Circuit simulation with standard Nb/Al-AlOx/Nb 2.5-kA/cm 2 process parameters showed that the SFQ fusion computing systems could operate at 10 GHz clock

Individualized prediction of schizophrenia based on the whole-brain pattern of altered white matter tract integrity.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yu-Jen; Liu, Chih-Min; Hsu, Yung-Chin; Lo, Yu-Chun; Hwang, Tzung-Jeng; Hwu, Hai-Gwo; Lin, Yi-Tin; Tseng, Wen-Yih Isaac

2018-01-01

A schizophrenia diagnosis relies on characteristic symptoms identified by trained physicians, and is thus prone to subjectivity. This study developed a procedure for the individualized prediction of schizophrenia based on whole-brain patterns of altered white matter tract integrity. The study comprised training (108 patients and 144 controls) and testing (60 patients and 60 controls) groups. Male and female participants were comparable in each group and were analyzed separately. All participants underwent diffusion spectrum imaging of the head, and the data were analyzed using the tract-based automatic analysis method to generate a standardized two-dimensional array of white matter tract integrity, called the connectogram. Unique patterns in the connectogram that most accurately identified schizophrenia were systematically reviewed in the training group. Then, the diagnostic performance of the patterns was individually verified in the testing group by using receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis. The performance was high in men (accuracy = 0.85) and satisfactory in women (accuracy = 0.75). In men, the pattern was located in discrete fiber tracts, as has been consistently reported in the literature; by contrast, the pattern was widespread over all tracts in women. These distinct patterns suggest that there is a higher variability in the microstructural alterations in female patients than in male patients. The individualized prediction of schizophrenia is feasible based on the different whole-brain patterns of tract integrity. The optimal masks and their corresponding regions in the fiber tracts could serve as potential imaging biomarkers for schizophrenia. Hum Brain Mapp 39:575-587, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dual-mode optical microscope based on single-pixel imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez, A. D.; Clemente, P.; Tajahuerce, E.; Lancis, J.

2016-07-01

We demonstrate an inverted microscope that can image specimens in both reflection and transmission modes simultaneously with a single light source. The microscope utilizes a digital micromirror device (DMD) for patterned illumination altogether with two single-pixel photosensors for efficient light detection. The system, a scan-less device with no moving parts, works by sequential projection of a set of binary intensity patterns onto the sample that are codified onto a modified commercial DMD. Data to be displayed are geometrically transformed before written into a memory cell to cancel optical artifacts coming from the diamond-like shaped structure of the micromirror array. The 24-bit color depth of the display is fully exploited to increase the frame rate by a factor of 24, which makes the technique practicable for real samples. Our commercial DMD-based LED-illumination is cost effective and can be easily coupled as an add-on module for already existing inverted microscopes. The reflection and transmission information provided by our dual microscope complement each other and can be useful for imaging non-uniform samples and to prevent self-shadowing effects.

Single-Phase Phase-Locked Loop Based on Derivative Elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guan, Qingxin; Zhang, Yu; Kang, Yong

2017-01-01

High-performance phase-locked loops (PLLs) are critical for power control in grid-connected systems. This paper presents a new method of designing a PLL for single-phase systems based on derivative elements (DEs). The quadrature signal generator (QSG) is constructed by two DEs with the same...... PLL to achieve high performance when the grid frequency changes rapidly. This paper presents the model of the PLL and a theoretical performance analysis with respect to both the frequency-domain and time-domain behavior. The error arising from the discretization process is also compensated, ensuring...

Quantum interference effects at room temperature in OPV-based single-molecule junctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arroyo, Carlos R.; Frisenda, Riccardo; Moth-Poulsen, Kasper

2013-01-01

Interference effects on charge transport through an individual molecule can lead to a notable modulation and suppression on its conductance. In this letter, we report the observation of quantum interference effects occurring at room temperature in single-molecule junctions based on oligo(3......)-phenylenevinylene (OPV3) derivatives, in which the central benzene ring is coupled to either para- or meta-positions. Using the break-junction technique, we find that the conductance for a single meta-OPV3 molecule wired between gold electrodes is one order of magnitude smaller than that of a para-OPV3 molecule...

State-related alterations of gene expression in bipolar disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munkholm, Klaus; Vinberg, Maj; Berk, Michael

2012-01-01

Munkholm K, Vinberg M, Berk M, Kessing LV. State-related alterations of gene expression in bipolar disorder: a systematic review. Bipolar Disord 2012: 14: 684-696. © 2012 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Objective:  Alterations in gene expression in bipolar disorder...... have been found in numerous studies. It is unclear whether such alterations are related to specific mood states. As a biphasic disorder, mood state-related alterations in gene expression have the potential to point to markers of disease activity, and trait-related alterations might indicate...... vulnerability pathways. This review therefore evaluated the evidence for whether gene expression in bipolar disorder is state or trait related. Methods:  A systematic review, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guideline for reporting systematic reviews, based...

Innovative molecular-based fluorescent nanoparticles for multicolor single particle tracking in cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daniel, Jonathan; Blanchard-Desce, Mireille; Godin, Antoine G; Palayret, Matthieu; Lounis, Brahim; Cognet, Laurent

2016-01-01

Based on an original molecular-based design, we present bright and photostable fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) showing excellent colloidal stability in various aqueous environments. Complementary near-infrared emitting and green emitting FONs were prepared using a simple, fast and robust protocol. Both types of FONs could be simultaneously imaged at the single-particle level in solution as well as in biological environments using a monochromatic excitation and a dual-color fluorescence microscope. No evidence of acute cytotoxicity was found upon incubation of live cells with mixed solutions of FONs, and both types of nanoparticles were found internalized in the cells where their motion could be simultaneously tracked at video-rate up to minutes. These fluorescent organic nanoparticles open a novel non-toxic alternative to existing nanoparticles for imaging biological structures, compatible with live-cell experiments and specially fitted for multicolor single particle tracking. (paper)

Single-sweep spectral analysis of contact heat evoked potentials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Tine M; Graversen, Carina; Frøkjaer, Jens B

2015-01-01

AIMS: The cortical response to nociceptive thermal stimuli recorded as contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPs) may be altered by morphine. However, previous studies have averaged CHEPs over multiple stimuli, which are confounded by jitter between sweeps. Thus, the aim was to assess single-sweep ch......AIMS: The cortical response to nociceptive thermal stimuli recorded as contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPs) may be altered by morphine. However, previous studies have averaged CHEPs over multiple stimuli, which are confounded by jitter between sweeps. Thus, the aim was to assess single...... by 13% (P = 0.04) and 9% (P = 0.007), while the beta and gamma bands were increased by 10% (P = 0.006) and 24% (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The decreases in the delta and theta band are suggested to represent a decrease in the pain specific morphology of the CHEPs, which indicates a diminished pain response...

Refractive index sensor based on an abrupt taper Michelson interferometer in a single-mode fiber.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Zhaobing; Yam, Scott S-H; Loock, Hans-Peter

2008-05-15

A simple refractive index sensor based on a Michelson interferometer in a single-mode fiber is constructed and demonstrated. The sensor consists of a single symmetrically abrupt taper region in a short piece of single-mode fiber that is terminated by approximately 500 nm thick gold coating. The sensitivity of the new sensor is similar to that of a long-period-grating-type sensor, and its ease of fabrication offers a low-cost alternative to current sensing applications.

Single Cell Oncogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xin

It is believed that cancer originates from a single cell that has gone through generations of evolution of genetic and epigenetic changes that associate with the hallmarks of cancer. In some cancers such as various types of leukemia, cancer is clonal. Yet in other cancers like glioblastoma (GBM), there is tremendous tumor heterogeneity that is likely to be caused by simultaneous evolution of multiple subclones within the same tissue. It is obvious that understanding how a single cell develops into a clonal tumor upon genetic alterations, at molecular and cellular levels, holds the key to the real appreciation of tumor etiology and ultimate solution for therapeutics. Surprisingly very little is known about the process of spontaneous tumorigenesis from single cells in human or vertebrate animal models. The main reason is the lack of technology to track the natural process of single cell changes from a homeostatic state to a progressively cancerous state. Recently, we developed a patented compound, photoactivatable (''caged'') tamoxifen analogue 4-OHC and associated technique called optochemogenetic switch (OCG switch), which we believe opens the opportunity to address this urgent biological as well as clinical question about cancer. We propose to combine OCG switch with genetically engineered mouse models of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and high grade astrocytoma (including GBM) to study how single cells, when transformed through acute loss of tumor suppressor genes PTEN and TP53 and gain of oncogenic KRAS, can develop into tumor colonies with cellular and molecular heterogeneity in these tissues. The abstract is for my invited talk in session ``Beyond Darwin: Evolution in Single Cells'' 3/18/2016 11:15 AM.

Current Mode Full-Wave Rectifier Based on a Single MZC-CDTA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neeta Pandey

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a current mode full-wave rectifier based on single modified Z copy current difference transconductance amplifier (MZC-CDTA and two switches. The circuit is simple and is suitable for IC implementation. The functionality of the circuit is verified with SPICE simulation using 0.35 μm TSMC CMOS technology parameters.

Noise-based logic hyperspace with the superposition of 2 states in a single wire

Science.gov (United States)

Kish, Laszlo B.; Khatri, Sunil; Sethuraman, Swaminathan

2009-05-01

In the introductory paper [L.B. Kish, Phys. Lett. A 373 (2009) 911], about noise-based logic, we showed how simple superpositions of single logic basis vectors can be achieved in a single wire. The superposition components were the N orthogonal logic basis vectors. Supposing that the different logic values have “on/off” states only, the resultant discrete superposition state represents a single number with N bit accuracy in a single wire, where N is the number of orthogonal logic vectors in the base. In the present Letter, we show that the logic hyperspace (product) vectors defined in the introductory paper can be generalized to provide the discrete superposition of 2 orthogonal system states. This is equivalent to a multi-valued logic system with 2 logic values per wire. This is a similar situation to quantum informatics with N qubits, and hence we introduce the notion of noise-bit. This system has major differences compared to quantum informatics. The noise-based logic system is deterministic and each superposition element is instantly accessible with the high digital accuracy, via a real hardware parallelism, without decoherence and error correction, and without the requirement of repeating the logic operation many times to extract the probabilistic information. Moreover, the states in noise-based logic do not have to be normalized, and non-unitary operations can also be used. As an example, we introduce a string search algorithm which is O(√{M}) times faster than Grover's quantum algorithm (where M is the number of string entries), while it has the same hardware complexity class as the quantum algorithm.

Near-unity efficiency, single-photon sources based on tapered photonic nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bleuse, Joël; Munsch, Mathieu; Claudon, Julien

2012-01-01

Single-photon emission from excitons in InAs Quantum Dots (QD) embedded in GaAs Tapered Photonic Wires (TPW) already demonstrated a 0.72 collection efficiency, with TPWs were the apex is the sharp end of the cone. Going to alternate designs, still based on the idea of the adiabatic deconfinement...... of the quasi-Gaussian emission mode, but with inverted TPW where the apex is the cone's base, leads to even larger efficiencies. In addition, these inverted TPWs make the electric pumping of the emitters compatible with these large efficiencies....

Single-pulse CARS based multimodal nonlinear optical microscope for bioimaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Sunil; Kamali, Tschackad; Levitte, Jonathan M; Katz, Ori; Hermann, Boris; Werkmeister, Rene; Považay, Boris; Drexler, Wolfgang; Unterhuber, Angelika; Silberberg, Yaron

2015-05-18

Noninvasive label-free imaging of biological systems raises demand not only for high-speed three-dimensional prescreening of morphology over a wide-field of view but also it seeks to extract the microscopic functional and molecular details within. Capitalizing on the unique advantages brought out by different nonlinear optical effects, a multimodal nonlinear optical microscope can be a powerful tool for bioimaging. Bringing together the intensity-dependent contrast mechanisms via second harmonic generation, third harmonic generation and four-wave mixing for structural-sensitive imaging, and single-beam/single-pulse coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering technique for chemical sensitive imaging in the finger-print region, we have developed a simple and nearly alignment-free multimodal nonlinear optical microscope that is based on a single wide-band Ti:Sapphire femtosecond pulse laser source. Successful imaging tests have been realized on two exemplary biological samples, a canine femur bone and collagen fibrils harvested from a rat tail. Since the ultra-broad band-width femtosecond laser is a suitable source for performing high-resolution optical coherence tomography, a wide-field optical coherence tomography arm can be easily incorporated into the presented multimodal microscope making it a versatile optical imaging tool for noninvasive label-free bioimaging.

Materials challenges for devices based on single, self-assembled InGaN quantum dots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliver, Rachel A; Jarjour, Anas F; Tahraoui, Abbes; Kappers, Menno J; Taylor, Robert A; Humphreys, Colin J

2007-01-01

Builiding on earlier studies of single InGaN quantum dots (QDs), we are considering their potential for use in blue- and green-emitting single photon sources. Envisaging a device based on a resonant cavity light emitting diode, we have studied the effect of growing QDs on an underlying AlN/GaN distributed Bragg reflector, and have shown that enhanced single QD emission may be obtained. Additionally, we have studied the effect of the growth and activation of a p-type cap on an underlying QD layer and have shown that the QDs survive the anneal process

Single base-resolution methylome of the silkworm reveals a sparse epigenomic map

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xiang, Hui; Zhu, Jingde; Chen, Quan

2010-01-01

Epigenetic regulation in insects may have effects on diverse biological processes. Here we survey the methylome of a model insect, the silkworm Bombyx mori, at single-base resolution using Illumina high-throughput bisulfite sequencing (MethylC-Seq). We conservatively estimate that 0.11% of genomi...

Microcontroller Based SPWM Single-Phase Inverter For Wind Power Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khin Ohmar Lin

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper microcontroller based sinusoidal pulse width modulation SPWM single-phase inverter is emphasized to constant frequency conversion scheme for wind power application. The wind-power generator output voltage and frequency are fluctuated due to the variation of wind velocity. Therefore the AC output voltage of wind-generator is converted into DC voltage by using rectifier circuit and this DC voltage is converted back to AC voltage by using inverter circuit. SPWM technique is used in inverter to get nearly sine wave and reduce harmonic content. The rating of inverter is 500W single-phase 220V 50 Hz. The required SPWM timing pulses for the inverter are generated from the PIC16F877A microcontroller. Circuit simulation was done by using Proteus 7 Professional and MATLABR 2008 software. The software for microcontroller is implemented by using MPASM assembler.

Histologic alterations of the normal bladder wall following to variably fractionated irradiation - an experimentation on animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fueller, J.; Fritzsche, V.; Kob, D.; Arndt, J.; Kriester, A.; Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet, Jena

1986-01-01

The histopathologic alterations of the bladder wall were investigated in 180 rabbits irradiated with different fractionations and total focal doses. Animals sacrified one week after the end of irradiation showed alterations of the urothelium (desquamation, increased polymorphism of nuclei vacuolizations) as well as oedematous and hyperemic reactions in submucosa and muscularis. These alterations became stronger when the single and total focal dose and the ret values were increased. Animals sacrified three to six months after the end of irradiation showed dystrophic-sclerotic processes as well as vascular obliterations in the submucosa and muscularis. The alterations were only clearly visible in case of a total focal dose of at least 30 Gy. With regard to a minimization of histopathologic alterations of the bladder wall, a fractionation of 1.5 Gy per day has to be considered as favorable in radiotherapy of the carcinoma of the urinary bladder. (orig.) [de

A monolithic glass chip for active single-cell sorting based on mechanical phenotyping.

Science.gov (United States)

Faigle, Christoph; Lautenschläger, Franziska; Whyte, Graeme; Homewood, Philip; Martín-Badosa, Estela; Guck, Jochen

2015-03-07

The mechanical properties of biological cells have long been considered as inherent markers of biological function and disease. However, the screening and active sorting of heterogeneous populations based on serial single-cell mechanical measurements has not been demonstrated. Here we present a novel monolithic glass chip for combined fluorescence detection and mechanical phenotyping using an optical stretcher. A new design and manufacturing process, involving the bonding of two asymmetrically etched glass plates, combines exact optical fiber alignment, low laser damage threshold and high imaging quality with the possibility of several microfluidic inlet and outlet channels. We show the utility of such a custom-built optical stretcher glass chip by measuring and sorting single cells in a heterogeneous population based on their different mechanical properties and verify sorting accuracy by simultaneous fluorescence detection. This offers new possibilities of exact characterization and sorting of small populations based on rheological properties for biological and biomedical applications.

Mapping Hydrothermal Alteration Zones at a Sediment-Hosted Gold Deposit - Goldstrike Mining District, Utah, Using Ground-Based Hyperspectral Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Krupnik, D.; Khan, S.; Crockett, M.

2017-12-01

Understanding the origin, genesis, as well as depositional and structural mechanisms of gold mineralization as well as detailed mapping of gold-bearing mineral phases at centimeter scale can be useful for exploration. This work was conducted in the Goldstrike mining district near St. George, UT, a structurally complex region which contains Carlin-style disseminated gold deposits in permeable sedimentary layers near high-angle fault zones. These fault zones are likely a conduit for gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids, are silicified, and are frequently gold-bearing. Alteration patterns are complex, difficult to distinguish visually, composed of several phases, and vary significantly over centimeter to meter scale distances. This makes identifying and quantifying the extent of the target zones costly, time consuming, and discontinuous with traditional geochemical methods. A ground-based hyperspectral scanning system with sensors collecting data in the Visible Near Infrared (VNIR) and Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) portions of the electromagnetic spectrum are utilized for close-range outcrop scanning. Scans were taken of vertical exposures of both gold-bearing and barren silicified rocks (jasperoids), with the intent to produce images which delineate and quantify the extent of each phase of alteration, in combination with discrete geochemical data. This ongoing study produces mineralogical maps of surface minerals at centimeter scale, with the intent of mapping original and alteration minerals. This efficient method of outcrop characterization increases our understanding of fluid flow and alteration of economic deposits.

Altered Mental Status: Current Evidence-based Recommendations for Prehospital Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashley Sanello

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In the United States emergency medical services (EMS protocols vary widely across jurisdictions. We sought to develop evidence-based recommendations for the prehospital evaluation and treatment of a patient with an acute change in mental status and to compare these recommendations against the current protocols used by the 33 EMS agencies in the State of California. Methods: We performed a literature review of the current evidence in the prehospital treatment of a patient with altered mental status (AMS and augmented this review with guidelines from various national and international societies to create our evidence-based recommendations. We then compared the AMS protocols of each of the 33 EMS agencies for consistency with these recommendations. The specific protocol components that we analyzed were patient assessment, point-of-care tests, supplemental oxygen, use of standardized scoring, evaluating for causes of AMS, blood glucose evaluation, toxicological treatment, and pediatric evaluation and management. Results: Protocols across 33 EMS agencies in California varied widely. All protocols call for a blood glucose check, 21 (64% suggest treating adults at <60mg/dL, and half allow for the use of dextrose 10%. All the protocols recommend naloxone for signs of opioid overdose, but only 13 (39% give specific parameters. Half the agencies (52% recommend considering other toxicological causes of AMS, often by using the mnemonic AEIOU TIPS. Eight (24% recommend a 12-lead electrocardiogram; others simply suggest cardiac monitoring. Fourteen (42% advise supplemental oxygen as needed; only seven (21% give specific parameters. In terms of considering various etiologies of AMS, 25 (76% give instructions to consider trauma, 20 (61% to consider stroke, and 18 (55% to consider seizure. Twenty-three (70% of the agencies have separate pediatric AMS protocols; others include pediatric considerations within the adult protocol. Conclusion: Protocols

Phage Pl mutants with altered transducing abilities for Escherichia coli

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wall, J.D.; Harriman, P.D.

1974-01-01

A search was made for mutants of the coliphage P1 with altered transducing frequencies. A method was developed for the rapid assay of transducing frequencies in single plaques using prophage lambda as the transduced bacterial marker. This procedure selects for mutants altered in their ability to package host DNA. Mutants with 5 to 10 times higher or 10 to 20 times lower frequencies than those of wild-type P1 were found. Not only are the markers used for the detection of the mutants affected, but all other markers are similarly affected (not always to the same extent). One of the high transducing frequency mutants is a suppressible amber, indicating that loss of a function increases P1's ability to package host DNA preferentially. (U.S.)

Prospective Genomic Profiling of Prostate Cancer Across Disease States Reveals Germline and Somatic Alterations That May Affect Clinical Decision Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Abida, Wassim; Armenia, Joshua; Gopalan, Anuradha; Brennan, Ryan; Walsh, Michael; Barron, David; Danila, Daniel; Rathkopf, Dana; Morris, Michael; Slovin, Susan; McLaughlin, Brigit; Curtis, Kristen; Hyman, David M; Durack, Jeremy C; Solomon, Stephen B; Arcila, Maria E; Zehir, Ahmet; Syed, Aijazuddin; Gao, Jianjiong; Chakravarty, Debyani; Vargas, Hebert Alberto; Robson, Mark E; Joseph, Vijai; Offit, Kenneth; Donoghue, Mark T A; Abeshouse, Adam A; Kundra, Ritika; Heins, Zachary J; Penson, Alexander V; Harris, Christopher; Taylor, Barry S; Ladanyi, Marc; Mandelker, Diana; Zhang, Liying; Reuter, Victor E; Kantoff, Philip W; Solit, David B; Berger, Michael F; Sawyers, Charles L; Schultz, Nikolaus; Scher, Howard I

2017-07-01

A long natural history and a predominant osseous pattern of metastatic spread are impediments to the adoption of precision medicine in patients with prostate cancer. To establish the feasibility of clinical genomic profiling in the disease, we performed targeted deep sequencing of tumor and normal DNA from patients with locoregional, metastatic non-castrate, and metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Patients consented to genomic analysis of their tumor and germline DNA. A hybridization capture-based clinical assay was employed to identify single nucleotide variations, small insertions and deletions, copy number alterations and structural rearrangements in over 300 cancer-related genes in tumors and matched normal blood. We successfully sequenced 504 tumors from 451 patients with prostate cancer. Potentially actionable alterations were identified in DNA damage repair (DDR), PI3K, and MAP kinase pathways. 27% of patients harbored a germline or a somatic alteration in a DDR gene that may predict for response to PARP inhibition. Profiling of matched tumors from individual patients revealed that somatic TP53 and BRCA2 alterations arose early in tumors from patients who eventually developed metastatic disease. In contrast, comparative analysis across disease states revealed that APC alterations were enriched in metastatic tumors, while ATM alterations were specifically enriched in CRPC. Through genomic profiling of prostate tumors representing the disease clinical spectrum, we identified a high frequency of potentially actionable alterations and possible drivers of disease initiation, metastasis and castration-resistance. Our findings support the routine use of tumor and germline DNA profiling for patients with advanced prostate cancer, for the purpose of guiding enrollment in targeted clinical trials and counseling families at increased risk of malignancy.

Fast and quantitative differentiation of single-base mismatched DNA by initial reaction rate of catalytic hairpin assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chenxi; Li, Yixin; Xu, Xiao; Wang, Xinyi; Chen, Yang; Yang, Xiaoda; Liu, Feng; Li, Na

2014-10-15

The widely used catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) amplification strategy generally needs several hours to accomplish one measurement based on the prevailingly used maximum intensity detection mode, making it less practical for assays where high throughput or speed is desired. To make the best use of the kinetic specificity of toehold domain for circuit reaction initiation, we developed a mathematical model and proposed an initial reaction rate detection mode to quantitatively differentiate the single-base mismatch. Using the kinetic mode, assay time can be reduced substantially to 10 min for one measurement with the comparable sensitivity and single-base mismatch differentiating ability as were obtained by the maximum intensity detection mode. This initial reaction rate based approach not only provided a fast and quantitative differentiation of single-base mismatch, but also helped in-depth understanding of the CHA system, which will be beneficial to the design of highly sensitive and specific toehold-mediated hybridization reactions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method and apparatus for altering material

Science.gov (United States)

Stinnett, Regan W.; Greenly, John B.

2002-02-05

Methods and apparatus for thermally altering the near surface characteristics of a material are described. In particular, a repetitively pulsed ion beam system comprising a high energy pulsed power source and an ion beam generator are described which are capable of producing single species high voltage ion beams (0.25-2.5 MeV) at 1-1000 kW average power and over extended operating cycles (10.sup.8). Irradiating materials with such high energy, repetitively pulsed ion beams can yield surface treatments including localized high temperature anneals to melting, both followed by rapid thermal quenching to ambient temperatures to achieve both novel and heretofore commercially unachievable physical characteristics in a near surface layer of material.

Nucleation of recrystallisation in castings of single crystal Ni-based superalloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathur, Harshal N.; Panwisawas, Chinnapat; Jones, C. Neil; Reed, Roger C.; Rae, Catherine M.F.

2017-01-01

Recrystallisation in single crystal Ni-based superalloys during solution heat treatment results in a significant cost to the investment casting industry. In this paper two sources of surface nucleation have been identified in the alloy CMSX-4 ® . Firstly, Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) has revealed micro-grains of γ′, between 2 and 30 μm diameter in the layer of surface eutectic found in the upper part of the casting. These have high angle boundaries with respect to the bulk single crystal and a fraction coarsen during solution heat treatment. Secondly, in the lower regions where surface eutectic does not form, locally deformed regions, 5–20 μm deep, form where the metal adheres to the mould. The local strain causes misorientations up to ≈20° with respect the bulk single crystal, and after heat treatment these regions develop into small grains of similar low-angle misorientations. However, they also form twins to produce further grains which have mobile high-angle boundaries with respect to the bulk single crystal. Experiments have shown that micro-grains at the surface grow to cause full recrystallisation where there is sufficient strain in the bulk material, and by removing these surface defects, recrystallisation can be completely mitigated. Etching of the cast surface is demonstrated to be an effective method of achieving this.

A holmium(III)-based single-molecule magnet with pentagonal-bipyramidal geometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kajiwara, Takashi [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Nara Women' s University (Japan)

2017-09-11

The right environment: The remarkable properties of a recently reported holmium(III)-based single-ion magnet have been ascribed to the hyperfine interactions with the half-integer nuclear spin in combination with the pentagonal-bipyramidal coordination environment. These results provide insight into the complicated magnetic properties of nanosized magnetic materials. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The birds, the bees, and the Bible: single African American mothers' perceptions of a faith-based sexuality educaton program.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornelius, Judith Bacchus

2009-01-01

This exploratory study examined single mothers' ideas on the development of a faith-based sexuality program. Twenty African American single mothers with adolescent children (11 to 13 years of age) who were of the same faith and members of one church, participated in two focus groups about how a faith-based sexuality program could be designed and implemented. The findings call attention to the need for research on the design of faith-based sexuality education programs for ethnic minority families headed by single mothers.

Growth, and magnetic study of Sm0.4Er0.6FeO3 single crystal grown by optical floating zone technique

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Anhua; Zhao, Xiangyang; Man, Peiwen; Su, Liangbi; Kalashnikova, A. M.; Pisarev, R. V.

2018-03-01

Sm0.4Er0.6FeO3 single crystals were successfully grown by optical floating zone method; high quality samples with various orientations were manufactured. Based on these samples, Magnetic property of Sm0.4Er0.6FeO3 single crystals were investigated systemically by means of the temperature dependence of magnetization. It indicated that compositional variations not only alter the spin reorientation temperature, but also the compensation temperature of the orthoferrites. Unlike single rare earth orthoferrites, the reversal transition temperature point of Sm0.4Er0.6FeO3 increases as magnetic field increases, which is positive for designing novel spin switching or magnetic sensor device.

Single Fraction Versus Fractionated Linac-Based Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Vestibular Schwannoma: A Single-Institution Experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collen, Christine, E-mail: ccollen@uzbrussel.be [Department of Radiation Oncology, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels (Belgium); Ampe, Ben [Department of Neurosurgery, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels (Belgium); Gevaert, Thierry [Department of Radiation Oncology, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels (Belgium); Moens, Maarten [Department of Neurosurgery, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels (Belgium); Linthout, Nadine; De Ridder, Mark; Verellen, Dirk [Department of Radiation Oncology, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels (Belgium); D' Haens, Jean [Department of Neurosurgery, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels (Belgium); Storme, Guy [Department of Radiation Oncology, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels (Belgium)

2011-11-15

Purpose: To evaluate and compare outcomes for patients with vestibular schwannoma (VS) treated in a single institution with linac-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or by fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT). Methods and Materials: One hundred and nineteen patients (SRS = 78, SRT = 41) were treated. For both SRS and SRT, beam shaping is performed by a mini-multileaf collimator. For SRS, a median single dose of 12.5 Gy (range, 11-14 Gy), prescribed to the 80% isodose line encompassing the target, was applied. Of the 42 SRT treatments, 32 treatments consisted of 10 fractions of 3-4 Gy, and 10 patients received 25 sessions of 2 Gy, prescribed to the 100% with the 95% isodose line encompassing the planning target volume. Mean largest tumor diameter was 16.6 mm in the SRS and 24.6 mm in the SRT group. Local tumor control, cranial nerve toxicity, and preservation of useful hearing were recorded. Any new treatment-induced cranial nerve neuropathy was scored as a complication. Results: Median follow-up was 62 months (range, 6-136 months), 5 patients progressed, resulting in an overall 5-year local tumor control of 95%. The overall 5-year facial nerve preservation probability was 88% and facial nerve neuropathy was statistically significantly higher after SRS, after prior surgery, for larger tumors, and in Koos Grade {>=}3. The overall 5-year trigeminal nerve preservation probability was 96%, not significantly influenced by any of the risk factors. The overall 4-year probability of preservation of useful hearing (Gardner-Robertson score 1 or 2) was 68%, not significantly different between SRS or SRT (59% vs. 82%, p = 0.089, log rank). Conclusion: Linac-based RT results in good local control and acceptable clinical outcome in small to medium-sized vestibular schwannomas (VSs). Radiosurgery for large VSs (Koos Grade {>=}3) remains a challenge because of increased facial nerve neuropathy.

Bright single photon source based on self-aligned quantum dot–cavity systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maier, Sebastian; Gold, Peter; Forchel, Alfred

2014-01-01

We report on a quasi-planar quantum-dot-based single-photon source that shows an unprecedented high extraction efficiency of 42% without complex photonic resonator geometries or post-growth nanofabrication. This very high efficiency originates from the coupling of the photons emitted by a quantum...... dot to a Gaussian shaped nanohill defect that naturally arises during epitaxial growth in a self-aligned manner. We investigate the morphology of these defects and characterize the photonic operation mechanism. Our results show that these naturally arising coupled quantum dot-defects provide a new...... avenue for efficient (up to 42% demonstrated) and pure (g2(0) value of 0.023) single-photon emission....

Microprocessor-based single board computer for high energy physics event pattern recognition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernstein, H.; Gould, J.J.; Imossi, R.; Kopp, J.K.; Love, W.A.; Ozaki, S.; Platner, E.D.; Kramer, M.A.

1981-01-01

A single board MC 68000 based computer has been assembled and bench marked against the CDC 7600 running portions of the pattern recognition code used at the MPS. This computer has a floating coprocessor to achieve throughputs equivalent to several percent that of the 7600. A major part of this work was the construction of a FORTRAN compiler including assembler, linker and library. The intention of this work is to assemble a large number of these single board computers in a parallel FASTBUS environment to act as an on-line and off-line filter for the raw data from MPS II and ISABELLE experiments

Room-temperature single-photon sources with definite circular and linear polarizations based on single-emitter fluorescence in liquid crystal hosts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winkler, Justin M; Lukishova, Svetlana G; Bissell, Luke J

2013-01-01

Definite circular and linear polarizations of room-temperature single-photon sources, which can serve as polarization bases for quantum key distribution, are produced by doping planar-aligned liquid crystal hosts with single fluorescence emitters. Chiral 1-D photonic bandgap microcavities for a single handedness of circularly polarized light were prepared from both monomeric and oligomeric cholesteric liquid crystals. Fluorescent emitters, such as nanocrystal quantum dots, nitrogen vacancy color centers in nanodiamonds, and rare-earth ions in nanocrystals, were doped into these microcavity structures and used to produce circularly polarized fluorescence of definite handedness. Additionally, we observed circularly polarized resonances in the spectrum of nanocrystal quantum dot fluorescence at the edge of the cholesteric microcavity's photonic stopband. For this polarization we obtained a ∼4.9 enhancement of intensity compared to the polarization of the opposite handedness that propagates without photonic bandgap microcavity effects. Such a resonance is indicative of coupling of quantum dot fluorescence to the cholesteric microcavity mode. We have also used planar-aligned nematic liquid crystal hosts to align DiI dye molecules doped into the host, thereby providing a single-photon source of linear polarization of definite direction. Antibunching is demonstrated for fluorescence of nanocrystal quantum dots, nitrogen vacancy color centers, and dye molecules in these liquid crystal structures.

Single-step reinitialization and extending algorithms for level-set based multi-phase flow simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Lin; Hu, Xiangyu Y.; Adams, Nikolaus A.

2017-12-01

We propose efficient single-step formulations for reinitialization and extending algorithms, which are critical components of level-set based interface-tracking methods. The level-set field is reinitialized with a single-step (non iterative) "forward tracing" algorithm. A minimum set of cells is defined that describes the interface, and reinitialization employs only data from these cells. Fluid states are extrapolated or extended across the interface by a single-step "backward tracing" algorithm. Both algorithms, which are motivated by analogy to ray-tracing, avoid multiple block-boundary data exchanges that are inevitable for iterative reinitialization and extending approaches within a parallel-computing environment. The single-step algorithms are combined with a multi-resolution conservative sharp-interface method and validated by a wide range of benchmark test cases. We demonstrate that the proposed reinitialization method achieves second-order accuracy in conserving the volume of each phase. The interface location is invariant to reapplication of the single-step reinitialization. Generally, we observe smaller absolute errors than for standard iterative reinitialization on the same grid. The computational efficiency is higher than for the standard and typical high-order iterative reinitialization methods. We observe a 2- to 6-times efficiency improvement over the standard method for serial execution. The proposed single-step extending algorithm, which is commonly employed for assigning data to ghost cells with ghost-fluid or conservative interface interaction methods, shows about 10-times efficiency improvement over the standard method while maintaining same accuracy. Despite their simplicity, the proposed algorithms offer an efficient and robust alternative to iterative reinitialization and extending methods for level-set based multi-phase simulations.

In silico analysis of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs in human β-globin gene.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Alanazi

Full Text Available Single amino acid substitutions in the globin chain are the most common forms of genetic variations that produce hemoglobinopathies--the most widespread inherited disorders worldwide. Several hemoglobinopathies result from homozygosity or compound heterozygosity to beta-globin (HBB gene mutations, such as that producing sickle cell hemoglobin (HbS, HbC, HbD and HbE. Several of these mutations are deleterious and result in moderate to severe hemolytic anemia, with associated complications, requiring lifelong care and management. Even though many hemoglobinopathies result from single amino acid changes producing similar structural abnormalities, there are functional differences in the generated variants. Using in silico methods, we examined the genetic variations that can alter the expression and function of the HBB gene. Using a sequence homology-based Sorting Intolerant from Tolerant (SIFT server we have searched for the SNPs, which showed that 200 (80% non-synonymous polymorphism were found to be deleterious. The structure-based method via PolyPhen server indicated that 135 (40% non-synonymous polymorphism may modify protein function and structure. The Pupa Suite software showed that the SNPs will have a phenotypic consequence on the structure and function of the altered protein. Structure analysis was performed on the key mutations that occur in the native protein coded by the HBB gene that causes hemoglobinopathies such as: HbC (E→K, HbD (E→Q, HbE (E→K and HbS (E→V. Atomic Non-Local Environment Assessment (ANOLEA, Yet Another Scientific Artificial Reality Application (YASARA, CHARMM-GUI webserver for macromolecular dynamics and mechanics, and Normal Mode Analysis, Deformation and Refinement (NOMAD-Ref of Gromacs server were used to perform molecular dynamics simulations and energy minimization calculations on β-Chain residue of the HBB gene before and after mutation. Furthermore, in the native and altered protein models, amino acid

Structural profiling and biological performance of phospholipid-hyaluronan functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dvash, Ram; Khatchatouriants, Artium; Solmesky, Leonardo J

2013-01-01

In spite of significant insolubility and toxicity, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) erupt into the biomedical research, and create an increasing interest in the field of nanomedicine. Single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) are highly hydrophobic and have been shown to be toxic while systemically administrated. Thus...... an inflammatory response in macrophages as evidenced by the cytokine profiling and the use of image-based high-content analysis approach in contrast to non-modified CNTs. In addition, systemic administration of CNT-PL-HA into healthy C57BL/6 mice did not alter the total number of leukocytes nor increased liver...

Single particle train ordering in microchannel based on inertial and vortex effects

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Liang-Liang; Yan, Qing; Zhe, Jiang; Zhao, Liang

2018-06-01

A new microfluidic device for microparticle focusing and ordering in a single particle train is reported. The particle focusing and ordering are based on inertial and vortex effects in a microchannel with a series of suddenly contracted and widely expanded structures on one side. In the suddenly contracted regions, particles located near the contracted structures are subjected to a strong wall-effect lift force and momentum-change-induced inertial force due to the highly curved trajectory, migrating to the straight wall. A horizontal vortex is generated downstream of the contracted structure, which prevents the particle from getting close to the wall. In the widely expanded regions, the streamline is curved and no vortex is generated. The shear-gradient lift force and the momentum-change-induced inertial force are dominant for particle lateral migration, driving particles towards the wall of the expanded structures. Eventually, particles are focused and ordered in a single particle train by the combination effects of the inertial forces and the vortex. In comparison with other single-stream particle focusing methods, this device requires no sheath flow, is easy for fabrication and operation, and can work over a wide range of Reynolds numbers from 19.1–142.9. The highly ordered particle chain could be potentially utilized in a variety of lab-chip applications, including micro-flow cytometer, imaging and droplet-based cell entrapment.

Prediction of recrystallisation in single crystal nickel-based superalloys during investment casting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panwisawas Chinnapat

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Production of gas turbines for jet propulsion and power generation requires the manufacture of turbine blades from single crystal nickel-based superalloys, most typically using investment casting. During the necessary subsequent solution heat treatment, the formation of recrystallised grains can occur. The introduction of grain boundaries into a single crystal component is potentially detrimental to performance, and therefore manufacturing processes and/or component geometries should be designed to prevent their occurrence. If the boundaries have very low strength, they can degrade the creep and fatigue properties. The root cause for recrystallisation is microscale plasticity caused by differential thermal contraction of metal, mould and core; when the plastic deformation is sufficiently large, recrystallisation takes place. In this work, numerical and thermo-mechanical modelling is carried out, with the aim of establishing computational methods by which recrystallisation during the heat treatment of single crystal nickel-based superalloys can be predicted and prevented prior to their occurrence. Elasto-plastic law is used to predict the plastic strain necessary for recrystallisation. The modelling result shows that recrystallisation is most likely to occur following 1.5–2.5% plastic strain applied at temperatures between 1000 ∘C and 1300 ∘C; this is validated with tensile tests at these elevated temperatures. This emphasises that high temperature deformation is more damaging than low temperature deformation.

Mechanisms of Base Substitution Mutagenesis in Cancer Genomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Albino Bacolla

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Cancer genome sequence data provide an invaluable resource for inferring the key mechanisms by which mutations arise in cancer cells, favoring their survival, proliferation and invasiveness. Here we examine recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for the predominant type of genetic alteration found in cancer cells, somatic single base substitutions (SBSs. Cytosine methylation, demethylation and deamination, charge transfer reactions in DNA, DNA replication timing, chromatin status and altered DNA proofreading activities are all now known to contribute to the mechanisms leading to base substitution mutagenesis. We review current hypotheses as to the major processes that give rise to SBSs and evaluate their relative relevance in the light of knowledge acquired from cancer genome sequencing projects and the study of base modifications, DNA repair and lesion bypass. Although gene expression data on APOBEC3B enzymes provide support for a role in cancer mutagenesis through U:G mismatch intermediates, the enzyme preference for single-stranded DNA may limit its activity genome-wide. For SBSs at both CG:CG and YC:GR sites, we outline evidence for a prominent role of damage by charge transfer reactions that follow interactions of the DNA with reactive oxygen species (ROS and other endogenous or exogenous electron-abstracting molecules.

Mechanisms of base substitution mutagenesis in cancer genomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bacolla, Albino; Cooper, David N; Vasquez, Karen M

2014-03-05

Cancer genome sequence data provide an invaluable resource for inferring the key mechanisms by which mutations arise in cancer cells, favoring their survival, proliferation and invasiveness. Here we examine recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for the predominant type of genetic alteration found in cancer cells, somatic single base substitutions (SBSs). Cytosine methylation, demethylation and deamination, charge transfer reactions in DNA, DNA replication timing, chromatin status and altered DNA proofreading activities are all now known to contribute to the mechanisms leading to base substitution mutagenesis. We review current hypotheses as to the major processes that give rise to SBSs and evaluate their relative relevance in the light of knowledge acquired from cancer genome sequencing projects and the study of base modifications, DNA repair and lesion bypass. Although gene expression data on APOBEC3B enzymes provide support for a role in cancer mutagenesis through U:G mismatch intermediates, the enzyme preference for single-stranded DNA may limit its activity genome-wide. For SBSs at both CG:CG and YC:GR sites, we outline evidence for a prominent role of damage by charge transfer reactions that follow interactions of the DNA with reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other endogenous or exogenous electron-abstracting molecules.

Altered Brain Network in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Resting Graph Theory-Based Network Study at Voxel-Wise Level.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Chaoyang; Hu, Xiaofei; Hu, Jun; Liang, Minglong; Yin, Xuntao; Chen, Lin; Zhang, Jiuquan; Wang, Jian

2016-01-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare degenerative disorder characterized by loss of upper and lower motor neurons. Neuroimaging has provided noticeable evidence that ALS is a complex disease, and shown that anatomical and functional lesions extend beyond precentral cortices and corticospinal tracts, to include the corpus callosum; frontal, sensory, and premotor cortices; thalamus; and midbrain. The aim of this study is to investigate graph theory-based functional network abnormalities at voxel-wise level in ALS patients on a whole brain scale. Forty-three ALS patients and 44 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled. The voxel-wise network degree centrality (DC), a commonly employed graph-based measure of network organization, was used to characterize the alteration of whole brain functional network. Compared with the controls, the ALS patients showed significant increase of DC in the left cerebellum posterior lobes, bilateral cerebellum crus, bilateral occipital poles, right orbital frontal lobe, and bilateral prefrontal lobes; significant decrease of DC in the bilateral primary motor cortex, bilateral sensory motor region, right prefrontal lobe, left bilateral precuneus, bilateral lateral temporal lobes, left cingulate cortex, and bilateral visual processing cortex. The DC's z-scores of right inferior occipital gyrus were significant negative correlated with the ALSFRS-r scores. Our findings confirm that the regions with abnormal network DC in ALS patients were located in multiple brain regions including primary motor, somatosensory and extra-motor areas, supporting the concept that ALS is a multisystem disorder. Specifically, our study found that DC in the visual areas was altered and ALS patients with higher DC in right inferior occipital gyrus have more severity of disease. The result demonstrated that the altered DC value in this region can probably be used to assess severity of ALS.

Altered brain network in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: a resting graph theory-based network study at voxel-wise level

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chaoyang eZhou

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS is a rare degenerative disorder characterized by loss of upper and lower motor neurons. Neuroimaging has provided noticeable evidence that ALS is a complex disease, and shown that anatomical and functional lesions extend beyond precentral cortices and corticospinal tracts, to include the corpus callosum; frontal, sensory, and premotor cortices; thalamus; and midbrain. The aim of this study is to investigate graph theory-based functional network abnormalities at voxel-wise level in ALS patients on a whole brain scale. Forty-three ALS patients and 44 age- and sex- matched healthy volunteers were enrolled. The voxel-wise network degree centrality (DC, a commonly employed graph-based measure of network organization, was used to characterize the alteration of whole brain functional network. Compared with the controls, the ALS patients showed significant increase of DC in the left cerebellum posterior lobes, bilateral cerebellum crus, bilateral occipital poles, right orbital frontal lobe and bilateral prefrontal lobes; significant decrease of DC in the bilateral primary motor cortex, bilateral sensory motor region, right prefrontal lobe, left bilateral precuneus, bilateral lateral temporal lobes, left cingulate cortex, and bilateral visual processing cortex. The DC’s z-scores of right inferior occipital gyrus were significant negative correlated with the ALSFRS-r scores. Our findings confirm that the regions with abnormal network DC in ALS patients were located in multiple brain regions including primary motor, somatosensory and extra-motor areas, supporting the concept that ALS is a multisystem disorder. Specifically, our study found that DC in the visual areas was altered and ALS patients with higher DC in right inferior occipital gyrus have more severity of disease. The result demonstrated that the altered DC value in this region can probably be used to assess severity of ALS.

Comparative Performance Evaluation of Orthogonal-Signal-Generators-Based Single-Phase PLL Algorithms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Han, Yang; Luo, Mingyu; Zhao, Xin

2016-01-01

The orthogonal signal generator based phase-locked loops (OSG-PLLs) are among the most popular single-phase PLLs within the areas of power electronics and power systems, mainly because they are often easy to be implement and offer a robust performance against the grid disturbances. The main aim o...

Should the diagnosis of COPD be based on a single spirometry test?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schermer, T.R.; Robberts, B.; Crockett, A.J.; Thoonen, B.P.; Lucas, A.; Grootens, J.; Smeele, I.J.; Thamrin, C.; Reddel, H.K.

2016-01-01

Clinical guidelines indicate that a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosis is made from a single spirometry test. However, long-term stability of diagnosis based on forced expiratory volume in 1 s over forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) ratio has not been reported. In primary care

Short-term fertilizer application alters phenotypic traits of symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Simonsen, Anna K; Han, Shery; Rekret, Phil; Rentschler, Christine S; Heath, Katy D; Stinchcombe, John R

2015-01-01

Fertilizer application is a common anthropogenic alteration to terrestrial systems. Increased nutrient input can impact soil microbial diversity or function directly through altered soil environments, or indirectly through plant-microbe feedbacks, with potentially important effects on ecologically-important plant-associated mutualists. We investigated the impacts of plant fertilizer, containing all common macro and micronutrients on symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria (rhizobia), a group of bacteria that are important for plant productivity and ecosystem function. We collected rhizobia nodule isolates from natural field soil that was treated with slow-release plant fertilizer over a single growing season and compared phenotypic traits related to free-living growth and host partner quality in these isolates to those of rhizobia from unfertilized soils. Through a series of single inoculation assays in controlled glasshouse conditions, we found that isolates from fertilized field soil provided legume hosts with higher mutualistic benefits. Through growth assays on media containing variable plant fertilizer concentrations, we found that plant fertilizer was generally beneficial for rhizobia growth. Rhizobia isolated from fertilized field soil had higher growth rates in the presence of plant fertilizer compared to isolates from unfertilized field soil, indicating that plant fertilizer application favoured rhizobia isolates with higher abilities to utilize fertilizer for free-living growth. We found a positive correlation between growth responses to fertilizer and mutualism benefits among isolates from fertilized field soil, demonstrating that variable plant fertilizer induces context-dependent genetic correlations, potentially changing the evolutionary trajectory of either trait through increased trait dependencies. Our study shows that short-term application is sufficient to alter the composition of rhizobia isolates in the population or community, either directly

Short-term fertilizer application alters phenotypic traits of symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna K. Simonsen

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Fertilizer application is a common anthropogenic alteration to terrestrial systems. Increased nutrient input can impact soil microbial diversity or function directly through altered soil environments, or indirectly through plant-microbe feedbacks, with potentially important effects on ecologically-important plant-associated mutualists. We investigated the impacts of plant fertilizer, containing all common macro and micronutrients on symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria (rhizobia, a group of bacteria that are important for plant productivity and ecosystem function. We collected rhizobia nodule isolates from natural field soil that was treated with slow-release plant fertilizer over a single growing season and compared phenotypic traits related to free-living growth and host partner quality in these isolates to those of rhizobia from unfertilized soils. Through a series of single inoculation assays in controlled glasshouse conditions, we found that isolates from fertilized field soil provided legume hosts with higher mutualistic benefits. Through growth assays on media containing variable plant fertilizer concentrations, we found that plant fertilizer was generally beneficial for rhizobia growth. Rhizobia isolated from fertilized field soil had higher growth rates in the presence of plant fertilizer compared to isolates from unfertilized field soil, indicating that plant fertilizer application favoured rhizobia isolates with higher abilities to utilize fertilizer for free-living growth. We found a positive correlation between growth responses to fertilizer and mutualism benefits among isolates from fertilized field soil, demonstrating that variable plant fertilizer induces context-dependent genetic correlations, potentially changing the evolutionary trajectory of either trait through increased trait dependencies. Our study shows that short-term application is sufficient to alter the composition of rhizobia isolates in the population or community

The Combination of Micro Diaphragm Pumps and Flow Sensors for Single Stroke Based Liquid Flow Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenke, Christoph; Pallejà Rubio, Jaume; Kibler, Sebastian; Häfner, Johannes; Richter, Martin; Kutter, Christoph

2017-04-03

With the combination of micropumps and flow sensors, highly accurate and secure closed-loop controlled micro dosing systems for liquids are possible. Implementing a single stroke based control mode with piezoelectrically driven micro diaphragm pumps can provide a solution for dosing of volumes down to nanoliters or variable average flow rates in the range of nL/min to μL/min. However, sensor technologies feature a yet undetermined accuracy for measuring highly pulsatile micropump flow. Two miniaturizable in-line sensor types providing electrical readout-differential pressure based flow sensors and thermal calorimetric flow sensors-are evaluated for their suitability of combining them with mircopumps. Single stroke based calibration of the sensors was carried out with a new method, comparing displacement volumes and sensor flow volumes. Limitations of accuracy and performance for single stroke based flow control are described. Results showed that besides particle robustness of sensors, controlling resistive and capacitive damping are key aspects for setting up reproducible and reliable liquid dosing systems. Depending on the required average flow or defined volume, dosing systems with an accuracy of better than 5% for the differential pressure based sensor and better than 6.5% for the thermal calorimeter were achieved.

[Single- and multi-unit fixed dental prostheses in relation to the occlusal system].

Science.gov (United States)

Witter, D J; Gerritsen, A E; van Spijker, A; Creugers, N H J

2013-02-01

Occlusion concepts based on functional aspects offer more solid ground in the diagnostic process and in the treatment of (reduced) dentitions than morphologically and mechanically oriented occlusion concepts. Nevertheless, for occlusal reconstruction morphologically oriented guidelines are necessary. These guidelines are based on the border movements and positions of the mandible in the orofacial system, and on the location and modelling of the occlusal contacts in the occlusal system. The modelling of single- and multi-unit fixed dental prostheses must harmonize with the occlusal system. Moreover, an important feature is the relation of the anterior teeth which enables mutually protected occlusion. Characteristics of a healthy orofacial and occlusal system are: absence of pathology, perceived sufficient oral functions, variability inform and function, and adaptive capacity. When designing single- or multiunit fixed dental prostheses, a pragmatic starting point is to maintain the existing occlusion and the existing speech pattern unless arguments can be provided for alterations. The occlusal design should aim at optimizing oral functions, such as mandibular and occlusal stability.

mPano: cloud-based mobile panorama view from single picture

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hongzhi; Zhu, Wenwu

2013-09-01

Panorama view provides people an informative and natural user experience to represent the whole scene. The advances on mobile augmented reality, mobile-cloud computing, and mobile internet can enable panorama view on mobile phone with new functionalities, such as anytime anywhere query where a landmark picture is and what the whole scene looks like. To generate and explore panorama view on mobile devices faces significant challenges due to the limitations of computing capacity, battery life, and memory size of mobile phones, as well as the bandwidth of mobile Internet connection. To address the challenges, this paper presents a novel cloud-based mobile panorama view system that can generate and view panorama-view on mobile devices from a single picture, namely "Pano". In our system, first, we propose a novel iterative multi-modal image retrieval (IMIR) approach to get spatially adjacent images using both tag and content information from the single picture. Second, we propose a cloud-based parallel server synthing approach to generate panorama view in cloud, against today's local-client synthing approach that is almost impossible for mobile phones. Third, we propose predictive-cache solution to reduce latency of image delivery from cloud server to the mobile client. We have built a real mobile panorama view system and perform experiments. The experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of our system and the proposed key component technologies, especially for landmark images.

Work Stress and Altered Biomarkers: A Synthesis of Findings Based on the Effort–Reward Imbalance Model

Science.gov (United States)

Siegrist, Johannes; Li, Jian

2017-01-01

While epidemiological studies provide statistical evidence on associations of exposures such as stressful work with elevated risks of stress-related disorders (e.g., coronary heart disease or depression), additional information on biological pathways and biomarkers underlying these associations is required. In this contribution, we summarize the current state of the art on research findings linking stressful work, in terms of an established theoretical model—effort-reward imbalance—with a broad range of biomarkers. Based on structured electronic literature search and recent available systematic reviews, our synthesis of findings indicates that associations of work stress with heart rate variability, altered blood lipids, and risk of metabolic syndrome are rather consistent and robust. Significant relationships with blood pressure, heart rate, altered immune function and inflammation, cortisol release, and haemostatic biomarkers were also observed, but due to conflicting findings additional data will be needed to reach a firm conclusion. This narrative review of empirical evidence supports the argument that the biomarkers under study can act as mediators of epidemiologically established associations of work stress, as measured by effort–reward imbalance, with incident stress-related disorders. PMID:29125555

Work Stress and Altered Biomarkers: A Synthesis of Findings Based on the Effort–Reward Imbalance Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes Siegrist

2017-11-01

Full Text Available While epidemiological studies provide statistical evidence on associations of exposures such as stressful work with elevated risks of stress-related disorders (e.g., coronary heart disease or depression, additional information on biological pathways and biomarkers underlying these associations is required. In this contribution, we summarize the current state of the art on research findings linking stressful work, in terms of an established theoretical model—effort-reward imbalance—with a broad range of biomarkers. Based on structured electronic literature search and recent available systematic reviews, our synthesis of findings indicates that associations of work stress with heart rate variability, altered blood lipids, and risk of metabolic syndrome are rather consistent and robust. Significant relationships with blood pressure, heart rate, altered immune function and inflammation, cortisol release, and haemostatic biomarkers were also observed, but due to conflicting findings additional data will be needed to reach a firm conclusion. This narrative review of empirical evidence supports the argument that the biomarkers under study can act as mediators of epidemiologically established associations of work stress, as measured by effort–reward imbalance, with incident stress-related disorders.

Lung scan alterations in congenital heart disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dietrich, R; Sanchez, J; Munoz, A; Lanaro, A E; Pico, A M

1975-04-01

This report analyzes the patterns in 54 lung scannings of 34 patients with altered pulmonary blood flow due to congenital heart disease. The technique and the results are presented. According to the images obtained, the patients are classified in three groups: Group I--normal distribution with more concentration of particles over the right lung and the bases. Group II--normal scannings found in left to right shunts unless there is pulmonary venous hypertension in which case the apex-base relationship was inverted. Group III--patients with right to left shunts of different types presenting various patterns according to severity, associated anomalies and palliative surgery. The hemodynamics created by cardiac defects and surgical procedures explain these alterations. This method is recommended in view of its advantages and accurate results.

Simultaneous genomic identification and profiling of a single cell using semiconductor-based next generation sequencing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manabu Watanabe

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Combining single-cell methods and next-generation sequencing should provide a powerful means to understand single-cell biology and obviate the effects of sample heterogeneity. Here we report a single-cell identification method and seamless cancer gene profiling using semiconductor-based massively parallel sequencing. A549 cells (adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cell line were used as a model. Single-cell capture was performed using laser capture microdissection (LCM with an Arcturus® XT system, and a captured single cell and a bulk population of A549 cells (≈106 cells were subjected to whole genome amplification (WGA. For cell identification, a multiplex PCR method (AmpliSeq™ SNP HID panel was used to enrich 136 highly discriminatory SNPs with a genotype concordance probability of 1031–35. For cancer gene profiling, we used mutation profiling that was performed in parallel using a hotspot panel for 50 cancer-related genes. Sequencing was performed using a semiconductor-based bench top sequencer. The distribution of sequence reads for both HID and Cancer panel amplicons was consistent across these samples. For the bulk population of cells, the percentages of sequence covered at coverage of more than 100× were 99.04% for the HID panel and 98.83% for the Cancer panel, while for the single cell percentages of sequence covered at coverage of more than 100× were 55.93% for the HID panel and 65.96% for the Cancer panel. Partial amplification failure or randomly distributed non-amplified regions across samples from single cells during the WGA procedures or random allele drop out probably caused these differences. However, comparative analyses showed that this method successfully discriminated a single A549 cancer cell from a bulk population of A549 cells. Thus, our approach provides a powerful means to overcome tumor sample heterogeneity when searching for somatic mutations.

UV detectors based on epitaxial diamond films grown on single-crystal diamond substrates by vapor-phase synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharonov, G.V.; Petrov, S.A.; Bol'shakov, A.P.; Ral'chenko, V.G.; Kazyuchits, N.M.

2010-01-01

The prospects for use of CVD-technology for epitaxial growth of single-crystal diamond films of instrumental quality in UHF plasma for the production of optoelectronic devices are discussed. A technology for processing diamond single crystals that provides a perfect surface crystal structure with roughness less than 0,5 nm was developed. It was demonstrated that selective UV detectors based on synthetic single-crystal diamond substrates coated with single-crystal films can be produced. A criterion for selecting clean and structurally perfect single crystals of synthetic diamond was developed for the epitaxial growth technology. (authors)

Development of based on 89S51 single-chip microcomputer electronic dosimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Junhua; Zhou Jiachao; Sun Jianghan; Du Xiao

2009-01-01

It describes the main design features and basic properties of based on 89S51 single-chip microcomputer electronic dosimeter with wide range and multi purposes. The dosimeter can display dose rate or accumulative dose or the maximum dose rate, record accumulative dose, the maximum dose rate and classes. (authors)

Semiparametric Mixtures of Regressions with Single-index for Model Based Clustering

OpenAIRE

Xiang, Sijia; Yao, Weixin

2017-01-01

In this article, we propose two classes of semiparametric mixture regression models with single-index for model based clustering. Unlike many semiparametric/nonparametric mixture regression models that can only be applied to low dimensional predictors, the new semiparametric models can easily incorporate high dimensional predictors into the nonparametric components. The proposed models are very general, and many of the recently proposed semiparametric/nonparametric mixture regression models a...

Exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide during pregnancy and lactation induces neurobehavioral alterations in rat offspring.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallegos, Cristina E; Bartos, Mariana; Bras, Cristina; Gumilar, Fernanda; Antonelli, Marta C; Minetti, Alejandra

2016-03-01

The impact of sub-lethal doses of herbicides on human health and the environment is a matter of controversy. Due to the fact that evidence particularly of the effects of glyphosate on the central nervous system of rat offspring by in utero exposure is scarce, the purpose of the present study was to assess the neurobehavioral effects of chronic exposure to a glyphosate-containing herbicide during pregnancy and lactation. To this end, pregnant Wistar rats were exposed through drinking water to 0.2% or 0.4% of a commercial formulation of glyphosate (corresponding to a concentration of 0.65 or 1.30g/L of glyphosate, respectively) during pregnancy and lactation and neurobehavioral alterations in offspring were analyzed. The postnatal day on which each pup acquired neonatal reflexes (righting, cliff aversion and negative geotaxis) and that on which eyes and auditory canals were fully opened were recorded for the assessment of sensorimotor development. Locomotor activity and anxiety levels were monitored via open field test and plus maze test, respectively, in 45- and 90-day-old offspring. Pups exposed to a glyphosate-based herbicide showed early onset of cliff aversion reflex and early auditory canal opening. A decrease in locomotor activity and in anxiety levels was also observed in the groups exposed to a glyphosate-containing herbicide. Findings from the present study reveal that early exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide affects the central nervous system in rat offspring probably by altering mechanisms or neurotransmitter systems that regulate locomotor activity and anxiety. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Robust embryo identification using first polar body single nucleotide polymorphism microarray-based DNA fingerprinting.

Science.gov (United States)

Treff, Nathan R; Su, Jing; Kasabwala, Natasha; Tao, Xin; Miller, Kathleen A; Scott, Richard T

2010-05-01

This study sought to validate a novel, minimally invasive system for embryo tracking by single nucleotide polymorphism microarray-based DNA fingerprinting of the first polar body. First polar body-based assignments of which embryos implanted and were delivered after multiple ET were 100% consistent with previously validated embryo DNA fingerprinting-based assignments. Copyright 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protein single-model quality assessment by feature-based probability density functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Renzhi; Cheng, Jianlin

2016-04-04

Protein quality assessment (QA) has played an important role in protein structure prediction. We developed a novel single-model quality assessment method-Qprob. Qprob calculates the absolute error for each protein feature value against the true quality scores (i.e. GDT-TS scores) of protein structural models, and uses them to estimate its probability density distribution for quality assessment. Qprob has been blindly tested on the 11th Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction (CASP11) as MULTICOM-NOVEL server. The official CASP result shows that Qprob ranks as one of the top single-model QA methods. In addition, Qprob makes contributions to our protein tertiary structure predictor MULTICOM, which is officially ranked 3rd out of 143 predictors. The good performance shows that Qprob is good at assessing the quality of models of hard targets. These results demonstrate that this new probability density distribution based method is effective for protein single-model quality assessment and is useful for protein structure prediction. The webserver of Qprob is available at: http://calla.rnet.missouri.edu/qprob/. The software is now freely available in the web server of Qprob.

European Marketing Authorizations Granted Based on a Single Pivotal Clinical Trial: The Rule or the Exception?

Science.gov (United States)

Morant, Anne Vinther; Vestergaard, Henrik Tang

2018-07-01

A minimum of two positive, adequate, and well-controlled clinical trials has historically been the gold standard for providing substantial evidence to support regulatory approval of a new medicine. Nevertheless, the present analysis of European Marketing Authorizations granted between 2012 and 2016 showed that 45% of new active substances were approved based on a single pivotal clinical trial. For therapeutic areas such as oncology and cardiovascular diseases, approvals based on a single pivotal trial are the rule rather than the exception, whereas new medicines within the nervous system area were generally supported by two or more pivotal trials. While overall similar trends have been observed in the US, the recent US Food and Drug Administration approvals of nervous system medicines based on a single pivotal trial suggest that a case-by-case scientific evaluation of the totality of evidence is increasingly applied to facilitate faster access of new medicines to patients suffering from serious diseases. © 2017 American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Minimizing pulling geometry errors in atomic force microscope single molecule force spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rivera, Monica; Lee, Whasil; Ke, Changhong; Marszalek, Piotr E; Cole, Daniel G; Clark, Robert L

2008-10-01

In atomic force microscopy-based single molecule force spectroscopy (AFM-SMFS), it is assumed that the pulling angle is negligible and that the force applied to the molecule is equivalent to the force measured by the instrument. Recent studies, however, have indicated that the pulling geometry errors can drastically alter the measured force-extension relationship of molecules. Here we describe a software-based alignment method that repositions the cantilever such that it is located directly above the molecule's substrate attachment site. By aligning the applied force with the measurement axis, the molecule is no longer undergoing combined loading, and the full force can be measured by the cantilever. Simulations and experimental results verify the ability of the alignment program to minimize pulling geometry errors in AFM-SMFS studies.

Elemental Mass Balance of the Hydrothermal Alteration Associated with the Baturappe Epithermal Silver-Base Metal Prospect, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Nur, Irzal; Idrus, Arifudin; Pramumijoyo, Subagyo; Harijoko, Agung; Watanabe, Koichiro; Imai, Akira; Jaya, Asri; Irfan, Ulva Ria; Sufriadin

2012-01-01

Abstract The Baturappe prospect situated in southernmost part of Sulawesi island, Indonesia, is a hydrothermal mineralization district which is characterized by occurrences of epithermal silver-base metal mineralizations. The mineralizations hosted in basaltic-andesitic volcanic rocks of the late Middle-Miocene Baturappe Volcanics. This paper discusses a recent study of relationships between alteration mineralogy and whole-rock geochemistry, which focused on elemental mass balance calculat...

Mechanics of single-walled carbon nanotubes inside open single-walled carbon nanocones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ansari, R.; Hosseinzadeh, M.

2013-01-01

This study investigates the mechanical characteristics of single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) inside open single-walled carbon nanocones (CNCs). New semi-analytical expressions are presented to evaluate van der Waals (vdW) interactions between CNTs and open CNCs. Continuum approximation, along with the the Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential function, is used in this study. The effects of geometrical parameters on alterations in vdW potential energy and the interaction force are extensively examined for the concentric CNT-open CNC configuration. The CNT is assumed to enter the nanocone either through the small end or the wide end of the cone. The preferred position of the CNT with respect to the nanocone axis is fully investigated for various geometrical parameters. The optimum nanotube radius minimizing the total potential energy of the concentric configuration is determined for different radii of the small end of the cone. The examined configuration generates asymmetric oscillation; thus, the system constitutes a nano-oscillator.

Alterations in Anatomical Covariance in the Prematurely Born.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheinost, Dustin; Kwon, Soo Hyun; Lacadie, Cheryl; Vohr, Betty R; Schneider, Karen C; Papademetris, Xenophon; Constable, R Todd; Ment, Laura R

2017-01-01

Preterm (PT) birth results in long-term alterations in functional and structural connectivity, but the related changes in anatomical covariance are just beginning to be explored. To test the hypothesis that PT birth alters patterns of anatomical covariance, we investigated brain volumes of 25 PTs and 22 terms at young adulthood using magnetic resonance imaging. Using regional volumetrics, seed-based analyses, and whole brain graphs, we show that PT birth is associated with reduced volume in bilateral temporal and inferior frontal lobes, left caudate, left fusiform, and posterior cingulate for prematurely born subjects at young adulthood. Seed-based analyses demonstrate altered patterns of anatomical covariance for PTs compared with terms. PTs exhibit reduced covariance with R Brodmann area (BA) 47, Broca's area, and L BA 21, Wernicke's area, and white matter volume in the left prefrontal lobe, but increased covariance with R BA 47 and left cerebellum. Graph theory analyses demonstrate that measures of network complexity are significantly less robust in PTs compared with term controls. Volumes in regions showing group differences are significantly correlated with phonological awareness, the fundamental basis for reading acquisition, for the PTs. These data suggest both long-lasting and clinically significant alterations in the covariance in the PTs at young adulthood. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reliable single cell array CGH for clinical samples.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zbigniew T Czyż

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Disseminated cancer cells (DCCs and circulating tumor cells (CTCs are extremely rare, but comprise the precursors cells of distant metastases or therapy resistant cells. The detailed molecular analysis of these cells may help to identify key events of cancer cell dissemination, metastatic colony formation and systemic therapy escape. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using the Ampli1™ whole genome amplification (WGA technology and high-resolution oligonucleotide aCGH microarrays we optimized conditions for the analysis of structural copy number changes. The protocol presented here enables reliable detection of numerical genomic alterations as small as 0.1 Mb in a single cell. Analysis of single cells from well-characterized cell lines and single normal cells confirmed the stringent quantitative nature of the amplification and hybridization protocol. Importantly, fixation and staining procedures used to detect DCCs showed no significant impact on the outcome of the analysis, proving the clinical usability of our method. In a proof-of-principle study we tracked the chromosomal changes of single DCCs over a full course of high-dose chemotherapy treatment by isolating and analyzing DCCs of an individual breast cancer patient at four different time points. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The protocol enables detailed genome analysis of DCCs and thereby assessment of the clonal evolution during the natural course of the disease and under selection pressures. The results from an exemplary patient provide evidence that DCCs surviving selective therapeutic conditions may be recruited from a pool of genomically less advanced cells, which display a stable subset of specific genomic alterations.

Digital media and altered states

OpenAIRE

Ressel, James

2014-01-01

This article is a reflection on whether technology has altered our perception of the spaces surrounding us and those we make, how we express ourselves and how we interact with our experiences. The reflection is based on a brief examination of the history of Northampton Chronicle & Echo as a print newspaper, its digital manifestation and human creative expression in the digital world.

A single exposure to cocaine during development elicits regionally-selective changes in basal basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF-2) gene expression and alters the trophic response to a second injection.

Science.gov (United States)

Giannotti, Giuseppe; Caffino, Lucia; Malpighi, Chiara; Melfi, Simona; Racagni, Giorgio; Fumagalli, Fabio

2015-02-01

During adolescence, the brain is maturing and more sensitive to drugs of abuse that can influence its developmental trajectory. Recently, attention has been focused on basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) given that its administration early in life enhances the acquisition of cocaine self-administration and sensitization at adulthood (Turner et al. (Pharmacol Biochem Behav 92:100-4, 2009), Clinton et al. (Pharmacol Biochem Behav103:6-17, 2012)). Additionally, we found that abstinence from adolescent cocaine exposure long lastingly dysregulates FGF-2 transcription (Giannotti et al. (Psychopharmacology (Berl) 225:553-60, 2013 ). The objectives of the study are to evaluate if (1) a single injection of cocaine (20 mg/kg) at postnatal day 35 alters FGF-2 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels and (2) the first injection influences the trophic response to a second injection (10 mg/kg) provided 24 h or 7 days later. We found regional differences in the FGF-2 expression pattern as either the first or the second injection of cocaine by themselves upregulated FGF-2 mRNA in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens while downregulating it in the hippocampus. The first injection influences the trophic response of the second. Of note, 24 h after the first injection, accumbal and hippocampal FGF-2 changes produced by cocaine in saline-pretreated rats were prevented in cocaine-pretreated rats. Conversely, in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus 7 days after the first injection, the cocaine-induced FGF-2 changes were modified by the subsequent exposure to the psychostimulant. These findings show that a single cocaine injection is sufficient to produce enduring changes in the adolescent brain and indicate that early cocaine priming alters the mechanisms regulating the trophic response in a brain region-specific fashion.

Single-Cell-Based Platform for Copy Number Variation Profiling through Digital Counting of Amplified Genomic DNA Fragments.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chunmei; Yu, Zhilong; Fu, Yusi; Pang, Yuhong; Huang, Yanyi

2017-04-26

We develop a novel single-cell-based platform through digital counting of amplified genomic DNA fragments, named multifraction amplification (mfA), to detect the copy number variations (CNVs) in a single cell. Amplification is required to acquire genomic information from a single cell, while introducing unavoidable bias. Unlike prevalent methods that directly infer CNV profiles from the pattern of sequencing depth, our mfA platform denatures and separates the DNA molecules from a single cell into multiple fractions of a reaction mix before amplification. By examining the sequencing result of each fraction for a specific fragment and applying a segment-merge maximum likelihood algorithm to the calculation of copy number, we digitize the sequencing-depth-based CNV identification and thus provide a method that is less sensitive to the amplification bias. In this paper, we demonstrate a mfA platform through multiple displacement amplification (MDA) chemistry. When performing the mfA platform, the noise of MDA is reduced; therefore, the resolution of single-cell CNV identification can be improved to 100 kb. We can also determine the genomic region free of allelic drop-out with mfA platform, which is impossible for conventional single-cell amplification methods.

Single-Photon Source for Quantum Information Based on Single Dye Molecule Fluorescence in Liquid Crystal Host

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lukishova, S.G.; Knox, R.P.; Freivald, P.; McNamara, A.; Boyd, R.W.; Stroud, Jr. C.R.; Schmid, A.W.; Marshall, K.L.

2006-01-01

This paper describes a new application for liquid crystals: quantum information technology. A deterministically polarized single-photon source that efficiently produces photons exhibiting antibunching is a pivotal hardware element in absolutely secure quantum communication. Planar-aligned nematic liquid crystal hosts deterministically align the single dye molecules which produce deterministically polarized single (antibunched) photons. In addition, 1-D photonic bandgap cholesteric liquid crystals will increase single-photon source efficiency. The experiments and challenges in the observation of deterministically polarized fluorescence from single dye molecules in planar-aligned glassy nematic-liquid-crystal oligomer as well as photon antibunching in glassy cholesteric oligomer are described for the first time

Threshold quantum secret sharing based on single qubit

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Changbin; Miao, Fuyou; Meng, Keju; Yu, Yue

2018-03-01

Based on unitary phase shift operation on single qubit in association with Shamir's ( t, n) secret sharing, a ( t, n) threshold quantum secret sharing scheme (or ( t, n)-QSS) is proposed to share both classical information and quantum states. The scheme uses decoy photons to prevent eavesdropping and employs the secret in Shamir's scheme as the private value to guarantee the correctness of secret reconstruction. Analyses show it is resistant to typical intercept-and-resend attack, entangle-and-measure attack and participant attacks such as entanglement swapping attack. Moreover, it is easier to realize in physic and more practical in applications when compared with related ones. By the method in our scheme, new ( t, n)-QSS schemes can be easily constructed using other classical ( t, n) secret sharing.

Picomolar selective detection of mercuric ion (Hg{sup 2+}) using a functionalized single plasmonic gold nanoparticle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Hyeon Don; Choi, Inhee; Yang, Young In; Hong, Surin; Lee, Suseung; Yi, Jongheop [School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Institute of Chemical Processes, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Taewook, E-mail: xinly601@snu.ac.kr, E-mail: iniini79@snu.ac.kr, E-mail: netmo00@snu.ac.kr, E-mail: pell2004@snu.ac.kr, E-mail: jazz1863@snu.ac.kr, E-mail: twkang@sogang.ac.kr, E-mail: jyi@snu.ac.kr [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul 121-742 (Korea, Republic of)

2010-04-09

A highly sensitive method for the selective detection and quantification of mercuric ions (Hg{sup 2+}) using single plasmonic gold nanoparticle (GNP)-based dark-field microspectroscopy (DFMS) is demonstrated. The method is based on the scattering property of a single GNP that is functionalized with thiolated molecules, which is altered when analytes bind to the functionalized GNP. The spectral resolution of the system is 0.26 nm and a linear response to Hg{sup 2+} was found in the dynamic range of 100 pM-10 {mu}M. The method permits Hg{sup 2+} to be detected at the picomolar level, which is a remarkable reduction in the detection limit, considering the currently proscribed Environmental Protection Agency regulation level (10 nM, or 2 ppb) and the detection limits of other optical methods for detecting Hg{sup 2+} (recently approx. 1-10 nM). In addition, Hg{sup 2+} can be sensitively detected in the presence of Cd{sup 2+}, Pb{sup 2+}, Cu{sup 2+}, Zn{sup 2+} and Ni{sup 2+}, which do not interfere with the analysis. Based on the findings reported herein, it is likely that single-nanoparticle-based metal ion sensing can be extended to the development of other chemo- and biosensors for the direct detection of specific targets in an intracellular environment as well as in environmental monitoring.

Effect of radiation on reconstitution of skin equivalent (dermal alterations); Effet de l`irradiation sur la reconstruction d`une peau equivalente (alterations dermiques)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gentilhomme, E.; Bergier, J.; Richard, M.; Neveux, Y.

1994-12-31

Dermal equivalents have been treated by single doses of gamma irradiation of 10, 20, 30 and 50 Gray. Numerations at different times show a dose and time dependant diminution of cellular population. This diminution is histologically observed in dermal part of reconstituted skin, in association with cellular and functional alterations of fibroblast cells. Modifications of epidermal epithelia are also noted in some reconstituted skin. This model would be useful to apprehend the effect of a dermal irradiation lesion on the later epidermization. (author). 4 refs.

[Single-molecule detection and characterization of DNA replication based on DNA origami].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qi; Fan, Youjie; Li, Bin

2014-08-01

To investigate single-molecule detection and characterization of DNA replication. Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) as the template of DNA replication was attached to DNA origami by a hybridization reaction based on the complementary base-pairing principle. DNA replication catalyzed by E.coli DNA polymerase I Klenow Fragment (KF) was detected using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The height variations between the ssDNA and the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), the distribution of KF during DNA replication and biotin-streptavidin (BA) complexes on the DNA strand after replication were detected. Agarose gel electrophoresis was employed to analyze the changes in the DNA after replication. The designed ssDNA could be anchored on the target positions of over 50% of the DNA origami. The KF was capable of binding to the ssDNA fixed on DNA origami and performing its catalytic activities, and was finally dissociated from the DNA after replication. The height of DNA strand increased by about 0.7 nm after replication. The addition of streptavidin also resulted in an DNA height increase to about 4.9 nm due to the formation of BA complexes on the biotinylated dsDNA. The resulting dsDNA and BA complex were subsequently confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The combination of AFM and DNA origami allows detection and characterization of DNA replication at the single molecule level, and this approach provides better insights into the mechanism of DNA polymerase and the factors affecting DNA replication.

Low consumption single-use microvalve for microfluidic PCB-based platforms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flores, G; Aracil, C; Perdigones, F; Quero, J M

2014-01-01

In this paper, a single-use and unidirectional microvalve with low consumption of energy for PCB-based microfluidic platforms is reported. Its activation is easy because it works as a fuse. The fabrication process of the device is based on PCB technology and a typical SU-8 process, using the PCB as a substrate and SU-8 for the microfluidic channels and chambers. The microvalve is intended to be used to impulse small volumes of fluids and it has been designed to be highly integrable in PCB-based microfluidic platforms. The proposed device has been fabricated, integrated and tested in a general purpose microfluidic circuit, resulting in a low activation time, of about 100 μs, and a low consumption of energy, with a maximum of 27 mJ. These results show a significant improvement because the energy consumption is about 84% lower and the time response is about four orders of magnitude shorter if compared with similar microvalves for impulsion of fluids on PCB-based platforms. (paper)

Noise-based logic hyperspace with the superposition of 2N states in a single wire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kish, Laszlo B.; Khatri, Sunil; Sethuraman, Swaminathan

2009-01-01

In the introductory paper [L.B. Kish, Phys. Lett. A 373 (2009) 911], about noise-based logic, we showed how simple superpositions of single logic basis vectors can be achieved in a single wire. The superposition components were the N orthogonal logic basis vectors. Supposing that the different logic values have 'on/off' states only, the resultant discrete superposition state represents a single number with N bit accuracy in a single wire, where N is the number of orthogonal logic vectors in the base. In the present Letter, we show that the logic hyperspace (product) vectors defined in the introductory paper can be generalized to provide the discrete superposition of 2 N orthogonal system states. This is equivalent to a multi-valued logic system with 2 2 N logic values per wire. This is a similar situation to quantum informatics with N qubits, and hence we introduce the notion of noise-bit. This system has major differences compared to quantum informatics. The noise-based logic system is deterministic and each superposition element is instantly accessible with the high digital accuracy, via a real hardware parallelism, without decoherence and error correction, and without the requirement of repeating the logic operation many times to extract the probabilistic information. Moreover, the states in noise-based logic do not have to be normalized, and non-unitary operations can also be used. As an example, we introduce a string search algorithm which is O(√(M)) times faster than Grover's quantum algorithm (where M is the number of string entries), while it has the same hardware complexity class as the quantum algorithm.

Misorientation related microstructure at the grain boundary in a nickel-based single crystal superalloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Ming; Zhuo, Longchao; Liu, Zhanli; Lu, Xiaogang; Shi, Zhenxue; Li, Jiarong; Zhu, Jing

2015-01-01

The mechanical properties of nickel-based single crystal superalloys deteriorate with increasing misorientation, thus the finished product rate of the casting of single crystal turbine airfoils may be reduced due to the formation of grain boundaries especially when the misorientation angle exceeds to some extent. To this day, evolution of the microstructures at the grain boundaries with misorientation and the relationship between the microstructures and the mechanical properties are still unclear. In this work a detailed characterization of the misorientation related microstructure at the grain boundary in DD6 single crystal superalloy has been carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques; the elemental distribution at the grain boundaries has been analyzed by energy dispersive (EDS) X-ray mapping; and the effect of precipitation of μ phases at the grain boundary on the mechanical property has been evaluated by finite element calculation. It is shown that the proportion of γ phase at the grain boundaries decreases, while the proportion of γ′ phase at the grain boundaries increases with increasing misorientation; the μ phase is precipitated at the grain boundaries when the misorientation angle exceeds about 10° and thus it could lead to a dramatic deterioration of the mechanical properties, as well as that the enrichment of Re and W gradually disappears as the misorientation angle increases. All these factors may result in the degradation of the mechanical properties at the grain boundaries as the misorientation increases. Furthermore, the finite element calculation confirms that precipitation of μ phases at the grain boundary is responsible for the significant deterioration of the mechanical properties when the misorientation exceeds about 10°. This work provides a physical imaging of the microstructure for understanding the relationship between the mechanical properties and the misorientation

Multi-kW single fiber laser based on an extra large mode area fiber design

Science.gov (United States)

Langner, Andreas; Such, Mario; Schötz, Gerhard; Just, Florian; Leich, Martin; Schwuchow, Anka; Grimm, Stephan; Zimer, Hagen; Kozak, Marcin; Wedel, Björn; Rehmann, Georg; Bachert, Charley; Krause, Volker

2012-02-01

The quality of Yb-doped fused bulk silica produced by sintering of Yb-doped fused silica granulates has improved greatly in the past five years [1 - 4]. In particular, the refractive index and doping level homogeneity of such materials are excellent and we achieved excellent background fiber attenuation of the active core material down to about 20 dB/km at 1200 nm. The improvement of the Yb-doped fused bulk silica has enabled the development of multi-kW fiber laser systems based on a single extra large multimode laser fiber (XLMA fiber). When a single active fiber is used in combination with the XLMA multimode fiber of 1200 μm diameter simple and robust high power fiber laser setups without complex fiber coupling and fiber combiner systems become possible. In this papper, we will discuss in detail the development of the core material based on Yb-doped bulk silica and the characterization of Yb-doped fibers with different core compositions. We will also report on the excellent performance of a 4 kW fiber laser based on a single XLMA-fiber and show the first experimental welding results of steel sheets achieved with such a laser.

Anchor-dependent lipofection with non-glycerol based cytofectins containing single 2-hydroxyethyl head groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Venkata Srilakshmi, Gollapudi; Sen, Joyeeta; Chaudhuri, Arabinda; Ramadas, Yerramsetti; Madhusudhana Rao, Nalam

2002-02-15

Detailed structure-activity investigations aimed at probing the anchor chain length dependency for glycerol-based lipofectins have been reported previously. Herein, we report on the first detailed investigation on the anchor-dependent transfection biology of non-glycerol based simple monocationic cytofectins containing single 2-hydroxyethyl head group functionality using 11 new structural analogs of our previously published first generation of non-glycerol based transfection lipids (lipids 1-11). The C-14 and C-16 analogs of DOMHAC (lipids 4 and 5, respectively) were found to be remarkably efficient in transfecting COS-1 cells. In addition, the present anchor-dependency investigation also revealed that the C-14 analog of DOHEMAB (lipid 10) is significantly efficient in transfecting both COS-1 and NIH3T3 cells. Our results also indicate that too strong lipid-DNA interactions might result in weaker transfection for non-glycerol based cationic lipids. In summary, the anchor-dependence investigations presented here convincingly demonstrate that non-glycerol based cationic lipids containing a single hydroxyethyl head group and hydrophobic C-14 or C-16 anchors are promising non-toxic cationic transfection lipids for future use in liposomal gene delivery.

The Combination of Micro Diaphragm Pumps and Flow Sensors for Single Stroke Based Liquid Flow Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph Jenke

2017-04-01

Full Text Available With the combination of micropumps and flow sensors, highly accurate and secure closed-loop controlled micro dosing systems for liquids are possible. Implementing a single stroke based control mode with piezoelectrically driven micro diaphragm pumps can provide a solution for dosing of volumes down to nanoliters or variable average flow rates in the range of nL/min to μL/min. However, sensor technologies feature a yet undetermined accuracy for measuring highly pulsatile micropump flow. Two miniaturizable in-line sensor types providing electrical readout—differential pressure based flow sensors and thermal calorimetric flow sensors—are evaluated for their suitability of combining them with mircopumps. Single stroke based calibration of the sensors was carried out with a new method, comparing displacement volumes and sensor flow volumes. Limitations of accuracy and performance for single stroke based flow control are described. Results showed that besides particle robustness of sensors, controlling resistive and capacitive damping are key aspects for setting up reproducible and reliable liquid dosing systems. Depending on the required average flow or defined volume, dosing systems with an accuracy of better than 5% for the differential pressure based sensor and better than 6.5% for the thermal calorimeter were achieved.

Synergistic effect of rhenium and ruthenium in nickel-based single-crystal superalloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, X.X. [Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Wang, C.Y., E-mail: cywang@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Central Iron and Steel Research Institute, Beijing 100081 (China); Zhang, X.N. [Institute of Microstructure and Property of Advanced Materials, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Yan, P. [Central Iron and Steel Research Institute, Beijing 100081 (China); Zhang, Z., E-mail: zezhang@zju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

2014-01-05

Highlights: • Re and Ru synergistic effects in nickel-based superalloys are investigated. • The Al site occupation of Re atom in the γ′ phase is observed directly. • The addition of Ru results in the repartitioning of Re to γ phase. -- Abstract: The microstructures of ternary Ni–Al–Re and quaternary Ni–Al–Re–Ru single-crystal alloys were investigated at atomic and electronic levels to clarify the synergistic effect of Re and Ru in nickel-based single-crystal superalloys. In the Ni–Al–Re alloy, it was directly observed that Re atom occupied the Al site of γ′ phase. In the Ni–Al–Re–Ru alloy, the mechanisms of Re repartition between γ and γ′ phases were proposed. In the dendritic cores, high concentrations of Re exceeded the solubility limit of γ′ phase and partitioned to γ phase, which led to the homogenization. In the interdendritic regions, Ru resulted in the repartitioning of Re to γ phase which was proved by transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations.

Single-hidden-layer feed-forward quantum neural network based on Grover learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Cheng-Yi; Chen, Chein; Chang, Ching-Ter; Shih, Lun-Min

2013-09-01

In this paper, a novel single-hidden-layer feed-forward quantum neural network model is proposed based on some concepts and principles in the quantum theory. By combining the quantum mechanism with the feed-forward neural network, we defined quantum hidden neurons and connected quantum weights, and used them as the fundamental information processing unit in a single-hidden-layer feed-forward neural network. The quantum neurons make a wide range of nonlinear functions serve as the activation functions in the hidden layer of the network, and the Grover searching algorithm outstands the optimal parameter setting iteratively and thus makes very efficient neural network learning possible. The quantum neuron and weights, along with a Grover searching algorithm based learning, result in a novel and efficient neural network characteristic of reduced network, high efficient training and prospect application in future. Some simulations are taken to investigate the performance of the proposed quantum network and the result show that it can achieve accurate learning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Zn nanoparticle formation in FIB irradiated single crystal ZnO

Science.gov (United States)

Pea, M.; Barucca, G.; Notargiacomo, A.; Di Gaspare, L.; Mussi, V.

2018-03-01

We report on the formation of Zn nanoparticles induced by Ga+ focused ion beam on single crystal ZnO. The irradiated materials have been studied as a function of the ion dose by means of atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, evidencing the presence of Zn nanoparticles with size of the order of 5-30 nm. The nanoparticles are found to be embedded in a shallow amorphous ZnO matrix few tens of nanometers thick. Results reveal that ion beam induced Zn clustering occurs producing crystalline particles with the same hexagonal lattice and orientation of the substrate, and could explain the alteration of optical and electrical properties found for FIB fabricated and processed ZnO based devices.

Fabrication and electrochemical behavior of single-walled carbon nanotube/graphite-based electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moghaddam, Abdolmajid Bayandori; Ganjali, Mohammad Reza; Dinarvand, Rassoul; Razavi, Taherehsadat; Riahi, Siavash; Rezaei-Zarchi, Saeed; Norouzi, Parviz

2009-01-01

An electrochemical method for determining the dihydroxybenzene derivatives on glassy carbon (GC) has been developed. In this method, the performance of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/graphite-based electrode, prepared by mixing SWCNTs and graphite powder, was described. The resulting electrode shows an excellent behavior for redox of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DBA). SWCNT/graphite-based electrode presents a significant decrease in the overvoltage for DBA oxidation as well as a dramatic improvement in the reversibility of DBA redox behavior in comparison with graphite-based and glassy carbon (GC) electrodes. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) procedures performed for used SWCNTs

Study of nuclear glasses alteration gel and synthesis of some model gels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ricol, S.

1995-01-01

This work deals with the general problem of alteration of the reference nuclear glass R7T7. Attention is paid particularly to the altered layer formed at the glass surface during alteration process. In opposition to previous works, related essentially to glass dissolution kinetics based on chemical analyses of lixiviated elements, this thesis deals with alteration problems through structural studies of the reference glass and derived gel. This approach allows the determination of mechanisms for the gel formation and a better understanding of the behaviour of glasses towards lixiviation. Both approaches appeared complementary. Based on several spectroscopic techniques, this work showed the particular role of cations such as calcium, zirconium and iron. Studies of silica-based synthetic gels showed the synergic effect of formers cation and of one highly coordinated cation. The variation of the wavenumber related to Si-O-Si asymmetric stretching vibration can be correlated to O/Si ratio for ternary systems Si/Na/Zr. On the contrary, the Si losses of the materials depend on the number of non-bridging oxygen atoms. In the perspective of long-term behaviour, the alteration gel presents better characteristics than initial glass. It is therefore a highly stable material in static conditions. In the same way, synthetic gels are materials with very low solubilities (much lower than the alteration gel) and could be used as confining matrices. (authors). refs., 71 figs., 37 tabs

Fabrication and electrical properties of single wall carbon nanotube channel and graphene electrode based transistors arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, M.; Kim, H.; Kim, Y. H.; Yun, H.; McAllister, K.; Lee, S. W., E-mail: leesw@konkuk.ac.kr [Division of Quantum Phases and Devices, School of Physics, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701 (Korea, Republic of); Na, J.; Kim, G. T. [School of Electrical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, B. J.; Kim, J. J.; Jeong, G. H. [Department of Nano Applied Engineering, Kangwon National University, Kangwon-do 200-701 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, I.; Kim, K. S. [Department of Physics and Graphene Research Institute, Sejong University, Seoul 143-747 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-07-20

A transistor structure composed of an individual single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) channel with a graphene electrode was demonstrated. The integrated arrays of transistor devices were prepared by transferring patterned graphene electrode patterns on top of the aligned SWNT along one direction. Both single and multi layer graphene were used for the electrode materials; typical p-type transistor and Schottky diode behavior were observed, respectively. Based on our fabrication method and device performances, several issues are suggested and discussed to improve the device reliability and finally to realize all carbon based future electronic systems.

Impaired APP activity and altered Tau splicing in embryonic stem cell-derived astrocytes obtained from an APPsw transgenic minipig

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanessa J. Hall

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Animal models of familial juvenile onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD often fail to produce diverse pathological features of the disease by modification of single gene mutations that are responsible for the disease. They can hence be poor models for testing and development of novel drugs. Here, we analyze in vitro-produced stem cells and their derivatives from a large mammalian model of the disease created by overexpression of a single mutant human gene (APPsw. We produced hemizygous and homozygous radial glial-like cells following culture and differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs isolated from embryos obtained from mated hemizygous minipigs. These cells were confirmed to co-express varying neural markers, including NES, GFAP and BLBP, typical of type one radial glial cells (RGs from the subgranular zone. These cells had altered expression of CCND1 and NOTCH1 and decreased expression of several ribosomal RNA genes. We found that these cells were able to differentiate into astrocytes upon directed differentiation. The astrocytes produced had decreased α- and β-secretase activity, increased γ-secretase activity and altered splicing of tau. This indicates novel aspects of early onset mechanisms related to cell renewal and function in familial AD astrocytes. These outcomes also highlight that radial glia could be a potentially useful population of cells for drug discovery, and that altered APP expression and altered tau phosphorylation can be detected in an in vitro model of the disease. Finally, it might be possible to use large mammal models to model familial AD by insertion of only a single mutation.

Features of the incorporation of single and double based powders within emulsion explosives

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, J. B.; Mendes, R.; Tavares, B.; Louro, C.

2014-05-01

In this work, features of the thermal and detonation behaviour of compositions resulting from the mixture of single and double based powders within ammonium nitrate based emulsion explosives are shown. Those features are portrayed through results of thermodynamic-equilibrium calculations of the detonation velocity, the chemical compatibility assessment through differential thermal analysis [DTA] and thermo gravimetric analysis [TGA], the experimental determination of the detonation velocity and a comparative evaluation of the shock sensitivity using a modified version of the "gap-test". DTA/TGA results for the compositions and for the individual components overlap until the beginning of the thermal decomposition which is an indication of the absence of formation of any new chemical species and so of the compatibility of the components of the compositions. After the beginning of the thermal decomposition it can be seen that the rate of mass loss is much higher for the compositions with powder than for the one with sole emulsion explosive. Both, theoretical and experimental, values of the detonation velocity have been shown to be higher for the powdered compositions than for the sole emulsion explosive. Shock sensitivity assessments have ended-up with a slightly bigger sensitivity for the compositions with double based powder when compared to the single based compositions or to the sole emulsion.

Features of the incorporation of single and double based powders within emulsion explosives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ribeiro, J B; Mendes, R; Tavares, B; Louro, C

2014-01-01

In this work, features of the thermal and detonation behaviour of compositions resulting from the mixture of single and double based powders within ammonium nitrate based emulsion explosives are shown. Those features are portrayed through results of thermodynamic-equilibrium calculations of the detonation velocity, the chemical compatibility assessment through differential thermal analysis [DTA] and thermo gravimetric analysis [TGA], the experimental determination of the detonation velocity and a comparative evaluation of the shock sensitivity using a modified version of the g ap-test . DTA/TGA results for the compositions and for the individual components overlap until the beginning of the thermal decomposition which is an indication of the absence of formation of any new chemical species and so of the compatibility of the components of the compositions. After the beginning of the thermal decomposition it can be seen that the rate of mass loss is much higher for the compositions with powder than for the one with sole emulsion explosive. Both, theoretical and experimental, values of the detonation velocity have been shown to be higher for the powdered compositions than for the sole emulsion explosive. Shock sensitivity assessments have ended-up with a slightly bigger sensitivity for the compositions with double based powder when compared to the single based compositions or to the sole emulsion.

Nondestructive assessment of single-span timber bridges using a vibration- based method

Science.gov (United States)

Xiping Wang; James P. Wacker; Angus M. Morison; John W. Forsman; John R. Erickson; Robert J. Ross

2005-01-01

This paper describes an effort to develop a global dynamic testing technique for evaluating the overall stiffness of timber bridge superstructures. A forced vibration method was used to measure the natural frequency of single-span timber bridges in the laboratory and field. An analytical model based on simple beam theory was proposed to represent the relationship...

Alterations in cerebral metabolism observed in living rodents using fluorescence lifetime microscopy of intrinsic NADH (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Yaseen, Mohammad A.; Sakadžić, Sava; Sutin, Jason; Wu, Weicheng; Fu, Buyin; Boas, David A.

2017-02-01

Monitoring cerebral energy metabolism at a cellular level is essential to improve our understanding of healthy brain function and its pathological alterations. In this study, we resolve specific alterations in cerebral metabolism utilizing minimally-invasive 2-Photon fluorescence lifetime imaging (2P-FLIM) measurements of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) fluorescence, collected in vivo from anesthetized rats and mice. Time-resolved lifetime measurements enables distinction of different components contributing to NADH autofluorescence. These components reportedly represent different enzyme-bound formulations of NADH. Our observations from this study confirm the hypothesis that NADH FLIM can identify specific alterations in cerebral metabolism. Using time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) equipment and a custom-built multimodal imaging system, 2-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) was performed in cerebral tissue with high spatial and temporal resolution. Multi-exponential fits for NADH fluorescence lifetimes indicate 4 distinct components, or 'species.' We observed distinct variations in the relative proportions of these components before and after pharmacological-induced impairments to several reactions involved in anaerobic glycolysis and aerobic oxidative metabolism. Classification models developed with experimental data correctly predict the metabolic impairments associated with bicuculline-induced focal seizures in separate experiments. Compared to traditional intensity-based NADH measurements, lifetime imaging of NADH is less susceptible to the adverse effects of overlying blood vessels. Evaluating NADH measurements will ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of cerebral energetics and its pathology-related alterations. Such knowledge will likely aid development of therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke.

Single event upset threshold estimation based on local laser irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chumakov, A.I.; Egorov, A.N.; Mavritsky, O.B.; Yanenko, A.V.

1999-01-01

An approach for estimation of ion-induced SEU threshold based on local laser irradiation is presented. Comparative experiment and software simulation research were performed at various pulse duration and spot size. Correlation of single event threshold LET to upset threshold laser energy under local irradiation was found. The computer analysis of local laser irradiation of IC structures was developed for SEU threshold LET estimation. The correlation of local laser threshold energy with SEU threshold LET was shown. Two estimation techniques were suggested. The first one is based on the determination of local laser threshold dose taking into account the relation of sensitive area to local irradiated area. The second technique uses the photocurrent peak value instead of this relation. The agreement between the predicted and experimental results demonstrates the applicability of this approach. (authors)

Modelling glass alteration in an altered argillaceous environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bildstein, O.; Trotignon, L.; Pozo, C.; Jullien, M.

2007-01-01

The long term behaviour of materials such as glass, steel and clay has been investigated in the context of deep geological disposal of radioactive wastes. The interactions between vitrified wastes, canister corrosion products (CPs) and clay are studied using a modified version of the reaction-transport code Crunch, especially looking at pH changes and possible cementation at the interface with the clayey materials. These perturbations may indeed affect the lifetime of glass matrix in deep repositories, e.g., high pH enhances the rate of glass alteration. This work focuses on the argillite of Bure. The calculations were performed at 323 K with a glass alteration rate switching from a high initial rate to a residual rate according to the sorption capacity of CPs. The time at which this sorption capacity is saturated is crucial to the system in terms of wastes package lifetime. The results show that the glass alteration imposes a high pH value at the interface with CPs and clay: up to a value of 9.2, compared to 7.3 which is the initial pH value in the argillite. Experimental data show that the rate of glass alteration is much higher in such pH conditions. For a R7T7-type glass, the rate is about five times higher at pH 9 than at pH 7. This pH perturbation migrates through the clayey domain as a result of the migration of mobile elements such as boron and sodium, and despite the existence of strong pH buffers in the argillite. The cementation of porosity at the interface between glass and clay is predicted by the model due to the massive precipitation of iron corrosion products and glass alteration products. At this point of the evolution of the system, the pH starts to decrease and the alteration rate of the glass could be significantly reduced. This porosity clogging effect is difficult to confirm by experiments especially since existing data on short term experiments tend to show a pervasive precipitation of silica in the domain instead of a localized precipitation

Activity-Based Anorexia Alters the Expression of BDNF Transcripts in the Mesocorticolimbic Reward Circuit.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Emily V; Klenotich, Stephanie J; McMurray, Matthew S; Dulawa, Stephanie C

2016-01-01

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a complex eating disorder with severe dysregulation of appetitive behavior. The activity-based anorexia (ABA) paradigm is an animal model in which rodents exposed to both running wheels and scheduled feeding develop aspects of AN including paradoxical hypophagia, dramatic weight loss, and hyperactivity, while animals exposed to only one condition maintain normal body weight. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an activity-dependent modulator of neuronal plasticity, is reduced in the serum of AN patients, and is a known regulator of feeding and weight maintenance. We assessed the effects of scheduled feeding, running wheel access, or both on the expression of BDNF transcripts within the mesocorticolimbic pathway. We also assessed the expression of neuronal cell adhesion molecule 1 (NCAM1) to explore the specificity of effects on BDNF within the mesocorticolimbic pathway. Scheduled feeding increased the levels of both transcripts in the hippocampus (HPC), increased NCAM1 mRNA expression in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and decreased BDNF mRNA levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In addition, wheel running increased BDNF mRNA expression in the VTA. No changes in either transcript were observed in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Furthermore, no changes in either transcript were induced by the combined scheduled feeding and wheel access condition. These data indicate that scheduled feeding or wheel running alter BDNF and NCAM1 expression levels in specific regions of the mesocorticolimbic pathway. These findings contribute to our current knowledge of the molecular alterations induced by ABA and may help elucidate possible mechanisms of AN pathology.

Cantilever-based sensor with integrated optical read-out using single mode waveguides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nordström, Maria; Zauner, Dan; Calleja, Montserrat

2007-01-01

This work presents the design, fabrication and mechanical characterisation of an integrated optical read-out scheme for cantilever-based biosensors. A cantilever can be used as a biosensor by monitoring its bending caused by the surface stress generated due to chemical reactions occurring on its...... surface. Here, we present a novel integrated optical read-out scheme based on single-mode waveguides that enables the fabrication of a compact system. The complete system is fabricated in the polymer SU-8. This manuscript shows the principle of operation and the design well as the fabrication...

Ionospheric correction for spaceborne single-frequency GPS based ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

A modified ionospheric correction method and the corresponding approximate algorithm for spaceborne single-frequency Global Positioning System (GPS) users are proposed in this study. Single Layer Model (SLM) mapping function for spaceborne GPS was analyzed. SLM mapping functions at different altitudes were ...

Base substitutions at scissile bond sites are sufficient to alter RNA-binding and cleavage activity of RNase III.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kyungsub; Sim, Se-Hoon; Jeon, Che Ok; Lee, Younghoon; Lee, Kangseok

2011-02-01

RNase III, a double-stranded RNA-specific endoribonuclease, degrades bdm mRNA via cleavage at specific sites. To better understand the mechanism of cleavage site selection by RNase III, we performed a genetic screen for sequences containing mutations at the bdm RNA cleavage sites that resulted in altered mRNA stability using a transcriptional bdm'-'cat fusion construct. While most of the isolated mutants showed the increased bdm'-'cat mRNA stability that resulted from the inability of RNase III to cleave the mutated sequences, one mutant sequence (wt-L) displayed in vivo RNA stability similar to that of the wild-type sequence. In vivo and in vitro analyses of the wt-L RNA substrate showed that it was cut only once on the RNA strand to the 5'-terminus by RNase III, while the binding constant of RNase III to this mutant substrate was moderately increased. A base substitution at the uncleaved RNase III cleavage site in wt-L mutant RNA found in another mutant lowered the RNA-binding affinity by 11-fold and abolished the hydrolysis of scissile bonds by RNase III. Our results show that base substitutions at sites forming the scissile bonds are sufficient to alter RNA cleavage as well as the binding activity of RNase III. © 2010 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrothermal surface alteration in the Copahue Geothermal Field (Argentina)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mas, Graciela R.; Mas, Luis C.; Bengochea, Leandro

1996-01-24

In the area of the Copahue Geothermal Field, there are five active geothermal manifestations, which mainly consist of fumaroles, hot springs and mud pots. Four of these manifestations are located in Argentina: Las Máquinas, Termas de Copahue, Las Maquinitas and El Anfiteatro, and the fifth on the Chilean side: Chancho Co. All of them present a strong acid sulfate country rock alteration, characterized by the assemblage alunite + kaolinite + quartz + cristobalite + pyrite + sulfur + jarosite, as the result of the base leaching by fluids concentrated in H₂SO₄ by atmospheric oxidation at the water table in a steam heated environment of H₂S released by deeper boiling fluids. Another alteration zone in this area, called COP-2, is a fossil geothermal manifestation which shows characteristics of neutral to alkaline alteration represented mainly by the siliceous sinter superimposed over the acid alteration. The mineralogy and zoning of these alteration zones, and their relation with the hidrothermal solutions and the major structures of the area are analized.

Single-cell-based system to monitor carrier driven cellular auxin homeostasis

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Abundance and distribution of the plant hormone auxin play important roles in plant development. Besides other metabolic processes, various auxin carriers control the cellular level of active auxin and, hence, are major regulators of cellular auxin homeostasis. Despite the developmental importance of auxin transporters, a simple medium-to-high throughput approach to assess carrier activities is still missing. Here we show that carrier driven depletion of cellular auxin correlates with reduced nuclear auxin signaling in tobacco Bright Yellow-2 (BY-2) cell cultures. Results We developed an easy to use transient single-cell-based system to detect carrier activity. We use the relative changes in signaling output of the auxin responsive promoter element DR5 to indirectly visualize auxin carrier activity. The feasibility of the transient approach was demonstrated by pharmacological and genetic interference with auxin signaling and transport. As a proof of concept, we provide visual evidence that the prominent auxin transport proteins PIN-FORMED (PIN)2 and PIN5 regulate cellular auxin homeostasis at the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER), respectively. Our data suggest that PIN2 and PIN5 have different sensitivities to the auxin transport inhibitor 1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA). Also the putative PIN-LIKES (PILS) auxin carrier activity at the ER is insensitive to NPA in our system, indicating that NPA blocks intercellular, but not intracellular auxin transport. Conclusions This single-cell-based system is a useful tool by which the activity of putative auxin carriers, such as PINs, PILS and WALLS ARE THIN1 (WAT1), can be indirectly visualized in a medium-to-high throughput manner. Moreover, our single cell system might be useful to investigate also other hormonal signaling pathways, such as cytokinin. PMID:23379388

Sleep deprivation alters valuation signals in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camilo eLibedinsky

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Even a single night of total sleep-deprivation (SD can have dramatic effects on economic decision making. Here we tested the novel hypothesis that SD influences economic decisions by altering the valuation process. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI we identified value signals related to the anticipation and the experience of monetary and social rewards (attractive female faces. We then derived decision value signals that were predictive of each participant’s willingness to exchange money for brief views of attractive faces in an independent market task. Strikingly, SD altered decision value signals in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC in proportion to the corresponding change in economic preferences. These changes in preference were independent of the effects of SD on attention and vigilance. Our results provide novel evidence that signals in VMPFC track the current state of the individual, and thus reflect not static but constructed preferences.

MYC protein expression and genetic alterations have prognostic impact in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with immunochemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Valera, Alexandra; López-Guillermo, Armando; Cardesa-Salzmann, Teresa; Climent, Fina; González-Barca, Eva; Mercadal, Santiago; Espinosa, Iñigo; Novelli, Silvana; Briones, Javier; Mate, José L; Salamero, Olga; Sancho, Juan M; Arenillas, Leonor; Serrano, Sergi; Erill, Nadina; Martínez, Daniel; Castillo, Paola; Rovira, Jordina; Martínez, Antonio; Campo, Elias; Colomo, Luis

2013-10-01

MYC alterations influence the survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Most studies have focused on MYC translocations but there is little information regarding the impact of numerical alterations and protein expression. We analyzed the genetic alterations and protein expression of MYC, BCL2, BCL6, and MALT1 in 219 cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. MYC rearrangement occurred as the sole abnormality (MYC single-hit) in 3% of cases, MYC and concurrent BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements (MYC double/triple-hit) in 4%, MYC amplifications in 2% and MYC gains in 19%. MYC single-hit, MYC double/triple-hit and MYC amplifications, but not MYC gains or other gene rearrangements, were associated with unfavorable progression-free survival and overall survival. MYC protein expression, evaluated using computerized image analysis, captured the unfavorable prognosis of MYC translocations/amplifications and identified an additional subset of patients without gene alterations but with similar poor prognosis. Patients with tumors expressing both MYC/BCL2 had the worst prognosis, whereas those with double-negative tumors had the best outcome. High MYC expression was associated with shorter overall survival irrespectively of the International Prognostic Index and BCL2 expression. In conclusion, MYC protein expression identifies a subset of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with very poor prognosis independently of gene alterations and other prognostic parameters.

A dislocation-based crystal plasticity framework for dynamic ductile failure of single crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Thao; Luscher, D. J.; Wilkerson, J. W.

2017-11-01

A framework for dislocation-based viscoplasticity and dynamic ductile failure has been developed to model high strain rate deformation and damage in single crystals. The rate-dependence of the crystal plasticity formulation is based on the physics of relativistic dislocation kinetics suited for extremely high strain rates. The damage evolution is based on the dynamics of void growth, which are governed by both micro-inertia as well as dislocation kinetics and dislocation substructure evolution. An averaging scheme is proposed in order to approximate the evolution of the dislocation substructure in both the macroscale as well as its spatial distribution at the microscale. Additionally, a concept of a single equivalent dislocation density that effectively captures the collective influence of dislocation density on all active slip systems is proposed here. Together, these concepts and approximations enable the use of semi-analytic solutions for void growth dynamics developed in (Wilkerson and Ramesh, 2014), which greatly reduce the computational overhead that would otherwise be required. The resulting homogenized framework has been implemented into a commercially available finite element package, and a validation study against a suite of direct numerical simulations was carried out.

A single FPGA-based portable ultrasound imaging system for point-of-care applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Gi-Duck; Yoon, Changhan; Kye, Sang-Bum; Lee, Youngbae; Kang, Jeeun; Yoo, Yangmo; Song, Tai-kyong

2012-07-01

We present a cost-effective portable ultrasound system based on a single field-programmable gate array (FPGA) for point-of-care applications. In the portable ultrasound system developed, all the ultrasound signal and image processing modules, including an effective 32-channel receive beamformer with pseudo-dynamic focusing, are embedded in an FPGA chip. For overall system control, a mobile processor running Linux at 667 MHz is used. The scan-converted ultrasound image data from the FPGA are directly transferred to the system controller via external direct memory access without a video processing unit. The potable ultrasound system developed can provide real-time B-mode imaging with a maximum frame rate of 30, and it has a battery life of approximately 1.5 h. These results indicate that the single FPGA-based portable ultrasound system developed is able to meet the processing requirements in medical ultrasound imaging while providing improved flexibility for adapting to emerging POC applications.

Alteration of intestinal barrier function during activity-based anorexia in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Jésus, Pierre; Ouelaa, Wassila; François, Marie; Riachy, Lina; Guérin, Charlène; Aziz, Moutaz; Do Rego, Jean-Claude; Déchelotte, Pierre; Fetissov, Sergueï O; Coëffier, Moïse

2014-12-01

Anorexia nervosa is a severe eating disorder often leading to malnutrition and cachexia, but its pathophysiology is still poorly defined. Chronic food restriction during anorexia nervosa may induce gut barrier dysfunction, which may contribute to disease development and its complications. Here we have characterized intestinal barrier function in mice with activity-based anorexia (ABA), an animal model of anorexia nervosa. Male C57Bl/6 ABA or limited food access (LFA) mice were placed respectively in cages with or without activity wheel. After 5 days of acclimatization, both ABA and LFA mice had progressively limited access to food from 6 h/d at day 6 to 3 h/d at day 9 and until the end of experiment at day 17. A group of pair-fed mice (PF) was also compared to ABA. On day 17, food intake was lower in ABA than LFA mice (2.0 ± 0.18 g vs. 3.0 ± 0.14 g, p anorexia nervosa. The role of these alterations in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa should be further evaluated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Prism-based single-camera system for stereo display

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yue; Cui, Xiaoyu; Wang, Zhiguo; Chen, Hongsheng; Fan, Heyu; Wu, Teresa

2016-06-01

This paper combines the prism and single camera and puts forward a method of stereo imaging with low cost. First of all, according to the principle of geometrical optics, we can deduce the relationship between the prism single-camera system and dual-camera system, and according to the principle of binocular vision we can deduce the relationship between binoculars and dual camera. Thus we can establish the relationship between the prism single-camera system and binoculars and get the positional relation of prism, camera, and object with the best effect of stereo display. Finally, using the active shutter stereo glasses of NVIDIA Company, we can realize the three-dimensional (3-D) display of the object. The experimental results show that the proposed approach can make use of the prism single-camera system to simulate the various observation manners of eyes. The stereo imaging system, which is designed by the method proposed by this paper, can restore the 3-D shape of the object being photographed factually.

1.5 W high efficiency and tunable single-longitudinal-mode Ho:YLF ring laser based on Faraday effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jing; Ju, Youlun; Dai, Tongyu; Yao, Baoquan; Wang, Yuezhu

2017-10-30

We demonstrated an efficient and tunable single-longitudinal-mode Ho:YLF ring laser based on Faraday effect for application to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Single-longitudinal-mode power at 2051.65 nm achieved 528 mW with the slope efficiency of 39.5% and the M 2 factor of 1.07, and the tunable range of about 178 GHz was obtained by inserting a Fabry-Perot (F-P) etalon with the thickness of 0.5 mm. In addition, the maximum single-longitudinal-mode power reached 1.5 W with the injected power of 528 mW at 2051.65 nm by master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) technique. High efficiency and tunable single-longitudinal-mode based on Faraday effect around 2 μm has not been reported yet to the best of our knowledge.

Effect of single interstitial impurity in iron-based superconductors with sign-changed s-wave pairing symmetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Xiang-Long, E-mail: xlyu@theory.issp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 1129, Hefei 230031 (China); Liu, Da-Yong; Quan, Ya-Min; Zheng, Xiao-Jun [Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 1129, Hefei 230031 (China); Zou, Liang-Jian, E-mail: zou@theory.issp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 1129, Hefei 230031 (China); Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China)

2015-12-15

Highlights: • Effects of single interstitial impurity are studied in iron-based superconductors. • Bound states within the superconducting gap can be induced. • The interstitial impurity can induce a π phase shift of pairing order parameter. • For strong magnetic scattering the bound-state peak can appear at the Fermi level. - Abstract: We employ the self-consistent Bogoliubov-de Gennes (BdG) formulation to investigate the effect of single interstitial nonmagnetic/magnetic impurity in iron-based superconductors with s ± -wave pairing symmetry. We find that both the nonmagnetic and magnetic impurities can induce bound states within the superconducting (SC) gap and a π phase shift of SC order parameter at the impurity site. However, different from the interstitial-nonmagnetic-impurity case characterized by two symmetric peaks with respect to zero energy, the interstitial magnetic one only induces single bound-state peak. In the strong scattering regime this peak can appear at the Fermi level, which has been observed in the recent scanning tunneling microscope (STM) experiment of Fe(Te,Se) superconductor with interstitial Fe impurities (Yin et al. 2015 [44]). This novel single in-gap peak feature also distinguishes the interstitial case from the substitutional one with two peaks. These results provide important information for comparing the different impurity effects in the iron-based superconductors.

Altered resting brain function and structure in professional badminton players.

Science.gov (United States)

Di, Xin; Zhu, Senhua; Jin, Hua; Wang, Pin; Ye, Zhuoer; Zhou, Ke; Zhuo, Yan; Rao, Hengyi

2012-01-01

Neuroimaging studies of professional athletic or musical training have demonstrated considerable practice-dependent plasticity in various brain structures, which may reflect distinct training demands. In the present study, structural and functional brain alterations were examined in professional badminton players and compared with healthy controls using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting-state functional MRI. Gray matter concentration (GMC) was assessed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM), and resting-brain functions were measured by amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and seed-based functional connectivity. Results showed that the athlete group had greater GMC and ALFF in the right and medial cerebellar regions, respectively. The athlete group also demonstrated smaller ALFF in the left superior parietal lobule and altered functional connectivity between the left superior parietal and frontal regions. These findings indicate that badminton expertise is associated with not only plastic structural changes in terms of enlarged gray matter density in the cerebellum, but also functional alterations in fronto-parietal connectivity. Such structural and functional alterations may reflect specific experiences of badminton training and practice, including high-capacity visuo-spatial processing and hand-eye coordination in addition to refined motor skills.

A microprocessor-based single board computer for high energy physics event pattern recognition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernstein, H.; Gould, J.J.; Imossi, R.; Kopp, J.K.; Love, W.A.; Ozaki, S.; Platner, E.D.; Kramer, M.A.

1981-01-01

A single board MC 68000 based computer has been assembled and bench marked against the CDC 7600 running portions of the pattern recognition code used at the MPS. This computer has a floating coprocessor to achieve throughputs equivalent to several percent that of the 7600. A major part of this work was the construction of a FORTRAN compiler including assembler, linker and library. The intention of this work is to assemble a large number of these single board computers in a parallel FASTBUS environment to act as an on-line and off-line filter for the raw data from MPS II and ISABELLE experiments. (orig.)

Single-Sex Schools, Student Achievement, and Course Selection: Evidence from Rule-Based Student Assignments in Trinidad and Tobago

OpenAIRE

C. Kirabo Jackson

2011-01-01

Existing studies on single-sex schooling suffer from biases because students who attend single-sex schools differ in unmeasured ways from those who do not. In Trinidad and Tobago students are assigned to secondary schools based on an algorithm allowing one to address self-selection bias and estimate the causal effect of attending a single-sex school versus a similar coeducational school. While students (particularly females) with strong expressed preferences for single-sex schools benefit, mo...

A single antenna interference cancellation and adaptive technique based on ALOE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xu Han

2017-02-01

Full Text Available A new type of single antenna interference cancellation (SAIC algorithm based on ALOE filtering module is introduced for co-channel interference cancellation in GSM/GPRS/EDGE downlink without changing the link structure of traditional receiver.Meanwhile,an adjacent frequency adaptive detection based on power spectrum estimation method is introduced to solve adjacent frequency interference and complex interference.Compared with traditional energy noise estimation method,the new method has simpler structure,less complexity,and can effectively improve the adaptability for various scenarios.The simulation results show that it can raise the resistance to co-channel frequency interference and adjacent frequency interference in multimode chips with low complexity,which improves the quality of 2G voice communication.

Single Mode Optical Fiber based Refractive Index Sensor using Etched Cladding

OpenAIRE

Kumar, Ajay; Gupta, Geeta; Mallik, Arun; Bhatnagar, Anuj

2011-01-01

The use of optical fiber for sensor applications is a topic of current interest. We report the fabrication of etched single mode optical fiber based refractive index sensor. Experiments are performed to determine the etch rate of fiber in buffered hydrofluoric acid, which can be high or low depending upon the temperature at which etching is carried out. Controlled wet etching of fiber cladding is performed using these measurements and etched fiber region is tested for refractive index sensing...

The effects of a single memantine treatment on behavioral alterations associated with binge alcohol exposure in neonatal rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Idrus, Nirelia M; McGough, Nancy N H; Spinetta, Michael J; Thomas, Jennifer D; Riley, Edward P

2011-01-01

The third trimester in human fetal development represents a critical time of brain maturation referred to as the "brain growth spurt". This period occurs in rats postnatally, and exposure to ethanol during this time can increase the risk of impairments on a variety of cognitive and motor tasks. It has been proposed that one potential mechanism for the teratogenic effects of ethanol is NMDA receptor-mediated excitotoxicity during periods of ethanol withdrawal. In neonatal rats, antagonism of NMDA receptors during ethanol withdrawal, with drugs such as MK-801 and eliprodil, has been shown to mitigate some of the behavioral deficits induced by developmental ethanol exposure. The current study examined whether memantine, an NMDA receptor antagonist and a drug used clinically in Alzheimer's patients, would attenuate impairments associated with binge ethanol exposure in neonatal rats. On postnatal day 6, rats were exposed to 6 g/kg ethanol via intubation with controls receiving an isocaloric maltose dextrin solution. Twenty-one hours following the ethanol binge, rats received intraperitoneal injections of memantine at 0, 10, 15, or 20 mg/kg. Ethanol's teratogenic effects were assessed using multiple behavioral tasks: open field activity, parallel bars and spatial discrimination reversal learning. Ethanol-treated rats were overactive in the open field and were impaired on both reversal learning and motor performance. Administration of 15 or 20 mg/kg memantine during withdrawal significantly attenuated ethanol's adverse effects on motor coordination, but did not significantly alter activity levels or improve the spatial learning deficits associated with neonatal alcohol exposure. These results indicate that a single memantine administration during ethanol withdrawal can mitigate motor impairments but not spatial learning impairments or overactivity observed following a binge ethanol exposure during development in the rat. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Photoacoustic bio-quantification of graphene based nanomaterials at a single cell level (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Nedosekin, Dmitry A.; Nolan, Jacqueline; Biris, Alexandru S.; Zharov, Vladimir P.

2017-03-01

Arkansas Nanomedicine Center at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in collaboration with other Arkansas Universities and the FDA-based National Center of Toxicological Research in Jefferson, AR is developing novel techniques for rapid quantification of graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs) in various biological samples. All-carbon GBNs have wide range of potential applications in industry, agriculture, food processing and medicine; however, quantification of GBNs is difficult in carbon reach biological tissues. The accurate quantification of GBNs is essential for research on material toxicity and the development of GBNs-based drug delivery platforms. We have developed microscopy and cytometry platforms for detection and quantification of GBNs in single cells, tissue and blood samples using photoacoustic contrast of GBNs. We demonstrated PA quantification of individual graphene uptake by single cells. High-resolution PA microscopy provided mapping of GBN distribution within live cells to establish correlation with intracellular toxic phenomena using apoptotic and necrotic assays. This new methodology and corresponding technical platform provide the insight on possible toxicological risks of GBNs at singe cells levels. In addition, in vivo PA image flow cytometry demonstrated the capability to monitor of GBNs pharmacokinetics in mouse model and to map the resulting biodistribution of GBNs in mouse tissues. The integrated PA platform provided an unprecedented sensitivity toward GBNs and allowed to enhance conventional toxicology research by providing a direct correlation between uptake of GBNs at a single cell level and cell viability status.

Single-domain epitaxial silicene on diboride thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fleurence, A., E-mail: antoine@jaist.ac.jp; Friedlein, R.; Aoyagi, K.; Yamada-Takamura, Y. [School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292 (Japan); Gill, T. G. [School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292 (Japan); London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London (UCL), London WC1H 0AH (United Kingdom); Department of Chemistry, UCL, London WC1H 0AJ (United Kingdom); Sadowski, J. T. [Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973 (United States); Copel, M.; Tromp, R. M. [IBM Research Division, Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598 (United States); Hirjibehedin, C. F. [London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London (UCL), London WC1H 0AH (United Kingdom); Department of Chemistry, UCL, London WC1H 0AJ (United Kingdom); Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCL, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom)

2016-04-11

Epitaxial silicene, which forms spontaneously on ZrB{sub 2}(0001) thin films grown on Si(111) wafers, has a periodic stripe domain structure. By adsorbing additional Si atoms on this surface, we find that the domain boundaries vanish, and a single-domain silicene sheet can be prepared without altering its buckled honeycomb structure. The amount of Si required to induce this change suggests that the domain boundaries are made of a local distortion of the silicene honeycomb lattice. The realization of a single domain sheet with structural and electronic properties close to those of the original striped state demonstrates the high structural flexibility of silicene.

1H NMR-based spectroscopy detects metabolic alterations in serum of patients with early-stage ulcerative colitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Ying; Lin, Lianjie; Xu, Yanbin; Lin, Yan; Jin, Yu; Zheng, Changqing

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Twenty ulcerative colitis patients and nineteen healthy controls were enrolled. •Increased 3-hydroxybutyrate, glucose, phenylalanine, and decreased lipid were found. •We report early stage diagnosis of ulcerative colitis using NMR-based metabolomics. -- Abstract: Ulcerative colitis (UC) has seriously impaired the health of citizens. Accurate diagnosis of UC at an early stage is crucial to improve the efficiency of treatment and prognosis. In this study, proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR)-based metabolomic analysis was performed on serum samples collected from active UC patients (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 19), respectively. The obtained spectral profiles were subjected to multivariate data analysis. Our results showed that consistent metabolic alterations were present between the two groups. Compared to healthy controls, UC patients displayed increased 3-hydroxybutyrate, β-glucose, α-glucose, and phenylalanine, but decreased lipid in serum. These findings highlight the possibilities of NMR-based metabolomics as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for UC

Nanosecond X-ray detector based on high resistivity ZnO single crystal semiconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Xiaolong; He, Yongning, E-mail: yongning@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; Peng, Wenbo; Huang, Zhiyong; Qi, Xiaomeng; Pan, Zijian; Zhang, Wenting [School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Chen, Liang; Liu, Jinliang; Zhang, Zhongbing; Ouyang, Xiaoping [Radiation Detection Research Center, Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi' an 710024 (China)

2016-04-25

The pulse radiation detectors are sorely needed in the fields of nuclear reaction monitoring, material analysis, astronomy study, spacecraft navigation, and space communication. In this work, we demonstrate a nanosecond X-ray detector based on ZnO single crystal semiconductor, which emerges as a promising compound-semiconductor radiation detection material for its high radiation tolerance and advanced large-size bulk crystal growth technique. The resistivity of the ZnO single crystal is as high as 10{sup 13} Ω cm due to the compensation of the donor defects (V{sub O}) and acceptor defects (V{sub Zn} and O{sub i}) after high temperature annealing in oxygen. The photoconductive X-ray detector was fabricated using the high resistivity ZnO single crystal. The rise time and fall time of the detector to a 10 ps pulse electron beam are 0.8 ns and 3.3 ns, respectively, indicating great potential for ultrafast X-ray detection applications.

Hydrothermal alteration in Dumoga Barat, Bolaang Mongondow area North Sulawesi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agus Harjanto' Sutanto; Sutarto; Achmad Subandrio; I Made Suasta; Juanito Salamat; Giri Hartono; Putu Suputra; I Gde Basten; Muhammad Fauzi; Rosdiana

2016-01-01

Bolaang Mongondow is located in central north Sulawesi arm, which is composed of Neogen magmatic arc and potentially contain economic minerals. This condition is behind the research purpose to study the mineral resources potencies. Research aim is to study alteration caused by hydrothermal process and its relation with gold (Au) deposit based on field study and laboratory analysis. Methodologies used for the research are literature study, geological survey, rocks sampling, laboratory analysis, and data processing. Research area is a multiply diorite intrusion complex. Andesite, volcaniclastic rocks, and dacite, the older rocks, were intruded by this complex. Later, dacitic tuff, volcanic sandstone, and alluvium deposited above them. There are three measured and mapped major faults heading NE-SW crossed by E-W fault and NW-SE fault lately crossed all the older faults. Early stage hydrothermal alteration related to the existence of young quartz diorite, showing alteration stage from the potassic center to distal prophylatic. Final stage hydrothermal alteration consist of argilic, advanced argilic, and silica-clay mineral±magnetite±chlorite alteration overlapping the earlier alteration. Mineralization of Cu-Au±Ag in central part of research area or Tayap-Kinomaligan area is mostly associated with potassic altered young quartz diorite and crossed by parallel and stock worked quartz-magnetite-chalcopyrite±bornite vein. (author)

Coupling of a single NV center to a fiber-based microcavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christoph Becher

2014-01-01

The read-out of the spin state of a NV center in diamond or the transfer of quantum information between its spin and a photon would profit enormously from coupling the NV center's optical transitions to a microcavity with a highly directional output. We here report on such a coupling of a single NV center in a nanodiamond to a fiber-based, tunable microcavity at room temperature. Making use of the NV center's strongly broadened emission we operate in the regime of phonon-assisted cavity seeding and realize a widely tunable, narrow-band single photon source. A master equation model well reproduces our experimental results and predicts a transition into a Purcell-enhanced emission regime at low temperatures where up to 65% of the NV emission would be channeled into the cavity mode for our given experimental parameters. Further reducing scattering losses from the nanodiamonds could enable schemes for cavity-enhanced spin measurements or creation of entangled states. (author)

Single-Walled Carbon-Nanotubes-Based Organic Memory Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sundes Fakher

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The electrical behaviour of organic memory structures, based on single-walled carbon-nanotubes (SWCNTs, metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS and thin film transistor (TFT structures, using poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA as the gate dielectric, are reported. The drain and source electrodes were fabricated by evaporating 50 nm gold, and the gate electrode was made from 50 nm-evaporated aluminium on a clean glass substrate. Thin films of SWCNTs, embedded within the insulating layer, were used as the floating gate. SWCNTs-based memory devices exhibited clear hysteresis in their electrical characteristics (capacitance–voltage (C–V for MIS structures, as well as output and transfer characteristics for transistors. Both structures were shown to produce reliable and large memory windows by virtue of high capacity and reduced charge leakage. The hysteresis in the output and transfer characteristics, the shifts in the threshold voltage of the transfer characteristics, and the flat-band voltage shift in the MIS structures were attributed to the charging and discharging of the SWCNTs floating gate. Under an appropriate gate bias (1 s pulses, the floating gate is charged and discharged, resulting in significant threshold voltage shifts. Pulses as low as 1 V resulted in clear write and erase states.

Quantum-classical interface based on single flux quantum digital logic

Science.gov (United States)

McDermott, R.; Vavilov, M. G.; Plourde, B. L. T.; Wilhelm, F. K.; Liebermann, P. J.; Mukhanov, O. A.; Ohki, T. A.

2018-04-01

We describe an approach to the integrated control and measurement of a large-scale superconducting multiqubit array comprising up to 108 physical qubits using a proximal coprocessor based on the Single Flux Quantum (SFQ) digital logic family. Coherent control is realized by irradiating the qubits directly with classical bitstreams derived from optimal control theory. Qubit measurement is performed by a Josephson photon counter, which provides access to the classical result of projective quantum measurement at the millikelvin stage. We analyze the power budget and physical footprint of the SFQ coprocessor and discuss challenges and opportunities associated with this approach.

Semi-quantum Dialogue Based on Single Photons

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Tian-Yu; Ye, Chong-Qiang

2018-02-01

In this paper, we propose two semi-quantum dialogue (SQD) protocols by using single photons as the quantum carriers, where one requires the classical party to possess the measurement capability and the other does not have this requirement. The security toward active attacks from an outside Eve in the first SQD protocol is guaranteed by the complete robustness of present semi-quantum key distribution (SQKD) protocols, the classical one-time pad encryption, the classical party's randomization operation and the decoy photon technology. The information leakage problem of the first SQD protocol is overcome by the classical party' classical basis measurements on the single photons carrying messages which makes him share their initial states with the quantum party. The security toward active attacks from Eve in the second SQD protocol is guaranteed by the classical party's randomization operation, the complete robustness of present SQKD protocol and the classical one-time pad encryption. The information leakage problem of the second SQD protocol is overcome by the quantum party' classical basis measurements on each two adjacent single photons carrying messages which makes her share their initial states with the classical party. Compared with the traditional information leakage resistant QD protocols, the advantage of the proposed SQD protocols lies in that they only require one party to have quantum capabilities. Compared with the existing SQD protocol, the advantage of the proposed SQD protocols lies in that they only employ single photons rather than two-photon entangled states as the quantum carriers. The proposed SQD protocols can be implemented with present quantum technologies.

SEDAH. Data Server for hydrologic alteration evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez Romero, R.; Magdaleno Mas, F.; Ortiz Rodriguez, J.; Fernandez Yuste, J. A.; Martinez Santa-Maria, C.

2011-01-01

Several tasks and studies have been developed from 2008 till 2010 all around the country in order to evaluate the hydrologic alteration of water bodies. In most cases this alteraction has been evaluated through IAHRIS (Martinez and Fernandez, 2006). The necessity of creating a new toll that allowed a better performance of the National Flow-Stage Stations Network data was showed up by developing these works. The output data series should match IAHRIS and IHA. SEDAH (Data Server for Evaluating Hydrologic Alteration) Helps to solve some of these problems by supplying an easy way to select flow stations, dates, flow series typology, etc. Moreover, other useful utilities are: a preliminary appraisement of quality data, calssification of altered or reference flow series and exportation of data in different file formats. The web application works with different data bases, daily, monthly and annual series belonging to, wither actual series from flow station data or completed series by statistical procedures. Through SEDAH the user has easy access to all this huge information ready for being applied in hydrologic alteration assessment, environmental fows regime, river restoration projects, etc. Furthermore, this first phase of the application constitute the basis for future powerful functionalities related to the natural flow series obtaining. (Author) 5 refs.

High-efficiency single cell encapsulation and size selective capture of cells in picoliter droplets based on hydrodynamic micro-vortices.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamalakshakurup, Gopakumar; Lee, Abraham P

2017-12-05

Single cell analysis has emerged as a paradigm shift in cell biology to understand the heterogeneity of individual cells in a clone for pathological interrogation. Microfluidic droplet technology is a compelling platform to perform single cell analysis by encapsulating single cells inside picoliter-nanoliter (pL-nL) volume droplets. However, one of the primary challenges for droplet based single cell assays is single cell encapsulation in droplets, currently achieved either randomly, dictated by Poisson statistics, or by hydrodynamic techniques. In this paper, we present an interfacial hydrodynamic technique which initially traps the cells in micro-vortices, and later releases them one-to-one into the droplets, controlled by the width of the outer streamline that separates the vortex from the flow through the streaming passage adjacent to the aqueous-oil interface (d gap ). One-to-one encapsulation is achieved at a d gap equal to the radius of the cell, whereas complete trapping of the cells is realized at a d gap smaller than the radius of the cell. The unique feature of this technique is that it can perform 1. high efficiency single cell encapsulations and 2. size-selective capturing of cells, at low cell loading densities. Here we demonstrate these two capabilities with a 50% single cell encapsulation efficiency and size selective separation of platelets, RBCs and WBCs from a 10× diluted blood sample (WBC capture efficiency at 70%). The results suggest a passive, hydrodynamic micro-vortex based technique capable of performing high-efficiency single cell encapsulation for cell based assays.

Cyclops: single-pixel imaging lidar system based on compressive sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Magalhães, F.; Correia, M. V.; Farahi, F.; Pereira do Carmo, J.; Araújo, F. M.

2017-11-01

Mars and the Moon are envisaged as major destinations of future space exploration missions in the upcoming decades. Imaging LIDARs are seen as a key enabling technology in the support of autonomous guidance, navigation and control operations, as they can provide very accurate, wide range, high-resolution distance measurements as required for the exploration missions. Imaging LIDARs can be used at critical stages of these exploration missions, such as descent and selection of safe landing sites, rendezvous and docking manoeuvres, or robotic surface navigation and exploration. Despite these devices have been commercially available and used for long in diverse metrology and ranging applications, their size, mass and power consumption are still far from being suitable and attractive for space exploratory missions. Here, we describe a compact Single-Pixel Imaging LIDAR System that is based on a compressive sensing technique. The application of the compressive codes to a DMD array enables compression of the spatial information, while the collection of timing histograms correlated to the pulsed laser source ensures image reconstruction at the ranged distances. Single-pixel cameras have been compared with raster scanning and array based counterparts in terms of noise performance, and proved to be superior. Since a single photodetector is used, a better SNR and higher reliability is expected in contrast with systems using large format photodetector arrays. Furthermore, the event of failure of one or more micromirror elements in the DMD does not prevent full reconstruction of the images. This brings additional robustness to the proposed 3D imaging LIDAR. The prototype that was implemented has three modes of operation. Range Finder: outputs the average distance between the system and the area of the target under illumination; Attitude Meter: provides the slope of the target surface based on distance measurements in three areas of the target; 3D Imager: produces 3D ranged

C-C Coupling on Single-Atom-Based Heterogeneous Catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoyan; Sun, Zaicheng; Wang, Bin; Tang, Yu; Nguyen, Luan; Li, Yuting; Tao, Franklin Feng

2018-01-24

Compared to homogeneous catalysis, heterogeneous catalysis allows for ready separation of products from the catalyst and thus reuse of the catalyst. C-C coupling is typically performed on a molecular catalyst which is mixed with reactants in liquid phase during catalysis. This homogeneous mixing at a molecular level in the same phase makes separation of the molecular catalyst extremely challenging and costly. Here we demonstrated that a TiO 2 -based nanoparticle catalyst anchoring singly dispersed Pd atoms (Pd 1 /TiO 2 ) is selective and highly active for more than 10 Sonogashira C-C coupling reactions (R≡CH + R'X → R≡R'; X = Br, I; R' = aryl or vinyl). The coupling between iodobenzene and phenylacetylene on Pd 1 /TiO 2 exhibits a turnover rate of 51.0 diphenylacetylene molecules per anchored Pd atom per minute at 60 °C, with a low apparent activation barrier of 28.9 kJ/mol and no cost of catalyst separation. DFT calculations suggest that the single Pd atom bonded to surface lattice oxygen atoms of TiO 2 acts as a site to dissociatively chemisorb iodobenzene to generate an intermediate phenyl, which then couples with phenylacetylenyl bound to a surface oxygen atom. This coupling of phenyl adsorbed on Pd 1 and phenylacetylenyl bound to O ad of TiO 2 forms the product molecule, diphenylacetylene.

Stirling based micro co-generation system for single households

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ribberink, J.S.; Zutt, J.G.M.; Rabou, L.P.L.M.; Beckers, G.J.J. [ECN Clean Fossil Fuels, Petten (Netherlands); Baijens, C.A.W.; Luttikholt, J.J.M. [ATAG Verwarming, Lichtenvoorde (Netherlands)

2000-04-01

This paper describes the progress made in the ENATEC development program for a free piston Stirling engine based micro co-generation system that serves the supply of up to 1 kW{sub e} and up to 24 kW heat for domestic heating and/or for hot tap water production for single households at overall system efficiencies of 96%. Experiments show that the free piston Stirling engines from Stirling Technology Company run very reliably and controllably, and that the efficiency targets for the 1 kW{sub e} micro co-generation system are feasible. A ceramic foam burner with good heat transfer characteristics and low NOx emissions was developed. A demonstration micro co-generation unit was built and successfully presented. A 1 kW{sub e} free piston Stirling engine for the European market was developed. High efficiencies at full load and at part load, low emissions, low noise, and minimum maintenance make the Stirling engine based micro co-generation system an attractive candidate for the next generation of domestic boilers in Europe. 5 refs.

Hydrothermal alteration of a rhyolitic hyaloclastite from Ponza Island, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Ylagan, Robert F.; Altaner, Stephen P.; Pozzuoli, Antonio

1996-12-01

A rhyolitic hyaloclastite from Ponza island, Italy, has been hydrothermally altered producing four distinct alteration zones based on XRD and field textures: (1) non-pervasive argillic zone; (2) propylitic zone; (3) silicic zone; and (4) sericitic zone. The unaltered hyaloclastite is a volcanic breccia with clasts of vesiculated obsidian in a matrix of predominantly pumice lapilli. Incomplete alteration of the hyaloclastite resulted in the non pervasive argillic zone, characterized by smectite and disordered opal-CT. Obsidian clasts, some pumice lapilli, and pyrogenic plagioclase and biotite are unaltered. Smectite has an irregular flakey morphology, although euhedral particles are occasionally observed. The propylitic zone is characterized by mixed-layer illite/smectite (I/S) with 10 to 85% illite (I), mordenite, opal-C and authigenic K-feldspar (akspar). The matrix of the hyaloclastite is completely altered and obsidian clasts are silicified; however, plagioclase and biotite phenocrysts remain unaltered. Flakey I/S replaces pumice, and mordenite, akspar and silica line and fill pores. I/S particles are composed predominantly of subequant plates and euhedral laths. The silicic zone is characterized by highly illitic I/S with ≥ 90% I, quartz, akspar and occasional albite. In this zone the matrix and clasts are completely altered, and pyrogenic plagioclase shows significant alteration. Illitic I/S has a euhedral lath-like morphology. In the sericitic zone the hyaloclastite altered primarily to illitic I/S with ≥ 66% I, quartz, and minor akspar and pyrite. Clay minerals completely replace pyrogenic feldspars and little evidence remains of the original hyaloclastite texture. Unlike other zones, illitic I/S is fibrous and pure illite samples are composed of euhedral laths and hexagonal plates. The temperatures of hydrothermal alteration likely ranged from 30 to 90 °C for the argillic zone, from 110 to 160 °C for the propylitic zone, from 160 to 270 °C for the

''Normal'' tissues from humans exposed to radium contain an alteration in the c-mos locus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huberman, E.; Schlenker, R.A.; Hardwick, J.P.

1989-01-01

The structures of a number of human proto-oncogenes from persons with internal systemic exposure to radium were analyzed by restriction enzyme digestion and southern blotting of their DNA. Two extra c-mos Eco R1 restriction-fragment-length bands of 5.0 kb and 5.5 kb were found in tissue DNA from six of seven individuals. The extra c-mos bands were detected in DNA from many, but not all, of the tissues of the individuals exposed to radium. Our results suggest that the c-mos restriction-fragment-length alterations (RFLA) found in individuals exposed to radium were induced rather than inherited, are epigenetic in origin, and most likely result from changes in the methylation of bases surrounding the single exon of the c-mos proto-oncogene. 7 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs

A study of the alterability of terminal residues stabilized by a mineral-binder-based solidification/stabilization process; Etude de l`alterabilite de residus ultimes stabilises par un procede de solidification, stabilisation a base de liants mineraux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Humez, N.; Prost, R. [Institut National de Recherches Agronomiques (INRA), 78 - Versailles (France). Unite de Science du Sol; Piketty, L.; Schnuriger, B.; Benchara, A.; Pichat, P. [Centre de Solidification, Stabilisation et Stockage, Sarp Industries, 78 - Limay (France)

1997-12-31

A new laboratory approach has been developed for the study of the long term behaviour of stabilized terminal residues, and is based on the experimental method for the study of rock alteration. The method consists in examining the migration of elements that are present in the solution contained in the pores, and studying the structural modifications which result from the dissolution of certain constituents, the transformation and the neo-formation of other ones in the material. The method allows for the evaluation, in a short time, of the alterability and perenniality of stabilized terminal wastes. Results show that the long term alterability of solidified/stabilized samples that have been processed using the ECOFIX method, is low

Modified prokaryotic glucose isomerase enzymes with altered pH activity profiles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lambeir, Anne-Marie; Lasters, Ignace; Mrabet, Nadir; Quax, Wim; Van Der Laan, Jan M.; Misset, Onno

1994-01-01

A method for selecting amino acid residues is disclosed which upon replacement will give rise to an enzyme with an altered pH optimum. The method is specific for metalloenzymes which are inactivated at low pH due to the dissociation of the metal ions. The method is based on altering the pKa of the

Relaxor-based ferroelectric single crystals: growth, domain engineering, characterization and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Enwei; Cao, Wenwu

2014-01-01

techniques, domain engineering concept, and full-matrix property characterization all the way to device innovations. It outlines a truly encouraging story in materials science in the modern era. All key references are provided and 30 complete sets of material parameters for different types of relaxor-PT single crystals are listed in the Appendix. It is the intension of this review article to serve as a resource for those who are interested in basic research and practical applications of these relaxor-PT single crystals. In addition, possible mechanisms of giant piezoelectric properties in these domain-engineered relaxor-PT systems will be discussed based on contributions from polarization rotation and charged domain walls. PMID:25061239

Relationship of field-theory based single-boson-exchange potentials to static ones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amghar, A.; Desplanques, B.

2000-01-01

It is shown that field-theory based single-boson-exchange potentials cannot be identified to those of the Yukawa or Coulomb type that are currently inserted in the Schroedinger equation. The potential which is obtained rather correspond to this current single-boson-exchange potential corrected for the probability that the system under consideration is in a two-body component, therefore missing contributions due to the interaction of these two bodies while bosons are exchanged. The role of these contributions, which involve at least two-boson exchanges, is examined. The conditions that allow one to recover the usual single-boson-exchange potential are given. It is shown that the present results have some relation: (i) to the failure of the Bethe-Salpeter equation in reproducing the Dirac or Klein-Gordon equations in the limit where one of the constituents has a large mass, (ii) to the absence of corrections of relative order α log 1/α to a full calculation of the binding energy in the case of neutral massless bosons or (iii) to large corrections of wave-functions calculated perturbatively in some light-front approaches. Refs. 48 (author)

Noise-based logic hyperspace with the superposition of 2{sup N} states in a single wire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kish, Laszlo B. [Texas A and M University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College Station, TX 77843-3128 (United States)], E-mail: laszlo.kish@ece.tamu.edu; Khatri, Sunil; Sethuraman, Swaminathan [Texas A and M University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College Station, TX 77843-3128 (United States)

2009-05-11

In the introductory paper [L.B. Kish, Phys. Lett. A 373 (2009) 911], about noise-based logic, we showed how simple superpositions of single logic basis vectors can be achieved in a single wire. The superposition components were the N orthogonal logic basis vectors. Supposing that the different logic values have 'on/off' states only, the resultant discrete superposition state represents a single number with N bit accuracy in a single wire, where N is the number of orthogonal logic vectors in the base. In the present Letter, we show that the logic hyperspace (product) vectors defined in the introductory paper can be generalized to provide the discrete superposition of 2{sup N} orthogonal system states. This is equivalent to a multi-valued logic system with 2{sup 2{sup N}} logic values per wire. This is a similar situation to quantum informatics with N qubits, and hence we introduce the notion of noise-bit. This system has major differences compared to quantum informatics. The noise-based logic system is deterministic and each superposition element is instantly accessible with the high digital accuracy, via a real hardware parallelism, without decoherence and error correction, and without the requirement of repeating the logic operation many times to extract the probabilistic information. Moreover, the states in noise-based logic do not have to be normalized, and non-unitary operations can also be used. As an example, we introduce a string search algorithm which is O({radical}(M)) times faster than Grover's quantum algorithm (where M is the number of string entries), while it has the same hardware complexity class as the quantum algorithm.

A virus-based single-enzyme nanoreactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Comellas Aragones, M.; Engelkamp, H.; Claessen, V.I.; Sommerdijk, N.A.J.M.; Rowan, A.E.; Christianen, P.C.M.; Maan, J.C.; Verduin, B.J.M.; Cornelissen, J.J.L.M.; Nolte, R.J.M.

2007-01-01

Most enzyme studies are carried out in bulk aqueous solution, at the so-called ensemble level, but more recently studies have appeared in which enzyme activity is measured at the level of a single molecule, revealing previously unseen properties. To this end, enzymes have been chemically or

Structure observation of single solidified droplet by in situ controllable quenching based on nanocalorimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Bingge; Li, Linfang; Yang, Bin; Yan, Ming; Zhai, Qijie; Gao, Yulai

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Controllable quenching rate up to 15,000 K/s was realized by FSC. •FSC sample was novelly characterized by FIB and HRTEM. •Solidification structure with undercooling of 110.9 K was investigated. •This study opens a new approach in rapid solidification and FSC measurement. -- Abstract: Fast scanning calorimetry (FSC) based on nanocalorimetry and thin film technique is a newly developed attractive tool to investigate the solidification behavior of single droplet by in situ controllable ultrafast cooling. In this paper, we introduced this novel technique to in situ control the quenching of single Sn3.5Ag metallic droplet at cooling rate up to 15,000 K/s with corresponding undercooling of 110.9 K. In particular, the solidification structure of this real time quenched single droplet was observed and analyzed with focused ion beam (FIB), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). This research proposed a new approach to research the solidification structure of single droplet with precisely controlled size and extreme cooling rate

Single cocaine exposure does not alter striatal pre-synaptic dopamine function in mice: an [18 F]-FDOPA PET study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonsall, David R; Kokkinou, Michelle; Veronese, Mattia; Coello, Christopher; Wells, Lisa A; Howes, Oliver D

2017-12-01

Cocaine is a recreational drug of abuse that binds to the dopamine transporter, preventing reuptake of dopamine into pre-synaptic terminals. The increased presence of synaptic dopamine results in stimulation of both pre- and post-synaptic dopamine receptors, considered an important mechanism by which cocaine elicits its reinforcing properties. However, the effects of acute cocaine administration on pre-synaptic dopamine function remain unclear. Non-invasive imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography have revealed impaired pre-synaptic dopamine function in chronic cocaine users. Similar impairments have been seen in animal studies, with microdialysis experiments indicating decreased basal dopamine release. Here we use micro positron emission tomography imaging techniques in mice to measure dopamine synthesis capacity and determine the effect of acute cocaine administration of pre-synaptic dopamine function. We show that a dose of 20 mg/kg cocaine is sufficient to elicit hyperlocomotor activity, peaking 15-20 min post treatment (p dopamine synthesis capacity in the striatum was not significantly altered by acute cocaine treatment (KiCer: 0.0097 per min vs. 0.0112 per min in vehicle controls, p > 0.05). Furthermore, expression levels of two key enzymes related to dopamine synthesis, tyrosine hydroxylase and aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase, within the striatum of scanned mice were not significantly affected by acute cocaine pre-treatment (p > 0.05). Our findings suggest that while the regulation of dopamine synthesis and release in the striatum have been shown to change with chronic cocaine use, leading to a reduced basal tone, these adaptations to pre-synaptic dopaminergic neurons are not initiated following a single exposure to the drug. © 2017 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Altering Reservoir Wettability to Improve Production from Single Wells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

W. W. Weiss

2006-09-30

Many carbonate reservoirs are naturally fractured and typically produce less than 10% original oil in place during primary recovery. Spontaneous imbibition has proven an important mechanism for oil recovery from fractured reservoirs, which are usually weak waterflood candidates. In some situations, chemical stimulation can promote imbibition of water to alter the reservoir wettability toward water-wetness such that oil is produced at an economic rate from the rock matrix into fractures. In this project, cores and fluids from five reservoirs were used in laboratory tests: the San Andres formation (Fuhrman Masho and Eagle Creek fields) in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico; and the Interlake, Stony Mountain, and Red River formations from the Cedar Creek Anticline in Montana and South Dakota. Solutions of nonionic, anionic, and amphoteric surfactants with formation water were used to promote waterwetness. Some Fuhrman Masho cores soaked in surfactant solution had improved oil recovery up to 38%. Most Eagle Creek cores did not respond to any of the tested surfactants. Some Cedar Creek anticline cores had good response to two anionic surfactants (CD 128 and A246L). The results indicate that cores with higher permeability responded better to the surfactants. The increased recovery is mainly ascribed to increased water-wetness. It is suspected that rock mineralogy is also an important factor. The laboratory work generated three field tests of the surfactant soak process in the West Fuhrman Masho San Andres Unit. The flawlessly designed tests included mechanical well clean out, installation of new pumps, and daily well tests before and after the treatments. Treatments were designed using artificial intelligence (AI) correlations developed from 23 previous surfactant soak treatments. The treatments were conducted during the last quarter of 2006. One of the wells produced a marginal volume of incremental oil through October. It is interesting to note that the field

Real-time Bacterial Detection by Single Cell Based Sensors UsingSynchrotron FTIR Spectromicroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veiseh, Mandana; Veiseh, Omid; Martin, Michael C.; Bertozzi,Carolyn; Zhang, Miqin

2005-08-10

Microarrays of single macrophage cell based sensors weredeveloped and demonstrated for real time bacterium detection bysynchrotron FTIR microscopy. The cells were patterned on gold-SiO2substrates via a surface engineering technique by which the goldelectrodes were immobilized with fibronectin to mediate cell adhesion andthe silicon oxide background were passivated with PEG to resist proteinadsorption and cell adhesion. Cellular morphology and IR spectra ofsingle, double, and triple cells on gold electrodes exposed tolipopolysaccharide (LPS) of different concentrations were compared toreveal the detection capabilities of these biosensors. The single-cellbased sensors were found to generate the most significant IR wave numbervariation and thus provide the highest detection sensitivity. Changes inmorphology and IR spectrum for single cells exposed to LPS were found tobe time- and concentration-dependent and correlated with each other verywell. FTIR spectra from single cell arrays of gold electrodes withsurface area of 25 mu-m2, 100 mu-m2, and 400 mu-m2 were acquired usingboth synchrotron and conventional FTIR spectromicroscopes to study thesensitivity of detection. The results indicated that the developedsingle-cell platform can be used with conventional FTIRspectromicroscopy. This technique provides real-time, label-free, andrapid bacterial detection, and may allow for statistic and highthroughput analyses, and portability.

High luminous flux from single crystal phosphor-converted laser-based white lighting system

KAUST Repository

Cantore, Michael

2015-12-14

The efficiency droop of light emitting diodes (LEDs) with increasing current density limits the amount of light emitted per wafer area. Since low current densities are required for high efficiency operation, many LED die are needed for high power white light illumination systems. In contrast, the carrier density of laser diodes (LDs) clamps at threshold, so the efficiency of LDs does not droop above threshold and high efficiencies can be achieved at very high current densities. The use of a high power blue GaN-based LD coupled with a single crystal Ce-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Ce) sample was investigated for white light illumination applications. Under CW operation, a single phosphor-converted LD (pc-LD) die produced a peak luminous efficacy of 86.7 lm/W at 1.4 A and 4.24 V and a peak luminous flux of 1100 lm at 3.0 A and 4.85 V with a luminous efficacy of 75.6 lm/W. Simulations of a pc-LD confirm that the single crystal YAG:Ce sample did not experience thermal quenching at peak LD operating efficiency. These results show that a single pc-LD die is capable of emitting enough luminous flux for use in a high power white light illumination system.

Diazinon alters sperm chromatin structure in mice by phosphorylating nuclear protamines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pina-Guzman, B.; Solis-Heredia, M.J.; Quintanilla-Vega, B.

2005-01-01

Organophosphorus (OP) pesticides, widely used in agriculture and pest control, are associated with male reproductive effects, including sperm chromatin alterations, but the mechanisms underlying these effects are unknown. The main toxic action of OP is related to phosphorylation of proteins. Chemical alterations in sperm nuclear proteins (protamines), which pack DNA during the last steps of spermatogenesis, contribute to male reproductive toxicity. Therefore, in the present study, we tested the ability of diazinon (DZN), an OP compound, to alter sperm chromatin by phosphorylating nuclear protamines. Mice were injected with a single dose of DZN (8.12 mg/kg, i.p.), and killed 8 and 15 days after treatment. Quality of sperm from epididymis and vas deferens was evaluated through standard methods and chromatin condensation by flow cytometry (DNA Fragmented Index parameters: DFI and DFI%) and fluorescence microscopy using chromomycin-A 3 (CMA 3 ). Increases in DFI (15%), DFI% (4.5-fold), and CMA 3 (2-fold) were observed only at 8 days post-treatment, indicating an alteration in sperm chromatin condensation and DNA damage during late spermatid differentiation. In addition, an increase of phosphorous content (approximately 50%) in protamines, especially in the phosphoserine content (approximately 73%), was found at 8 days post-treatment. Sperm viability, motility, and morphology showed significant alterations at this time. These data strongly suggest that spermatozoa exposed during the late steps of maturation were the targets of DZN exposure. The correlation observed between the phosphorous content in nuclear protamines with DFI%, DFI, and CMA 3 provides evidence that phosphorylation of nuclear protamines is involved in the OP effects on sperm chromatin

Proximity-based differential single cell analysis of the niche to identify stem/progenitor cell regulators

Science.gov (United States)

Silberstein, Lev; Goncalves, Kevin A; Kharchenko, Peter V; Turcotte, Raphael; Kfoury, Youmna; Mercier, Francois; Baryawno, Ninib; Severe, Nicolas; Bachand, Jacqueline; Spencer, Joel; Papazian, Ani; Lee, Dongjun; Chitteti, Brahmananda Reddy; Srour, Edward F; Hoggatt, Jonathan; Tate, Tiffany; Celso, Cristina Lo; Ono, Noriaki; Nutt, Stephen; Heino, Jyrki; Sipilä, Kalle; Shioda, Toshihiro; Osawa, Masatake; Lin, Charles P; Hu, Guo-fu; Scadden, David T

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Physiological stem cell function is regulated by secreted factors produced by niche cells. In this study, we describe an unbiased approach based on differential single-cell gene expression analysis of mesenchymal osteolineage cells close to and further removed from hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells to identify candidate niche factors. Mesenchymal cells displayed distinct molecular profiles based on their relative location. Amongst the genes which were preferentially expressed in proximal cells, we functionally examined three secreted or cell surface molecules not previously connected to HSPC biology: the secreted RNase Angiogenin, the cytokine IL18 and the adhesion molecule Embigin and discovered that all of these factors are HSPC quiescence regulators. Our proximity-based differential single cell approach therefore reveals molecular heterogeneity within niche cells and can be used to identify novel extrinsic stem/progenitor cell regulators. Similar approaches could also be applied to other stem cell/niche pairs to advance understanding of microenvironmental regulation of stem cell function. PMID:27524439

Hemodynamics in Transplant Renal Artery Stenosis and its Alteration after Stent Implantation Based on a Patient-specific Computational Fluid Dynamics Model

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hong-Yang; Liu, Long-Shan; Cao, Hai-Ming; Li, Jun; Deng, Rong-Hai; Fu, Qian; Zhang, Huan-Xi; Fei, Ji-Guang; Wang, Chang-Xi

2017-01-01

Background: Accumulating studies on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) support the involvement of hemodynamic factors in artery stenosis. Based on a patient-specific CFD model, the present study aimed to investigate the hemodynamic characteristics of transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS) and its alteration after stent treatment. Methods: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) data of kidney transplant recipients in a single transplant center from April 2013 to November 2014 were reviewed. The three-dimensional geometry of transplant renal artery (TRA) was reconstructed from the qualified CTA images and categorized into three groups: the normal, stenotic, and stented groups. Hemodynamic parameters including pressure distribution, velocity, wall shear stress (WSS), and mass flow rate (MFR) were extracted. The data of hemodynamic parameters were expressed as median (interquartile range), and Mann–Whitney U-test was used for analysis. Results: Totally, 6 normal, 12 stenotic, and 6 stented TRAs were included in the analysis. TRAS presented nonuniform pressure distribution, adverse pressure gradient across stenosis throat, flow vortex, and a separation zone at downstream stenosis. Stenotic arteries had higher maximal velocity and maximal WSS (2.94 [2.14, 3.30] vs. 1.06 [0.89, 1.15] m/s, 256.5 [149.8, 349.4] vs. 41.7 [37.8, 45.3] Pa at end diastole, P = 0.001; 3.25 [2.67, 3.56] vs. 1.65 [1.18, 1.72] m/s, 281.3 [184.3, 364.7] vs. 65.8 [61.2, 71.9] Pa at peak systole, P = 0.001) and lower minimal WSS and MFRs (0.07 [0.03, 0.13] vs. 0.52 [0.45, 0.67] Pa, 1.5 [1.0, 3.0] vs. 11.0 [8.0, 11.3] g/s at end diastole, P = 0.001; 0.08 [0.03, 0.19] vs. 0.70 [0.60, 0.81] Pa, 2.0 [1.3, 3.3] vs. 16.5 [13.0, 20.3] g/s at peak systole, P = 0.001) as compared to normal arteries. Stent implantation ameliorated all the alterations of the above hemodynamic factors except low WSS. Conclusions: Hemodynamic factors were significantly changed in severe TRAS. Stent implantation can restore or

Hemodynamics in Transplant Renal Artery Stenosis and its Alteration after Stent Implantation Based on a Patient-specific Computational Fluid Dynamics Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hong-Yang; Liu, Long-Shan; Cao, Hai-Ming; Li, Jun; Deng, Rong-Hai; Fu, Qian; Zhang, Huan-Xi; Fei, Ji-Guang; Wang, Chang-Xi

Accumulating studies on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) support the involvement of hemodynamic factors in artery stenosis. Based on a patient-specific CFD model, the present study aimed to investigate the hemodynamic characteristics of transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS) and its alteration after stent treatment. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) data of kidney transplant recipients in a single transplant center from April 2013 to November 2014 were reviewed. The three-dimensional geometry of transplant renal artery (TRA) was reconstructed from the qualified CTA images and categorized into three groups: the normal, stenotic, and stented groups. Hemodynamic parameters including pressure distribution, velocity, wall shear stress (WSS), and mass flow rate (MFR) were extracted. The data of hemodynamic parameters were expressed as median (interquartile range), and Mann-Whitney U-test was used for analysis. Totally, 6 normal, 12 stenotic, and 6 stented TRAs were included in the analysis. TRAS presented nonuniform pressure distribution, adverse pressure gradient across stenosis throat, flow vortex, and a separation zone at downstream stenosis. Stenotic arteries had higher maximal velocity and maximal WSS (2.94 [2.14, 3.30] vs. 1.06 [0.89, 1.15] m/s, 256.5 [149.8, 349.4] vs. 41.7 [37.8, 45.3] Pa at end diastole, P= 0.001; 3.25 [2.67, 3.56] vs. 1.65 [1.18, 1.72] m/s, 281.3 [184.3, 364.7] vs. 65.8 [61.2, 71.9] Pa at peak systole, P= 0.001) and lower minimal WSS and MFRs (0.07 [0.03, 0.13] vs. 0.52 [0.45, 0.67] Pa, 1.5 [1.0, 3.0] vs. 11.0 [8.0, 11.3] g/s at end diastole, P= 0.001; 0.08 [0.03, 0.19] vs. 0.70 [0.60, 0.81] Pa, 2.0 [1.3, 3.3] vs. 16.5 [13.0, 20.3] g/s at peak systole, P= 0.001) as compared to normal arteries. Stent implantation ameliorated all the alterations of the above hemodynamic factors except low WSS. Hemodynamic factors were significantly changed in severe TRAS. Stent implantation can restore or ameliorate deleterious change of hemodynamic

Single layer and multilayer vacuum-arc coatings based on the nitride TiAlSiYN: composition, structure, properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beresnev, V.M.; Litovchenko, S.V.; Nemchenko, U.S.; Srebnyuk, P.A.; Mazilin, B.A.; Sobol, O.V.; Mejlekhov, A.A.; Barmin, A.E.; Serenko, TA.; Pogrebnyak, A.D.; Ivanov, O.N.; Kritsyna, E.V.; Stolbovoj, V.A.; Novikov, V.Yu.; Malikov, L.V.

2017-01-01

Using high-technological vacuum-arc evaporation in the atmosphere of nitrogen with ion bombardment, single- and multilayer coatings based on TiAlSiYN with high mechanical characteristics were obtained: hardness of the coatings reached 49.5 GPa, resistance to wear, with the value of the critical point L_C_5 reaching 184.92 N. The peculiarities of radiation-induced effect at applying bias potential U_b were found: formation of nitride coatings based on fcc metallic lattice with the preferred orientation of crystallites with the texture axis [111], as well as simultaneous growth of hardness. Hardness of both single- and multilayer coatings increases by 40...50% at the increase of U_b from 50 to 200 V. Formation of silicon-containing layers of TiAlSiYN during the deposition contributes to reaching increased hardness, which, in the case of single-layer coating obtained at U_b = -200 V is 49.5 GPa, which corresponds to superhard state. The mechanisms of structure formation, defining the resulting mechanical characteristics of single- and multi-layer coatings based on TiAlSiYN nitride have been discussed.

Alteration of consciousness in focal epilepsy: the global workspace alteration theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartolomei, Fabrice; McGonigal, Aileen; Naccache, Lionel

2014-01-01

Alteration of consciousness (AOC) is an important clinical manifestation of partial seizures that greatly impacts the quality of life of patients with epilepsy. Several theories have been proposed in the last fifty years. An emerging concept in neurology is the global workspace (GW) theory that postulates that access to consciousness (from several sensorial modalities) requires transient coordinated activity from associative cortices, in particular the prefrontal cortex and the posterior parietal associative cortex. Several lines of evidence support the view that partial seizures alter consciousness through disturbance of the GW. In particular, a nonlinear relation has been shown between excess of synchronization in the GW regions and the degree of AOC. Changes in thalamocortical synchrony occurring during the spreading of the ictal activity seem particularly involved in the mechanism of altered consciousness. This link between abnormal synchrony and AOC offers new perspectives in the treatment of the AOC since means of decreasing consciousness alteration in seizures could improve patients' quality of life. © 2013.

Single cyanide-bridged Mo(W)/S/Cu cluster-based coordination polymers: Reactant- and stoichiometry-dependent syntheses, effective photocatalytic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Jinfang, E-mail: zjf260@jiangnan.edu.cn [China-Australia Joint Research Center for Functional Molecular Materials, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122 (China); Wang, Chao [China-Australia Joint Research Center for Functional Molecular Materials, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122 (China); Wang, Yinlin; Chen, Weitao [China-Australia Joint Research Center for Functional Molecular Materials, Scientific Research Academy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Cifuentes, Marie P.; Humphrey, Mark G. [Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200 (Australia); Zhang, Chi, E-mail: chizhang@jiangnan.edu.cn [China-Australia Joint Research Center for Functional Molecular Materials, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122 (China)

2015-11-15

The systematic study on the reaction variables affecting single cyanide-bridged Mo(W)/S/Cu cluster-based coordination polymers (CPs) is firstly demonstrated. Five anionic single cyanide-bridged Mo(W)/S/Cu cluster-based CPs {[Pr_4N][WS_4Cu_3(CN)_2]}{sub n} (1), {[Pr_4N][WS_4Cu_4(CN)_3]}{sub n} (2), {[Pr_4N][WOS_3Cu_3(CN)_2]}{sub n} (3), {[Bu_4N][WOS_3Cu_3(CN)_2]}{sub n} (4) and {[Bu_4N][MoOS_3Cu_3(CN)_2]}{sub n} (5) were prepared by varying the molar ratios of the starting materials, and the specific cations, cluster building blocks and central metal atoms in the cluster building blocks. 1 possesses an anionic 3D diamondoid framework constructed from 4-connected T-shaped clusters [WS{sub 4}Cu{sub 3}]{sup +} and single CN{sup −} bridges. 2 is fabricated from 6-connected planar ‘open’ clusters [WS{sub 4}Cu{sub 4}]{sup 2+} and single CN{sup −} bridges, forming an anionic 3D architecture with an “ACS” topology. 3 and 4 exhibit novel anionic 2-D double-layer networks, both constructed from nest-shaped clusters [WOS{sub 3}Cu{sub 3}]{sup +} linked by single CN{sup −} bridges, but containing the different cations [Pr{sub 4}N]{sup +} and [Bu{sub 4}N]{sup +}, respectively. 5 is constructed from nest-shaped clusters [MoOS{sub 3}Cu{sub 3}]{sup +} and single CN{sup −} bridges, with an anionic 3D diamondoid framework. The anionic frameworks of 1-5, all sustained by single CN{sup −} bridges, are non-interpenetrating and exhibit huge potential void volumes. Employing differing molar ratios of the reactants and varying the cluster building blocks resulted in differing single cyanide-bridged Mo(W)/S/Cu cluster-based CPs, while replacing the cation ([Pr{sub 4}N]{sup +} vs. [Bu{sub 4}N]{sup +}) was found to have negligible impact on the nature of the architecture. Unexpectedly, replacement of the central metal atom (W vs. Mo) in the cluster building blocks had a pronounced effect on the framework. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activities of heterothiometallic

Single cyanide-bridged Mo(W)/S/Cu cluster-based coordination polymers: Reactant- and stoichiometry-dependent syntheses, effective photocatalytic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Jinfang; Wang, Chao; Wang, Yinlin; Chen, Weitao; Cifuentes, Marie P.; Humphrey, Mark G.; Zhang, Chi

2015-01-01

The systematic study on the reaction variables affecting single cyanide-bridged Mo(W)/S/Cu cluster-based coordination polymers (CPs) is firstly demonstrated. Five anionic single cyanide-bridged Mo(W)/S/Cu cluster-based CPs {[Pr_4N][WS_4Cu_3(CN)_2]}_n (1), {[Pr_4N][WS_4Cu_4(CN)_3]}_n (2), {[Pr_4N][WOS_3Cu_3(CN)_2]}_n (3), {[Bu_4N][WOS_3Cu_3(CN)_2]}_n (4) and {[Bu_4N][MoOS_3Cu_3(CN)_2]}_n (5) were prepared by varying the molar ratios of the starting materials, and the specific cations, cluster building blocks and central metal atoms in the cluster building blocks. 1 possesses an anionic 3D diamondoid framework constructed from 4-connected T-shaped clusters [WS_4Cu_3]"+ and single CN"− bridges. 2 is fabricated from 6-connected planar ‘open’ clusters [WS_4Cu_4]"2"+ and single CN"− bridges, forming an anionic 3D architecture with an “ACS” topology. 3 and 4 exhibit novel anionic 2-D double-layer networks, both constructed from nest-shaped clusters [WOS_3Cu_3]"+ linked by single CN"− bridges, but containing the different cations [Pr_4N]"+ and [Bu_4N]"+, respectively. 5 is constructed from nest-shaped clusters [MoOS_3Cu_3]"+ and single CN"− bridges, with an anionic 3D diamondoid framework. The anionic frameworks of 1-5, all sustained by single CN"− bridges, are non-interpenetrating and exhibit huge potential void volumes. Employing differing molar ratios of the reactants and varying the cluster building blocks resulted in differing single cyanide-bridged Mo(W)/S/Cu cluster-based CPs, while replacing the cation ([Pr_4N]"+ vs. [Bu_4N]"+) was found to have negligible impact on the nature of the architecture. Unexpectedly, replacement of the central metal atom (W vs. Mo) in the cluster building blocks had a pronounced effect on the framework. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activities of heterothiometallic cluster-based CPs were firstly explored by monitoring the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation, which reveals that 2

Gigantic uniaxial pressure effect in single crystals of iron-based superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakashima, Y.; Yui, H.; Sasagawa, T.

2010-01-01

In order to elucidate the anisotropic pressure effect on superconductivity in an iron-based superconductor, magnetization measurements have been performed in Ba(Fe 0.92 Co 0.08 ) 2 As 2 single crystals under uniaxial pressures applied along the c-axis. Gigantic T c suppression, dT c /dP //c = -15 K/GPa, was observed when the anisotropic deformation with the a-expansion and c-compression was induced by the c-pressure, which should be compared with dT c /dP c .

Single Molecule Nano-Metronome

OpenAIRE

Buranachai, Chittanon; McKinney, Sean A.; Ha, Taekjip

2006-01-01

We constructed a DNA-based nano-mechanical device called the nano-metronome. Our device is made by introducing complementary single stranded overhangs at the two arms of the DNA four-way junction. The ticking rates of this stochastic metronome depend on ion concentrations and can be changed by a set of DNA-based switches to deactivate/reactivate the sticky end. Since the device displays clearly distinguishable responses even with a single basepair difference, it may lead to a single molecule ...

Single-frequency, fully integrated, miniature DPSS laser based on monolithic resonator

Science.gov (United States)

Dudzik, G.; Sotor, J.; Krzempek, K.; Soboń, G.; Abramski, K. M.

2014-02-01

We present a single frequency, stable, narrow linewidth, miniature laser sources operating at 532 nm (or 1064 nm) based on a monolithic resonators. Such resonators utilize birefringent filters formed by YVO4 beam displacer and KTP or YVO4 crystals to force single frequency operation at 532 nm or 1064 nm, respectively. In both configurations Nd:YVO4 gain crystal is used. The resonators dimensions are 1x1x10.5 mm3 and 1x1x8.5 mm3 for green and infrared configurations, respectively. Presented laser devices, with total dimensions of 40x52x120 mm3, are fully equipped with driving electronics, pump diode, optical and mechanical components. The highly integrated (36x15x65 mm3) low noise driving electronics with implemented digital PID controller was designed. It provides pump current and resonator temperature stability of ±30 μA@650 mA and ±0,003ºC, respectively. The laser parameters can be set and monitored via the USB interface by external application. The developed laser construction is universal. Hence, the other wavelengths can be obtained only by replacing the monolithic resonator. The optical output powers in single frequency regime was at the level of 42 mW@532 nm and 0.5 W@1064 nm with the long-term fluctuations of ±0.85 %. The linewidth and the passive frequency stability under the free running conditions were Δν < 100 kHz and 3ṡ10-9@1 s integration time, respectively. The total electrical power supply consumption of laser module was only 4 W. Presented compact, single frequency laser operating at 532 nm and 1064 nm may be used as an excellent source for laser vibrometry, interferometry or seed laser for fiber amplifiers.

Unique mutation portraits and frequent COL2A1 gene alteration in chondrosarcoma

Science.gov (United States)

Totoki, Yasushi; Yoshida, Akihiko; Hosoda, Fumie; Nakamura, Hiromi; Hama, Natsuko; Ogura, Koichi; Yoshida, Aki; Fujiwara, Tomohiro; Arai, Yasuhito; Toguchida, Junya; Tsuda, Hitoshi; Miyano, Satoru; Kawai, Akira

2014-01-01

Chondrosarcoma is the second most frequent malignant bone tumor. However, the etiological background of chondrosarcomagenesis remains largely unknown, along with details on molecular alterations and potential therapeutic targets. Massively parallel paired-end sequencing of whole genomes of 10 primary chondrosarcomas revealed that the process of accumulation of somatic mutations is homogeneous irrespective of the pathological subtype or the presence of IDH1 mutations, is unique among a range of cancer types, and shares significant commonalities with that of prostate cancer. Clusters of structural alterations localized within a single chromosome were observed in four cases. Combined with targeted resequencing of additional cartilaginous tumor cohorts, we identified somatic alterations of the COL2A1 gene, which encodes an essential extracellular matrix protein in chondroskeletal development, in 19.3% of chondrosarcoma and 31.7% of enchondroma cases. Epigenetic regulators (IDH1 and YEATS2) and an activin/BMP signal component (ACVR2A) were recurrently altered. Furthermore, a novel FN1-ACVR2A fusion transcript was observed in both chondrosarcoma and osteochondromatosis cases. With the characteristic accumulative process of somatic changes as a background, molecular defects in chondrogenesis and aberrant epigenetic control are primarily causative of both benign and malignant cartilaginous tumors. PMID:25024164

Finite state projection based bounds to compare chemical master equation models using single-cell data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fox, Zachary [School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 (United States); Neuert, Gregor [Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 (United States); Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 (United States); Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University School of Engineering, Nashville, Tennessee 37232 (United States); Munsky, Brian [School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 (United States); Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 (United States)

2016-08-21

Emerging techniques now allow for precise quantification of distributions of biological molecules in single cells. These rapidly advancing experimental methods have created a need for more rigorous and efficient modeling tools. Here, we derive new bounds on the likelihood that observations of single-cell, single-molecule responses come from a discrete stochastic model, posed in the form of the chemical master equation. These strict upper and lower bounds are based on a finite state projection approach, and they converge monotonically to the exact likelihood value. These bounds allow one to discriminate rigorously between models and with a minimum level of computational effort. In practice, these bounds can be incorporated into stochastic model identification and parameter inference routines, which improve the accuracy and efficiency of endeavors to analyze and predict single-cell behavior. We demonstrate the applicability of our approach using simulated data for three example models as well as for experimental measurements of a time-varying stochastic transcriptional response in yeast.

ESR1 single nucleotide polymorphism rs1062577 (c.*3804T>A) alters the susceptibility of breast cancer risk in Iranian population.

Science.gov (United States)

Dehghan, Zahra; Sadeghi, Samira; Tabatabaeian, Hossein; Ghaedi, Kamran; Azadeh, Mansoureh; Fazilati, Mohammad; Bagheri, Fatemeh

2017-05-05

Albeit single nucleotide polymorphisms related to ESR1 gene have been studied, only a number of them have been reported to be associated with breast cancer risk. rs1062577 is one of the most recent microRNA-related ESR1 SNPs; however, no study has been conducted to investigate the significance this polymorphism in Iranian population. In this study, we aimed to investigate the frequency and also the association between rs1062577 and breast cancer. rs1062577 position was genotyped by Tetra-primer ARMS-PCR in totally 182 blood specimens obtained from breast cancer patients (n=86), and healthy blood donors (n=96). The distribution of different genotypes was statistically analyzed in terms of the potential association between rs1062577 different alleles, breast cancer risk and clinicopathological criteria of breast cancer patients. The statistical analyses confidently indicated that rs1062577 A allele is associated with the increased breast cancer risk in both univariate and multivariate regression models (Odds Ratio=8.403 and 32.602 respectively). rs1062577 T allele was statistically associated with stage I of breast cancer patients (p-value=0.025). In silico studies implied that rs1062577 A allele can alter the binding capacity of ESR1 mRNA and miRNAs via either breakage or formation of hydrogen bonds. rs1062577 A allele is significantly and dramatically associated with the elevated risk and greater stages of breast cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stress relaxation analysis of single chondrocytes using porohyperelastic model based on AFM experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trung Dung Nguyen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Based on atomic force microscopytechnique, we found that the chondrocytes exhibits stress relaxation behavior. We explored the mechanism of this stress relaxation behavior and concluded that the intracellular fluid exuding out from the cells during deformation plays the most important role in the stress relaxation. We applied the inverse finite element analysis technique to determine necessary material parameters for porohyperelastic (PHE model to simulate stress relaxation behavior as this model is proven capable of capturing the non-linear behavior and the fluid-solid interaction during the stress relaxation of the single chondrocytes. It is observed that PHE model can precisely capture the stress relaxation behavior of single chondrocytes and would be a suitable model for cell biomechanics.

Piezoelectric peptide-based nanogenerator enhanced by single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vu Nguyen

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Peptide has recently been demonstrated as a sustainable and smart material for piezoelectric energy conversion. Although the power output was improved compared to other biomaterials, the use of a piezoelectric device alone can only capture the energy from the minute deformation in materials. In comparison, the triboelectric effect can convert mechanical energy from large motion. Consequently, utilizing both piezoelectric and triboelectric effects is of significant research interest due to their complementary energy conversion mechanisms. Here we demonstrated a hybrid nanogenerator that combined a peptide-based piezoelectric nanogenerator with a single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerator. Our device structure enabled the voltage and current outputs of each individual type of nanogenerator to be superposed in the hybrid nanogenerator, producing overall constructive outputs. The design of our device also enabled a simplified configuration of hybrid nanogenerator. This study is important not only for the enhancement of peptide-based piezoelectric device but also for the future design of hybrid piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators.

Optical tweezers reveal how proteins alter replication

Science.gov (United States)

Chaurasiya, Kathy

Single molecule force spectroscopy is a powerful method that explores the DNA interaction properties of proteins involved in a wide range of fundamental biological processes such as DNA replication, transcription, and repair. We use optical tweezers to capture and stretch a single DNA molecule in the presence of proteins that bind DNA and alter its mechanical properties. We quantitatively characterize the DNA binding mechanisms of proteins in order to provide a detailed understanding of their function. In this work, we focus on proteins involved in replication of Escherichia coli (E. coli ), endogenous eukaryotic retrotransposons Ty3 and LINE-1, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). DNA polymerases replicate the entire genome of the cell, and bind both double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) during DNA replication. The replicative DNA polymerase in the widely-studied model system E. coli is the DNA polymerase III subunit alpha (DNA pol III alpha). We use optical tweezers to determine that UmuD, a protein that regulates bacterial mutagenesis through its interactions with DNA polymerases, specifically disrupts alpha binding to ssDNA. This suggests that UmuD removes alpha from its ssDNA template to allow DNA repair proteins access to the damaged DNA, and to facilitate exchange of the replicative polymerase for an error-prone translesion synthesis (TLS) polymerase that inserts nucleotides opposite the lesions, so that bacterial DNA replication may proceed. This work demonstrates a biophysical mechanism by which E. coli cells tolerate DNA damage. Retroviruses and retrotransposons reproduce by copying their RNA genome into the nuclear DNA of their eukaryotic hosts. Retroelements encode proteins called nucleic acid chaperones, which rearrange nucleic acid secondary structure and are therefore required for successful replication. The chaperone activity of these proteins requires strong binding affinity for both single- and double-stranded nucleic

Single-item screening for agoraphobic symptoms : validation of a web-based audiovisual screening instrument

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ballegooijen, Wouter; Riper, Heleen; Donker, Tara; Martin Abello, Katherina; Marks, Isaac; Cuijpers, Pim

2012-01-01

The advent of web-based treatments for anxiety disorders creates a need for quick and valid online screening instruments, suitable for a range of social groups. This study validates a single-item multimedia screening instrument for agoraphobia, part of the Visual Screener for Common Mental Disorders

Frequency control of a 1163 nm singly resonant OPO based on MgO:PPLN

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gross, P.; Lindsay, I.D.; Lee, Christopher James; Nittmann, M.; Bauer, T.; Bartschke, J.; Warring, U.; Fischer, A.; Kellenbauer, A.; Boller, Klaus J.

2010-01-01

We report the realization of a singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (SRO) that is designed to provide narrow-bandwidth, continuously tunable radiation at a wavelength of 1163 nm for optical cooling of osmium ions. The SRO is based on periodically poled, magnesium-oxide-doped lithium niobate

Toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction triggered isothermal DNA amplification for highly sensitive and selective fluorescent detection of single-base mutation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jing; Ding, Yongshun; Liu, Xingti; Wang, Lei; Jiang, Wei

2014-09-15

Highly sensitive and selective detection strategy for single-base mutations is essential for risk assessment of malignancy and disease prognosis. In this work, a fluorescent detection method for single-base mutation was proposed based on high selectivity of toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction (TSDR) and powerful signal amplification capability of isothermal DNA amplification. A discrimination probe was specially designed with a stem-loop structure and an overhanging toehold domain. Hybridization between the toehold domain and the perfect matched target initiated the TSDR along with the unfolding of the discrimination probe. Subsequently, the target sequence acted as a primer to initiate the polymerization and nicking reactions, which released a great abundant of short sequences. Finally, the released strands were annealed with the reporter probe, launching another polymerization and nicking reaction to produce lots of G-quadruplex DNA, which could bind the N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX to yield an enhanced fluorescence response. However, when there was even a single base mismatch in the target DNA, the TSDR was suppressed and so subsequent isothermal DNA amplification and fluorescence response process could not occur. The proposed approach has been successfully implemented for the identification of the single-base mutant sequences in the human KRAS gene with a detection limit of 1.8 pM. Furthermore, a recovery of 90% was obtained when detecting the target sequence in spiked HeLa cells lysate, demonstrating the feasibility of this detection strategy for single-base mutations in biological samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Superconducting single electron transistor for charge sensing in Si/SiGe-based quantum dots

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhen

Si-based quantum devices, including Si/SiGe quantum dots (QD), are promising candidates for spin-based quantum bits (quits), which are a potential platform for quantum information processing. Meanwhile, qubit readout remains a challenging task related to semiconductor-based quantum computation. This thesis describes two readout devices for Si/SiGe QDs and the techniques for developing them from a traditional single electron transistor (SET). By embedding an SET in a tank circuit and operating it in the radio-frequency (RF) regime, a superconducting RF-SET has quick response as well as ultra high charge sensitivity and can be an excellent charge sensor for the QDs. We demonstrate such RF-SETs for QDs in a Si/SiGe heterostructure. Characterization of the SET in magnetic fields is studied for future exploration of advanced techniques such as spin detection and spin state manipulation. By replacing the tank circuit with a high-quality-factor microwave cavity, the embedded SET will be operated in the supercurrent regime as a single Cooper pair transistor (CPT) to further increase the charge sensitivity and reduce any dissipation. The operating principle and implementation of the cavity-embedded CPT (cCPT) will be introduced.

The Seepage Simulation of Single Hole and Composite Gas Drainage Based on LB Method

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yanhao; Zhong, Qiu; Gong, Zhenzhao

2018-01-01

Gas drainage is the most effective method to prevent and solve coal mine gas power disasters. It is very important to study the seepage flow law of gas in fissure coal gas. The LB method is a simplified computational model based on micro-scale, especially for the study of seepage problem. Based on fracture seepage mathematical model on the basis of single coal gas drainage, using the LB method during coal gas drainage of gas flow numerical simulation, this paper maps the single-hole drainage gas, symmetric slot and asymmetric slot, the different width of the slot combined drainage area gas flow under working condition of gas cloud of gas pressure, flow path diagram and flow velocity vector diagram, and analyses the influence on gas seepage field under various working conditions, and also discusses effective drainage method of the center hole slot on both sides, and preliminary exploration that is related to the combination of gas drainage has been carried on as well.

Gearbox Fault Diagnosis in a Wind Turbine Using Single Sensor Based Blind Source Separation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuning Qian

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a single sensor based blind source separation approach, namely, the wavelet-assisted stationary subspace analysis (WSSA, for gearbox fault diagnosis in a wind turbine. Continuous wavelet transform (CWT is used as a preprocessing tool to decompose a single sensor measurement data into a set of wavelet coefficients to meet the multidimensional requirement of the stationary subspace analysis (SSA. The SSA is a blind source separation technique that can separate the multidimensional signals into stationary and nonstationary source components without the need for independency and prior information of the source signals. After that, the separated nonstationary source component with the maximum kurtosis value is analyzed by the enveloping spectral analysis to identify potential fault-related characteristic frequencies. Case studies performed on a wind turbine gearbox test system verify the effectiveness of the WSSA approach and indicate that it outperforms independent component analysis (ICA and empirical mode decomposition (EMD, as well as the spectral-kurtosis-based enveloping, for wind turbine gearbox fault diagnosis.

Single particle analysis based on Zernike phase contrast transmission electron microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Danev, Radostin; Nagayama, Kuniaki

2008-02-01

We present the first application of Zernike phase-contrast transmission electron microscopy to single-particle 3D reconstruction of a protein, using GroEL chaperonin as the test specimen. We evaluated the performance of the technique by comparing 3D models derived from Zernike phase contrast imaging, with models from conventional underfocus phase contrast imaging. The same resolution, about 12A, was achieved by both imaging methods. The reconstruction based on Zernike phase contrast data required about 30% fewer particles. The advantages and prospects of each technique are discussed.

Constructivist, Problem-Based Learning Does Work: A Meta-Analysis of Curricular Comparisons Involving a Single Medical School

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Henk G.; van der Molen, Henk T.; te Winkel, Wilco W. R.; Wijnen, Wynand H. F. W.

2009-01-01

Effects of problem-based learning as reported in curricular comparison studies have been shown to be inconsistent over different medical schools. Therefore, we decided to summarize effects of a single well-established problem-based curriculum rather than to add up sometimes-conflicting findings from different problem-based curricula. Effect sizes…

A jackknife approach to quantifying single-trial correlation between covariance-based metrics undefined on a single-trial basis.

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, Craig G; Thompson, William H; Bosman, Conrado A; Fries, Pascal

2015-07-01

The quantification of covariance between neuronal activities (functional connectivity) requires the observation of correlated changes and therefore multiple observations. The strength of such neuronal correlations may itself undergo moment-by-moment fluctuations, which might e.g. lead to fluctuations in single-trial metrics such as reaction time (RT), or may co-fluctuate with the correlation between activity in other brain areas. Yet, quantifying the relation between moment-by-moment co-fluctuations in neuronal correlations is precluded by the fact that neuronal correlations are not defined per single observation. The proposed solution quantifies this relation by first calculating neuronal correlations for all leave-one-out subsamples (i.e. the jackknife replications of all observations) and then correlating these values. Because the correlation is calculated between jackknife replications, we address this approach as jackknife correlation (JC). First, we demonstrate the equivalence of JC to conventional correlation for simulated paired data that are defined per observation and therefore allow the calculation of conventional correlation. While the JC recovers the conventional correlation precisely, alternative approaches, like sorting-and-binning, result in detrimental effects of the analysis parameters. We then explore the case of relating two spectral correlation metrics, like coherence, that require multiple observation epochs, where the only viable alternative analysis approaches are based on some form of epoch subdivision, which results in reduced spectral resolution and poor spectral estimators. We show that JC outperforms these approaches, particularly for short epoch lengths, without sacrificing any spectral resolution. Finally, we note that the JC can be applied to relate fluctuations in any smooth metric that is not defined on single observations. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Bolometric-Effect-Based Wavelength-Selective Photodetectors Using Sorted Single Chirality Carbon Nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Suoming; Cai, Le; Wang, Tongyu; Shi, Rongmei; Miao, Jinshui; Wei, Li; Chen, Yuan; Sepúlveda, Nelson; Wang, Chuan

2015-01-01

This paper exploits the chirality-dependent optical properties of single-wall carbon nanotubes for applications in wavelength-selective photodetectors. We demonstrate that thin-film transistors made with networks of carbon nanotubes work effectively as light sensors under laser illumination. Such photoresponse was attributed to photothermal effect instead of photogenerated carriers and the conclusion is further supported by temperature measurements. Additionally, by using different types of carbon nanotubes, including a single chirality (9,8) nanotube, the devices exhibit wavelength-selective response, which coincides well with the absorption spectra of the corresponding carbon nanotubes. This is one of the first reports of controllable and wavelength-selective bolometric photoresponse in macroscale assemblies of chirality-sorted carbon nanotubes. The results presented here provide a viable route for achieving bolometric-effect-based photodetectors with programmable response spanning from visible to near-infrared by using carbon nanotubes with pre-selected chiralities. PMID:26643777

Chemical characterization of the acid alteration of diesel fuel: Non-targeted analysis by two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry with tile-based Fisher ratio and combinatorial threshold determination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parsons, Brendon A.; Pinkerton, David K.; Wright, Bob W.; Synovec, Robert E.

2016-04-01

The illicit chemical alteration of petroleum fuels is of scientific interest, particularly to regulatory agencies which set fuel specifications, or excises based on those specifications. One type of alteration is the reaction of diesel fuel with concentrated sulfuric acid. Such reactions are known to subtly alter the chemical composition of the fuel, particularly the aromatic species native to the fuel. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC–TOFMS) is ideally suited for the analysis of diesel fuel, but may provide the analyst with an overwhelming amount of data, particularly in sample-class comparison experiments comprised of many samples. The tile-based Fisher-ratio (F-ratio) method reduces the abundance of data in a GC × GC–TOFMS experiment to only the peaks which significantly distinguish the unaltered and acid altered sample classes. Three samples of diesel fuel from different filling stations were each altered to discover chemical features, i.e., analyte peaks, which were consistently changed by the acid reaction. Using different fuels prioritizes the discovery of features which are likely to be robust to the variation present between fuel samples and which will consequently be useful in determining whether an unknown sample has been acid altered. The subsequent analysis confirmed that aromatic species are removed by the acid alteration, with the degree of removal consistent with predicted reactivity toward electrophilic aromatic sulfonation. Additionally, we observed that alkenes and alkynes were also removed from the fuel, and that sulfur dioxide or compounds that degrade to sulfur dioxide are generated by the acid alteration. In addition to applying the previously reported tile-based F-ratio method, this report also expands null distribution analysis to algorithmically determine an F-ratio threshold to confidently select only the features which are sufficiently class-distinguishing. When

The clinical application of single-sperm-based SNP haplotyping for PGD of osteogenesis imperfecta.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Linjun; Diao, Zhenyu; Xu, Zhipeng; Zhou, Jianjun; Yan, Guijun; Sun, Haixiang

2018-05-15

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder, presenting either autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive or X-linked inheritance patterns. The majority of OI cases are autosomal dominant and are caused by heterozygous mutations in either the COL1A1 or COL1A2 gene. In these dominant disorders, allele dropout (ADO) can lead to misdiagnosis in preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Polymorphic markers linked to the mutated genes have been used to establish haplotypes for identifying ADO and ensuring the accuracy of PGD. However, the haplotype of male patients cannot be determined without data from affected relatives. Here, we developed a method for single-sperm-based single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) haplotyping via next-generation sequencing (NGS) for the PGD of OI. After NGS, 10 informative polymorphic SNP markers located upstream and downstream of the COL1A1 gene and its pathogenic mutation site were linked to individual alleles in a single sperm from an affected male. After haplotyping, a normal blastocyst was transferred to the uterus for a subsequent frozen embryo transfer cycle. The accuracy of PGD was confirmed by amniocentesis at 19 weeks of gestation. A healthy infant weighing 4,250 g was born via vaginal delivery at the 40th week of gestation. Single-sperm-based SNP haplotyping can be applied for PGD of any monogenic disorders or de novo mutations in males in whom the haplotype of paternal mutations cannot be determined due to a lack of affected relatives. ADO: allele dropout; DI: dentinogenesis imperfect; ESHRE: European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology; FET: frozen embryo transfer; gDNA: genomic DNA; ICSI: intracytoplasmic sperm injection; IVF: in vitro fertilization; MDA: multiple displacement amplification; NGS: next-generation sequencing; OI: osteogenesis imperfect; PBS: phosphate buffer saline; PCR: polymerase chain reaction; PGD: preimplantation genetic diagnosis; SNP: single-nucleotide polymorphism; STR

Reliable Dual Tensor Model Estimation in Single and Crossing Fibers Based on Jeffreys Prior

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jianfei; Poot, Dirk H. J.; Caan, Matthan W. A.; Su, Tanja; Majoie, Charles B. L. M.; van Vliet, Lucas J.; Vos, Frans M.

2016-01-01

Purpose This paper presents and studies a framework for reliable modeling of diffusion MRI using a data-acquisition adaptive prior. Methods Automated relevance determination estimates the mean of the posterior distribution of a rank-2 dual tensor model exploiting Jeffreys prior (JARD). This data-acquisition prior is based on the Fisher information matrix and enables the assessment whether two tensors are mandatory to describe the data. The method is compared to Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) of the dual tensor model and to FSL’s ball-and-stick approach. Results Monte Carlo experiments demonstrated that JARD’s volume fractions correlated well with the ground truth for single and crossing fiber configurations. In single fiber configurations JARD automatically reduced the volume fraction of one compartment to (almost) zero. The variance in fractional anisotropy (FA) of the main tensor component was thereby reduced compared to MLE. JARD and MLE gave a comparable outcome in data simulating crossing fibers. On brain data, JARD yielded a smaller spread in FA along the corpus callosum compared to MLE. Tract-based spatial statistics demonstrated a higher sensitivity in detecting age-related white matter atrophy using JARD compared to both MLE and the ball-and-stick approach. Conclusions The proposed framework offers accurate and precise estimation of diffusion properties in single and dual fiber regions. PMID:27760166

Vorinostat differentially alters 3D nuclear structure of cancer and non-cancerous esophageal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Nandakumar, Vivek; Hansen, Nanna; Glenn, Honor L; Han, Jessica H; Helland, Stephanie; Hernandez, Kathryn; Senechal, Patti; Johnson, Roger H; Bussey, Kimberly J; Meldrum, Deirdre R

2016-08-09

The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor vorinostat has received significant attention in recent years as an 'epigenetic' drug used to treat solid tumors. However, its mechanisms of action are not entirely understood, particularly with regard to its interaction with the aberrations in 3D nuclear structure that accompany neoplastic progression. We investigated the impact of vorinostat on human esophageal epithelial cell lines derived from normal, metaplastic (pre-cancerous), and malignant tissue. Using a combination of novel optical computed tomography (CT)-based quantitative 3D absorption microscopy and conventional confocal fluorescence microscopy, we show that subjecting malignant cells to vorinostat preferentially alters their 3D nuclear architecture relative to non-cancerous cells. Optical CT (cell CT) imaging of fixed single cells showed that drug-treated cancer cells exhibit significant alterations in nuclear morphometry. Confocal microscopy revealed that vorinostat caused changes in the distribution of H3K9ac-marked euchromatin and H3K9me3-marked constitutive heterochromatin. Additionally, 3D immuno-FISH showed that drug-induced expression of the DNA repair gene MGMT was accompanied by spatial relocation toward the center of the nucleus in the nuclei of metaplastic but not in non-neoplastic cells. Our data suggest that vorinostat's differential modulation of 3D nuclear architecture in normal and abnormal cells could play a functional role in its anti-cancer action.

Structural Basis for the Altered PAM Specificities of Engineered CRISPR-Cas9.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirano, Seiichi; Nishimasu, Hiroshi; Ishitani, Ryuichiro; Nureki, Osamu

2016-03-17

The RNA-guided endonuclease Cas9 cleaves double-stranded DNA targets bearing a PAM (protospacer adjacent motif) and complementarity to the guide RNA. A recent study showed that, whereas wild-type Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) recognizes the 5'-NGG-3' PAM, the engineered VQR, EQR, and VRER SpCas9 variants recognize the 5'-NGA-3', 5'-NGAG-3', and 5'-NGCG-3' PAMs, respectively, thus expanding the targetable sequences in Cas9-mediated genome editing applications. Here, we present the high-resolution crystal structures of the three SpCas9 variants in complexes with a single-guide RNA and its altered PAM-containing, partially double-stranded DNA targets. A structural comparison of the three SpCas9 variants with wild-type SpCas9 revealed that the multiple mutations synergistically induce an unexpected displacement in the phosphodiester backbone of the PAM duplex, thereby allowing the SpCas9 variants to directly recognize the altered PAM nucleotides. Our findings explain the altered PAM specificities of the SpCas9 variants and establish a framework for further rational engineering of CRISPR-Cas9. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single-cell nanotoxicity assays of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Eustaquio, Trisha; Leary, James F

2012-01-01

Properly evaluating the nanotoxicity of nanoparticles involves much more than bulk-cell assays of cell death by necrosis. Cells exposed to nanoparticles may undergo repairable oxidative stress and DNA damage or be induced into apoptosis. Exposure to nanoparticles may cause the cells to alter their proliferation or differentiation or their cell-cell signaling with neighboring cells in a tissue. Nanoparticles are usually more toxic to some cell subpopulations than others, and toxicity often varies with cell cycle. All of these facts dictate that any nanotoxicity assay must be at the single-cell level and must try whenever feasible and reasonable to include many of these other factors. Focusing on one type of quantitative measure of nanotoxicity, we describe flow and scanning image cytometry approaches to measuring nanotoxicity at the single-cell level by using a commonly used assay for distinguishing between necrotic and apoptotic causes of cell death by one type of nanoparticle. Flow cytometry is fast and quantitative, provided that the cells can be prepared into a single-cell suspension for analysis. But when cells cannot be put into suspension without altering nanotoxicity results, or if morphology, attachment, and stain location are important, a scanning image cytometry approach must be used. Both methods are described with application to a particular type of nanoparticle, a superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION), as an example of how these assays may be applied to the more general problem of determining the effects of nanomaterial exposure to living cells.

X-γ dose rate continuous monitor with wide range based on single-chip microcomputer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Debo; Ling Qiu; Guo Lanying; Yang Binhua

2007-01-01

This paper describes a concept about circuit designing of X-γ dose rate continuous monitor with wide range based on single-chip microcomputer, and also presents the design procedure of hardware and software, and gives several methods for solving the design procedure of hardware and software with emphasis. (authors)

Single Molecule Nano-Metronome

Science.gov (United States)

Buranachai, Chittanon; McKinney, Sean A.; Ha, Taekjip

2008-01-01

We constructed a DNA-based nano-mechanical device called the nano-metronome. Our device is made by introducing complementary single stranded overhangs at the two arms of the DNA four-way junction. The ticking rates of this stochastic metronome depend on ion concentrations and can be changed by a set of DNA-based switches to deactivate/reactivate the sticky end. Since the device displays clearly distinguishable responses even with a single basepair difference, it may lead to a single molecule sensor of minute sequence differences of a target DNA. PMID:16522050

Preliminary evaluation of alterant geophysical tomography in welded tuff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez, A.L.; Daily, W.D.

1985-01-01

The ability of alterant geophysical tomography to delineate flow paths in a welded tuff rock mass has been preliminarily evaluated based on the results of a field experiment. Electromagnetic measurements were made before, during and after a water-based, dye tracer flowed through the rock mass. Alterant geophysical tomographs were generated and compared with independent evidence - borescope logs, neutron logs and dyed rock samples. Anomalies present in the tomograph match the location and orientation of fractures mapped with a borescope. The location of tracer-stained fractures coincides with the location of some image anomalies; other geophysical anomalies exist where tracer-stained fractures were not observed, perhaps due to poor core recovery. Additional drilling to locate stained flow paths and other experiments are planned so that the applicability of the technique can be further evaluated

Theoretical model for optical oximetry at the capillary level: exploring hemoglobin oxygen saturation through backscattering of single red blood cells

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Rongrong; Spicer, Graham; Chen, Siyu; Zhang, Hao F.; Yi, Ji; Backman, Vadim

2017-02-01

Oxygen saturation (sO2) of red blood cells (RBCs) in capillaries can indirectly assess local tissue oxygenation and metabolic function. For example, the altered retinal oxygenation in diabetic retinopathy and local hypoxia during tumor development in cancer are reflected by abnormal sO2 of local capillary networks. However, it is far from clear whether accurate label-free optical oximetry (i.e., measuring hemoglobin sO2) is feasible from dispersed RBCs at the single capillary level. The sO2-dependent hemoglobin absorption contrast present in optical scattering signal is complicated by geometry-dependent scattering from RBCs. We present a numerical study of backscattering spectra from single RBCs based on the first-order Born approximation, considering practical factors: RBC orientations, size variation, and deformations. We show that the oscillatory spectral behavior of RBC geometries is smoothed by variations in cell size and orientation, resulting in clear sO2-dependent spectral contrast. In addition, this spectral contrast persists with different mean cellular hemoglobin content and different deformations of RBCs. This study shows for the first time the feasibility of, and provides a theoretical model for, label-free optical oximetry at the single capillary level using backscattering-based imaging modalities, challenging the popular view that such measurements are impossible at the single capillary level.

Many-body calculations with deuteron based single-particle bases and their associated natural orbits

Science.gov (United States)

Puddu, G.

2018-06-01

We use the recently introduced single-particle states obtained from localized deuteron wave-functions as a basis for nuclear many-body calculations. We show that energies can be substantially lowered if the natural orbits (NOs) obtained from this basis are used. We use this modified basis for {}10{{B}}, {}16{{O}} and {}24{{Mg}} employing the bare NNLOopt nucleon–nucleon interaction. The lowering of the energies increases with the mass. Although in principle NOs require a full scale preliminary many-body calculation, we found that an approximate preliminary many-body calculation, with a marginal increase in the computational cost, is sufficient. The use of natural orbits based on an harmonic oscillator basis leads to a much smaller lowering of the energies for a comparable computational cost.

Deterministic and Storable Single-Photon Source Based on a Quantum Memory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Shuai; Chen, Y.-A.; Strassel, Thorsten; Zhao Bo; Yuan Zhensheng; Pan Jianwei; Schmiedmayer, Joerg

2006-01-01

A single-photon source is realized with a cold atomic ensemble ( 87 Rb atoms). A single excitation, written in an atomic quantum memory by Raman scattering of a laser pulse, is retrieved deterministically as a single photon at a predetermined time. It is shown that the production rate of single photons can be enhanced considerably by a feedback circuit while the single-photon quality is conserved. Such a single-photon source is well suited for future large-scale realization of quantum communication and linear optical quantum computation

MGMT DNA repair gene promoter/enhancer haplotypes alter transcription factor binding and gene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Meixiang; Cross, Courtney E; Speidel, Jordan T; Abdel-Rahman, Sherif Z

2016-10-01

The O 6 -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) protein removes O 6 -alkyl-guanine adducts from DNA. MGMT expression can thus alter the sensitivity of cells and tissues to environmental and chemotherapeutic alkylating agents. Previously, we defined the haplotype structure encompassing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the MGMT promoter/enhancer (P/E) region and found that haplotypes, rather than individual SNPs, alter MGMT promoter activity. The exact mechanism(s) by which these haplotypes exert their effect on MGMT promoter activity is currently unknown, but we noted that many of the SNPs comprising the MGMT P/E haplotypes are located within or in close proximity to putative transcription factor binding sites. Thus, these haplotypes could potentially affect transcription factor binding and, subsequently, alter MGMT promoter activity. In this study, we test the hypothesis that MGMT P/E haplotypes affect MGMT promoter activity by altering transcription factor (TF) binding to the P/E region. We used a promoter binding TF profiling array and a reporter assay to evaluate the effect of different P/E haplotypes on TF binding and MGMT expression, respectively. Our data revealed a significant difference in TF binding profiles between the different haplotypes evaluated. We identified TFs that consistently showed significant haplotype-dependent binding alterations (p ≤ 0.01) and revealed their role in regulating MGMT expression using siRNAs and a dual-luciferase reporter assay system. The data generated support our hypothesis that promoter haplotypes alter the binding of TFs to the MGMT P/E and, subsequently, affect their regulatory function on MGMT promoter activity and expression level.

Brain structural alterations associated with young women with subthreshold depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Haijiang; Wei, Dongtao; Sun, Jiangzhou; Chen, Qunlin; Zhang, Qinglin; Qiu, Jiang

2015-05-18

Neuroanatomical abnormalities in patients with major depression disorder (MDD) have been attracted great research attention. However, the structural alterations associated with subthreshold depression (StD) remain unclear and, therefore, require further investigation. In this study, 42 young women with StD, and 30 matched non-depressed controls (NCs) were identified based on two-time Beck Depression Inventory scores. Whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and region of interest method were used to investigate altered gray matter volume (GMV) and white matter volume (WMV) among a non-clinical sample of young women with StD. VBM results indicated that young women with StD showed significantly decreased GMV in the right inferior parietal lobule than NCs; increased GMV in the amygdala, posterior cingulate cortex, and precuneus; and increased WMV in the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus. Together, structural alterations in specific brain regions, which are known to be involved in the fronto-limbic circuits implicated in depression may precede the occurrence of depressive episodes and influence the development of MDD.

Probing Contaminant-Induced Alterations in Chlorophyll Fluorescence by AC-Dielectrophoresis-Based 2D-Algal Array

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coralie Siebman

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The investigation of contaminant impact on algae requires rapid and reliable cell collection and optical detection. The capability of alternative current (AC dielectrophoresis (DEP collection of whole cell arrays with combined fluorescence microscopy detection to follow the alterations of chlorophyll fluorescence during environmental contaminant exposure was explored. The application of an AC-field of 100 V cm−1, 100 Hz for 30 min to capture and immobilize the cells of green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in two-dimensional (2D arrays does not induce changes in chlorophyll fluorescence. The results demonstrate that DEP-based 2D-arrays allow non-invasive detection of chlorophyll fluorescence change upon exposure to high concentrations of copper oxide nanoparticles and ionic copper. These results were in agreement with data obtained by flow cytometry used as a comparative method. The tool was also applied to follow the effect of a number of ubiquitous contaminants such as inorganic mercury, methylmercury, and diuron. However, a statistically significant short-term effect was observed only for mercury. Overall, DEP-based 2D-arrays of algal cells with fluorescence detection appear to be suitable for stain-free probing the effects on the photosynthetic microorganisms in highly polluted environment.

Single-Chip Computers With Microelectromechanical Systems-Based Magnetic Memory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carley, L. Richard; Bain, James A.; Fedder, Gary K.; Greve, David W.; Guillou, David F.; Lu, Michael S.C.; Mukherjee, Tamal; Santhanam, Suresh; Abelmann, Leon; Min, Seungook

This article describes an approach for implementing a complete computer system (CPU, RAM, I/O, and nonvolatile mass memory) on a single integrated-circuit substrate (a chip)—hence, the name "single-chip computer." The approach presented combines advances in the field of microelectromechanical

Energy scavenging based on a single-crystal PMN-PT nanobelt

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Fan; Cai, Wei; Yeh, Yao-Wen; Xu, Shiyou; Yao, Nan

2016-03-01

Self-powered nanodevices scavenging mechanical energy require piezoelectric nanostructures with high piezoelectric coefficients. Here we report the fabrication of a single-crystal (1 - x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 - xPbTiO3 (PMN-PT) nanobelt with a superior piezoelectric constant (d33 = ~550 pm/V), which is approximately ~150%, 430%, and 2100% of the largest reported values for previous PMN-PT, PZT and ZnO nanostructures, respectively. The high d33 of the single-crystalline PMN-PT nanobelt results from the precise orientation control during its fabrication. As a demonstration of its application in energy scavenging, a piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG) is built on the single PMN-PT nanobelt, generating a maximum output voltage of ~1.2 V. This value is ~4 times higher than that of a single-CdTe PNG, ~13 times higher than that of a single-ZnSnO3 PNG, and ~26 times higher than that of a single-ZnO PNG. The profoundly increased output voltage of a lateral PNG built on a single PMN-PT nanobelt demonstrates the potential application of PMN-PT nanostructures in energy harvesting, thus enriching the material choices for PNGs.

Alteration mechanisms of UOX spent fuel under water; Mecanismes d'alteration sous eau du combustible irradie de type UOX

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muzeau, B

2008-06-15

The mechanisms of spent fuel alteration in aqueous media need to be understood on the assumption of a direct disposal of the assemblies in a geological formation or for long duration storage in pool. This work is a contribution to the study of the effects of the alpha and/or beta/gamma radiolysis of water on the oxidation and the dissolution of the UO{sub 2} matrix of UOX spent fuel. The effects of the alpha radiolysis, predominant in geological disposal conditions, were quantified by using samples of UO{sub 2} doped with plutonium. The leaching experiments highlighted two types of control for the matrix alteration according to the alpha activity. The first is based on the radiolytic oxidation of the surface and leads to a continuous release of uranium in solution whereas the second is based on a control by the solubility of uranium. An activity threshold, between 18 MBq.g{sup -1} and 33 MBq.g{sup -1}, was defined in a carbonated water. The value of this threshold is dependent on the experimental conditions and the presence or not of electro-active species such as hydrogen in the system. The effects of the alpha/beta/gamma radiolysis in relation with the storage conditions were also quantified. The experimental data obtained on spent fuel indicate that the alteration rate of the matrix based on the behaviour of tracer elements (caesium and strontium) reached a maximum value of some mg.m{sup -2}.d{sup -1}, even under very oxidizing conditions. The solubility of uranium and the nature of the secondary phases depend however on the extent of the oxidizing conditions. (author)

Alterations of the TP53 Gene in Gastric and Esophageal Carcinogenesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marilanda Ferreira Bellini

2012-01-01

Full Text Available TP53 genes is one of more important tumor suppressor gene, which acts as a potent transcription factor with fundamental role in the maintenance of genetic stability. The development of esophageal and gastric cancers is a multistep process resulting in successive accumulation of genetic alterations that culminates in the malignant transformation. Thus, this study highlights the participation of the main genetic alterations of the TP53 gene in esophageal and gastric carcinogenesis. Among these changes, high frequency of TP53 mutations, loss of heterozygosity (LOH, overexpression of the p53 protein, and consequently loss of p53 function, which would be early events in esophageal and gastric cancers, as well as an important biomarker of the prognosis and treatment response. Furthermore, Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs of TP53 have been implicated in the development and prognosis of several cancers, mainly TP53 codon 72 polymorphism whose role has been extensively studied in relation to susceptibility for esophageal and gastric cancer development.

Proximity-Based Differential Single-Cell Analysis of the Niche to Identify Stem/Progenitor Cell Regulators.

Science.gov (United States)

Silberstein, Lev; Goncalves, Kevin A; Kharchenko, Peter V; Turcotte, Raphael; Kfoury, Youmna; Mercier, Francois; Baryawno, Ninib; Severe, Nicolas; Bachand, Jacqueline; Spencer, Joel A; Papazian, Ani; Lee, Dongjun; Chitteti, Brahmananda Reddy; Srour, Edward F; Hoggatt, Jonathan; Tate, Tiffany; Lo Celso, Cristina; Ono, Noriaki; Nutt, Stephen; Heino, Jyrki; Sipilä, Kalle; Shioda, Toshihiro; Osawa, Masatake; Lin, Charles P; Hu, Guo-Fu; Scadden, David T

2016-10-06

Physiological stem cell function is regulated by secreted factors produced by niche cells. In this study, we describe an unbiased approach based on the differential single-cell gene expression analysis of mesenchymal osteolineage cells close to, and further removed from, hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) to identify candidate niche factors. Mesenchymal cells displayed distinct molecular profiles based on their relative location. We functionally examined, among the genes that were preferentially expressed in proximal cells, three secreted or cell-surface molecules not previously connected to HSPC biology-the secreted RNase angiogenin, the cytokine IL18, and the adhesion molecule Embigin-and discovered that all of these factors are HSPC quiescence regulators. Therefore, our proximity-based differential single-cell approach reveals molecular heterogeneity within niche cells and can be used to identify novel extrinsic stem/progenitor cell regulators. Similar approaches could also be applied to other stem cell/niche pairs to advance the understanding of microenvironmental regulation of stem cell function. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Metal Dopant on Ninhydrin—Organic Nonlinear Optical Single Crystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. S. Sreenivasan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In the present work, metal (Cu2+-substituted ninhydrin single crystals were grown by slow evaporation method. The grown crystals have been subjected to single crystal XRD, powder X-ray diffraction, FTIR, dielectric and SHG studies. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the compound crystallizes in monoclinic system with noncentrosymmetric space group P21 with lattice parameters a=11.28 Å, b=5.98 Å, c=5.71 Å, α=90∘, β=98.57, γ=90∘, and V=381 (Å3, which agrees very well with the reported value. The sharp and strong peaks in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern confirm the good crystallinity of the grown crystals. The presence of dopants marginally altered the lattice parameters without affecting the basic structure of the crystal. The UV-Vis transmittance spectrum shows that the crystal has a good optical transmittance in the entire visible region with lower cutoff wavelength 314 nm. The vibrational frequencies of various functional groups in the crystals have been derived from FT-IR analysis. Based on the shifts in the vibrations, the presence of copper in the lattice of the grown crystal is clearly established from the pure ninhydrin crystals. Both dielectric constant and dielectric loss decrease with the increase in frequency. The second harmonic generation efficiency was measured by employing powder Kurtz method.

Optical sensor based on a single CdS nanobelt.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lei; Yang, Shuming; Han, Feng; Wang, Liangjun; Zhang, Xiaotong; Jiang, Zhuangde; Pan, Anlian

2014-04-23

In this paper, an optical sensor based on a cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanobelt has been developed. The CdS nanobelt was synthesized by the vapor phase transportation (VPT) method. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) results revealed that the nanobelt had a hexagonal wurtzite structure of CdS and presented good crystal quality. A single nanobelt Schottky contact optical sensor was fabricated by the electron beam lithography (EBL) technique, and the device current-voltage results showed back-to-back Schottky diode characteristics. The photosensitivity, dark current and the decay time of the sensor were 4 × 10⁴, 31 ms and 0.2 pA, respectively. The high photosensitivity and the short decay time were because of the exponential dependence of photocurrent on the number of the surface charges and the configuration of the back to back Schottky junctions.

Quantitative optical extinction-based parametric method for sizing a single core-shell Ag-Ag2O nanoparticle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santillan, J M J; Scaffardi, L B; Schinca, D C

2011-01-01

This paper develops a parametric method for determining the core radius and shell thickness in small silver-silver-oxide core-shell nanoparticles (Nps) based on single particle optical extinction spectroscopy. The method is based on the study of the relationship between plasmon peak wavelength, full width at half maximum (FWHM) and contrast of the extinction spectra as a function of core radius and shell thickness. This study reveals that plasmon peak wavelength is strongly dependent on shell thickness, whereas FWHM and contrast depend on both variables. These characteristics may be used for establishing an easy and fast stepwise procedure to size core-shell NPs from single particle absorption spectrum. The importance of the method lies in the possibility of monitoring the growth of the silver-oxide layer around small spherical silver Nps in real time. Using the electrostatic approximation of Mie theory, core-shell single particle extinction spectra were calculated for a silver particle's core size smaller than about 20 nm and different thicknesses of silver oxide around it. Analysis of the obtained curves shows a very particular characteristic of the plasmon peak of small silver-silver-oxide Nps, expressed in the fact that its position is strongly dependent on oxide thickness and weakly dependent on the core radius. Even a very thin oxide layer shifts the plasmon peak noticeably, enabling plasmon tuning with appropriate shell thickness. This characteristic, together with the behaviour of FWHM and contrast of the extinction spectra can be combined into a parametric method for sizing both core and shell of single silver Nps in a medium using only optical information. In turn, shell thickness can be related to oxygen content in the Np's surrounding media. The method proposed is applied to size silver Nps from single particle extinction spectrum. The results are compared with full optical spectrum fitting using the electrostatic approximation in Mie theory. The method

Chemistry, mineralogy and alteration intensity of hydrothermal altered Mt Unzen conduit rocks (Shimabara/Japan)

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Kai-Uwe; Yilmaz, Tim; Gilg, H. Albert; Janots, Emilie; Mayer, Klaus; Nakada, Setsuya; Dingwell, Donald

2017-04-01

Investigations were carried out on hydrothermally altered coherent dacitic dykes samples from (USDP-4) drill core at Mt Unzen stratovolcano (Shimabara/Japan). XRF, XRD, EMPA, C-O-isotope, hot-cathode CL and SEM analysis led to insights concerning chemistry, mineralogy, and intensity and type of alteration as well as the origin of carbonate-precipitating fluids. Additionally a textural characterization of the occurring replacement features in the volcanic conduit rocks was performed. The occurrence of the main secondary phases such as chlorite, pyrite, carbonates, and R1 (Reichweite parameter) illite-smectite and kaolinite group minerals indicate a weak to moderate propylitic to phyllic hydrothermal alteration. The dacitic samples of the dykes show different hydrothermal alteration features: (i) carbonate and chlorite pseudomorphs after hornblende as well as core and zonal textures due to replacement of plagioclase by R1 illite-smectite as well as kaolinite group minerals, (ii) colloform banded fracture fillings and fillings in dissolution vugs, and (iii) chlorite, R1 illite-smectite as well as kaolinite group minerals in the groundmass. Late chlorite veins crosscut precipitates of R1 illite-smectite as well as kaolinite group minerals. Carbonates in fractures and in pseudomorphs after hornblende comprise iron-rich dolomite solid solutions ("ankerite") and calcite. Isotopic values indicate a hydrothermal-magmatic origin for the carbonate formation. The chlorite-carbonate-pyrite index (CCPI) and the Ishikawa alteration index (AI), applied to the investigated samples show significant differences (CCPI=52.7-57.8; AI=36.1-40.6) indicating their different degree of alteration. According to Nakada et al., 2005, the C13 to C16 dykes represent the feeder dyke from the latest eruption (1991-1995) whereas C8 represents an earlier dyke feeder dyke from an older eruption. Weakest alteration, which was obtained in samples C16-1-5 and C13-2-5, correlates with the alteration

Fatigue influences lower extremity angular velocities during a single-leg drop vertical jump

OpenAIRE

Tamura, Akihiro; Akasaka, Kiyokazu; Otsudo, Takahiro; Shiozawa, Junya; Toda, Yuka; Yamada, Kaori

2017-01-01

[Purpose] Fatigue alters lower extremity landing strategies and decreases the ability to attenuate impact during landing. The purpose of this study was to reveal the influence of fatigue on dynamic alignment and joint angular velocities in the lower extremities during a single leg landing. [Subjects and Methods] The 34 female college students were randomly assigned to either the fatigue or control group. The fatigue group performed single-leg drop vertical jumps before, and after, the fatigue...

Is Traumatic and Non-Traumatic Neck Pain Associated with Brain Alterations? - A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

DePauw, Robby; Coppieters, Iris; Meeus, Mira; Caeyenberghs, Karen; Danneels, Lieven; Cagnie, Barbara

2017-05-01

Chronic neck pain affects 50% - 85% of people who have experienced an acute episode. This transition and the persistence of chronic complaints are believed to be mediated by brain alterations among different central mechanisms. This study aimed to systematically review and critically appraise the current existing evidence regarding structural and functional brain alterations in patients with whiplash associated disorders (WAD) and idiopathic neck pain (INP). Additionally, associations between brain alterations and clinical symptoms reported in neck pain patients were evaluated. Systematic review. The present systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were searched. First, the obtained articles were screened based on title and abstract. Secondly, the screening was based on the full text. Risk of bias in included studies was investigated. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Alterations in brain morphology and function, including perfusion, neurotransmission, and blood oxygenation level dependent-signal, were demonstrated in chronic neck pain patients. There is some to moderate evidence for both structural and functional brain alterations in patients with chronic neck pain. In contrast, no evidence for structural brain alterations in acute neck pain patients was found. Only 12 articles were included, which allows only cautious conclusions to be drawn. Brain alterations were observed in both patients with chronic WAD and chronic INP. Furthermore, more evidence exists for brain alterations in chronic WAD, and different underlying mechanisms might be present in both pathologies. In addition, pain and disability were correlated with the observed brain alterations. Accordingly, morphological and functional brain alterations should be further investigated in patients with chronic WAD and chronic INP with newer and more sensitive techniques, and associative clinical measurements seem indispensable

Research on Single Base-Station Distance Estimation Algorithm in Quasi-GPS Ultrasonic Location System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, X C; Su, S J; Wang, Y K; Du, J B [Instrument Department, College of Mechatronics Engineering and Automation, National University of Defense Technology, ChangSha, Hunan, 410073 (China)

2006-10-15

In order to identify each base-station in quasi-GPS ultrasonic location system, a unique pseudo-random code is assigned to each base-station. This article primarily studies the distance estimation problem between Autonomous Guide Vehicle (AGV) and single base-station, and then the ultrasonic spread-spectrum distance measurement Time Delay Estimation (TDE) model is established. Based on the above model, the envelope correlation fast TDE algorithm based on FFT is presented and analyzed. It shows by experiments that when the m sequence used in the received signal is as same as the reference signal, there will be a sharp correlation value in their envelope correlation function after they are processed by the above algorithm; otherwise, the will be no prominent correlation value. So, the AGV can identify each base-station easily.

Research on Single Base-Station Distance Estimation Algorithm in Quasi-GPS Ultrasonic Location System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, X C; Su, S J; Wang, Y K; Du, J B

2006-01-01

In order to identify each base-station in quasi-GPS ultrasonic location system, a unique pseudo-random code is assigned to each base-station. This article primarily studies the distance estimation problem between Autonomous Guide Vehicle (AGV) and single base-station, and then the ultrasonic spread-spectrum distance measurement Time Delay Estimation (TDE) model is established. Based on the above model, the envelope correlation fast TDE algorithm based on FFT is presented and analyzed. It shows by experiments that when the m sequence used in the received signal is as same as the reference signal, there will be a sharp correlation value in their envelope correlation function after they are processed by the above algorithm; otherwise, the will be no prominent correlation value. So, the AGV can identify each base-station easily

Precision toxicology based on single cell sequencing: an evolving trend in toxicological evaluations and mechanism exploration.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Boyang; Huang, Kunlun; Zhu, Liye; Luo, Yunbo; Xu, Wentao

2017-07-01

In this review, we introduce a new concept, precision toxicology: the mode of action of chemical- or drug-induced toxicity can be sensitively and specifically investigated by isolating a small group of cells or even a single cell with typical phenotype of interest followed by a single cell sequencing-based analysis. Precision toxicology can contribute to the better detection of subtle intracellular changes in response to exogenous substrates, and thus help researchers find solutions to control or relieve the toxicological effects that are serious threats to human health. We give examples for single cell isolation and recommend laser capture microdissection for in vivo studies and flow cytometric sorting for in vitro studies. In addition, we introduce the procedures for single cell sequencing and describe the expected application of these techniques to toxicological evaluations and mechanism exploration, which we believe will become a trend in toxicology.

Single molecule measurements of DNA helicase activity with magnetic tweezers and t-test based step-finding analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Seol, Yeonee; Strub, Marie-Paule; Neuman, Keir C.

2016-01-01

Magnetic tweezers is a versatile and easy to implement single-molecule technique that has become increasingly prevalent in the study of nucleic acid based molecular motors. Here, we provide a description of the magnetic tweezers instrument and guidelines for measuring and analyzing DNA helicase activity. Along with experimental methods, we describe a robust method of single-molecule trajectory analysis based on the Student’s t-test that accommodates continuous transitions in addition to the discrete transitions assumed in most widely employed analysis routines. To illustrate the single-molecule unwinding assay and the analysis routine, we provide DNA unwinding measurements of Escherichia coli RecQ helicase under a variety of conditions (Na+, ATP, temperature, and DNA substrate geometry). These examples reveal that DNA unwinding measurements under various conditions can aid in elucidating the unwinding mechanism of DNA helicase but also emphasize that environmental effects on DNA helicase activity must be considered in relation to in vivo activity and mechanism. PMID:27131595

Single-Thread-Based Wearable and Highly Stretchable Triboelectric Nanogenerators and Their Applications in Cloth-Based Self-Powered Human-Interactive and Biomedical Sensing

KAUST Repository

Lai, Ying-Chih

2016-11-03

The development of wearable and large-area fabric energy harvester and sensor has received great attention due to their promising applications in next-generation autonomous and wearable healthcare technologies. Here, a new type of “single” thread-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and its uses in elastically textile-based energy harvesting and sensing have been demonstrated. The energy-harvesting thread composed by one silicone-rubber-coated stainless-steel thread can extract energy during contact with skin. With sewing the energy-harvesting thread into a serpentine shape on an elastic textile, a highly stretchable and scalable TENG textile is realized to scavenge various kinds of human-motion energy. The collected energy is capable to sustainably power a commercial smart watch. Moreover, the simplified single triboelectric thread can be applied in a wide range of thread-based self-powered and active sensing uses, including gesture sensing, human-interactive interfaces, and human physiological signal monitoring. After integration with microcontrollers, more complicated systems, such as wireless wearable keyboards and smart beds, are demonstrated. These results show that the newly designed single-thread-based TENG, with the advantage of interactive, responsive, sewable, and conformal features, can meet application needs of a vast variety of fields, ranging from wearable and stretchable energy harvesters to smart cloth-based articles.

Single-Thread-Based Wearable and Highly Stretchable Triboelectric Nanogenerators and Their Applications in Cloth-Based Self-Powered Human-Interactive and Biomedical Sensing

KAUST Repository

Lai, Ying-Chih; Deng, Jianan; Zhang, Steven L.; Niu, Simiao; Guo, Hengyu; Wang, Zhong Lin

2016-01-01

The development of wearable and large-area fabric energy harvester and sensor has received great attention due to their promising applications in next-generation autonomous and wearable healthcare technologies. Here, a new type of “single” thread-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and its uses in elastically textile-based energy harvesting and sensing have been demonstrated. The energy-harvesting thread composed by one silicone-rubber-coated stainless-steel thread can extract energy during contact with skin. With sewing the energy-harvesting thread into a serpentine shape on an elastic textile, a highly stretchable and scalable TENG textile is realized to scavenge various kinds of human-motion energy. The collected energy is capable to sustainably power a commercial smart watch. Moreover, the simplified single triboelectric thread can be applied in a wide range of thread-based self-powered and active sensing uses, including gesture sensing, human-interactive interfaces, and human physiological signal monitoring. After integration with microcontrollers, more complicated systems, such as wireless wearable keyboards and smart beds, are demonstrated. These results show that the newly designed single-thread-based TENG, with the advantage of interactive, responsive, sewable, and conformal features, can meet application needs of a vast variety of fields, ranging from wearable and stretchable energy harvesters to smart cloth-based articles.

Autoradiography in Studying the Alteration of Rocks; L'Autoradiographie dans l'Etude de l'Alteration des Roches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leveque, P.; Vigneaux, M. [Institut de Geologie du Bassin d' Aquitaine, Faculte des Sciences de l' Universite de Bordeaux (France)

1967-06-15

The alteration of rocks intended for use as the foundations of large-scale civil-engineering projects, for building construction and for rock piling has been studied and numerous tests carried out; some of these tests have been standardized in varying degrees. The conventional method of autoradiography has been used to develop one of the processes for estimating alteration due, in particular, to thermal shocks. By using {sup 35}S and {sup 32}P, the authors were able to follow the progressive alteration of different rocks in the form of microfissurations. This process is considerably more accurate than that based solely on utilization of the characteristics of rocks in normal or polarized light. In addition, it permits absolute comparison of the initial microfissuration conditions of the sample and the microfissuration found after an increasing number of thermal shock cycles. The results of the process are given in the paper. (author) [French] L'alterabilite des roches destinees, soit a des fondations de grands travaux de genie civil, soit a la construction d'immeubles, soit enfin a l'etablissement d'enrochements, a fait l'objet de nombreux essais dont certains ont ete normalises, ou tout au moins ont subi un debut de normalisation. Un des procedes de determination du processus d'alteration du notamment aux chocs thermiques a ete mis au point a partir de la methode classique d'autoradiographie. L'utilisation de {sup 35}S et de {sup 32}P a permis de suivre la progression de l'alteration par microfissuration dans des roches diverses. Ce procede est notablement plus precis que celui qui est fonde sur la seule utilisation des caracteristiques des roches en lumiere naturelle ou polarisee. De plus, il permet la comparaison en valeur absolue de l'etat de microfissuration initial de l'echantillon avec la microfissuration obtenue apres un nombre croissant de cycles de chocs thermiques. Les resultats obtenus grace a ce procede sont donnes dans le memoire. (author)

Single-stranded γPNAs for in vivo site-specific genome editing via Watson-Crick recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahal, Raman; Quijano, Elias; McNeer, Nicole A; Liu, Yanfeng; Bhunia, Dinesh C; Lopez-Giraldez, Francesco; Fields, Rachel J; Saltzman, William M; Ly, Danith H; Glazer, Peter M

2014-01-01

Triplex-forming peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) facilitate gene editing by stimulating recombination of donor DNAs within genomic DNA via site-specific formation of altered helical structures that further stimulate DNA repair. However, PNAs designed for triplex formation are sequence restricted to homopurine sites. Herein we describe a novel strategy where next generation single-stranded gamma PNAs (γPNAs) containing miniPEG substitutions at the gamma position can target genomic DNA in mouse bone marrow at mixed-sequence sites to induce targeted gene editing. In addition to enhanced binding, γPNAs confer increased solubility and improved formulation into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles for efficient intracellular delivery. Single-stranded γPNAs induce targeted gene editing at frequencies of 0.8% in mouse bone marrow cells treated ex vivo and 0.1% in vivo via IV injection, without detectable toxicity. These results suggest that γPNAs may provide a new tool for induced gene editing based on Watson-Crick recognition without sequence restriction.

Chloroquine uptake, altered partitioning and the basis of drug resistance: evidence for chloride-dependent ionic regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Martiney, J A; Ferrer, A S; Cerami, A; Dzekunov, S; Roepe, P

1999-01-01

The biochemical mechanism of chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum remains unknown. We postulated that chloroquine-resistant strains could alter ion fluxes that then indirectly control drug accumulation within the parasite by affecting pH and/or membrane potential ('altered partitioning mechanism'). Two principal intracellular pH-regulating systems in many cell types are the amiloride-sensitive Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE), and the sodium-independent, stilbene-sensitive Cl-/HCO3- antiporter (AE). We report that under physiological conditions (balanced CO2 and HCO3-) chloroquine uptake and susceptibility are not altered by amiloride analogues. We also do not detect a significant difference in NHE activity between chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant strains via single cell photometry methods. AE activity is dependent on the intracellular and extracellular concentrations of Cl- and HCO3- ions. Chloroquine-resistant strains differentially respond to experimental modifications in chloride-dependent homeostasis, including growth, cytoplasmic pH and pH regulation. Chloroquine susceptibility is altered by stilbene DIDS only on chloroquine-resistant strains. Our results suggest that a Cl(-)-dependent system (perhaps AE) has a significant effect on the uptake of chloroquine by the infected erythrocyte, and that alterations of this biophysical parameter may be part of the mechanism of chloroquine resistance in P. falciparum.

High-accuracy self-mixing interferometer based on single high-order orthogonally polarized feedback effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Zhaoli; Qu, Xueming; Tan, Yidong; Tan, Runtao; Zhang, Shulian

2015-06-29

A simple and high-accuracy self-mixing interferometer based on single high-order orthogonally polarized feedback effects is presented. The single high-order feedback effect is realized when dual-frequency laser reflects numerous times in a Fabry-Perot cavity and then goes back to the laser resonator along the same route. In this case, two orthogonally polarized feedback fringes with nanoscale resolution are obtained. This self-mixing interferometer has the advantages of higher sensitivity to weak signal than that of conventional interferometer. In addition, two orthogonally polarized fringes are useful for discriminating the moving direction of measured object. The experiment of measuring 2.5nm step is conducted, which shows a great potential in nanometrology.

Plasma-implantation-based surface modification of metals with single-implantation mode

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, X. B.; Cui, J. T.; Yang, S. Q.; Fu, Ricky K. Y.; Chu, Paul K.

2004-12-01

Plasma ion implantation has proven to be an effective surface modification technique. Its biggest advantage is the capability to treat the objects with irregular shapes without complex manipulation of target holder. Many metal materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, tool steel, titanium, magnesium etc, has been treated using this technique to improve their wear-resistance, corrosion-resistance, fatigue-resistance, oxidation-resistance, bio-compatiblity etc. However in order to achieve thicker modified layers, hybrid processes combining plasma ion implantation with other techniques have been frequently employed. In this paper plasma implantation based surface modification of metals using single-implantation mode is reviewed.

Diet alters performance and transcription patterns in Oedaleus asiaticus (Orthoptera: Acrididae) grasshoppers.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xunbing; Whitman, Douglas W; Ma, Jingchuan; McNeill, Mark Richard; Zhang, Zehua

2017-01-01

We reared Oedaleus asiaticus grasshoppers under four different single-plant diets to examine the relationships among diet, performance, stress, and transcription patterns. Grasshoppers fed only Artemisia frigida (Asteraceae) were stressed, as indicated by their lower growth, size, development, and survival, in comparison to grasshoppers fed on any of three grasses, Cleistogenes squarrosa, Leymus chinensis, or Stipa krylovii (all Poaceae). We then used transcriptome analysis to examine how gene expression levels in O. asiaticus were altered by feeding on these diets. Nymphs fed A. frigida had the largest variation in gene expression profiles with a total of 299 genes significantly up- or down-regulated compared to those feeding on the three grasses: down-regulated genes included those involved in cuticle biosynthesis, DNA replication, biosynthesis and metabolism of nutrition. The up-regulated genes included stress-resistant and detoxifying enzymes. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis also showed that feeding on A. frigida could down-regulate biosynthesis and metabolism related pathways, and up-regulate stress-resistant and detoxification terms and pathways. Our results show that diet significantly altered gene-expression, and that unfavorable, stressful diets induce more transcriptional changes than favorable diets. Altered gene-expression represents phenotypic plasticity, and many such changes appear to be evolved, adaptive responses. The ease and regularity by which individuals shift phenotypes via altered transcription suggests that populations consist not of similar, fixed phenotypes, but of a collection of ever-changing, divergent phenotypes.

Obesity Associated Cerebral Gray and White Matter Alterations Are Interrelated in the Female Brain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karsten Mueller

Full Text Available Obesity is known to affect the brain's gray matter (GM and white matter (WM structure but the interrelationship of such changes remains unclear. Here we used T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI in combination with voxel-based morphometry (VBM and diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI with tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS to assess the relationship between obesity-associated alterations of gray matter density (GMD and anisotropic water diffusion in WM, respectively. In a small cohort of lean to obese women, we confirmed previous reports of obesity-associated alterations of GMD in brain regions involved in executive control (i.e., dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, DLPFC and habit learning (i.e., dorsal striatum. Gray matter density alterations of the DLPFC were negatively correlated with radial diffusivity in the entire corpus callosum. Within the genu of the corpus callosum we found a positive correlation with axial diffusivity. In posterior region and inferior areas of the body of the corpus callosum, axial diffusivity correlated negatively with altered GMD in the dorsal striatum. These findings suggest that, in women, obesity-related alterations of GMD in brain regions involved in executive control and habit learning might relate to alterations of associated WM fiber bundles within the corpus callosum.

Tunable complex-valued multi-tap microwave photonic filter based on single silicon-oninsulator microring resonator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lloret, Juan; Sancho, Juan; Pu, Minhao

2011-01-01

A complex-valued multi-tap tunable microwave photonic filter based on single silicon-on-insulator microring resonator is presented. The degree of tunability of the approach involving two, three and four taps is theoretical and experimentally characterized, respectively. The constraints of exploit...

Relations between altered stramflow variability and fish assemblages in Eastern USA streams

Science.gov (United States)

Meador, Michael R.; Carlisle, Daren M.

2012-01-01

Although altered streamflow has been implicated as a major factor affecting fish assemblages, understanding the extent of streamflow alteration has required quantifying attributes of the natural flow regime. We used predictive models to quantify deviation from expected natural streamflow variability for streams in the eastern USA. Sites with >25% change in mean daily streamflow variability compared with what would be expected in a minimally disturbed environment were defined as having altered streamflow variability, based on the 10th and 90th percentiles of the distribution of streamflow variability at 1279 hydrological reference sites. We also used predictive models to assess fish assemblage condition and native species loss based on the proportion of expected native fish species that were observed. Of the 97 sites, 49 (50.5%) were classified as altered with reduced streamflow variability, whereas no sites had increased streamflow variability. Reduced streamflow variability was related to a 35% loss in native fish species, on average, and a >50% loss of species with a preference for riffle habitats. Conditional probability analysis indicated that the probability of fish assemblage impairment increased as the severity of altered streamflow variability increased. Reservoir storage capacity and wastewater discharges were important predictors of reduced streamflow variability as revealed by random forest analysis. Management and conservation of streams will require careful consideration of natural streamflow variation and potential factors contributing to altered streamflow within the entire watershed to limit the loss of critical stream habitats and fish species uniquely adapted to live in those habitats.

Do single women value early retirement more than single men?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danø, Anne Møller; Ejrnæs, Mette; Husted, Leif

2005-01-01

and health are important determinants of the retirement decision. Furthermore, we find substantial gender differences in the retirement pattern. Healthy single women value retirement more than healthy single men and are willing to reduce their disposable income to 74% of their previous income while men......The focus of this paper is to analyse why a large fraction of single elderly people choose to retire early. A structural model directly based on the individual decision of labour supply is estimated on a sample of singles, where singles are defined as those who are living alone. We find that income...... are willing to reduce the income to 81%. Men's retirement decision is mainly influenced by income and health, whereas women's retirement decision is also affected by education and unemployment experience...

An adjustable multi-scale single beam acoustic tweezers based on ultrahigh frequency ultrasonic transducer.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiaoyang; Lam, Kwok Ho; Chen, Ruimin; Chen, Zeyu; Yu, Ping; Chen, Zhongping; Shung, K Kirk; Zhou, Qifa

2017-11-01

This paper reports the fabrication, characterization, and microparticle manipulation capability of an adjustable multi-scale single beam acoustic tweezers (SBAT) that is capable of flexibly changing the size of "tweezers" like ordinary metal tweezers with a single-element ultrahigh frequency (UHF) ultrasonic transducer. The measured resonant frequency of the developed transducer at 526 MHz is the highest frequency of piezoelectric single crystal based ultrasonic transducers ever reported. This focused UHF ultrasonic transducer exhibits a wide bandwidth (95.5% at -10 dB) due to high attenuation of high-frequency ultrasound wave, which allows the SBAT effectively excite with a wide range of excitation frequency from 150 to 400 MHz by using the "piezoelectric actuator" model. Through controlling the excitation frequency, the wavelength of ultrasound emitted from the SBAT can be changed to selectively manipulate a single microparticle of different sizes (3-100 μm) by using only one transducer. This concept of flexibly changing "tweezers" size is firstly introduced into the study of SBAT. At the same time, it was found that this incident ultrasound wavelength play an important role in lateral trapping and manipulation for microparticle of different sizes. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2637-2647. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mechanistic Framework for Establishment, Maintenance, and Alteration of Cell Polarity in Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pankaj Dhonukshe

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Cell polarity establishment, maintenance, and alteration are central to the developmental and response programs of nearly all organisms and are often implicated in abnormalities ranging from patterning defects to cancer. By residing at the distinct plasma membrane domains polar cargoes mark the identities of those domains, and execute localized functions. Polar cargoes are recruited to the specialized membrane domains by directional secretion and/or directional endocytic recycling. In plants, auxin efflux carrier PIN proteins display polar localizations in various cell types and play major roles in directional cell-to-cell transport of signaling molecule auxin that is vital for plant patterning and response programs. Recent advanced microscopy studies applied to single cells in intact plants reveal subcellular PIN dynamics. They uncover the PIN polarity generation mechanism and identified important roles of AGC kinases for polar PIN localization. AGC kinase family members PINOID, WAG1, and WAG2, belonging to the AGC-3 subclass predominantly influence the polar localization of PINs. The emerging mechanism for AGC-3 kinases action suggests that kinases phosphorylate PINs mainly at the plasma membrane after initial symmetric PIN secretion for eventual PIN internalization and PIN sorting into distinct ARF-GEF-regulated polar recycling pathways. Thus phosphorylation status directs PIN translocation to different cell sides. Based on these findings a mechanistic framework evolves that suggests existence of cell side-specific recycling pathways in plants and implicates AGC3 kinases for differential PIN recruitment among them for eventual PIN polarity establishment, maintenance, and alteration.

Stirling engine based micro co-generation system for single households

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ribberink, H.; Zutt, S.; Rabou, L.; Beckers, G. [Netherlands Energy Research Foundation (ECN), Petten (Netherlands); Baijens, K.; Luttikholt, J. [Atag Verwarming BV (Netherlands)

2000-07-01

This paper describes the progress made in the ENATEC development program for a free piston Stirling engine based micro co-generation system that serves the supply of up to 1 kW{sub e} and up to 24 kW heat for domestic heating and/or for hot tap water production for single households at overall system efficiencies of 96%: Experiments show that the free piston Stirling engines from Stirling Technology Company run very reliably and controllably, and that the efficiency targets for the 1 kW{sub e} micro co-generation system are feasible. A ceramic foam burner with good heat transfer characteristics and low NOx emissions was developed. A demonstration micro co-generation unit was built and successfully presented. A 1 kW{sub e} free piston Stirling engine for the European market was developed. High efficiencies at full load and at part load, low emissions, low noise, and minimum maintenance make the Stirling engine based micro co-generation system an attractive candidate for the next generation of domestic boilers in Europe. (orig.)

Features of the Valorization of Single and Double Based Powders for Codetonation in Emulsion Explosives

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, Jose; Mendes, Ricardo; Tavares, Bruno; Louro, Cristina

2013-06-01

In this work, features of the thermal and detonation behavior of compositions resulting from the mixture of single and double based gun powder within ammonium nitrate (AN) based emulsion explosives are shown. That includes results of thermodynamic-equilibrium calculations of the detonation velocity, the chemical compatibility assessment through differential scanning calorimetry [DSC] and thermo gravimetric analysis [TGA], the experimental determination of the detonation velocity and a comparative evaluation of the shock sensitivity using a modified version of the ``gap-test''. DSC/TGA results for the compositions and for the individual components overlap until the beginning of the thermal decomposition which is an indication of the absence of formation of any new chemical specimens and so of the capability of the composition components. After the beginning of the thermal decomposition it can be seen that the rate of mass loss is much higher for the compositions with gun powder than for the sole emulsion explosive. Both, theoretical and experimental, values of the detonation velocity have shown to be higher for the powdered compositions than for the pure emulsion explosive. Shock sensitivity assessment have ended-up with a slightly bigger sensitivity for the compositions with double based gun powder when compared to the single based compositions or to the pure emulsion.

Alteration mechanisms of UOX spent fuel under water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muzeau, B.

2008-06-01

The mechanisms of spent fuel alteration in aqueous media need to be understood on the assumption of a direct disposal of the assemblies in a geological formation or for long duration storage in pool. This work is a contribution to the study of the effects of the alpha and/or beta/gamma radiolysis of water on the oxidation and the dissolution of the UO 2 matrix of UOX spent fuel. The effects of the alpha radiolysis, predominant in geological disposal conditions, were quantified by using samples of UO 2 doped with plutonium. The leaching experiments highlighted two types of control for the matrix alteration according to the alpha activity. The first is based on the radiolytic oxidation of the surface and leads to a continuous release of uranium in solution whereas the second is based on a control by the solubility of uranium. An activity threshold, between 18 MBq.g -1 and 33 MBq.g -1 , was defined in a carbonated water. The value of this threshold is dependent on the experimental conditions and the presence or not of electro-active species such as hydrogen in the system. The effects of the alpha/beta/gamma radiolysis in relation with the storage conditions were also quantified. The experimental data obtained on spent fuel indicate that the alteration rate of the matrix based on the behaviour of tracer elements (caesium and strontium) reached a maximum value of some mg.m -2 .d -1 , even under very oxidizing conditions. The solubility of uranium and the nature of the secondary phases depend however on the extent of the oxidizing conditions. (author)

Chemical characterization of the acid alteration of diesel fuel: Non-targeted analysis by two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry with tile-based Fisher ratio and combinatorial threshold determination.

Science.gov (United States)

Parsons, Brendon A; Pinkerton, David K; Wright, Bob W; Synovec, Robert E

2016-04-01

The illicit chemical alteration of petroleum fuels is of keen interest, particularly to regulatory agencies that set fuel specifications, or taxes/credits based on those specifications. One type of alteration is the reaction of diesel fuel with concentrated sulfuric acid. Such reactions are known to subtly alter the chemical composition of the fuel, particularly the aromatic species native to the fuel. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) is well suited for the analysis of diesel fuel, but may provide the analyst with an overwhelming amount of data, particularly in sample-class comparison experiments comprised of many samples. Tile-based Fisher-ratio (F-ratio) analysis reduces the abundance of data in a GC×GC-TOFMS experiment to only the peaks which significantly distinguish the unaltered and acid altered sample classes. Three samples of diesel fuel from differently branded filling stations were each altered to discover chemical features, i.e., analyte peaks, which were consistently changed by the acid reaction. Using different fuels prioritizes the discovery of features likely to be robust to the variation present between fuel samples and may consequently be useful in determining whether an unknown sample has been acid altered. The subsequent analysis confirmed that aromatic species are removed by the acid alteration, with the degree of removal consistent with predicted reactivity toward electrophilic aromatic sulfonation. Additionally, we observed that alkenes and alkynes were also removed from the fuel, and that sulfur dioxide or compounds that degrade to sulfur dioxide are generated by the acid alteration. In addition to applying the previously reported tile-based F-ratio method, this report also expands null distribution analysis to algorithmically determine an F-ratio threshold to confidently select only the features which are sufficiently class-distinguishing. When applied to the acid

Alterations in the microstructure of white matter in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome measured using tract-based spatial statistics and probabilistic tractography.

Science.gov (United States)

Sigurdsson, Hilmar P; Pépés, Sophia E; Jackson, Georgina M; Draper, Amelia; Morgan, Paul S; Jackson, Stephen R

2018-04-12

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by repetitive and intermittent motor and vocal tics. TS is thought to reflect fronto-striatal dysfunction and the aetiology of the disorder has been linked to widespread alterations in the functional and structural integrity of the brain. The aim of this study was to assess white matter (WM) abnormalities in a large sample of young patients with TS in comparison to a sample of matched typically developing control individuals (CS) using diffusion MRI. The study included 35 patients with TS (3 females; mean age: 14.0 ± 3.3) and 35 CS (3 females; mean age: 13.9 ± 3.3). Diffusion MRI data was analysed using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and probabilistic tractography. Patients with TS demonstrated both marked and widespread decreases in axial diffusivity (AD) together with altered WM connectivity. Moreover, we showed that tic severity and the frequency of premonitory urges (PU) were associated with increased connectivity between primary motor cortex (M1) and the caudate nuclei, and increased information transfer between M1 and the insula, respectively. This is to our knowledge the first study to employ both TBSS and probabilistic tractography in a sample of young patients with TS. Our results contribute to the limited existing literature demonstrating altered connectivity in TS and confirm previous results suggesting in particular, that altered insular function contributes to increased frequency of PU. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Improved Tensor-Based Singular Spectrum Analysis Based on Single Channel Blind Source Separation Algorithm and Its Application to Fault Diagnosis

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Dan Yang

2017-04-01

Full Text Available To solve the problem of multi-fault blind source separation (BSS in the case that the observed signals are under-determined, a novel approach for single channel blind source separation (SCBSS based on the improved tensor-based singular spectrum analysis (TSSA is proposed. As the most natural representation of high-dimensional data, tensor can preserve the intrinsic structure of the data to the maximum extent. Thus, TSSA method can be employed to extract the multi-fault features from the measured single-channel vibration signal. However, SCBSS based on TSSA still has some limitations, mainly including unsatisfactory convergence of TSSA in many cases and the number of source signals is hard to accurately estimate. Therefore, the improved TSSA algorithm based on canonical decomposition and parallel factors (CANDECOMP/PARAFAC weighted optimization, namely CP-WOPT, is proposed in this paper. CP-WOPT algorithm is applied to process the factor matrix using a first-order optimization approach instead of the original least square method in TSSA, so as to improve the convergence of this algorithm. In order to accurately estimate the number of the source signals in BSS, EMD-SVD-BIC (empirical mode decomposition—singular value decomposition—Bayesian information criterion method, instead of the SVD in the conventional TSSA, is introduced. To validate the proposed method, we applied it to the analysis of the numerical simulation signal and the multi-fault rolling bearing signals.

Flexible Semitransparent Energy Harvester with High Pressure Sensitivity and Power Density Based on Laterally Aligned PZT Single-Crystal Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Quan-Liang; He, Guang-Ping; Di, Jie-Jian; Song, Wei-Li; Hou, Zhi-Ling; Tan, Pei-Pei; Wang, Da-Wei; Cao, Mao-Sheng

2017-07-26

A flexible semitransparent energy harvester is assembled based on laterally aligned Pb(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 (PZT) single-crystal nanowires (NWs). Such a harvester presents the highest open-circuit voltage and a stable area power density of up to 10 V and 0.27 μW/cm 2 , respectively. A high pressure sensitivity of 0.14 V/kPa is obtained in the dynamic pressure sensing, much larger than the values reported in other energy harvesters based on piezoelectric single-crystal NWs. Furthermore, theoretical and finite element analyses also confirm that the piezoelectric voltage constant g 33 of PZT NWs is competitive to the lead-based bulk single crystals and ceramics, and the enhanced pressure sensitivity and power density are substantially linked to the flexible structure with laterally aligned PZT NWs. The energy harvester in this work holds great potential in flexible and transparent sensing and self-powered systems.

Optical Sensor Based on a Single CdS Nanobelt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Li

2014-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, an optical sensor based on a cadmium sulfide (CdS nanobelt has been developed. The CdS nanobelt was synthesized by the vapor phase transportation (VPT method. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM results revealed that the nanobelt had a hexagonal wurtzite structure of CdS and presented good crystal quality. A single nanobelt Schottky contact optical sensor was fabricated by the electron beam lithography (EBL technique, and the device current-voltage results showed back-to-back Schottky diode characteristics. The photosensitivity, dark current and the decay time of the sensor were 4 × 104, 31 ms and 0.2 pA, respectively. The high photosensitivity and the short decay time were because of the exponential dependence of photocurrent on the number of the surface charges and the configuration of the back to back Schottky junctions.

Single image interpolation via adaptive nonlocal sparsity-based modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, Yaniv; Protter, Matan; Elad, Michael

2014-07-01

Single image interpolation is a central and extensively studied problem in image processing. A common approach toward the treatment of this problem in recent years is to divide the given image into overlapping patches and process each of them based on a model for natural image patches. Adaptive sparse representation modeling is one such promising image prior, which has been shown to be powerful in filling-in missing pixels in an image. Another force that such algorithms may use is the self-similarity that exists within natural images. Processing groups of related patches together exploits their correspondence, leading often times to improved results. In this paper, we propose a novel image interpolation method, which combines these two forces-nonlocal self-similarities and sparse representation modeling. The proposed method is contrasted with competitive and related algorithms, and demonstrated to achieve state-of-the-art results.

Assessment of the alteration of R7T7-type glass according to storage conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jollivet, P.; Minet, Y.; Nicolas, M.; Vernaz, E.

1997-01-01

The PREDIVER code was used to estimate the influence of the major parameters of a geological repository site on the alteration oh a high-level vitrified waste package. The kinetic law of glass alteration is based on a deviation concerning saturation with respect to silicic acid. Glass alteration is governed by the coefficient of silicon diffusion in the interstitial water of the gel layer and by the leachate renewal rate (i.e. the flow rate in the repository) if it is of very low magnitude. The effects of other parameters are much less significant. When applied to the alteration of natural basalts, the PREDIVER code overestimates glass alteration, indicating that transport limitations slow down the alteration processes over a long time period. (authors)

Alteration mechanisms of UOX spent fuel in aqueous media; Mecanismes d'alteration sous eau du combustible irradie de type UOX

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muzeau, B

2007-06-15

The mechanisms of underwater alteration of spent fuels need to be understood on the assumption of a direct disposal of the assemblies in a geological formation or for long duration storage in pool. This work is a contribution to the study of the effects of the alpha and/or beta/gamma radiolysis of water on the oxidation and the dissolution of the UO{sub 2} matrix of UOX spent fuel. The effects of the alpha radiolysis, predominant in geological disposal conditions, were quantified using samples of UO{sub 2} doped with plutonium. The leaching experiments highlighted two types of control for the matrix alteration according to the alpha activity. The first is based on the radiolytic oxidation of the surface and leads to a continuous release of uranium in solution whereas the second is based on a control by the solubility of uranium. An activity threshold, located between 18 MBq/g and 33 MBq/g, was defined in a carbonated water. The value of this threshold is dependent on the experimental conditions and the presence or not of electro-active species such as hydrogen in the system. The effects of the alpha/beta/gamma radiolysis in relation with the storage conditions were also quantified. The experimental data obtained on spent fuel indicate that the alteration rate of the matrix based on the behaviour of tracer elements (caesium and strontium) reached a maximum value of some mg.m{sup -2}.d{sup -1}, even under very oxidizing conditions. The solubility of uranium and the nature of the secondary phases depend however on the extent of the oxidizing conditions. (author)

Frontotemporal alterations in pediatric bipolar disorder: results of a voxel-based morphometry study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickstein, Daniel P; Milham, Michael P; Nugent, Allison C; Drevets, Wayne C; Charney, Dennis S; Pine, Daniel S; Leibenluft, Ellen

2005-07-01

While numerous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have evaluated adults with bipolar disorder (BPD), few have examined MRI changes in children with BPD. To determine volume alterations in children with BPD using voxel-based morphometry, an automated MRI analysis method with reduced susceptibility to various biases. A priori regions of interest included amygdala, accumbens, hippocampus, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and orbitofrontal cortex. Ongoing study of the pathophysiology of pediatric BPD. Intramural National Institute of Mental Health; approved by the institutional review board. Patients Pediatric subjects with BPD (n = 20) with at least 1 manic or hypomanic episode meeting strict DSM-IV criteria for duration and elevated, expansive mood. Controls (n = 20) and their first-degree relatives lacked psychiatric disorders. Groups were matched for age and sex and did not differ in IQ. With a 1.5-T MRI machine, we collected 1.2-mm axial sections (124 per subject) with an axial 3-dimensional spoiled gradient recalled echo in the steady state sequence. Image analysis was by optimized voxel-based morphometry. Subjects with BPD had reduced gray matter volume in the left DLPFC. With a less conservative statistical threshold, additional gray matter reductions were found in the left accumbens and left amygdala. No difference was found in the hippocampus or orbitofrontal cortex. Our results are consistent with data implicating the prefrontal cortex in emotion regulation, a process that is perturbed in BPD. Reductions in amygdala and accumbens volumes are consistent with neuropsychological data on pediatric BPD. Further study is required to determine the relationship between these findings in children and adults with BPD.

A microprocessor-based gamma-ray spectrometer with gain stabilized single-channel analyzers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borg, P.J.; Huppert, P.; Phillips, P.L.; Waddington, P.J.

1985-01-01

The design and performance of a self-contained microprocessor-based gamma-ray spectrometer for use in geophysical measurements using nuclear techniques is described. The instrument uses single-channel analyzers which are inherently simpler and faster than the Wilkinson or successive approximation ADC. A novel technique of gain stabilization together with a simple means of energy calibration has been developed. The modular design of the equipment makes it suitable for multidetector usage, required in a number of nucleonic gauges for the quantitative measurement of chemical constituents. (orig.)

Domain altering SNPs in the human proteome and their impact on signaling pathways.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yichuan Liu

Full Text Available Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs constitute an important mode of genetic variations observed in the human genome. A small fraction of SNPs, about four thousand out of the ten million, has been associated with genetic disorders and complex diseases. The present study focuses on SNPs that fall on protein domains, 3D structures that facilitate connectivity of proteins in cell signaling and metabolic pathways. We scanned the human proteome using the PROSITE web tool and identified proteins with SNP containing domains. We showed that SNPs that fall on protein domains are highly statistically enriched among SNPs linked to hereditary disorders and complex diseases. Proteins whose domains are dramatically altered by the presence of an SNP are even more likely to be present among proteins linked to hereditary disorders. Proteins with domain-altering SNPs comprise highly connected nodes in cellular pathways such as the focal adhesion, the axon guidance pathway and the autoimmune disease pathways. Statistical enrichment of domain/motif signatures in interacting protein pairs indicates extensive loss of connectivity of cell signaling pathways due to domain-altering SNPs, potentially leading to hereditary disorders.

Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy Trajectories of a Single Protein and Its Polyproteins Are Equivalent: A Direct Experimental Validation Based on A Small Protein NuG2.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Hai; He, Chengzhi; Hu, Chunguang; Li, Jinliang; Hu, Xiaodong; Hu, Xiaotang; Li, Hongbin

2017-05-22

Single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) has become a powerful tool in investigating the mechanical unfolding/folding of proteins at the single-molecule level. Polyproteins made of tandem identical repeats have been widely used in atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based SMFS studies, where polyproteins not only serve as fingerprints to identify single-molecule stretching events, but may also improve statistics of data collection. However, the inherent assumption of such experiments is that all the domains in the polyprotein are equivalent and one SMFS trajectory of stretching a polyprotein made of n domains is equivalent to n trajectories of stretching a single domain. Such an assumption has not been validated experimentally. Using a small protein NuG2 and its polyprotein (NuG2) 4 as model systems, here we use optical trapping (OT) to directly validate this assumption. Our results show that OT experiments on NuG2 and (NuG2) 4 lead to identical parameters describing the unfolding and folding kinetics of NuG2, demonstrating that indeed stretching a polyprotein of NuG2 is equivalent to stretching single NuG2 in force spectroscopy experiments and thus validating the use of polyproteins in SMFS experiments. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Altered Neural Activity Associated with Mindfulness during Nociception: A Systematic Review of Functional MRI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Bilevicius

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: To assess the neural activity associated with mindfulness-based alterations of pain perception. Methods: The Cochrane Central, EMBASE, Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched on 2 February 2016. Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were independently screened by two reviewers. Data were independently extracted from records that included topics of functional neuroimaging, pain, and mindfulness interventions. Results: The literature search produced 946 total records, of which five met the inclusion criteria. Records reported pain in terms of anticipation (n = 2, unpleasantness (n = 5, and intensity (n = 5, and how mindfulness conditions altered the neural activity during noxious stimulation accordingly. Conclusions: Although the studies were inconsistent in relating pain components to neural activity, in general, mindfulness was able to reduce pain anticipation and unpleasantness ratings, as well as alter the corresponding neural activity. The major neural underpinnings of mindfulness-based pain reduction consisted of altered activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Altered Neural Activity Associated with Mindfulness during Nociception: A Systematic Review of Functional MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilevicius, Elena; Kolesar, Tiffany A; Kornelsen, Jennifer

2016-04-19

To assess the neural activity associated with mindfulness-based alterations of pain perception. The Cochrane Central, EMBASE, Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched on 2 February 2016. Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were independently screened by two reviewers. Data were independently extracted from records that included topics of functional neuroimaging, pain, and mindfulness interventions. The literature search produced 946 total records, of which five met the inclusion criteria. Records reported pain in terms of anticipation (n = 2), unpleasantness (n = 5), and intensity (n = 5), and how mindfulness conditions altered the neural activity during noxious stimulation accordingly. Although the studies were inconsistent in relating pain components to neural activity, in general, mindfulness was able to reduce pain anticipation and unpleasantness ratings, as well as alter the corresponding neural activity. The major neural underpinnings of mindfulness-based pain reduction consisted of altered activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Single-Atom Pt as Co-Catalyst for Enhanced Photocatalytic H2 Evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaogang; Bi, Wentuan; Zhang, Lei; Tao, Shi; Chu, Wangsheng; Zhang, Qun; Luo, Yi; Wu, Changzheng; Xie, Yi

2016-03-23

Isolated single-atom platinum (Pt) embedded in the sub-nanoporosity of 2D g-C3 N4 as a new form of co-catalyst is reported. The highly stable single-atom co-catalyst maximizes the atom efficiency and alters the surface trap states of g-C3 N4 , leading to significantly enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution activity, 8.6 times higher than that of Pt nanoparticles and up to 50 times that for bare g-C3 N4 . © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

TEM microstructural analysis of creep deformed CM186LC single crystal Ni-base superalloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dubiel, B.; Czyrska-Filemonowicz, A. [AGH Univ. of Science and Technology, Krakow (Poland); Blackler, M. [Howmet Ltd., Exeter (United Kingdom); Barnard, P.M. [ALSTOM Power Turbo-Systems Technology Centre, Rugby (United Kingdom)

2006-07-01

The nickel based single crystal superalloy CM186LC was extensively investigated as a potential low cost material for industrial gas turbine vanes within the COST522 programme. The alloy exhibits inhomogeneous structure consisting of dendritic regions and eutectic colonies. In the present work attention is focused on microstructural changes observed in single crystal CM186LC following creep deformation at 750 C. Creep tests were conducted at 750 C with an applied stress of 560 or 675 MPa for up to 11440 hours. The microstructure o ruptured and terminated specimens was investigated by scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy. TEM analysis revealed the microstructural changes in the CM186LC at primary and secondary creep as well as after creep rupture. (orig.)

Selective detection of SO2 at room temperature based on organoplatinum functionalized single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cid, C.C.; Jimenez-Cadena, G.; Riu, J.; Maroto, A.; Rius, F.X.; Batema, G.D.; van Koten, G.

2009-01-01

We report a field effect transistor (FET) based on a network of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) that for the first time can selectively detect a single gaseous molecule in air by chemically functionalizing the SWCNTs with a selective molecular receptor. As a target model we used SO2. The

Mechanism of replication of ultraviolet-irradiated single-stranded DNA by DNA polymerase III holoenzyme of Escherichia coli. Implications for SOS mutagenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livneh, Z.

1986-01-01

Replication of UV-irradiated oligodeoxynucleotide-primed single-stranded phi X174 DNA with Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme in the presence of single-stranded DNA-binding protein was investigated. The extent of initiation of replication on the primed single-stranded DNA was not altered by the presence of UV-induced lesions in the DNA. The elongation step exhibited similar kinetics when either unirradiated or UV-irradiated templates were used. Inhibition of the 3'----5' proofreading exonucleolytic activity of the polymerase by dGMP or by a mutD mutation did not increase bypass of pyrimidine photodimers, and neither did purified RecA protein influence the extent of photodimer bypass as judged by the fraction of full length DNA synthesized. Single-stranded DNA-binding protein stimulated bypass since in its absence the fraction of full length DNA decreased 5-fold. Termination of replication at putative pyrimidine dimers involved dissociation of the polymerase from the DNA, which could then reinitiate replication at other available primer templates. Based on these observations a model for SOS-induced UV mutagenesis is proposed

Typing of multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms using ribonuclease cleavage of DNA/RNA chimeric single-base extension primers and detection by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mengel-From, Jonas; Sanchez Sanchez, Juan Jose; Børsting, Claus

2005-01-01

A novel single-base extension (SBE) assay using cleavable and noncleavable SBE primers in the same reaction mix is described. The cleavable SBE primers consisted of deoxyribonucleotides and one ribonucleotide (hereafter denoted chimeric primers), whereas the noncleavable SBE primers consisted....... A ribonuclease mix was developed to specifically cleave the chimeric primers, irrespective of the base of the ribonucleotide, whereas standard primers without a ribonucleotide were unaffected by the ribonuclease treatment. The SBE products were analyzed in linear mode using a matrix-assisted laser desorption...... containing 9 chimeric primers and 8 standard primers....

Evaluation of the Electronic Structure of Single-Molecule Junctions Based on Current-Voltage and Thermopower Measurements: Application to C60 Single-Molecule Junction.

Science.gov (United States)

Komoto, Yuki; Isshiki, Yuji; Fujii, Shintaro; Nishino, Tomoaki; Kiguchi, Manabu

2017-02-16

The electronic structure of molecular junctions has a significant impact on their transport properties. Despite the decisive role of the electronic structure, a complete characterization of the electronic structure remains a challenge. This is because there is no straightforward way of measuring electron spectroscopy for an individual molecule trapped in a nanoscale gap between two metal electrodes. Herein, a comprehensive approach to obtain a detailed description of the electronic structure in single-molecule junctions based on the analysis of current-voltage (I-V) and thermoelectric characteristics is described. It is shown that the electronic structure of the prototypical C 60 single-molecule junction can be resolved by analyzing complementary results of the I-V and thermoelectric measurement. This combined approach confirmed that the C 60 single-molecule junction was highly conductive with molecular electronic conductances of 0.033 and 0.003 G 0 and a molecular Seebeck coefficient of -12 μV K -1 . In addition, we revealed that charge transport was mediated by a LUMO whose energy level was located 0.5≈0.6 eV above the Fermi level of the Au electrode. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Alterations and abnormal mitosis of wheat chromosomes induced by wheat-rye monosomic addition lines.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shulan Fu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Wheat-rye addition lines are an old topic. However, the alterations and abnormal mitotic behaviours of wheat chromosomes caused by wheat-rye monosomic addition lines are seldom reported. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Octoploid triticale was derived from common wheat T. aestivum L. 'Mianyang11'×rye S. cereale L. 'Kustro' and some progeny were obtained by the controlled backcrossing of triticale with 'Mianyang11' followed by self-fertilization. Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH using rye genomic DNA and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH using repetitive sequences pAs1 and pSc119.2 as probes were used to analyze the mitotic chromosomes of these progeny. Strong pSc119.2 FISH signals could be observed at the telomeric regions of 3DS arms in 'Mianyang11'. However, the pSc119.2 FISH signals were disappeared from the selfed progeny of 4R monosomic addition line and the changed 3D chromosomes could be transmitted to next generation stably. In one of the selfed progeny of 7R monosomic addition line, one 2D chromosome was broken and three 4A chromosomes were observed. In the selfed progeny of 6R monosomic addition line, structural variation and abnormal mitotic behaviour of 3D chromosome were detected. Additionally, 1A and 4B chromosomes were eliminated from some of the progeny of 6R monosomic addition line. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results indicated that single rye chromosome added to wheat might cause alterations and abnormal mitotic behaviours of wheat chromosomes and it is possible that the stress caused by single alien chromosome might be one of the factors that induced karyotype alteration of wheat.

An experimental study on the alteration of thermal enhancement ratio by combination of split dose hyperthermia irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sun Ok; Kim, Hee Seup [Ewha Womens University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1983-06-15

The study was undertaken to evaluate the alteration of thermal enhancement ratio as a function of time intervals between two split dose hyperthermias followed by irradiation. For the experiments, 330 mice were divided into 3 groups; the first, 72 mice were used to evaluate the heat reaction by single dose hyperthermia and heat resistance by split dose hyperthermia, the second, 36 mice were used to evaluate the radiation reaction by irradiation only, and the third, 222 mice were used for TER observation by combination of single dose hyperthermia and irradiation, and TER alteration by combination of split dose hyperthermia and irradiation. For each group the skin reaction score of mouse tail was used for observation and evaluation of the result of heat and irradiation. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. The heating time resulting 50% necrosis (ND{sub 5}0) Was 101 minutes in 43 .deg. C and 24 minutes in 45 .deg. C hyperthermia, which indicated that three is reciprocal proportion between temperature and heating time. 2. Development of heat resistance was observed by split dose hyperthermia. 3. The degree of skin reaction by irradiation only was increased proportionally as a function of radiation dose, and calculated radiation dose corresponding to skin score 1.5 (D{sub 1}.5) was 4,137 rads. 4. Obtained thermal enhancement ratio by combination of single dose hyperthermia and irradiation was increased proportionally as a function of heating time. 5. Thermal enhancement ratio was decreased by combination of split dose hyperthermia and irradiation, which was less intense and lasted longer than development of heat resistance. In summary, these studies indicate that the alteration of thermal enhancement ratio has influence on heat resistance by split dose hyperthermia and irradiation.

Alteration of plant meristem function by manipulation of the Retinoblastoma-like plant RRB gene

Science.gov (United States)

Durfee, Tim [Madison, WI; Feiler, Heidi [Albany, CA; Gruissem, Wilhelm [Forch, CH; Jenkins, Susan [Martinez, CA; Roe, Judith [Manhattan, KS; Zambryski, Patricia [Berkeley, CA

2007-01-16

This invention provides methods and compositions for altering the growth, organization, and differentiation of plant tissues. The invention is based on the discovery that, in plants, genetically altering the levels of Retinoblastoma-related gene (RRB) activity produces dramatic effects on the growth, proliferation, organization, and differentiation of plant meristem.

Simulation of single grid-based phase-contrast x-ray imaging (g-PCXI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lim, H.W.; Lee, H.W. [Department of Radiation Convergence Engineering, iTOMO Group, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, H.S., E-mail: hscho1@yonsei.ac.kr [Department of Radiation Convergence Engineering, iTOMO Group, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493 (Korea, Republic of); Je, U.K.; Park, C.K.; Kim, K.S.; Kim, G.A.; Park, S.Y.; Lee, D.Y.; Park, Y.O.; Woo, T.H. [Department of Radiation Convergence Engineering, iTOMO Group, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju, Gangwon-do 26493 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, S.H.; Chung, W.H.; Kim, J.W.; Kim, J.G. [R& D Center, JPI Healthcare Co., Ltd., Ansan 425-833 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-04-01

Single grid-based phase-contrast x-ray imaging (g-PCXI) technique, which was recently proposed by Wen et al. to retrieve absorption, scattering, and phase-gradient images from the raw image of the examined object, seems a practical method for phase-contrast imaging with great simplicity and minimal requirements on the setup alignment. In this work, we developed a useful simulation platform for g-PCXI and performed a simulation to demonstrate its viability. We also established a table-top setup for g-PCXI which consists of a focused-linear grid (200-lines/in strip density), an x-ray tube (100-μm focal spot size), and a flat-panel detector (48-μm pixel size) and performed a preliminary experiment with some samples to show the performance of the simulation platform. We successfully obtained phase-contrast x-ray images of much enhanced contrast from both the simulation and experiment and the simulated contract seemed similar to the experimental contrast, which shows the performance of the developed simulation platform. We expect that the simulation platform will be useful for designing an optimal g-PCXI system. - Highlights: • It is proposed for the single grid-based phase-contrast x-ray imaging (g-PCXI) technique. • We implemented for a numerical simulation code. • The preliminary experiment with several samples to compare is performed. • It is expected to be useful to design an optimal g-PCXI system.

A highly efficient single-photon source based on a quantum dot in a photonic nanowire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Claudon, Julien; Bleuse, Joel; Malik, Nitin Singh

2010-01-01

–4 or a semiconductor quantum dot5–7. Achieving a high extraction efficiency has long been recognized as a major issue, and both classical solutions8 and cavity quantum electrodynamics effects have been applied1,9–12. We adopt a different approach, based on an InAs quantum dot embedded in a GaAs photonic nanowire......The development of efficient solid-state sources of single photons is a major challenge in the context of quantum communication,optical quantum information processing and metrology1. Such a source must enable the implementation of a stable, single-photon emitter, like a colour centre in diamond2...

Fault Diagnosis for Engine Based on Single-Stage Extreme Learning Machine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei Gao

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Single-Stage Extreme Learning Machine (SS-ELM is presented to dispose of the mechanical fault diagnosis in this paper. Based on it, the traditional mapping type of extreme learning machine (ELM has been changed and the eigenvectors extracted from signal processing methods are directly regarded as outputs of the network’s hidden layer. Then the uncertainty that training data transformed from the input space to the ELM feature space with the ELM mapping and problem of the selection of the hidden nodes are avoided effectively. The experiment results of diesel engine fault diagnosis show good performance of the SS-ELM algorithm.

Strategies for real-time position control of a single atom in cavity QED

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynn, T W; Birnbaum, K; Kimble, H J

2005-01-01

Recent realizations of single-atom trapping and tracking in cavity QED open the door for feedback schemes which actively stabilize the motion of a single atom in real time. We present feedback algorithms for cooling the radial component of motion for a single atom trapped by strong coupling to single-photon fields in an optical cavity. Performance of various algorithms is studied through simulations of single-atom trajectories, with full dynamical and measurement noise included. Closed loop feedback algorithms compare favourably to open loop 'switching' analogues, demonstrating the importance of applying actual position information in real time. The high optical information rate in current experiments enables real-time tracking that approaches the standard quantum limit for broadband position measurements, suggesting that realistic active feedback schemes may reach a regime where measurement backaction appreciably alters the motional dynamics

Periconceptional growth hormone treatment alters fetal growth and development in lambs.

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, J M; Wilmoth, T A; Wilson, M E

2010-05-01

Research in the area of fetal programming has focused on intrauterine growth restriction. Few studies have attempted to examine programming mechanisms that ultimately lead to lambs with a greater potential for postnatal growth. We previously demonstrated that treatment of ewes with GH at the time of breeding led to an increase in birth weight. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of a single injection of sustained-release GH given during the periconceptional period on fetal growth and development and to determine if the GH axis would be altered in these offspring. Estrus was synchronized using 2 injections of PGF(2alpha); at the time of the second injection, ewes assigned to treatment were also given an injection of sustained-release GH. A maternal jugular vein sample was taken weekly to analyze IGF-I as a proxy for GH to estimate the duration of the treatment effect. In ewes treated with GH, IGF-I increased (P brain weights were obtained, as well as left and right ventricular wall thicknesses. On postnatal d 100, a subset of ewe lambs were weighed and challenged with an intravenous injection of GHRH. Lambs from treated ewes had increased (P left ventricular wall was thinner (P development. Lambs born to ewes treated with GH were larger at birth and had altered organ development, which may indicate that early maternal GH treatment may lead to permanent changes in the developing fetus. The ewe lambs maintained their growth performance to at least 100 d of postnatal life and appeared to have an altered GH axis, as demonstrated by the altered response to GHRH.

Single Policy Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kronsell, Annica; Manners, Ian James

2015-01-01

Single policy studies are the most common form of European Union (EU) research. Single policy studies are widely used to understand the role of the EU in a wide variety of sectors, together with their development over time, and often offer public policy prescriptions. This chapter discusses...... the relevance of single policy studies in EU research and give examples of how such research can be designed and carried out. The chapter reviews three examples of single policy studies using different methods based on EU environmental policy, the EU biofuels directive, and the EU Common Security and Defence...... Policy (CSDP). The examples are illustrative of how single policy studies can be designed to use different approaches in the analysis: multiple streams approach to policy-making; a comparative hypothesis testing; and feminist institutional theory....

Earthquake acceleration amplification based on single microtremor test

Science.gov (United States)

Jaya Syahbana, Arifan; Kurniawan, Rahmat; Soebowo, Eko

2018-02-01

Understanding soil dynamics is needed to understand soil behaviour, including the parameters of earthquake acceleration amplification. Many researchers now conduct single microtremor tests to obtain amplification of velocity and natural periods of soil at test sites. However, these amplification parameters are rarely used, so a method is needed to convert the velocity amplification to acceleration amplification. This paper will discuss the proposed process of changing the value of amplification. The proposed method is to integrate the time histories of the synthetic earthquake acceleration of the soil surface under the deaggregation at that location so the time histories of the velocity earthquake will be obtained. Next is to conduct a “fitting curve” between amplification by a single microtremor test with amplification of the synthetic earthquake velocity time histories. After obtaining the fitting curve time histories of velocity, differentiation will be conducted to obtain fitting curve acceleration time histories. The final step after obtaining the fitting curve is to compare the acceleration of the “fitting curve” against the histories time of the acceleration of synthetic earthquake at bedrocks to obtain single microtremor acceleration amplification factor.

The impact of synapsin III gene on the neurometabolite level alterations after single-dose methylphenidate in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Başay Ö

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Ömer Başay,1 Burge Kabukcu Basay,1 Huseyin Alacam,2 Onder Ozturk,1 Ahmet Buber,1 Senay Gorucu Yilmaz,3 Yılmaz Kıroğlu,4 Mehmet Emin Erdal,5 Hasan Herken2 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, 2Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, 3Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, 4Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, 5Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey Objective: To investigate the neurometabolite level changes according to synapsin III gene rs133945G>A and rs133946C>G polymorphisms by using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS in patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD.Methods: Fifty-seven adults diagnosed with ADHD were recruited for the study. The participants were examined by single-voxel 1H MRS when medication naïve and 30 minutes after oral administration of 10 mg methylphenidate (Mph. Those who had been on a stimulant discontinued the medication 48 hours before MRS imaging. Spectra were taken from the anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, striatum, and cerebellum, and N-acetylaspartate (NAA, choline, and creatine levels were examined. For genotyping of the synapsin III gene polymorphisms, DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes. The effects of age, sex, and ADHD subtypes were controlled in the analyses.Results: After a single dose of Mph, choline levels increased significantly in the striatum of rs133945G>A polymorphism-GG genotypes (P=0.020 and NAA levels rose in the anterior cingulate cortex of rs133946C>G polymorphism-CG genotypes (P=0.014. Both rs133945G>A and rs133946C>G polymorphisms were found to statistically significantly affect the alteration of NAA levels in response to Mph in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with

Mapping advanced argillic alteration at Cuprite, Nevada, using imaging spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Swayze, Gregg A.; Clark, Roger N.; Goetz, Alexander F.H.; Livo, K. Eric; Breit, George N.; Kruse, Fred A.; Sutley, Stephen J.; Snee, Lawrence W.; Lowers, Heather A.; Post, James L.; Stoffregen, Roger E.; Ashley, Roger P.

2014-01-01

Mineral maps based on Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data were used to study late Miocene advanced argillic alteration at Cuprite, Nevada. Distributions of Fe-bearing minerals, clays, micas, sulfates, and carbonates were mapped using the Tetracorder spectral-shape matching system. The Al content of white micas increases toward altered areas and near intrusive rocks. Alunite composition varies from pure K to intimate mixtures of Na-K endmembers with subpixel occurrences of huangite, the Ca analogue of alunite. Intimately mixed Na-K alunite marks areas of relatively lower alteration temperature, whereas co-occurring Na-alunite and dickite may delineate relict hydrothermal conduits. The presence of dickite, halloysite, and well-ordered kaolinite, but absence of disordered kaolinite, is consistent with acidic conditions during hydrothermal alteration. Partial lichen cover on opal spectrally mimics chalcedony, limiting its detection to lichen-free areas. Pods of buddingtonite are remnants of initial quartz-adularia-smectite alteration. Thus, spectral maps provide a synoptic view of the surface mineralogy, and define a previously unrecognized early steam-heated hydrothermal event.Faulting and episodes of hydrothermal alteration at Cuprite were intimately linked to upper plate movements above the Silver Peak-Lone Mountain detachment and growth, collapse, and resurgence of the nearby Stonewall Mountain volcanic complex between 8 and 5 Ma. Isotopic dating indicates that hydrothermal activity started at least by 7.61 Ma and ended by about 6.2 Ma. Spectral and stable isotope data suggest that Cuprite is a late Miocene low-sulfidation adularia-sericite type hot spring deposit overprinted by late-stage, steam-heated advanced argillic alteration formed along the margin of the Stonewall Mountain caldera.

Control Method of Single-phase Inverter Based Grounding System in Distribution Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Wen; Yan, L.; Zeng, X.

2016-01-01

of neutral-to-ground voltage is critical for the safety of distribution networks. An active grounding system based on single-phase inverter is proposed to achieve this objective. Relationship between output current of the system and neutral-to-ground voltage is derived to explain the principle of neutral......The asymmetry of the inherent distributed capacitances causes the rise of neutral-to-ground voltage in ungrounded system or high resistance grounded system. Overvoltage may occur in resonant grounded system if Petersen coil is resonant with the distributed capacitances. Thus, the restraint...

Non-conscious visual cues related to affect and action alter perception of effort and endurance performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony William Blanchfield

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The psychobiological model of endurance performance proposes that endurance performance is determined by a decision-making process based on perception of effort and potential motivation. Recent research has reported that effort-based decision-making during cognitive tasks can be altered by non-conscious visual cues relating to affect and action. The effect of these non-conscious visual cues on effort and performance during physical tasks is however unknown. We report two experiments investigating the effect of subliminal priming with visual cues related to affect and action on perception of effort and endurance performance. In Experiment 1 thirteen individuals were subliminally primed with happy or sad faces as they cycled to exhaustion in a counterbalanced and randomized crossover design. A paired t-test (happy vs. sad faces revealed that individuals cycled for significantly longer (178 s, p = .04 when subliminally primed with happy faces. A 2 x 5 (condition x iso-time ANOVA also revealed a significant main effect of condition on rating of perceived exertion (RPE during the time to exhaustion (TTE test with lower RPE when subjects were subliminally primed with happy faces (p = .04. In Experiment 2, a single-subject randomization tests design found that subliminal priming with action words facilitated a significantly longer (399 s, p = .04 TTE in comparison to inaction words (p = .04. Like Experiment 1, this greater TTE was accompanied by a significantly lower RPE (p = .03. These experiments are the first to show that subliminal visual cues relating to affect and action can alter perception of effort and endurance performance. Non-conscious visual cues may therefore influence the effort-based decision-making process that is proposed to determine endurance performance. Accordingly, the findings raise notable implications for individuals who may encounter such visual cues during endurance competitions, training, or health related exercise.

Remote monitor used on the 13N leak rate measurement system based on single-chip microcomputer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Rulong; Qiu Xiaoping; Guo Lanying

2012-01-01

It describes a design on Remote Monitor based on single-chip microcomputer, and also presents the design procedure of hardware and software for circuit design, and gives some of specific instructions about the important parts of the design. (authors)

Potentials of single-cell biology in identification and validation of disease biomarkers.

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Furong; Wang, Diane C; Lu, Jiapei; Wu, Wei; Wang, Xiangdong

2016-09-01

Single-cell biology is considered a new approach to identify and validate disease-specific biomarkers. However, the concern raised by clinicians is how to apply single-cell measurements for clinical practice, translate the message of single-cell systems biology into clinical phenotype or explain alterations of single-cell gene sequencing and function in patient response to therapies. This study is to address the importance and necessity of single-cell gene sequencing in the identification and development of disease-specific biomarkers, the definition and significance of single-cell biology and single-cell systems biology in the understanding of single-cell full picture, the development and establishment of whole-cell models in the validation of targeted biological function and the figure and meaning of single-molecule imaging in single cell to trace intra-single-cell molecule expression, signal, interaction and location. We headline the important role of single-cell biology in the discovery and development of disease-specific biomarkers with a special emphasis on understanding single-cell biological functions, e.g. mechanical phenotypes, single-cell biology, heterogeneity and organization of genome function. We have reason to believe that such multi-dimensional, multi-layer, multi-crossing and stereoscopic single-cell biology definitely benefits the discovery and development of disease-specific biomarkers. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.