Simultaneous and Sequential Feature Negative Discriminations: Elemental Learning and Occasion Setting in Human Pavlovian Conditioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baeyens, Frank; Vervliet, Bram; Vansteenwegen, Debora; Beckers, Tom; Hermans, Dirk; Eelen, Paul

2004-01-01

Using a conditioned suppression task, we investigated simultaneous (XA-/A+) vs. sequential (X [right arrow] A-/A+) Feature Negative (FN) discrimination learning in humans. We expected the simultaneous discrimination to result in X (or alternatively the XA configuration) becoming an inhibitor acting directly on the US, and the sequential…

Type I and Type II Interferon Coordinately Regulate Suppressive Dendritic Cell Fate and Function during Viral Persistence

PubMed Central

Cunningham, Cameron R.; Champhekar, Ameya; Tullius, Michael V.; Dillon, Barbara Jane; Zhen, Anjie; de la Fuente, Justin Rafael; Herskovitz, Jonathan; Elsaesser, Heidi; Snell, Laura M.; Wilson, Elizabeth B.; de la Torre, Juan Carlos; Kitchen, Scott G.; Horwitz, Marcus A.; Bensinger, Steven J.; Smale, Stephen T.; Brooks, David G.

2016-01-01

Persistent viral infections are simultaneously associated with chronic inflammation and highly potent immunosuppressive programs mediated by IL-10 and PDL1 that attenuate antiviral T cell responses. Inhibiting these suppressive signals enhances T cell function to control persistent infection; yet, the underlying signals and mechanisms that program immunosuppressive cell fates and functions are not well understood. Herein, we use lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection (LCMV) to demonstrate that the induction and functional programming of immunosuppressive dendritic cells (DCs) during viral persistence are separable mechanisms programmed by factors primarily considered pro-inflammatory. IFNγ first induces the de novo development of naive monocytes into DCs with immunosuppressive potential. Type I interferon (IFN-I) then directly targets these newly generated DCs to program their potent T cell immunosuppressive functions while simultaneously inhibiting conventional DCs with T cell stimulating capacity. These mechanisms of monocyte conversion are constant throughout persistent infection, establishing a system to continuously interpret and shape the immunologic environment. MyD88 signaling was required for the differentiation of suppressive DCs, whereas inhibition of stimulatory DCs was dependent on MAVS signaling, demonstrating a bifurcation in the pathogen recognition pathways that promote distinct elements of IFN-I mediated immunosuppression. Further, a similar suppressive DC origin and differentiation was also observed in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, HIV infection and cancer. Ultimately, targeting the underlying mechanisms that induce immunosuppression could simultaneously prevent multiple suppressive signals to further restore T cell function and control persistent infections. PMID:26808628

Parenting Styles and Adolescents’ School Adjustment: Investigating the Mediating Role of Achievement Goals within the 2 × 2 Framework

PubMed Central

Xiang, Shiyuan; Liu, Yan; Bai, Lu

2017-01-01

This study examines the multiple mediating roles of achievement goals based on a 2 × 2 framework of the relationships between parenting styles and adolescents’ school adjustment. The study sample included 1061 Chinese adolescent students (50.4% girls) between the ages of 12 and 19, who completed questionnaires regarding parenting styles (parental autonomy support and psychological control), achievement goals (mastery approach, mastery avoidance, performance approach, and performance avoidance goals) and school adjustment variables (emotion, students’ life satisfaction, school self-esteem, problem behavior, academic achievement, and self-determination in school). A structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was used to test our hypotheses. The results indicated that parental autonomy support was associated with adolescents’ school adjustment in an adaptive manner, both directly and through its positive relationship with both mastery and performance approach goals; however, parental psychological control was associated with adolescents’ school adjustment in a maladaptive manner, both directly and through its positive relationship with both mastery and performance avoidance goals. In addition, the results indicated that mastery avoidance goals suppressed the relationship between parental autonomy support and adolescents’ school adjustment, and performance approach goals suppressed the relationship between this adjustment and parental psychological control. These findings extend the limited literature regarding the 2 × 2 framework of achievement goals and enable us to evidence the mediating and suppressing effects of achievement goals. This study highlights the importance of parenting in adolescents’ school adjustment through the cultivation of different achievement goals. PMID:29085321

Parenting Styles and Adolescents' School Adjustment: Investigating the Mediating Role of Achievement Goals within the 2 × 2 Framework.

PubMed

Xiang, Shiyuan; Liu, Yan; Bai, Lu

2017-01-01

This study examines the multiple mediating roles of achievement goals based on a 2 × 2 framework of the relationships between parenting styles and adolescents' school adjustment. The study sample included 1061 Chinese adolescent students (50.4% girls) between the ages of 12 and 19, who completed questionnaires regarding parenting styles (parental autonomy support and psychological control), achievement goals (mastery approach, mastery avoidance, performance approach, and performance avoidance goals) and school adjustment variables (emotion, students' life satisfaction, school self-esteem, problem behavior, academic achievement, and self-determination in school). A structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was used to test our hypotheses. The results indicated that parental autonomy support was associated with adolescents' school adjustment in an adaptive manner, both directly and through its positive relationship with both mastery and performance approach goals; however, parental psychological control was associated with adolescents' school adjustment in a maladaptive manner, both directly and through its positive relationship with both mastery and performance avoidance goals. In addition, the results indicated that mastery avoidance goals suppressed the relationship between parental autonomy support and adolescents' school adjustment, and performance approach goals suppressed the relationship between this adjustment and parental psychological control. These findings extend the limited literature regarding the 2 × 2 framework of achievement goals and enable us to evidence the mediating and suppressing effects of achievement goals. This study highlights the importance of parenting in adolescents' school adjustment through the cultivation of different achievement goals.

Ultra-wideband, Wide Angle and Polarization-insensitive Specular Reflection Reduction by Metasurface based on Parameter-adjustable Meta-Atoms

PubMed Central

Su, Jianxun; Lu, Yao; Zhang, Hui; Li, Zengrui; (Lamar) Yang, Yaoqing; Che, Yongxing; Qi, Kainan

2017-01-01

In this paper, an ultra-wideband, wide angle and polarization-insensitive metasurface is designed, fabricated, and characterized for suppressing the specular electromagnetic wave reflection or backward radar cross section (RCS). Square ring structure is chosen as the basic meta-atoms. A new physical mechanism based on size adjustment of the basic meta-atoms is proposed for ultra-wideband manipulation of electromagnetic (EM) waves. Based on hybrid array pattern synthesis (APS) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, the selection and distribution of the basic meta-atoms are optimized simultaneously to obtain the ultra-wideband diffusion scattering patterns. The metasurface can achieve an excellent RCS reduction in an ultra-wide frequency range under x- and y-polarized normal incidences. The new proposed mechanism greatly extends the bandwidth of RCS reduction. The simulation and experiment results show the metasurface can achieve ultra-wideband and polarization-insensitive specular reflection reduction for both normal and wide-angle incidences. The proposed methodology opens up a new route for realizing ultra-wideband diffusion scattering of EM wave, which is important for stealth and other microwave applications in the future. PMID:28181593

Ultra-wideband, Wide Angle and Polarization-insensitive Specular Reflection Reduction by Metasurface based on Parameter-adjustable Meta-Atoms.

PubMed

Su, Jianxun; Lu, Yao; Zhang, Hui; Li, Zengrui; Lamar Yang, Yaoqing; Che, Yongxing; Qi, Kainan

2017-02-09

In this paper, an ultra-wideband, wide angle and polarization-insensitive metasurface is designed, fabricated, and characterized for suppressing the specular electromagnetic wave reflection or backward radar cross section (RCS). Square ring structure is chosen as the basic meta-atoms. A new physical mechanism based on size adjustment of the basic meta-atoms is proposed for ultra-wideband manipulation of electromagnetic (EM) waves. Based on hybrid array pattern synthesis (APS) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, the selection and distribution of the basic meta-atoms are optimized simultaneously to obtain the ultra-wideband diffusion scattering patterns. The metasurface can achieve an excellent RCS reduction in an ultra-wide frequency range under x- and y-polarized normal incidences. The new proposed mechanism greatly extends the bandwidth of RCS reduction. The simulation and experiment results show the metasurface can achieve ultra-wideband and polarization-insensitive specular reflection reduction for both normal and wide-angle incidences. The proposed methodology opens up a new route for realizing ultra-wideband diffusion scattering of EM wave, which is important for stealth and other microwave applications in the future.

Multisource least-squares reverse-time migration with structure-oriented filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Jing-Wen; Li, Zhen-Chun; Zhang, Kai; Zhang, Min; Liu, Xue-Tong

2016-09-01

The technology of simultaneous-source acquisition of seismic data excited by several sources can significantly improve the data collection efficiency. However, direct imaging of simultaneous-source data or blended data may introduce crosstalk noise and affect the imaging quality. To address this problem, we introduce a structure-oriented filtering operator as preconditioner into the multisource least-squares reverse-time migration (LSRTM). The structure-oriented filtering operator is a nonstationary filter along structural trends that suppresses crosstalk noise while maintaining structural information. The proposed method uses the conjugate-gradient method to minimize the mismatch between predicted and observed data, while effectively attenuating the interference noise caused by exciting several sources simultaneously. Numerical experiments using synthetic data suggest that the proposed method can suppress the crosstalk noise and produce highly accurate images.

Adaptively Adjusted Event-Triggering Mechanism on Fault Detection for Networked Control Systems.

PubMed

Wang, Yu-Long; Lim, Cheng-Chew; Shi, Peng

2016-12-08

This paper studies the problem of adaptively adjusted event-triggering mechanism-based fault detection for a class of discrete-time networked control system (NCS) with applications to aircraft dynamics. By taking into account the fault occurrence detection progress and the fault occurrence probability, and introducing an adaptively adjusted event-triggering parameter, a novel event-triggering mechanism is proposed to achieve the efficient utilization of the communication network bandwidth. Both the sensor-to-control station and the control station-to-actuator network-induced delays are taken into account. The event-triggered sensor and the event-triggered control station are utilized simultaneously to establish new network-based closed-loop models for the NCS subject to faults. Based on the established models, the event-triggered simultaneous design of fault detection filter (FDF) and controller is presented. A new algorithm for handling the adaptively adjusted event-triggering parameter is proposed. Performance analysis verifies the effectiveness of the adaptively adjusted event-triggering mechanism, and the simultaneous design of FDF and controller.

[Relationship between emotional labor and job-related stress among hospital nurses].

PubMed

Katayama, Harumi

2010-09-01

To clarify the effects of factors of emotional labor, defined as the suppression of own emotions to better maintain other peoples' emotional conditions, on job-related stress responses among hospital nurses, the relationship between emotional labor and job-related stress was analyzed. A self-reported questionnaire was distributed among 147 nurses of five hospitals in Japan. Complete answers were collected from 123 nurses (83.7%, 107 females and 16 males). Emotional labor was assessed by the Emotional Labor Inventory for Nurses (ELIN) (26 items), which consisted of five subscales, i.e., "suppressed expression," "surface adjustment," "deep adjustment," "exploring and understanding" and "expression on caring." Job-related stress was evaluated using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BSQ) consisting of 57 items. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the relationships of stress responses (BSQ) with ELIN and job stressors (BSQ). Subjects working in an inpatient department showed significantly higher total ELIN scores than those working in an outpatient department. The stepwise multiple regression analysis showed the following: Scores on "anger" and "fatigue" in BSQ positively related to "suppressed expression" scores in ELIN; those on "anxiety" positively related to "deep adjustment" scores; and those on "depression" positively related to "surface adjustment" scores. Similarly, scores on negative stress responses (BSQ) such as "anger," "fatigue," "anxiety," "depression," and "somatic stress responses" positively related to scores on job stressors (BSQ), e.g., physical work load, whereas "vigor" scores positively related to "job worthwhileness" in BSQ. The aspects of "suppressed expression," "deep adjustment," and "surface adjustment" of emotional labor seem to be the major occupational stressors for nurses, as well as job-related stressors measured by BSQ. Working in an inpatient department appears to be a potent stressor for nurses.

[Comparison of efficacy between the serum cortisol and 24 hour urine free cortisol in combined dexamethasone suppression test in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome].

PubMed

Lu, L; Chen, J H; Zhu, H J; Song, A L; Li, M; Chen, S; Pan, H; Gong, F Y; Wang, R Z; Xing, B; Yao, Y; Feng, M; Lu, Z L

2016-07-19

To compare the sensitivity and specificity between the 24 hour urine free cortisol (24 h UFC) and serum cortisol in dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome (CS). Combined low dose DST (LDDST) and high dose DST (HDDST) were carried out in 67 cases of CS with surgically confirmed cases in recent 3 years(from January 2011 to November 2015). The serum cortisol and 24 h UFC were collected simultaneously for each subject and the sensitivity and specificity of serum cortisol and 24 h UFC were compared. There were Cushing disease (CD) group (n=53), ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) syndrome group (n=7) and ACTH-independent Cushing syndrome group (n=7) according to the etiology of hypercorticordism.There were no significant differences among 3 groups in gender and age.The sensitivity of serum cortisol of different cut off points(50, 110, 140 nmol/L and 50% of control)after LDDST was 97.01%, 86.57%, 83.58% and 70.15% respectively.Meanwhile, the sensitivity of cutoff point of 24 h UFC <32 nmol in combined LDDST was 92.54% in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome.There was no significant differences in two groups between serum cortisol <110 nmol/L and 24 h UFC <32 nmol.However, the sensitivity of serum cortisol <50 nmol/L was significantly higher than 24 h UFC<32 nmol (P<0.05). Furthermore, in combined HDDST, if the suppression rate was ≥50%, the sensitivity of serum cortisol and 24 h UFC in differentiating the etiology of Cushing disease was 60.38% and 90.57%, and the specificity was 91.43% and 96.00% respectively.There were significant differences between serum cortisol and 24 h UFC in both of sensitivity and specificity (both P<0.05). In addition, if the suppression rate of 24 h UFC in HDDST was adjusted to 60.85% according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, it could have the best levels of sensitivity (92.6%) with the specificity of 85.7%. If the suppression rate of serum cortisol was adjusted to 61.53% in HDDST according to ROC curve, it could have the best sensitivity (64.8%) with the specificity of 78.6% accordingly. In combined LDDST, the serum cortisol <50 nmol/L had a higher sensitivity than the 24 h UFC<32 nmol when they were used as the criteria in determining the diagnosis of CS.In HDDST, the sensitivity and specificity of suppression rate of 24 h UFC ≥50% were better than serum cortisol to differentiate the etiology of CS.

Near-field self-interference cancellation and quality of service multicast beamforming in full-duplex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Fei; Shao, Shihai; Tang, Youxi

2016-10-01

To enable simultaneous multicast downlink transmit and receive operations on the same frequency band, also known as full-duplex links between an access point and mobile users. The problem of minimizing the total power of multicast transmit beamforming is considered from the viewpoint of ensuring the suppression amount of near-field line-of-sight self-interference and guaranteeing prescribed minimum signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) at each receiver of the multicast groups. Based on earlier results for multicast groups beamforming, the joint problem is easily shown to be NP-hard. A semidefinite relaxation (SDR) technique with linear program power adjust method is proposed to solve the NP-hard problem. Simulation shows that the proposed method is feasible even when the local receive antenna in nearfield and the mobile user in far-filed are in the same direction.

Simultaneously frequency down-conversion, independent multichannel phase shifting and zero-IF receiving using a phase modulator in a sagnac loop and balanced detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zihang; Zhao, Shanghong; Li, Xuan; Lin, Tao; Hu, Dapeng

2018-03-01

Photonic microwave frequency down-conversion with independent multichannel phase shifting and zero-intermediate frequency (IF) receiving is proposed and demonstrated by simulation. By combined use of a phase modulator (PM) in a sagnac loop and an optical bandpass filter (OBPF), orthogonal polarized carrier suppression single sideband (CS-SSB) signals are obtained. By adjusting the polarization controllers (PCs) to introduce the phase difference in the optical domain and using balanced detection to eliminate the direct current components, the phase of the generated IF signal can be arbitrarily tuned. Besides, the radio frequency (RF) vector signal can be also frequency down-converted to baseband directly by choosing two quadrature channels. In the simulation, high gain and continuously tunable phase shifts over the 360 degree range are verified. Furthermore, 2.5 Gbit/s RF vector signals centered at 10 GHz with different modulation formats are successfully demodulated.

Acoustic Suppression Systems and Related Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolaini, Ali R. (Inventor); Kern, Dennis L. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

An acoustic suppression system for absorbing and/or scattering acoustic energy comprising a plurality of acoustic targets in a containment is described, the acoustic targets configured to have resonance frequencies allowing the targets to be excited by incoming acoustic waves, the resonance frequencies being adjustable to suppress acoustic energy in a set frequency range. Methods for fabricating and implementing the acoustic suppression system are also provided.

Determination of Methylamines and Trimethylamine-N-oxide in particulate matter by non-suppressed ion chromatography

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An ion chromatography method with non-suppressed conductivity detection was developed for the simultaneous determination of methylamines (methylamine, dimethylamine, trimethylamine) and trimethylamine-N-oxide in particulate matter air samples. The analytes were well separated by means of cation-exch...

Separate and Simultaneous Adjustment of Light Qualities in a Real Scene

PubMed Central

Pont, Sylvia C.; Heynderick, Ingrid

2017-01-01

Humans are able to estimate light field properties in a scene in that they have expectations of the objects’ appearance inside it. Previously, we probed such expectations in a real scene by asking whether a “probe object” fitted a real scene with regard to its lighting. But how well are observers able to interactively adjust the light properties on a “probe object” to its surrounding real scene? Image ambiguities can result in perceptual interactions between light properties. Such interactions formed a major problem for the “readability” of the illumination direction and diffuseness on a matte smooth spherical probe. We found that light direction and diffuseness judgments using a rough sphere as probe were slightly more accurate than when using a smooth sphere, due to the three-dimensional (3D) texture. We here extended the previous work by testing independent and simultaneous (i.e., the light field properties separated one by one or blended together) adjustments of light intensity, direction, and diffuseness using a rough probe. Independently inferred light intensities were close to the veridical values, and the simultaneously inferred light intensity interacted somewhat with the light direction and diffuseness. The independently inferred light directions showed no statistical difference with the simultaneously inferred directions. The light diffuseness inferences correlated with but contracted around medium veridical values. In summary, observers were able to adjust the basic light properties through both independent and simultaneous adjustments. The light intensity, direction, and diffuseness are well “readable” from our rough probe. Our method allows “tuning the light” (adjustment of its spatial distribution) in interfaces for lighting design or perception research. PMID:28203350

Active Vibration Dampers For Rotating Machinery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kascack, Albert F.; Ropchock, John J.; Lakatos, Tomas F.; Montague, Gerald T.; Palazzolo, Alan; Lin, Reng Rong

1994-01-01

Active dampers developed to suppress vibrations in rotating machinery. Essentially feedback control systems and reciprocating piezoelectric actuators. Similar active damper containing different actuators described in LEW-14488. Concept also applicable to suppression of vibrations in stationary structures subject to winds and earthquakes. Active damper offers adjustable suppression of vibrations. Small and lightweight and responds faster to transients.

Some new approaches in hail suppression experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Browning, K. A.; Atlas, D.

1977-01-01

It is suggested that progress in hail suppression research requires simultaneous improvements in methods of evaluating seeding effects and in monitoring the physical structure of the hailstorm and the hail growth processes. On this basis a case is made for the extensive use of multiple Doppler radar and chemical tracer techniques.

Investigation of unifying transcutaneous transformer for transmission of energy and information.

PubMed

Tamura, Nozomi; Yamamoto, Takahiko; Aoki, Hirooki; Koshiji, Kohji; Homma, Akihiko; Tatsumi, Eisuke; Taenaka, Yoshiyuki

2009-01-01

When patients are fitted with a totally implantable artificial heart (TAH), they need to be implanted with two additional devices: one for the transmission of energy and one for information. However, this is a cumbersome process that affects the quality of life of the recipient. Therefore, we investigated the use of electromagnetic coupling for the transmission of energy and information and the possibility of unifying two transcutaneous transformers for the simultaneous transmission of energy and information. While unifying the transformers, it is important to suppress the electromagnetic coupling between energy and information transmission. Therefore, we ensured that the electromagnetic fields generated from the transformer windings for the transmissions of information and energy intersected perpendicularly. If the fields are perpendicular, the electromagnetic coupling between the energy and information transmissions will be suppressed significantly. The characteristics of the simultaneous transmission of information and energy using the unified transcutaneous transformer, developed experimentally, were evaluated by changing the number of windings used for the transmission of information. The electromagnetic coupling between the energy and information transmissions was suppressed by determining the direction of the magnetic field. Moreover, the optimum number of transformer windings required for the simultaneous transmission of energy and information was determined. We concluded that the externally coupled transcutaneous transformer unified for the simultaneous transmission of energy and information performed with good transmission characteristics.

HIV-Infected Ugandan Women on Antiretroviral Therapy Maintain HIV-1 RNA Suppression Across Periconception, Pregnancy, and Postpartum Periods.

PubMed

Matthews, Lynn T; Ribaudo, Heather B; Kaida, Angela; Bennett, Kara; Musinguzi, Nicholas; Siedner, Mark J; Kabakyenga, Jerome; Hunt, Peter W; Martin, Jeffrey N; Boum, Yap; Haberer, Jessica E; Bangsberg, David R

2016-04-01

HIV-infected women risk sexual and perinatal HIV transmission during conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. We compared HIV-1 RNA suppression and medication adherence across periconception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods, among women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Uganda. We analyzed data from women in a prospective cohort study, aged 18-49 years, enrolled at ART initiation and with ≥1 pregnancy between 2005 and 2011. Participants were seen quarterly. The primary exposure of interest was pregnancy period, including periconception (3 quarters before pregnancy), pregnancy, postpartum (6 months after pregnancy outcome), or nonpregnancy related. Regression models using generalized estimating equations compared the likelihood of HIV-1 RNA ≤400 copies per milliliter, <80% average adherence based on electronic pill caps (medication event monitoring system), and likelihood of 72-hour medication gaps across each period. One hundred eleven women contributed 486 person-years of follow-up. Viral suppression was present at 89% of nonpregnancy, 97% of periconception, 93% of pregnancy, and 89% of postpartum visits, and was more likely during periconception (adjusted odds ratio, 2.15) compared with nonpregnant periods. Average ART adherence was 90% [interquartile range (IQR), 70%-98%], 93% (IQR, 82%-98%), 92% (IQR, 72%-98%), and 88% (IQR, 63%-97%) during nonpregnant, periconception, pregnant, and postpartum periods, respectively. Average adherence <80% was less likely during periconception (adjusted odds ratio, 0.68), and 72-hour gaps per 90 days were less frequent during periconception (adjusted relative risk, 0.72) and more frequent during postpartum (adjusted relative risk, 1.40). Women with pregnancy were virologically suppressed at most visits, with an increased likelihood of suppression and high adherence during periconception follow-up. Increased frequency of 72-hour gaps suggests a need for increased adherence support during postpartum periods.

Circular carrier squeezing interferometry: Suppressing phase shift error in simultaneous phase-shifting point-diffraction interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Donghui; Chen, Lei; Li, Jinpeng; Sun, Qinyuan; Zhu, Wenhua; Anderson, James; Zhao, Jian; Schülzgen, Axel

2018-03-01

Circular carrier squeezing interferometry (CCSI) is proposed and applied to suppress phase shift error in simultaneous phase-shifting point-diffraction interferometer (SPSPDI). By introducing a defocus, four phase-shifting point-diffraction interferograms with circular carrier are acquired, and then converted into linear carrier interferograms by a coordinate transform. Rearranging the transformed interferograms into a spatial-temporal fringe (STF), so the error lobe will be separated from the phase lobe in the Fourier spectrum of the STF, and filtering the phase lobe to calculate the extended phase, when combined with the corresponding inverse coordinate transform, exactly retrieves the initial phase. Both simulations and experiments validate the ability of CCSI to suppress the ripple error generated by the phase shift error. Compared with carrier squeezing interferometry (CSI), CCSI is effective on some occasions in which a linear carrier is difficult to introduce, and with the added benefit of eliminating retrace error.

Design and experimental validation of a flutter suppression controller for the active flexible wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waszak, Martin R.; Srinathkumar, S.

1992-01-01

The synthesis and experimental validation of an active flutter suppression controller for the Active Flexible Wing wind tunnel model is presented. The design is accomplished with traditional root locus and Nyquist methods using interactive computer graphics tools and extensive simulation based analysis. The design approach uses a fundamental understanding of the flutter mechanism to formulate a simple controller structure to meet stringent design specifications. Experimentally, the flutter suppression controller succeeded in simultaneous suppression of two flutter modes, significantly increasing the flutter dynamic pressure despite modeling errors in predicted flutter dynamic pressure and flutter frequency. The flutter suppression controller was also successfully operated in combination with another controller to perform flutter suppression during rapid rolling maneuvers.

[Advances in postoperative thyroid-stimulating hormone suppression therapy in females with thyroid cancer].

PubMed

Song, F; Yi, H L

2018-05-07

Differentiated thyroid cancer is the most common malignant carcinoma in female population.Postoperative long-term thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH) suppression therapy can reduce the risk of recurrence for differentiated thyroid cancer and control the progress of the disease, but it also induces simultaneously subclinical hypothyroidism and imposes negative effect on female. In addition to cardiovascular disease, TSH suppression therapy can lead to the alteration of sex hormone metabolism, menstrual disorder, poor influence on pregnancy and osteoporosis. This article reviews the recent studies on postoperative TSH suppression therapy in women with thyroid cancer.

Pure spin current and phonon thermoelectric transport in a triangulene-based molecular junction.

PubMed

Wang, Qiang; Li, Jianwei; Nie, Yihang; Xu, Fuming; Yu, Yunjin; Wang, Bin

2018-06-13

The experimental synthesis and characterization of enigmatic triangulene were reported for the first time recently. Based on this enigmatic molecule, we proposed a triangulene-based molecular junction and presented first principles calculations to investigate the electron and phonon thermoelectric transport properties. Numerical results show that the spin polarized electric transport properties of the triangulene-based molecular junction can be adjusted effectively by bias voltage and gate voltage. Through varying the gate voltage applied on the triangulene molecule, the system can exhibit a perfect spin filter effect. When a temperature gradient is applied between the two leads, spin up current and spin down current flow along opposite directions in the system simultaneously. Thus pure spin current can be obtained on a large scale by changing the temperature, temperature gradient, and gate voltage. When the phonon vibration effect is considered in thermal transport, the figure of merit is suppressed distinctively especially when the temperature is within the 10 K < T < 100 K range. More importantly, a large spin figure of merit can be achieved accompanied by a small charge figure of merit by adjusting the temperature, gate voltage and chemical potential in a wide range, which indicates a favorable application prospect of the triangulene-based molecular junction as a spin calorigenic device.

An oculomotor and computational study of a patient with diagonistic dyspraxia.

PubMed

Pouget, Pierre; Pradat-Diehl, Pascale; Rivaud-Péchoux, Sophie; Wattiez, Nicolas; Gaymard, Bertrand

2011-04-01

Diagonistic dyspraxia (DD) is a behavioural disorder encountered in split-brain subjects in which the left arm acts against the subject's will, deliberately counteracting what the right arm does. We report here an oculomotor and computational study of a patient with a long lasting form of DD. A first series of oculomotor paradigms revealed marked and unprecedented saccade impairments. We used a computational model in order to provide information about the impaired decision-making process: the analysis of saccade latencies revealed that variations of decision times were explained by adjustments of response criterion. This result and paradoxical impairments observed in additional oculomotor paradigms allowed to propose that this adjustment of the criterion level resulted from the co-existence of counteracting oculomotor programs, consistent with the existence of antagonist programs in homotopic cortical areas. In the intact brain, trans-hemispheric inhibition would allow suppression of these counter programs. Depending on the topography of the disconnected areas, various motor and/or behavioural impairments would arise in split-brain subjects. In motor systems, such conflict would result in increased criteria for desired movement execution (oculomotor system) or in simultaneous execution of counteracting movements (skeletal motor system). At higher cognitive levels, it may result in conflict of intentions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

Suppression on your own terms: internally generated displays of craving suppression predict rebound effects.

PubMed

Sayers, W Michael; Sayette, Michael A

2013-09-01

Research on emotion suppression has shown a rebound effect, in which expression of the targeted emotion increases following a suppression attempt. In prior investigations, participants have been explicitly instructed to suppress their responses, which has drawn the act of suppression into metaconsciousness. Yet emerging research emphasizes the importance of nonconscious approaches to emotion regulation. This study is the first in which a craving rebound effect was evaluated without simultaneously raising awareness about suppression. We aimed to link spontaneously occurring attempts to suppress cigarette craving to increased smoking motivation assessed immediately thereafter. Smokers (n = 66) received a robust cued smoking-craving manipulation while their facial responses were videotaped and coded using the Facial Action Coding System. Following smoking-cue exposure, participants completed a behavioral choice task previously found to index smoking motivation. Participants evincing suppression-related facial expressions during cue exposure subsequently valued smoking more than did those not displaying these expressions, which suggests that internally generated suppression can exert powerful rebound effects.

Spectral and Radiometric Calibration Using Tunable Lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCorkel, Joel (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A tunable laser system includes a tunable laser, an adjustable laser cavity for producing one or more modes of laser light emitted from the tunable laser, a first optical parametric oscillator positioned in a light path of the adjustable laser cavity, and a controller operable to simultaneously control parameters of at least the tunable laser, the first optical parametric oscillator, and the adjustable laser cavity to produce a range of wavelengths emitted from the tunable laser system. A method of operating a tunable laser system includes using a controller to simultaneously control parameters of a tunable laser, an adjustable laser cavity for producing one or more modes of laser light emitted from the tunable laser, and a first optical parametric oscillator positioned in a light path of the adjustable laser cavity, to produce a range of wavelengths emitted from the tunable laser system.

Flutter suppression for the Active Flexible Wing - Control system design and experimental validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waszak, M. R.; Srinathkumar, S.

1992-01-01

The synthesis and experimental validation of a control law for an active flutter suppression system for the Active Flexible Wing wind-tunnel model is presented. The design was accomplished with traditional root locus and Nyquist methods using interactive computer graphics tools and with extensive use of simulation-based analysis. The design approach relied on a fundamental understanding of the flutter mechanism to formulate understanding of the flutter mechanism to formulate a simple control law structure. Experimentally, the flutter suppression controller succeeded in simultaneous suppression of two flutter modes, significantly increasing the flutter dynamic pressure despite errors in the design model. The flutter suppression controller was also successfully operated in combination with a rolling maneuver controller to perform flutter suppression during rapid rolling maneuvers.

Technical note: suppression of artifacts arising from simultaneous cone-beam imaging and RF transponder tracking in prostate radiotherapy.

PubMed

Poludniowski, Gavin; Webb, Steve; Evans, Philip M

2012-03-01

Artifacts in treatment-room cone-beam reconstructions have been observed at the authors' center when cone-beam acquisition is simultaneous with radio frequency (RF) transponder tracking using the Calypso 4D system (Calypso Medical, Seattle, WA). These artifacts manifest as CT-number modulations and increased CT-noise. The authors present a method for the suppression of the artifacts. The authors propose a three-stage postprocessing technique that can be applied to image volumes previously reconstructed by a cone-beam system. The stages are (1) segmentation of voxels into air, soft-tissue, and bone; (2) application of a 2D spatial-filter in the axial plane to the soft-tissue voxels; and (3) normalization to remove streaking along the axial-direction. The algorithm was tested on patient data acquired with Synergy XVI cone-beam CT systems (Elekta, Crawley, United Kingdom). The computational demands of the suggested correction are small, taking less than 15 s per cone-beam reconstruction on a desktop PC. For a moderate loss of spatial-resolution, the artifacts are strongly suppressed and low-contrast visibility is improved. The correction technique proposed is fast and effective in removing the artifacts caused by simultaneous cone-beam imaging and RF-transponder tracking.

Improved black-blood imaging using DANTE-SPACE for simultaneous carotid and intracranial vessel wall evaluation

PubMed Central

Xie, Yibin; Yang, Qi; Xie, Guoxi; Pang, Jianing; Fan, Zhaoyang; Li, Debiao

2015-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this work is to develop a 3D black-blood imaging method for simultaneously evaluating carotid and intracranial arterial vessel wall with high spatial resolution and excellent blood suppression with and without contrast enhancement. Methods DANTE preparation module was incorporated into SPACE sequence to improve blood signal suppression. Simulations and phantom studies were performed to quantify image contrast variations induced by DANTE. DANTE-SPACE, SPACE and 2D TSE were compared for apparent SNR, CNR and morphometric measurements in fourteen healthy subjects. Preliminary clinical validation was performed in six symptomatic patients. Results Apparent residual luminal blood was observed in 5 (pre-CE) and 9 (post-CE) subjects with SPACE, and only 2 (post-CE) subjects with DANTE-SPACE. DANTE-SPACE showed 31% (pre-CE) and 100% (post-CE) improvement in wall-to-blood CNR over SPACE. Vessel wall area measured from SPACE was significantly larger than that from DANTE-SPACE due to possible residual blood signal contamination. In patients DANTE-SPACE showed the potential to detect vessel wall dissection and identify plaque components. Conclusion DANTE-SPACE significantly improved arterial and venous blood suppression compared with SPACE. Simultaneous high-resolution carotid and intracranial vessel wall imaging to potentially identify plaque components was feasible with scan time under 6 minutes. PMID:26152900

Simultaneous observation solutions for NASA-MOTS and SPEOPT station positions on the North American datum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reece, J. S.; Marsh, J.

1973-01-01

Simultaneous observations of the GEOS-I and II flashing lamps by the NASA MOTS and SPEOPT cameras on the North American Datum (NAD) were analyzed using geometrical techniques to provide an adjustment of the station coordinates. Two separate adjustments were obtained. An optical data only solution was computed in which the solution scale was provided by the Rosman-Mojave distance obtained from a dynamic station solution. In a second adjustment, scaling was provided by processing simultaneous laser ranging data from Greenbelt and Wallops Island in a combined optical-laser solution. Comparisons of these results with previous GSFC dynamical solutions indicate an rms agreement on the order of 4 meters or better in each coordinate. Comparison with a detailed gravimetric geoid of North America yields agreement of 3 meters or better for mainland U.S. stations and 7 and 3 meters, respectively, for Bermuda and Puerto Rico.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: Suppressing anomalous diffusion by cooperation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dybiec, Bartłomiej

2010-08-01

Within a continuous time random walk scenario we consider a motion of a complex of particles which moves coherently. The motion of every particle is characterized by the waiting time and jump length distributions which are of the power-law type. Due to the interactions between particles it is assumed that the waiting time is adjusted to the shortest or to the longest waiting time. Analogously, the jump length is adjusted to the shortest or to the longest jump length. We show that adjustment to the shortest waiting time can suppress the subdiffusive behavior even in situations when the exponent characterizing the waiting time distribution assures subdiffusive motion of a single particle. Finally, we demonstrate that the characteristic of the motion depends on the number of particles building a complex.

5 CFR 536.305 - Adjusting an employee's retained rate when a pay schedule is adjusted.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... conversion under § 536.303(b) or any other simultaneous pay action. The retained rate adjustment under... new retained rate must be determined under the geographic conversion rule in § 536.303(b). (4... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Adjusting an employee's retained rate...

Risk of fracture and pneumonia from acid suppressive drugs.

PubMed

Eom, Chun-Sick; Lee, Sang-Soo

2011-09-26

A recently published systematic review and meta-analysis, incorporating all relevant studies on the association of acid suppressive medications and pneumonia identified up to August 2009, revealed that for every 200 patients, treated with acid suppressive medication, one will develop pneumonia. They showed the overall risk of pneumonia was higher among people using proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.11-1.46, I(2) = 90.5%] and Histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) (adjusted OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.09-1.36, I(2) = 0.0%). In the randomized controlled trials, use of H2RAs was associated with an elevated risk of hospital-acquired pneumonia (relative risk 1.22, 95% CI: 1.01-1.48, I(2) = 30.6%). Another meta-analysis of 11 studies published between 1997 and 2011 found that PPIs, which reduce stomach acid production, were associated with increased risk of fracture. The pooled OR for fracture was 1.29 (95% CI: 1.18-1.41) with use of PPIs and 1.10 (95% CI: 0.99-1.23) with use of H2RAs, when compared with non-use of the respective medications. Long-term use of PPIs increased the risk of any fracture (adjusted OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.15-1.48) and of hip fracture risk (adjusted OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.09-1.66), whereas long-term H2RA use was not significantly associated with fracture risk. Clinicians should carefully consider when deciding to prescribe acid-suppressive drugs, especially for patients who are already at risk for pneumonia and fracture. Since it is unnecessary to achieve an achlorhydric state in order to resolve symptoms, we recommend using the only minimum effective dose of drug required to achieve the desired therapeutic goals.

An interleaved sequence for simultaneous magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM).

PubMed

Chen, Yongsheng; Liu, Saifeng; Buch, Sagar; Hu, Jiani; Kang, Yan; Haacke, E Mark

2018-04-01

To image the entire vasculature of the brain with complete suppression of signal from background tissue using a single 3D excitation interleaved rephased/dephased multi-echo gradient echo sequence. This ensures no loss of signal from fast flow and provides co-registered susceptibility weighted images (SWI) and quantitative susceptibility maps (QSM) from the same scan. The suppression of background tissue was accomplished by subtracting the flow-dephased images from the flow-rephased images with the same echo time of 12.5ms to generate a magnetic resonance angiogram and venogram (MRAV). Further, a 2.5ms flow-compensated echo was added in the rephased portion to provide sufficient signal for major arteries with fast flow. The QSM data from the rephased 12.5ms echo was used to suppress veins on the MRAV to generate an artery-only MRA. The proposed approach was tested on five healthy volunteers at 3T. This three-echo interleaved GRE sequence provided complete background suppression of stationary tissues, while the short echo data gave high signal in the internal carotid and middle cerebral arteries (MCA). The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the arteries was significantly improved in the M3 territory of the MCA compared to the non-linear subtraction MRA and TOF-MRA. Veins were suppressed successfully utilizing the QSM data. The background tissue can be properly suppressed using the proposed interleaved MRAV sequence. One can obtain whole brain MRAV, MRA, SWI, true-SWI (or tSWI) and QSM data simultaneously from a single scan. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A comparison of virological suppression and rebound between Indigenous and non-Indigenous persons initiating combination antiretroviral therapy in a multisite cohort of individuals living with HIV in Canada.

PubMed

Benoit, Anita C; Younger, Jaime; Beaver, Kerrigan; Jackson, Randy; Loutfy, Mona; Masching, Renée; Nobis, Tony; Nowgesic, Earl; O'Brien-Teengs, Doe; Whitebird, Wanda; Zoccole, Art; Hull, Mark; Jaworsky, Denise; Rachlis, Anita; Rourke, Sean; Burchell, Ann N; Cooper, Curtis; Hogg, Robert; Klein, Marina B; Machouf, Nima; Montaner, Julio; Tsoukas, Chris; Raboud, Janet

2017-01-01

This study compared time to virological suppression and rebound between Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals living with HIV in Canada initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Data were from the Canadian Observational Cohort collaboration; eight studies of treatment-naive persons with HIV initiating cART after 1/1/2000. Fine and Gray models were used to estimate the effect of ethnicity on time to virological suppression (two consecutive viral loads [VLs] <50 copies/ml at least 3 months apart) after adjusting for the competing risk of death and time until virological rebound (two consecutive VLs >200 copies/ml at least 3 months apart) following suppression. Among 7,080 participants were 497 Indigenous persons of whom 413 (83%) were from British Columbia. The cumulative incidence of suppression 1 year after cART initiation was 54% for Indigenous persons, 77% for Caucasian and 80% for African, Caribbean or Black (ACB) persons. The cumulative incidence of rebound 1 year after suppression was 13% for Indigenous persons, 6% for Caucasian and 7% for ACB persons. Indigenous persons were less likely to achieve suppression than Caucasian participants (aHR=0.58, 95% CI 0.50, 0.68), but not more likely to experience rebound (aHR=1.03, 95% CI 0.84, 1.27) after adjusting for age, gender, injection drug use, men having sex with men status, province of residence, baseline VL and CD4 + T-cell count, antiretroviral class and year of cART initiation. Lower suppression rates among Indigenous persons suggest a need for targeted interventions to improve HIV health outcomes during the first year of treatment when suppression is usually achieved.

Modulation of early cortical processing during divided attention to non-contiguous locations

PubMed Central

Frey, Hans-Peter; Schmid, Anita M.; Murphy, Jeremy W.; Molholm, Sophie; Lalor, Edmund C.; Foxe, John J.

2015-01-01

We often face the challenge of simultaneously attending to multiple non-contiguous regions of space. There is ongoing debate as to how spatial attention is divided under these situations. While for several years the predominant view was that humans could divide the attentional spotlight, several recent studies argue in favor of a unitary spotlight that rhythmically samples relevant locations. Here, this issue was addressed using high-density electrophysiology in concert with the multifocal m-sequence technique to examine visual evoked responses to multiple simultaneous streams of stimulation. Concurrently, we assayed the topographic distribution of alpha-band oscillatory mechanisms, a measure of attentional suppression. Participants performed a difficult detection task that required simultaneous attention to two stimuli in contiguous (undivided) or non-contiguous parts of space. In the undivided condition, the classical pattern of attentional modulation was observed, with increased amplitude of the early visual evoked response and increased alpha amplitude ipsilateral to the attended hemifield. For the divided condition, early visual responses to attended stimuli were also enhanced and the observed multifocal topographic distribution of alpha suppression was in line with the divided attention hypothesis. These results support the existence of divided attentional spotlights, providing evidence that the corresponding modulation occurs during initial sensory processing timeframes in hierarchically early visual regions and that suppressive mechanisms of visual attention selectively target distracter locations during divided spatial attention. PMID:24606564

Overlapping dose responses of spermatogenic and extragonadal testosterone actions jeopardize the principle of hormonal male contraception

PubMed Central

Oduwole, Olayiwola O.; Vydra, Natalia; Wood, Nicholas E. M.; Samanta, Luna; Owen, Laura; Keevil, Brian; Donaldson, Mandy; Naresh, Kikkeri; Huhtaniemi, Ilpo T.

2014-01-01

Testosterone (T), alone or in combination with progestin, provides a promising approach to hormonal male contraception. Its principle relies on enhanced negative feedback of exogenous T to suppress gonadotropins, thereby blocking the testicular T production needed for spermatogenesis, while simultaneously maintaining the extragonadal androgen actions, such as potency and libido, to avoid hypogonadism. A serious drawback of the treatment is that a significant proportion of men do not reach azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia, commensurate with contraceptive efficacy. We tested here, using hypogonadal luteinizing hormone/choriongonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) knockout (LHR−/−) mice, the basic principle of the T-based male contraceptive method, that a specific T dose could maintain extragonadal androgen actions without simultaneously activating spermatogenesis. LHR−/− mice were treated with increasing T doses, and the responses of their spermatogenesis and extragonadal androgen actions (including gonadotropin suppression and sexual behavior) were assessed. Conspicuously, all dose responses to T were practically superimposable, and no dose of T could be defined that would maintain sexual function and suppress gonadotropins without simultaneously activating spermatogenesis. This finding, never addressed in clinical contraceptive trials, is not unexpected in light of the same androgen receptor mediating androgen actions in all organs. When extrapolated to humans, our findings may jeopardize the current approach to hormonal male contraception and call for more effective means of inhibiting intratesticular T production or action, to achieve consistent spermatogenic suppression.—Oduwole, O. O., Vydra, N., Wood, N. E. M., Samanta, L., Owen, L., Keevil, B., Donaldson, M., Naresh, K., Huhtaniemi, I. T. Overlapping dose responses of spermatogenic and extragonadal testosterone actions jeopardize the principle of hormonal male contraception. PMID:24599970

Socio-economic marginalization and plasma HIV-1 RNA non-detectability among individuals who use illicit drugs in a Canadian setting

PubMed Central

RICHARDSON, Lindsey A.; KERR, Thomas H.; DOBRER, Sabina; PUSKAS, Cathy M.; GUILLEMI, Silvia A.; MONTANER, Julio S. G.; WOOD, Evan; MILLOY, M-J. S.

2015-01-01

Objective Given that people who use illicit drugs (PWUD) often engage in prohibited income generation to support their basic needs, we sought to examine the role of these activities in shaping antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and plasma HIV RNA-1 viral load suppression among HIV-infected PWUD. Design Longitudinal analyses among HIV-positive, ART exposed PWUD in the AIDS Care Cohort to evaluate Exposure to Survival Services prospective cohort study (2005–2013). Methods Generalized linear mixed effects and mediation analyses examined the relationship between prohibited income generation (e.g. sex work, drug dealing, theft, street-based income) and virologic suppression (plasma viral load ≤ 50 copies/mL plasma) adjusting for adherence and potential confounders. Results Among 687 HIV-infected PWUD, 391 (56.9%) individuals reported prohibited income generation activity during the study period. In multivariate analyses, prohibited income generation remained independently and negatively associated with virologic suppression (adjusted odds ratio: 0.68, 95% confidence interval: 0.52–0.88) following adjustment for hypothesized confounders, including high-intensity drug use, ART adherence and homelessness. While partially mediated by ART adherence, the relationship between prohibited income generation and virologic suppression was maintained in mediation analyses (Sobel statistic = −1.95, p=0.05). Conclusions Involvement in prohibited income generation decreases the likelihood of virologic suppression directly and indirectly through its negative association with ART adherence. These findings suggest that linkages between socio-economic marginalization, the criminalization of illicit drug use and insufficient employment opportunities may produce barriers to access and retention in care. Programmatic and policy interventions that decrease socio-economic vulnerability may therefore reduce HIV-related morbidity, mortality and onward transmission. PMID:26558546

Optical Demonstration of a Medical Imaging System with an EMCCD-Sensor Array for Use in a High Resolution Dynamic X-ray Imager

PubMed Central

Qu, Bin; Huang, Ying; Wang, Weiyuan; Sharma, Prateek; Kuhls-Gilcrist, Andrew T.; Cartwright, Alexander N.; Titus, Albert H.; Bednarek, Daniel R.; Rudin, Stephen

2011-01-01

Use of an extensible array of Electron Multiplying CCDs (EMCCDs) in medical x-ray imager applications was demonstrated for the first time. The large variable electronic-gain (up to 2000) and small pixel size of EMCCDs provide effective suppression of readout noise compared to signal, as well as high resolution, enabling the development of an x-ray detector with far superior performance compared to conventional x-ray image intensifiers and flat panel detectors. We are developing arrays of EMCCDs to overcome their limited field of view (FOV). In this work we report on an array of two EMCCD sensors running simultaneously at a high frame rate and optically focused on a mammogram film showing calcified ducts. The work was conducted on an optical table with a pulsed LED bar used to provide a uniform diffuse light onto the film to simulate x-ray projection images. The system can be selected to run at up to 17.5 frames per second or even higher frame rate with binning. Integration time for the sensors can be adjusted from 1 ms to 1000 ms. Twelve-bit correlated double sampling AD converters were used to digitize the images, which were acquired by a National Instruments dual-channel Camera Link PC board in real time. A user-friendly interface was programmed using LabVIEW to save and display 2K × 1K pixel matrix digital images. The demonstration tiles a 2 × 1 array to acquire increased-FOV stationary images taken at different gains and fluoroscopic-like videos recorded by scanning the mammogram simultaneously with both sensors. The results show high resolution and high dynamic range images stitched together with minimal adjustments needed. The EMCCD array design allows for expansion to an M×N array for arbitrarily larger FOV, yet with high resolution and large dynamic range maintained. PMID:23505330

Real-time adjustment of ventricular restraint therapy in heart failure.

PubMed

Ghanta, Ravi K; Lee, Lawrence S; Umakanthan, Ramanan; Laurence, Rita G; Fox, John A; Bolman, Ralph Morton; Cohn, Lawrence H; Chen, Frederick Y

2008-12-01

Current ventricular restraint devices do not allow for either the measurement or adjustment of ventricular restraint level. Periodic adjustment of restraint level post-device implantation may improve therapeutic efficacy. We evaluated the feasibility of an adjustable quantitative ventricular restraint (QVR) technique utilizing a fluid-filled polyurethane epicardial balloon to measure and adjust restraint level post-implantation guided by physiologic parameters. QVR balloons were implanted in nine ovine with post-infarction dilated heart failure. Restraint level was defined by the maximum restraint pressure applied by the balloon to the epicardium at end-diastole. An access line connected the balloon lumen to a subcutaneous portacath to allow percutaneous access. Restraint level was adjusted while left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume (EDV) and cardiac output was assessed with simultaneous transthoracic echocardiography. All nine ovine successfully underwent QVR balloon implantation. Post-implantation, restraint level could be measured percutaneously in real-time and dynamically adjusted by instillation and withdrawal of fluid from the balloon lumen. Using simultaneous echocardiography, restraint level could be adjusted based on LV EDV and cardiac output. After QVR therapy for 21 days, LV EDV decreased from 133+/-15 ml to 113+/-17 ml (p<0.05). QVR permits real-time measurement and physiologic adjustment of ventricular restraint therapy after device implantation.

Intensity inhomogeneity compensation and tissue segmentation for magnetic resonance imaging with noise-suppressed multiplicative intrinsic component optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Huaipeng; Zhang, Qi; Shi, Jun

2017-12-01

Magnetic resonance (MR) images suffer from intensity inhomogeneity. Segmentation-based approaches can simultaneously achieve both intensity inhomogeneity compensation (IIC) and tissue segmentation for MR images with little noise, but they often fail for images polluted by severe noise. Here, we propose a noise-robust algorithm named noise-suppressed multiplicative intrinsic component optimization (NSMICO) for simultaneous IIC and tissue segmentation. Considering the spatial characteristics in an image, an adaptive nonlocal means filtering term is incorporated into the objective function of NSMICO to decrease image deterioration due to noise. Then, a fuzzy local factor term utilizing the spatial and gray-level relationship among local pixels is embedded into the objective function to reach a balance between noise suppression and detail preservation. Experimental results on synthetic natural and MR images with various levels of intensity inhomogeneity and noise, as well as in vivo clinical MR images, have demonstrated the effectiveness of the NSMICO and its superiority to three competing approaches. The NSMICO could be potentially valuable for MR image IIC and tissue segmentation.

Longitudinal Associations between Keeping a Secret and Psychosocial Adjustment in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frijns, Tom; Finkenauer, Catrin

2009-01-01

Increasing bodies of evidence suggest that keeping secrets may be detrimental to well-being and adjustment, whereas confiding secrets may alleviate the detriments of secrecy and benefit well-being and adjustment. However, few studies have addressed the consequences of keeping and confiding secrets simultaneously, and even fewer have done so…

Local Turbulence Suppression and Shear Flow Dynamics During qmin-Triggered Internal Transport Barriers on DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafer, M. W.; McKee, G. R.; Schlossberg, D. J.; Austin, M. E.; Burrell, K. H.

2008-11-01

Long-wavelength turbulence (kρi< 1) is locally suppressed simultaneously with a rapid but transient increase in local poloidal flow shear at the appearance of low-order rational qmin surfaces in negative central shear discharges. At these events, reductions in energy transport are observed and Internal Transport Barriers (ITBs) may form. Application of off-axis ECH slows the q-profile evolution and increases ρqmin, both of which enhance turbulence measurements using a new high-sensitivity large-area (8x,8) 2D BES array. The measured transient turbulence suppression is localized to the low-order rational surface (qmin= 2, 5/2, 3, etc.). Measured poloidal flow shear transiently exceeds the turbulence decorrelation rate, which is consistent with shear suppression. The localized suppression zone propagates radially outward, nearly coincident with the low-order surface.

Effects of multiple scattering in cold nuclear matter on J / ψ suppression and in heavy ion collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glenn, A. M.; Nagle, J. L.; Molnar, Denes

2007-01-01

Coherent multiple scatterings of ccbar quark pairs in the environment of heavy ion collisions have been used in a previous work by Qiu et al. [J. Qiu, J.P. Vary, X. Zhang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88 (2002) 232301; J. Qiu, J.P. Vary, X. Zhang, Nucl. Phys. A 698 (2002) 571, nucl-th/0106040] to study J / ψ suppression. That model suggests that heavy quark re-scatterings in a cold nuclear medium can completely explain the centrality dependence of the observed J / ψ suppression in Pb + Pb collisions at the SPS [M.C. Abreu, et al., NA50 Collaboration, Phys. Lett. B 521 (2001) 195]. Their calculations also revealed significant differences under the assumptions of a color singlet or color octet production mechanism. A more recent analytic calculation [H. Fujii, Phys. Rev. C 67 (2003) 031901], which includes incoherent final-state re-scatterings with explicit momentum transfer fluctuations in three dimensions, indicates much less suppression and little sensitivity to the production mechanism. In this Letter, we study simultaneously both the J / ψ suppression and pT modifications, at SPS and RHIC energies. We mainly focus on incoherent momentum transfer fluctuations in two dimensions, which is more appropriate for the heavy-ion collision kinematics. Our analytic and Monte Carlo calculations reinforce the analytic results in [H. Fujii, Phys. Rev. C 67 (2003) 031901]. Additionally, we find that the experimental J / ψ suppression and from nucleus-nucleus collisions at the SPS or RHIC cannot simultaneously be described in this incoherent multiple scattering framework for any value of the fluctuation strength parameter .

Inversion of very large matrices encountered in large scale problems of photogrammetry and photographic astrometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, D. C.

1971-01-01

The simultaneous adjustment of very large nets of overlapping plates covering the celestial sphere becomes computationally feasible by virtue of a twofold process that generates a system of normal equations having a bordered-banded coefficient matrix, and solves such a system in a highly efficient manner. Numerical results suggest that when a well constructed spherical net is subjected to a rigorous, simultaneous adjustment, the exercise of independently established control points is neither required for determinancy nor for production of accurate results.

Viral/Nonviral Chimeric Nanoparticles to Synergistically Suppress Leukemia Proliferation via Simultaneous Gene Transduction and Silencing

PubMed Central

Hong, Cheol Am; Cho, Soo Kyung; Edson, Julius A.; Kim, Jane; Ingato, Dominique; Pham, Bryan; Chuang, Anthony; Fruman, David; Kwon, Young Jik

2017-01-01

Single modal cancer therapy that targets one pathological pathway often turns out to be inefficient. For example, relapse of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) after inhibiting BCR-ABL fusion protein using tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) (e.g., Imatinib) is of significant clinical concern. This study developed a dual modal gene therapy that simultaneously tackles two key BCR-ABL-linked pathways using viral/nonviral chimeric nanoparticles (ChNPs). Consisting of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) core and an acid-degradable polymeric shell, the ChNPs were designed to simultaneously induce pro-apoptotic BIM expression by the AAV core and silence pro-survival MCL-1 by the small interfering RNA (siRNA) encapsulated in the shell. The resulting BIM/MCL-1 ChNPs were able to efficiently suppress the proliferation of BCR-ABL+ K562 and FL5.12/p190 cells in vitro and in vivo via simultaneously expressing BIM and silencing MCL-1. Interestingly, the synergistic anti-leukemic effects generated by BIM/MCL-1 ChNPs were specific to BCR-ABL+ cells and independent of a proliferative cytokine, IL-3. The AAV core of ChNPs was efficiently shielded from inactivation by anti-AAV serum and avoided the generation of anti-AAV serum, without acute toxicity. This study demonstrates the development of a synergistically efficient, specific, and safe therapy for leukemia using gene carriers that simultaneously manipulate multiple and inter-linked pathological pathways. PMID:27472284

Modulation of early cortical processing during divided attention to non-contiguous locations.

PubMed

Frey, Hans-Peter; Schmid, Anita M; Murphy, Jeremy W; Molholm, Sophie; Lalor, Edmund C; Foxe, John J

2014-05-01

We often face the challenge of simultaneously attending to multiple non-contiguous regions of space. There is ongoing debate as to how spatial attention is divided under these situations. Whereas, for several years, the predominant view was that humans could divide the attentional spotlight, several recent studies argue in favor of a unitary spotlight that rhythmically samples relevant locations. Here, this issue was addressed by the use of high-density electrophysiology in concert with the multifocal m-sequence technique to examine visual evoked responses to multiple simultaneous streams of stimulation. Concurrently, we assayed the topographic distribution of alpha-band oscillatory mechanisms, a measure of attentional suppression. Participants performed a difficult detection task that required simultaneous attention to two stimuli in contiguous (undivided) or non-contiguous parts of space. In the undivided condition, the classic pattern of attentional modulation was observed, with increased amplitude of the early visual evoked response and increased alpha amplitude ipsilateral to the attended hemifield. For the divided condition, early visual responses to attended stimuli were also enhanced, and the observed multifocal topographic distribution of alpha suppression was in line with the divided attention hypothesis. These results support the existence of divided attentional spotlights, providing evidence that the corresponding modulation occurs during initial sensory processing time-frames in hierarchically early visual regions, and that suppressive mechanisms of visual attention selectively target distracter locations during divided spatial attention. © 2014 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The role of macrophages in the regulation of erythroid colony growth in vitro.

PubMed

Wang, C Q; Udupa, K B; Lipschitz, D A

1992-10-01

Depletion of macrophages from murine marrow by the use of a monoclonal anti-macrophage antibody resulted in a significant increase in the number of erythroid burst forming units (BFU-E). This increase could be neutralized by the addition back to culture of macrophages or macrophage conditioned medium indicating that the suppression was mediated by soluble factors. To further characterize this effect, the addition to culture, either alone or in combination, of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on the growth of BFU-E and the colony-forming unit granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) was examined in macrophage-containing and macrophage-depleted cultures. The addition of IL-1 alpha to culture stimulated the release of both TNF alpha and GM-CSF and acted synergistically with both cytokines, resulting in a dose-dependent suppression of BFU-E and stimulation of CFU-GM growth. The increase in CFU-GM caused by the addition of IL-1 alpha was mediated by GM-CSF but not by TNF alpha as the increase was prevented by the addition of a monoclonal anti-GM-CSF antibody but not by anti-TNF alpha. When either TNF alpha or GM-CSF was neutralized by monoclonal antibodies the addition of IL-1 alpha resulted in a significant increase in BFU-E growth. The addition of GM-CSF to culture caused a dose-dependent suppression of BFU-E that was mediated by TNF alpha, as colony number was not reduced when GM-CSF and a monoclonal anti-TNF alpha antibody were simultaneously added to culture. TNF alpha-induced suppression of BFU-E only occurred in the presence of macrophages. In macrophage-depleted cultures, a dose-dependent suppression of BFU-E could be induced if subinhibitory concentrations of IL-1 alpha or GM-CSF were simultaneously added with increasing concentrations of TNF alpha. The effects of IL-1 alpha or GM-CSF and TNF alpha were markedly synergistic so that the doses required to induce suppression when added simultaneously was only 10% of that required when either were added to culture alone. Suppression of BFU-E by GM-CSF or the combined addition of GM-CSF and TNF alpha did not require IL-1 alpha because inhibition was not neutralized by the addition of anti-IL-1 alpha antibody.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Flutter suppression digital control law design and testing for the AFW wind tunnel model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mukhopadhyay, Vivek

1994-01-01

The design of a control law for simultaneously suppressing the symmetric and antisymmetric flutter modes of a sting mounted fixed-in-roll aeroelastic wind-tunnel model is described. The flutter suppression control law was designed using linear quadratic Gaussian theory, and it also involved control law order reduction, a gain root-locus study, and use of previous experimental results. A 23 percent increase in the open-loop flutter dynamic pressure was demonstrated during the wind-tunnel test. Rapid roll maneuvers at 11 percent above the symmetric flutter boundary were also performed when the model was in a free-to-roll configuration.

Flutter suppression digital control law design and testing for the AFW wind tunnel model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mukhopadhyay, Vivek

1992-01-01

Design of a control law for simultaneously suppressing the symmetric and antisymmetric flutter modes of a sting mounted fixed-in-roll aeroelastic wind tunnel model is described. The flutter suppression control law was designed using linear quadratic Gaussian theory, and involved control law order reduction, a gain root-locus study and use of previous experimental results. A 23 percent increase in the open-loop flutter dynamic pressure was demonstrated during the wind tunnel test. Rapid roll maneuvers at 11 percent above the symmetric flutter boundary were also performed when the model was in a free-to-roll configuration.

Flutter suppression digital control law design and testing for the AFW wind-tunnel model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mukhopadhyay, Vivek

1992-01-01

Design of a control law for simultaneously suppressing the symmetric and antisymmetric flutter modes of a string mounted fixed-in-roll aeroelastic wind tunnel model is described. The flutter suppression control law was designed using linear quadratic Gaussian theory and involved control law order reduction, a gain root-locus study, and the use of previous experimental results. A 23 percent increase in open-loop flutter dynamic pressure was demonstrated during the wind tunnel test. Rapid roll maneuvers at 11 percent above the symmetric flutter boundary were also performed when the model was in a free-to-roll configuration.

[The importance of bisoprolol in prevention of heart left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with long term L-thyroxin suppressive therapy, after the operation of differentiated thyroid carcinoma].

PubMed

Matuszewska, Gabriela; Marek, Bogdan; Kajdaniuk, Dariusz; Przywara-Chowaniec, Brygida; Jarzab, Jerzy; Jarzab, Barbara

2007-01-01

Patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma have to undergo radical surgical treatment, which includes total thyreoidectomy, radioiodine therapy and a life-time suppressive therapy with L-thyroxine. The aim of this study was a prospective evaluation of left ventricular hypertrophy during L suppressive-thyroxine treatment in patients treated for differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The examined group comprised 50 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma, treated by total thyroidectomy and 131I therapy. Echocardiographic measurements were needed for estimation of left ventricular mass and its index, according to recommendations of American Echocardiography Society. During two-years long suppressive therapy we observed a significant rise in left ventricular mass. In woman group left ventricular mass was increased from 168+/-39 g to 204+/-45 g (p<0.001) and in men from 205+/-60 to 320+/-21 g. Likewise, left ventricular mass index was increased in women group from 96+/-18 g/m(2) to 116+/-25 g/m(2) (p<0.001) and in men group from 107+/-37 g/m(2) to 158+/-28 g/m(2). Simultaneous treatment with bisoprolol caused a regression of left myocardial hypertrophy. Already after 6 months of simultaneous treatment with L-thyroxin and bisoprolol, for left ventricular mass was reduced to normal: in woman 165+/-35 g, and in men to 178+/-38 g. Analogous results were obtained left ventricular mass index. After 6 months it was reduced to 94+/-12 g/m(2) in woman and in men to 132+/-32 g/m(2). 1. In differentiated thyroid cancer patients, treated postoperatively with L-thyroxine suppressive therapy, left ventricular hypertrophy is observed already during the first year of suppressive therapy and progresses during the next year of treatment. 2 Addition of a beta-adrenergic antagonist to suppressive doses of L-thyroxine causes a regression of left ventricular hypertrophy, thus, beta-adrenergic antagonists should be administered in this group of patients.

Pedestal bifurcation and resonant field penetration at the threshold of edge-localized mode suppression in the DIII-D Tokamak.

PubMed

Nazikian, R; Paz-Soldan, C; Callen, J D; deGrassie, J S; Eldon, D; Evans, T E; Ferraro, N M; Grierson, B A; Groebner, R J; Haskey, S R; Hegna, C C; King, J D; Logan, N C; McKee, G R; Moyer, R A; Okabayashi, M; Orlov, D M; Osborne, T H; Park, J-K; Rhodes, T L; Shafer, M W; Snyder, P B; Solomon, W M; Strait, E J; Wade, M R

2015-03-13

Rapid bifurcations in the plasma response to slowly varying n=2 magnetic fields are observed as the plasma transitions into and out of edge-localized mode (ELM) suppression. The rapid transition to ELM suppression is characterized by an increase in the toroidal rotation and a reduction in the electron pressure gradient at the top of the pedestal that reduces the perpendicular electron flow there to near zero. These events occur simultaneously with an increase in the inner-wall magnetic response. These observations are consistent with strong resonant field penetration of n=2 fields at the onset of ELM suppression, based on extended MHD simulations using measured plasma profiles. Spontaneous transitions into (and out of) ELM suppression with a static applied n=2 field indicate competing mechanisms of screening and penetration of resonant fields near threshold conditions. Magnetic measurements reveal evidence for the unlocking and rotation of tearinglike structures as the plasma transitions out of ELM suppression.

Pedestal Bifurcation and Resonant Field Penetration at the Threshold of Edge-Localized Mode Suppression in the DIII-D Tokamak

DOE PAGES

Nazikian, Raffi; Paz-Soldan, Carlos; Callen, James D.; ...

2015-03-12

Rapid bifurcations in the plasma response to slowly varying n=2 magnetic fields are observed as the plasma transitions into and out of edge localized mode (ELM) suppression. The rapid transition to ELM suppression is characterized by an increase in the toroidal rotation and a reduction in the electron pressure gradient at the top of the pedestal which reduces the perpendicular electron flow to near zero. These events occur simultaneously with an increase in the inner wall magnetic response. These observations are consistent strong resonant field penetration of n=2 fields at the onset of ELM suppression, based on extended MHD simulationsmore » using measured plasma profiles. Spontaneous transitions into (and out of) ELM suppression with a static applied n=2 field indicate competing mechanisms of screening and penetration of resonant fields near threshold conditions. Magnetic measurements reveal evidence for the unlocking and rotation of tearing-like structures as the plasma transitions out of ELM suppression.« less

Nitrous oxide has different effects on the EEG and somatosensory evoked potentials during isoflurane anaesthesia in patients.

PubMed

Porkkala, T; Jäntti, V; Kaukinen, S; Häkkinen, V

1997-04-01

Electroencephalogram (EEG) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) are altered by inhalation anaesthesia. Nitrous oxide is commonly used in combination with volatile anaesthetics. We have studied the effects of nitrous oxide on both EEG and SEPs simultaneously during isoflurane burst-suppression anaesthesia. Twelve ASA I-II patients undergoing abdominal or orthopaedic surgery were anaesthetized with isoflurane by mask. After intubation and relaxation the isoflurane concentration was increased to a level at which an EEG burst-suppression pattern occurred (mean isoflurane end-tidal concentration 1.9 (SD 0.2) %. With a stable isoflurane concentration, the patients received isoflurane-air-oxygen and isoflurane-nitrous oxide-oxygen (FiO2 0.4) in a randomized cross-over manner. EEG and SEPs were simultaneously recorded before, and after wash-out or wash-in periods for nitrous oxide. The proportion of EEG suppressions as well as SEP amplitudes for cortical N20 were calculated. The proportion of EEG suppressions decreased from 53.5% to 34% (P < 0.05) when air was replaced by nitrous oxide. At the same time, the cortical N20 amplitude was reduced by 69% (P < 0.01). The results suggest that during isoflurane anaesthesia, nitrous oxide has a different effect on EEG and cortical SEP at the same time. The effects of nitrous oxide may be mediated by cortical and subcortical generators.

Association between vestibulo-ocular reflex suppression, balance, gait, and fall risk in ageing and neurodegenerative disease: protocol of a one-year prospective follow-up study.

PubMed

Srulijes, Karin; Mack, David J; Klenk, Jochen; Schwickert, Lars; Ihlen, Espen A F; Schwenk, Michael; Lindemann, Ulrich; Meyer, Miriam; Srijana, K C; Hobert, Markus A; Brockmann, Kathrin; Wurster, Isabel; Pomper, Jörn K; Synofzik, Matthis; Schneider, Erich; Ilg, Uwe; Berg, Daniela; Maetzler, Walter; Becker, Clemens

2015-10-09

Falls frequency increases with age and particularly in neurogeriatric cohorts. The interplay between eye movements and locomotion may contribute substantially to the occurrence of falls, but is hardly investigated. This paper provides an overview of current approaches to simultaneously measure eye and body movements, particularly for analyzing the association of vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) suppression, postural deficits and falls in neurogeriatric risk cohorts. Moreover, VOR suppression is measured during head-fixed target presentation and during gaze shifting while postural control is challenged. Using these approaches, we aim at identifying quantitative parameters of eye-head-coordination during postural balance and gait, as indicators of fall risk. Patients with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) or Parkinson's disease (PD), age- and sex-matched healthy older adults, and a cohort of young healthy adults will be recruited. Baseline assessment will include a detailed clinical assessment, covering medical history, neurological examination, disease specific clinical rating scales, falls-related self-efficacy, activities of daily living, neuro-psychological screening, assessment of mobility function and a questionnaire for retrospective falls. Moreover, participants will simultaneously perform eye and head movements (fixating a head-fixed target vs. shifting gaze to light emitting diodes in order to quantify vestibulo-ocular reflex suppression ability) under different conditions (sitting, standing, or walking). An eye/head tracker synchronized with a 3-D motion analysis system will be used to quantify parameters related to eye-head-coordination, postural balance, and gait. Established outcome parameters related to VOR suppression ability (e.g., gain, saccadic reaction time, frequency of saccades) and motor related fall risk (e.g., step-time variability, postural sway) will be calculated. Falls will be assessed prospectively over 12 months via protocols and monthly telephone interviews. This study protocol describes an experimental setup allowing the analysis of simultaneously assessed eye, head and body movements. Results will improve our understanding of the influence of the interplay between eye, head and body movements on falls in geriatric high-risk cohorts.

The Role of Storm Time Electrodynamics in Suppressing the Equatorial Plasma Bubble Development in the Recovery Phase of a Geomagnetic Storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sripathi, S.; Banola, S.; Emperumal, K.; Suneel Kumar, B.; Radicella, Sandro M.

2018-03-01

We investigate the role of storm time electrodynamics in suppressing the equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) development using multi-instruments over India during a moderate geomagnetic storm that occurred on 2 October 2013 where Dst minimum reached -80 nT. This storm produced unique signatures in the equatorial ionosphere such that equatorial electrojet strength showed signatures of an abrupt increase of its strength to 150 nT and occurrence of episodes of counter electrojet events. During the main phase of the storm, the interplanetary magnetic field Bz is well correlated with the variations in the equatorial electrojet/counter electrojet suggesting the role of undershielding/overshielding electric fields of magnetospheric origin. Further, observations showed the presence of strong F3 layers at multiple times at multiple stations due to undershielding electric field. Interestingly, we observed simultaneous presence of F3 layers and suppression of EPBs in the dusk sector during the recovery phase. While strong EPBs were observed before and after the day of the geomagnetic storm, suppression of the EPBs on the storm day during "spread F season" is intriguing. Our further analysis using low-latitude station, Hyderabad, during the time of prereversal enhancement suggests that intense Esb layers were observed on the storm day but were absent/weak on quiet days. Based on these results, we suggest that the altitude/latitude variation of disturbance dynamo electric fields/disturbance winds may be responsible for simultaneous detection of F3 layers, occurrence of low-latitude Es layers, and suppression of EPBs during the storm day along the sunset terminator.

Cup waveguide antenna with integrated polarizer and OMT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kory, Carol (Inventor); Acosta, Roberto J. (Inventor); Lambert, Kevin M. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A cup waveguide antenna with integrated polarizer and OMT for simultaneously communicating left and right hand circularly polarized electromagnetic waves is adjustable to obtain efficient propagation and reception of electromagnetic waves. The antenna includes a circular waveguide having an orthomode transducer utilizing first and second pins longitudinally spaced apart and oriented orthogonally with respect to each other. Six radially-oriented adjustable polarizer screws extend from the exterior to the interior of the waveguide. A septum intermediate the first and second pins is aligned with the first pin. Adjustment of the polarizer screws enables maximized propagation of and/or response to left hand circularly polarized electromagnetic waves by the first pin while simultaneously enabling maximized propagation of and/or response to right hand circularly polarized electromagnetic waves by the second pin.

Phaeochromocytoma with hypercortisolism and hypercalcaemia.

PubMed

Edafe, Ovie; Webster, Jonathan; Fernando, Malee; Vinayagam, Ragu; Balasubramanian, Sabapathy P

2015-10-07

We report a case of phaeochromocytoma associated with hypercortisolism and hypercalcaemia in a 62-year-old man. The patient presented to clinic, with a 3-year history of exertional headaches, and a 4-month history of increasing fatigue, sweating and palpitations, loss of appetite and weight, and sleepiness. He did not have a medical, family or social history that could account for these symptoms. 24 h urinary catecholamines, plasma metanephrines, 24 h urinary cortisol and adjusted serum calcium, were elevated. Overnight low-dose dexamethasone suppression test did not suppress morning plasma cortisol. Serum intact parathyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone-related peptide were low, and adrenocorticotropic hormone was normal. The patient was treated with intravenous 0.9% sodium chloride and disodium pamidronate to control hypercalcaemia. CT showed a 10 cm left adrenal mass. Following inpatient treatment with phenoxybenzamine, he underwent a left adrenectomy and histology confirmed a phaeochromocytoma. Postoperatively, he required long-term steroids for contralateral adrenal suppression. Adjusted serum calcium returned to normal postoperatively. 2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Individual differences in simultaneous color constancy are related to working memory.

PubMed

Allen, Elizabeth C; Beilock, Sian L; Shevell, Steven K

2012-02-01

Few studies have investigated the possible role of higher-level cognitive mechanisms in color constancy. Following up on previous work with successive color constancy [J. Exper. Psychol. Learn. Mem. Cogn. 37, 1014 (2011)], the current study examined the relation between simultaneous color constancy and working memory-the ability to maintain a desired representation while suppressing irrelevant information. Higher working memory was associated with poorer simultaneous color constancy of a chromatically complex stimulus. Ways in which the executive attention mechanism of working memory may account for this are discussed. This finding supports a role for higher-level cognitive mechanisms in color constancy and is the first to demonstrate a relation between simultaneous color constancy and a complex cognitive ability. © 2012 Optical Society of America

Simultaneous two-photon imaging and two-photon optogenetics of cortical circuits in three dimensions

PubMed Central

Carrillo-Reid, Luis; Bando, Yuki; Peterka, Darcy S

2018-01-01

The simultaneous imaging and manipulating of neural activity could enable the functional dissection of neural circuits. Here we have combined two-photon optogenetics with simultaneous volumetric two-photon calcium imaging to measure and manipulate neural activity in mouse neocortex in vivo in three-dimensions (3D) with cellular resolution. Using a hybrid holographic approach, we simultaneously photostimulate more than 80 neurons over 150 μm in depth in layer 2/3 of the mouse visual cortex, while simultaneously imaging the activity of the surrounding neurons. We validate the usefulness of the method by photoactivating in 3D selected groups of interneurons, suppressing the response of nearby pyramidal neurons to visual stimuli in awake animals. Our all-optical approach could be used as a general platform to read and write neuronal activity. PMID:29412138

Inhibition during response preparation is sensitive to response complexity

PubMed Central

Saks, Dylan; Hoang, Timothy; Ivry, Richard B.

2015-01-01

Motor system excitability is transiently suppressed during the preparation of movement. This preparatory inhibition is hypothesized to facilitate response selection and initiation. Given that demands on selection and initiation processes increase with movement complexity, we hypothesized that complexity would influence preparatory inhibition. To test this hypothesis, we probed corticospinal excitability during a delayed-response task in which participants were cued to prepare right- or left-hand movements of varying complexity. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied over right primary motor cortex to elicit motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) of the left hand. MEP suppression was greater during the preparation of responses involving coordination of the FDI and adductor digiti minimi relative to easier responses involving only the FDI, independent of which hand was cued to respond. In contrast, this increased inhibition was absent when the complex responses required sequential movements of the two muscles. Moreover, complexity did not influence the level of inhibition when the response hand was fixed for the trial block, regardless of whether the complex responses were performed simultaneously or sequentially. These results suggest that preparatory inhibition contributes to response selection, possibly by suppressing extraneous movements when responses involve the simultaneous coordination of multiple effectors. PMID:25717168

Hybrid quantitative MRI using chemical shift displacement and recovery-based simultaneous water and lipid imaging: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Ohno, Naoki; Miyati, Tosiaki; Suzuki, Shuto; Kan, Hirohito; Aoki, Toshitaka; Nakamura, Yoshitaka; Hiramatsu, Yuki; Kobayashi, Satoshi; Gabata, Toshifumi

2018-07-01

To suppress olefinic signals and enable simultaneous and quantitative estimation of multiple functional parameters associated with water and lipid, we investigated a modified method using chemical shift displacement and recovery-based separation of lipid tissue (SPLIT) involving acquisitions with different inversion times (TIs), echo times (TEs), and b-values. Single-shot diffusion echo-planar imaging (SSD-EPI) with multiple b-values (0-3000 s/mm 2 ) was performed without fat suppression to separate water and lipid images using the chemical shift displacement of lipid signals in the phase-encoding direction. An inversion pulse (TI = 292 ms) was applied to SSD-EPI to remove olefinic signals. Consecutively, SSD-EPI (b = 0 s/mm 2 ) was performed with TI = 0 ms and TE = 31.8 ms for T 1 and T 2 measurements, respectively. Under these conditions, transverse water and lipid images at the maximum diameter of the right calf were obtained in six healthy subjects. T 1 , T 2 , and the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) were then calculated for the tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius (GM), and soleus (SL) muscles, tibialis bone marrow (TB), and subcutaneous fat (SF). Perfusion-related (D*) and restricted diffusion coefficients (D) were calculated for the muscles. Lastly, the lipid fractions (LF) of the muscles were determined after T 1 and T 2 corrections. The modified SPLIT method facilitated sufficient separation of water and lipid images of the calf, and the inversion pulse with TI of 292 ms effectively suppressed olefinic signals. All quantitative parameters obtained with the modified SPLIT method were found to be in general agreement with those previously reported in the literature. The modified SPLIT technique enabled sufficient suppression of olefinic signals and simultaneous acquisition of quantitative parameters including diffusion, perfusion, T 1 and T 2 relaxation times, and LF. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A highly relevant and efficient single step method for simultaneous depletion and isolation of human regulatory T cells in a clinical setting.

PubMed

Brezar, Vedran; Ruffin, Nicolas; Lévy, Yves; Seddiki, Nabila

2014-09-01

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are pivotal in preventing autoimmunity. They play a major but still ambiguous role in cancer and viral infections. Functional studies of human Tregs are often hampered by numerous technical difficulties arising from imperfections in isolating and depleting protocols, together with the usual low cell number available from clinical samples. We standardized a simple procedure (Single Step Method, SSM), based on magnetic beads technology, in which both depletion and isolation of human Tregs with high purities are simultaneously achieved. SSM is suitable when using low cell numbers either fresh or frozen from both patients and healthy individuals. It allows simultaneous Tregs isolation and depletion that can be used for further functional work to monitor suppressive function of isolated Tregs (in vitro suppression assay) and also effector IFN-γ responses of Tregs-depleted cell fraction (OX40 assay). To our knowledge, there is no accurate standardized method for Tregs isolation and depletion in a clinical context. SSM could thus be used and easily standardized across different laboratories. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extrinsic grouping factors in motion-induced blindness

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

We investigated how various grouping factors altered subjective disappearances of the individual targets in the motion-induced blindness display. The latter relies on a moving mask to render highly salient static targets temporarily subjectively invisible. Specifically, we employed two extrinsic grouping factors, the connectedness and the common region, and examined whether their presence would make targets more resilient against the suppression. In addition, we investigated whether the presence of an illusory Kanizsa triangle would affect the suppression of the inducing Pac-Man elements. We quantified the perceptual dynamics using the proportion of the disappearance time (this indicates whether targets became more resilient against the suppression), and the proportion of simultaneous disappearance and reappearance events (characterizes the tendency for the targets to disappear or reappear as a group). We report that a single mask that encompassed all targets (a common region grouping) significantly increased the proportion of simultaneous disappearance and reappearance events, but had no effect on the proportion of the disappearance time. In contrast, a line that connected two targets significantly decreased the total invisibility time, but had no impact on the simultaneity of the disappearance and reappearance events. We found no statistically significant effect of the presence of the illusory Kanizsa triangle on either measure. Finally, we found no interaction either between the common region and the connectedness or between the common region and the presence of the illusory Kanizsa triangle. Our results indicate that extrinsic grouping factors might influence the perception differently than the intrinsic ones and highlight the importance of using several measures to characterize the perceptual dynamics, as various grouping factors might affect it differentially. PMID:29381747

Improved black-blood imaging using DANTE-SPACE for simultaneous carotid and intracranial vessel wall evaluation.

PubMed

Xie, Yibin; Yang, Qi; Xie, Guoxi; Pang, Jianing; Fan, Zhaoyang; Li, Debiao

2016-06-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a three-dimensional black blood imaging method for simultaneously evaluating the carotid and intracranial arterial vessel walls with high spatial resolution and excellent blood suppression with and without contrast enhancement. The delay alternating with nutation for tailored excitation (DANTE) preparation module was incorporated into three-dimensional variable flip angle turbo spin echo (SPACE) sequence to improve blood signal suppression. Simulations and phantom studies were performed to quantify image contrast variations induced by DANTE. DANTE-SPACE, SPACE, and two-dimensional turbo spin echo were compared for apparent signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, and morphometric measurements in 14 healthy subjects. Preliminary clinical validation was performed in six symptomatic patients. Apparent residual luminal blood was observed in five (pre-contrast) and nine (post-contrast) subjects with SPACE and only two (post-contrast) subjects with DANTE-SPACE. DANTE-SPACE showed 31% (pre-contrast) and 100% (post-contrast) improvement in wall-to-blood contrast-to-noise ratio over SPACE. Vessel wall area measured from SPACE was significantly larger than that from DANTE-SPACE due to possible residual blood signal contamination. DANTE-SPACE showed the potential to detect vessel wall dissection and identify plaque components in patients. DANTE-SPACE significantly improved arterial and venous blood suppression compared with SPACE. Simultaneous high-resolution carotid and intracranial vessel wall imaging to potentially identify plaque components was feasible with a scan time under 6 min. Magn Reson Med 75:2286-2294, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparing the behavioural impact of a nudge-based handwashing intervention to high-intensity hygiene education: a cluster-randomised trial in rural Bangladesh.

PubMed

Grover, Elise; Hossain, Mohammed Kamal; Uddin, Saker; Venkatesh, Mohini; Ram, Pavani K; Dreibelbis, Robert

2018-01-01

To determine the impact of environmental nudges on handwashing behaviours among primary school children as compared to a high-intensity hygiene education intervention. In a cluster-randomised trial (CRT), we compared the rates of handwashing with soap (HWWS) after a toileting event among primary school students in rural Bangladesh. Eligible schools (government run, on-site sanitation and water, no hygiene interventions in last year, fewer than 450 students) were identified, and 20 schools were randomly selected and allocated without blinding to one of four interventions, five schools per group: simultaneous handwashing infrastructure and nudge construction, sequential infrastructure then nudge construction, simultaneous infrastructure and high-intensity hygiene education (HE) and sequential handwashing infrastructure and HE. The primary outcome, incidence of HWWS after a toileting event, was compared between the intervention groups at different data collection points with robust-Poisson regression analysis with generalised estimating equations, adjusting for school-level clustering of outcomes. The nudge intervention and the HE intervention were found to be equally effective at sustained impact over 5 months post-intervention (adjusted IRR 0.81, 95% CI 0.61-1.09). When comparing intervention delivery timing, the simultaneous delivery of the HE intervention significantly outperformed the sequential HE delivery (adjusted IRR 1.58 CI 1.20-2.08), whereas no significant difference was observed between sequential and simultaneous nudge intervention delivery (adjusted IRR 0.75, 95% CI 0.48-1.17). Our trial demonstrates sustained improved handwashing behaviour 5 months after the nudge intervention. The nudge intervention's comparable performance to a high-intensity hygiene education intervention is encouraging. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Molecular interfaces for plasmonic hot electron photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelayo García de Arquer, F.; Mihi, Agustín; Konstantatos, Gerasimos

2015-01-01

The use of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to improve and tailor the photovoltaic performance of plasmonic hot-electron Schottky solar cells is presented. SAMs allow the simultaneous control of open-circuit voltage, hot-electron injection and short-circuit current. To that end, a plurality of molecule structural parameters can be adjusted: SAM molecule's length can be adjusted to control plasmonic hot electron injection. Modifying SAMs dipole moment allows for a precise tuning of the open-circuit voltage. The functionalization of the SAM can also be selected to modify short-circuit current. This allows the simultaneous achievement of high open-circuit voltages (0.56 V) and fill-factors (0.58), IPCE above 5% at the plasmon resonance and maximum power-conversion efficiencies of 0.11%, record for this class of devices.The use of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to improve and tailor the photovoltaic performance of plasmonic hot-electron Schottky solar cells is presented. SAMs allow the simultaneous control of open-circuit voltage, hot-electron injection and short-circuit current. To that end, a plurality of molecule structural parameters can be adjusted: SAM molecule's length can be adjusted to control plasmonic hot electron injection. Modifying SAMs dipole moment allows for a precise tuning of the open-circuit voltage. The functionalization of the SAM can also be selected to modify short-circuit current. This allows the simultaneous achievement of high open-circuit voltages (0.56 V) and fill-factors (0.58), IPCE above 5% at the plasmon resonance and maximum power-conversion efficiencies of 0.11%, record for this class of devices. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Contact-potential differentiometry measurements, FTIR characterization, performance statistics and gold devices. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr06356b

Randomized, double-blind, dose-escalation trial of triptorelin for ovary protection in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Brunner, Hermine I; Silva, Clovis A; Reiff, Andreas; Higgins, Gloria C; Imundo, Lisa; Williams, Calvin B; Wallace, Carol A; Aikawa, Nadia E; Nelson, Shannen; Klein-Gitelman, Marisa S; Rose, Susan R

2015-05-01

To determine the dose of triptorelin that is sufficient to maintain complete ovarian suppression in female patients with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who require cyclophosphamide therapy, to determine the length of time needed to achieve ovarian suppression after initiation of triptorelin treatment, and to investigate the safety of triptorelin. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation study, female patients ages <21 years were randomized 4:1 to receive triptorelin (n = 25) or placebo (n = 6). The starting doses of triptorelin were 25, 50, 75, and 100 μg/kg, and the dose was escalated until complete ovarian suppression was maintained. The primary outcome was the weight-adjusted dose of triptorelin that provided complete ovarian suppression in at least 90% of the patients, as determined by gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist stimulation testing. The secondary outcome was the period of time required to achieve ovarian suppression, as measured by unstimulated follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels after the initiation of triptorelin treatment. Treatment with triptorelin at a weight-adjusted dose of 120 μg/kg body weight provided sustained complete ovarian suppression in 90% of the patients. After administration of the initial dose of triptorelin, 22 days were required to achieve complete ovarian suppression. The rates of adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs) per 100 patient-months of followup were not higher in the triptorelin group compared with the placebo group (for AEs, 189 versus 362; for SAEs, 2.1 versus 8.5). High doses of triptorelin are needed to achieve and maintain complete ovarian suppression, but such doses appear to be well tolerated in adolescent female patients with childhood-onset SLE. Our data suggest that a lag time of 22 days after initiation of triptorelin treatment is required before cyclophosphamide therapy is started or continued. © 2015, American College of Rheumatology.

Panel Estimates of Male-Female Earnings Functions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Moon-Kak; Polachek, Solomon W.

1994-01-01

Application of single and simultaneous equation fixed-effects and random-effects shows that earnings appreciation with experience and depreciation with labor market interruptions are comparable for men and women. Adjusting for heterogeneity reduces the wage gap to 20%; adjusting for endogeneity reduces it nearly to zero. (SK)

Simultaneous transgenic suppression of LePG and LeExp1 influences fruit texture and juice viscosity in a fresh market tomato variety.

PubMed

Powell, Ann L T; Kalamaki, Mary S; Kurien, Philip A; Gurrieri, Sergio; Bennett, Alan B

2003-12-03

Tomatoes are grown for fresh consumption or for processing of the fruit. Some ripening-associated processes of the fruit can either contribute to or degrade attributes associated with both fresh and processing quality. For example, cell wall disassembly is associated with loss of fresh fruit firmness as well as with loss of processed tomato product viscosity. Several enzymes contribute to cell wall polysaccharide disassembly. Polygalacturonase (PG, poly[1,4-alpha-d-galactouronide] glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.15) is among the most abundant polysaccharide hydrolases in ripening tomato fruit and is the major contributor to pectin depolymerization. Expansin (LeExp1) is also abundant in ripening fruit and is proposed to contribute to cell wall disassembly by nonhydrolytic activity, possibly by increasing substrate accessibility to other enzymes. Suppression of either LePG or LeExp1 expression alone results in altered softening and/or shelf life characteristics. To test whether simultaneous suppression of both LePG and LeExp1 expression influences fruit texture in additive or synergistic ways, transgenic Lycopersicon esculentum var. Ailsa Craig lines with reduced expression of either LePG or LeExp1 were crossed. Fruits from the third generation of progeny, homozygous for both transgenic constructs, were analyzed for firmness and other quality traits during ripening on or off the vine. In field-grown transgenic tomato fruit, suppression of LeExp1 or LePG alone did not significantly increase fruit firmness. However, fruits suppressed for both LePG and LeExp1 expression were significantly firmer throughout ripening and were less susceptible to deterioration during long-term storage. Juice prepared from the transgenic tomato fruit with reduced LePG and LeExp1 expression was more viscous than juice prepared from control fruit.

Scavenging of long-lived radicals by (-)-epigallocatechin-3- O-gallate and simultaneous suppression of mutation in irradiated mammalian cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumagai, Jun; Nakama, Mitsuo; Miyazaki, Tetsuo; Ise, Tamaki; Kodama, Seiji; Watanabe, Masami

2002-07-01

Effect of (-)-epigallocatechin-3- O-gallate (EGCg) on scavenging long-lived radicals and its biological significance were investigated using electron-spin-resonance spectroscopy and mutation assay in cultured human embryo cells. EGCg scavenged long-lived radicals in irradiated golden hamster embryo cells and albumin solution, and simultaneously reduced mutation frequency in the irradiated human embryo cells. These results indicate that long-lived radials are involved in the induction of mutation by radiation.

Structural control and health monitoring of building structures with unknown ground excitations: Experimental investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Jia; Xu, You-Lin; Zhan, Sheng; Huang, Qin

2017-03-01

When health monitoring system and vibration control system both are required for a building structure, it will be beneficial and cost-effective to integrate these two systems together for creating a smart building structure. Recently, on the basis of extended Kalman filter (EKF), a time-domain integrated approach was proposed for the identification of structural parameters of the controlled buildings with unknown ground excitations. The identified physical parameters and structural state vectors were then utilized to determine the control force for vibration suppression. In this paper, the possibility of establishing such a smart building structure with the function of simultaneous damage detection and vibration suppression was explored experimentally. A five-story shear building structure equipped with three magneto-rheological (MR) dampers was built. Four additional columns were added to the building model, and several damage scenarios were then simulated by symmetrically cutting off these columns in certain stories. Two sets of earthquakes, i.e. Kobe earthquake and Northridge earthquake, were considered as seismic input and assumed to be unknown during the tests. The structural parameters and the unknown ground excitations were identified during the tests by using the proposed identification method with the measured control forces. Based on the identified structural parameters and system states, a switching control law was employed to adjust the current applied to the MR dampers for the purpose of vibration attenuation. The experimental results show that the presented approach is capable of satisfactorily identifying structural damages and unknown excitations on one hand and significantly mitigating the structural vibration on the other hand.

Adoptively transferred immune T cells eradicate established tumors in spite of cancer-induced immune suppression

PubMed Central

Arina, Ainhoa; Schreiber, Karin; Binder, David C.; Karrison, Theodore; Liu, Rebecca B.; Schreiber, Hans

2014-01-01

Myeloid-derived CD11b+Gr1+ suppressor cells (MDSC) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are considered a major obstacle for effective adoptive T cell therapy. Myeloid cells suppress naive T cell proliferation ex vivo and can prevent the generation of T cell responses in vivo. We find, however, that immune T cells adoptively transferred eradicate well-established tumors in the presence of MDSC and TAM which are strongly immunosuppressive ex vivo. These MDSC and TAM were comparable in levels and immunosuppression among different tumor models. Longitudinal microscopy of tumors in vivo revealed that after T cell transfer tumor vasculature and cancer cells disappeared simultaneously. During T-cell mediated tumor destruction, the tumor stroma contained abundant myeloid cells (mainly TAM) that retained their suppressive properties. Preimmunized but not naive mice resisted immune suppression caused by an unrelated tumor-burden supporting the idea that in vivo, myeloid immunosuppressive cells can suppress naive but not memory T cell responses. PMID:24367029

Pathway profiles based on gene-set enrichment analysis in the honey bee Apis mellifera under brood rearing-suppressed conditions.

PubMed

Kim, Kyungmun; Kim, Ju Hyeon; Kim, Young Ho; Hong, Seong-Eui; Lee, Si Hyeock

2018-01-01

Perturbation of normal behaviors in honey bee colonies by any external factor can immediately reduce the colony's capacity for brood rearing, which can eventually lead to colony collapse. To investigate the effects of brood-rearing suppression on the biology of honey bee workers, gene-set enrichment analysis of the transcriptomes of worker bees with or without suppressed brood rearing was performed. When brood rearing was suppressed, pathways associated with both protein degradation and synthesis were simultaneously over-represented in both nurses and foragers, and their overall pathway representation profiles resembled those of normal foragers and nurses, respectively. Thus, obstruction of normal labor induced over-representation in pathways related with reshaping of worker bee physiology, suggesting that transition of labor is physiologically reversible. In addition, some genes associated with the regulation of neuronal excitability, cellular and nutritional stress and aggressiveness were over-expressed under brood rearing suppression perhaps to manage in-hive stress under unfavorable conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Costs of Suppressing Negative Emotions and Amplifying Positive Emotions During Parental Caregiving.

PubMed

Le, Bonnie M; Impett, Emily A

2016-03-01

How do parents feel when they regulate their emotional expressions in ways that are incongruent with their genuine feelings? In an experimental study, parents reported experiencing lower authenticity, emotional well-being, relationship quality, and responsiveness to their children's needs when they recalled caregiving experiences in which they suppressed negative emotions and amplified positive emotions, relative to a control condition. In a 10-day daily experience study, parents tended to use both regulation strategies simultaneously. In addition, assessing their unique effects indicated that positive emotion amplification, but not negative emotion suppression, had an indirect effect on parental outcomes via authenticity, with negative emotion suppression no longer being costly. This indirect effect was dampened when accounting for care difficulty. In both studies, effects were independent of a child's mood. The current results suggest that parents' attempts to suppress negative and amplify positive emotions during child care can detract from their well-being and high-quality parent-child bonds. © 2016 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Edge enhancement and noise suppression for infrared image based on feature analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Meng

2018-06-01

Infrared images are often suffering from background noise, blurred edges, few details and low signal-to-noise ratios. To improve infrared image quality, it is essential to suppress noise and enhance edges simultaneously. To realize it in this paper, we propose a novel algorithm based on feature analysis in shearlet domain. Firstly, as one of multi-scale geometric analysis (MGA), we introduce the theory and superiority of shearlet transform. Secondly, after analyzing the defects of traditional thresholding technique to suppress noise, we propose a novel feature extraction distinguishing image structures from noise well and use it to improve the traditional thresholding technique. Thirdly, with computing the correlations between neighboring shearlet coefficients, the feature attribute maps identifying the weak detail and strong edges are completed to improve the generalized unsharped masking (GUM). At last, experiment results with infrared images captured in different scenes demonstrate that the proposed algorithm suppresses noise efficiently and enhances image edges adaptively.

Habitat Management to Suppress Pest Populations: Progress and Prospects.

PubMed

Gurr, Geoff M; Wratten, Steve D; Landis, Douglas A; You, Minsheng

2017-01-31

Habitat management involving manipulation of farmland vegetation can exert direct suppressive effects on pests and promote natural enemies. Advances in theory and practical techniques have allowed habitat management to become an important subdiscipline of pest management. Improved understanding of biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships means that researchers now have a firmer theoretical foundation on which to design habitat management strategies for pest suppression in agricultural systems, including landscape-scale effects. Supporting natural enemies with shelter, nectar, alternative prey/hosts, and pollen (SNAP) has emerged as a major research topic and applied tactic with field tests and adoption often preceded by rigorous laboratory experimentation. As a result, the promise of habitat management is increasingly being realized in the form of practical worldwide implementation. Uptake is facilitated by farmer participation in research and is made more likely by the simultaneous delivery of ecosystem services other than pest suppression.

Tumor suppressor miR-1 inhibits tumor growth and metastasis by simultaneously targeting multiple genes

PubMed Central

Liu, Cuilian; Zhang, Song; Wang, Qizhi; Zhang, Xiaobo

2017-01-01

Cancer progression depends on tumor growth and metastasis, which are activated or suppressed by multiple genes. An individual microRNA may target multiple genes, suggesting that a miRNA may suppress tumor growth and metastasis via simultaneously targeting different genes. However, thus far, this issue has not been explored. In the present study, the findings showed that miR-1 could simultaneously inhibit tumor growth and metastasis of gastric and breast cancers by targeting multiple genes. The results indicated that miR-1 was significantly downregulated in cancer tissues compared with normal tissues. The miR-1 overexpression led to cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase in gastric and breast cancer cells but not in normal cells. Furthermore, the miR-1 overexpression significantly inhibited the metastasis of gastric and breast cancer cells. An analysis of the underlying mechanism revealed that the simultaneous inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis mediated by miR-1 was due to the synchronous targeting of 6 miR-1 target genes encoding cyclin dependent kinase 4, twinfilin actin binding protein 1, calponin 3, coronin 1C, WAS protein family member 2 and thymosin beta 4, X-linked. In vivo assays demonstrated that miR-1 efficiently inhibited tumor growth and metastasis of gastric and breast cancers in nude mice. Therefore, our study contributed novel insights into the miR-1′s roles in tumorigenesis of gastric and breast cancers. PMID:28159933

Tumor suppressor miR-1 inhibits tumor growth and metastasis by simultaneously targeting multiple genes.

PubMed

Liu, Cuilian; Zhang, Song; Wang, Qizhi; Zhang, Xiaobo

2017-06-27

Cancer progression depends on tumor growth and metastasis, which are activated or suppressed by multiple genes. An individual microRNA may target multiple genes, suggesting that a miRNA may suppress tumor growth and metastasis via simultaneously targeting different genes. However, thus far, this issue has not been explored. In the present study, the findings showed that miR-1 could simultaneously inhibit tumor growth and metastasis of gastric and breast cancers by targeting multiple genes. The results indicated that miR-1 was significantly downregulated in cancer tissues compared with normal tissues. The miR-1 overexpression led to cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase in gastric and breast cancer cells but not in normal cells. Furthermore, the miR-1 overexpression significantly inhibited the metastasis of gastric and breast cancer cells. An analysis of the underlying mechanism revealed that the simultaneous inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis mediated by miR-1 was due to the synchronous targeting of 6 miR-1 target genes encoding cyclin dependent kinase 4, twinfilin actin binding protein 1, calponin 3, coronin 1C, WAS protein family member 2 and thymosin beta 4, X-linked. In vivo assays demonstrated that miR-1 efficiently inhibited tumor growth and metastasis of gastric and breast cancers in nude mice. Therefore, our study contributed novel insights into the miR-1's roles in tumorigenesis of gastric and breast cancers.

First Simulations of Designing Stratospheric Sulfate Aerosol Geoengineering to Meet Multiple Simultaneous Climate Objectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kravitz, Ben; MacMartin, Douglas G.; Mills, Michael J.; Richter, Jadwiga H.; Tilmes, Simone; Lamarque, Jean-Francois; Tribbia, Joseph J.; Vitt, Francis

2017-12-01

We describe the first simulations of stratospheric sulfate aerosol geoengineering using multiple injection locations to meet multiple simultaneous surface temperature objectives. Simulations were performed using CESM1(WACCM), a coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model with fully interactive stratospheric chemistry, dynamics (including an internally generated quasi-biennial oscillation), and a sophisticated treatment of sulfate aerosol formation, microphysical growth, and deposition. The objectives are defined as maintaining three temperature features at their 2020 levels against a background of the RCP8.5 scenario over the period 2020-2099. These objectives are met using a feedback mechanism in which the rate of sulfur dioxide injection at each of the four locations is adjusted independently every year of simulation. Even in the presence of uncertainties, nonlinearities, and variability, the objectives are met, predominantly by SO2 injection at 30°N and 30°S. By the last year of simulation, the feedback algorithm calls for a total injection rate of 51 Tg SO2 per year. The injections are not in the tropics, which results in a greater degree of linearity of the surface climate response with injection amount than has been found in many previous studies using injection at the equator. Because the objectives are defined in terms of annual mean temperature, the required geongineering results in "overcooling" during summer and "undercooling" during winter. The hydrological cycle is also suppressed as compared to the reference values corresponding to the year 2020. The demonstration we describe in this study is an important step toward understanding what geoengineering can do and what it cannot do.

Reduction of electronic noise from radiofrequency generator during radiofrequency ablation in interventional MRI.

PubMed

Oshiro, Thomas; Sinha, Usha; Lu, David; Sinha, Shantanu

2002-01-01

MRI has been used increasingly in the recent past for the guidance and monitoring of minimally invasive interventional procedures, using typically radiofrequency (RF) and laser energy, cryoablation, and percutaneous ethanol. RF energy has been used over the last 30 years for the ablation of tissues. Its use in conjunction with MRI for monitoring is limited, however, because of the electronic noise produced by the RF generators, which can significantly deteriorate image quality. The objective of this work was to devise methods by which this noise can be reduced to an acceptable level to allow simultaneous acquisition of MR images for monitoring purposes with the application of RF energy. Three different methods of noise reduction were investigated in a 0.2 T MR scanner: filtration using external hardware circuitry, MR scanner software-controlled filtration, and keyholing. The last two methods were unable by themselves to suppress the noise to an acceptable degree. Hardware filtration, however, provides excellent suppression of RF noise and is able to withstand up to 12 W of RF energy. When all the three approaches are combined, significant reduction of RF noise is achieved. The feasibility of creating an RF lesion of about 1.2 cm diameter in vivo in a porcine model simultaneously with temperature-sensitive MRI with adequate noise suppression is demonstrated.

Annatto Tocotrienol Induces a Cytotoxic Effect on Human Prostate Cancer PC3 Cells via the Simultaneous Inhibition of Src and Stat3.

PubMed

Sugahara, Ryosuke; Sato, Ayami; Uchida, Asuka; Shiozawa, Shinya; Sato, Chiaki; Virgona, Nantiga; Yano, Tomohiro

2015-01-01

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently occurring cancers and often acquires the potential of androgen-independent growth as a malignant phenotype. Androgen-independent prostate cancer has severe chemoresistance towards conventional chemotherapeutic agents, so a new treatment approach is required for curing such prostate cancer. In this context, the present study was undertaken to check if annatto tocotrienol (main component δ-tocotrienol) could suppress cell growth in human prostate cancer (PC3, androgen-independent type) cells via the inhibition of Src and Stat3. The tocotrienol showed cytotoxic effects on PC3 cells in a dose-dependent manner, and the effect depended on G1 arrest in the cell cycle and subsequent induction of apoptosis. In a cytotoxic dose, the tocotrienol suppressed cellular growth via the simultaneous inhibition of Src and Stat3. Similarly, the treatment combination of both Src and Stat3 inhibitors induced cytotoxic effects in PC3 cells in an additive manner compared to each by itself. With respect to cell cycle regulation and the induction of apoptosis, the combination treatment showed a similar effect to that of the tocotrienol treatment. These results suggest that annatto tocotrienol effectively induces cytotoxicity in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells via the suppression of Src and Stat3.

Tunable dual-band nearly perfect absorption based on a compound metallic grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Hua; Zheng, Zhi-Yuan; Feng, Juan

2017-02-01

Traditional metallic gratings and novel metamaterials are two basic kinds of candidates for perfect absorption. Comparatively speaking, metallic grating is the preferred choice for the same absorption effect because it is structurally simpler and more convenient to fabricate. However, to date, most of the perfect absorption effects achieved based on metamaterials are also available using an metallic grating except the tunable dual(multi)-band perfect absorption. To fill this gap, in this paper, by adding subgrooves on the rear surface as well as inside the grating slits to a free-standing metallic grating, tunable dual-band perfect absorption is also obtained for the first time. The grooves inside the slits is to tune the frequency of the Cavity Mode(CM) resonance which enhances the transmission and suppresses the reflectance simultaneously. The grooves on the rear surface give rise to the phase resonance which not only suppresses the transmission but also reinforces the reflectance depression effect. Thus, when the phase resonance and the frequency tunable CM resonance occur together, transmission and reflection can be suppressed simultaneously, dual-band nearly perfect absorption with tunable frequencies is obtained. To our knowledge, this perfect absorption phenomenon is achieved for the first time in a designed metallic grating structure.

Simultaneous assay of cortisol and dexamethasone improved diagnostic accuracy of the dexamethasone suppression test.

PubMed

Ueland, Grethe Å; Methlie, Paal; Kellmann, Ralf; Bjørgaas, Marit; Åsvold, Bjørn O; Thorstensen, Ketil; Kelp, Oskar; Thordarson, Hrafnkell B; Mellgren, Gunnar; Løvås, Kristian; Husebye, Eystein S

2017-06-01

The overnight dexamethasone (DXM) suppression test (DST) has high sensitivity, but moderate specificity, for diagnosing hypercortisolism. We have evaluated if simultaneous measurement of S-DXM may correct for variable DXM bioavailability and increase the diagnostic performance of DST, and if saliva (sa) is a feasible adjunct or alternative to serum. Prospective study of DST was carried out in patients with suspected Cushing's syndrome (CS) ( n  = 49), incidentaloma ( n  = 152) and healthy controls ( n  = 101). Cortisol, cortisone and DXM were assayed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Three hundred and two subjects underwent DST; S-cortisol was ≥50 nmol/L in 83 patients, of whom 11 had CS and 27 had autonomous cortisol secretion. The lower 2.5 percentile of S-DXM in subjects with negative DST ( n  = 208) was 3.3 nmol/L, which was selected as the DXM cut-off level. Nine patients had the combination of low S-DXM and positive DST. Of these, three had been misdiagnosed as having autonomous cortisol secretion. DST results were highly reproducible and confirmed in a replication cohort ( n  = 58). Patients with overt CS had significantly elevated post-DST sa-cortisol and sa-cortisone levels compared with controls; 23 of 25 with autonomous cortisol secretion had elevated sa-cortisone and 14 had elevated sa-cortisol. Simultaneous measurement of serum DXM and cortisol reduced false-positive DSTs by 20% and improved the specificity. S-DXM >3.3 nmol/L is sufficient for the suppression of cortisol <50 nmol/L. Measurement of glucocorticoids in saliva is a non-invasive and easy procedure and post-DST sa-cortisone was found particularly useful in the diagnosis of CS. © 2017 European Society of Endocrinology.

Two-tone suppression of stimulus frequency otoacoustic emissionsa)

PubMed Central

Keefe, Douglas H.; Ellison, John C.; Fitzpatrick, Denis F.; Gorga, Michael P.

2008-01-01

Stimulus frequency otoacoustic emissions (SFOAEs) measured using a suppressor tone in human ears are analogous to two-tone suppression responses measured mechanically and neurally in mammalian cochleae. SFOAE suppression was measured in 24 normal-hearing adults at octave frequencies (fp=0.5–8.0 kHz) over a 40 dB range of probe levels (Lp). Suppressor frequencies (fs) ranged from −2.0 to 0.7 octaves re: fp, and suppressor levels ranged from just detectable suppression to full suppression. The lowest suppression thresholds occurred for “best” fs slightly higher than fp. SFOAE growth of suppression (GOS) had slopes close to one at frequencies much lower than best fs, and shallow slopes near best fs, which indicated compressive growth close to 0.3 dB/dB. Suppression tuning curves constructed from GOS functions were well defined at 1, 2, and 4 kHz, but less so at 0.5 and 8.0 kHz. Tuning was sharper at lower Lp with an equivalent rectangular bandwidth similar to that reported behaviorally for simultaneous masking. The tip-to-tail difference assessed cochlear gain, increasing with decreasing Lp and increasing fp at the lowest Lp from 32 to 45 dB for fp from 1 to 4 kHz. SFOAE suppression provides a noninvasive measure of the saturating nonlinearities associated with cochlear amplification on the basilar membrane. PMID:18345837

Previous International Experience, Cross-Cultural Training, and Expatriates' Cross-Cultural Adjustment: Effects of Cultural Intelligence and Goal Orientation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koo Moon, Hyoung; Kwon Choi, Byoung; Shik Jung, Jae

2012-01-01

Although various antecedents of expatriates' cross-cultural adjustment have been addressed, previous international experience, predeparture cross-cultural training, and cultural intelligence (CQ) have been most frequently examined. However, there are few attempts that explore the effects of these antecedents simultaneously or consider the possible…

Microspheres Assembled from Chitosan-Graft-Poly(lactic acid) Micelle-Like Core-Shell Nanospheres for Distinctly Controlled Release of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Biomolecules.

PubMed

Niu, Xufeng; Liu, Zhongning; Hu, Jiang; Rambhia, Kunal J; Fan, Yubo; Ma, Peter X

2016-07-01

To simultaneously control inflammation and facilitate dentin regeneration, a copolymeric micelle-in-microsphere platform is developed in this study, aiming to simultaneously release a hydrophobic drug to suppress inflammation and a hydrophilic biomolecule to enhance odontogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells in a distinctly controlled fashion. A series of chitosan-graft-poly(lactic acid) copolymers is synthesized with varying lactic acid and chitosan weight ratios, self-assembled into nanoscale micelle-like core-shell structures in an aqueous system, and subsequently crosslinked into microspheres through electrostatic interaction with sodium tripolyphosphate. A hydrophobic biomolecule either coumarin-6 or fluocinolone acetonide (FA) is encapsulated into the hydrophobic cores of the micelles, while a hydrophilic biomolecule either bovine serum albumin or bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) is entrapped in the hydrophilic shells and the interspaces among the micelles. Both hydrophobic and hydrophilic biomolecules are delivered with distinct and tunable release patterns. Delivery of FA and BMP-2 simultaneously suppresses inflammation and enhances odontogenesis, resulting in significantly enhanced mineralized tissue regeneration. This result also demonstrates the potential for this novel delivery system to deliver multiple therapeutics and to achieve synergistic effects. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kasemir, Kay; Pearson, Matthew R

For several years, the Control System Studio (CS-Studio) Scan System has successfully automated the operation of beam lines at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). As it is applied to additional beam lines, we need to support simultaneous adjustments of temperatures or motor positions. While this can be implemented via virtual motors or similar logic inside the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) Input/Output Controllers (IOCs), doing so requires a priori knowledge of experimenters requirements. By adding support for the parallel control of multiple process variables (PVs) to themore » Scan System, we can better support ad hoc automation of experiments that benefit from such simultaneous PV adjustments.« less

Mach-Zehnder modulator modulated radio-over-fiber transmission system using dual wavelength linearization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Ran; Hui, Ming; Shen, Dongya; Zhang, Xiupu

2017-02-01

In this paper, dual wavelength linearization (DWL) technique is studied to suppress odd and even order nonlinearities simultaneously in a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) modulated radio-over-fiber (RoF) transmission system. A theoretical model is given to analyze the DWL employed for MZM. In a single-tone test, the suppressions of the second order harmonic distortion (HD2) and third order harmonic distortion (HD3) at the same time are experimentally verified at different bias voltages of the MZM. The measured spurious-free dynamic ranges (SFDRs) with respect to the HD2 and HD3 are improved simultaneously compared to using a single laser. The output P1 dB is also improved by the DWL technique. Moreover, a WiFi signal is transmitted in the RoF system to test the linearization for broadband signal. The result shows that more than 1 dB improvement of the error vector magnitude (EVM) is obtained by the DWL technique.

A photoactivable multi-inhibitor nanoliposome for tumour control and simultaneous inhibition of treatment escape pathways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spring, Bryan Q.; Bryan Sears, R.; Zheng, Lei Zak; Mai, Zhiming; Watanabe, Reika; Sherwood, Margaret E.; Schoenfeld, David A.; Pogue, Brian W.; Pereira, Stephen P.; Villa, Elizabeth; Hasan, Tayyaba

2016-04-01

Nanoscale drug delivery vehicles can facilitate multimodal therapies of cancer by promoting tumour-selective drug release. However, few are effective because cancer cells develop ways to resist and evade treatment. Here, we introduce a photoactivable multi-inhibitor nanoliposome (PMIL) that imparts light-induced cytotoxicity in synchrony with a photoinitiated and sustained release of inhibitors that suppress tumour regrowth and treatment escape signalling pathways. The PMIL consists of a nanoliposome doped with a photoactivable chromophore (benzoporphyrin derivative, BPD) in the lipid bilayer, and a nanoparticle containing cabozantinib (XL184)—a multikinase inhibitor—encapsulated inside. Near-infrared tumour irradiation, following intravenous PMIL administration, triggers photodynamic damage of tumour cells and microvessels, and simultaneously initiates release of XL184 inside the tumour. A single PMIL treatment achieves prolonged tumour reduction in two mouse models and suppresses metastatic escape in an orthotopic pancreatic tumour model. The PMIL offers new prospects for cancer therapy by enabling spatiotemporal control of drug release while reducing systemic drug exposure and associated toxicities.

Accuracy of Definitions for Linkage to Care in Persons Living with HIV

PubMed Central

KELLER, Sara C.; YEHIA, Baligh R.; EBERHART, Michael G.; BRADY, Kathleen A.

2013-01-01

Objective To compare the accuracy of linkage to care metrics for patients diagnosed with HIV using retention in care and virologic suppression as the gold standards of effective linkage. Design A retrospective cohort study of patients aged 18 and over with newly-diagnosed HIV infection in the City of Philadelphia, 2007 to 2008. Methods Times from diagnosis to clinic visits or laboratory testing were used as linkage measures. Outcome variables included being retained in care and achieving virologic suppression, 366-730 days after diagnosis. Positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the curve (AUC) for each linkage measure and retention and virologic suppression outcomes are described. Results Of the 1781 patients in the study, 503 (28.2%) were retained in care in the Ryan White system and 418 (23.5%) achieved virologic suppression 366-730 days after diagnosis. The linkage measure with the highest PPV for retention was having two clinic visits within 365 days of diagnosis, separated by 90 days (74.2%). Having a clinic visit between 21 and 365 days after diagnosis had both the highest NPV for retention (94.5%) and the highest adjusted AUC for retention (0.872). Having two tests within 365 days of diagnosis, separated by 90 days, had the highest adjusted AUC for virologic suppression (0.780). Conclusions Linkage measures associated with clinic visits had higher PPV and NPV for retention, while linkage measures associated with laboratory testing had higher PPV and NPV for retention. Linkage measures should be chosen based on the outcome of interest. PMID:23614992

Is Suppression Just Normal Dichoptic Masking? Suprathreshold Considerations.

PubMed

Reynaud, Alexandre; Hess, Robert F

2016-10-01

Amblyopic patients have a deficit in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in their amblyopic eye as well as suppression of the amblyopic eye input under binocular viewing conditions. In this study we wanted to assess the origin of the amblyopic suppression by studying the contrast perception of the amblyopic eye at suprathreshold levels under binocular and monocular viewing. Using a suprathreshold contrast matching task in which the reference and target stimuli were presented to different eyes either simultaneously or successively, we measured interocular contrast matching in 10 controls and 11 amblyopes (mean age 35 ± 15; 5 strabismics; 3 anisometropes; 3 mixed). This was then used as an index of the binocular balance across spatial frequency and compared against the contrast sensitivity ratio measured with the same stimuli. We observed that binocular matching becomes more imbalanced at high spatial frequency for amblyopes, compared with controls; that this imbalance did not depend in either group on whether the stimuli were presented simultaneously or successively; and that for both modes of presentation the matching balance correlates well with the interocular contrast sensitivity ratio (mean correlation coefficient of the slopes R = 0.7125). The results from our amblyopes show comparable losses of contrast perception at and above threshold under these binocular viewing conditions across a wide spatial frequency range, much stronger than that observed for our controls. This occurs under conditions in which there should be no dichoptic masking. Furthermore, the matching contrast could be well predicted by the monocular contrast sensitivity. Altogether, this suggests that amblyopic suppression cannot be explained by normal dichoptic masking but rather an attenuation of the input.

All-Dielectric Multilayer Cylindrical Structures for Invisibility Cloaking

PubMed Central

Mirzaei, Ali; Miroshnichenko, Andrey E.; Shadrivov, Ilya V.; Kivshar, Yuri S.

2015-01-01

We study optical response of all-dielectric multilayer structures and demonstrate that the total scattering of such structures can be suppressed leading to optimal invisibility cloaking. We use experimental material data and a genetic algorithm to reduce the total scattering by adjusting the material and thickness of various layers for several types of dielectric cores at telecommunication wavelengths. Our approach demonstrates 80-fold suppression of the total scattering cross-section by employing just a few dielectric layers. PMID:25858295

Multi-scale Morphological Image Enhancement of Chest Radiographs by a Hybrid Scheme.

PubMed

Alavijeh, Fatemeh Shahsavari; Mahdavi-Nasab, Homayoun

2015-01-01

Chest radiography is a common diagnostic imaging test, which contains an enormous amount of information about a patient. However, its interpretation is highly challenging. The accuracy of the diagnostic process is greatly influenced by image processing algorithms; hence enhancement of the images is indispensable in order to improve visibility of the details. This paper aims at improving radiograph parameters such as contrast, sharpness, noise level, and brightness to enhance chest radiographs, making use of a triangulation method. Here, contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization technique and noise suppression are simultaneously performed in wavelet domain in a new scheme, followed by morphological top-hat and bottom-hat filtering. A unique implementation of morphological filters allows for adjustment of the image brightness and significant enhancement of the contrast. The proposed method is tested on chest radiographs from Japanese Society of Radiological Technology database. The results are compared with conventional enhancement techniques such as histogram equalization, contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization, Retinex, and some recently proposed methods to show its strengths. The experimental results reveal that the proposed method can remarkably improve the image contrast while keeping the sensitive chest tissue information so that radiologists might have a more precise interpretation.

Multi-scale Morphological Image Enhancement of Chest Radiographs by a Hybrid Scheme

PubMed Central

Alavijeh, Fatemeh Shahsavari; Mahdavi-Nasab, Homayoun

2015-01-01

Chest radiography is a common diagnostic imaging test, which contains an enormous amount of information about a patient. However, its interpretation is highly challenging. The accuracy of the diagnostic process is greatly influenced by image processing algorithms; hence enhancement of the images is indispensable in order to improve visibility of the details. This paper aims at improving radiograph parameters such as contrast, sharpness, noise level, and brightness to enhance chest radiographs, making use of a triangulation method. Here, contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization technique and noise suppression are simultaneously performed in wavelet domain in a new scheme, followed by morphological top-hat and bottom-hat filtering. A unique implementation of morphological filters allows for adjustment of the image brightness and significant enhancement of the contrast. The proposed method is tested on chest radiographs from Japanese Society of Radiological Technology database. The results are compared with conventional enhancement techniques such as histogram equalization, contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization, Retinex, and some recently proposed methods to show its strengths. The experimental results reveal that the proposed method can remarkably improve the image contrast while keeping the sensitive chest tissue information so that radiologists might have a more precise interpretation. PMID:25709942

Regulation of Stomatal Defense by Air Relative Humidity.

PubMed

Panchal, Shweta; Chitrakar, Reejana; Thompson, Blaine K; Obulareddy, Nisita; Roy, Debanjana; Hambright, W Sealy; Melotto, Maeli

2016-11-01

It has long been observed that environmental conditions play crucial roles in modulating immunity and disease in plants and animals. For instance, many bacterial plant disease outbreaks occur after periods of high humidity and rain. A critical step in bacterial infection is entry into the plant interior through wounds and natural openings, such as stomata, which are adjustable microscopic pores in the epidermal tissue. Several studies have shown that stomatal closure is an integral part of the plant immune response to reduce pathogen invasion. In this study, we found that high humidity can effectively compromise Pseudomonas syringae-triggered stomatal closure in both Phaseolus vulgaris and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), which is accompanied by early up-regulation of the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway and simultaneous down-regulation of salicylic acid (SA) pathway in guard cells. Furthermore, SA-dependent response, but not JA-dependent response, is faster in guard cells than in whole leaves, suggesting that the SA signaling in guard cells may be independent from other cell types. Thus, we conclude that high humidity, a well-known disease-promoting environmental condition, acts in part by suppressing stomatal defense and is linked to hormone signaling in guard cells. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Static and dynamic parasitic magnetizations and their control in superconducting accelerator dipoles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collings, E. W.; Sumption, M. D.

2001-05-01

Long dipole magnets guide the particle beams in synchrotron-type high energy accelerators. In principal Cu-wound DC-excited dipoles could be designed to deliver a very uniform transverse bore field, i.e. with small or negligible harmonic (multipolar) distortion. But if the Cu is replaced by (a) superconducting strand that is (b) wound into a Rutherford cable carrying a time-varying transport current, extra magnetizations present within the windings cause distortions of the otherwise uniform field. The static (persistent-current) strand magnetization can be reduced by reducing the filament diameter, and the residue compensated or corrected by strategically placed active or passive components. The cable’s interstrand coupling currents can be controlled by increasing the interstrand contact resistance by: adjusting the level of native oxidation of the strand, coating it, or by inserting a ribbon-like core into the cable itself. Methods of locally compensating the magnetization of NbTi and Nb 3Sn strand and cable are discussed, progress in coupling-current suppression through the use of coatings and cores is reviewed, and a method of simultaneously reducing both the static and dynamic magnetizations of a NbTi cable by means of a thin Ni core is suggested.

Single photon source with individualized single photon certifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Migdall, Alan L.; Branning, David A.; Castelletto, Stefania; Ware, M.

2002-12-01

As currently implemented, single-photon sources cannot be made to produce single photons with high probability, while simultaneously suppressing the probability of yielding two or more photons. Because of this, single photon sources cannot really produce single photons on demand. We describe a multiplexed system that allows the probabilities of producing one and more photons to be adjusted independently, enabling a much better approximation of a source of single photons on demand. The scheme uses a heralded photon source based on parametric downconversion, but by effectively breaking the trigger detector area into multiple regions, we are able to extract more information about a heralded photon than is possible with a conventional arrangement. This scheme allows photons to be produced along with a quantitative 'certification' that they are single photons. Some of the single-photon certifications can be significantly better than what is possible with conventional downconversion sources, as well as being better than faint laser sources. With such a source of more tightly certified single photons, it should be possible to improve the maximum secure bit rate possible over a quantum cryptographic link. We present an analysis of the relative merits of this method over the conventional arrangement.

Simultaneous displacement and slope measurement in electronic speckle pattern interferometry using adjustable aperture multiplexing.

PubMed

Lu, Min; Wang, Shengjia; Aulbach, Laura; Koch, Alexander W

2016-08-01

This paper suggests the use of adjustable aperture multiplexing (AAM), a method which is able to introduce multiple tunable carrier frequencies into a three-beam electronic speckle pattern interferometer to measure the out-of-plane displacement and its first-order derivative simultaneously. In the optical arrangement, two single apertures are located in the object and reference light paths, respectively. In cooperation with two adjustable mirrors, virtual images of the single apertures construct three pairs of virtual double apertures with variable aperture opening sizes and aperture distances. By setting the aperture parameter properly, three tunable spatial carrier frequencies are produced within the speckle pattern and completely separate the information of three interferograms in the frequency domain. By applying the inverse Fourier transform to a selected spectrum, its corresponding phase difference distribution can thus be evaluated. Therefore, we can obtain the phase map due to the deformation as well as its slope of the test surface from two speckle patterns which are recorded at different loading events. By this means, simultaneous and dynamic measurements are realized. AAM has greatly simplified the measurement system, which contributes to improving the system stability and increasing the system flexibility and adaptability to various measurement requirements. This paper presents the AAM working principle, the phase retrieval using spatial carrier frequency, and preliminary experimental results.

Method and apparatus for telemetry adaptive bandwidth compression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graham, Olin L.

1987-01-01

Methods and apparatus are provided for automatic and/or manual adaptive bandwidth compression of telemetry. An adaptive sampler samples a video signal from a scanning sensor and generates a sequence of sampled fields. Each field and range rate information from the sensor are hence sequentially transmitted to and stored in a multiple and adaptive field storage means. The field storage means then, in response to an automatic or manual control signal, transfers the stored sampled field signals to a video monitor in a form for sequential or simultaneous display of a desired number of stored signal fields. The sampling ratio of the adaptive sample, the relative proportion of available communication bandwidth allocated respectively to transmitted data and video information, and the number of fields simultaneously displayed are manually or automatically selectively adjustable in functional relationship to each other and detected range rate. In one embodiment, when relatively little or no scene motion is detected, the control signal maximizes sampling ratio and causes simultaneous display of all stored fields, thus maximizing resolution and bandwidth available for data transmission. When increased scene motion is detected, the control signal is adjusted accordingly to cause display of fewer fields. If greater resolution is desired, the control signal is adjusted to increase the sampling ratio.

Burst Suppression on Processed Electroencephalography as a Predictor of Post-Coma Delirium in Mechanically Ventilated ICU Patients

PubMed Central

Andresen, Jennifer M.; Girard, Timothy D.; Pandharipande, Pratik P.; Davidson, Mario A.; Ely, E. Wesley; Watson, Paula L.

2015-01-01

Objectives Many patients, due to a combination of illness and sedatives, spend a considerable amount of time in a comatose state that can include time in burst suppression. We sought to determine if burst suppression measured by processed electroencephalography (pEEG) during coma in sedative-exposed patients is a predictor of post-coma delirium during critical illness. Design Observational convenience sample cohort Setting Medical and surgical ICUs in a tertiary care medical center Patients Cohort of 124 mechanically ventilated ICU patients Measurements and Main Results Depth of sedation was monitored twice daily using the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale and continuously monitored by pEEG. When non-comatose, patients were assessed for delirium twice daily using Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU). Multiple logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to assess associations between time in burst suppression and both incidence and time to resolution of delirium, respectively, adjusting for time in deep sedation and a principal component score consisting of APACHE II score and cumulative doses of sedatives while comatose. Of the 124 patients enrolled and monitored, 55 patients either never had coma or never emerged from coma yielding 69 patients for whom we performed these analyses; 42 of these 69 (61%) had post-coma delirium. Most patients had burst-suppression during coma, though often short-lived [ median (intraquartile range) time in burst suppression, 6.4 (1-58) minutes]. After adjusting for covariates, even this short time in burst suppression independently predicted a higher incidence of post-coma delirium [odds ratio 4.16; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.27-13.62; p=0.02] and a lower likelihood (delayed) resolution of delirium (hazard ratio 0.78; 95% CI 0.53-0.98; p=0.04). Conclusions Time in burst suppression during coma, as measured by processed EEG, was an independent predictor of incidence and time to resolution of post-coma/post-deep sedation delirium. These findings of this single center investigation support lighter sedation strategies. PMID:25072756

Effect of gender and calendar year on time to and duration of virologic suppression among antiretroviral-naïve HIV-infected individuals initiating combination antiretroviral therapy.

PubMed

Raboud, Janet; Blitz, Sandra; Walmsley, Sharon; Thompson, Courtney; Rourke, Sean B; Loutfy, Mona R

2010-01-01

To determine the effects of gender and calendar year on time to and duration of virologic suppression among HIV-infected antiretroviral-naïve individuals initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Ontario Cohort Study antiretroviral-naïve participants who initiated cART after December 31, 1998, and who had ≥2 follow-up viral loads were included. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the effects of gender and calendar year on times to virologic suppression and rebound. Of the 840 patients, 81% were male (median age 40 years; interquartile range [IQR], 34-46). Time to virologic suppression was shorter among women (hazard ratio [HR]=1.27, P=.01) and in more recent calendar time periods (2002-2004: HR, 1.04, P=.67; 2005-2006: HR, 1.22, P=.06; 2007-2008: HR, 1.36, P=.004) compared to 1999-2001 after adjusting for age and type of cART regimens. Women had shorter times to virologic rebound (HR, 1.57; P<.01) after adjusting for age, injection drug use, and type of cART regimen. However, 14/18 (78%) women suspected to be taking cART only for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV experienced virologic rebound compared to 28% of women who required cART for their own health, suggesting that the increased rate of virologic rebound was due to women stopping ART at the termination of a pregnancy if they did not need it for their own health. Rates of rebound did not differ by calendar year period. Time to virologic suppression has steadily decreased over time while duration of suppression remained stable. Time to virologic suppression was shorter for women than for men, whereas durability of virologic suppression was slightly longer for men than women. However, gender differences in virologic rebound were likely due to women discontinuing cART at the end of the pregnancy if it was not needed for their own health.

Varied applications of a new maximum-likelihood code with complete covariance capability. [FERRET, for data adjustment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schmittroth, F.

1978-01-01

Applications of a new data-adjustment code are given. The method is based on a maximum-likelihood extension of generalized least-squares methods that allow complete covariance descriptions for the input data and the final adjusted data evaluations. The maximum-likelihood approach is used with a generalized log-normal distribution that provides a way to treat problems with large uncertainties and that circumvents the problem of negative values that can occur for physically positive quantities. The computer code, FERRET, is written to enable the user to apply it to a large variety of problems by modifying only the input subroutine. The following applications are discussed:more » A 75-group a priori damage function is adjusted by as much as a factor of two by use of 14 integral measurements in different reactor spectra. Reactor spectra and dosimeter cross sections are simultaneously adjusted on the basis of both integral measurements and experimental proton-recoil spectra. The simultaneous use of measured reaction rates, measured worths, microscopic measurements, and theoretical models are used to evaluate dosimeter and fission-product cross sections. Applications in the data reduction of neutron cross section measurements and in the evaluation of reactor after-heat are also considered. 6 figures.« less

Laser pumped 4He magnetometer with light shift suppression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Zaisheng; Wang, He; Peng, Xiang; Wu, Teng; Guo, Hong

2016-11-01

We report a laser-pumped 4He atomic magnetometer with light shift suppression through the atomic sensor itself. A linearly polarized light is used to optically align the 4He metastable atoms and we monitor the magneto-optical double resonance (MODR) signals produced by the left- and right-circularly orthogonal components. It is shown that light shift leads to the atomic alignment to orientation conversion effect, and thus, the difference between the two MODR signals. One of these two MODR signals is locked at the Larmor frequency and is used to measure the ambient magnetic field, while the differential signal is, simultaneously, fed back to suppress the light shift. The scheme could be of the advantage to the design of compact magnetometers by reducing the systematic errors due to light shift.

Space-inhomogeneous phase modulation of laser radiation in an electro-optical ferroelectric liquid crystal cell for suppressing speckle noise.

PubMed

Andreev, Alexander L; Andreeva, Tatiana B; Kompanets, Igor N; Zalyapin, Nikolay V

2018-02-20

Spatially inhomogeneous modulation of a phase delay with the depth of the order π or more makes it possible to destroy phase relations in a laser beam passing through an electro-optical cell with the ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) and, as a consequence, to suppress speckle noise in images formed by this beam. Such a modulation is a consequence of chaotic changes in the position of the scattering indicatrix of helix-free FLC, when an electro-optical cell is simultaneously supplied with a low-frequency and high-frequency bipolar control voltage. In this work, the phase modulation and effective suppressing of the speckles are realized using a new type of helix-free FLC material with periodic deformations of smectic layers.

Dynamic divertor control using resonant mixed toroidal harmonic magnetic fields during ELM suppression in DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, M.; Sun, Y.; Paz-Soldan, C.; Nazikian, R.; Gu, S.; Liu, Y. Q.; Abrams, T.; Bykov, I.; Cui, L.; Evans, T.; Garofalo, A.; Guo, W.; Gong, X.; Lasnier, C.; Logan, N. C.; Makowski, M.; Orlov, D.; Wang, H. H.

2018-05-01

Experiments using Resonant Magnetic Perturbations (RMPs), with a rotating n = 2 toroidal harmonic combined with a stationary n = 3 toroidal harmonic, have validated predictions that divertor heat and particle flux can be dynamically controlled while maintaining Edge Localized Mode (ELM) suppression in the DIII-D tokamak. Here, n is the toroidal mode number. ELM suppression over one full cycle of a rotating n = 2 RMP that was mixed with a static n = 3 RMP field has been achieved. Prominent heat flux splitting on the outer divertor has been observed during ELM suppression by RMPs in low collisionality regime in DIII-D. Strong changes in the three dimensional heat and particle flux footprint in the divertor were observed during the application of the mixed toroidal harmonic magnetic perturbations. These results agree well with modeling of the edge magnetic field structure using the TOP2D code, which takes into account the plasma response from the MARS-F code. These results expand the potential effectiveness of the RMP ELM suppression technique for the simultaneous control of divertor heat and particle load required in ITER.

Spontaneous sensorimotor cortical activity is suppressed by deep brain stimulation in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Luoma, Jarkko; Pekkonen, Eero; Airaksinen, Katja; Helle, Liisa; Nurminen, Jussi; Taulu, Samu; Mäkelä, Jyrki P

2018-06-22

Advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by an excessive oscillatory beta band activity in the subthalamic nucleus (STN). Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of STN alleviates motor symptoms in PD and suppresses the STN beta band activity. The effect of DBS on cortical sensorimotor activity is more ambiguous; both increases and decreases of beta band activity have been reported. Non-invasive studies with simultaneous DBS are problematic due to DBS-induced artifacts. We recorded magnetoencephalography (MEG) from 16 advanced PD patients with and without STN DBS during rest and wrist extension. The strong magnetic artifacts related to stimulation were removed by temporal signal space separation. MEG oscillatory activity at 5-25 Hz was suppressed during DBS in a widespread frontoparietal region, including the sensorimotor cortex identified by the cortico-muscular coherence. The strength of suppression did not correlate with clinical improvement. Our results indicate that alpha and beta band oscillations are suppressed at the frontoparietal cortex by STN DBS in PD. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Processes for producing low cost, high efficiency silicon solar cells

DOEpatents

Rohatgi, Ajeet; Chen, Zhizhang; Doshi, Parag

1996-01-01

Processes which utilize rapid thermal processing (RTP) are provided for inexpensively producing high efficiency silicon solar cells. The RTP processes preserve minority carrier bulk lifetime .tau. and permit selective adjustment of the depth of the diffused regions, including emitter and back surface field (bsf), within the silicon substrate. Silicon solar cell efficiencies of 16.9% have been achieved. In a first RTP process, an RTP step is utilized to simultaneously diffuse phosphorus and aluminum into the front and back surfaces, respectively, of a silicon substrate. Moreover, an in situ controlled cooling procedure preserves the carrier bulk lifetime .tau. and permits selective adjustment of the depth of the diffused regions. In a second RTP process, both simultaneous diffusion of the phosphorus and aluminum as well as annealing of the front and back contacts are accomplished during the RTP step. In a third RTP process, the RTP step accomplishes simultaneous diffusion of the phosphorus and aluminum, annealing of the contacts, and annealing of a double-layer antireflection/passivation coating SiN/SiO.sub.x.

Pixel-based speckle adjustment for noise reduction in Fourier-domain OCT images.

PubMed

Zhang, Anqi; Xi, Jiefeng; Sun, Jitao; Li, Xingde

2017-03-01

Speckle resides in OCT signals and inevitably effects OCT image quality. In this work, we present a novel method for speckle noise reduction in Fourier-domain OCT images, which utilizes the phase information of complex OCT data. In this method, speckle area is pre-delineated pixelwise based on a phase-domain processing method and then adjusted by the results of wavelet shrinkage of the original image. Coefficient shrinkage method such as wavelet or contourlet is applied afterwards for further suppressing the speckle noise. Compared with conventional methods without speckle adjustment, the proposed method demonstrates significant improvement of image quality.

Speed Pressure in Conflict Situations Impedes Inhibitory Action Control in Parkinson’s Disease

PubMed Central

Van Wouwe, N.C.; van den Wildenberg, W.P.M.; Claassen, D.O.; Kanoff, K.; Bashore, T.R.; Wylie, S.A.

2014-01-01

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative basal ganglia disease that disrupts cognitive control processes involved in response selection. The current study investigated the effects of PD on the ability to resolve conflicts during response selection when performance emphasized response speed versus response accuracy. Twenty-one (21) PD patients and 21 healthy controls (HC) completed a Simon conflict task, and a subset of 10 participants from each group provided simultaneous movement-related potential (MRP) data to track patterns of motor cortex activation and inhibition associated with the successful resolution of conflicting response tendencies. Both groups adjusted performance strategically to emphasize response speed or accuracy (i.e., speed-accuracy effect). For HC, interference from a conflicting response was reduced when response accuracy rather than speed was prioritized. For PD patients, however, there was a reduction in interference, but it was not statistically significant. The conceptual framework of the Dual-Process Activation-Suppression (DPAS) model revealed that the groups experienced similar susceptibility to making fast impulsive errors in conflict trials irrespective of speed-accuracy instructions, but PD patients were less proficient and delayed compared to HC at suppressing the interference from these incorrect response tendencies, especially under speed pressure. Analysis of MRPs on response conflict trials showed attenuated inhibition of the motor cortex controlling the conflicting impulsive response tendency in PD patients compared to HC. These results further confirm the detrimental effects of PD inhibitory control mechanisms and their exacerbation when patients perform under speed pressure. The results also suggest that a downstream effect of inhibitory dysfunction in PD is diminished inhibition of motor cortex controlling conflicting response tendencies. PMID:25017503

Method for suppressing noise in measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carson, Paul J. (Inventor); Madsen, Louis A. (Inventor); Leskowitz, Garett M. (Inventor); Weitekamp, Daniel P. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

Techniques of combining separate but correlated measurements to form a second-order or higher order correlation function to suppress the effects of noise in the initial condition of a system capable of retaining memory of an initial state of the system with a characteristic relaxation time. At least two separate measurements are obtained from the system. The temporal separation between the two separate measurements is preferably comparable to or less than the characteristic relaxation time and is adjusted to allow for a correlation between two measurements.

Controlled overspray spray nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasthofer, W. P. (Inventor)

1981-01-01

A spray system for a multi-ingredient ablative material wherein a nozzle A is utilized for suppressing overspray is described. The nozzle includes a cyclindrical inlet which converges to a restricted throat. A curved juncture between the cylindrical inlet and the convergent portion affords unrestricted and uninterrupted flow of the ablative material. A divergent bell-shaped chamber and adjustable nozzle exit B is utilized which provides a highly effective spray pattern in suppressing overspray to an acceptable level and producing a homogeneous jet of material that adheres well to the substrate.

Simultaneous sampling technique for two spectral sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jarrett, Olin, Jr.

1987-01-01

A technique is described that uses a bundle of fiber optics to simultaneously sample a dye laser and a spectral lamp. By the use of a real-time display with this technique, the two signals can be superimposed, and the effect of any spectral adjustments can be immediately accessed. In the NASA's CARS system used for combustion diagnostics, the dye laser mixes with a simultaneously pulsed Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm to probe the vibrational levels of nitrogen. An illustration of the oscilloscopic display of the system is presented.

Estimating US federal wildland fire managers' preferences toward competing strategic suppression objectives

Treesearch

David E. Calkin; Tyron Venn; Matthew Wibbenmeyer; Matthew P. Thompson

2012-01-01

Wildfire management involves significant complexity and uncertainty, requiring simultaneous consideration of multiple, non-commensurate objectives. This paper investigates the tradeoffs fire managers are willing to make among these objectives using a choice experiment methodology that provides three key advancements relative to previous stated-preference studies...

Reading Disability and Hemispheric Interaction on a Lexical Decision Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutherford, Barbara J.

2006-01-01

The assumptions tested were that the relative contribution of each hemisphere to reading alters with experience and that experience increases suppression of the simultaneous use of identical strategies by the non-dominant hemisphere. Males that were reading disabled and phonologically impaired, reading disabled and phonologically normal, or with…

Anthropogenic-based regional-scale factors most consistently explain plot-level exotic diversity in grasslands

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Invasion is viewed as a dominant threat to Earth’s biological diversity, but evidence linking the accumulation of exotic species to the simultaneous suppression of native diversity is equivocal, relying heavily on data from studies using different methods and designs. Fine-scale studies often descr...

Discursive Essentializing in a Woman-Owned Business: Gendered Stereotypes and Strategic Subordination.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edley, Paige P.

2000-01-01

Illustrates how the cultural practice of discursive essentializing in a woman-owned and operated business accomplished simultaneous agendas of power and resistance. Shows how the performance of gendered stereotypes, rather than having expected negative consequences, allowed organizational members to suppress conflict and to reproduce the owners'…

Attentional adjustment to conflict strength: evidence from the effects of manipulating flanker-target SOA on response times and prestimulus pupil size.

PubMed

Wendt, Mike; Kiesel, Andrea; Geringswald, Franziska; Purmann, Sascha; Fischer, Rico

2014-01-01

Current models of cognitive control assume gradual adjustment of processing selectivity to the strength of conflict evoked by distractor stimuli. Using a flanker task, we varied conflict strength by manipulating target and distractor onset. Replicating previous findings, flanker interference effects were larger on trials associated with advance presentation of the flankers compared to simultaneous presentation. Controlling for stimulus and response sequence effects by excluding trials with feature repetitions from stimulus administration (Experiment 1) or from the statistical analyses (Experiment 2), we found a reduction of the flanker interference effect after high-conflict predecessor trials (i.e., trials associated with advance presentation of the flankers) but not after low-conflict predecessor trials (i.e., trials associated with simultaneous presentation of target and flankers). This result supports the assumption of conflict-strength-dependent adjustment of visual attention. The selective adaptation effect after high-conflict trials was associated with an increase in prestimulus pupil diameter, possibly reflecting increased cognitive effort of focusing attention.

Definition of experiments to investigate fire suppressants in microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reuther, James J.

1990-01-01

Defined and justified here are the conceptual design and operation of a critical set of experiments expected to yield information on suppressants and on suppressant delivery systems under realistic spacecraft-fire conditions (smoldering). Specific experiment parameters are provided on the solid fuel (carbon), oxidants (habitable spacecraft atmospheres), fuel/oxidant supply, mixing mode, and rate (quiescent and finite; ventilated and replenishable), ignition mode, event, and reignition tendency, fire-zone size, fire conditions, lifetime, and consequences (toxicity), suppressants (CO2, H2O, N2) and suppressant delivery systems, and diagnostics. Candidate suppressants were identified after an analysis of how reduced gravity alters combustion, and how these alterations may influence the modes, mechanisms, and capacities of terrestrial agents to suppress unwanted combustion, or fire. Preferred spacecraft suppression concepts included the local, near-quiescent application of a gas, vapor, or mist that has thermophysical fire-suppression activity and is chemically inert under terrestrial (normal gravity) combustion conditions. The scale, number, and duration (about 1 hour) of the proposed low-gravity experiments were estimated using data not only on the limitations imposed by spacecraft-carrier (Shuttle or Space Station Freedom) accommodations, but also data on the details and experience of standardized smolder-suppression experiments at normal gravity. Deliberately incorporated into the conceptual design was sufficient interchangeability for the prototype experimental package to fly either on Shuttle now or Freedom later. This flexibility is provided by the design concept of up to 25 modular fuel canisters within a containment vessel, which permits both integration into existing low-gravity in-space combustion experiments and simultaneous testing of separate experiments to conserve utilities and time.

Sleep duration and RSA suppression as predictors of internalizing and externalizing behaviors

PubMed Central

Cho, Sunghye; Philbrook, Lauren E.; Davis, Elizabeth L.; Buss, Kristin A.

2017-01-01

Although the conceptual interplay among the biological and clinical features of sleep, arousal, and emotion regulation has been noted, little is understood about how indices of sleep duration and parasympathetic reactivity operate jointly to predict adjustment in early childhood. Using a sample of 123 toddlers, the present study examined sleep duration and RSA reactivity as predictors of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Parents reported on children’s sleep duration and adjustment. RSA reactivity was assessed via children’s responses to fear-eliciting stimuli and an inhibitory control challenge. Findings demonstrated that greater RSA suppression to both types of tasks in combination with longer sleep duration was concurrently associated with less internalizing. In contrast, greater RSA augmentation to an inhibitory control task in the context of shorter sleep duration predicted more externalizing 1 year later. The significance of duration of toddlers’ sleep as well as the context in which physiological regulatory difficulties occurs is discussed. PMID:27577700

Multi-objective optimization of piezoelectric circuitry network for mode delocalization and suppression of bladed disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoo, David; Tang, J.

2017-04-01

Since weakly-coupled bladed disks are highly sensitive to the presence of uncertainties, they can easily undergo vibration localization. When vibration localization occurs, vibration modes of bladed disk become dramatically different from those under the perfectly periodic condition, and the dynamic response under engine-order excitation is drastically amplified. In previous studies, it is investigated that amplified vibration response can be suppressed by connecting piezoelectric circuitry into individual blades to induce the damped absorber effect, and localized vibration modes can be alleviated by integrating piezoelectric circuitry network. Delocalization of vibration modes and vibration suppression of bladed disk, however, require different optimal set of circuit parameters. In this research, multi-objective optimization approach is developed to enable finding the best circuit parameters, simultaneously achieving both objectives. In this way, the robustness and reliability in bladed disk can be ensured. Gradient-based optimizations are individually developed for mode delocalization and vibration suppression, which are then integrated into multi-objective optimization framework.

Averrhoa carambola L. peel extract suppresses adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells.

PubMed

Rashid, Asyifah Mohamed; Lu, Kaihui; Yip, Yew Mun; Zhang, Dawei

2016-02-01

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of many chronic diseases. Recently, a growing body of evidence has shown that phytochemicals may inhibit adipogenesis and obesity. In this study, we report for the first time, the ability of Averrhoa carambola L. peel extract commonly known as star fruit (SFP) to effectively suppress adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and therefore, address it as a potential candidate to treat obesity and its related diseases. (-)-Epicatechin was identified as a bioactive compound likely responsible for this suppression. As the genetic expression studies revealed that the adipogenic activity of SFP extract was due to the simultaneous downregulation of the C/EBPα and PPARγ as well as the upregulation of PPARα receptor genes, a detailed computational docking study was also elucidated to reveal the likely binding mode of (-)-epicatechin to the receptor of interest, accounting for the likely mechanism that results in the overall suppression of adipocyte differentiation.

Ultra-wideband microwave photonic frequency downconverter based on carrier-suppressed single-sideband modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yunxin; Li, Jingnan; Wang, Dayong; Zhou, Tao; Xu, Jiahao; Zhong, Xin; Yang, Dengcai; Rong, Lu

2018-03-01

An ultra-wideband microwave photonic frequency downconverter is proposed based on carrier-suppressed single-sideband (CS-SSB) modulation. A radio frequency (RF) signal and a local oscillator (LO) signal are combined to drive a dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulator (DPMZM) through the electrical 90°hybrid coupler. To break through the bandwidth limit, an optical bandpass filter (OBPF) is applied simultaneously. Then a photodetector (PD) after OBPF is used to obtain intermediate frequency (IF) signal. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed frequency downconverter can generate the CS-SSB modulation signal from 2 to 40 GHz in optical spectrum. All the mixing spurs are completely suppressed under the noise floor in electrical spectrum, and the output IF signal possesses high purity with a suppression ratio of the undesired signals (≥40 dB). Furthermore, the multi-octave downconversion can also be implemented to satisfy the bandwidth requirement of multi-channel communication. The proposed frequency downconverter supplies an ultra-wideband and high-purity alternative for the signal processing in microwave photonic applications.

Multi-octave analog photonic link with improved second- and third-order SFDRs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Qinggui; Gao, Yongsheng; Fan, Yangyu; He, You

2018-03-01

The second- and third-order spurious free dynamic ranges (SFDRs) are two key performance indicators for a multi-octave analogy photonic link (APL). The linearization methods for either second- or third-order intermodulation distortion (IMD2 or IMD3) have been intensively studied, but the simultaneous suppression for the both were merely reported. In this paper, we propose an APL with improved second- and third-order SFDRs for multi-octave applications based on two parallel DPMZM-based sub-APLs. The IMD3 in each sub-APL is suppressed by properly biasing the DPMZM, and the IMD2 is suppressed by balanced detecting the two sub-APLs. The experiment demonstrates significant suppression ratios for both the IMD2 and IMD3 after linearization in the proposed link, and the measured second- and third-order SFDRs with the operating frequency from 6 to 40 GHz are above 91 dB ṡHz 1 / 2 and 116 dB ṡHz 2 / 3, respectively.

Relationship between hunger, adherence to antiretroviral therapy and plasma HIV RNA suppression among HIV-positive illicit drug users in a Canadian setting.

PubMed

Anema, Aranka; Kerr, Thomas; Milloy, M-J; Feng, Cindy; Montaner, Julio S G; Wood, Evan

2014-04-01

Food insecurity may be a barrier to achieving optimal HIV treatment-related outcomes among illicit drug users. This study therefore, aimed to assess the impact of severe food insecurity, or hunger, on plasma HIV RNA suppression among illicit drug users receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). A cross-sectional Multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess the potential relationship between hunger and plasma HIV RNA suppression. A sample of n = 406 adults was derived from a community-recruited open prospective cohort of HIV-positive illicit drug users, in Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Canada. A total of 235 (63.7%) reported "being hungry and unable to afford enough food," and 241 (59.4%) had plasma HIV RNA < 50 copies/ml. In unadjusted analyses, self-reported hunger was associated with lower odds of plasma HIV RNA suppression (Odds Ratio = 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.39-0.90, p = 0.015). In multivariate analyses, this association was no longer significant after controlling for socio-demographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics, including 95% adherence (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.37-1.10, p = 0.105). Multivariate models stratified by 95% adherence found that the direction and magnitude of this association was not significantly altered by the adherence level. Hunger was common among illicit drug users in this setting. Although, there was an association between hunger and lower likelihood of plasma HIV RNA suppression, this did not persist in adjusted analyses. Further research is warranted to understand the social-structural, policy, and physical factors shaping the HIV outcomes of illicit drug users.

Interruption of antiretroviral therapy is associated with increased plasma cystatin C.

PubMed

Mocroft, Amanda; Wyatt, Christina; Szczech, Lynda; Neuhaus, Jacquie; El-Sadr, Wafaa; Tracy, Russell; Kuller, Lewis; Shlipak, Michael; Angus, Brian; Klinker, Harting; Ross, Michael

2009-01-02

Cystatin C has been proposed as an alternative marker of renal function. We sought to determine whether participants randomized to episodic use of antiretroviral therapy guided by CD4 cell count (drug conservation) had altered cystatin C levels compared with those randomized to continuous antiretroviral therapy (viral suppression) in the Strategies for Management of Antiretroviral Therapy trial, and to identify factors associated with increased cystatin C. Cystatin C was measured in plasma collected at randomization, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 months after randomization in a random sample of 249 and 250 participants in the drug conservation and viral suppression groups, respectively. Logistic regression was used to model the odds of at least 0.15 mg/dl increase in cystatin C (1 SD) in the first month after randomization, adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics. At randomization, mean (SD) cystatin C level was 0.99 (0.26 mg/dl) and 1.01 (0.28 mg/dl) in the drug conservation and viral suppression arms, respectively (P = 0.29). In the first month after randomization, 21.8 and 10.6% had at least 0.15 mg/dl increase in cystatin C in the drug conservation and viral suppression arms, respectively (P = 0.0008). The difference in cystatin C between the treatment arms was maintained through 1 year after randomization. After adjustment, participants in the viral suppression arm had significantly reduced odds of at least 0.15 mg/dl increase in cystatin C in the first month (odds ratio 0.42; 95% confidence interval 0.23-0.74, P = 0.0023). These results demonstrate that interruption of antiretroviral therapy is associated with an increase in cystatin C, which may reflect worsened renal function.

Understanding Cross-Sectional Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Disparities in Antiretroviral Use and Viral Suppression Among HIV Patients in the United States

PubMed Central

Beer, Linda; Mattson, Christine L.; Bradley, Heather; Skarbinski, Jacek

2016-01-01

Abstract To examine racial/ethnic and gender disparities in antiretroviral (ART) use and viral suppression among HIV-infected persons in care and identify factors that might account for observed disparities. The Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) is a complex sample survey of HIV-infected adults receiving medical care in the United States. We used weighted interview and medical record data collected 06/2009 to 05/2012 to estimate the prevalence of ART use and viral suppression among gender-stratified racial/ethnic groups. We used χ2 tests to identify significant differences in outcomes between white men versus other groups, and logistic regression models to identify the most parsimonious set of factors that could account for each observed difference. We found no significant disparity in ART use between white and Hispanic men, and no disparities between white men and white and Hispanic women after adjustment for disease stage, age, and poverty. Disparities in ART use between white men and black persons persisted after adjusting for other factors, but the observed differences were relatively small. Differences in ART use and adherence, demographic characteristics, and social determinants of health such as poverty, education, and insurance accounted for the observed disparities in viral suppression between white men and all groups except black men. In our model, accounting for these factors reduced the prevalence difference in viral suppression between white and black men by almost half. We found that factors associated with disparities differed among men and women of the same race/ethnicity, lending support to the assertion that gender affects access to care and health status among HIV-infected patients. In addition to supporting efforts to increase ART use and adherence among persons living with HIV, our analysis provides evidence for the importance of social determinants of health in understanding racial/ethnic and gender differences in ART use and viral suppression. PMID:27043679

Carvedilol analogue inhibits triggered activities evoked by both early and delayed afterdepolarizations.

PubMed

Maruyama, Mitsunori; Xiao, Jianmin; Zhou, Qiang; Vembaiyan, Kannan; Chua, Su-Kiat; Rubart-von der Lohe, Michael; Lin, Shien-Fong; Back, Thomas G; Chen, S R Wayne; Chen, Peng-Sheng

2013-01-01

Carvedilol and its analogues suppress delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs) and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardias by direct action on the cardiac ryanodine receptor type 2 (RyR2). To test a hypothesis that carvedilol analogue may also prevent triggered activities (TAs) through the suppression of early afterdepolarizations (EADs). Intracellular Ca(2+) and membrane voltage were simultaneously recorded by using optical mapping technique in Langendorff-perfused mouse and rabbit hearts to study the effect of carvedilol analogue VK-II-36, which does not have significant beta-blocking effects. Spontaneous intracellular Ca(2+) elevations (SCaEs) during diastole were induced by rapid ventricular pacing and isoproterenol infusion in intact rabbit ventricles. Systolic and diastolic SCaEs were simultaneously noted in Langendorff-perfused RyR2 R4496(+/-) mouse hearts after creating atrioventricular block. VK-II-36 effectively suppressed SCaEs and eliminated TAs observed in both mouse and rabbit ventricles. We tested the effect of VK-II-36 on EADs by using a rabbit model of acquired long QT syndrome, in which phase 2 and phase 3 EADs were observed in association with systolic SCaEs. VK-II-36 abolished the systolic SCaEs and phase 2 EADs, and greatly decreased the dispersion of repolarization and the amplitude of phase 3 EADs. VK-II-36 completely prevented EAD-mediated TAs in all ventricles studied. A carvedilol analogue, VK-II-36, inhibits ventricular tachyarrhythmias in intact mouse and rabbit ventricles by the suppression of SCaEs, independent of beta-blocking activity. The RyR2 may be a potential target for treating focal ventricular arrhythmias triggered by either EADs or DADs. Copyright © 2013 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multifocal visual evoked responses to dichoptic stimulation using virtual reality goggles: Multifocal VER to dichoptic stimulation.

PubMed

Arvind, Hemamalini; Klistorner, Alexander; Graham, Stuart L; Grigg, John R

2006-05-01

Multifocal visual evoked potentials (mfVEPs) have demonstrated good diagnostic capabilities in glaucoma and optic neuritis. This study aimed at evaluating the possibility of simultaneously recording mfVEP for both eyes with dichoptic stimulation using virtual reality goggles and also to determine the stimulus characteristics that yield maximum amplitude. ten healthy volunteers were recruited and temporally sparse pattern pulse stimuli were presented dichoptically using virtual reality goggles. Experiment 1 involved recording responses to dichoptically presented checkerboard stimuli and also confirming true topographic representation by switching off specific segments. Experiment 2 involved monocular stimulation and comparison of amplitude with Experiment 1. In Experiment 3, orthogonally oriented gratings were dichoptically presented. Experiment 4 involved dichoptic presentation of checkerboard stimuli at different levels of sparseness (5.0 times/s, 2.5 times/s, 1.66 times/s and 1.25 times/s), where stimulation of corresponding segments of two eyes were separated by 16.7, 66.7,116.7 & 166.7 ms respectively. Experiment 1 demonstrated good traces in all regions and confirmed topographic representation. However, there was suppression of amplitude of responses to dichoptic stimulation by 17.9+/-5.4% compared to monocular stimulation. Experiment 3 demonstrated similar suppression between orthogonal and checkerboard stimuli (p = 0.08). Experiment 4 demonstrated maximum amplitude and least suppression (4.8%) with stimulation at 1.25 times/s with 166.7 ms separation between eyes. It is possible to record mfVEP for both eyes during dichoptic stimulation using virtual reality goggles, which present binocular simultaneous patterns driven by independent sequences. Interocular suppression can be almost eliminated by using a temporally sparse stimulus of 1.25 times/s with a separation of 166.7 ms between stimulation of corresponding segments of the two eyes.

First Simulations of Designing Stratospheric Sulfate Aerosol Geoengineering to Meet Multiple Simultaneous Climate Objectives: DESIGNING STRATOSPHERIC GEOENGINEERING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kravitz, Ben; MacMartin, Douglas G.; Mills, Michael J.

We describe the first simulations of stratospheric sulfate aerosol geoengineering using multiple injection locations to meet multiple simultaneous surface temperature objectives. Simulations were performed using CESM1(WACCM), a coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model with fully interactive stratospheric chemistry, dynamics (including an internally generated quasi-biennial oscillation), and a sophisticated treatment of sulfate aerosol formation, microphysical growth, and deposition. The objectives are defined as maintaining three temperature features at their 2020 levels against a background of the RCP8.5 scenario over the period 2020-2099. These objectives are met using a feedback mechanism in which the rate of sulfur dioxide injection at each of themore » four locations is adjusted independently every year of simulation. Even in the presence of uncertainties, nonlinearities, and variability, the objectives are met, predominantly by SO2 injection at 30°N and 30°S. By the last year of simulation, the feedback algorithm calls for a total injection rate of 51 Tg SO2 per year. The injections are not in the tropics, which results in a greater degree of linearity of the surface climate response with injection amount than has been found in many previous studies using injection at the equator. Because the objectives are defined in terms of annual mean temperature, the required geeongineering results in "overcooling" during summer and "undercooling" during winter. The hydrological cycle is also suppressed as compared to the reference values corresponding to the year 2020. The demonstration we describe in this study is an important step toward understanding what geoengineering can do and what it cannot do.« less

How stellar feedback simultaneously regulates star formation and drives outflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayward, Christopher C.; Hopkins, Philip F.

2017-02-01

We present an analytic model for how momentum deposition from stellar feedback simultaneously regulates star formation and drives outflows in a turbulent interstellar medium (ISM). Because the ISM is turbulent, a given patch of ISM exhibits sub-patches with a range of surface densities. The high-density patches are 'pushed' by feedback, thereby driving turbulence and self-regulating local star formation. Sufficiently low-density patches, however, are accelerated to above the escape velocity before the region can self-adjust and are thus vented as outflows. When the gas fraction is ≳ 0.3, the ratio of the turbulent velocity dispersion to the circular velocity is sufficiently high that at any given time, of the order of half of the ISM has surface density less than the critical value and thus can be blown out on a dynamical time. The resulting outflows have a mass-loading factor (η ≡ dot{M}_{out}/M_{star }) that is inversely proportional to the gas fraction times the circular velocity. At low gas fractions, the star formation rate needed for local self-regulation, and corresponding turbulent Mach number, declines rapidly; the ISM is 'smoother', and it is actually more difficult to drive winds with large mass-loading factors. Crucially, our model predicts that stellar-feedback-driven outflows should be suppressed at z ≲ 1 in M⋆ ≳ 1010 M⊙ galaxies. This mechanism allows massive galaxies to exhibit violent outflows at high redshifts and then 'shut down' those outflows at late times, thereby enabling the formation of a smooth, extended thin stellar disc. We provide simple fitting functions for η that should be useful for sub-resolution and semi-analytic models.

Improved dark blood late gadolinium enhancement (DB-LGE) imaging using an optimized joint inversion preparation and T2 magnetization preparation.

PubMed

Basha, Tamer A; Tang, Maxine C; Tsao, Connie; Tschabrunn, Cory M; Anter, Elad; Manning, Warren J; Nezafat, Reza

2018-01-01

To develop a dark blood-late gadolinium enhancement (DB-LGE) sequence that improves scar-blood contrast and delineation of scar region. The DB-LGE sequence uses an inversion pulse followed by T 2 magnetization preparation to suppress blood and normal myocardium. Time delays inserted after preparation pulses and T 2 -magnetization-prep duration are used to adjust tissue contrast. Selection of these parameters was optimized using numerical simulations and phantom experiments. We evaluated DB-LGE in 9 swine and 42 patients (56 ± 14 years, 33 male). Improvement in scar-blood contrast and overall image quality was subjectively evaluated by two independent readers (1 = poor, 4 = excellent). The signal ratios among scar, blood, and myocardium were compared. Simulations and phantom studies demonstrated that simultaneous nulling of myocardium and blood can be achieved by selecting appropriate timing parameters. The scar-blood contrast score was significantly higher for DB-LGE (P < 0.001) with no significant difference in overall image quality (P > 0.05). Scar-blood signal ratios for DB-LGE versus LGE were 5.0 ± 2.8 versus 1.5 ± 0.5 (P < 0.001) for patients, and 2.2 ± 0.7 versus 1.0 ± 0.4 (P = 0.0023) for animals. Scar-myocardium signal ratios were 5.7 ± 2.9 versus 6.3 ± 2.6 (P = 0.35) for patients, and 3.7 ± 1.1 versus 4.1 ± 2.0 (P = 0.60) for swine. The DB-LGE sequence simultaneously reduces normal myocardium and blood signal intensity, thereby enhancing scar-blood contrast while preserving scar-myocardium contrast. Magn Reson Med 79:351-360, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Design for active and passive flutter suppression and gust alleviation. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karpel, M.

1981-01-01

Analytical design techniques for active and passive control of aeroelastic systems are based on a rational approximation of the unsteady aerodynamic loads in the entire Laplace domain, which yields matrix equations of motion with constant coefficients. Some existing schemes are reviewed, the matrix Pade approximant is modified, and a technique which yields a minimal number of augmented states for a desired accuracy is presented. The state-space aeroelastic model is used to design an active control system for simultaneous flutter suppression and gust alleviation. The design target is for a continuous controller which transfers some measurements taken on the vehicle to a control command applied to a control surface. Structural modifications are formulated in a way which enables the treatment of passive flutter suppression system with the same procedures by which active control systems are designed.

Optimizing chaos time-delay signature in two mutually-coupled semiconductor lasers through controlling internal parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Penghua; Pan, Wei; Yan, Lianshan; Luo, Bin; Zou, Xihua

2017-04-01

In this contribution, the effects of two key internal parameters, i.e. the linewidth-enhancement factor (α) and gain nonlinearity (𝜀), on time-delay signatures (TDS) concealment of two mutually-coupled semiconductor lasers (MCSLs) are numerically investigated. In particular, the influences of α and 𝜀 on the TDS concealment are compared and discussed systematically by setting different values of frequency detuning (Δf) and injection strength (η). The results show that the TDS can be better suppressed with high α or lower 𝜀 in the MCSLs. Two sets of desired optical chaos with TDS being strongly suppressed can be generated simultaneously in a wide injection parameter plane provided that α and 𝜀 are properly chosen, indicating that optimizing TDS suppression through controlling internal parameters can be generalized to any delayed-coupled laser systems.

Cycling Empirical Antibiotic Therapy in Hospitals: Meta-Analysis and Models

PubMed Central

Abel, Sören; Viechtbauer, Wolfgang; Bonhoeffer, Sebastian

2014-01-01

The rise of resistance together with the shortage of new broad-spectrum antibiotics underlines the urgency of optimizing the use of available drugs to minimize disease burden. Theoretical studies suggest that coordinating empirical usage of antibiotics in a hospital ward can contain the spread of resistance. However, theoretical and clinical studies came to different conclusions regarding the usefulness of rotating first-line therapy (cycling). Here, we performed a quantitative pathogen-specific meta-analysis of clinical studies comparing cycling to standard practice. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar and identified 46 clinical studies addressing the effect of cycling on nosocomial infections, of which 11 met our selection criteria. We employed a method for multivariate meta-analysis using incidence rates as endpoints and find that cycling reduced the incidence rate/1000 patient days of both total infections by 4.95 [9.43–0.48] and resistant infections by 7.2 [14.00–0.44]. This positive effect was observed in most pathogens despite a large variance between individual species. Our findings remain robust in uni- and multivariate metaregressions. We used theoretical models that reflect various infections and hospital settings to compare cycling to random assignment to different drugs (mixing). We make the realistic assumption that therapy is changed when first line treatment is ineffective, which we call “adjustable cycling/mixing”. In concordance with earlier theoretical studies, we find that in strict regimens, cycling is detrimental. However, in adjustable regimens single resistance is suppressed and cycling is successful in most settings. Both a meta-regression and our theoretical model indicate that “adjustable cycling” is especially useful to suppress emergence of multiple resistance. While our model predicts that cycling periods of one month perform well, we expect that too long cycling periods are detrimental. Our results suggest that “adjustable cycling” suppresses multiple resistance and warrants further investigations that allow comparing various diseases and hospital settings. PMID:24968123

CD4/CD8 ratio, age, and risk of serious non-communicable diseases in HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral therapy

PubMed Central

CASTILHO, Jessica L.; SHEPHERD, Bryan E.; KOETHE, John; TURNER, Megan; BEBAWY, Sally; LOGAN, James; ROGERS, William B.; RAFFANTI, Stephen; STERLING, Timothy R.

2015-01-01

Objective In virologically suppressed HIV-infected adults, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have been associated with immune senescence and low CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratio. Age differences in the relationship between CD4/CD8 ratio and NCDs have not been described. Design Observational cohort study. Methods We assessed CD4/CD8 ratio and incident NCDs (cardiovascular, cancer, liver, and renal diseases) in HIV-infected adults started on antiretroviral therapy between 1998–2012. Study inclusion began once patients maintained virologic suppression for 12 months (defined as baseline). We examined age and baseline CD4/CD8 ratio and used Cox proportional hazard models to assess baseline CD4/CD8 ratio and NCDs. Results This study included 2,006 patients. Low baseline CD4/CD8 ratio was associated with older age, male sex, and low CD4 lymphocyte counts. In models adjusting for CD4 lymphocyte count, CD4/CD8 ratio was inversely associated with age (p <0.01). Among all patients, 182 had incident NCDs, including 46 with coronary artery disease (CAD) events. CD4/CD8 ratio was inversely associated with risk of CAD events (adjusted HR per 0.1 increase in CD4/CD8 ratio = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.76–0.99, p=0.03). This association was driven by those under age 50 years (adjusted HR 0.83 [0.70–0.97], p = 0.02) versus those over age 50 years (adjusted HR = 0.96 [0.79–1.18], p = 0.71). CD4/CD8 ratio was not significantly associated with incident non-cardiac NCDs. Conclusions Higher CD4/CD8 ratio after one year of HIV virologic suppression was independently predictive of decreased CAD risk, particularly among younger adults. Advanced immune senescence may contribute to CAD events in younger HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy. PMID:26959354

The role of affective evaluation in conflict adaptation: An LRP study.

PubMed

Fröber, Kerstin; Stürmer, Birgit; Frömer, Romy; Dreisbach, Gesine

2017-08-01

Conflict between incompatible response tendencies is typically followed by control adjustments aimed at diminishing subsequent conflicts, a phenomenon often called conflict adaptation. Dreisbach and Fischer (2015, 2016) recently proposed that it is not the conflict per se but the aversive quality of a conflict that originally motivates this kind of sequential control adjustment. With the present study we tested the causal role of aversive signals in conflict adaptation in a more direct way. To this end, after each trial of a vertical Simon task participants rated whether they experienced the last trial as rather pleasant or unpleasant. Conflict adaptation was measured via lateralized readiness potentials as a measure of early motor-related activation that were computed on the basis of event-related brain potentials. Results showed the typical suppression of automatic response activation following trials rated as unpleasant, whereas suppression was relaxed following trials rated as pleasant. That is, sequential control adaptation was not based on previous conflict but on the subjective affective experience. This is taken as evidence that negative affect even in the absence of actual conflict triggers subsequent control adjustments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Positive and negative meanings are simultaneously ascribed to colorectal cancer: relationship to quality of life and psychosocial adjustment.

PubMed

Camacho, Aldo Aguirre; Garland, Sheila N; Martopullo, Celestina; Pelletier, Guy

2014-08-01

Experiencing cancer can give rise to existential concerns causing great distress, and consequently drive individuals to make sense of what cancer may mean to their lives. To date, meaning-based research in the context of cancer has largely focused on one possible outcome of this process, the emergence of positive meanings (e.g. post-traumatic growth). However, negative meanings may also be ascribed to cancer, simultaneously with positive meanings. This study focused on the nature of the co-existence of positive and negative meanings in a sample of individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer to find out whether negative meaning had an impact on quality of life and psychosocial adjustment above and beyond positive meaning. Participants were given questionnaires measuring meaning-made, quality of life, and psychological distress. Semi structured interviews were conducted with a subgroup from the original sample. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that negative meaning-made (i.e. helplessness) was a significant predictor of poor quality of life and increased levels of depression/anxiety above and beyond positive meaning-made (i.e. life meaningfulness, acceptance, and perceived benefits). Correlational analyses and interview data revealed that negative meaning-made was mainly associated with physical and functional disability, while positive meaning-made was mostly related to emotional and psychological well-being. Meanings of varying valence may simultaneously be ascribed to cancer as it impacts different life dimensions, and they may independently influence quality of life and psychosocial adjustment. The presence of positive meaning was not enough to prevent the detrimental effects of negative meaning on psychosocial adjustment and quality of life among individuals taking part in this study. Future attention to negative meaning is warranted, as it may be at least as important as positive meaning in predicting psychosocial adjustment and quality of life following a cancer diagnosis.

The once and future forest: Consequences of mountain pine beetle treatment decisions

Treesearch

Nancy E. Gillette; David L. Wood; Sarah J. Hines; Justin B. Runyon; Jose F. Negron

2014-01-01

Entomologists and silviculturists have long recommended management of stand basal area and/or mean tree diameter to mitigate the risk of mountain pine beetle (MPB) (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) outbreaks while simultaneously reducing wildfire risk. In recent decades, however, wildfire suppression and reduced harvests in western North America have created a forest...

Design of smart composite platforms for adaptive trust vector control and adaptive laser telescope for satellite applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghasemi-Nejhad, Mehrdad N.

2013-04-01

This paper presents design of smart composite platforms for adaptive trust vector control (TVC) and adaptive laser telescope for satellite applications. To eliminate disturbances, the proposed adaptive TVC and telescope systems will be mounted on two analogous smart composite platform with simultaneous precision positioning (pointing) and vibration suppression (stabilizing), SPPVS, with micro-radian pointing resolution, and then mounted on a satellite in two different locations. The adaptive TVC system provides SPPVS with large tip-tilt to potentially eliminate the gimbals systems. The smart composite telescope will be mounted on a smart composite platform with SPPVS and then mounted on a satellite. The laser communication is intended for the Geosynchronous orbit. The high degree of directionality increases the security of the laser communication signal (as opposed to a diffused RF signal), but also requires sophisticated subsystems for transmission and acquisition. The shorter wavelength of the optical spectrum increases the data transmission rates, but laser systems require large amounts of power, which increases the mass and complexity of the supporting systems. In addition, the laser communication on the Geosynchronous orbit requires an accurate platform with SPPVS capabilities. Therefore, this work also addresses the design of an active composite platform to be used to simultaneously point and stabilize an intersatellite laser communication telescope with micro-radian pointing resolution. The telescope is a Cassegrain receiver that employs two mirrors, one convex (primary) and the other concave (secondary). The distance, as well as the horizontal and axial alignment of the mirrors, must be precisely maintained or else the optical properties of the system will be severely degraded. The alignment will also have to be maintained during thruster firings, which will require vibration suppression capabilities of the system as well. The innovative platform has been designed to have tip-tilt pointing and simultaneous multi-degree-of-freedom vibration isolation capability for pointing stabilization. Analytical approaches have been employed for determining the loads in the components as well as optimizing the design of the system. The different critical components such as telescope tube struts, flexure joints, and the secondary mirror mount have been designed and analyzed using finite element technique. The Simultaneous Precision Positioning and Vibration Suppression (SPPVS) smart composites platforms for the adaptive TVC and adaptive composite telescope are analogous (e.g., see work by Ghasemi-Nejhad and co-workers [1, 2]), where innovative concepts and control strategies are introduced, and experimental verifications of simultaneous thrust vector control and vibration isolation of satellites were performed. The smart composite platforms function as an active structural interface between the main thruster of a satellite and the satellite structure for the adaptive TVC application and as an active structural interface between the main smart composite telescope and the satellite structure for the adaptive laser communication application. The cascaded multiple feedback loops compensate the hysteresis (for piezoelectric stacks inside the three linear actuators that individually have simultaneous precision positioning and vibration suppression), dead-zone, back-lash, and friction nonlinearities very well, and provide precision and quick smart platform control and satisfactory thrust vector control capability. In addition, for example for the adaptive TVC, the experimental results show that the smart composite platform satisfactorily provided precision and fast smart platform control as well as the satisfactory thrust vector control capability. The vibration controller isolated 97% of the vibration energy due to the thruster firing.

Controlling Type I Error Rates in Assessing DIF for Logistic Regression Method Combined with SIBTEST Regression Correction Procedure and DIF-Free-Then-DIF Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shih, Ching-Lin; Liu, Tien-Hsiang; Wang, Wen-Chung

2014-01-01

The simultaneous item bias test (SIBTEST) method regression procedure and the differential item functioning (DIF)-free-then-DIF strategy are applied to the logistic regression (LR) method simultaneously in this study. These procedures are used to adjust the effects of matching true score on observed score and to better control the Type I error…

Simultaneous Multiple-Location Separation Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenblatt, David (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A method of controlling a shear layer for a fluid dynamic body introduces first periodic disturbances into the fluid medium at a first flow separation location. Simultaneously, second periodic disturbances are introduced into the fluid medium at a second flow separation location. A phase difference between the first and second periodic disturbances is adjusted to control flow separation of the shear layer as the fluid medium moves over the fluid dynamic body.

School Adjustment and Friendship Quality of First- and Second-Generation Adolescent Immigrants to Spain as a Function of Acculturation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvarez Valdivia, Ibis M.; Schneider, Barry H.; Carrasco, Cecilia Villalobos

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the links between school adjustment, friendship, and identification with both the cultures of origin and with the host culture. Our overriding hypothesis was that integration in Berry's terms, that is, simultaneous identification with both the culture of origin and the majority Spanish/Catalan culture,…

Pixel-based speckle adjustment for noise reduction in Fourier-domain OCT images

PubMed Central

Zhang, Anqi; Xi, Jiefeng; Sun, Jitao; Li, Xingde

2017-01-01

Speckle resides in OCT signals and inevitably effects OCT image quality. In this work, we present a novel method for speckle noise reduction in Fourier-domain OCT images, which utilizes the phase information of complex OCT data. In this method, speckle area is pre-delineated pixelwise based on a phase-domain processing method and then adjusted by the results of wavelet shrinkage of the original image. Coefficient shrinkage method such as wavelet or contourlet is applied afterwards for further suppressing the speckle noise. Compared with conventional methods without speckle adjustment, the proposed method demonstrates significant improvement of image quality. PMID:28663860

Myopotential inhibition of a bipolar pacemaker caused by electrode insulation defect.

PubMed Central

Amikam, S; Peleg, H; Lemer, J; Riss, E

1977-01-01

A patient is described in whom myopotentials orginating from the anterior abdominal wall muscle suppressed the implanted demand pacemaker despite its bipolar mode of action. This phenomenon was shown by simultaneous recording of the electrocardiogram the electromyogram. At operation, a defect in the insulation of a previously repaired epicardial electrode was found lying in close proximity to these muscles. After repair of the insulation defect, normal pacemaker function was restored. It is suggested that the myopotentials leaked into the pacing system through the insulation defect, thereby suppressing the demand unit, which maintained its bipolar mode of pacing throughout. Images PMID:145229

Noise suppression system of OCDMA with spectral/spatial 2D hybrid code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matem, Rima; Aljunid, S. A.; Junita, M. N.; Rashidi, C. B. M.; Shihab Aqrab, Israa

2017-11-01

In this paper, we propose a novel 2D spectral/spatial hybrid code based on 1D ZCC and 1D MD where the both present a zero cross correlation property analyzed and the influence of the noise of optical as Phase Induced Intensity Noise (PIIN), shot and thermal noise. This new code is shown effectively to mitigate the PIIN and suppresses MAI. Using 2D ZCC/MD code the performance of the system can be improved in term of as well as to support more simultaneous users compared of the 2D FCC/MDW and 2D DPDC codes.

Baseline estimation from simultaneous satellite laser tracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dedes, George C.

1987-01-01

Simultaneous Range Differences (SRDs) to Lageos are obtained by dividing the observing stations into pairs with quasi-simultaneous observations. For each of those pairs the station with the least number of observations is identified, and at its observing epochs interpolated ranges for the alternate station are generated. The SRD observables are obtained by subtracting the actually observed laser range of the station having the least number of observations from the interpolated ranges of the alternate station. On the basis of these observables semidynamic single baseline solutions were performed. The aim of these solutions is to further develop and implement the SRD method in the real data environment, to assess its accuracy, its advantages and disadvantages as related to the range dynamic mode methods, when the baselines are the only parameters of interest. Baselines, using simultaneous laser range observations to Lageos, were also estimated through the purely geometric method. These baselines formed the standards the standards of comparison in the accuracy assessment of the SRD method when compared to that of the range dynamic mode methods. On the basis of this comparison it was concluded that for baselines of regional extent the SRD method is very effective, efficient, and at least as accurate as the range dynamic mode methods, and that on the basis of a simple orbital modeling and a limited orbit adjustment. The SRD method is insensitive to the inconsistencies affecting the terrestrial reference frame and simultaneous adjustment of the Earth Rotation Parameters (ERPs) is not necessary.

Observation of Shot Noise Suppression at Optical Wavelengths in a Relativistic Electron Beam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ratner, Daniel; Stupakov, Gennady; /SLAC

2012-06-19

Control of collective properties of relativistic particles is increasingly important in modern accelerators. In particular, shot noise affects accelerator performance by driving instabilities or by competing with coherent processes. We present experimental observations of shot noise suppression in a relativistic beam at the Linac Coherent Light Source. By adjusting the dispersive strength of a chicane, we observe a decrease in the optical transition radiation emitted from a downstream foil. We show agreement between the experimental results, theoretical models, and 3D particle simulations.

Optical interference fringe reduction in frequency-modulation spectroscopy experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hjelme, Dag Roar; Neegard, Steinar; Vartdal, Erling

1995-08-01

We show both theoretically and experimentally that interference fringe signals can always be suppressed to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, provided that the modulation frequency is of the order of the absorption linewidth or higher. Suppression of optical interference fringes by more than 1 order of magnitude and signal-to-noise ratio enhancement of more than 13 dB is demonstrated by use of a proper choice of laser modulation frequency. A further fringe reduction of 10 dB is possible by adjustment of the local oscillator phase.

FITPix COMBO—Timepix detector with integrated analog signal spectrometric readout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holik, M.; Kraus, V.; Georgiev, V.; Granja, C.

2016-02-01

The hybrid semiconductor pixel detector Timepix has proven a powerful tool in radiation detection and imaging. Energy loss and directional sensitivity as well as particle type resolving power are possible by high resolution particle tracking and per-pixel energy and quantum-counting capability. The spectrometric resolving power of the detector can be further enhanced by analyzing the analog signal of the detector common sensor electrode (also called back-side pulse). In this work we present a new compact readout interface, based on the FITPix readout architecture, extended with integrated analog electronics for the detector's common sensor signal. Integrating simultaneous operation of the digital per-pixel information with the common sensor (called also back-side electrode) analog pulse processing circuitry into one device enhances the detector capabilities and opens new applications. Thanks to noise suppression and built-in electromagnetic interference shielding the common hardware platform enables parallel analog signal spectroscopy on the back side pulse signal with full operation and read-out of the pixelated digital part, the noise level is 600 keV and spectrometric resolution around 100 keV for 5.5 MeV alpha particles. Self-triggering is implemented with delay of few tens of ns making use of adjustable low-energy threshold of the particle analog signal amplitude. The digital pixelated full frame can be thus triggered and recorded together with the common sensor analog signal. The waveform, which is sampled with frequency 100 MHz, can be recorded in adjustable time window including time prior to the trigger level. An integrated software tool provides control, on-line display and read-out of both analog and digital channels. Both the pixelated digital record and the analog waveform are synchronized and written out by common time stamp.

Postoperative Stiffness Requiring Manipulation Under Anesthesia Is Significantly Reduced After Simultaneous Versus Staged Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Meehan, John P; Monazzam, Shafagh; Miles, Troy; Danielsen, Beate; White, Richard H

2017-12-20

For patients with symptomatic bilateral knee arthritis, it is unknown whether the risk of developing stiffness requiring manipulation under anesthesia postoperatively is higher or lower for those undergoing simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) compared with those having staged bilateral TKA. Therefore, we undertook this study to evaluate the risk of requiring manipulation under anesthesia in staged versus simultaneous bilateral TKA as well as patients undergoing unilateral TKA. We utilized the California Patient Discharge Database, which is linked with the California Emergency Department, Ambulatory Surgery, and master death file databases. Using a literature-based estimate of the number of patients who failed to undergo the second stage of a staged bilateral TKA, replacement cases were randomly selected from patients who had unilateral TKA and were matched on 8 clinical characteristics of the patients who had staged bilateral TKA. Hierarchical multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the risk-adjusted odds of manipulation in patients undergoing unilateral TKA, staged bilateral TKA, and simultaneous bilateral TKA using yearly hospital TKA volume as a random effect. Adjustment was made to allow fair comparison of the outcome at 90 and 180 days of follow-up after staged compared with simultaneous bilateral TKA. During the time period from 2005 through 2013, the cumulative incidence of manipulation within 90 days was 2.14% for unilateral TKA (4,398 events per 205,744 patients), 2.11% for staged bilateral TKA (724 events per 34,352 patients), and 1.62% for simultaneous bilateral TKA (195 events per 12,013 patients). At 180 days of complete follow-up, the cumulative incidence of manipulation was 3.07% after unilateral TKA (6,313 events per 205,649 patients), 2.89% after staged bilateral TKAs (957 events per 33,169 patients), and 2.29% after simultaneous bilateral TKA (267 events per 11,653 patients). With multivariate analyses used to adjust for relevant risk factors, the 90-day odds ratio (OR) of undergoing manipulation after simultaneous bilateral TKA was significantly lower than that for unilateral TKA (OR = 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57 to 0.86) and staged bilateral TKA (OR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.90). Similarly, at 180 days, the odds of undergoing manipulation were significantly lower after simultaneous bilateral TKA than after both unilateral TKA (OR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.84) and staged bilateral TKA (OR = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63 to 0.93). The frequency of manipulation was significantly associated with younger age, fewer comorbidities, black race, and the absence of obesity. Although the ORs were small (close to 1), simultaneous bilateral TKA had a significantly decreased rate of stiffness requiring manipulation under anesthesia at 90 days and 180 days after knee replacement compared with that after staged bilateral TKA and unilateral TKA. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Helium retention behavior in simultaneously He+-H2+ irradiated tungsten

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Qilai; Azuma, Keisuke; Togari, Akihiro; Yajima, Miyuki; Tokitani, Masayuki; Masuzaki, Suguru; Yoshida, Naoaki; Hara, Masanori; Hatano, Yuji; Oya, Yasuhisa

2018-04-01

The purpose of this study is to elucidate helium (He) retention behavior in tungsten (W) under simultaneous He and hydrogen (H) irradiation. Polycrystalline-W was irradiated by He+ and H2+ simultaneously with the energy of 1.0 keV and 3.0 keV. He+ fluences were (0.5, 1.0, 10) × 1021 He+ m-2 and H2+ fluence was 1.0 × 1022 H+ m-2,respectively. After irradiation, He desorption behavior was investigated by high temperature thermal desorption spectroscopy (HT-TDS) in the temperature range of R.T.-1773 K. Micro-structure changes of W after irradiation were observed by TEM. It was found that simultaneous irradiation with different H2+ energy significantly changed He retention behavior. 1.0 keV H2+ suppressed the He bubble growth and no bubbles can be observed at room temperature. On the other hand, 3.0 keV H2+ facilitated the formation of He bubbles and increased the He retention due to the additional damage introduction by energetic H2+.

Generation of flat wideband chaos with suppressed time delay signature by using optical time lens.

PubMed

Jiang, Ning; Wang, Chao; Xue, Chenpeng; Li, Guilan; Lin, Shuqing; Qiu, Kun

2017-06-26

We propose a flat wideband chaos generation scheme that shows excellent time delay signature suppression effect, by injecting the chaotic output of general external cavity semiconductor laser into an optical time lens module composed of a phase modulator and two dispersive units. The numerical results demonstrate that by properly setting the parameters of the driving signal of phase modulator and the accumulated dispersion of dispersive units, the relaxation oscillation in chaos can be eliminated, wideband chaos generation with an efficient bandwidth up to several tens of GHz can be achieved, and the RF spectrum of generated chaotic signal is nearly as flat as uniform distribution. Moreover, the periodicity of chaos induced by the external cavity modes can be simultaneously destructed by the optical time lens module, based on this the time delay signature can be completely suppressed.

High frequency measurements of shot noise suppression in atomic-scale metal contacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheeler, Patrick J.; Evans, Kenneth; Russom, Jeffrey; King, Nicholas; Natelson, Douglas

2009-03-01

Shot noise provides a means of assessing the number and transmission coefficients of transmitting channels in atomic- and molecular-scale junctions. Previous experiments at low temperatures in metal and semiconductor point contacts have demonstrated the expected suppression of shot noise when junction conductance is near an integer multiple of the conductance quantum, G0≡2e^2/h. Using high frequency techniques, we demonstrate the high speed acquisition of such data at room temperature in mechanical break junctions. In clean Au contacts conductance histograms with clear peaks at G0, 2G0, and 3G0 are acquired within hours, and histograms of simultaneous measurements of the shot noise show clear suppression at those conductance values. We describe the dependence of the noise on bias voltage and analyze the noise vs. conductance histograms in terms of a model that averages over transmission coefficients.

Emotion regulation and emotion coherence: evidence for strategy-specific effects.

PubMed

Dan-Glauser, Elise S; Gross, James J

2013-10-01

One of the central tenets of emotion theory is that emotions involve coordinated changes across experiential, behavioral, and physiological response domains. Surprisingly little is known, however, about how the strength of this emotion coherence is altered when people try to regulate their emotions. To address this issue, we recorded experiential, behavioral, and physiological responses while participants watched negative and positive pictures. Cross-correlations were used to quantify emotion coherence. Study 1 tested how two types of suppression (expressive and physiological) influence coherence. Results showed that both strategies decreased the response coherence measured in negative and positive contexts. Study 2 tested how multichannel suppression (simultaneously targeting expressive and physiological responses) and acceptance influence emotion coherence. Results again showed that suppression decreased coherence. By contrast, acceptance was not significantly different from the unregulated condition. These findings help to clarify the nature of emotion response coherence by showing how different forms of emotion regulation may differentially affect it.

Superconductor-insulator transition in a stripe-ordered cuprate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tranquada, John; Homes, C.; Gu, G. D.; Li, Q.; Huecker, M.

We reconsider the case of La2-xBaxCuO4 with x = 1 / 8 , where spin-stripe order and 2D superconducting correlations develop simultaneously at 40 K. The thermal evolution of the in-plane optical reflectivity suggests the development of a Josephson plasma resonance (JPR) between charge stripes, by analogy with the JPR seen in c-axis reflectivity in the superconducting state of Josephson-coupled CuO2 planes. At low-temperature, when the superconductivity is suppressed by a magnetic field, the resistivity exhibits insulating character. We interpret this as suppression of the Josephson coupling between pair correlations in neighboring charge stripes, with single-particle transport suppressed by the surviving spin-stripe order. To obtain direct evidence that the high-field insulator involves hole pairs localized to 1D stripes will require further experiments. Work at BNL supported by Office of Basic Energy Sciences, US DOE, under Contract No. DE-SC0012704.

Diurnal suppression of EGFR signalling by glucocorticoids and implications for tumour progression and treatment.

PubMed

Lauriola, Mattia; Enuka, Yehoshua; Zeisel, Amit; D'Uva, Gabriele; Roth, Lee; Sharon-Sevilla, Michal; Lindzen, Moshit; Sharma, Kirti; Nevo, Nava; Feldman, Morris; Carvalho, Silvia; Cohen-Dvashi, Hadas; Kedmi, Merav; Ben-Chetrit, Nir; Chen, Alon; Solmi, Rossella; Wiemann, Stefan; Schmitt, Fernando; Domany, Eytan; Yarden, Yosef

2014-10-03

Signal transduction by receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and nuclear receptors for steroid hormones is essential for body homeostasis, but the cross-talk between these receptor families is poorly understood. We observed that glucocorticoids inhibit signalling downstream of EGFR, an RTK. The underlying mechanism entails suppression of EGFR's positive feedback loops and simultaneous triggering of negative feedback loops that normally restrain EGFR. Our studies in mice reveal that the regulation of EGFR's feedback loops by glucocorticoids translates to circadian control of EGFR signalling: EGFR signals are suppressed by high glucocorticoids during the active phase (night-time in rodents), while EGFR signals are enhanced during the resting phase. Consistent with this pattern, treatment of animals bearing EGFR-driven tumours with a specific kinase inhibitor was more effective if administered during the resting phase of the day, when glucocorticoids are low. These findings support a circadian clock-based paradigm in cancer therapy.

Suppression of ErbB-2 in androgen-independent human prostate cancer cells enhances cytotoxic effect by gemcitabine in an androgen-reduced environment.

PubMed

Zhang, Li; Davis, Jeffrey S; Zelivianski, Stanislav; Lin, Fen-Fen; Schutte, Rachel; Davis, Thomas L; Hauke, Ralph; Batra, Surinder K; Lin, Ming-Fong

2009-11-18

We examined the efficacy of combination treatments utilizing cytotoxic drugs plus inhibitors to members of the ErbB-ERK signal pathway in human prostate cancer (PCa) LNCaP C-81 cells. Under an androgen-reduced condition, 50nM gemcitabine caused about 40% growth suppression on C-81 cells. Simultaneous treatment of gemcitabine plus 10microM AG825 produced 60% suppression (p<0.03); while, 85% growth inhibition (p<0.02) was seen if AG825 was added to gemcitabine-treated cells after a 24h-interval. Our data thus showed that in androgen-reduced conditions, inhibition of ErbB-2 increases the cytotoxic efficacy of gemcitabine in PCa cells. This finding has significant implications in the choice of drugs for combination therapy as well as the order of administration for treating cancer patients.

The Immune System in the Pathogenesis of Ovarian Cancer

PubMed Central

Charbonneau, Bridget; Goode, Ellen L.; Kalli, Kimberly R.; Knutson, Keith L.; DeRycke, Melissa S.

2014-01-01

Clinical outcomes in ovarian cancer are heterogeneous even when considering common features such as stage, response to therapy, and grade. This disparity in outcomes warrants further exploration into tumor and host characteristics. One compelling host characteristic is the immune response to ovarian cancer. While several studies have confirmed a prominent role for the immune system in modifying the clinical course of the disease, recent genetic and protein analyses also suggest a role in disease incidence. Recent studies also show that anti-tumor immunity is often negated by immune suppressive cells present in the tumor microenvironment. These suppressive immune cells also directly enhance the pathogenesis through the release of various cytokines and chemokines, which together form an integrated pathologic network. Thus, future research into immunotherapy targeting ovarian cancer will likely become increasingly focused on combination approaches that simultaneously augment immunity while preventing local immune suppression or by disrupting critical cytokine networks. PMID:23582060

Targeted, noninvasive blockade of cortical neuronal activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDannold, Nathan; Zhang, Yongzhi; Power, Chanikarn; Arvanitis, Costas D.; Vykhodtseva, Natalia; Livingstone, Margaret

2015-11-01

Here we describe a novel method to noninvasively modulate targeted brain areas through the temporary disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) via focused ultrasound, enabling focal delivery of a neuroactive substance. Ultrasound was used to locally disrupt the BBB in rat somatosensory cortex, and intravenous administration of GABA then produced a dose-dependent suppression of somatosensory-evoked potentials in response to electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve. No suppression was observed 1-5 days afterwards or in control animals where the BBB was not disrupted. This method has several advantages over existing techniques: it is noninvasive; it is repeatable via additional GABA injections; multiple brain regions can be affected simultaneously; suppression magnitude can be titrated by GABA dose; and the method can be used with freely behaving subjects. We anticipate that the application of neuroactive substances in this way will be a useful tool for noninvasively mapping brain function, and potentially for surgical planning or novel therapies.

Daily Acyclovir to Decrease Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV-2) Transmission from HSV-2/HIV-1 Coinfected Persons: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Mujugira, Andrew; Magaret, Amalia S.; Celum, Connie; Baeten, Jared M.; Lingappa, Jairam R.; Morrow, Rhoda Ashley; Fife, Kenneth H.; Delany-Moretlwe, Sinead; de Bruyn, Guy; Bukusi, Elizabeth A.; Karita, Etienne; Kapiga, Saidi; Corey, Lawrence; Wald, Anna; Celum, Connie; Wald, Anna; Lingappa, Jairam; Baeten, Jared M.; Campbell, Mary; Corey, Lawrence; Coombs, Robert W.; Hughes, James P.; Magaret, Amalia; McElrath, M. Juliana; Morrow, Rhoda; Mullins, James I.; Coetzee, David; Fife, Kenneth; Were, Edwin; Essex, Max; Makhema, Joseph; Katabira, Elly; Ronald, Allan; Kayitenkore, Kayitesi; Karita, Etienne; Bukusi, Elizabeth; Cohen, Craig; Kanweka, William; Allen, Susan; Vwalika, Bellington; Kapiga, Saidi; Manongi, Rachel; Farquhar, Carey; John-Stewart, Grace; Kiarie, James; Inambao, Mubiana; Farm, Orange; Delany-Moretlwe, Sinead; Rees, Helen; de Bruyn, Guy; Gray, Glenda; McIntyre, James; Rwamba Mugo, Nelly

2013-01-01

Background. Daily suppressive therapy with valacyclovir reduces risk of sexual transmission of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in HSV-2–serodiscordant heterosexual couples by 48%. Whether suppressive therapy reduces HSV-2 transmission from persons coinfected with HSV-2 and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is unknown. Methods. Within a randomized trial of daily acyclovir 400 mg twice daily in African HIV-1 serodiscordant couples, in which the HIV-1–infected partner was HSV-2 seropositive, we identified partnerships in which HIV-1–susceptible partners were HSV-2 seronegative to estimate the effect of acyclovir on risk of HSV-2 transmission. Results. We randomly assigned 911 HSV-2/HIV-1–serodiscordant couples to daily receipt of acyclovir or placebo. We observed 68 HSV-2 seroconversions, 40 and 28 in acyclovir and placebo groups, respectively (HSV-2 incidence, 5.1 cases per 100 person-years; hazard ratio [HR], 1.35 [95% confidence interval, .83–2.20]; P = .22). Among HSV-2–susceptible women, vaginal drying practices (adjusted HR, 44.35; P = .004) and unprotected sex (adjusted HR, 9.91; P = .002) were significant risk factors for HSV-2 acquisition; having more children was protective (adjusted HR, 0.47 per additional child; P = .012). Among HSV-2–susceptible men, only age ≤30 years was associated with increased risk of HSV-2 acquisition (P = .016). Conclusions. Treatment of African HSV-2/HIV-1–infected persons with daily suppressive acyclovir did not decrease risk of HSV-2 transmission to susceptible partners. More-effective prevention strategies to reduce HSV-2 transmission from HIV-1–infected persons are needed. PMID:23901094

Longitudinal assessment of associations between food insecurity, antiretroviral adherence and HIV treatment outcomes in rural Uganda.

PubMed

Weiser, Sheri D; Palar, Kartika; Frongillo, Edward A; Tsai, Alexander C; Kumbakumba, Elias; Depee, Saskia; Hunt, Peter W; Ragland, Kathleen; Martin, Jeffrey; Bangsberg, David R

2014-01-02

Food insecurity is a potentially important barrier to the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs in resource-limited settings. We undertook a longitudinal study in rural Uganda to estimate the associations between food insecurity and HIV treatment outcomes. Longitudinal cohort study. Participants were from the Uganda AIDS Rural Treatment Outcomes study and were followed quarterly for blood draws and structured interviews. We measured food insecurity with the validated Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Our primary outcomes were: ART nonadherence (adherence <90%) measured by visual analog scale; incomplete viral load suppression (>400 copies/ml); and low CD4 T-cell count (<350 cells/μl). We used generalized estimating equations to estimate the associations, adjusting for socio-demographic and clinical variables. We followed 438 participants for a median of 33 months; 78.5% were food insecure at baseline. In adjusted analyses, food insecurity was associated with higher odds of ART nonadherence [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-2.20, P < 0.05], incomplete viral suppression (AOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.18-1.96, P < 0.01), and CD4 T-cell count less than 350 (AOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.24-1.74, P < 0.01). Adding adherence as a covariate to the latter two models removed the association between food insecurity and viral suppression, but not between food insecurity and CD4 T-cell count. Food insecurity is longitudinally associated with poor HIV outcomes in rural Uganda. Intervention research is needed to determine the extent to which improved food security is causally related to improved HIV outcomes and to identify the most effective policies and programs to improve food security and health.

A method for simultaneous echo planar imaging of hyperpolarized 13C pyruvate and 13C lactate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, Galen D.; Larson, Peder E. Z.; von Morze, Cornelius; Bok, Robert; Lustig, Michael; Kerr, Adam B.; Pauly, John M.; Kurhanewicz, John; Vigneron, Daniel B.

2012-04-01

A rapid echo planar imaging sequence for dynamic imaging of [1-13C] lactate and [1-13C] pyruvate simultaneously was developed. Frequency-based separation of these metabolites was achieved by spatial shifting in the phase-encoded direction with the appropriate choice of echo spacing. Suppression of the pyruvate-hydrate and alanine resonances is achieved through an optimized spectral-spatial RF waveform. Signal sampling efficiency as a function of pyruvate and lactate excitation angle was simulated using two site exchange models. Dynamic imaging is demonstrated in a transgenic mouse model, and phantom validations of the RF pulse frequency selectivity were performed.

Thought Suppression is Associated with Psychological Distress in Homebound Older Adults

PubMed Central

Petkus, Andrew J.; Gum, Amber; Wetherell, Julie Loebach

2014-01-01

Background Engaging in thought suppression as a coping mechanism has been associated with higher rates of anxiety and depressive disorders in younger adults. Homebound older adults are a population of elders experiencing poor health and high levels of depression and anxiety. It is unclear the extent to which psychological factors, such as thought suppression, are associated with distress, given that their health and disability status may be more salient. The aim of this study was to investigate thought suppression in relation to anxiety and depressive symptoms in homebound older adults. Methods Participants (N = 142) were clients of home-based case management services delivered by aging service agencies in Florida. Participants were administered a research interview that included the White Bear Suppression Inventory, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Diagnosis (SCID), Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18), and Modified Mini-Mental Status Examination (3MS). Case managers provided standard assessments containing functional and health status of the participant. Results After controlling for physical health and cognitive functioning, thought suppression was significantly associated with higher likelihood of clinically significant somatic, depressive, and anxiety symptoms on the BSI-18. Thought suppression was also associated with meeting criteria for a SCID depressive or adjustment disorder. Engaging in thought suppression was associated with worse mental health in this sample of homebound older adults even after taking into account physical health, disability, and cognitive functioning. Conclusions These findings suggest the need to develop and test interventions that may address thought suppression as a coping mechanism. PMID:22170756

Direct and indirect effects of a dense understory on tree seedling recruitment in temperate forests: habitat-mediated predation versus competition

Treesearch

Alejandro A. Royo; Walter P. Carson

2008-01-01

In forests characterized by a dense woody and herbaceous understory layer, seedling recruitment is often directly suppressed via interspecific competition. Alternatively, these dense layers may indirectly lower tree recruitment by providing a haven for seed and seedling predators that prey on neighboring plant species. To simultaneously...

Articulatory Suppression in Language Interpretation: Working Memory Capacity, Dual Tasking and Word Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Padilla, Francisca; Bajo, Maria Teresa; Macizo, Pedro

2005-01-01

How do interpreters manage to cope with the adverse effects of concurrent articulation while trying to comprehend the message in the source language? In Experiments 1-3, we explored three possible working memory (WM) functions that may underlie the ability to simultaneously comprehend and produce in the interpreters: WM storage capacity,…

Reappraisal and suppression mediate the contribution of regulatory focus to anxiety in healthy adults.

PubMed

Llewellyn, Nicole; Dolcos, Sanda; Iordan, Alexandru D; Rudolph, Karen D; Dolcos, Florin

2013-08-01

Theory and research link regulatory focus (RF) in the form of promotion and prevention goal orientation with internalizing symptoms (e.g., anxiety), but the relevant mechanisms are not well understood. This study investigated the role of two emotion regulation (ER) strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) as possible mediators. Path analysis using data from 179 healthy young participants (110 women, 69 men) revealed that stronger promotion orientation was significantly associated with less anxiety, and that the use of reappraisal and suppression partially mediated this association. Prevention was associated with more suppression but was not directly associated with anxiety. There were no gender differences in these effects. Collectively, these findings suggest that effective ER, through heightened use of reappraisal and dampened use of suppression, serves as a mechanism through which promotion confers protection against anxiety. This research provides empirical support to initiatives aimed at promoting healthy psychological adjustment and preventing anxiety, by optimizing ER strategies with respect to RF goal orientations. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Theoretical design of multi-colored semi-transparent organic solar cells with both efficient color filtering and light harvesting

PubMed Central

Wen, Long; Chen, Qin; Sun, Fuhe; Song, Shichao; Jin, Lin; Yu, Yan

2014-01-01

Solar cells incorporated with multi-coloring capability not only offer an aesthetic solution to bridge the gap between solar modules and building decorations but also open up the possibility for self-powered colorful display. In this paper, we proposed a multi-colored semi-transparent organic solar cells (TOSCs) design containing metallic nanostructures with the both high color purity and efficiency based on theoretical considerations. By employing guided mode resonance effect, the multi-colored TOSC behave like an efficient color filter that selectively transmits light with the desired wavelengths and generates electricity with light of other wavelengths. Broad range of coloring and luminosity adjusting for the transmission light can be achieved by simply tuning the period and the duty cycle of the metallic nanostructures. Furthermore, accompanying with the efficient color filtering characteristics, the optical absorption of TOSCs was improved due to the marked suppression of transmission loss at the off-resonance wavelengths and the increased light trapping in TOSCs. The mechanisms of the light guiding in photoactive layer and broadband backward scattering from the metallic nanostructures were identified to make an essential contribution to the improved light-harvesting. By enabling efficient color control and high efficiency simultaneously, this approach holds great promise for future versatile photovoltaic energy utilization. PMID:25391756

Wavelength-switchable and stable-ring-cavity, erbium-doped fiber laser based on Mach-Zehnder interferometer and tunable filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Wei; Zhu, Lianqing; Dong, Mingli; Lou, Xiaoping; Luo, Fei

2018-04-01

This paper proposes and tests a ring cavity-based, erbium-doped fiber laser that incorporates a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and tunable filter. A four-m-long erbium-doped fiber was selected as the gain medium. The all-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer was composed of two 2  ×  2 optical couplers, and the tunable filter was used as wavelength reflector. A lasing threshold of 103 mW was used in the experiment, and the tunable laser with stable single and dual wavelengths was implemented by adjusting the tunable filter. The channel spacing was 0.6 nm within the range 1539.4-1561.6 nm, where the power difference between the lines was less than 0.4 dB. The side-mode suppression ratio was higher than 36 dB and the 3 dB linewidth was 0.02 nm. When a single-wavelength laser was implemented at 1557.4 nm, the power fluctuations were lower than 0.34 dB within 20 min of scan time. When lasers at wavelengths of 1558.6 nm and 1559.2 nm were simultaneously applied, the power shifts were lower than 0.29 dB and 0.43 dB, respectively, at room temperature.

Theoretical design of multi-colored semi-transparent organic solar cells with both efficient color filtering and light harvesting.

PubMed

Wen, Long; Chen, Qin; Sun, Fuhe; Song, Shichao; Jin, Lin; Yu, Yan

2014-11-13

Solar cells incorporated with multi-coloring capability not only offer an aesthetic solution to bridge the gap between solar modules and building decorations but also open up the possibility for self-powered colorful display. In this paper, we proposed a multi-colored semi-transparent organic solar cells (TOSCs) design containing metallic nanostructures with the both high color purity and efficiency based on theoretical considerations. By employing guided mode resonance effect, the multi-colored TOSC behave like an efficient color filter that selectively transmits light with the desired wavelengths and generates electricity with light of other wavelengths. Broad range of coloring and luminosity adjusting for the transmission light can be achieved by simply tuning the period and the duty cycle of the metallic nanostructures. Furthermore, accompanying with the efficient color filtering characteristics, the optical absorption of TOSCs was improved due to the marked suppression of transmission loss at the off-resonance wavelengths and the increased light trapping in TOSCs. The mechanisms of the light guiding in photoactive layer and broadband backward scattering from the metallic nanostructures were identified to make an essential contribution to the improved light-harvesting. By enabling efficient color control and high efficiency simultaneously, this approach holds great promise for future versatile photovoltaic energy utilization.

Some considerations on the vibrational environment of the DSC-DCMIX1 experiment onboard ISS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurado, R.; Gavaldà, Jna.; Simón, M. J.; Pallarés, J.; Laverón-Simavilla, A.; Ruiz, X.; Shevtsova, V.

2016-12-01

The present work attempts to characterize the accelerometric environment of the DSC-DCMIX1 thermodiffusion experiment carried out in the International Space Station, from November 7th 2011 until January 16th 2012. Quasi-steady and vibrational/transient data coming from MAMS and SAMS2 sensors have been downloaded from the database of the PIMS NASA website. To be as exhaustive as possible, simultaneous digital signals coming from different SAMS2 sensors located in the Destiny and Columbus modules have also been considered. In order to detect orbital adjustments, dockings, undockings, as well as, quiescent periods, when the experiment runs were active, we have used the quasi-steady eight hours averaged (XA, YA and ZA) acceleration functions as well as the eight hours RMS ones. To determine the spectral contents of the different signals the Thomson multitaper and Welch methods have been used. On the other hand, to suppress the high levels of noise always existing in the raw SAMS2 signals, denoising techniques have been preferred for comparative reboostings considerations. Finally, the RMS values for specific 1/3 octave frequency bands showed that the International Space Station vibratory limit requirements have not been totally accomplished during both quiescent periods and strong disturbances, specially in the low frequency range.

A Mode Matched Triaxial Vibratory Wheel Gyroscope with Fully Decoupled Structure

PubMed Central

Xia, Dunzhu; Kong, Lun; Gao, Haiyu

2015-01-01

To avoid the oscillation of four unequal masses seen in previous triaxial linear gyroscopes, a modified silicon triaxial gyroscope with a rotary wheel is presented in this paper. To maintain a large sensitivity and suppress the coupling of different modes, this novel gyroscope structure is designed be perfectly symmetrical with a relatively large size of about 9.8 mm × 9.8 mm. It is available for differentially detecting three-axis angular rates simultaneously. To overcome the coupling between drive and sense modes, numerous necessary frames, beams, and anchors are delicately figured out and properly arranged. Besides, some frequency tuning and feedback mechanisms are addressed in the case of post processing after fabrication. To facilitate mode matched function, a new artificial fish swarm algorithm (AFSA) performed faster than particle swarm optimization (PSO) with a frequency split of 108 Hz. Then, by entrusting the post adjustment of the springs dimensions to the finite element method (FEM) software ANSYS, the final frequency splits can be below 3 Hz. The simulation results demonstrate that the modal frequencies in drive and different sense modes are respectively 8001.1, 8002.6, 8002.8 and 8003.3 Hz. Subsequently, different axis cross coupling effects and scale factors are also analyzed. The simulation results effectively validate the feasibility of the design and relevant theoretical calculation. PMID:26593916

CXCR7 maintains osteosarcoma invasion after CXCR4 suppression in bone marrow microenvironment.

PubMed

Han, Yan; Wu, Chunlei; Wang, Jing; Liu, Na

2017-05-01

The major cause of death in osteosarcoma is the invasion and metastasis. Better understanding of the molecular mechanism of osteosarcoma invasion is essential in developing effective tumor-suppressive therapies. Interaction between chemokine receptors plays a crucial role in regulating osteosarcoma invasion. Here, we investigated the relationship between CXCR7 and CXCR4 in osteosarcoma invasion induced by bone marrow microenvironment. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were co-cultured with osteosarcoma cells to mimic actual bone marrow microenvironment. Osteosarcoma cell invasion and CXCL12/CXCR4 activation were observed within this co-culture model. Interestingly, in this co-culture model, osteosarcoma cell invasion was not inhibited by suppressing CXCR4 expression with neutralizing antibody or specific inhibitor AMD3100. Downstream signaling extracellular signal-regulated kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 were not significantly affected by CXCR4 inhibition. However, suppressing CXCR4 led to CXCR7 upregulation. Constitutive expression of CXCR7 could maintain osteosarcoma cell invasion when CXCR4 was suppressed. Simultaneously, inhibiting CXCR4 and CXCR7 compromised osteosarcoma invasion in co-culture system and suppressed extracellular signal-regulated kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signals. Moreover, bone marrow microenvironment, not CXCL12 alone, is required for CXCR7 activation after CXCR4 suppression. Taken together, suppressing CXCR4 is not enough to impede osteosarcoma invasion in bone marrow microenvironment since CXCR7 is activated to sustain invasion. Therefore, inhibiting both CXCR4 and CXCR7 could be a promising strategy in controlling osteosarcoma invasion.

Identification of a new androgen receptor (AR) co-regulator BUD31 and related peptides to suppress wild-type and mutated AR-mediated prostate cancer growth via peptide screening and X-ray structure analysis.

PubMed

Hsu, Cheng-Lung; Liu, Jai-Shin; Wu, Po-Long; Guan, Hong-Hsiang; Chen, Yuh-Ling; Lin, An-Chi; Ting, Huei-Ju; Pang, See-Tong; Yeh, Shauh-Der; Ma, Wen-Lung; Chen, Chung-Jung; Wu, Wen-Guey; Chang, Chawnshang

2014-12-01

Treatment with individual anti-androgens is associated with the development of hot-spot mutations in the androgen receptor (AR). Here, we found that anti-androgens-mt-ARs have similar binary structure to the 5α-dihydrotestosterone-wt-AR. Phage display revealed that these ARs bound to similar peptides, including BUD31, containing an Fxx(F/H/L/W/Y)Y motif cluster with Tyr in the +5 position. Structural analyses of the AR-LBD-BUD31 complex revealed formation of an extra hydrogen bond between the Tyr+5 residue of the peptide and the AR. Functional studies showed that BUD31-related peptides suppressed AR transactivation, interrupted AR N-C interaction, and suppressed AR-mediated cell growth. Combination of peptide screening and X-ray structure analysis may serve as a new strategy for developing anti-ARs that simultaneously suppress both wt and mutated AR function. Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic algorithm based active vibration control for a moving flexible smart beam driven by a pneumatic rod cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Zhi-cheng; Shi, Ming-li; Wang, Bin; Xie, Zhuo-wei

2012-05-01

A rod cylinder based pneumatic driving scheme is proposed to suppress the vibration of a flexible smart beam. Pulse code modulation (PCM) method is employed to control the motion of the cylinder's piston rod for simultaneous positioning and vibration suppression. Firstly, the system dynamics model is derived using Hamilton principle. Its standard state-space representation is obtained for characteristic analysis, controller design, and simulation. Secondly, a genetic algorithm (GA) is applied to optimize and tune the control gain parameters adaptively based on the specific performance index. Numerical simulations are performed on the pneumatic driving elastic beam system, using the established model and controller with tuned gains by GA optimization process. Finally, an experimental setup for the flexible beam driven by a pneumatic rod cylinder is constructed. Experiments for suppressing vibrations of the flexible beam are conducted. Theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed pneumatic drive scheme and the adopted control algorithms are feasible. The large amplitude vibration of the first bending mode can be suppressed effectively.

Nonlinear convergence active vibration absorber for single and multiple frequency vibration control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xi; Yang, Bintang; Guo, Shufeng; Zhao, Wenqiang

2017-12-01

This paper presents a nonlinear convergence algorithm for active dynamic undamped vibration absorber (ADUVA). The damping of absorber is ignored in this algorithm to strengthen the vibration suppressing effect and simplify the algorithm at the same time. The simulation and experimental results indicate that this nonlinear convergence ADUVA can help significantly suppress vibration caused by excitation of both single and multiple frequency. The proposed nonlinear algorithm is composed of equivalent dynamic modeling equations and frequency estimator. Both the single and multiple frequency ADUVA are mathematically imitated by the same mechanical structure with a mass body and a voice coil motor (VCM). The nonlinear convergence estimator is applied to simultaneously satisfy the requirements of fast convergence rate and small steady state frequency error, which are incompatible for linear convergence estimator. The convergence of the nonlinear algorithm is mathematically proofed, and its non-divergent characteristic is theoretically guaranteed. The vibration suppressing experiments demonstrate that the nonlinear ADUVA can accelerate the convergence rate of vibration suppressing and achieve more decrement of oscillation attenuation than the linear ADUVA.

Motion corrected photoacoustic difference imaging of fluorescent contrast agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Märk, Julia; Wagener, Asja; Pönick, Sarah; Grötzinger, Carsten; Zhang, Edward; Laufer, Jan

2016-03-01

In fluorophores, such as exogenous dyes and genetically expressed proteins, the excited state lifetime can be modulated using pump-probe excitation at wavelengths corresponding to the absorption and fluorescence spectra. Simultaneous pump-probe pulses induce stimulated emission (SE) which, in turn, modulates the thermalized energy, and hence the photoacoustic (PA) signal amplitude. For time-delayed pulses, by contrast, SE is suppressed. Since this is not observed in endogenous chromophores, the location of the fluorophore can be determined by subtracting images acquired using simultaneous and time-delayed pump-probe excitation. This simple experimental approach exploits a fluorophorespecific contrast mechanism, and has the potential to enable deep-tissue molecular imaging at fluences below the MPE. In this study, some of the challenges to its in vivo implementation are addressed. First, the PA signal amplitude generated in fluorophores in vivo is often much smaller than that in blood. Second, tissue motion can give rise to artifacts that correspond to endogenous chromophores in the difference image. This would not allow the unambiguous detection of fluorophores. A method to suppress motion artifacts based on fast switching between simultaneous and time-delayed pump-probe excitation was developed. This enables the acquisition of PA signals using the two excitation modes with minimal time delay (20 ms), thus minimizing the effects of tissue motion. The feasibility of this method is demonstrated by visualizing a fluorophore (Atto680) in tissue phantoms, which were moved during the image acquisition to mimic tissue motion.

Regional Extent of Peripheral Suppression in Amblyopia.

PubMed

Babu, Raiju J; Clavagnier, Simon; Bobier, William R; Thompson, Benjamin; Hess, Robert F

2017-04-01

Previously, we have mapped amblyopic eye suppression within the central 20° of the visual field and observed a gradient of suppression that is strongest in central vision and weakens with increasing eccentricity. In this study, using a large dichoptic display, we extend our novel suppression mapping approach further into the periphery (from 20°-60°) to assess whether suppression continues to decline with eccentricity or plateaus. Sixteen participants with amblyopia (10 with strabismus, 6 with anisometropia without strabismus; mean age: 37.9 ± 11 years) and six normal observers (mean age: 28.3 ± 5 years) took part. The visual stimulus (60° diameter), viewed from 57 cm, was composed of four concentric annuli (5° radius) with alternate contrast polarities starting from an eccentricity of 10°. Each annulus was divided into eight sectors subtending 45° of visual angle. Participants adjusted the contrast of a single sector presented to the fellow eye to match the perceived contrast of the remaining stimulus elements that were presented to the amblyopic eye. A matching contrast that was lower in the fellow eye than the amblyopic eye indicated suppression. Patients with strabismus exhibited significantly stronger interocular suppression than controls across all eccentricities (P = 0.01). Patients with anisometropia did not differ from controls (P = 0.58). Suppression varied significantly with eccentricity (P = 0.005) but this effect did not differ between patient groups (P = 0.217). In amblyopia, suppression is present beyond the central 10° in patients with strabismus. Suppression becomes weaker at greater eccentricities and this may enable peripheral fusion that could be used by binocular treatment methods.

Accessory stimulus modulates executive function during stepping task

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Tatsunori; Koyama, Soichiro; Tanabe, Shigeo

2015-01-01

When multiple sensory modalities are simultaneously presented, reaction time can be reduced while interference enlarges. The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of task-irrelevant acoustic accessory stimuli simultaneously presented with visual imperative stimuli on executive function during stepping. Executive functions were assessed by analyzing temporal events and errors in the initial weight transfer of the postural responses prior to a step (anticipatory postural adjustment errors). Eleven healthy young adults stepped forward in response to a visual stimulus. We applied a choice reaction time task and the Simon task, which consisted of congruent and incongruent conditions. Accessory stimuli were randomly presented with the visual stimuli. Compared with trials without accessory stimuli, the anticipatory postural adjustment error rates were higher in trials with accessory stimuli in the incongruent condition and the reaction times were shorter in trials with accessory stimuli in all the task conditions. Analyses after division of trials according to whether anticipatory postural adjustment error occurred or not revealed that the reaction times of trials with anticipatory postural adjustment errors were reduced more than those of trials without anticipatory postural adjustment errors in the incongruent condition. These results suggest that accessory stimuli modulate the initial motor programming of stepping by lowering decision threshold and exclusively under spatial incompatibility facilitate automatic response activation. The present findings advance the knowledge of intersensory judgment processes during stepping and may aid in the development of intervention and evaluation tools for individuals at risk of falls. PMID:25925321

Sleep duration and RSA suppression as predictors of internalizing and externalizing behaviors.

PubMed

Cho, Sunghye; Philbrook, Lauren E; Davis, Elizabeth L; Buss, Kristin A

2017-01-01

Although the conceptual interplay among the biological and clinical features of sleep, arousal, and emotion regulation has been noted, little is understood about how indices of sleep duration and parasympathetic reactivity operate jointly to predict adjustment in early childhood. Using a sample of 123 toddlers, the present study examined sleep duration and RSA reactivity as predictors of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Parents reported on children's sleep duration and adjustment. RSA reactivity was assessed via children's responses to fear-eliciting stimuli and an inhibitory control challenge. Findings demonstrated that greater RSA suppression to both types of tasks in combination with longer sleep duration was concurrently associated with less internalizing. In contrast, greater RSA augmentation to an inhibitory control task in the context of shorter sleep duration predicted more externalizing 1 year later. The significance of duration of toddlers' sleep as well as the context in which physiological regulatory difficulties occurs is discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fluidized-bed reactor modeling for production of silicon by silane pyrolysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudukovic, M. P.; Ramachandran, P. A.; Lai, S.

1986-01-01

An ideal backmixed reactor model (CSTR) and a fluidized bed bubbling reactor model (FBBR) were developed for silane pyrolysis. Silane decomposition is assumed to occur via two pathways: homogeneous decomposition and heterogeneous chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Both models account for homogeneous and heterogeneous silane decomposition, homogeneous nucleation, coagulation and growth by diffusion of fines, scavenging of fines by large particles, elutriation of fines and CVD growth of large seed particles. At present the models do not account for attrition. The preliminary comparison of the model predictions with experimental results shows reasonable agreement. The CSTR model with no adjustable parameter yields a lower bound on fines formed and upper estimate on production rates. The FBBR model overpredicts the formation of fines but could be matched to experimental data by adjusting the unkown jet emulsion exchange efficients. The models clearly indicate that in order to suppress the formation of fines (smoke) good gas-solid contacting in the grid region must be achieved and the formation of the bubbles suppressed.

Health-based risk adjustment: is inpatient and outpatient diagnostic information sufficient?

PubMed

Lamers, L M

Adequate risk adjustment is critical to the success of market-oriented health care reforms in many countries. Currently used risk adjusters based on demographic and diagnostic cost groups (DCGs) do not reflect expected costs accurately. This study examines the simultaneous predictive accuracy of inpatient and outpatient morbidity measures and prior costs. DCGs, pharmacy cost groups (PCGs), and prior year's costs improve the predictive accuracy of the demographic model substantially. DCGs and PCGs seem complementary in their ability to predict future costs. However, this study shows that the combination of DCGs and PCGs still leaves room for cream skimming.

Fat-suppressed MR images of both hands obtained using CHESS can be improved by rice pads.

PubMed

Moriya, Susumu; Miki, Yukio; Kamishima, Tamotsu; Kanagaki, Mitsunori; Yokobayashi, Tsuneo; Ishikawa, Mitsunori

2012-09-01

When chemical shift selective (CHESS) imaging is used with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for simultaneous imaging of both hands for the evaluation of rheumatoid arthritis, the fat suppression effect is poor. We investigated whether these fat-suppressed images using CHESS could be improved with the use of rice pads. T1-weighted images were obtained with CHESS and the same imaging parameters were used with and without rice pads on the coronal plane of both hands in 10 healthy volunteers. Patients were placed in a prone position with both hands extended overhead. The fat-suppression effect was classified into four categories and scored for both sets of images, and visual assessments were made by one radiologist and one radiologic technologist. The evaluation score was 1.1 for the images made without rice pads, and 3.2 for the images made with rice pads. The fat suppression effect was thus significantly better in the images made using rice pads (P<0.0001). Lingering fat signals disappeared almost completely in images of both hands using CHESS with rice pads, and it was confirmed that the images were improved and had good fat suppression. More accurate evaluation of inflammatory sites that occur in rheumatoid arthritis may thus be possible, promising better diagnostic accuracy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethylene signaling renders the jasmonate response of Arabidopsis insensitive to future suppression by salicylic Acid.

PubMed

Leon-Reyes, Antonio; Du, Yujuan; Koornneef, Annemart; Proietti, Silvia; Körbes, Ana P; Memelink, Johan; Pieterse, Corné M J; Ritsema, Tita

2010-02-01

Cross-talk between jasmonate (JA), ethylene (ET), and Salicylic acid (SA) signaling is thought to operate as a mechanism to fine-tune induced defenses that are activated in response to multiple attackers. Here, 43 Arabidopsis genotypes impaired in hormone signaling or defense-related processes were screened for their ability to express SA-mediated suppression of JA-responsive gene expression. Mutant cev1, which displays constitutive expression of JA and ET responses, appeared to be insensitive to SA-mediated suppression of the JA-responsive marker genes PDF1.2 and VSP2. Accordingly, strong activation of JA and ET responses by the necrotrophic pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria brassicicola prior to SA treatment counteracted the ability of SA to suppress the JA response. Pharmacological assays, mutant analysis, and studies with the ET-signaling inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene revealed that ET signaling renders the JA response insensitive to subsequent suppression by SA. The APETALA2/ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR transcription factor ORA59, which regulates JA/ET-responsive genes such as PDF1.2, emerged as a potential mediator in this process. Collectively, our results point to a model in which simultaneous induction of the JA and ET pathway renders the plant insensitive to future SA-mediated suppression of JA-dependent defenses, which may prioritize the JA/ET pathway over the SA pathway during multi-attacker interactions.

UTE imaging with simultaneous water and fat signal suppression using a time-efficient multispoke inversion recovery pulse sequence.

PubMed

Carl, Michael; Bydder, Graeme M; Du, Jiang

2016-08-01

The long repetition time and inversion time with inversion recovery preparation ultrashort echo time (UTE) often causes prohibitively long scan times. We present an optimized method for long T2 signal suppression in which several k-space spokes are acquired after each inversion preparation. Using Bloch equations the sequence parameters such as TI and flip angle were optimized to suppress the long T2 water and fat signals and to maximize short T2 contrast. Volunteer imaging was performed on a healthy male volunteer. Inversion recovery preparation was performed using a Silver-Hoult adiabatic inversion pulse together with a three-dimensional (3D) UTE (3D Cones) acquisition. The theoretical signal curves generally agreed with the experimentally measured region of interest curves. The multispoke inversion recovery method showed good muscle and fatty bone marrow suppression, and highlighted short T2 signals such as these from the femoral and tibial cortex. Inversion recovery 3D UTE imaging with multiple spoke acquisitions can be used to effectively suppress long T2 signals and highlight short T2 signals within clinical scan times. Theoretical modeling can be used to determine sequence parameters to optimize long T2 signal suppression and maximize short T2 signals. Experimental results on a volunteer confirmed the theoretical predictions. Magn Reson Med 76:577-582, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lifespan Changes in Global and Selective Stopping and Performance Adjustments

PubMed Central

van de Laar, Maria C.; van den Wildenberg, Wery P. M.; van Boxtel, Geert J. M.; van der Molen, Maurits W.

2011-01-01

This study examined stopping and performance adjustments in four age groups (M ages: 8, 12, 21, and 76 years). All participants performed on three tasks, a standard two-choice task and the same task in which stop-signal trials were inserted requiring either the suppression of the response activated by the choice stimulus (global stop task) or the suppression of the response when one stop-signal was presented but not when the other stop-signal occurred (selective stop task). The results showed that global stopping was faster than selective stopping in all age groups. Global stopping matured more rapidly than selective stopping. The developmental gain in stopping was considerably more pronounced compared to the loss observed during senescence. All age groups slowed the response on trials without a stop-signal in the stop task compared to trials in the choice task, the elderly in particular. In addition, all age groups slowed on trials following stop-signal trials, except the elderly who did not slow following successful inhibits. By contrast, the slowing following failed inhibits was disproportionally larger in the elderly compared to young adults. Finally, sequential effects did not alter the pattern of performance adjustments. The results were interpreted in terms of developmental change in the balance between proactive and reactive control. PMID:22180746

A Fully Conserved Minimal Adjustment Scheme with (T, S) Coherency for Stabilization of Hydrographic Profiles

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

positive definite approximation of the Hessian is updated according to the modified Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb– Shanno method (Powell 1978). 3. Data Evident...averaged observational hydrographic data . This method adjusts the temperature and salinity profiles fDTk,DSk,k5 1, 2, . . . ,Kg simultaneously and...in data assimilations since it does not simply reject profiles with static instability. This method edits the profiles with the inequality constraint

The scheme of a blindless positioning structure with parallel adjusting tables and swing rods for 4000 optical fibres of LAMOST.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yunguo, Gao

1996-12-01

This scheme structure is for positioning 4000 optical fibres of LAMOST telescope. It adopts the swing rods adjusted parallel and simultaneously by many small tables. The problems, for example, positioning accuracy of the optical fibers, the time to readjust all the 4000 optical fibres and error correction, etc. have been considered in the scheme. The structure has no blind area.

Autophagy-deficient mice develop multiple liver tumors

PubMed Central

Takamura, Akito; Komatsu, Masaaki; Hara, Taichi; Sakamoto, Ayako; Kishi, Chieko; Waguri, Satoshi; Eishi, Yoshinobu; Hino, Okio; Tanaka, Keiji; Mizushima, Noboru

2011-01-01

Autophagy is a major pathway for degradation of cytoplasmic proteins and organelles, and has been implicated in tumor suppression. Here, we report that mice with systemic mosaic deletion of Atg5 and liver-specific Atg7−/− mice develop benign liver adenomas. These tumor cells originate autophagy-deficient hepatocytes and show mitochondrial swelling, p62 accumulation, and oxidative stress and genomic damage responses. The size of the Atg7−/− liver tumors is reduced by simultaneous deletion of p62. These results suggest that autophagy is important for the suppression of spontaneous tumorigenesis through a cell-intrinsic mechanism, particularly in the liver, and that p62 accumulation contributes to tumor progression. PMID:21498569

[Correction of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system disorders by bioflavonoids during modeling of cholesterol atherosclerosis in rabbits].

PubMed

Shysh, A M; Pashevin, D O; Dosenko, V Ie; Moĭbenko, O O

2011-01-01

We have studied the influence of bioflavonoids (quercetin, corvitin) on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in the modeling of cholesterol atherosclerosis in rabbits. It has been shown that simultaneous administration of the quercetin derivative corvitin suppressed lipid peroxidation. We showed that under hypercholesterolemia, the concentration of malone dialdehyde in myocardial tissue in rabbits is significantly increased, while administration of bioflavonoids decreased the concentration of malone dialdehyde by 38.3%. Furthermore, corvitin caused activating effects on antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase in cardiac tissue. Our data suggest that bioflavonoids are able to suppress lipid peroxidation and prevent the decrease ofantioxidant enzymes activity in rabbits with cholesterol-rich diet induced atherosclerosis.

Determination of silicon in biological and botanical reference materials by epithermal INAA and Compton suppression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landsberger, S.; Peshev, S.; Becker, D. A.

1994-12-01

Silicon determination in sixteen botanical and biological standard reference materials is described using the 29Si(n, p) 29Al reaction through instrumental epithermal neutron activation analysis and Compton suppression gamma-ray spectroscopy. By simultaneous utilization of both cadmium and boron epithermal filters along with anticoincidence gamma-counting, detection limits as low as 12 ppm were obtained for certain matrices, much lower than previously reported values for this type of analysis. The method is applicable to many botanical and biological matrices and is attractive with its interference free, purely instrumental nature, compared with methods using the 28Si(n, p) 28Al reaction or chemical separation techniques.

A fuzzy-logic antiswing controller for three-dimensional overhead cranes.

PubMed

Cho, Sung-Kun; Lee, Ho-Hoon

2002-04-01

In this paper, a new fuzzy antiswing control scheme is proposed for a three-dimensional overhead crane. The proposed control consists of a position servo control and a fuzzy-logic control. The position servo control is used to control crane position and rope length, and the fuzzy-logic control is used to suppress load swing. The proposed control guarantees not only prompt suppression of load swing but also accurate control of crane position and rope length for simultaneous travel, traverse, and hoisting motions of the crane. Furthermore, the proposed control provides practical gain tuning criteria for easy application. The effectiveness of the proposed control is shown by experiments with a three-dimensional prototype overhead crane.

Maintenance and suppression of chaos by weak harmonic perturbations: a unified view.

PubMed

Chacón, R

2001-02-26

General results concerning maintenance or enhancement of chaos are presented for dissipative systems subjected to two harmonic perturbations (one chaos inducing and the other chaos enhancing). The connection with previous results on chaos suppression is also discussed in a general setting. It is demonstrated that, in general, a second harmonic perturbation can reliably play an enhancer or inhibitor role by solely adjusting its initial phase. Numerical results indicate that general theoretical findings concerning periodic chaos-inducing perturbations also work for aperiodic chaos-inducing perturbations, and in arrays of identical chaotic coupled oscillators.

Dramatic Raman Gain Suppression in the Vicinity of the Zero Dispersion Point in a Gas-Filled Hollow-Core Photonic Crystal Fiber.

PubMed

Bauerschmidt, S T; Novoa, D; Russell, P St J

2015-12-11

In 1964 Bloembergen and Shen predicted that Raman gain could be suppressed if the rates of phonon creation and annihilation (by inelastic scattering) exactly balance. This is only possible if the momentum required for each process is identical, i.e., phonon coherence waves created by pump-to-Stokes scattering are identical to those annihilated in pump-to-anti-Stokes scattering. In bulk gas cells, this can only be achieved over limited interaction lengths at an oblique angle to the pump axis. Here we report a simple system that provides dramatic Raman gain suppression over long collinear path lengths in hydrogen. It consists of a gas-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fiber whose zero dispersion point is pressure adjusted to lie close to the pump laser wavelength. At a certain precise pressure, stimulated generation of Stokes light in the fundamental mode is completely suppressed, allowing other much weaker phenomena such as spontaneous Raman scattering to be explored at high pump powers.

Emotional suppression and breast cancer: validation research on the Spanish Adaptation of the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS).

PubMed

Durá, Estrella; Andreu, Yolanda; Galdón, Maria José; Ibáñez, Elena; Pérez, Sandra; Ferrando, Maite; Murgui, Sergio; Martínez, Paula

2010-05-01

Emotional suppression has played an important role in the research on psychosocial factors related to cancer. It has been argued to be an important psychological factor predicting worse psychosocial adjustment in people with cancer and it may mediate health outcomes. The reference instrument in the research on emotional suppression is the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS). The present study analysed construct validity of a new Spanish adaptation of the CECS in a sample of 175 breast cancer patients. The results confirmed the proposal by Watson and Greer claiming that the CECS is composed of three subscales that measure different dimensions, but not independent, from emotional control. The present Spanish version of the CECS showed high internal consistency in each subseale as well as the total score. According to Derogatis (BSI-18) criteria, emotional suppression predicts clinically significant distress. In short, our results support the reliability, validity and utility of this Spanish adaptation of the CECS in clinical and research settings.

Simultaneous determination of micellar structure and drag reduction in a surfactant solution flow using the fluorescence probe method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakimoto, Tatsuro; Araga, Koichi; Katoh, Kenji

2018-03-01

As widely known, the addition of a specific type of surfactant to water reduces drag in a pipe flow. This effect is considered to be a result of the suppression of turbulent transition caused by the ordered structure of rod-like micelles that is referred to as a shear-induced structure (SIS). However, it is typically difficult to determine the SIS since it is necessary to noninvasively detect the SIS with several hundred nanometers in the actual moving flow. In this study, we used the fluorescence probe method to locally determine the SIS in a pipe flow. When hydrophobic fluorescence molecules are added to the surfactant solution, the fluorescence molecules are trapped in micelles. Thus, fluorescence intensity varies based on the change in the micellar structure. We verified the applicability of the fluorescence probe method to the SIS detection and determined the relationship between the micellar structure and the drag reduction in the pipe flow by simultaneously measuring the fluorescence intensity and pipe friction factor. The experimental result demonstrates that the SIS formation in the near-wall region is closely correlated with the drag reduction and suggests that the near-wall SIS suppresses the turbulent transition.

Infrared variation reduction by simultaneous background suppression and target contrast enhancement for deep convolutional neural network-based automatic target recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sungho

2017-06-01

Automatic target recognition (ATR) is a traditionally challenging problem in military applications because of the wide range of infrared (IR) image variations and the limited number of training images. IR variations are caused by various three-dimensional target poses, noncooperative weather conditions (fog and rain), and difficult target acquisition environments. Recently, deep convolutional neural network-based approaches for RGB images (RGB-CNN) showed breakthrough performance in computer vision problems, such as object detection and classification. The direct use of RGB-CNN to the IR ATR problem fails to work because of the IR database problems (limited database size and IR image variations). An IR variation-reduced deep CNN (IVR-CNN) to cope with the problems is presented. The problem of limited IR database size is solved by a commercial thermal simulator (OKTAL-SE). The second problem of IR variations is mitigated by the proposed shifted ramp function-based intensity transformation. This can suppress the background and enhance the target contrast simultaneously. The experimental results on the synthesized IR images generated by the thermal simulator (OKTAL-SE) validated the feasibility of IVR-CNN for military ATR applications.

Family conflict among Chinese- and Mexican-origin adolescents and their parents in the U.S.: an introduction.

PubMed

Juang, Linda P; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J

2012-01-01

This volume explores how cultural and family contexts inform parent-adolescent conflict and adjustment among Chinese- and Mexican-origin families in the United States. Collectively, the chapters examine outcomes associated with family conflict and provide an in-depth analysis of how and for whom conflict is related to adjustment. Findings, for example, illustrate how cultural factors (e.g., acculturation) modify the links between conflict and adjustment. Furthermore, the collection allows for a simultaneous examination of normative, everyday parent-adolescent conflict and conflict that is specific to the process of cultural adaptation, and furthers our understanding of how both developmental and cultural sources of conflict are linked to adjustment. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

The Impact of Dose and Simultaneous Use of Acid-Reducing Agents on the Effectiveness of Vemurafenib in Metastatic BRAF V600 Mutated Melanoma: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Knapen, Lotte M; Koornstra, Rutger H T; Driessen, Johanna H M; van Vlijmen, Bas; Croes, Sander; Schalkwijk, Stein; Colbers, Angela; Gerritsen, Winald R; Burger, David M; de Vries, Frank; van Erp, Nielka P

2018-04-11

The impact of dose and simultaneous use of acid-reducing agents (ARAs) on the effectiveness of vemurafenib is unknown. To determine the association between progression of metastatic BRAF V600 mutated melanoma and (1) dose reductions of vemurafenib and (2) simultaneous use of vemurafenib and ARAs. A retrospective cohort study of 112 first-line vemurafenib users for melanoma was conducted (March 2012-March 2016), using electronic patient records and pharmacy dispensing records of a Dutch academic hospital. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate the risk of progression with full-dose (n = 64) versus reduced-dose vemurafenib (n = 48) and with simultaneous use of vemurafenib and ARAs (n = 35) versus vemurafenib alone (n = 77). Analyses were adjusted for age and sex. In total, disease progression occurred in 55% of treated patients on vemurafenib, with a median progression-free survival of 6.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.0-6.9) months. Compared to patients on vemurafenib alone, there was no increased risk of progression among patients requiring vemurafenib at a reduced dose or among patients receiving simultaneous therapy with vemurafenib and ARAs. In addition, there was no increased risk of progression among patients who used reduced-dose vemurafenib and ARAs versus those receiving full-dose vemurafenib as sole therapy. However, a tendency for progression was observed among patients who used full-dose vemurafenib and ARAs versus full-dose vemurafenib alone (adjusted hazard ratio [HRa] 2.37; 95% CI 0.97-5.76), which became statistically significant in a sensitivity analysis (HRa 4.56; 95% CI 1.51-13.75). There was no association between the use of vemurafenib in a reduced dose or the simultaneous use of vemurafenib and ARAs and the risk of progression. In addition, there was no association between the simultaneous use of vemurafenib in a reduced dose and ARAs and the risk of progression. However, patients tolerating  full-dose vemurafenib simultaneously with ARAs might have an increased risk of progression. This finding requires prospective validation.

Celestial Object Imaging Model and Parameter Optimization for an Optical Navigation Sensor Based on the Well Capacity Adjusting Scheme.

PubMed

Wang, Hao; Jiang, Jie; Zhang, Guangjun

2017-04-21

The simultaneous extraction of optical navigation measurements from a target celestial body and star images is essential for autonomous optical navigation. Generally, a single optical navigation sensor cannot simultaneously image the target celestial body and stars well-exposed because their irradiance difference is generally large. Multi-sensor integration or complex image processing algorithms are commonly utilized to solve the said problem. This study analyzes and demonstrates the feasibility of simultaneously imaging the target celestial body and stars well-exposed within a single exposure through a single field of view (FOV) optical navigation sensor using the well capacity adjusting (WCA) scheme. First, the irradiance characteristics of the celestial body are analyzed. Then, the celestial body edge model and star spot imaging model are established when the WCA scheme is applied. Furthermore, the effect of exposure parameters on the accuracy of star centroiding and edge extraction is analyzed using the proposed model. Optimal exposure parameters are also derived by conducting Monte Carlo simulation to obtain the best performance of the navigation sensor. Finally, laboratorial and night sky experiments are performed to validate the correctness of the proposed model and optimal exposure parameters.

Celestial Object Imaging Model and Parameter Optimization for an Optical Navigation Sensor Based on the Well Capacity Adjusting Scheme

PubMed Central

Wang, Hao; Jiang, Jie; Zhang, Guangjun

2017-01-01

The simultaneous extraction of optical navigation measurements from a target celestial body and star images is essential for autonomous optical navigation. Generally, a single optical navigation sensor cannot simultaneously image the target celestial body and stars well-exposed because their irradiance difference is generally large. Multi-sensor integration or complex image processing algorithms are commonly utilized to solve the said problem. This study analyzes and demonstrates the feasibility of simultaneously imaging the target celestial body and stars well-exposed within a single exposure through a single field of view (FOV) optical navigation sensor using the well capacity adjusting (WCA) scheme. First, the irradiance characteristics of the celestial body are analyzed. Then, the celestial body edge model and star spot imaging model are established when the WCA scheme is applied. Furthermore, the effect of exposure parameters on the accuracy of star centroiding and edge extraction is analyzed using the proposed model. Optimal exposure parameters are also derived by conducting Monte Carlo simulation to obtain the best performance of the navigation sensor. Finally, laboratorial and night sky experiments are performed to validate the correctness of the proposed model and optimal exposure parameters. PMID:28430132

Subnormal energy expenditure: a putative causal factor in the weight gain induced by treatment of hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Jacobsen, R; Lundsgaard, C; Lorenzen, J; Toubro, S; Perrild, H; Krog-Mikkelsen, I; Astrup, A

2006-03-01

To examine the causes of weight gain occurring as an adverse effect of treatment of hyperthyroidism. We measured 24-h energy expenditure (EE), body composition and spontaneous physical activity (SPA) in eight patients before and 1 year after treatment of hyperthyroidism was initiated, and eight controls. One year after initiation of treatment thyrotropin was normalized, thyroid hormones had fallen to the lower end of the reference range and fat mass had increased by 3.5 kg (p < 0.001). Twenty-four hour EE adjusted for fat-free mass (FFM) was 15% higher in hyperthyroid patients before treatment than in controls (p = 0.003), and treatment decreased 24-h EE by 1.9 MJ/day (p = 0.001). After treatment, 24-h EE, adjusted for FFM, was similar to the controls. Multiple regression analyses showed that the suppressed EE could partly be attributed to an iatrogenic suppression of thyroid hormones, resulting in lower sleeping EE. Twenty-four hour SPA was normal in the hyperthyroid state, but decreased after treatment by 21% (p = 0.045), to a level not significantly different, but still below that of the controls. The study suggests that weight gain during treatment of hyperthyroidism might be due to subnormal levels of EE and SPA caused by a suppression of the thyroid hormone to a level in the lower end of the normal range.

Repressive effects of a capacitive-resistive electric transfer (CRet) hyperthermic apparatus combined with provitamin C on intracellular lipid-droplets formation in adipocytes.

PubMed

Kato, Shinya; Saitoh, Yasukazu; Miwa, Nobuhiko

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate inhibitory effects of L-ascorbic acid-2-O-phosphate-Na(2) (APS), a pro-vitamin C, combined with hyperthermia on adipogenic differentiation of mouse stromal cells, OP9. OP9 preadipocytes were differentiated with serum replacement, administered with APS, and simultaneously treated with hyperthermia using a capacitive-resistive electric transfer (CRet) apparatus, which was conducted repeatedly twice a day. After 2 days, intracellular lipid droplets were stained with Oil Red O, then observed by microscopy and assessed spectrophotometrically. After stimulation by serum replacement for 2 days, lipid droplets were accumulated surrounding nucleus of OP9 cells. When APS of 0.15-0.6 mM was administered without hyperthermia, the amount of lipid droplets was markedly suppressed to 50.5%∼-11.3% versus the undifferentiated control, and diminished huge aggregates of lipid droplets. In OP9 cells treated by hyperthermia at 42°C for 0.5 min, 1 min or 3 min in the absence of APS, adipogenesis was suppressed abruptly in a time-dependent manner to 95.4%, 18.7% or -5.5%, respectively. Whereas, the percentage of adipogenesis was 96.8% in OP9 cells treated by mild hyperthermia alone at 41°C for 1 min. The simultaneous application of APS and hyperthermia at 41°C for 1 min markedly suppressed the accumulation of lipid droplets to 25.7%∼-66.2%. By scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation, the surface of OP9 cells treated with APS and hyperthermia appeared to have the morphological property of undifferentiated OP9 cells. Combined treatment of APS and mild hyperthermia suppresses adipogenesis in OP9 cells, particularly in lipid droplets accumulation during spontaneous differentiation of OP9 preadipocytes.

Study on Active Suppression Control of Drivetrain Oscillations in an Electric Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Lei; Cui, Ying

2017-07-01

Due to the low damping in a central driven electric vehicle and lack of passive damping mechanisms as compared with a conventional vehicle, the vehicle may endure torsional vibrations which may deteriorates the vehicle’s drivability. Thus active damping control strategy is required to reduce the undesirable oscillations in an EV. In this paper, the origin of the vibration and the design of a damping control method to suppress such oscillations to improve the drivability of an EV are studied. The traction motor torque that is given by the vehicle controller is adjusted according to the acceleration rate of the motor speed to attenuate the resonant frequency. Simulations and experiments are performed to validate the system. The results show that the proposed control system can effectively suppress oscillations and hence improve drivability.

Brief Report: Food Insufficiency Is Associated With Lack of Sustained Viral Suppression Among HIV-Infected Pregnant and Breastfeeding Ugandan Women

PubMed Central

Natureeba, Paul; Nyafwono, Dorcas; Plenty, Albert; Mwesigwa, Julia; Nzarubara, Bridget; Clark, Tamara D.; Ruel, Theodore D.; Achan, Jane; Charlebois, Edwin D.; Cohan, Deborah; Kamya, Moses R.; Havlir, Diane V.; Young, Sera L.

2016-01-01

Abstract: Food insecurity is associated with poor virologic outcomes, but this has not been studied during pregnancy and breastfeeding. We assessed sustained viral suppression from 8 weeks on antiretroviral therapy to 48 weeks postpartum among 171 pregnant and breastfeeding Ugandan women; 74.9% experienced food insufficiency. In multivariable analysis, food insufficiency [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.16 to 0.91], higher pretreatment HIV-1 RNA (aOR 0.55 per 10-fold increase, 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.82), and lopinavir/ritonavir versus efavirenz (aOR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24 to 0.96) were associated with lower odds of sustained viral suppression. Interventions to address food security may improve virologic outcomes among HIV-infected women. PMID:26397935

Reduction of chlorine radical chemical etching of GaN under simultaneous plasma-emitted photon irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zecheng; Imamura, Masato; Asano, Atsuki; Ishikawa, Kenji; Takeda, Keigo; Kondo, Hiroki; Oda, Osamu; Sekine, Makoto; Hori, Masaru

2017-08-01

Surface chemical reactions on the GaN surface with Cl radicals are thermally enhanced in the high-temperature Cl2 plasma etching of GaN, resulting in the formation of etch pits and thereby, a roughened surface. Simultaneous irradiation of ultraviolet (UV) photons in Cl2 plasma emissions with wavelengths of 258 and 306 nm reduces the surface chemical reactions because of the photodissociation of both Ga and N chlorides, which leads to a suppression of the increase in surface roughness. Compared with Si-related materials, we point out that photon-induced reactions should be taken into account during the plasma processing of wide-bandgap semiconductors.

Bilirubin prevents acute DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting leukocyte infiltration and suppressing upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase

PubMed Central

Vogel, Megan E.; Kindel, Tammy L.; Smith, Darcey L. H.; Idelman, Gila; Avissar, Uri; Kakarlapudi, Ganesh; Masnovi, Michelle E.

2015-01-01

Bilirubin is thought to exert anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1)-dependent leukocyte migration and by suppressing the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). As VCAM-1 and iNOS are important mediators of tissue injury in the dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) murine model of inflammatory colitis, we examined whether bilirubin prevents colonic injury in DSS-treated mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were administered 2.5% DSS in the drinking water for 7 days, while simultaneously receiving intraperitoneal injections of bilirubin (30 mg/kg) or potassium phosphate vehicle. Disease activity was monitored, peripheral blood counts and serum nitrate levels were determined, and intestinal specimens were analyzed for histological injury, leukocyte infiltration, and iNOS expression. The effect of bilirubin on IL-5 production by HSB-2 cells and on Jurkat cell transendothelial migration also was determined. DSS-treated mice that simultaneously received bilirubin lost less body weight, had lower serum nitrate levels, and exhibited reduced disease severity than vehicle-treated animals. Concordantly, histopathological analyses revealed that bilirubin-treated mice manifested significantly less colonic injury, including reduced infiltration of eosinophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes, and diminished iNOS expression. Bilirubin administration also was associated with decreased eosinophil and monocyte infiltration into the small intestine, with a corresponding increase in peripheral blood eosinophilia. Bilirubin prevented Jurkat migration but did not alter IL-5 production. In conclusion, bilirubin prevents DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting the migration of leukocytes across the vascular endothelium and by suppressing iNOS expression. PMID:26381705

Bilirubin prevents acute DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting leukocyte infiltration and suppressing upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase.

PubMed

Zucker, Stephen D; Vogel, Megan E; Kindel, Tammy L; Smith, Darcey L H; Idelman, Gila; Avissar, Uri; Kakarlapudi, Ganesh; Masnovi, Michelle E

2015-11-15

Bilirubin is thought to exert anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1)-dependent leukocyte migration and by suppressing the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). As VCAM-1 and iNOS are important mediators of tissue injury in the dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) murine model of inflammatory colitis, we examined whether bilirubin prevents colonic injury in DSS-treated mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were administered 2.5% DSS in the drinking water for 7 days, while simultaneously receiving intraperitoneal injections of bilirubin (30 mg/kg) or potassium phosphate vehicle. Disease activity was monitored, peripheral blood counts and serum nitrate levels were determined, and intestinal specimens were analyzed for histological injury, leukocyte infiltration, and iNOS expression. The effect of bilirubin on IL-5 production by HSB-2 cells and on Jurkat cell transendothelial migration also was determined. DSS-treated mice that simultaneously received bilirubin lost less body weight, had lower serum nitrate levels, and exhibited reduced disease severity than vehicle-treated animals. Concordantly, histopathological analyses revealed that bilirubin-treated mice manifested significantly less colonic injury, including reduced infiltration of eosinophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes, and diminished iNOS expression. Bilirubin administration also was associated with decreased eosinophil and monocyte infiltration into the small intestine, with a corresponding increase in peripheral blood eosinophilia. Bilirubin prevented Jurkat migration but did not alter IL-5 production. In conclusion, bilirubin prevents DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting the migration of leukocytes across the vascular endothelium and by suppressing iNOS expression. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Prevention of Asthma Exacerbation in a Mouse Model by Simultaneous Inhibition of NF-κB and STAT6 Activation Using a Chimeric Decoy Strategy.

PubMed

Miyake, Tetsuo; Miyake, Takashi; Sakaguchi, Makoto; Nankai, Hirokazu; Nakazawa, Takahiro; Morishita, Ryuichi

2018-03-02

Transactivation of inflammatory and immune mediators in asthma is tightly regulated by nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6). Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of simultaneous inhibition of NF-κB and STAT6 using a chimeric decoy strategy to prevent asthma exacerbation. The effects of decoy oligodeoxynucleotides were evaluated using an ovalbumin-induced mouse asthma model. Ovalbumin-sensitized mice received intratracheal administration of decoy oligodeoxynucleotides 3 days before ovalbumin challenge. Fluorescent-dye-labeled decoy oligodeoxynucleotides could be detected in lymphocytes and macrophages in the lung, and activation of NF-κB and STAT6 was inhibited by chimeric decoy oligodeoxynucleotide transfer. Consequently, treatment with chimeric or NF-κB decoy oligodeoxynucleotides protected against methacholine-induced airway hyperresponsiveness, whereas the effect of chimeric decoy oligodeoxynucleotides was significantly greater than that of NF-κB decoy oligodeoxynucleotides. Treatment with chimeric decoy oligodeoxynucleotides suppressed airway inflammation through inhibition of overexpression of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, and IL-13 and inflammatory infiltrates. Histamine levels in the lung were reduced via suppression of mast cell accumulation. A significant reduction in mucin secretion was observed due to suppression of MUC5AC gene expression. Interestingly, the inhibitory effects on IL-5, IL-13, and histamine secretion were achieved by transfer of chimeric decoy oligodeoxynucleotides only. This novel therapeutic approach could be useful to treat patients with various types of asthma. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tool For Driving Many Fasteners Simultaneously

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, Joseph S., Jr.

1995-01-01

Proposed tool tightens or loosens several bolts, screws, nuts, or other threaded fasteners arranged in circle on compressor head, automotive wheel, pipe-end flange, or similar object. Enables assembly or disassembly in fraction of time needed to tighten fasteners one at a time. Simultaneously applies same torque to all fasteners, preventing distortion and enhancing reliability. Concept not limited to circular fastener patterns. Adapted to rectangular configurations like on engine intake manifolds, by adding gears to drive train to provide proper spacing. Designed to deliver fixed or adjustable maximum torque. To ensure even seal loading, piston pressure simultaneously ramped from initial to final values to maintain relatively constant torque loading on all fasteners until final specifications limit achieved.

Self-calibrated multiple-echo acquisition with radial trajectories using the conjugate gradient method (SMART-CG).

PubMed

Jung, Youngkyoo; Samsonov, Alexey A; Bydder, Mark; Block, Walter F

2011-04-01

To remove phase inconsistencies between multiple echoes, an algorithm using a radial acquisition to provide inherent phase and magnitude information for self correction was developed. The information also allows simultaneous support for parallel imaging for multiple coil acquisitions. Without a separate field map acquisition, a phase estimate from each echo in multiple echo train was generated. When using a multiple channel coil, magnitude and phase estimates from each echo provide in vivo coil sensitivities. An algorithm based on the conjugate gradient method uses these estimates to simultaneously remove phase inconsistencies between echoes, and in the case of multiple coil acquisition, simultaneously provides parallel imaging benefits. The algorithm is demonstrated on single channel, multiple channel, and undersampled data. Substantial image quality improvements were demonstrated. Signal dropouts were completely removed and undersampling artifacts were well suppressed. The suggested algorithm is able to remove phase cancellation and undersampling artifacts simultaneously and to improve image quality of multiecho radial imaging, the important technique for fast three-dimensional MRI data acquisition. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Self-calibrated Multiple-echo Acquisition with Radial Trajectories using the Conjugate Gradient Method (SMART-CG)

PubMed Central

Jung, Youngkyoo; Samsonov, Alexey A; Bydder, Mark; Block, Walter F.

2011-01-01

Purpose To remove phase inconsistencies between multiple echoes, an algorithm using a radial acquisition to provide inherent phase and magnitude information for self correction was developed. The information also allows simultaneous support for parallel imaging for multiple coil acquisitions. Materials and Methods Without a separate field map acquisition, a phase estimate from each echo in multiple echo train was generated. When using a multiple channel coil, magnitude and phase estimates from each echo provide in-vivo coil sensitivities. An algorithm based on the conjugate gradient method uses these estimates to simultaneously remove phase inconsistencies between echoes, and in the case of multiple coil acquisition, simultaneously provides parallel imaging benefits. The algorithm is demonstrated on single channel, multiple channel, and undersampled data. Results Substantial image quality improvements were demonstrated. Signal dropouts were completely removed and undersampling artifacts were well suppressed. Conclusion The suggested algorithm is able to remove phase cancellation and undersampling artifacts simultaneously and to improve image quality of multiecho radial imaging, the important technique for fast 3D MRI data acquisition. PMID:21448967

An EEG (electroencephalogram) recording system with carbon wire electrodes for simultaneous EEG-fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) recording

PubMed Central

Negishi, Michiro; Abildgaard, Mark; Laufer, Ilan; Nixon, Terry; Constable, Robert Todd

2008-01-01

Simultaneous EEG-fMRI (Electroencephalography-functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) recording provides a means for acquiring high temporal resolution electrophysiological data and high spatial resolution metabolic data of the brain in the same experimental runs. Carbon wire electrodes (not metallic EEG electrodes with carbon wire leads) are suitable for simultaneous EEG-fMRI recording, because they cause less RF (radio-frequency) heating and susceptibility artifacts than metallic electrodes. These characteristics are especially desirable for recording the EEG in high field MRI scanners. Carbon wire electrodes are also comfortable to wear during long recording sessions. However, carbon electrodes have high electrode-electrolyte potentials compared to widely used Ag/AgCl (silver/silver-chloride) electrodes, which may cause slow voltage drifts. This paper introduces a prototype EEG recording system with carbon wire electrodes and a circuit that suppresses the slow voltage drift. The system was tested for the voltage drift, RF heating, susceptibility artifact, and impedance, and was also evaluated in a simultaneous ERP (event-related potential)-fMRI experiment. PMID:18588913

Measurement Sensitivity Improvement of All-Optical Atomic Spin Magnetometer by Suppressing Noises

PubMed Central

Chen, Xiyuan; Zhang, Hong; Zou, Sheng

2016-01-01

Quantum manipulation technology and photoelectric detection technology have jointly facilitated the rapid development of ultra-sensitive atomic spin magnetometers. To improve the output signal and sensitivity of the spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) atomic spin magnetometer, the noises influencing on the output signal and the sensitivity were analyzed, and the corresponding noise suppression methods were presented. The magnetic field noises, including the residual magnetic field noise and the light shift noise, were reduced to approximately zero by employing the magnetic field compensation method and by adjusting the frequency of the pump beam, respectively. With respect to the operation temperature, the simulation results showed that the temperature of the potassium atomic spin magnetometer realizing the spin-exchange relaxation-free regime was 180 °C. Moreover, the fluctuation noises of the frequency and the power were suppressed by using the frequency and the power stable systems. The experimental power stability results showed that the light intensity stability was enhanced 10%. Contrast experiments on the sensitivity were carried out to demonstrate the validity of the suppression methods. Finally, a sensitivity of 13 fT/Hz1/2 was successfully achieved by suppressing noises and optimizing parameters. PMID:27322272

Alcohol use and depression: link with adherence and viral suppression in adult patients on antiretroviral therapy in rural Lesotho, Southern Africa: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Cerutti, Bernard; Broers, Barbara; Masetsibi, Motlomelo; Faturiyele, Olatunbosun; Toti-Mokoteli, Likabelo; Motlatsi, Mokete; Bader, Joelle; Klimkait, Thomas; Labhardt, Niklaus D

2016-09-08

Depression and alcohol use disorder have been shown to be associated with poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Studies examining their association with viral suppression in rural Africa are, however, scarce. This study reports prevalence of depressive symptoms and alcohol use disorder, and their potential association with adherence and viral suppression in adult patients on ART in ten clinics in rural Lesotho, Southern Africa. Among 1,388 adult patients (69 % women), 80.7 % were alcohol abstinent, 6.3 % were hazardous drinkers (men: 10.7 %, women: 4.4 %, p < 0.001). The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 28.8 % (men 20.2 %, women 32.7 %, p < 0.001). Both alcohol consumption (adjusted odds-ratio: 2.09, 95 % CI: 1.58-2.77) and alcohol use disorder (2.73, 95 % CI: 1.68-4.42) were significantly associated with poor adherence. There was, however, no significant association with viral suppression. Whereas the results of this study confirm previously reported association of alcohol use disorder with adherence to ART, there was no association with viral suppression. April 28th 2014; NCT02126696 .

Contribution of predator identity to the suppression of herbivores by a diverse predator assemblage.

PubMed

Long, Elizabeth Y; Finke, Deborah L

2014-06-01

Studies manipulating predator diversity and measuring the impact on herbivore abundance have found that enhancing predator species richness often increases the strength of prey suppression. This relationship may be due to mechanisms such as complementarity or facilitation, which are considered "true" benefits of diversity because greater prey suppression is an emergent property of the multispecies predator community. Or it may be due to an identity effect, an "apparent" benefit of diversity that results from the greater likelihood of including one particularly voracious predator species as the total number of predator species increases. In separate greenhouse and field experiments, we simultaneously manipulated the species richness and species composition of predators attacking bird cherry-oat aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi) (L.) on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). We found that on average aphid suppression by species-rich predator assemblages was greater than suppression by single-species monocultures. However, the performance of individual predator species varied and the species-rich assemblages did not outperform all single-species compositions, suggesting an identity effect. In particular, single-species compositions of the lady beetle Coleomegilla maculata (DeGeer) exhibited high performance across experiments, and on average predator assemblages that contained a lady beetle predator had lower overall aphid abundance than compositions where lady beetles were absent. Taken together, these results provide evidence for the dominant role of lady beetles, especially C. maculata, in natural pest suppression and suggest that predator species composition and identity are important factors to consider in efforts to conserve this valuable ecosystem service.

Differential suppression of upper airway motor activity during carbachol-induced, REM sleep-like atonia.

PubMed

Fenik, V; Davies, R O; Pack, A I; Kubin, L

1998-10-01

Microinjections of carbachol into the pontine tegmentum of decerebrate cats have been used to study the mechanisms underlying the suppression of postural and respiratory motoneuronal activity during the resulting rapid eye movement (REM) sleep-like atonia. During REM sleep, distinct respiratory muscles are differentially affected; e.g., the activity of the diaphragm shows little suppression, whereas the activity of some upper airway muscles is quite strong. To determine the pattern of the carbachol-induced changes in the activity of different groups of upper airway motoneurons, we simultaneously recorded the efferent activity of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RL), pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve (Phar), and genioglossal branch of the hypoglossal (XII) and phrenic (Phr) nerves in 12 decerebrate, paralyzed, vagotomized, and artificially ventilated cats. Pontine carbachol caused a stereotyped suppression of the spontaneous activity that was significantly larger in Phar expiratory (to 8.3% of control) and XII inspiratory motoneurons (to 15%) than in Phr inspiratory (to 87%), RL inspiratory (to 79%), or RL expiratory motoneurons (to 72%). The suppression in upper airway motor output was significantly greater than the depression caused by a level of hypocapnia that reduced Phr activity as much as carbachol. We conclude that pontine carbachol evokes a stereotyped pattern of suppression of upper airway motor activity. Because carbachol evokes a state having many neurophysiological characteristics similar to those of REM sleep, it is likely that pontine cholinoceptive neurons have similar effects on the activity of upper airway motoneurons during both states.

Very low level viraemia and risk of virological failure in treated HIV-1-infected patients.

PubMed

Teira, R; Vidal, F; Muñoz-Sánchez, P; Geijo, P; Viciana, P; Ribera, E; Domingo, P; Castaño, M; Martínez, E; Roca, B; Puig, T; Estrada, V; Deig, E; Galindo, M J; de la Fuente, B; Lozano, F; Montero, M; Muñoz-Sanz, A; Sanchez, T; Terrón, A; Romero-Palacios, A; Lacalle, J R; Garrido, M; Suárez-Lozano, I

2017-03-01

The aim of the study was to investigate whether very low level viraemia (VLLV) (20-50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL) was associated with increased risk of virological failure (VF) as compared with persistent full suppression (< 20 copies/mL). From the VACH Cohort database, we selected those patients who started antiretroviral therapy (ART) after January 1997 and who achieved effective viral suppression [two consecutive viral loads (VLs) < 50 copies/mL] followed by full suppression (at least one VL <20 copies/mL). We carried out survival analyses to investigate whether the occurrence of VLLV rather than maintaining full suppression at < 20 copies/mL was associated with virological failure (two consecutive VLs > 200 copies/mL or one VL > 200 copies/mL followed by a change of ART regimen, administrative censoring or loss to follow-up), adjusted for nadir CD4 cell count, sex, age, ethnicity, transmission group, type of ART and time on effective suppression at < 50 copies/mL. Of 21 480 patients who started ART, 13 674 (63.7%) achieved effective suppression at < 50 copies/mL, of whom 4289 (31.4%) further achieved full suppression at < 20 copies/mL after May 2009. A total of 2623 patients (61.1%) remained fully suppressed thereafter, while 1666 had one or more episodes of VL detection > 20 copies/mL (excluding virological failure). A total of 824 patients had VLLV after suppression at < 20 copies/mL. VLLV was not associated with virological failure as compared with persistent full suppression [hazard ratio (HR) 0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.44-1.00], independently of the number of blips recorded (from one to 18). In our population of HIV-infected patients on ART who achieved viral suppression at < 20 copies/mL, the risk of virological failure was no different for patients who remained fully suppressed compared with those who experienced subsequent episodes of VLLV. © 2016 British HIV Association.

Simultaneous bone marrow and composite tissue transplantation in rats treated with nonmyeloablative conditioning promotes tolerance1

PubMed Central

Xu, Hong; Ramsey, Deborah M.; Wu, Shengli; Bozulic, Larry D.; Ildstad, Suzanne T.

2012-01-01

Background Approaches to safely induce tolerance in vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) with chimerism through bone marrow transplantation (BMT) are currently being pursued. However, the VCA were historically performed sequentially after donor chimerism was established. Delayed VCA is not clinically applicable due to the time constraints associated with procurement from deceased donors. A more clinically relevant approach to perform both the BMT and VCA simultaneously was evaluated. Methods WF (RT1Au) rats were treated with a short course of immunosuppressive therapy (anti-αβ-TCR mAb, FK-506, and anti-lymphocyte serum). One day prior to BMT, rats were treated with varying doses of total body irradiation (TBI) followed by transplantation of heterotopic osteomyocutaneous flaps from hind limbs of ACI (RT1Aabl) rats. Results 80% of rats conditioned with 300 cGy TBI and 40% of rats receiving 400 cGy TBI accepted the VCA. Mixed chimerism was detected in peripheral blood at one month post-VCA, but chimerism was lost in all transplant recipients by 4 months. The majority of peripheral donor cells originated from the BMT and not the VCA. Acceptors of VCA were tolerant of a donor skin graft challenge and no anti-donor antibodies were detectable, suggesting a central deletional mechanism for tolerance. Regulatory T cells (Treg) from spleens of acceptors more potently suppressed lymphocyte proliferation than Treg from rejectors in the presence of donor stimulator cells. Conclusions These studies suggest that simultaneous BMT and VCA may establish indefinite allograft survival in rats through Treg-mediated suppression and thymic deletion of alloreactive T cells. PMID:23250336

Emotion Regulation and Emotion Coherence: Evidence for Strategy-Specific Effects

PubMed Central

Dan-Glauser, Elise S.; Gross, James J.

2014-01-01

One of the central tenets of emotion theory is that emotions involve coordinated changes across experiential, behavioral, and physiological response domains. Surprisingly little is known, however, on how the strength of this emotion coherence is altered when people try to regulate their emotions. To address this issue, we recorded experiential, behavioral, and physiological responses while participants watched negative and positive pictures. Cross-correlations were used to quantify emotion coherence. Study 1 tested how two types of suppression (expressive and physiological) influence coherence. Results showed that both strategies decreased the response coherence measured in negative and positive contexts. Study 2 tested how multi-channel suppression (simultaneously targeting expressive and physiological responses) and acceptance influence emotion coherence. Results again showed that suppression decreased coherence. By contrast, acceptance was not significantly different from the unregulated condition. These findings help to clarify the nature of emotion response coherence by showing how different forms of emotion regulation may differentially affect it. PMID:23731438

Mammary Gland Involution Provides a Unique Model to Study the TGF-β Cancer Paradox

PubMed Central

Guo, Qiuchen; Betts, Courtney; Pennock, Nathan; Mitchell, Elizabeth; Schedin, Pepper

2017-01-01

Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in cancer has been termed the “TGF-β paradox”, acting as both a tumor suppresser and promoter. The complexity of TGF-β signaling within the tumor is context dependent, and greatly impacted by cellular crosstalk between TGF-β responsive cells in the microenvironment including adjacent epithelial, endothelial, mesenchymal, and hematopoietic cells. Here we utilize normal, weaning-induced mammary gland involution as a tissue microenvironment model to study the complexity of TGF-β function. This article reviews facets of mammary gland involution that are TGF-β regulated, namely mammary epithelial cell death, immune activation, and extracellular matrix remodeling. We outline how distinct cellular responses and crosstalk between cell types during physiologically normal mammary gland involution contribute to simultaneous tumor suppressive and promotional microenvironments. We also highlight alternatives to direct TGF-β blocking anti-cancer therapies with an emphasis on eliciting concerted microenvironmental-mediated tumor suppression. PMID:28098775

Design and test of three active flutter suppression controllers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christhilf, David M.; Waszak, Martin R.; Adams, William M.; Srinathkumar, S.; Mukhopadhyay, Vivek

1991-01-01

Three flutter suppression control law design techniques are presented. Each uses multiple control surfaces and/or sensors. The first uses linear combinations of several accelerometer signals together with dynamic compensation to synthesize the modal rate of the critical mode for feedback to distributed control surfaces. The second uses traditional tools (pole/zero loci and Nyquist diagrams) to develop a good understanding of the flutter mechanism and produce a controller with minimal complexity and good robustness to plant uncertainty. The third starts with a minimum energy Linear Quadratic Gaussian controller, applies controller order reduction, and then modifies weight and noise covariance matrices to improve multi-variable robustness. The resulting designs were implemented digitally and tested subsonically on the Active Flexible Wing (AFW) wind tunnel model. Test results presented here include plant characteristics, maximum attained closed-loop dynamic pressure, and Root Mean Square control surface activity. A key result is that simultaneous symmetric and antisymmetric flutter suppression was achieved by the second control law, with a 24 percent increase in attainable dynamic pressure.

Simultaneous Vibration Suppression and Energy Harvesting

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-15

D.J., 2011. “Modeling and Analysis of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting from Aeroelastic Vibrations Using the Doublet-Lattice Method,” ASME Journal...Friswell, M. I., and Inman, D. J., 2009, “ Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting from Broadband Random Vibrations ,” Smart Materials and Structures, Vol. 18...and Electrode Configuration on Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting from Cantilevered Beams,” ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, Vol. 131, No. 1, pp

Achieving a satisfactory clinical and biochemical response in antiphospholipid syndrome and severe thrombocytopenia with rituximab: two case reports.

PubMed

Gamoudi, Donia; Cutajar, Melanie; Gamoudi, Nadia; Camilleri, David James; Gatt, Alex

2017-06-01

In AP syndrome (APS) with severe thrombocytopenia, rituximab represents a unique drug which can balance the effect of bleeding and thrombosis. By reducing the production of autoantibodies, rituximab can simultaneously raise the platelets and reduce the chance of thrombosis by suppressing APL antibodies. Rituximab can supersede splenectomy as second-line therapy in similar patients.

Design, test, and evaluation of three active flutter suppression controllers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, William M., Jr.; Christhilf, David M.; Waszak, Martin R.; Mukhopadhyay, Vivek; Srinathkumar, S.

1992-01-01

Three control law design techniques for flutter suppression are presented. Each technique uses multiple control surfaces and/or sensors. The first method uses traditional tools (such as pole/zero loci and Nyquist diagrams) for producing a controller that has minimal complexity and which is sufficiently robust to handle plant uncertainty. The second procedure uses linear combinations of several accelerometer signals and dynamic compensation to synthesize the model rate of the critical mode for feedback to the distributed control surfaces. The third technique starts with a minimum-energy linear quadratic Gaussian controller, iteratively modifies intensity matrices corresponding to input and output noise, and applies controller order reduction to achieve a low-order, robust controller. The resulting designs were implemented digitally and tested subsonically on the active flexible wing wind-tunnel model in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. Only the traditional pole/zero loci design was sufficiently robust to errors in the nominal plant to successfully suppress flutter during the test. The traditional pole/zero loci design provided simultaneous suppression of symmetric and antisymmetric flutter with a 24-percent increase in attainable dynamic pressure. Posttest analyses are shown which illustrate the problems encountered with the other laws.

Use of fish species from different trophic levels to control algae and water quality: An enclosure experiment in eutrophic area of Xiaojiang River.

PubMed

Hu, Lian; Yang, Zhi; Pan, Xiaojie; Zhao, Na; Peng, Jianhua; Wan, Chengyan

2017-01-01

The effects of stocking both filter-feeding fish and piscivorous fish were compared to the effects of stocking only filter-feeding fish for suppressing algal blooms and improving water quality in the impoundment area of Xiaojiang River where catfish were dominant. Using only filter-feeding fish for algal suppression and water quality control was more effective in the short-term, but use of both filter-feeding fish and piscivorous fish was better in the long-term. Obvious suppression of phytoplankton biomass (PB) only occurred during the first 14 days regardless of the fish stocked. Adding fish to the enclosure clearly alters phytoplankton community structure and introducing piscivorous fish to an enclosure stocked with filter-feeding fish changed the relative densities of dominant algae species. While stocking filter-feeding fish decreased total nitrogen concentration by removing phytoplankton, it did not effectively decrease total phosphorus and Chlorophyll a concentrations. Introducing piscivorous fish to the enclosure weakened the relationship between nutrients and phytoplankton. Results indicate that stocking only filter-feeding fish to improve water quality and suppress phytoplankton in an impoundment area is insufficient and other technologies and means should be applied simultaneously.

Complex-enhanced chaotic signals with time-delay signature suppression based on vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers subject to chaotic optical injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jianjun; Duan, Yingni; Zhong, Zhuqiang

2018-06-01

A chaotic system is constructed on the basis of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), where a slave VCSEL subject to chaotic optical injection (COI) from a master VCSEL with the external feedback. The complex degree (CD) and time-delay signature (TDS) of chaotic signals generated by this chaotic system are investigated numerically via permutation entropy (PE) and self-correlation function (SF) methods, respectively. The results show that, compared with master VCSEL subject to optical feedback, complex-enhanced chaotic signals with TDS suppression can be achieved for S-VCSEL subject to COI. Meanwhile, the influences of several controllable parameters on the evolution maps of CD of chaotic signals are carefully considered. It is shown that the CD of chaotic signals for S-VCSEL is always higher than that for M-VCSEL due to the CIO effect. The TDS of chaotic signals can be significantly suppressed by choosing the reasonable parameters in this system. Furthermore, TDS suppression and high CD chaos can be obtained simultaneously in the specific parameter ranges. The results confirm that this chaotic system may effectively improve the security of a chaos-based communication scheme.

Complex-enhanced chaotic signals with time-delay signature suppression based on vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers subject to chaotic optical injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jianjun; Duan, Yingni; Zhong, Zhuqiang

2018-03-01

A chaotic system is constructed on the basis of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), where a slave VCSEL subject to chaotic optical injection (COI) from a master VCSEL with the external feedback. The complex degree (CD) and time-delay signature (TDS) of chaotic signals generated by this chaotic system are investigated numerically via permutation entropy (PE) and self-correlation function (SF) methods, respectively. The results show that, compared with master VCSEL subject to optical feedback, complex-enhanced chaotic signals with TDS suppression can be achieved for S-VCSEL subject to COI. Meanwhile, the influences of several controllable parameters on the evolution maps of CD of chaotic signals are carefully considered. It is shown that the CD of chaotic signals for S-VCSEL is always higher than that for M-VCSEL due to the CIO effect. The TDS of chaotic signals can be significantly suppressed by choosing the reasonable parameters in this system. Furthermore, TDS suppression and high CD chaos can be obtained simultaneously in the specific parameter ranges. The results confirm that this chaotic system may effectively improve the security of a chaos-based communication scheme.

Interference resolution in major depression.

PubMed

Joormann, Jutta; Nee, Derek Evan; Berman, Marc G; Jonides, John; Gotlib, Ian H

2010-03-01

In two experiments, we investigated individual differences in the ability to resolve interference in participants diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). Participants were administered the "Ignore/Suppress" task, a short-term memory task composed of two steps. In Step 1 ("ignore"), participants were instructed to memorize a set of stimuli while ignoring simultaneously presented irrelevant material. In Step 2 ("suppress"), participants were instructed to forget a subset of the previously memorized material. The ability to resolve interference was indexed by response latencies on two recognition tasks in which participants decided whether a probe was a member of the target set. In Step 1, we compared response latencies to probes from the to-be-ignored list with response latencies to nonrecently presented items. In Step 2, we compared response latencies to probes from the to-be-suppressed list with response latencies to nonrecently presented items. The results indicate that, compared with control participants, depressed participants exhibited increased interference in the "suppress" but not in the "ignore" step of the task, when the stimuli were negative words. No group differences were obtained when we presented letters instead of emotional words. These findings indicate that depression is associated with difficulty in removing irrelevant negative material from short-term memory.

Young adults' internet addiction: Prediction by the interaction of parental marital conflict and respiratory sinus arrhythmia.

PubMed

Zhang, Hui; Spinrad, Tracy L; Eisenberg, Nancy; Luo, Yun; Wang, Zhenhong

2017-10-01

The aim of the current study was to address the potential moderating roles of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA; baseline and suppression) and participant sex in the relation between parents' marital conflict and young adults' internet addiction. Participants included 105 (65 men) Chinese young adults who reported on their internet addiction and their parents' marital conflict. Marital conflict interacted with RSA suppression to predict internet addiction. Specifically, high RSA suppression was associated with low internet addiction, regardless of parental marital conflict; however, for participants with low RSA suppression, a positive relation between marital conflict and internet addiction was found. Internet addiction also was predicted by a significant three-way interaction among baseline RSA, marital conflict, and participant sex. Specifically, for men, marital conflict positively predicted internet addiction under conditions of low (but not high) baseline RSA. For women, marital conflict positively predicted internet addiction under conditions of high (but not low) baseline RSA. Findings highlight the importance of simultaneous consideration of physiological factors, in conjunction with family factors, in the prediction of young adults' internet addiction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Visual Presentation Effects on Identification of Multiple Environmental Sounds

PubMed Central

Masakura, Yuko; Ichikawa, Makoto; Shimono, Koichi; Nakatsuka, Reio

2016-01-01

This study examined how the contents and timing of a visual stimulus affect the identification of mixed sounds recorded in a daily life environment. For experiments, we presented four environment sounds as auditory stimuli for 5 s along with a picture or a written word as a visual stimulus that might or might not denote the source of one of the four sounds. Three conditions of temporal relations between the visual stimuli and sounds were used. The visual stimulus was presented either: (a) for 5 s simultaneously with the sound; (b) for 5 s, 1 s before the sound (SOA between the audio and visual stimuli was 6 s); or (c) for 33 ms, 1 s before the sound (SOA was 1033 ms). Participants reported all identifiable sounds for those audio–visual stimuli. To characterize the effects of visual stimuli on sound identification, the following were used: the identification rates of sounds for which the visual stimulus denoted its sound source, the rates of other sounds for which the visual stimulus did not denote the sound source, and the frequency of false hearing of a sound that was not presented for each sound set. Results of the four experiments demonstrated that a picture or a written word promoted identification of the sound when it was related to the sound, particularly when the visual stimulus was presented for 5 s simultaneously with the sounds. However, a visual stimulus preceding the sounds had a benefit only for the picture, not for the written word. Furthermore, presentation with a picture denoting a sound simultaneously with the sound reduced the frequency of false hearing. These results suggest three ways that presenting a visual stimulus affects identification of the auditory stimulus. First, activation of the visual representation extracted directly from the picture promotes identification of the denoted sound and suppresses the processing of sounds for which the visual stimulus did not denote the sound source. Second, effects based on processing of the conceptual information promote identification of the denoted sound and suppress the processing of sounds for which the visual stimulus did not denote the sound source. Third, processing of the concurrent visual representation suppresses false hearing. PMID:26973478

[The Raman Spectroscopy (RS): A new tool for the analytical quality control of injectable in health settings. Comparison of RS technique versus HPLC and UV/Vis-FTIR, applied to anthracyclines as anticancer drugs].

PubMed

Bourget, P; Amin, A; Moriceau, A; Cassard, B; Vidal, F; Clement, R

2012-12-01

The study compares the performances of three analytical methods devoted to Analytical Quality Control (AQC) of therapeutic solutions formed into care environment, we are talking about Therapeutics Objects(TN) (TOs(TN)). We explored the pharmacological model of two widely used anthracyclines i.e. adriamycin and epirubicin. We compared the performance of the HPLC versus two vibrational spectroscopic techniques: a tandem UV/Vis-FTIR on one hand and Raman Spectroscopy (RS) on the other. The three methods give good results for the key criteria of repeatability, of reproducibility and, of accuracy. A Spearman and a Kendall correlation test confirms the noninferiority of the vibrational techniques as an alternative to the reference method (HPLC). The selection of bands for characterization and quantification by RS is the results of a gradual process adjustment, at the intercept of matrix effects. From the perspective of a AQC associated to release of TOs, RS displays various advantages: (a) to decide quickly (~2min), simultaneously and without intrusion or withdrawal on both the nature of a packaging than on a solvant and this, regardless of the compound of interest; it is the founder asset of the method, (b) to explore qualitatively and quantitatively any kinds of TOs, (c) operator safety is guaranteed during production and in the laboratory, (d) the suppression of analytical releases or waste contribute to protects the environment, (e) the suppression.of consumables, (f) a negligible costs of maintenance, (g) a small budget of technicians training. These results already show that the SR technology is potentially a strong contributor to the safety of the medication cycle and fight against the iatrogenic effects of drugs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A design methodology for nonlinear systems containing parameter uncertainty

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, G. E.; Auslander, D. M.

1983-01-01

In the present design methodology for nonlinear systems containing parameter uncertainty, a generalized sensitivity analysis is incorporated which employs parameter space sampling and statistical inference. For the case of a system with j adjustable and k nonadjustable parameters, this methodology (which includes an adaptive random search strategy) is used to determine the combination of j adjustable parameter values which maximize the probability of those performance indices which simultaneously satisfy design criteria in spite of the uncertainty due to k nonadjustable parameters.

Solving the Value Equation: Assessing Surgeon Performance Using Risk-Adjusted Quality-Cost Diagrams and Surgical Outcomes.

PubMed

Knechtle, William S; Perez, Sebastian D; Raval, Mehul V; Sullivan, Patrick S; Duwayri, Yazan M; Fernandez, Felix; Sharma, Joe; Sweeney, John F

Quality-cost diagrams have been used previously to assess interventions and their cost-effectiveness. This study explores the use of risk-adjusted quality-cost diagrams to compare the value provided by surgeons by presenting cost and outcomes simultaneously. Colectomy cases from a single institution captured in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database were linked to hospital cost-accounting data to determine costs per encounter. Risk adjustment models were developed and observed average cost and complication rates per surgeon were compared to expected cost and complication rates using the diagrams. Surgeons were surveyed to determine if the diagrams could provide information that would result in practice adjustment. Of 55 surgeons surveyed on the utility of the diagrams, 92% of respondents believed the diagrams were useful. The diagrams seemed intuitive to interpret, and making risk-adjusted comparisons accounted for patient differences in the evaluation.

A Flexure-Based Mechanism for Precision Adjustment of National Ignition Facility Target Shrouds in Three Rotational Degrees of Freedom

DOE PAGES

Boehm, K. -J.; Gibson, C. R.; Hollaway, J. R.; ...

2016-09-01

This study presents the design of a flexure-based mount allowing adjustment in three rotational degrees of freedom (DOFs) through high-precision set-screw actuators. The requirements of the application called for small but controlled angular adjustments for mounting a cantilevered beam. The proposed design is based on an array of parallel beams to provide sufficiently high stiffness in the translational directions while allowing angular adjustment through the actuators. A simplified physical model in combination with standard beam theory was applied to estimate the deflection profile and maximum stresses in the beams. A finite element model was built to calculate the stresses andmore » beam profiles for scenarios in which the flexure is simultaneously actuated in more than one DOF.« less

Alterations in audiovisual simultaneity perception in amblyopia

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Amblyopia is a developmental visual impairment that is increasingly recognized to affect higher-level perceptual and multisensory processes. To further investigate the audiovisual (AV) perceptual impairments associated with this condition, we characterized the temporal interval in which asynchronous auditory and visual stimuli are perceived as simultaneous 50% of the time (i.e., the AV simultaneity window). Adults with unilateral amblyopia (n = 17) and visually normal controls (n = 17) judged the simultaneity of a flash and a click presented with both eyes viewing. The signal onset asynchrony (SOA) varied from 0 ms to 450 ms for auditory-lead and visual-lead conditions. A subset of participants with amblyopia (n = 6) was tested monocularly. Compared to the control group, the auditory-lead side of the AV simultaneity window was widened by 48 ms (36%; p = 0.002), whereas that of the visual-lead side was widened by 86 ms (37%; p = 0.02). The overall mean window width was 500 ms, compared to 366 ms among controls (37% wider; p = 0.002). Among participants with amblyopia, the simultaneity window parameters were unchanged by viewing condition, but subgroup analysis revealed differential effects on the parameters by amblyopia severity, etiology, and foveal suppression status. Possible mechanisms to explain these findings include visual temporal uncertainty, interocular perceptual latency asymmetry, and disruption of normal developmental tuning of sensitivity to audiovisual asynchrony. PMID:28598996

Alterations in audiovisual simultaneity perception in amblyopia.

PubMed

Richards, Michael D; Goltz, Herbert C; Wong, Agnes M F

2017-01-01

Amblyopia is a developmental visual impairment that is increasingly recognized to affect higher-level perceptual and multisensory processes. To further investigate the audiovisual (AV) perceptual impairments associated with this condition, we characterized the temporal interval in which asynchronous auditory and visual stimuli are perceived as simultaneous 50% of the time (i.e., the AV simultaneity window). Adults with unilateral amblyopia (n = 17) and visually normal controls (n = 17) judged the simultaneity of a flash and a click presented with both eyes viewing. The signal onset asynchrony (SOA) varied from 0 ms to 450 ms for auditory-lead and visual-lead conditions. A subset of participants with amblyopia (n = 6) was tested monocularly. Compared to the control group, the auditory-lead side of the AV simultaneity window was widened by 48 ms (36%; p = 0.002), whereas that of the visual-lead side was widened by 86 ms (37%; p = 0.02). The overall mean window width was 500 ms, compared to 366 ms among controls (37% wider; p = 0.002). Among participants with amblyopia, the simultaneity window parameters were unchanged by viewing condition, but subgroup analysis revealed differential effects on the parameters by amblyopia severity, etiology, and foveal suppression status. Possible mechanisms to explain these findings include visual temporal uncertainty, interocular perceptual latency asymmetry, and disruption of normal developmental tuning of sensitivity to audiovisual asynchrony.

Long-term mortality in HIV-positive individuals virally suppressed for >3 years with incomplete CD4 recovery.

PubMed

Engsig, Frederik N; Zangerle, Robert; Katsarou, Olga; Dabis, Francois; Reiss, Peter; Gill, John; Porter, Kholoud; Sabin, Caroline; Riordan, Andrew; Fätkenheuer, Gerd; Gutiérrez, Félix; Raffi, Francois; Kirk, Ole; Mary-Krause, Murielle; Stephan, Christoph; de Olalla, Patricia Garcia; Guest, Jodie; Samji, Hasina; Castagna, Antonella; d'Arminio Monforte, Antonella; Skaletz-Rorowski, Adriane; Ramos, Jose; Lapadula, Giuseppe; Mussini, Cristina; Force, Lluís; Meyer, Laurence; Lampe, Fiona; Boufassa, Faroudy; Bucher, Heiner C; De Wit, Stéphane; Burkholder, Greer A; Teira, Ramon; Justice, Amy C; Sterling, Tim R; M Crane, Heidi; Gerstoft, Jan; Grarup, Jesper; May, Margaret; Chêne, Geneviève; Ingle, Suzanne M; Sterne, Jonathan; Obel, Niels

2014-05-01

Some human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) with low CD4 counts achieve viral suppression but not CD4 cell recovery. We aimed to identify (1) risk factors for failure to achieve CD4 count >200 cells/µL after 3 years of sustained viral suppression and (2) the association of the achieved CD4 count with subsequent mortality. We included treated HIV-infected adults from 2 large international HIV cohorts, who had viral suppression (≤500 HIV type 1 RNA copies/mL) for >3 years with CD4 count ≤200 cells/µL at start of the suppressed period. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for incomplete CD4 recovery (≤200 cells/µL) and Cox regression to identify associations with mortality. Of 5550 eligible individuals, 835 (15%) did not reach a CD4 count >200 cells/µL after 3 years of suppression. Increasing age, lower initial CD4 count, male heterosexual and injection drug use transmission, cART initiation after 1998, and longer time from initiation of cART to start of the virally suppressed period were risk factors for not achieving a CD4 count >200 cells/µL. Individuals with CD4 ≤200 cells/µL after 3 years of viral suppression had substantially increased mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.60; 95% confidence interval, 1.86-3.61) compared with those who achieved CD4 count >200 cells/µL. The increased mortality was seen across different patient groups and for all causes of death. Virally suppressed HIV-positive individuals on cART who do not achieve a CD4 count >200 cells/µL have substantially increased long-term mortality.

Stochastic Endogenous Replication Stress Causes ATR-Triggered Fluctuations in CDK2 Activity that Dynamically Adjust Global DNA Synthesis Rates.

PubMed

Daigh, Leighton H; Liu, Chad; Chung, Mingyu; Cimprich, Karlene A; Meyer, Tobias

2018-06-04

Faithful DNA replication is challenged by stalling of replication forks during S phase. Replication stress is further increased in cancer cells or in response to genotoxic insults. Using live single-cell image analysis, we found that CDK2 activity fluctuates throughout an unperturbed S phase. We show that CDK2 fluctuations result from transient ATR signals triggered by stochastic replication stress events. In turn, fluctuating endogenous CDK2 activity causes corresponding decreases and increases in DNA synthesis rates, linking changes in stochastic replication stress to fluctuating global DNA replication rates throughout S phase. Moreover, cells that re-enter the cell cycle after mitogen stimulation have increased CDK2 fluctuations and prolonged S phase resulting from increased replication stress-induced CDK2 suppression. Thus, our study reveals a dynamic control principle for DNA replication whereby CDK2 activity is suppressed and fluctuates throughout S phase to continually adjust global DNA synthesis rates in response to recurring stochastic replication stress events. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Model-Based Self-Tuning Multiscale Method for Combustion Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Dzu, K.; DeLaat, John C.; Chang, Clarence T.; Vrnak, Daniel R.

2006-01-01

A multi-scale representation of the combustor dynamics was used to create a self-tuning, scalable controller to suppress multiple instability modes in a liquid-fueled aero engine-derived combustor operating at engine-like conditions. Its self-tuning features designed to handle the uncertainties in the combustor dynamics and time-delays are essential for control performance and robustness. The controller was implemented to modulate a high-frequency fuel valve with feedback from dynamic pressure sensors. This scalable algorithm suppressed pressure oscillations of different instability modes by as much as 90 percent without the peak-splitting effect. The self-tuning logic guided the adjustment of controller parameters and converged quickly toward phase-lock for optimal suppression of the instabilities. The forced-response characteristics of the control model compare well with those of the test rig on both the frequency-domain and the time-domain.

Use of plasma metanephrine to aid adrenal venous sampling in combined aldosterone and cortisol over-secretion.

PubMed

Goupil, Rémi; Wolley, Martin; Ungerer, Jacobus; McWhinney, Brett; Mukai, Kuniaki; Naruse, Mitsuhide; Gordon, Richard D; Stowasser, Michael

2015-01-01

In patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) undergoing adrenal venous sampling (AVS), cortisol levels are measured to assess lateralization of aldosterone overproduction. Concomitant adrenal autonomous cortisol and aldosterone secretion therefore have the potential to confound AVS results. We describe a case where metanephrine was measured during AVS to successfully circumvent this problem. A 55-year-old hypertensive male had raised plasma aldosterone/renin ratios and PA confirmed by fludrocortisone suppression testing. Failure of plasma cortisol to suppress overnight following dexamethasone and persistently suppressed corticotrophin were consistent with adrenal hypercortisolism. On AVS, comparison of adrenal and peripheral A/F ratios (left 5.7 vs peripheral 1.0; right 1.7 vs peripheral 1.1) suggested bilateral aldosterone production, with the left gland dominant but without contralateral suppression. However, using aldosterone/metanephrine ratios (left 9.7 vs peripheral 2.4; right 1.3 vs peripheral 2.5), aldosterone production lateralized to the left with good contralateral suppression. The patient underwent left laparoscopic adrenalectomy with peri-operative glucocorticoid supplementation to prevent adrenal insufficiency. Pathological examination revealed adrenal cortical adenomas producing both cortisol and aldosterone within a background of aldosterone-producing cell clusters. Hypertension improved and cured of PA and hypercortisolism were confirmed by negative post-operative fludrocortisone suppression and overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression testing. Routine dexamethasone suppression testing in patients with PA permits detection of concurrent hypercortisolism which can confound AVS results and cause unilateral PA to be misdiagnosed as bilateral with patients thereby denied potentially curative surgical treatment. In such patients, measurement of plasma metanephrine during AVS may overcome this issue. Simultaneous autonomous overproduction of cortisol and aldosterone is increasingly recognised although still apparently uncommon.Because cortisol levels are used during AVS to correct for differences in dilution of adrenal with non-adrenal venous blood when assessing for lateralisation, unilateral cortisol overproduction with contralateral suppression could confound the interpretation of AVS resultsMeasuring plasma metanephrine during AVS to calculate lateralisation ratios may circumvent this problem.

Altered Balance of Receptive Field Excitation and Suppression in Visual Cortex of Amblyopic Macaque Monkeys

PubMed Central

Shooner, Christopher; Kelly, Jenna G.; García-Marín, Virginia; Movshon, J. Anthony; Kiorpes, Lynne

2017-01-01

In amblyopia, a visual disorder caused by abnormal visual experience during development, the amblyopic eye (AE) loses visual sensitivity whereas the fellow eye (FE) is largely unaffected. Binocular vision in amblyopes is often disrupted by interocular suppression. We used 96-electrode arrays to record neurons and neuronal groups in areas V1 and V2 of six female macaque monkeys (Macaca nemestrina) made amblyopic by artificial strabismus or anisometropia in early life, as well as two visually normal female controls. To measure suppressive binocular interactions directly, we recorded neuronal responses to dichoptic stimulation. We stimulated both eyes simultaneously with large sinusoidal gratings, controlling their contrast independently with raised-cosine modulators of different orientations and spatial frequencies. We modeled each eye's receptive field at each cortical site using a difference of Gaussian envelopes and derived estimates of the strength of central excitation and surround suppression. We used these estimates to calculate ocular dominance separately for excitation and suppression. Excitatory drive from the FE dominated amblyopic visual cortex, especially in more severe amblyopes, but suppression from both the FE and AEs was prevalent in all animals. This imbalance created strong interocular suppression in deep amblyopes: increasing contrast in the AE decreased responses at binocular cortical sites. These response patterns reveal mechanisms that likely contribute to the interocular suppression that disrupts vision in amblyopes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Amblyopia is a developmental visual disorder that alters both monocular vision and binocular interaction. Using microelectrode arrays, we examined binocular interaction in primary visual cortex and V2 of six amblyopic macaque monkeys (Macaca nemestrina) and two visually normal controls. By stimulating the eyes dichoptically, we showed that, in amblyopic cortex, the binocular combination of signals is altered. The excitatory influence of the two eyes is imbalanced to a degree that can be predicted from the severity of amblyopia, whereas suppression from both eyes is prevalent in all animals. This altered balance of excitation and suppression reflects mechanisms that may contribute to the interocular perceptual suppression that disrupts vision in amblyopes. PMID:28743725

Altered Balance of Receptive Field Excitation and Suppression in Visual Cortex of Amblyopic Macaque Monkeys.

PubMed

Hallum, Luke E; Shooner, Christopher; Kumbhani, Romesh D; Kelly, Jenna G; García-Marín, Virginia; Majaj, Najib J; Movshon, J Anthony; Kiorpes, Lynne

2017-08-23

In amblyopia, a visual disorder caused by abnormal visual experience during development, the amblyopic eye (AE) loses visual sensitivity whereas the fellow eye (FE) is largely unaffected. Binocular vision in amblyopes is often disrupted by interocular suppression. We used 96-electrode arrays to record neurons and neuronal groups in areas V1 and V2 of six female macaque monkeys ( Macaca nemestrina ) made amblyopic by artificial strabismus or anisometropia in early life, as well as two visually normal female controls. To measure suppressive binocular interactions directly, we recorded neuronal responses to dichoptic stimulation. We stimulated both eyes simultaneously with large sinusoidal gratings, controlling their contrast independently with raised-cosine modulators of different orientations and spatial frequencies. We modeled each eye's receptive field at each cortical site using a difference of Gaussian envelopes and derived estimates of the strength of central excitation and surround suppression. We used these estimates to calculate ocular dominance separately for excitation and suppression. Excitatory drive from the FE dominated amblyopic visual cortex, especially in more severe amblyopes, but suppression from both the FE and AEs was prevalent in all animals. This imbalance created strong interocular suppression in deep amblyopes: increasing contrast in the AE decreased responses at binocular cortical sites. These response patterns reveal mechanisms that likely contribute to the interocular suppression that disrupts vision in amblyopes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Amblyopia is a developmental visual disorder that alters both monocular vision and binocular interaction. Using microelectrode arrays, we examined binocular interaction in primary visual cortex and V2 of six amblyopic macaque monkeys ( Macaca nemestrina ) and two visually normal controls. By stimulating the eyes dichoptically, we showed that, in amblyopic cortex, the binocular combination of signals is altered. The excitatory influence of the two eyes is imbalanced to a degree that can be predicted from the severity of amblyopia, whereas suppression from both eyes is prevalent in all animals. This altered balance of excitation and suppression reflects mechanisms that may contribute to the interocular perceptual suppression that disrupts vision in amblyopes. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/378216-11$15.00/0.

Motion analysis of wheelchair propulsion movements in hemiplegic patients: effect of a wheelchair cushion on suppressing posterior pelvic tilt.

PubMed

Kawada, Kyohei; Matsuda, Tadamitsu; Takanashi, Akira; Miyazima, Shigeki; Yamamoto, Sumiko

2015-03-01

[Purpose] This study sought to ascertain whether, in hemiplegic patients, the effect of a wheelchair cushion to suppress pelvic posterior tilt when initiating wheelchair propulsion would continue in subsequent propulsions. [Subjects] Eighteen hemiplegic patients who were able to propel a wheelchair in a seated position participated in this study. [Methods] An adjustable wheelchair was fitted with a cushion that had an anchoring function, and a thigh pad on the propulsion side was removed. Propulsion movements from the seated position without moving through three propulsion cycles were measured using a three-dimensional motion analysis system, and electromyography was used to determine the angle of pelvic posterior tilt, muscle activity of the biceps femoris long head, and propulsion speed. [Results] Pelvic posterior tilt could be suppressed through the three propulsion cycles, which served to increase propulsion speed. Muscle activity of the biceps femoris long head was highest when initiating propulsion and decreased thereafter. [Conclusion] The effect of the wheelchair cushion on suppressing pelvic posterior tilt continued through three propulsion cycles.

Motion analysis of wheelchair propulsion movements in hemiplegic patients: effect of a wheelchair cushion on suppressing posterior pelvic tilt

PubMed Central

Kawada, Kyohei; Matsuda, Tadamitsu; Takanashi, Akira; Miyazima, Shigeki; Yamamoto, Sumiko

2015-01-01

[Purpose] This study sought to ascertain whether, in hemiplegic patients, the effect of a wheelchair cushion to suppress pelvic posterior tilt when initiating wheelchair propulsion would continue in subsequent propulsions. [Subjects] Eighteen hemiplegic patients who were able to propel a wheelchair in a seated position participated in this study. [Methods] An adjustable wheelchair was fitted with a cushion that had an anchoring function, and a thigh pad on the propulsion side was removed. Propulsion movements from the seated position without moving through three propulsion cycles were measured using a three-dimensional motion analysis system, and electromyography was used to determine the angle of pelvic posterior tilt, muscle activity of the biceps femoris long head, and propulsion speed. [Results] Pelvic posterior tilt could be suppressed through the three propulsion cycles, which served to increase propulsion speed. Muscle activity of the biceps femoris long head was highest when initiating propulsion and decreased thereafter. [Conclusion] The effect of the wheelchair cushion on suppressing pelvic posterior tilt continued through three propulsion cycles. PMID:25931688

A linear cavity multiwavelength fiber laser with adjustable lasing line number for fixed spectral regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, J. J.; Yao, Y.

2011-03-01

We report an experimental demonstration of muliwavelength erbium-doped fiber laser with adjustable wavelength number based on a power-symmetric nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM) in a linear cavity. The intensity-dependent loss (IDL) induced by the NOLM is used to suppress the mode competition and realize the stable multiwavelength oscillation. The controlling of the wavelength number is achieved by adjusting the strength of IDL, which is dependent on the pump power. As the pump power increases from 40 to 408 mW, 1-7 lasing line(s) at fixed wavelength around 1601 nm are obtained. The output power stability is also investigated. The most power fluctuation of single wavelength is less than 0.9 dB, when the wavelength number is increased from 1-7.

Tunable double-clad ytterbium-doped fiber laser based on a double-pass Mach-Zehnder interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Yichang; Zhang, Shumin; Wang, Xinzhan; Du, Juan; Li, Hongfei; Hao, Yanping; Li, Xingliang

2012-03-01

We have demonstrated an adjustable double-clad Yb 3+-doped fiber laser using a double-pass Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The laser is adjustable over a range of 40 nm from 1064 nm to 1104 nm. By adjusting the state of the polarization controller, which is placed in the double-pass Mach-Zehnder interferometer, we obtained central lasing wavelengths that can be accurately tuned with controllable spacing between different tunable wavelengths. The laser has a side mode suppression ratio of 42 dB, the 3 dB spectral width is less than 0.2 nm, and the slope efficiencies at 1068 nm, 1082 nm and 1098 nm are 23%, 32% and 26%, respectively. In addition, we have experimentally observed tunable multi-wavelengths lasing output.

The influence of psychosocial factors in veteran adjustment to civilian life.

PubMed

Bowes, Margaret A; Ferreira, Nuno; Henderson, Mike

2018-03-25

Although most veterans have a successful transition to civilian life when they leave the military, some struggle to cope and adjust to the demands and challenges of civilian life. This study explores how a variety of psychosocial factors influence veteran adjustment to civilian life in Scotland, UK, and which of these factors predict a poor adjustment. One hundred and fifty-four veterans across Scotland completed a set of questionnaires that measured veteran adjustment difficulty, quality of life, mental health, stigma, self-stigma, attitude towards help-seeking, likelihood of help-seeking, experiential avoidance, reappraisal and suppression. Veteran adjustment difficulty and quality of life were significantly correlated to a number of psychosocial factors. Mental health, experiential avoidance and cognitive reappraisal were found to be predictors of veteran adjustment difficulty, and experiential avoidance and cognitive reappraisal partially mediated the relationship between mental health and veteran adjustment, with experiential avoidance being the stronger mediator. Our findings suggest that early assessment of experiential avoidance and cognitive reappraisal and the provision of relevant emotion regulation skills training could potentially reduce the veteran's need for more complex (and costly) psychological interventions in the future. Implications for veterans, as well as the services and professionals involved with veteran transition and health care are discussed. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Method and apparatus for simultaneous spectroelectrochemical analysis

DOEpatents

Chatterjee, Sayandev; Bryan, Samuel A; Schroll, Cynthia A; Heineman, William R

2013-11-19

An apparatus and method of simultaneous spectroelectrochemical analysis is disclosed. A transparent surface is provided. An analyte solution on the transparent surface is contacted with a working electrode and at least one other electrode. Light from a light source is focused on either a surface of the working electrode or the analyte solution. The light reflected from either the surface of the working electrode or the analyte solution is detected. The potential of the working electrode is adjusted, and spectroscopic changes of the analyte solution that occur with changes in thermodynamic potentials are monitored.

The effect of speed-accuracy strategy on response interference control in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Wylie, S A; van den Wildenberg, W P M; Ridderinkhof, K R; Bashore, T R; Powell, V D; Manning, C A; Wooten, G F

2009-07-01

Studies that used conflict paradigms such as the Eriksen Flanker task show that many individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) have pronounced difficulty resolving the conflict that arises from the simultaneous activation of mutually exclusive responses. This finding fits well with contemporary views that postulate a key role for the basal ganglia in action selection. The present experiment aims to specify the cognitive processes that underlie action selection deficits among PD patients in the context of variations in speed-accuracy strategy. PD patients (n=28) and healthy controls (n=17) performed an arrow version of the flanker task under task instructions that either emphasized speed or accuracy of responses. Reaction time (RT) and accuracy rates decreased with speed compared to accuracy instructions, although to a lesser extent for the PD group. Differences in flanker interference effects among PD and healthy controls depended on speed-accuracy strategy. Compared to the healthy controls, PD patients showed larger flanker interference effects under speed stress. RT distribution analyses suggested that PD patients have greater difficulty suppressing incorrect response activation when pressing for speed. These initial findings point to an important interaction between strategic and computational aspects of interference control in accounting for cognitive impairments of PD. The results are also compatible with recent brain imaging studies that demonstrate basal ganglia activity to co-vary with speed-accuracy adjustments.

Generation of mechanical oscillation applicable to vibratory rate gyroscopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lemkin, Mark A. (Inventor); Juneau, Thor N. (Inventor); Clark, William A. (Inventor); Roessig, Allen W. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

To achieve a drive-axis oscillation with improved frequency and amplitude stability, additional feedback loops are used to adjust force-feedback loop parameters. An amplitude-control loop measures oscillation amplitude, compares this value to the desired level, and adjusts damping of the mechanical sense-element to grow or shrink oscillation amplitude as appropriate. A frequency-tuning loop measures the oscillation frequency, compares this value with a highly stable reference, and adjusts the gain in the force-feedback loop to keep the drive-axis oscillation frequency at the reference value. The combined topology simultaneously controls both amplitude and frequency. Advantages of the combined topology include improved stability, fast oscillation start-up, low power consumption, and excellent shock rejection.

Inverse modeling with RZWQM2 to predict water quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agricultural systems models such as RZWQM2 are complex and have numerous parameters that are unknown and difficult to estimate. Inverse modeling provides an objective statistical basis for calibration that involves simultaneous adjustment of model parameters and yields parameter confidence intervals...

Relationship adjustment, depression, and anxiety during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

PubMed

Whisman, Mark A; Davila, Joanne; Goodman, Sherryl H

2011-06-01

The associations between relationship adjustment and symptoms of depression and anxiety were evaluated in a sample of pregnant married or cohabiting women (N = 113) who were at risk for perinatal depression because of a prior history of major depression. Women completed self-report measures of relationship adjustment, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms monthly during pregnancy and for the first six months following the birth of their child. Multilevel modeling was used to examine concurrent and time-lagged within-subjects effects for relationship adjustment and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Results revealed that (a) relationship adjustment was associated with both depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms in concurrent analyses; (b) relationship adjustment was predictive of subsequent anxiety symptoms but not subsequent depressive symptoms in lagged analyses; and (c) depressive symptoms were predictive of subsequent relationship adjustment in lagged analyses with symptoms of depression and anxiety examined simultaneously. These results support the continued investigation into the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between relationship functioning and depressive and anxiety symptoms in women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. 2011 APA, all rights reserved

Processes for producing low cost, high efficiency silicon solar cells

DOEpatents

Rohatgi, Ajeet; Doshi, Parag; Tate, John Keith; Mejia, Jose; Chen, Zhizhang

1998-06-16

Processes which utilize rapid thermal processing (RTP) are provided for inexpensively producing high efficiency silicon solar cells. The RTP processes preserve minority carrier bulk lifetime .tau. and permit selective adjustment of the depth of the diffused regions, including emitter and back surface field (bsf), within the silicon substrate. In a first RTP process, an RTP step is utilized to simultaneously diffuse phosphorus and aluminum into the front and back surfaces, respectively, of a silicon substrate. Moreover, an in situ controlled cooling procedure preserves the carrier bulk lifetime .tau. and permits selective adjustment of the depth of the diffused regions. In a second RTP process, both simultaneous diffusion of the phosphorus and aluminum as well as annealing of the front and back contacts are accomplished during the RTP step. In a third RTP process, the RTP step accomplishes simultaneous diffusion of the phosphorus and aluminum, annealing of the contacts, and annealing of a double-layer antireflection/passivation coating SiN/SiO.sub.x. In a fourth RTP process, the process of applying front and back contacts is broken up into two separate respective steps, which enhances the efficiency of the cells, at a slight time expense. In a fifth RTP process, a second RTP step is utilized to fire and adhere the screen printed or evaporated contacts to the structure.

Suppression of surface microstructure evolution in W and W-Ta alloys during simultaneous and sequential He and D ion irradiation in fusion relevant conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonderman, S.; Tripathi, J. K.; Sizyuk, T.; Hassanein, A.

2017-08-01

Tungsten (W) has been selected as the divertor material in ITER based on its promising thermal and mechanical properties. Despite these advantages, continued investigation has revealed W to undergo extreme surface morphology evolution in response to relevant fusion operating conditions. These complications spur the need for further exploration of W and other innovative plasma facing components (PFCs) for future fusion devices. Recent literature has shown that alloying of W with other refractory metals, such as tantalum (Ta), results in the enhancement of key PFC properties including, but not limited to, ductility, hydrogen isotope retention, and helium ion (He+) radiation tolerance. In the present study, pure W and W-Ta alloys are exposed to simultaneous and sequential low energy, He+ and deuterium (D+) ion beam irradiations at high (1223 K) and low (523 K) temperatures. The goal of this study is to cultivate a complete understanding of the synergistic effects induced by dual and sequential ion irradiation on W and W-Ta alloy surface morphology evolution. For the dual ion beam experiments, W and W-Ta samples were subjected to four different He+: D+ ion ratios (100% He+, 60% D+  +  40% He+, 90% D+  +  10% He+ and 100% D+) having a total constant He+ fluence of 6  ×  1024 ion m-2. The W and W-Ta samples both exhibit the expected damaged surfaces under the 100% He+ irradiation, but as the ratio of D+/He+ ions increases there is a clear suppression of the surface morphology at high temperatures. This observation is supported by the sequential experiments, which show a similar suppression of surface morphology when W and W-Ta samples are first exposed to low energy He+ irradiation and then exposed to subsequent low energy D+ irradiation at high temperatures. Interestingly, this morphology suppression is not observed at low temperatures, implying there is a D-W interaction mechanism which is dependent on temperature that is driving the suppression of the microstructure evolution in both the pure W and W-Ta alloys. Minor irradiation tolerance enhancement in the performance of the W-Ta samples is also observed.

Parietal EEG alpha suppression time of memory retrieval reflects memory load while the alpha power of memory maintenance is a composite of the visual process according to simultaneous and successive Sternberg memory tasks.

PubMed

Okuhata, Shiho; Kusanagi, Takuya; Kobayashi, Tetsuo

2013-10-25

The present study investigated EEG alpha activity during visual Sternberg memory tasks using two different stimulus presentation modes to elucidate how the presentation mode affected parietal alpha activity. EEGs were recorded from 10 healthy adults during the Sternberg tasks in which memory items were presented simultaneously and successively. EEG power and suppression time (ST) in the alpha band (8-13Hz) were computed for the memory maintenance and retrieval phases. The alpha activity differed according to the presentation mode during the maintenance phase but not during the retrieval phase. Results indicated that parietal alpha power recorded during the maintenance phase did not reflect the memory load alone. In contrast, ST during the retrieval phase increased with the memory load for both presentation modes, indicating a serial memory scanning process, regardless of the presentation mode. These results indicate that there was a dynamic transition in the memory process from the maintenance phase, which was sensitive to external factors, toward the retrieval phase, during which the process converged on the sequential scanning process, the Sternberg task essentially required. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies on Synthesis of Electrochemically Exfoliated Functionalized Graphene and Polylactic Acid/Ferric Phytate Functionalized Graphene Nanocomposites as New Fire Hazard Suppression Materials.

PubMed

Feng, Xiaming; Wang, Xin; Cai, Wei; Qiu, Shuilai; Hu, Yuan; Liew, Kim Meow

2016-09-28

Practical application of functionalized graphene in polymeric nanocomposites is hampered by the lack of cost-effective and eco-friendly methods for its production. Here, we reported a facile and green electrochemical approach for preparing ferric phytate functionalized graphene (f-GNS) by simultaneously utilizing biobased phytic acid as electrolyte and modifier for the first time. Due to the presence of phytic acid, electrochemical exfoliation leads to low oxidized graphene sheets (a C/O ratio of 14.8) that are tens of micrometers large. Successful functionalization of graphene was confirmed by the appearance of phosphorus and iron peaks in the X-ray photoelectron spectrum. Further, high-performance polylactic acid/f-GNS nanocomposites are readily fabricated by a convenient masterbatch strategy. Notably, inclusion of well-dispersed f-GNS resulted in dramatic suppression on fire hazards of polylactic acid in terms of reduced peak heat-release rate (decreased by 40%), low CO yield, and formation of a high graphitized protective char layer. Moreover, obviously improvements in crystallization rate and thermal conductivities of polylactic acid nanocomposites were observed, highlighting its promising potential in practical application. This novel strategy toward the simultaneous exfoliation and functionalization for graphene demonstrates a simple yet very effective approach for fabricating graphene-based flame retardants.

Chlamydia psittaci infection increases mortality of avian influenza virus H9N2 by suppressing host immune response.

PubMed

Chu, Jun; Zhang, Qiang; Zhang, Tianyuan; Han, Er; Zhao, Peng; Khan, Ahrar; He, Cheng; Wu, Yongzheng

2016-07-11

Avian influenza virus subtype H9N2 (H9N2) and Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) are frequently isolated in chickens with respiratory disease. However, their roles in co-infection remain unclear. We tested the hypothesis that C. psittaci enhances H9N2 infection through suppression of host immunity. Thus, 10-day-old SPF chickens were inoculated intra-tracheally with a high or low virulence C. psittaci strain, and were simultaneously vaccinated against Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Significant decreases in body weight, NDV antibodies and immune organ indices occurred in birds with the virulent C. psittaci infection, while the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T cells increased significantly compared to that of the lower virulence strain. A second group of birds were inoculated with C. psittaci and H9N2 simultaneously (C. psittaci+H9N2), C. psittaci 3 days prior to H9N2 (C. psittaci/H9N2), or 3 days after H9N2 (H9N2/C. psittaci), C. psittaci or H9N2 alone. Survival rates were 65%, 80% and 90% in the C. psittaci/H9N2, C. psittaci+H9N2 and H9N2/C. psittaci groups, respectively and respiratory clinical signs, lower expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and higher pathogen loads were found in both C. psittaci/H9N2 and C. psittaci+H9N2 groups. Hence, virulent C. psittaci infection suppresses immune response by inhibiting humoral responses and altering Th1/Th2 balance, increasing mortality in H9N2 infected birds.

Chlamydia psittaci infection increases mortality of avian influenza virus H9N2 by suppressing host immune response

PubMed Central

Chu, Jun; Zhang, Qiang; Zhang, Tianyuan; Han, Er; Zhao, Peng; Khan, Ahrar; He, Cheng; Wu, Yongzheng

2016-01-01

Avian influenza virus subtype H9N2 (H9N2) and Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) are frequently isolated in chickens with respiratory disease. However, their roles in co-infection remain unclear. We tested the hypothesis that C. psittaci enhances H9N2 infection through suppression of host immunity. Thus, 10-day-old SPF chickens were inoculated intra-tracheally with a high or low virulence C. psittaci strain, and were simultaneously vaccinated against Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Significant decreases in body weight, NDV antibodies and immune organ indices occurred in birds with the virulent C. psittaci infection, while the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T cells increased significantly compared to that of the lower virulence strain. A second group of birds were inoculated with C. psittaci and H9N2 simultaneously (C. psittaci+H9N2), C. psittaci 3 days prior to H9N2 (C. psittaci/H9N2), or 3 days after H9N2 (H9N2/C. psittaci), C. psittaci or H9N2 alone. Survival rates were 65%, 80% and 90% in the C. psittaci/H9N2, C. psittaci+H9N2 and H9N2/C. psittaci groups, respectively and respiratory clinical signs, lower expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and higher pathogen loads were found in both C. psittaci/H9N2 and C. psittaci+H9N2 groups. Hence, virulent C. psittaci infection suppresses immune response by inhibiting humoral responses and altering Th1/Th2 balance, increasing mortality in H9N2 infected birds. PMID:27405059

How do outcomes compare between women and men living with HIV in Australia? An observational study.

PubMed

Giles, Michelle L; Zapata, Marin C; Wright, Stephen T; Petoumenos, Kathy; Grotowski, Miriam; Broom, Jennifer; Law, Matthew G; O'Connor, Catherine C

2016-04-01

Background Gender differences vary across geographical settings and are poorly reported in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate demographics and clinical characteristics of participants from the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD), and to explore any differences between females and males in the rate of new clinical outcomes, as well as initial immunological and virological response to antiretroviral therapy. Time to a new clinical end-point, all-cause mortality and/or AIDS illness was analysed using standard survival methods. Univariate and covariate adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the time to plasma viral load suppression in all patients that initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) and time to switching from a first-line ART to a second-line ART regimen. There was no significant difference between females and males for the hazard of all-cause mortality [adjusted hazard ratio: 0.98 (0.51, 1.55), P=0.67], new AIDS illness [adjusted hazard ratio: 0.75 (0.38, 1.48), P=0.41] or a composite end-point [adjusted hazard ratio: 0.74 (0.45, 1.21), P=0.23]. Incident rates of all-cause mortality were similar between females and males; 1.14 (0.61, 1.95) vs 1.28 (1.12, 1.45) per 100 person years. Virological response to ART was similar for females and males when measured as time to viral suppression and/or time to virological failure. This study supports current Australian HIV clinical care as providing equivalent standards of care for male and female HIV-positive patients. Future studies should compare ART-associated toxicity differences between ART-associated toxicity differences between men and women living with HIV in Australia.

How do outcomes compare between women and men living with HIV in Australia? An observational study

PubMed Central

Giles, Michelle L.; Zapata, Marin C.; Wright, Stephen T.; Petoumenos, Kathy; Grotowski, Miriam; Broom, Jennifer; Law, Matthew G.; O’Connor, Catherine C.

2018-01-01

Background Gender differences vary across geographical settings and are poorly reported in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate demographics and clinical characteristics of participants from the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD), and to explore any differences between females and males in the rate of new clinical outcomes, as well as initial immunological and virological response to antiretroviral therapy. Methods Time to a new clinical end-point, all-cause mortality and/or AIDS illness was analysed using standard survival methods. Univariate and covariate adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the time to plasma viral load suppression in all patients that initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) and time to switching from a first-line ART to a second-line ART regimen. Results There was no significant difference between females and males for the hazard of all-cause mortality [adjusted hazard ratio: 0.98 (0.51, 1.55), P = 0.67], new AIDS illness [adjusted hazard ratio: 0.75 (0.38, 1.48), P = 0.41] or a composite end-point [adjusted hazard ratio: 0.74 (0.45, 1.21), P = 0.23]. Incident rates of all-cause mortality were similar between females and males; 1.14 (0.61, 1.95) vs 1.28 (1.12, 1.45) per 100 person years. Virological response to ART was similar for females and males when measured as time to viral suppression and/or time to virological failure. Conclusion This study supports current Australian HIV clinical care as providing equivalent standards of care for male and female HIV-positive patients. Future studies should compare ART-associated toxicity differences between ART-associated toxicity differences between men and women living with HIV in Australia. PMID:26827052

Interindividual Responses of Appetite to Acute Exercise: A Replicated Crossover Study.

PubMed

Goltz, Fernanda R; Thackray, Alice E; King, James A; Dorling, James L; Atkinson, Greg; Stensel, David J

2018-04-01

Acute exercise transiently suppresses appetite, which coincides with alterations in appetite-regulatory hormone concentrations. Individual variability in these responses is suspected, but replicated trials are needed to quantify them robustly. We examined the reproducibility of appetite and appetite-regulatory hormone responses to acute exercise and quantified the individual differences in responses. Fifteen healthy, recreationally active men completed two control (60-min resting) and two exercise (60-min fasted treadmill running at 70% peak oxygen uptake) conditions in randomized sequences. Perceived appetite and circulating concentrations of acylated ghrelin and total peptide YY (PYY) were measured immediately before and after the interventions. Interindividual differences were explored by correlating the two sets of response differences between exercise and control conditions. Within-participant covariate-adjusted linear mixed models were used to quantify participant-condition interactions. Compared with control, exercise suppressed mean acylated ghrelin concentrations and appetite perceptions (all ES = 0.62-1.47, P < 0.001) and elevated total PYY concentrations (ES = 1.49, P < 0.001). For all variables, the standard deviation of the change scores was substantially greater in the exercise versus control conditions. Moderate-to-large positive correlations were observed between the two sets of control-adjusted exercise responses for all variables (r = 0.54-0.82, P ≤ 0.036). After adjusting for baseline measurements, participant-condition interactions were present for all variables (P ≤ 0.053). Our replicated crossover study allowed, for the first time, the interaction between participant and acute exercise response in appetite parameters to be quantified. Even after adjustment for individual baseline measurements, participants demonstrated individual differences in perceived appetite and hormone responses to acute exercise bouts beyond any random within-subject variability over time.

Simultaneous determination of inorganic anions and cations in explosive residues by ion chromatography.

PubMed

Meng, Hong-Bo; Wang, Tian-Ran; Guo, Bao-Yuan; Hashi, Yuki; Guo, Can-Xiong; Lin, Jin-Ming

2008-07-15

A non-suppressed ion chromatographic method by connecting anion-exchange and cation-exchange columns directly was developed for the separation and determination of five inorganic anions (sulfate, nitrate, chloride, nitrite, and chlorate) and three cations (sodium, ammonium, and potassium) simultaneously in explosive residues. The mobile phase was composed of 3.5mM phthalic acid with 2% acetonitrile and water at flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. Under the optimal conditions, the eight inorganic ions were completely separated and detected simultaneously within 16 min. The limits of detection (S/N=3) of the anions and cations were in the range of 50-100 microg/L and 150-320 microg/L, respectively, the linear correlation coefficients were 0.9941-0.9996, and the R.S.D. of retention time and peak area were 0.10-0.29% and 5.65-8.12%, respectively. The method was applied successfully to the analysis of the explosive samples with satisfactory results.

A clinical economics workstation for risk-adjusted health care cost management.

PubMed Central

Eisenstein, E. L.; Hales, J. W.

1995-01-01

This paper describes a healthcare cost accounting system which is under development at Duke University Medical Center. Our approach differs from current practice in that this system will dynamically adjust its resource usage estimates to compensate for variations in patient risk levels. This adjustment is made possible by introducing a new cost accounting concept, Risk-Adjusted Quantity (RQ). RQ divides case-level resource usage variances into their risk-based component (resource consumption differences attributable to differences in patient risk levels) and their non-risk-based component (resource consumption differences which cannot be attributed to differences in patient risk levels). Because patient risk level is a factor in estimating resource usage, this system is able to simultaneously address the financial and quality dimensions of case cost management. In effect, cost-effectiveness analysis is incorporated into health care cost management. PMID:8563361

Turnabout Is Fair Play: Herbivory-Induced Plant Chitinases Excreted in Fall Armyworm Frass Suppress Herbivore Defenses in Maize1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Alves, Patrick C.M.S.; Gaffoor, Iffa; Acevedo, Flor E.; Peiffer, Michelle; Jin, Shan; Han, Yang; Shakeel, Samina; Felton, Gary W.

2016-01-01

The perception of herbivory by plants is known to be triggered by the deposition of insect-derived factors such as saliva and oral secretions, oviposition materials, and even feces. Such insect-derived materials harbor chemical cues that may elicit herbivore and/or pathogen-induced defenses in plants. Several insect-derived molecules that trigger herbivore-induced defenses in plants are known; however, insect-derived molecules suppressing them are largely unknown. In this study, we identified two plant chitinases from fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) larval frass that suppress herbivore defenses while simultaneously inducing pathogen defenses in maize (Zea mays). Fall armyworm larvae feed in enclosed whorls of maize plants, where frass accumulates over extended periods of time in close proximity to damaged leaf tissue. Our study shows that maize chitinases, Pr4 and Endochitinase A, are induced during herbivory and subsequently deposited on the host with the feces. These plant chitinases mediate the suppression of herbivore-induced defenses, thereby increasing the performance of the insect on the host. Pr4 and Endochitinase A also trigger the antagonistic pathogen defense pathway in maize and suppress fungal pathogen growth on maize leaves. Frass-induced suppression of herbivore defenses by deposition of the plant-derived chitinases Pr4 and Endochitinase A is a unique way an insect can co-opt the plant’s defense proteins for its own benefit. It is also a phenomenon unlike the induction of herbivore defenses by insect oral secretions in most host-herbivore systems. PMID:26979328

Leveling the playing field: attention mitigates the effects of intelligence on memory.

PubMed

Markant, Julie; Amso, Dima

2014-05-01

Effective attention and memory skills are fundamental to typical development and essential for achievement during the formal education years. It is critical to identify the specific mechanisms linking efficiency of attentional selection of an item and the quality of its memory retention. The present study capitalized on the spatial cueing paradigm to examine the role of selection via suppression in modulating children and adolescents' memory encoding. By varying a single parameter, the spatial cueing task can elicit either a simple orienting mechanism (i.e., facilitation) or one that involves both target selection and simultaneous suppression of competing information (i.e., IOR). We modified this paradigm to include images of common items in target locations. Participants were not instructed to learn the items and were not told they would be completing a memory test later. Following the cueing task, we imposed a 7-min delay and then asked participants to complete a recognition memory test. Results indicated that selection via suppression promoted recognition memory among 7-17year-olds. Moreover, individual differences in the extent of suppression during encoding predicted recognition memory accuracy. When basic cueing facilitated orienting to target items during encoding, IQ was the best predictor of recognition memory performance for the attended items. In contrast, engaging suppression (i.e., IOR) during encoding counteracted individual differences in intelligence, effectively improving recognition memory performance among children with lower IQs. This work demonstrates that engaging selection via suppression during learning and encoding improves memory retention and has broad implications for developing effective educational techniques. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Leveling the playing field: Attention mitigates the effects of intelligence on memory

PubMed Central

Markant, Julie; Amso, Dima

2014-01-01

Effective attention and memory skills are fundamental to typical development and essential for achievement during the formal education years. It is critical to identify the specific mechanisms linking efficiency of attentional selection of an item and the quality of its memory retention. The present study capitalized on the spatial cueing paradigm to examine the role of selection via suppression in modulating children and adolescents’ memory encoding. By varying a single parameter, the spatial cueing task can elicit either a simple orienting mechanism (i.e., facilitation) or one that involves both target selection and simultaneous suppression of competing information (i.e., IOR). We modified this paradigm to include images of common items in target locations. Participants were not instructed to learn the items and were not told they would be completing a memory test later. Following the cueing task, we imposed a seven-minute delay and then asked participants to complete a recognition memory test. Results indicated that selection via suppression promoted recognition memory among 7-17 year-olds. Moreover, individual differences in the extent of suppression during encoding predicted recognition memory accuracy. When basic cueing facilitated orienting to target items during encoding, IQ was the best predictor of recognition memory performance for the attended items. In contrast, engaging suppression (i.e, IOR) during encoding counteracted individual differences in intelligence, effectively improving recognition memory performance among children with lower IQs. This work demonstrates that engaging selection via suppression during learning and encoding improves memory retention and has broad implications for developing effective educational techniques. PMID:24549142

Substance abuse, violence, and HIV/AIDS (SAVA) syndemic effects on viral suppression among HIV positive women of color.

PubMed

Sullivan, Kristen A; Messer, Lynne C; Quinlivan, E Byrd

2015-01-01

The combined epidemics of substance abuse, violence, and HIV/AIDS, known as the SAVA syndemic, contribute to the disproportionate burden of disease among people of color in the US. To examine the association between HIV viral load suppression and SAVA syndemic variables, we used baseline data from 563 HIV+ women of color treated at nine HIV medical and ancillary care sites participating in HRSA's Special Project of National Significance Women of Color (WOC) Initiative. Just under half the women (n=260) were virally suppressed. Five psychosocial factors contributing to the SAVA syndemic were examined in this study: substance abuse, binge drinking, intimate partner violence, poor mental health, and sexual risk taking. Associations among the psychosocial factors were assessed and clustering confirmed. A SAVA score was created by summing the dichotomous (present/absent) psychosocial measures. Using generalized estimating equation (GEE) models to account for site-level clustering and individual-covariates, a higher SAVA score (0 to 5) was associated with reduced viral suppression; OR (adjusted)=0.81, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.99. The syndemic approach represents a viable framework for understanding viral suppression among HIV positive WOC, and suggests the need for comprehensive interventions that address the social/environmental contexts of patients' lives.

Nicotinamide Cofactors Suppress Active-Site Labeling of Aldehyde Dehydrogenases.

PubMed

Stiti, Naim; Chandrasekar, Balakumaran; Strubl, Laura; Mohammed, Shabaz; Bartels, Dorothea; van der Hoorn, Renier A L

2016-06-17

Active site labeling by (re)activity-based probes is a powerful chemical proteomic tool to globally map active sites in native proteomes without using substrates. Active site labeling is usually taken as a readout for the active state of the enzyme because labeling reflects the availability and reactivity of active sites, which are hallmarks for enzyme activities. Here, we show that this relationship holds tightly, but we also reveal an important exception to this rule. Labeling of Arabidopsis ALDH3H1 with a chloroacetamide probe occurs at the catalytic Cys, and labeling is suppressed upon nitrosylation and oxidation, and upon treatment with other Cys modifiers. These experiments display a consistent and strong correlation between active site labeling and enzymatic activity. Surprisingly, however, labeling is suppressed by the cofactor NAD(+), and this property is shared with other members of the ALDH superfamily and also detected for unrelated GAPDH enzymes with an unrelated hydantoin-based probe in crude extracts of plant cell cultures. Suppression requires cofactor binding to its binding pocket. Labeling is also suppressed by ALDH modulators that bind at the substrate entrance tunnel, confirming that labeling occurs through the substrate-binding cavity. Our data indicate that cofactor binding adjusts the catalytic Cys into a conformation that reduces the reactivity toward chloroacetamide probes.

New Transverse Bunch-by-Bunch Feedback System at TLS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, K. H.; Kuo, C. H.; Hsu, S. Y.

2007-01-19

An FPGA based transverse bunch-by-bunch feedback system was implemented and commissioned to replace the existing analog transverse feedback system in order to suppress more effectively multi-bunch instabilities caused by the resistive wall of the vacuum chamber, cavity-like structures and ions related instability. This system replaces existing analog transverse feedback system to enlarge the tunability of the working point. Lower chromaticity is possible with feedback system that is very helpful for injection efficiency improvement. Top-up and high current operation is benefit for this upgrade. One feedback loop suppresses horizontal and vertical multi-bunch instabilities simultaneously. The clean and simple structure makes themore » system simple and reliable. This study also presents the preliminary result of commissioning the new transverse feedback system.« less

Optimization of Smart Structure for Improving Servo Performance of Hard Disk Drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kajiwara, Itsuro; Takahashi, Masafumi; Arisaka, Toshihiro

Head positioning accuracy of the hard disk drive should be improved to meet today's increasing performance demands. Vibration suppression of the arm in the hard disk drive is very important to enhance the servo bandwidth of the head positioning system. In this study, smart structure technology is introduced into the hard disk drive to suppress the vibration of the head actuator. It has been expected that the smart structure technology will contribute to the development of small and light-weight mechatronics devices with the required performance. First, modeling of the system is conducted with finite element method and modal analysis. Next, the actuator location and the control system are simultaneously optimized using genetic algorithm. Vibration control effect with the proposed vibration control mechanisms has been evaluated by some simulations.

Radiofrequency antenna for suppression of parasitic discharges in a helicon plasma thruster experiment.

PubMed

Takahashi, Kazunori

2012-08-01

A radiofrequency (rf) antenna for helicon plasma thruster experiments is developed and tested using a permanent magnets helicon plasma source immersed in a vacuum chamber. A magnetic nozzle is provided by permanent magnets arrays and an argon plasma is produced by a 13.56 MHz radiofrequency helicon-wave or inductively-coupled discharge. A parasitic discharge outside the source tube is successfully suppressed by covering the rf antenna with a ceramic ring and a grounded shield; a decrease in the ion saturation current of a Langmuir probe located outside the source tube is observed and the ion saturation current on axis increases simultaneously, compared with the case of a standard uncovered rf antenna. It is also demonstrated that the covered antenna can yield stable operation of the source.

HIV testing and the care continuum among transgender women: population estimates from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

PubMed Central

Jalil, Emilia M.; Wilson, Erin C.; Luz, Paula M.; Velasque, Luciane; Moreira, Ronaldo I.; Castro, Cristiane V.; Monteiro, Laylla; Garcia, Ana Cristina F.; Cardoso, Sandra W.; Coelho, Lara E.; McFarland, Willi; Liu, Albert Y.; Veloso, Valdilea G.; Buchbinder, Susan; Grinsztejn, Beatriz

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Evidence suggests that, of all affected populations, transgender women (transwomen) may have the heaviest HIV burden worldwide. Little is known about HIV linkage and care outcomes for transwomen. We aimed to estimate population-level indicators of the HIV cascade of care continuum, and to evaluate factors associated with viral suppression among transwomen in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methods: We conducted a respondent-driven sampling (RDS) study of transwomen from August 2015 to January 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and collected data on linkage and access to care, antiretroviral treatment and performed HIV viral load testing. We derived population-based estimates of cascade indicators using sampling weights and conducted RDS-weighted logistic regression analyses to evaluate correlates of viral suppression (viral load ≤50 copies/mL). Results: Of the 345 transwomen included in the study, 89.2% (95% CI 55–100%) had been previously tested for HIV, 77.5% (95% CI 48.7–100%) had been previously diagnosed with HIV, 67.2% (95% CI 39.2–95.2) reported linkage to care, 62.2% (95% CI 35.4–88.9) were currently on ART and 35.4% (95% CI 9.5–61.4%) had an undetectable viral load. The final adjusted RDS-weighted logistic regression model for viral suppression indicated that those who self-identified as black (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.06, 95% CI 0.01–0.53, p < 0.01), reported earning ≤U$160/month (aOR 0.11, 95% CI 0.16–0.87, p = 0.04) or reported unstable housing (aOR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01–0.43, p < 0.01) had significantly lower odds of viral suppression. Conclusions: Our cascade indicators for transwomen showed modest ART use and low viral suppression rates. Multi-level efforts including gender affirming care provision are urgently needed to decrease disparities in HIV clinical outcomes among transwomen and reduce secondary HIV transmission to their partners. PMID:28953323

Effortful Control in "Hot" and "Cool" Tasks Differentially Predicts Children's Behavior Problems and Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Sanghag; Nordling, Jamie Koenig; Yoon, Jeung Eun; Boldt, Lea J.; Kochanska, Grazyna

2013-01-01

Effortful control (EC), the capacity to deliberately suppress a dominant response and perform a subdominant response, rapidly developing in toddler and preschool age, has been shown to be a robust predictor of children's adjustment. Not settled, however, is whether a view of EC as a heterogeneous rather than unidimensional construct may offer…

A Multiple-range Self-balancing Thermocouple Potentiometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warshawsky, I; Estrin, M

1951-01-01

A multiple-range potentiometer circuit is described that provides automatic measurement of temperatures or temperature differences with any one of several thermocouple-material pairs. Techniques of automatic reference junction compensation, span adjustment, and zero suppression are described that permit rapid selection of range and wire material, without the necessity for restandardization, by setting of two external tap switches.

Econometrics and Psychometrics: A Survey of Communalities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberger, Arthur S.

1971-01-01

Several themes which are common to both econometrics and psychometrics are surveyed. The themes are illustrated by reference to permanent income hypotheses, simultaneous equation models, adaptive expectations and partial adjustment schemes, and by reference to test score theory, factor analysis, and time-series models. (Author)

Multiple Adaptation Types with Mitigation: A Framework for Policy Analysis

EPA Science Inventory

Effective climate policy will consist of mitigation and adaptation implemented simultaneously in a policy portfolio to reduce the risks of climate change. The relative share of these responses will vary over time and will be adjusted in response to new information. Furthermore,...

Radiometer calibration procedure and beacon attenuation estimation reference level

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crane, Robert K.

1994-01-01

The primary objectives are to compare radiometer attenuation with beacon attenuation and to compare sky temperature estimates with calculations using simultaneous meteorological data. Secondary objectives are: (1) noise diode and reference load measurements and (2) to adjust for outside temperature and component temperature changes.

Planting structure adjustment and food security in major food production district: A case study on 10 main food production counties in Gansu Province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, S. J.; Yang, C. L.; Zhou, L. Y.

2017-07-01

This paper made an empirical study on planting structure adjustment and food security, in which main data and information came from the questionnaires of 10 main food-production counties in Gansu Province, China. The investigation results showed that: 1) During 1995 and 2014, the cultivated land area per household dropped by 2.40%, in which food crop area declined by 3.16%, yet cash crop area increased by 129% in the survey area. In the same period, the revenue per household increased by 162.99%, while food income from the revenue only increased by 17.42%; 2) In Hexi and Longzhong districts, mean wheat crop area per household shows a downtrend, while cash crop area increased significantly in the past 20 years. Especially, the household food output and income did not appear a simultaneous increase trend. In Longdong district, the household food output and income showed a simultaneous uptrend, and household income came mainly from miscellaneous grain (e.g. sorghum, bean, buckwheat, etc.); 3) In order to pursue higher economic efficiency of cultivated land, the farmers were forced to adjust planting structure and develop characteristics industries, profitable agriculture and cash crop with comparative advantage, which resulted in few food stock and impacted seriously on regional food security.

A risk-adjusted O-E CUSUM with monitoring bands for monitoring medical outcomes.

PubMed

Sun, Rena Jie; Kalbfleisch, John D

2013-03-01

In order to monitor a medical center's survival outcomes using simple plots, we introduce a risk-adjusted Observed-Expected (O-E) Cumulative SUM (CUSUM) along with monitoring bands as decision criterion.The proposed monitoring bands can be used in place of a more traditional but complicated V-shaped mask or the simultaneous use of two one-sided CUSUMs. The resulting plot is designed to simultaneously monitor for failure time outcomes that are "worse than expected" or "better than expected." The slopes of the O-E CUSUM provide direct estimates of the relative risk (as compared to a standard or expected failure rate) for the data being monitored. Appropriate rejection regions are obtained by controlling the false alarm rate (type I error) over a period of given length. Simulation studies are conducted to illustrate the performance of the proposed method. A case study is carried out for 58 liver transplant centers. The use of CUSUM methods for quality improvement is stressed. Copyright © 2013, The International Biometric Society.

Age, class and race discrimination: their interactions and associations with mental health among Brazilian university students.

PubMed

Bastos, João Luiz; Barros, Aluisio J D; Celeste, Roger Keller; Paradies, Yin; Faerstein, Eduardo

2014-01-01

Although research on discrimination and health has progressed significantly, it has tended to focus on racial discrimination and US populations. This study explored different types of discrimination, their interactions and associations with common mental disorders among Brazilian university students, in Rio de Janeiro in 2010. Associations between discrimination and common mental disorders were examined using multiple logistic regression models, adjusted for confounders. Interactions between discrimination and socio-demographics were tested. Discrimination attributed to age, class and skin color/race were the most frequently reported. In a fully adjusted model, discrimination attributed to skin color/race and class were both independently associated with increased odds of common mental disorders. The simultaneous reporting of skin color/race, class and age discrimination was associated with the highest odds ratio. No significant interactions were found. Skin color/race and class discrimination were important, but their simultaneous reporting, in conjunction with age discrimination, were associated with the highest occurrence of common mental disorders.

Rates of Initial Virological Suppression and Subsequent Virological Failure After Initiating Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: The Impact of Aboriginal Ethnicity and Injection Drug Use

PubMed Central

Martin, L.J.; Houston, S.; Yasui, Y.; Wild, T.C.; Saunders, L.D.

2010-01-01

Objectives: To compare rates of initial virological suppression and subsequent virological failure by Aboriginal ethnicity after starting highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of antiretroviral-naïve HIV-patients starting HAART in January 1999-June 2005 (baseline), followed until December 31, 2005 in Alberta, Canada. We compared the odds of achieving initial virological suppression (viral load <500 copies/mL) by Aboriginal ethnicity using logistic regression and, among those achieving suppression, rates of virological failure (the first of two consecutive viral loads > 1000 copies/mL) by Aboriginal ethnicity using cumulative incidence curves and Cox proportional hazards models. Sex, injection drug use as an HIV exposure category (IDU), baseline age, CD4 cell count, viral load, calendar year, and HAART regimen were considered as potential confounders. Results: Of 461 study patients, 37% were Aboriginal and 48% were IDUs; 71% achieved initial virological suppression and were followed for 730.4 person-years. After adjusting for confounding variables, compared to non-Aboriginals with other exposures, the odds of achieving initial virological suppression were lower for Aboriginal IDUs (odds ratio (OR)=0.33, 95% CI=0.19-0.60, p=0.0002), non-Aboriginal IDUs (OR=0.30, 95% CI=0.15-0.60, p=0.0006), and Aboriginals with other exposures (OR=0.38, 95% CI=0.21-0.67, p=0.0009). Among those achieving suppression, Aboriginals experienced higher virological failure rates ≥1 year after suppression (hazard ratio=3.35, 95% CI=1.68-6.65, p=0.0006). Conclusions: Future research should investigate adherence among Aboriginals and IDUs treated with HAART and explore their treatment experiences to assess ways to improve outcomes. PMID:21187007

Acid-suppressive Medication Use and the Risk for Nosocomial Gastrointestinal Bleeding

PubMed Central

Herzig, Shoshana J.; Vaughn, Byron P.; Howell, Michael D.; Ngo, Long H.; Marcantonio, Edward R.

2011-01-01

Background Acid-suppressive medications are increasingly prescribed for non-critically ill hospitalized patients, although the incidence of nosocomial gastrointestinal bleeding and magnitude of potential benefit from this practice are unknown. We aimed to define the incidence of nosocomial gastrointestinal bleeding outside of the intensive care unit, and examine the association between acid-suppressive medication and this complication. Methods We conducted a pharmacoepidemiologic cohort study of patients admitted to an academic medical center from 2004 through 2007, at least 18 years of age and hospitalized for 3 or more days. Admissions with a primary diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding were excluded. Acid-suppressive medication use was defined as any order for a proton-pump inhibitor or histamine-2-receptor antagonist. The main outcome measure was nosocomial gastrointestinal bleeding. A propensity matched generalized estimating equation was used to control for confounders. Results The final cohort included 78,394 admissions (median age = 56 years; 41% men). Acid-suppressive medication was ordered in 59% of admissions and nosocomial gastrointestinal bleeding occurred in 224 admissions (0.29%). After matching on the propensity score, the adjusted odds ratio for nosocomial gastrointestinal bleeding in the group exposed to acid-suppressive medication relative to the unexposed group was 0.63 (95% CI 0.42 to 0.93). The number-needed-to-treat to prevent one episode of nosocomial gastrointestinal bleeding was 770. Conclusions Nosocomial gastrointestinal bleeding outside of the intensive care unit was rare. Despite a protective effect of acid-suppressive medication, the number-needed-to-treat to prevent one case of nosocomial gastrointestinal bleeding was relatively high, supporting the recommendation against routine use of prophylactic acid-suppressive medication in noncritically ill hospitalized patients. PMID:21321285

Effects of internal and external factors on the budgeting between defensive and non-defensive responses in Aplysia.

PubMed

Leod, Kaitlyn A Mac; Seas, Alexandra; Wainwright, Marcy L; Mozzachiodi, Riccardo

2018-04-25

Following exposure to aversive stimuli, organisms budget their behaviors by augmenting defensive responses and reducing/suppressing non-defensive behaviors. This budgeting process must be flexible to accommodate modifications in the animal's internal and/or external state that require the normal balance between defensive and non-defensive behaviors to be adjusted. When exposed to aversive stimuli, the mollusk Aplysia budgets its behaviors by concurrently enhancing defensive withdrawal reflexes (an elementary form of learning known as sensitization) and suppressing feeding. Sensitization and feeding suppression are consistently co-expressed following different training protocols and share common temporal domains, suggesting that they are interlocked. In this study, we attempted to uncouple the co-expression of sensitization and feeding suppression using: 1) manipulation of the animal's motivational state through prolonged food deprivation and 2) extended training with aversive stimuli that induces sensitization lasting for weeks. Both manipulations uncoupled the co-expression of the above behavioral changes. Prolonged food deprivation prevented the expression of sensitization, but not of feeding suppression. Following the extended training, sensitization and feeding suppression were co-expressed only for a limited time (i.e., 24 h), after which feeding returned to baseline levels as sensitization persisted for up to seven days. These findings indicate that sensitization and feeding suppression are not interlocked and that their co-expression can be uncoupled by internal (prolonged food deprivation) and external (extended aversive training) factors. The different strategies, by which the co-expression of sensitization and feeding suppression was altered, provide an example of how budgeting strategies triggered by an identical aversive experience can vary depending on the state of the organism. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toxicity Assessment of Pelvic Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy With Hypofractionated Simultaneous Integrated Boost to Prostate for Intermediate- and High-Risk Prostate Cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCammon, Robert; Rusthoven, Kyle E.; Kavanagh, Brian

Purpose: To evaluate the toxicity of pelvic intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with hypofractionated simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) to the prostate for patients with intermediate- to high-risk prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: A retrospective toxicity analysis was performed in 30 consecutive patients treated definitively with pelvic SIB-IMRT, all of whom also received androgen suppression. The IMRT plans were designed to deliver 70 Gy in 28 fractions (2.5 Gy/fraction) to the prostate while simultaneously delivering 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions (1.8 Gy/fraction) to the pelvic lymph nodes. The National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0, was used to scoremore » toxicity. Results: The most common acute Grade 2 events were cystitis (36.7%) and urinary frequency/urgency (26.7%). At a median follow-up of 24 months, late toxicity exceeding Grade 2 in severity was uncommon, with two Grade 3 events and one Grade 4 event. Grade 2 or greater acute bowel toxicity was associated with signficantly greater bowel volume receiving {>=}25 Gy (p = .04); Grade 2 or greater late bowel toxicity was associated with a higher bowel maximal dose (p = .04) and volume receiving {>=}50 Gy (p = .02). Acute or late bladder and rectal toxicity did not correlate with any of the dosimetric parameters examined. Conclusion: Pelvic IMRT with SIB to the prostate was well tolerated in this series, with low rates of Grade 3 or greater acute and late toxicity. SIB-IMRT combines pelvic radiotherapy and hypofractionation to the primary site and offers an accelerated approach to treating intermediate- to high-risk disease. Additional follow-up is necessary to fully define the long-term toxicity after hypofractionated, whole pelvic treatment combined with androgen suppression.« less

Active flutter suppression using optical output feedback digital controllers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

A method for synthesizing digital active flutter suppression controllers using the concept of optimal output feedback is presented. A convergent algorithm is employed to determine constrained control law parameters that minimize an infinite time discrete quadratic performance index. Low order compensator dynamics are included in the control law and the compensator parameters are computed along with the output feedback gain as part of the optimization process. An input noise adjustment procedure is used to improve the stability margins of the digital active flutter controller. Sample rate variation, prefilter pole variation, control structure variation and gain scheduling are discussed. A digital control law which accommodates computation delay can stabilize the wing with reasonable rms performance and adequate stability margins.

Spatial-simultaneous working memory and selective interference in Down syndrome.

PubMed

Lanfranchi, Silvia; Mammarella, Irene C; Carretti, Barbara

2015-01-01

Several studies have suggested that individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have impairments in some aspects of the visuospatial domain. It has been reported that they are particularly impaired in the spatial-simultaneous working memory (WM) even in advantageous conditions such as when information is grouped to form a configuration. This study aimed to assess the performance of individuals with DS carrying out a spatial-simultaneous WM task in single and dual selective interference conditions in order to better explore the characteristics of their impairment in this area. Groups of individuals with DS and mentally age-matched typically developing (TD) children were asked to carry out a spatial-simultaneous WM task in a single- and in two dual-task conditions. In the single condition, the participants were required to recall an increasing number of positions of red squares presented simultaneously in a matrix. In the dual-task conditions, together with the spatial-simultaneous WM task, the participants were asked to carry out an articulatory suppression task or a tapping task. As has already been shown in other studies, individuals with DS were found to be impaired in carrying out a spatial-simultaneous WM task and showed a worse performance with respect to the TD group in both the conditions. These findings indicate that individuals with DS use the same coding modality as TD children of the same mental age. Just as the TD children, they performed lower in the dual- than in the single-task condition and there was no difference between the verbal and visuospatial conditions.

Arsenite suppression of BMP signaling in human keratinocytes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Phillips, Marjorie A.; Qin, Qin; Hu, Qin

2013-06-15

Arsenic, a human skin carcinogen, suppresses differentiation of cultured keratinocytes. Exploring the mechanism of this suppression revealed that BMP-6 greatly increased levels of mRNA for keratins 1 and 10, two of the earliest differentiation markers expressed, a process prevented by co-treatment with arsenite. BMP also stimulated, and arsenite suppressed, mRNA for FOXN1, an important transcription factor driving early keratinocyte differentiation. Keratin mRNAs increased slowly after BMP-6 addition, suggesting they are indirect transcriptional targets. Inhibition of Notch1 activation blocked BMP induction of keratins 1 and 10, while FOXN1 induction was largely unaffected. Supporting a requirement for Notch1 signaling in keratin induction,more » BMP increased levels of activated Notch1, which was blocked by arsenite. BMP also greatly decreased active ERK, while co-treatment with arsenite maintained active ERK. Inhibition of ERK signaling mimicked BMP by inducing keratin and FOXN1 mRNAs and by increasing active Notch1, effects blocked by arsenite. Of 6 dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) targeting ERK, two were induced by BMP unless prevented by simultaneous exposure to arsenite and EGF. Knockdown of DUSP2 or DUSP14 using shRNAs greatly reduced FOXN1 and keratins 1 and 10 mRNA levels and their induction by BMP. Knockdown also decreased activated Notch1, keratin 1 and keratin 10 protein levels, both in the presence and absence of BMP. Thus, one of the earliest effects of BMP is induction of DUSPs, which increases FOXN1 transcription factor and activates Notch1, both required for keratin gene expression. Arsenite prevents this cascade by maintaining ERK signaling, at least in part by suppressing DUSP expression. - Highlights: • BMP induces FOXN1 transcription. • BMP induces DUSP2 and DUSP14, suppressing ERK activation. • Arsenite suppresses levels of phosphorylated Smad1/5 and FOXN1 and DUSP mRNA. • These actions rationalize arsenite suppression of keratinocyte differentiation.« less

Magnetic penetration-depth measurements of a suppressed superfluid density of superconducting Ca0.5Na0.5Fe2As2 single crystals by proton irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jeehoon; Haberkorn, N.; Graf, M. J.; Usov, I.; Ronning, F.; Civale, L.; Nazaretski, E.; Chen, G. F.; Yu, W.; Thompson, J. D.; Movshovich, R.

2012-10-01

We report on the dramatic effect of random point defects, produced by proton irradiation, on the superfluid density ρs in superconducting Ca0.5Na0.5Fe2As2 single crystals. The magnitude of the suppression is inferred from measurements of the temperature-dependent magnetic penetration depth λ(T) using magnetic force microscopy. Our findings indicate that a radiation dose of 2×1016 cm-2 produced by 3 MeV protons results in a reduction of the superconducting critical temperature Tc by approximately 10%. In contrast, ρs(0) is suppressed by approximately 60%. This breakdown of the Abrikosov-Gorkov theory may be explained by the so-called “Swiss cheese model,” which accounts for the spatial suppression of the order parameter near point defects similar to holes in Swiss cheese. Both the slope of the upper critical field and the penetration depth λ(T/Tc)/λ(0) exhibit similar temperature dependences before and after irradiation. This may be due to a combination of the highly disordered nature of Ca0.5Na0.5Fe2As2 with large intraband and simultaneous interband scattering as well as the s±-wave nature of short coherence length superconductivity.

Suppression of threshold voltage variability in MOSFETs by adjustment of ion implantation parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jae Hyun; Chang, Tae-sig; Kim, Minsuk; Woo, Sola; Kim, Sangsig

2018-01-01

In this study, we investigate threshold voltage (VTH) variability of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors induced by random dopant fluctuation (RDF). Our simulation work demonstrates not only the influence of the implantation parameters such as its dose, tilt angle, energy, and rotation angle on the RDF-induced VTH variability, but also the solution to reduce the effect of this variability. By adjusting the ion implantation parameters, the 3σ (VTH) is reduced from 43.8 mV to 28.9 mV. This 34% reduction is significant, considering that our technique is very cost effective and facilitates easy fabrication, increasing availability.

The effect of a simultaneous versus a staged resection of metastatic colorectal cancer on time to adjuvant chemotherapy.

PubMed

Le Souder, Emily; Azin, Arash; Wood, Trevor; Hirpara, Dhruvin; Elnahas, Ahmad; Cleary, Sean; Wei, Alice; Walker, Richard; Parsyan, Armen; Chadi, Sami; Quereshy, Fayez

2018-06-07

Patients with colorectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases may undergo a staged or a simultaneous resection. This study aimed to determine whether the time to adjuvant chemotherapy was delayed in patients undergoing a simultaneous resection. A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2005 and 2016. The primary outcome was time to adjuvant chemotherapy. A multivariate linear regression was conducted to ascertain the adjusted effect of a simultaneous versus a staged approach on time to adjuvant chemotherapy. A total of 155 patients were included. A total of 127 patients underwent a staged resection, whereas 28 patients underwent a simultaneous resection. Age, sex, and American Society of Anesthesiologists class as well tumor, node, metastasis stage, tumor location, and number and size of metastases were not significantly different between the groups. The median time to adjuvant chemotherapy was 70 and 63 days for the staged and simultaneous groups, respectively (P = .27). Multivariate analysis did not demonstrate an increased propensity for prolonged time to chemotherapy after simultaneous resection (rate ratio: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.71-1.32, P = .84). There were no significant differences in the length of stay, complications, overall survival, and disease-free survival between the groups (P > .05). This study demonstrated that simultaneous resection does not result in significant delay of adjuvant chemotherapy compared with a staged approach. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Building Capacity: Creating Curriculum Pathways

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richie, D.

2016-01-01

The nation has made an unprecedented investment in community colleges to simultaneously increase college completion and stimulate economic recovery. One of the most substantial investments was the Trade Adjustment Act Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program of the United States Department of Labor (U.S. DOL). Beginning October…

Emotional Intelligence: Impact on Post-Secondary Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garg, Rashmi; Levin, Elizabeth; Tremblay, Line

2016-01-01

This research examined the simultaneous influences of emotional intelligence, adjustment to university, authoritative versus other parenting style, and high school average on first year university students' grade point average (GPA) via structural equation modeling. The participants were 299 first year students from the social science faculty at…

Adjusting for Input Price Differences across School Districts: A Comparison of Alternative Techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wentzler, Nancy

1981-01-01

Measures relative differences in the supply price of teacher inputs (that is, the cost of teacher salaries) so as to provide state aid payments that will equalize real resources per pupil across school districts. Highlights a simultaneous equations model. (Author/JM)

Measuring ability to enhance and suppress emotional expression: The Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression (FREE) Scale.

PubMed

Burton, Charles L; Bonanno, George A

2016-08-01

Flexibility in self-regulatory behaviors has proved to be an important quality for adjusting to stressful life events and requires individuals to have a diverse repertoire of emotion regulation abilities. However, the most commonly used emotion regulation questionnaires assess frequency of behavior rather than ability, with little evidence linking these measures to observable capacity to enact a behavior. The aim of the current investigation was to develop and validate a Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression (FREE) Scale that measures a person's ability to enhance and suppress displayed emotion across an array of hypothetical contexts. In Studies 1 and 2, a series of confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the FREE Scale consists of 4 first-order factors divided by regulation and emotional valence type that can contribute to 2 higher order factors: expressive enhancement ability and suppression ability. In Study 1, we also compared the FREE Scale to other commonly used emotion regulation measures, which revealed that suppression ability is conceptually distinct from suppression frequency. In Study 3, we compared the FREE Scale with a composite of traditional frequency-based indices of expressive regulation to predict performance in a previously validated emotional modulation paradigm. Participants' enhancement and suppression ability scores on the FREE Scale predicted their corresponding performance on the laboratory task, even when controlling for baseline expressiveness. These studies suggest that the FREE Scale is a valid and flexible measure of expressive regulation ability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Cross-orientation suppression in human visual cortex

PubMed Central

Heeger, David J.

2011-01-01

Cross-orientation suppression was measured in human primary visual cortex (V1) to test the normalization model. Subjects viewed vertical target gratings (of varying contrasts) with or without a superimposed horizontal mask grating (fixed contrast). We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure the activity in each of several hypothetical channels (corresponding to subpopulations of neurons) with different orientation tunings and fit these orientation-selective responses with the normalization model. For the V1 channel maximally tuned to the target orientation, responses increased with target contrast but were suppressed when the horizontal mask was added, evident as a shift in the contrast gain of this channel's responses. For the channel maximally tuned to the mask orientation, a constant baseline response was evoked for all target contrasts when the mask was absent; responses decreased with increasing target contrast when the mask was present. The normalization model provided a good fit to the contrast-response functions with and without the mask. In a control experiment, the target and mask presentations were temporally interleaved, and we found no shift in contrast gain, i.e., no evidence for suppression. We conclude that the normalization model can explain cross-orientation suppression in human visual cortex. The approach adopted here can be applied broadly to infer, simultaneously, the responses of several subpopulations of neurons in the human brain that span particular stimulus or feature spaces, and characterize their interactions. In addition, it allows us to investigate how stimuli are represented by the inferred activity of entire neural populations. PMID:21775720

Mutant p53 Promotes Tumor Cell Malignancy by Both Positive and Negative Regulation of the Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) Pathway*

PubMed Central

Ji, Lei; Xu, Jinjin; Liu, Jian; Amjad, Ali; Zhang, Kun; Liu, Qingwu; Zhou, Lei; Xiao, Jianru; Li, Xiaotao

2015-01-01

Specific p53 mutations abrogate tumor-suppressive functions by gaining new abilities to promote tumorigenesis. Inactivation of p53 is known to distort TGF-β signaling, which paradoxically displays both tumor-suppressive and pro-oncogenic functions. The molecular mechanisms of how mutant p53 simultaneously antagonizes the tumor-suppressive and synergizes the tumor-promoting function of the TGF-β pathway remain elusive. Here we demonstrate that mutant p53 differentially regulates subsets of TGF-β target genes by enhanced binding to the MH2 domain in Smad3 upon the integration of ERK signaling, therefore disrupting Smad3/Smad4 complex formation. Silencing Smad2, inhibition of ERK, or introducing a phosphorylation-defective mutation at Ser-392 in p53 abrogates the R175H mutant p53-dependent regulation of these TGF-β target genes. Our study shows a mechanism to reconcile the seemingly contradictory observations that mutant p53 can both attenuate and cooperate with the TGF-β pathway to promote cancer cell malignancy in the same cell type. PMID:25767119

Forced synchronization and asynchronous quenching in a thermo-acoustic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, Sirshendu; Pawar, Samadhan A.; Sujith, Raman

2017-11-01

Forced synchronization, which has been extensively studied in theory and experiments, occurs through two different mechanisms known as phase locking and asynchronous quenching. The latter indicates the suppression of oscillation amplitude. In most practical combustion systems such as gas turbine engines, the main concern is high amplitude pressure oscillations, known as thermo-acoustic instability. Thermo-acoustic instability is undesirable and needs to be suppressed because of its damaging consequences to an engine. In the present study, a systematic experimental investigation of forced synchronization is performed in a prototypical thermo-acoustic system, a Rijke tube, in its limit cycle operation. Further, we show a qualitatively similar behavior using a reduced order model. In the phase locking region, the simultaneous occurrence of synchronization and resonant amplification leads to high amplitude pressure oscillations. However, a reduction in the amplitude of natural oscillations by about 78% of the unforced amplitude is observed when the forcing frequency is far lower than the natural frequency. This shows the possibility of suppression of the oscillation amplitude through asynchronous quenching in thermo-acoustic systems.

Behavioral and Environmental Modification of the Genetic Influence on Body Mass Index: A Twin Study.

PubMed

Horn, Erin E; Turkheimer, Eric; Strachan, Eric; Duncan, Glen E

2015-07-01

Body mass index (BMI) has a strong genetic basis, with a heritability around 0.75, but is also influenced by numerous behavioral and environmental factors. Aspects of the built environment (e.g., environmental walkability) are hypothesized to influence obesity by directly affecting BMI, by facilitating or inhibiting behaviors such as physical activity that are related to BMI, or by suppressing genetic tendencies toward higher BMI. The present study investigated relative influences of physical activity and walkability on variance in BMI using 5079 same-sex adult twin pairs (70 % monozygotic, 65 % female). High activity and walkability levels independently suppressed genetic variance in BMI. Estimating their effects simultaneously, however, suggested that the walkability effect was mediated by activity. The suppressive effect of activity on variance in BMI was present even with a tendency for low-BMI individuals to select into environments that require higher activity levels. Overall, our results point to community- or macro-level interventions that facilitate individual-level behaviors as a plausible approach to addressing the obesity epidemic among US adults.

Behavioral and environmental modification of the genetic influence on body mass index: A twin study

PubMed Central

Horn, Erin E.; Turkheimer, Eric; Strachan, Eric; Duncan, Glen E.

2015-01-01

Body mass index (BMI) has a strong genetic basis, with a heritability around 0.75, but is also influenced by numerous behavioral and environmental factors. Aspects of the built environment (e.g., environmental walkability) are hypothesized to influence obesity by directly affecting BMI, by facilitating or inhibiting behaviors such as physical activity that are related to BMI, or by suppressing genetic tendencies toward higher BMI. The present study investigated relative influences of physical activity and walkability on variance in BMI using 5,079 same-sex adult twin pairs (70% monozygotic, 65% female). High activity and walkability levels independently suppressed genetic variance in BMI. Estimating their effects simultaneously, however, suggested that the walkability effect was mediated by activity. The suppressive effect of activity on variance in BMI was present even with a tendency for low-BMI individuals to select into environments that require higher activity levels. Overall, our results point to community- or macro-level interventions that facilitate individual-level behaviors as a plausible approach to addressing the obesity epidemic among U.S. adults. PMID:25894925

Feedback stabilization of resistive wall modes in a reversed-field pinch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunsell, P. R.; Yadikin, D.; Gregoratto, D.; Paccagnella, R.; Liu, Y. Q.; Cecconello, M.; Drake, J. R.; Manduchi, G.; Marchiori, G.

2005-09-01

An array of saddle coils having Nc=16 equally spaced positions along the toroidal direction has been installed for feedback control of resistive wall modes (RWMs) on the EXTRAP T2R reversed-field pinch [P. R. Brunsell, H. Bergsaker, M. Cecconello et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 43, 1457 (2001)]. Using feedback, multiple nonresonant RWMs are simultaneously suppressed for three to four wall times. Feedback stabilization of RWMs results in a significant prolongation of the discharge duration. This is linked to a better sustainment of the plasma and tearing mode toroidal rotation with feedback. Due to the limited number of coils in the toroidal direction, pairs of modes with toroidal mode numbers n ,n' that fulfill the condition ∣n-n'∣=Nc are coupled by the feedback action from the discrete coil array. With only one unstable mode in a pair of coupled modes, the suppression of the unstable mode is successful. If two modes are unstable in a coupled pair, two possibilities exist: partial suppression of both modes or, alternatively, complete stabilization of one target mode while the other is left unstable.

TGF-β Tumor Suppression through a Lethal EMT.

PubMed

David, Charles J; Huang, Yun-Han; Chen, Mo; Su, Jie; Zou, Yilong; Bardeesy, Nabeel; Iacobuzio-Donahue, Christine A; Massagué, Joan

2016-02-25

TGF-β signaling can be pro-tumorigenic or tumor suppressive. We investigated this duality in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA), which, with other gastrointestinal cancers, exhibits frequent inactivation of the TGF-β mediator Smad4. We show that TGF-β induces an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), generally considered a pro-tumorigenic event. However, in TGF-β-sensitive PDA cells, EMT becomes lethal by converting TGF-β-induced Sox4 from an enforcer of tumorigenesis into a promoter of apoptosis. This is the result of an EMT-linked remodeling of the cellular transcription factor landscape, including the repression of the gastrointestinal lineage-master regulator Klf5. Klf5 cooperates with Sox4 in oncogenesis and prevents Sox4-induced apoptosis. Smad4 is required for EMT but dispensable for Sox4 induction by TGF-β. TGF-β-induced Sox4 is thus geared to bolster progenitor identity, whereas simultaneous Smad4-dependent EMT strips Sox4 of an essential partner in oncogenesis. Our work demonstrates that TGF-β tumor suppression functions through an EMT-mediated disruption of a lineage-specific transcriptional network. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

TGF-β Tumor Suppression Through A Lethal EMT

PubMed Central

David, Charles J.; Huang, Yun-Han; Chen, Mo; Su, Jie; Zou, Yilong; Bardeesy, Nabeel; Iacobuzio-Donahue, Christine A.; Massagué, Joan

2016-01-01

TGF-β signaling can be pro-tumorigenic or tumor suppressive. We investigated this duality in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA), which, with other gastrointestinal cancers, exhibits frequent inactivation of the TGF-β mediator Smad4. We show that TGF-β induces an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), generally considered a pro-tumorigenic event. However, in TGF-β sensitive PDA cells, EMT becomes lethal by converting TGF-β-induced Sox4 from an enforcer of tumorigenesis into a promoter of apoptosis. This is the result of an EMT-linked remodeling of the cellular transcription factor landscape, including the repression of the gastrointestinal lineage-master regulator Klf5. Klf5 cooperates with Sox4 in oncogenesis and prevents Sox4-induced apoptosis. Smad4 is required for EMT but dispensable for Sox4 induction by TGF-β. TGF-β-induced Sox4 is thus geared to bolster progenitor identity, while simultaneous Smad4-dependent EMT strips Sox4 of an essential partner in oncogenesis. Our work demonstrates that TGF-β tumor suppression functions through an EMT-mediated disruption of a lineage-specific transcriptional network. PMID:26898331

Nocturnal to Diurnal Switches with Spontaneous Suppression of Wheel-Running Behavior in a Subterranean Rodent

PubMed Central

Tachinardi, Patricia; Tøien, Øivind; Valentinuzzi, Veronica S.; Buck, C. Loren; Oda, Gisele A.

2015-01-01

Several rodent species that are diurnal in the field become nocturnal in the lab. It has been suggested that the use of running-wheels in the lab might contribute to this timing switch. This proposition is based on studies that indicate feed-back of vigorous wheel-running on the period and phase of circadian clocks that time daily activity rhythms. Tuco-tucos (Ctenomys aff. knighti) are subterranean rodents that are diurnal in the field but are robustly nocturnal in laboratory, with or without access to running wheels. We assessed their energy metabolism by continuously and simultaneously monitoring rates of oxygen consumption, body temperature, general motor and wheel running activity for several days in the presence and absence of wheels. Surprisingly, some individuals spontaneously suppressed running-wheel activity and switched to diurnality in the respirometry chamber, whereas the remaining animals continued to be nocturnal even after wheel removal. This is the first report of timing switches that occur with spontaneous wheel-running suppression and which are not replicated by removal of the wheel. PMID:26460828

Low turbulence/high efficiency cyclone separators: Facility qualification results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Razgaitis, R.; Paul, D.D.; Bioarski, A.A.

1985-01-01

The objective of this work is to experimentally investigate the near-wall turbulent flow-fields characteristic of cyclone separators in order to determine the influence of wall-originating turbulence on the separation of fine particles. In particular, seven turbulence suppression concepts will be evaluated with reference to a well-established baseline condition. Concepts which appear attractive will be studied and characterized in more detail. The work accomplished to date is principally the design, construction, and qualification of two of the facilities that will be used to study the various concepts of turbulence suppression. The qualification of the primary facility, the Cyclonic Wind Tunnel (CWT),more » has required the development and adaptation of laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) to perform simultaneous two-dimensional turbulence measurements in a highly swirling flow. A companion facility to the CWT is the Curvilinear Boundary Layer (CBL) apparatus. The purpose of the CBL is to provide a thick, visually-observable near-wall flow region under dynamically similar conditions to the CWT to that a physical understanding of the turbulence suppression process can be obtained. 9 refs., 15 figs.« less

Parenting and late adolescent emotional adjustment: mediating effects of discipline and gender.

PubMed

McKinney, Cliff; Milone, Mary Catherine; Renk, Kimberly

2011-08-01

Research suggests that parenting styles are related to the types of discipline parents utilize and that the coupling of parenting styles and discipline techniques are related to child outcomes. Although extant research examines the effects of parenting styles and discipline on child and early adolescent adjustment, less is known about adjustment in late adolescents, also described as emerging adults. Thus, the current study investigated the relationships among parenting styles (e.g., authoritative, authoritarian, permissive), discipline strategies (e.g., non-violent discipline, psychological aggression, physical assault), and emerging adult emotional adjustment (e.g., self-esteem, depression, and anxiety). The sample consisted of 526 participants ranging in age from 18 to 22 years. Results were analyzed with structural equation modeling and suggest that, although perceived parenting styles and discipline are both correlated with emerging adult emotional adjustment, perceived parenting is associated with emerging adult emotional adjustment for females but not males when examined simultaneously with perceived discipline. This finding demonstrates the importance of examining the direct and indirect relationships in the context of gender dyads.

Full colorless transmission of millimeter-wave band gigabit data over WDM-PON using sideband routing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Won, Yong-Yuk; Kim, Hyun-Seung; Son, Yong-Hwan; Han, Sang-Kook

2011-12-01

A new wavelength division multiplexed-radio over fiber (WDM-RoF) access network scheme supporting the simultaneous transmission of a 1.25-Gb/s wired data as well as a 1.25-Gb/s wireless data is proposed in this paper. An optical carrier suppression effect and sideband routing using the multiplexing of arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) with 50-GHz channel spacing are utilized to generate a millimeter wave band carrier. These techniques make the proposed architecture transmit both a wired data and a wireless one at the same time. A reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) is employed at both central office and base station so that this architecture is operated colorlessly. Error free transmissions (BER of 10-9) of both downlink and uplink are achieved simultaneously.

A quantum cascade laser-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer for chemical sensing employing molecular absorption and dispersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayden, Jakob; Hugger, Stefan; Fuchs, Frank; Lendl, Bernhard

2018-02-01

We employ a novel spectroscopic setup based on an external cavity quantum cascade laser and a Mach-Zehnder interferometer to simultaneously record spectra of absorption and dispersion of liquid samples in the mid-infrared. We describe the theory underlying the interferometric measurement and discuss its implications for the experiment. The capability of simultaneously recording a refractive index and absorption spectrum is demonstrated for a sample of acetone in cyclohexane. The recording of absorption spectra is experimentally investigated in more detail to illustrate the method's capabilities as compared to direct absorption spectroscopy. We find that absorption signals are recorded with strongly suppressed background, but with smaller absolute sensitivity. A possibility of optimizing the setup's performance by unbalancing the interferometer is presented.

Semiconductor crystal growth in crossed electric and magnetic fields: Center Director's Discretionary Fund

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazuruk, K.; Volz, M. P.

1996-01-01

A unique growth cell was designed in which crossed electric and magnetic fields could be separately or simultaneously applied during semiconductor crystal growth. A thermocouple was inserted into an InSb melt inside the growth cell to examine the temperature response of the fluid to applied electromagnetic fields. A static magnetic field suppressed time-dependent convection when a destabilizing thermal field was applied. The simultaneous application of electric and magnetic fields resulted in forced convection in the melt. The InSb ingots grown in the cell were polycrystalline. An InGaSb crystal, 0.5 cm in diameter and 23-cm long, was grown without electromagnetic fields applied. The axial composition results indicated that complete mixing in the melt occurred for this large aspect ratio.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, John R.; Brubaker, Erik; Vetter, Kai

In an effort to characterize the fast neutron radiation background, 16 EJ-309 liquid scintillator cells were installed in the Radiological Multi-sensor Analysis Platform (RadMAP) to collect data in the San Francisco Bay Area. Each fast neutron event was associated with specific weather metrics (pressure, temperature, absolute humidity) and GPS coordinates. Furthermore, the expected exponential dependence of the fast neutron count rate on atmospheric pressure was demonstrated and event rates were subsequently adjusted given the measured pressure at the time of detection. Pressure adjusted data was also used to investigate the influence of other environmental conditions on the neutron background rate.more » Using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) coastal area lidar data, an algorithm was implemented to approximate sky-view factors (the total fraction of visible sky) for points along RadMAPs route. In the three areas we analyzed, San Francisco, Downtown Oakland, and Berkeley, all demonstrated a suppression in the background rate of over 50% for the range of sky-view factors measured. This effect, which is due to the shielding of cosmic-ray produced neutrons by surrounding buildings, was comparable to the pressure influence which yielded a 32% suppression in the count rate over the range of pressures measured.« less

Tool simplifies machining of pipe ends for precision welding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matus, S. T.

1969-01-01

Single tool prepares a pipe end for precision welding by simultaneously performing internal machining, end facing, and bevel cutting to specification standards. The machining operation requires only one milling adjustment, can be performed quickly, and produces the high quality pipe-end configurations required to ensure precision-welded joints.

Adaptive ecosystem management in the Pacific Northwest.

Treesearch

B.T. Bormann; P.G. Cunningham; M.H. Brookes; V.W. Manning; M.W. Collopy

1994-01-01

A systematic approach to adaptive management is proposed to simultaneously manage at the regional, provincial, and watershed scales and to reorganize the activity of agencies to better support the concepts of adaptive management. Reorganizing management activities into these four groupings is recommended: adjustment (expanded decisionmaking); linked, not single actions...

Building Capacity: Expanding Student Support Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, C. L.

2016-01-01

The nation has made an unprecedented investment in community colleges to simultaneously increase college completion and stimulate economic recovery. One of the most substantial investments was the Trade Adjustment Act Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program of the United States Department of Labor (U.S.DOL). Beginning October 2011,…

Building Capacity: Creating and Leveraging Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richie, D.

2016-01-01

The nation has made an unprecedented investment in community colleges to simultaneously increase college completion and stimulate economic recovery. One of the most substantial investments was the Trade Adjustment Act Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program of the United States Department of Labor (U.S.DOL). Beginning October 2011,…

Understanding the social effects of emotion regulation: the mediating role of authenticity for individual differences in suppression.

PubMed

English, Tammy; John, Oliver P

2013-04-01

Individuals differ in the strategies they use to regulate their emotions (e.g., suppression, reappraisal), and these regulatory strategies can differentially influence social outcomes. However, the mechanisms underlying these social effects remain to be specified. We examined one potential mediator that arises directly from emotion-regulatory effort (expression of positive emotion), and another mediator that does not involve emotion processes per se, but instead results from the link between regulation and self-processes (subjective inauthenticity). Across three studies, only inauthenticity mediated the link between habitual use of suppression and poor social functioning (lower relationship satisfaction, lower social support). These findings replicated across individuals socialized in Western and East Asian cultural contexts, younger and older adults, when predicting social functioning concurrently and a decade later, and even when broader adjustment was controlled. Thus, the social costs of suppression do not seem to be due to reduced positive emotion expression but rather the incongruence between inner-self and outer-behavior. Reappraisal was not consistently related to social functioning. Implications of these findings for emotion processes, self processes, and interpersonal relationships are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Passive and Active Stabilization of Liquid Bridges in Low Gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marston, Philip L.; Thiessen, David B.; Marr-Lyon, Mark J.; Wei, Wei; Niederhaus, Charles E.; Truong, Duc K.

2001-01-01

Tests are planned in the low gravity environment of the International Space Station (ISS) of new methods for the suppression of the capillary instability of liquid bridges. Our suppression methods are unusual in that they are not limited to liquid bridges having very special properties and may impact a variety of low-gravity and earth-based technologies. There are two main approaches to be investigated: (1) Passive Acoustic Stabilization (PAS); and (2) Active Electrostatic Stabilization (AES). In PAS, the suppression of the mode growth is accomplished by placing the bridge in an acoustic field having the appropriate properties such that the acoustic radiation pressure automatically pulls outward on the thinnest portion of the bridge. In AES, the bridge deformation is sensed optically and counteracted by actively adjusting the electrostatic Maxwell stresses via two ring electrodes concentric with the slightly conducting bridge to offset the growth of the unstable mode. While the present work emphasizes cylindrical bridges, the methods need not be restricted to that case. The methods to be explored are relevant to the suppression of capillary instabilities in floating zone crystal growth, breakup of liquid jets and columns, bubbles, and annular films as well as the management of coolants or propellants in low-gravity.

Adaptive threshold shearlet transform for surface microseismic data denoising

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Na; Zhao, Xian; Li, Yue; Zhu, Dan

2018-06-01

Random noise suppression plays an important role in microseismic data processing. The microseismic data is often corrupted by strong random noise, which would directly influence identification and location of microseismic events. Shearlet transform is a new multiscale transform, which can effectively process the low magnitude of microseismic data. In shearlet domain, due to different distributions of valid signals and random noise, shearlet coefficients can be shrunk by threshold. Therefore, threshold is vital in suppressing random noise. The conventional threshold denoising algorithms usually use the same threshold to process all coefficients, which causes noise suppression inefficiency or valid signals loss. In order to solve above problems, we propose the adaptive threshold shearlet transform (ATST) for surface microseismic data denoising. In the new algorithm, we calculate the fundamental threshold for each direction subband firstly. In each direction subband, the adjustment factor is obtained according to each subband coefficient and its neighboring coefficients, in order to adaptively regulate the fundamental threshold for different shearlet coefficients. Finally we apply the adaptive threshold to deal with different shearlet coefficients. The experimental denoising results of synthetic records and field data illustrate that the proposed method exhibits better performance in suppressing random noise and preserving valid signal than the conventional shearlet denoising method.

Processes for producing low cost, high efficiency silicon solar cells

DOEpatents

Rohatgi, A.; Doshi, P.; Tate, J.K.; Mejia, J.; Chen, Z.

1998-06-16

Processes which utilize rapid thermal processing (RTP) are provided for inexpensively producing high efficiency silicon solar cells. The RTP processes preserve minority carrier bulk lifetime {tau} and permit selective adjustment of the depth of the diffused regions, including emitter and back surface field (bsf), within the silicon substrate. In a first RTP process, an RTP step is utilized to simultaneously diffuse phosphorus and aluminum into the front and back surfaces, respectively, of a silicon substrate. Moreover, an in situ controlled cooling procedure preserves the carrier bulk lifetime {tau} and permits selective adjustment of the depth of the diffused regions. In a second RTP process, both simultaneous diffusion of the phosphorus and aluminum as well as annealing of the front and back contacts are accomplished during the RTP step. In a third RTP process, the RTP step accomplishes simultaneous diffusion of the phosphorus and aluminum, annealing of the contacts, and annealing of a double-layer antireflection/passivation coating SiN/SiO{sub x}. In a fourth RTP process, the process of applying front and back contacts is broken up into two separate respective steps, which enhances the efficiency of the cells, at a slight time expense. In a fifth RTP process, a second RTP step is utilized to fire and adhere the screen printed or evaporated contacts to the structure. 28 figs.

Masking of sounds by a background noise--cochlear mechanical correlates.

PubMed

Recio-Spinoso, Alberto; Cooper, Nigel P

2013-05-15

In the search for cochlear correlates of auditory masking by noise stimuli, we recorded basilar membrane (BM) vibrations evoked by either tone or click signals in the presence of varying levels of background noise. The BM vibrations were recorded from basal regions in healthy cochleae of anaesthetized chinchilla and gerbil. Non-linear interactions that could underpin various aspects of psychophysical masking data, including both compression and suppression at the BM level, were observed. The suppression effects, whereby the amplitude of the responses to each stimulus component could be reduced, depended on the relative intensities of the noise and the tones or clicks. Only stimulus components whose frequencies fell inside the non-linear region of the recording site, i.e. around its characteristic frequency (CF), were affected by presentation of the 'suppressing' stimulus (which could be either the tone or the noise). Mutual suppression, the simultaneous reduction of the responses to both tones and noise components, was observed under some conditions, but overall reductions of BM vibration were rarely observed. Moderate- to high-intensity tones suppressed BM responses to low-intensity Gaussian stimuli, including both broadband and narrowband noise. Suppression effects were larger for spectral components of the noise response that were closer to the CF. In this regime, the tone and noise stimuli became the suppressor and probe signals, respectively. This study provides the first detailed observations of cochlear mechanical correlates of the masking effects of noise. Mechanical detection thresholds for tone signals, which were arbitrarily defined using three criteria, are shown to increase in almost direct proportion to the noise level for low and moderately high noise levels, in a manner that resembles the findings of numerous psychophysical observations.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doi, Nobutaka; New Products Research & Development, Gene Engineering Division, NIPPON GENE Co., Ltd.; Ogawa, Ryohei, E-mail: ogawa@med.u-toyama.ac.jp

The cancer cells residing in the hypoxic layer are resistant to radiation and these are ones responsible for cancer recurrence after radiation therapy. One of the reasons why hypoxic cancer cells acquire radioresistance may be attributable to changes in the gene expression profile by the activation of hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs). However, the details underlying this process remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of knockdown of HIF subunit genes to elucidate how HIF subunit genes may be involved in the radioresistance acquired by HeLa cells following exposure to a hypoxia mimic. Interestingly, HIF-1α and HIF-2α seemed mutuallymore » complementary for each other when either of them was suppressed. We thus suppressed the expression of both genes simultaneously. To do this, we developed a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting a high homology region between HIF-1α and HIF-2α. It was shown that the expression of the shRNA effectively suppressed the acquisition of radioresistance following the hypoxia mimic. Moreover, it was confirmed that suppression of both subunits resulted in the downregulation of stem cell markers and the suppression of spheroid formation during the hypoxia mimicking-conditions. This shRNA-mediated knockdown method targeting a common region shared by a family of genes may offer a new candidate cancer treatment. - Highlights: • Incubation with CoCl{sub 2} confers radioresistance to HeLa cells. • Both HIF-1α and HIF-2α are involved in the acquisition of radioresistance. • An shRNA to a homology region of HIF-1α and HIF-2α suppressed the radioresistance. • The shRNA decreased cells with stem cell markers and a stem cell phenotype.« less

Achieving composition-controlled Cu2ZnSnS4 films by sulfur-free annealing process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Hailong; Wei, Xiaoqing; Huang, Yongliang; Wang, Xian; Han, Anjun; Liu, Xiaohui; Liu, Zhengxin; Meng, Fanying

2017-06-01

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) films were firstly prepared by the nonvacuum spin-coating method, and then annealed at 550 °C in N2 atmosphere. A graphite box was used to inhibit the volatilization of gaseous SnS and S2 to suppress the CZTS decomposition and generation of MoS2 during annealing. The sulfur supplementation carried out in a conventional annealing process was not applied in this work. It was found that Sn loss was overcome and the compositions of postannealed films were close to that of precursor solution. Thus, by this method, the compositions of CZTS films can be controlled by adjusting the elemental ratios of the precursor solution. Besides, the increase in inert atmosphere pressure could further minimize the Sn loss and improve the crystallinity of CZTS films. Furthermore, the resistive MoS2 layer between the CZTS film and the Mo layer was suppressed because sulfur was not used and CZTS decomposition was suppressed.

Strong suppression of shot noise in a feedback-controlled single-electron transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Timo; Strasberg, Philipp; Bayer, Johannes C.; Rugeramigabo, Eddy P.; Brandes, Tobias; Haug, Rolf J.

2017-03-01

Feedback control of quantum mechanical systems is rapidly attracting attention not only due to fundamental questions about quantum measurements, but also because of its novel applications in many fields in physics. Quantum control has been studied intensively in quantum optics but progress has recently been made in the control of solid-state qubits as well. In quantum transport only a few active and passive feedback experiments have been realized on the level of single electrons, although theoretical proposals exist. Here we demonstrate the suppression of shot noise in a single-electron transistor using an exclusively electronic closed-loop feedback to monitor and adjust the counting statistics. With increasing feedback response we observe a stronger suppression and faster freezing of charge current fluctuations. Our technique is analogous to the generation of squeezed light with in-loop photodetection as used in quantum optics. Sub-Poisson single-electron sources will pave the way for high-precision measurements in quantum transport similar to optical or optomechanical equivalents.

Antiretroviral Therapy Use, Medication Adherence, and Viral Suppression Among PLWHA with Panic Symptoms.

PubMed

Sam, Tanyka Suzanne; Hutton, Heidi E; Lau, Bryan; McCaul, Mary E; Keruly, Jeanne; Moore, Richard; Chander, Geetanjali

2015-11-01

Panic symptoms are prevalent among PLWHAs, yet few studies have examined their relationship with HIV outcomes. Using data from an observational cohort study in Baltimore, MD, we examined the association between panic symptoms and antiretroviral therapy (ART) use, medication adherence, and viral suppression. Data were analyzed using generalized estimating equations and adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, cocaine and/or heroin use, clinic enrollment time, alcohol use, and depressive symptoms. Between June 2010 and September 2012, 1195 individuals participated in 2080 audio computer assisted interviews; 9.9 % (n = 118) of individuals endorsed current panic symptoms. In multivariate analysis, panic symptoms were associated with decreased ART use (IRR 0.94; p = 0.05). Panic symptoms were neither associated with medication adherence nor viral suppression. These findings were independent of depressive symptoms and substance use. Panic symptoms are under-recognized in primary care settings and present an important barrier to ART use. Further studies investigating the reasons for this association are needed.

Antiretroviral Therapy Use, Medication Adherence, and Viral Suppression among PLWHA with Panic Symptoms

PubMed Central

Sam, Tanyka S; Hutton, Heidi E; Lau, Bryan; McCaul, Mary E; Keruly, Jeanne; Moore, Richard; Chander, Geetanjali

2015-01-01

Panic symptoms are prevalent among PLWHAs, yet few studies have examined their relationship with HIV outcomes. Using data from an observational cohort study in Baltimore, MD, we examined the association between panic symptoms and ART use, medication adherence, and viral suppression. Data were analyzed using GEE and adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, cocaine and/or heroin use, clinic enrollment time, alcohol use, and depressive symptoms. Between June 2010 and September 2012, 1195 individuals participated in 2080 audio computer assisted interviews; 9.9% (n=118) of individuals endorsed current panic symptoms. In multivariate analysis, panic symptoms were associated with decreased ART use (IRR 0.94; p = 0.05). Panic symptoms were neither associated with medication adherence nor viral suppression. These findings were independent of depressive symptoms and substance use. Panic symptoms are under-recognized in primary care settings and present an important barrier to ART use. Further studies investigating the reasons for this association are needed. PMID:25903506

Wireless Inductive Power Device Suppresses Blade Vibrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Carlos R.; Provenza, Andrew J.; Choi, Benjamin B.; Bakhle, Milind A.; Min, James B.; Stefko, George L.; Duffy, Kirsten P.; Fougers, Alan J.

2011-01-01

Vibration in turbomachinery can cause blade failures and leads to the use of heavier, thicker blades that result in lower aerodynamic efficiency and increased noise. Metal and/or composite fatigue in the blades of jet engines has resulted in blade destruction and loss of lives. Techniques for suppressing low-frequency blade vibration, such as gtuned circuit resistive dissipation of vibratory energy, h or simply "passive damping," can require electronics incorporating coils of unwieldy dimensions and adding unwanted weight to the rotor. Other approaches, using vibration-dampening devices or damping material, could add undesirable weight to the blades or hub, making them less efficient. A wireless inductive power device (WIPD) was designed, fabricated, and developed for use in the NASA Glenn's "Dynamic Spin Rig" (DSR) facility. The DSR is used to simulate the functionality of turbomachinery. The relatively small and lightweight device [10 lb (approx.=4.5 kg)] replaces the existing venerable and bulky slip-ring. The goal is the eventual integration of this technology into actual turbomachinery such as jet engines or electric power generators, wherein the device will facilitate the suppression of potentially destructive vibrations in fan blades. This technology obviates slip rings, which require cooling and can prove unreliable or be problematic over time. The WIPD consists of two parts: a remote element, which is positioned on the rotor and provides up to 100 W of electrical power to thin, lightweight piezoelectric patches strategically placed on/in fan blades; and a stationary base unit that wirelessly communicates with the remote unit. The base unit supplies inductive power, and also acts as an input and output corridor for wireless measurement, and active control command to the remote unit. Efficient engine operation necessitates minimal disturbance to the gas flow across the turbine blades in any effort to moderate blade vibration. This innovation makes it possible to moderate vibration on or in turbomachinery blades by providing 100 W of wireless electrical power and actuation control to thin, lightweight vibration-suppressing piezoelectric patches (eight actuation and eight sensor patches in this prototype, for a total of 16 channels) positioned strategically on the surface of, or within, titanium fan blades, or embedded in composite fan blades. This approach moves significantly closer to the ultimate integration of "active" vibration suppression technology into jet engines and other turbomachinery devices such as turbine electrical generators used in the power industry. The novel feature of this device is in its utilization of wireless technology to simultaneously sense and actively control vibration in rotating or stationary turbomachinery blades using piezoelectric patches. In the past, wireless technology was used solely for sensing and diagnostics. This technology, however, will accomplish much more, in terms of simultaneously sensing, suppressing blade vibration, and making it possible for detailed study of vibration impact in turbomachinery blades.

Local cortical dynamics of burst suppression in the anaesthetized brain.

PubMed

Lewis, Laura D; Ching, Shinung; Weiner, Veronica S; Peterfreund, Robert A; Eskandar, Emad N; Cash, Sydney S; Brown, Emery N; Purdon, Patrick L

2013-09-01

Burst suppression is an electroencephalogram pattern that consists of a quasi-periodic alternation between isoelectric 'suppressions' lasting seconds or minutes, and high-voltage 'bursts'. It is characteristic of a profoundly inactivated brain, occurring in conditions including hypothermia, deep general anaesthesia, infant encephalopathy and coma. It is also used in neurology as an electrophysiological endpoint in pharmacologically induced coma for brain protection after traumatic injury and during status epilepticus. Classically, burst suppression has been regarded as a 'global' state with synchronous activity throughout cortex. This assumption has influenced the clinical use of burst suppression as a way to broadly reduce neural activity. However, the extent of spatial homogeneity has not been fully explored due to the challenges in recording from multiple cortical sites simultaneously. The neurophysiological dynamics of large-scale cortical circuits during burst suppression are therefore not well understood. To address this question, we recorded intracranial electrocorticograms from patients who entered burst suppression while receiving propofol general anaesthesia. The electrodes were broadly distributed across cortex, enabling us to examine both the dynamics of burst suppression within local cortical regions and larger-scale network interactions. We found that in contrast to previous characterizations, bursts could be substantially asynchronous across the cortex. Furthermore, the state of burst suppression itself could occur in a limited cortical region while other areas exhibited ongoing continuous activity. In addition, we found a complex temporal structure within bursts, which recapitulated the spectral dynamics of the state preceding burst suppression, and evolved throughout the course of a single burst. Our observations imply that local cortical dynamics are not homogeneous, even during significant brain inactivation. Instead, cortical and, implicitly, subcortical circuits express seemingly different sensitivities to high doses of anaesthetics that suggest a hierarchy governing how the brain enters burst suppression, and emphasize the role of local dynamics in what has previously been regarded as a global state. These findings suggest a conceptual shift in how neurologists could assess the brain function of patients undergoing burst suppression. First, analysing spatial variation in burst suppression could provide insight into the circuit dysfunction underlying a given pathology, and could improve monitoring of medically-induced coma. Second, analysing the temporal dynamics within a burst could help assess the underlying brain state. This approach could be explored as a prognostic tool for recovery from coma, and for guiding treatment of status epilepticus. Overall, these results suggest new research directions and methods that could improve patient monitoring in clinical practice.

Photonics-based microwave frequency measurement using a double-sideband suppressed-carrier modulation and an InP integrated ring-assisted Mach-Zehnder interferometer filter.

PubMed

Fandiño, Javier S; Muñoz, Pascual

2013-11-01

A photonic system capable of estimating the unknown frequency of a CW microwave tone is presented. The core of the system is a complementary optical filter monolithically integrated in InP, consisting of a ring-assisted Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a second-order elliptic response. By simultaneously measuring the different optical powers produced by a double-sideband suppressed-carrier modulation at the outputs of the photonic integrated circuit, an amplitude comparison function that depends on the input tone frequency is obtained. Using this technique, a frequency measurement range of 10 GHz (5-15 GHz) with a root mean square value of frequency error lower than 200 MHz is experimentally demonstrated. Moreover, simulations showing the impact of a residual optical carrier on system performance are also provided.

Suppression of gain-of-function mutant p53 with metabolic inhibitors reduces tumor growth in vivo

PubMed Central

Jung, Chae Lim; Mun, Hyemin; Jo, Se-Young; Oh, Ju-Hee; Lee, ChuHee; Choi, Eun-Kyung; Jang, Se Jin; Suh, Young-Ah

2016-01-01

Mutation of p53 occasionally results in a gain of function, which promotes tumor growth. We asked whether destabilizing the gain-of-function protein would kill tumor cells. Downregulation of the gene reduced cell proliferation in p53-mutant cells, but not in p53-null cells, indicating that the former depended on the mutant protein for survival. Moreover, phenformin and 2-deoxyglucose suppressed cell growth and simultaneously destabilized mutant p53. The AMPK pathway, MAPK pathway, chaperone proteins and ubiquitination all contributed to this process. Interestingly, phenformin and 2-deoxyglucose also reduced tumor growth in syngeneic mice harboring the p53 mutation. Thus, destabilizing mutant p53 protein in order to kill cells exhibiting “oncogene addiction” could be a promising strategy for combatting p53 mutant tumors. PMID:27765910

Suppression of gain-of-function mutant p53 with metabolic inhibitors reduces tumor growth in vivo.

PubMed

Jung, Chae Lim; Mun, Hyemin; Jo, Se-Young; Oh, Ju-Hee; Lee, ChuHee; Choi, Eun-Kyung; Jang, Se Jin; Suh, Young-Ah

2016-11-22

Mutation of p53 occasionally results in a gain of function, which promotes tumor growth. We asked whether destabilizing the gain-of-function protein would kill tumor cells. Downregulation of the gene reduced cell proliferation in p53-mutant cells, but not in p53-null cells, indicating that the former depended on the mutant protein for survival. Moreover, phenformin and 2-deoxyglucose suppressed cell growth and simultaneously destabilized mutant p53. The AMPK pathway, MAPK pathway, chaperone proteins and ubiquitination all contributed to this process. Interestingly, phenformin and 2-deoxyglucose also reduced tumor growth in syngeneic mice harboring the p53 mutation. Thus, destabilizing mutant p53 protein in order to kill cells exhibiting "oncogene addiction" could be a promising strategy for combatting p53 mutant tumors.

Evaluating the care cascade after antiretroviral therapy initiation in Latin America

PubMed Central

Wolff, Marcelo J; Cortes, Claudia P; Mejìa, Fernando A; Padgett, Denis; Belaunzarán-Zamudio, Pablo; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Giganti, Mark J; McGowan, Catherine C; Rebeiro, Peter F

2018-01-01

Accelerating antiretroviral therapy (ART) administration, improving retention, and achieving viral suppression in low- and middle-income countries must be prioritized. We evaluated trends and disparities in these milestones in a large Latin American cohort. Adults starting ART (ARTstart) from 2003 to 2014 at Caribbean, Central, and South America network for HIV epidemiology sites were assessed for care cascade outcomes: CD4 cell count >200 cells/mm3 at ARTstart; retention (≥1 visit at one year after ARTstart); viral suppression (≥1 HIV-1 RNA <200 copies/ml at one year after ARTstart). Modified Poisson regression provided adjusted prevalence ratios by age, gender, and HIV transmission risk, accounting for site and year of ARTstart. Proportions achieving ARTstart and suppression improved over time (p < 0.05). Older age was associated with better retention and viral suppression, but not ARTstart at CD4 cell count >200 cells/mm3. Females and men who have sex with men (MSM) were more likely to have CD4 cell count >200 cells/mm3 at ARTstart. Injection drug users (IDUs) were less likely to be retained while MSM were more likely to achieve viral suppression (all p <0.05). Despite improvements in these outcomes over the course of a decade in this cohort, significant disparities existed, disadvantaging younger patients, men, and IDUs. These gaps indicate continued progress in providing early diagnosis and ARTstart remain critical. PMID:28618980

Enhancing Sensitivity of Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry of Peptides and Proteins Using Supercharging Agents.

PubMed

Nshanian, Michael; Lakshmanan, Rajeswari; Chen, Hao; Ogorzalek Loo, Rachel R; Loo, Joseph A

2018-04-01

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is often used as a mobile phase modifier to enhance reversed phase chromatographic performance. TFA adjusts solution pH and is an ion-pairing agent, but it is not typically suitable for electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and liquid chromatography/MS (LC/MS) because of its significant signal suppression. Supercharging agents elevate peptide and protein charge states in ESI, increasing tandem MS (MS/MS) efficiency. Here, LC/MS protein supercharging was effected by adding agents to LC mobile phase solvents. Significantly, the ionization suppression generally observed with TFA was, for the most part, rescued by supercharging agents, with improved separation efficiency (higher number of theoretical plates) and lowered detection limits.

Fractional Order PIλDμ Control for Maglev Guiding System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Qing; Hu, Yuwei

To effectively suppress the external disturbances and parameter perturbation problem of the maglev guiding system, and improve speed and robustness, the electromagnetic guiding system is exactly linearized using state feedback method, Fractional calculus theory is introduced, the order of integer order PID control was extended to the field of fractional, then fractional order PIλDμ Controller was presented, Due to the extra two adjustable parameters compared with traditional PID controller, fractional order PIλDμ controllers were expected to show better control performance. The results of the computer simulation show that the proposed controller suppresses the external disturbances and parameter perturbation of the system effectively; the system response speed was increased; at the same time, it had flexible structure and stronger robustness.

DC-Compensated Current Transformer.

PubMed

Ripka, Pavel; Draxler, Karel; Styblíková, Renata

2016-01-20

Instrument current transformers (CTs) measure AC currents. The DC component in the measured current can saturate the transformer and cause gross error. We use fluxgate detection and digital feedback compensation of the DC flux to suppress the overall error to 0.15%. This concept can be used not only for high-end CTs with a nanocrystalline core, but it also works for low-cost CTs with FeSi cores. The method described here allows simultaneous measurements of the DC current component.

Half-quadratic variational regularization methods for speckle-suppression and edge-enhancement in SAR complex image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xia; Wang, Guang-xin

2008-12-01

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is an active remote sensing sensor. It is a coherent imaging system, the speckle is its inherent default, which affects badly the interpretation and recognition of the SAR targets. Conventional methods of removing the speckle is studied usually in real SAR image, which reduce the edges of the images at the same time as depressing the speckle. Morever, Conventional methods lost the information about images phase. Removing the speckle and enhancing the target and edge simultaneously are still a puzzle. To suppress the spckle and enhance the targets and the edges simultaneously, a half-quadratic variational regularization method in complex SAR image is presented, which is based on the prior knowledge of the targets and the edge. Due to the non-quadratic and non- convex quality and the complexity of the cost function, a half-quadratic variational regularization variation is used to construct a new cost function,which is solved by alternate optimization. In the proposed scheme, the construction of the model, the solution of the model and the selection of the model peremeters are studied carefully. In the end, we validate the method using the real SAR data.Theoretic analysis and the experimental results illustrate the the feasibility of the proposed method. Further more, the proposed method can preserve the information about images phase.

Direct adaptive fuzzy control of a translating piezoelectric flexible manipulator driven by a pneumatic rodless cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Zhi-cheng; Wang, Bin; Zhang, Xian-min; Han, Jian-da

2013-04-01

This study presents a novel translating piezoelectric flexible manipulator driven by a rodless cylinder. Simultaneous positioning control and vibration suppression of the flexible manipulator is accomplished by using a hybrid driving scheme composed of the pneumatic cylinder and a piezoelectric actuator. Pulse code modulation (PCM) method is utilized for the cylinder. First, the system dynamics model is derived, and its standard multiple input multiple output (MIMO) state-space representation is provided. Second, a composite proportional derivative (PD) control algorithms and a direct adaptive fuzzy control method are designed for the MIMO system. Also, a time delay compensation algorithm, bandstop and low-pass filters are utilized, under consideration of the control hysteresis and the caused high-frequency modal vibration due to the long stroke of the cylinder, gas compression and nonlinear factors of the pneumatic system. The convergence of the closed loop system is analyzed. Finally, experimental apparatus is constructed and experiments are conducted. The effectiveness of the designed controllers and the hybrid driving scheme is verified through simulation and experimental comparison studies. The numerical simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system scheme of employing the pneumatic drive and piezoelectric actuator can suppress the vibration and achieve the desired positioning location simultaneously. Furthermore, the adopted adaptive fuzzy control algorithms can significantly enhance the control performance.

Chk1 Promotes DNA Damage Response Bypass following Oxidative Stress in a Model of Hydrogen Peroxide-Associated Ulcerative Colitis through JNK Inactivation and Chromatin Binding.

PubMed

Reissig, Kathrin; Silver, Andrew; Hartig, Roland; Schinlauer, Antje; Walluscheck, Diana; Guenther, Thomas; Siedentopf, Sandra; Ross, Jochen; Vo, Diep-Khanh; Roessner, Albert; Poehlmann-Nitsche, Angela

2017-01-01

Dysregulation of c-Jun N -terminal kinase (JNK) activation promoted DNA damage response bypass and tumorigenesis in our model of hydrogen peroxide-associated ulcerative colitis (UC) and in patients with quiescent UC (QUC), UC-related dysplasia, and UC-related carcinoma (UC-CRC), thereby adapting to oxidative stress. In the UC model, we have observed features of oncogenic transformation: increased proliferation, undetected DNA damage, and apoptosis resistance. Here, we show that Chk1 was downregulated but activated in the acute and quiescent chronic phases. In both phases, Chk1 was linked to DNA damage response bypass by suppressing JNK activation following oxidative stress, promoting cell cycle progression despite DNA damage. Simultaneously, activated Chk1 was bound to chromatin. This triggered histone acetylation and the binding of histone acetyltransferases and transcription factors to chromatin. Thus, chromatin-immobilized activated Chk1 executed a dual function by suppressing DNA damage response and simultaneously inducing chromatin modulation. This caused undetected DNA damage and increased cellular proliferation through failure to transmit the appropriate DNA damage signal. Findings in vitro were corroborated by chromatin accumulation of activated Chk1, Ac-H3, Ac-H4, and c-Jun in active UC (AUC) in vivo. Targeting chromatin-bound Chk1, GCN5, PCAF, and p300/CBP could be a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent UC-related tumor progression.

Protective Effects of a Rhodiola Crenulata Extract and Salidroside on Hippocampal Neurogenesis against Streptozotocin-Induced Neural Injury in the Rat

PubMed Central

Qu, Ze-qiang; Zhou, Yan; Zeng, Yuan-shan; Lin, Yu-kun; Li, Yan; Zhong, Zhi-qiang; Chan, Wood Yee

2012-01-01

Previously we have demonstrated that a Rhodiola crenulata extract (RCE), containing a potent antioxidant salidroside, promotes neurogenesis in the hippocampus of depressive rats. The current study was designed to further investigate the protective effect of the RCE on neurogenesis in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) induced by an intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin (STZ), and to determine whether this neuroprotective effect is induced by the antioxidative activity of salidroside. Our results showed that pretreatment with the RCE significantly improved the impaired neurogenesis and simultaneously reduced the oxidative stress in the hippocampus of AD rats. In vitro studies revealed that (1) exposure of neural stem cells (NSCs) from the hippocampus to STZ strikingly increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, induced cell death and perturbed cell proliferation and differentiation, (2) hydrogen peroxide induced similar cellular activities as STZ, (3) pre-incubation of STZ-treated NSCs with catalase, an antioxidant, suppressed all these cellular activities induced by STZ, and (4) likewise, pre-incubation of STZ-treated NSCs with salidroside, also an antioxidant, suppressed all these activities as catalase: reduction of ROS levels and NSC death with simultaneous increases in proliferation and differentiation. Our findings indicated that the RCE improved the impaired hippocampal neurogenesis in the rat model of AD through protecting NSCs by its main ingredient salidroside which scavenged intracellular ROS. PMID:22235318

Sequential versus simultaneous use of chemotherapy and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) among estrogen receptor (ER)-positive premenopausal breast cancer patients: effects on ovarian function, disease-free survival, and overall survival.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying; Ji, Yajie; Li, Jianwei; Lei, Li; Wu, Siyu; Zuo, Wenjia; Jia, Xiaoqing; Wang, Yujie; Mo, Miao; Zhang, Na; Shen, Zhenzhou; Wu, Jiong; Shao, Zhimin; Liu, Guangyu

2018-04-01

To investigate ovarian function and therapeutic efficacy among estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, premenopausal breast cancer patients treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) and chemotherapy simultaneously or sequentially. This study was a phase 3, open-label, parallel, randomized controlled trial (NCT01712893). Two hundred sixteen premenopausal patients (under 45 years) diagnosed with invasive ER-positive breast cancer were enrolled from July 2009 to May 2013 and randomized at a 1:1 ratio to receive (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy combined with sequential or simultaneous GnRHa treatment. All patients were advised to receive GnRHa for at least 2 years. The primary outcome was the incidence of early menopause, defined as amenorrhea lasting longer than 12 months after the last chemotherapy or GnRHa dose, with postmenopausal or unknown follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol levels. The menstrual resumption period and survivals were the secondary endpoints. The median follow-up time was 56.9 months (IQR 49.5-72.4 months). One hundred and eight patients were enrolled in each group. Among them, 92 and 78 patients had complete primary endpoint data in the sequential and simultaneous groups, respectively. The rates of early menopause were 22.8% (21/92) in the sequential group and 23.1% (18/78) in the simultaneous group [simultaneous vs. sequential: OR 1.01 (95% CI 0.50-2.08); p = 0.969; age-adjusted OR 1.13; (95% CI 0.54-2.37); p = 0.737]. The median menstruation resumption period was 12.0 (95% CI 9.3-14.7) months and 10.3 (95% CI 8.2-12.4) months for the sequential and simultaneous groups, respectively [HR 0.83 (95% CI 0.59-1.16); p = 0.274; age-adjusted HR 0.90 (95%CI 0.64-1.27); p = 0.567]. No significant differences were evident for disease-free survival (p = 0.290) or overall survival (p = 0.514) between the two groups. For ER-positive premenopausal patients, the sequential use of GnRHa and chemotherapy showed ovarian preservation and survival outcomes that were no worse than simultaneous use. The application of GnRHa can probably be delayed until menstruation resumption after chemotherapy.

Utilization of satellite-satellite tracking data for determination of the geocentric gravitational constant (GM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, C. F.; Oh, I. H.

1979-01-01

Range rate tracking of GEOS 3 through the ATS 6 satellite was used, along with ground tracking of GEOS 3, to estimate the geocentric gravitational constant (GM). Using multiple half day arcs, a GM of 398600.52 + or - 0.12 cu km/sq sec was estimated using the GEM 10 gravity model, based on speed of light of 299792.458 km/sec. Tracking station coordinates were simultaneously adjusted, leaving geopotential model error as the dominant error source. Baselines between the adjusted NASA laser sites show better than 15 cm agreement with multiple short arc GEOS 3 solutions.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3 and IGFBP-5 mediate TGF-{beta}- and myostatin-induced suppression of proliferation in porcine embryonic myogenic cell cultures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kamanga-Sollo, E.; Pampusch, M.S.; White, M.E.

2005-11-15

We have previously shown that cultured porcine embryonic myogenic cells (PEMC) produce both insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3 and IGFBP-5 and secrete these proteins into their media. Exogenously added recombinant porcine (rp) IGFBP-3 and rpIGFBP-5 act via IGF-dependent and IGF-independent mechanisms to suppress proliferation of PEMC cultures. Furthermore, immunoneutralization of endogenous IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 in the PEMC culture medium results in increased DNA synthesis rate suggesting that endogenous IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 suppress PEMC proliferation. TGF-{beta} superfamily members myostatin and TGF-{beta}{sub 1} have also been shown to suppress proliferation of myogenic cells, and treatment of cultured PEMC with either TGF-{beta}{submore » 1} or myostatin significantly (P < 0.01) increases levels of IGFBP-3 and -5 mRNA. We have previously shown that immunoneutralization of IGFBP-3 decreases the proliferation-suppressing activity of TGF-{beta}{sub 1} and myostatin. Here, we show that immunoneutralization of IGFBP-5 also significantly (P < 0.05) decreases the DNA synthesis-suppressing activity of these molecules. Simultaneous immunoneutralization of both IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 in TGF-{beta}{sub 1} or myostatin-treated PEMC cultures restores Long-R3-IGF-I-stimulated DNA synthesis rates to 90% of the levels observed in control cultures receiving no TGF-{beta}{sub 1} or myostatin treatment (P < 0.05). Even though immunoneutralization of IGFBP-3 and -5 increased DNA synthesis rates in TGF-{beta}{sub 1} or myostatin-treated PEMC cultures, phosphosmad2 levels in these cultures were not affected. These findings strongly suggest that IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 affect processes downstream from receptor-mediated Smad phosphorylation that facilitate the ability of TGF-{beta} and myostatin to suppress proliferation of PEMC.« less

Interactions between neural networks: a mechanism for tuning chaos and oscillations.

PubMed

Wang, Lipo

2007-06-01

We show that chaos and oscillations in a higher-order binary neural network can be tuned effectively using interactions between neural networks. Our results suggest that network interactions may be useful as a means of adjusting the level of dynamic activities in systems that employ chaos and oscillations for information processing, or as a means of suppressing oscillatory behaviors in systems that require stability.

Hangar Fire Suppression Utilizing Novec 1230

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-01

The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing...fuel fires in aircraft hangars. A 30×30×8-ft concrete-and-steel test structure was constructed for this test series . Four discharge assemblies...structure. System discharge parameters---discharge time , discharge rate, and quantity of agent discharged---were adjusted to produce the desired Novec 1230

Postpartum Mood Disorders

PubMed Central

Misri, Shaila; Burgmann, Allan J.F.

1992-01-01

Adjusting to the role of mother, a creative and joyous change for most women, combines with simultaneous physiological and psychological changes to develop into psychiatric problems in some women. Three common syndromes during the postpartum period are postpartum blues, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis. Any postpartum condition should be diagnosed rapidly to prevent short- and long-term disorders. PMID:21221273

Effect of weather patterns on preweaning growth of beef calves in the Northern Great Plains

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Beef production records collected over a 76-year investigation into effects of linebreeding and selection of Hereford cattle, and concurrent weather records were used to assess effects of weather patterns on the growth of calves from birth to weaning. Data were simultaneously adjusted for trends in ...

Generalized Adaptive Artificial Neural Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tawel, Raoul

1993-01-01

Mathematical model of supervised learning by artificial neural network provides for simultaneous adjustments of both temperatures of neurons and synaptic weights, and includes feedback as well as feedforward synaptic connections. Extension of mathematical model described in "Adaptive Neurons For Artificial Neural Networks" (NPO-17803). Dynamics of neural network represented in new model by less-restrictive continuous formalism.

Mediating Links between Maternal Childhood Trauma and Preadolescent Behavioral Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Min, Meeyoung O.; Singer, Lynn T.; Minnes, Sonia; Kim, Hyunsoo; Short, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Structural equation modeling was used to simultaneously examine maternal psychological distress and social support as mediators linking maternal childhood trauma (MCT) to both maternal and child-reported behavior at 9 years of age in 231 birth mother-child dyads, who were primarily poor, urban, and African American. One half of the mothers…

5 CFR 531.206 - Order of processing simultaneous pay actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REGULATIONS PAY UNDER THE GENERAL SCHEDULE Determining Rate of Basic Pay General Provisions § 531.206 Order of... employee's rate of basic pay, the actions will be processed in the following order: (a) Process general pay... base rates; an adjustment of a locality pay percentage under subpart F of this part; the establishment...

Long-term assessment of the productivity, profitability, and environmental impact of two mid-Atlantic no-tillage cropping systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Future farming systems need to simultaneously 1) meet the demand for feeding a growing world population, 2) adjust to the developing scarcity of energy, nutrients, and water resources, and 3) mitigate environmental hazards. Development of cropping systems that maximize ecological processes for prov...

A closed-loop anesthetic delivery system for real-time control of burst suppression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liberman, Max Y.; Ching, ShiNung; Chemali, Jessica; Brown, Emery N.

2013-08-01

Objective. There is growing interest in using closed-loop anesthetic delivery (CLAD) systems to automate control of brain states (sedation, unconsciousness and antinociception) in patients receiving anesthesia care. The accuracy and reliability of these systems can be improved by using as control signals electroencephalogram (EEG) markers for which the neurophysiological links to the anesthetic-induced brain states are well established. Burst suppression, in which bursts of electrical activity alternate with periods of quiescence or suppression, is a well-known, readily discernible EEG marker of profound brain inactivation and unconsciousness. This pattern is commonly maintained when anesthetics are administered to produce a medically-induced coma for cerebral protection in patients suffering from brain injuries or to arrest brain activity in patients having uncontrollable seizures. Although the coma may be required for several hours or days, drug infusion rates are managed inefficiently by manual adjustment. Our objective is to design a CLAD system for burst suppression control to automate management of medically-induced coma. Approach. We establish a CLAD system to control burst suppression consisting of: a two-dimensional linear system model relating the anesthetic brain level to the EEG dynamics; a new control signal, the burst suppression probability (BSP) defining the instantaneous probability of suppression; the BSP filter, a state-space algorithm to estimate the BSP from EEG recordings; a proportional-integral controller; and a system identification procedure to estimate the model and controller parameters. Main results. We demonstrate reliable performance of our system in simulation studies of burst suppression control using both propofol and etomidate in rodent experiments based on Vijn and Sneyd, and in human experiments based on the Schnider pharmacokinetic model for propofol. Using propofol, we further demonstrate that our control system reliably tracks changing target levels of burst suppression in simulated human subjects across different epidemiological profiles. Significance. Our results give new insights into CLAD system design and suggest a control-theory framework to automate second-to-second control of burst suppression for management of medically-induced coma.

A dual-heterodyne laser interferometer for simultaneous measurement of linear and angular displacements.

PubMed

Yan, Hao; Duan, Hui-Zong; Li, Lin-Tao; Liang, Yu-Rong; Luo, Jun; Yeh, Hsien-Chi

2015-12-01

Picometer laser interferometry is an essential tool for ultra-precision measurements in frontier scientific research and advanced manufacturing. In this paper, we present a dual-heterodyne laser interferometer for simultaneously measuring linear and angular displacements with resolutions of picometer and nanoradian, respectively. The phase measurement method is based on cross-correlation analysis and realized by a PXI-bus data acquisition system. By implementing a dual-heterodyne interferometer with a highly symmetric optical configuration, low frequency noises caused by the environmental fluctuations can be suppressed to very low levels via common-mode noise rejection. Experimental results for the dual-heterodyne interferometer configuration presented demonstrate that the noise levels of the linear and angular displacement measurements are approximately 1 pm/Hz(1/2) and 0.5 nrad/Hz(1/2) at 1 Hz.

MT's algorithm: A new algorithm to search for the optimum set of modulation indices for simultaneous range, command, and telemetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Tien Manh

1989-01-01

MT's algorithm was developed as an aid in the design of space telecommunications systems when utilized with simultaneous range/command/telemetry operations. This algorithm provides selection of modulation indices for: (1) suppression of undesired signals to achieve desired link performance margins and/or to allow for a specified performance degradation in the data channel (command/telemetry) due to the presence of undesired signals (interferers); and (2) optimum power division between the carrier, the range, and the data channel. A software program using this algorithm was developed for use with MathCAD software. This software program, called the MT program, provides the computation of optimum modulation indices for all possible cases that are recommended by the Consultative Committee on Space Data System (CCSDS) (with emphasis on the squarewave, NASA/JPL ranging system).

Interferometric at-wavelength flare characterization of EUV optical systems

DOEpatents

Naulleau, Patrick P.; Goldberg, Kenneth Alan

2001-01-01

The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) phase-shifting point diffraction interferometer (PS/PDI) provides the high-accuracy wavefront characterization critical to the development of EUV lithography systems. Enhancing the implementation of the PS/PDI can significantly extend its spatial-frequency measurement bandwidth. The enhanced PS/PDI is capable of simultaneously characterizing both wavefront and flare. The enhanced technique employs a hybrid spatial/temporal-domain point diffraction interferometer (referred to as the dual-domain PS/PDI) that is capable of suppressing the scattered-reference-light noise that hinders the conventional PS/PDI. Using the dual-domain technique in combination with a flare-measurement-optimized mask and an iterative calculation process for removing flare contribution caused by higher order grating diffraction terms, the enhanced PS/PDI can be used to simultaneously measure both figure and flare in optical systems.

That "poker face" just might lose you the game! The impact of expressive suppression and mimicry on sensitivity to facial expressions of emotion.

PubMed

Schneider, Kristin G; Hempel, Roelie J; Lynch, Thomas R

2013-10-01

Successful interpersonal functioning often requires both the ability to mask inner feelings and the ability to accurately recognize others' expressions--but what if effortful control of emotional expressions impacts the ability to accurately read others? In this study, we examined the influence of self-controlled expressive suppression and mimicry on facial affect sensitivity--the speed with which one can accurately identify gradually intensifying facial expressions of emotion. Muscle activity of the brow (corrugator, related to anger), upper lip (levator, related to disgust), and cheek (zygomaticus, related to happiness) were recorded using facial electromyography while participants randomized to one of three conditions (Suppress, Mimic, and No-Instruction) viewed a series of six distinct emotional expressions (happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust) as they morphed from neutral to full expression. As hypothesized, individuals instructed to suppress their own facial expressions showed impairment in facial affect sensitivity. Conversely, mimicry of emotion expressions appeared to facilitate facial affect sensitivity. Results suggest that it is difficult for a person to be able to simultaneously mask inner feelings and accurately "read" the facial expressions of others, at least when these expressions are at low intensity. The combined behavioral and physiological data suggest that the strategies an individual selects to control his or her own expression of emotion have important implications for interpersonal functioning.

Suppression of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated cytokine/chemokine production in skin cells by sandalwood oils and purified α-santalol and β-santalol.

PubMed

Sharma, M; Levenson, C; Bell, R H; Anderson, S A; Hudson, J B; Collins, C C; Cox, M E

2014-06-01

Medicinally, sandalwood oil (SO) has been attributed with antiinflammatory properties; however, mechanism(s) for this activity have not been elucidated. To examine how SOs affect inflammation, cytokine antibody arrays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to assess changes in production of cytokines and chemokines by co-cultured human dermal fibroblasts and neo-epidermal keratinocytes exposed to lipopolysaccharides and SOs from Western Australian and East Indian sandalwood trees or to the primary SO components, α-santalol and β-santalol. Lipopolysaccharides stimulated the release of 26 cytokines and chemokines, 20 of which were substantially suppressed by simultaneous exposure to either of the two sandalwood essential oils and to ibuprofen. The increased activity of East Indian SO correlated with increased santalol concentrations. Purified α-santalol and β-santalol equivalently suppressed production of five indicator cytokines/chemokines at concentrations proportional to the santalol concentrations of the oils. Purified α-santalol and β-santalol also suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced production of the arachidonic acid metabolites, prostaglandin E2, and thromboxane B2, by the skin cell co-cultures. The ability of SOs to mimic ibuprofen non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs that act by inhibiting cyclooxygenases suggests a possible mechanism for the observed antiinflammatory properties of topically applied SOs and provides a rationale for use in products requiring antiinflammatory effects. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Withaferin A suppresses the growth of myelodysplasia and leukemia cell lines by inhibiting cell cycle progression.

PubMed

Okamoto, Shuichiro; Tsujioka, Takayuki; Suemori, Shin-Ichiro; Kida, Jun-Ichiro; Kondo, Toshinori; Tohyama, Yumi; Tohyama, Kaoru

2016-09-01

Treatment outcomes for acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) remain unsatisfactory despite progress in various types of chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Therefore, there is a need for the development of new treatment options. We investigated the growth-suppressive effects of withaferin A (WA), a natural plant steroidal lactone, on myelodysplasia and leukemia cell lines. WA exhibited growth-suppressive effects on the cell lines, MDS-L, HL-60, THP-1, Jurkat and Ramos, and induction of cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase at relatively low doses. Evaluation by annexin V/PI also confirmed the induction of partial apoptosis. Gene expression profiling and subsequent gene set enrichment analysis revealed increased expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1). HMOX1 is known to induce autophagy during anticancer chemotherapy and is considered to be involved in the treatment resistance. Our study indicated increased HMOX1 protein levels and simultaneous increases in the autophagy-related protein LC3A/B in MDS-L cells treated with WA, suggesting increased autophagy. Combined use of WA with chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, enhanced early apoptosis and growth suppression. Together with the knowledge that WA had no apparent suppressive effect on the growth of human normal bone marrow CD34-positive cells in the short-term culture, this drug may have a potential for a novel therapeutic approach to the treatment of leukemia or MDS. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

Rehearsal of to-be-remembered items is unnecessary to perform directed forgetting within working memory: Support for an active control mechanism.

PubMed

Festini, Sara B; Reuter-Lorenz, Patricia A

2017-01-01

Directed forgetting tasks instruct people to forget targeted memoranda. In the context of working memory, people attempt to forget representations that are currently held in mind. Here, we evaluated candidate mechanisms of directed forgetting within working memory, by (a) testing the influence of articulatory suppression, a rehearsal-reducing and attention-demanding secondary task, on directed forgetting efficacy, and by (b) assessing the ability of people to perform forgetting in the absence of to-be-remembered competitors to rehearse. In Experiment 1, articulatory suppression interfered with directed forgetting, increasing the proportion of false alarms to to-be-forgotten probes in the working memory phase and decreasing the magnitude of the directed forgetting effect as assessed by an incidental long-term memory recognition test. Experiment 2 replicated the effects of articulatory suppression and tested whether the simultaneous requirement to retain, and presumably rehearse, to-be-remembered items was necessary for successful forgetting. The long-term directed forgetting effect was equivalent whether or not participants had to-be-remembered items to rehearse during the working memory phase. Experiment 3 included an additional comparison condition and confirmed that articulatory suppression interfered with directed forgetting and that participants were as efficient at directed forgetting with and without competitors to remember. In combination, these experiments suggest that directed forgetting in working memory requires an active control process that is limited by articulatory suppression, and that the demand to remember a concurrent memory set is unnecessary for this control process to operate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Variable-Tension-Cord Suspension/Vibration-Isolation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Villemarette, Mark L.; Boston, Joshua; RInks, Judith; Felice, Pat; Stein, Tim; Payne, Patrick

2006-01-01

A system for mechanical suspension and vibration isolation of a machine or instrument is based on the use of Kevlar (or equivalent aromatic polyamide) cord held in variable tension between the machine or instrument and a surrounding frame. The basic concept of such a tensioned-cord suspension system (including one in which the cords are made of aromatic polyamide fibers) is not new by itself; what is new here is the additional provision for adjusting the tension during operation to optimize vibration- isolation properties. In the original application for which this system was conceived, the objective is to suspend a reciprocating cryocooler aboard a space shuttle and to prevent both (1) transmission of launch vibrations to the cryocooler and (2) transmission of vibrations from the cryocooler to samples in a chamber cooled by the cryocooler. The basic mechanical principle of this system can also be expected to be applicable to a variety of other systems in which there are requirements for cord suspension and vibration isolation. The reciprocating cryocooler of the original application is a generally axisymmetric object, and the surrounding frame is a generally axisymmetric object with windows (see figure). Two cords are threaded into a spoke-like pattern between attachment rings on the cryocooler, holes in the cage, and cord-tension- adjusting assemblies. Initially, the cord tensions are adjusted to at least the level necessary to suspend the cryocooler against gravitation. Accelerometers for measuring vibrations are mounted (1) on the cold tip of the cryocooler and (2) adjacent to the cage, on a structure that supports the cage. During operation, a technician observes the accelerometer outputs on an oscilloscope while manually adjusting the cord tensions in an effort to minimize the amount of vibration transmitted to and/or from the cryocooler. A contemplated future version of the system would include a microprocessor-based control subsystem that would include cord-tension actuators. This control subsystem would continually adjust the cord tension in response to accelerometer feedback to optimize vibration-isolation properties as required for various operating conditions. The control system could also adjust cord tensions (including setting the two cords to different tensions) to suppress resonances. Other future enhancements could include optimizing the cord material, thickness, and braid; optimizing the spoke patterns; and adding longitudinal cords for applications in which longitudinal stiffness and vibration suppression are required.

Simultaneous Prediction of New Morbidity, Mortality, and Survival without New Morbidity from Pediatric Intensive Care: A New Paradigm for Outcomes Assessment

PubMed Central

Pollack, Murray M.; Holubkov, Richard; Funai, Tomohiko; Berger, John T.; Clark, Amy E.; Meert, Kathleen; Berg, Robert A.; Carcillo, Joseph; Wessel, David L.; Moler, Frank; Dalton, Heidi; Newth, Christopher J. L.; Shanley, Thomas; Harrison, Rick E.; Doctor, Allan; Jenkins, Tammara L.; Tamburro, Robert; Dean, J. Michael

2015-01-01

Objective Assessments of care including quality assessments adjusted for physiological status should include the development of new morbidities as well as mortalities. We hypothesized that morbidity, like mortality, is associated with physiological dysfunction and could be predicted simultaneously with mortality. Design Prospective cohort study from December 4, 2011 to April 7, 2013. Setting and Patients General and cardiac/cardiovascular pediatric intensive care units at 7 sites. Measurements and Main Results Among 10,078 admissions, the unadjusted morbidity rates (measured with the Functional Status Scale (FSS), and defined as an increase of ≥ 3 from pre-illness to hospital discharge) were 4.6% (site range 2.6% to 7.7%) and unadjusted mortality rates were 2.7% (site range 1.3% – 5.0%). Morbidity and mortality were significantly (p<0.001) associated with physiological instability (measured with the PRISM III score) in dichotomous (survival, death) and trichotomous (survival without new morbidity, survival with new morbidity, death) models without covariate adjustments. Morbidity risk increased with increasing PRISM III scores and then decreased at the highest PRISM III values as potential morbidities became mortalities. The trichotomous model with covariate adjustments included age, admission source, diagnostic factors, baseline FSS and the PRISM III score. The three-level goodness of fit test indicated satisfactory performance for the derivation and validation sets (p>0.20). Predictive ability assessed with the volume under the surface (VUS) was 0.50 ± 0.019 (derivation) and 0.50 ± 0.034 (validation) (versus chance performance = 0.17). Site-level standardized morbidity ratios were more variable than standardized mortality ratios. Conclusions New morbidities were associated with physiological status and can be modeled simultaneously with mortality. Trichotomous outcome models including both morbidity and mortality based on physiological status are suitable for research studies, and quality and other outcome assessments. This approach may be applicable to other assessments presently based only on mortality. PMID:25985385

Prospective associations of co-rumination with friendship and emotional adjustment: considering the socioemotional trade-offs of co-rumination.

PubMed

Rose, Amanda J; Carlson, Wendy; Waller, Erika M

2007-07-01

Co-ruminating, or excessively discussing problems, with friends is proposed to have adjustment tradeoffs. Co-rumination is hypothesized to contribute both to positive friendship adjustment and to problematic emotional adjustment. Previous single-assessment research was consistent with this hypothesis, but whether co-rumination is an antecedent of adjustment changes was unknown. A 6-month longitudinal study with middle childhood to midadolescent youths examined whether co-rumination is simultaneously a risk factor (for depression and anxiety) and a protective factor (for friendship problems). For girls, a reciprocal relationship was found in which co-rumination predicted increased depressive and anxiety symptoms and increased positive friendship quality over time, which, in turn, contributed to greater co-rumination. For boys, having depressive and anxiety symptoms and high-quality friendships also predicted increased co-rumination. However, for boys, co-rumination predicted only increasing positive friendship quality and not increasing depression and anxiety. An implication of this research is that some girls at risk for developing internalizing problems may go undetected because they have seemingly supportive friendships. Copyright 2007 APA.

Prospective Associations of Co-Rumination with Friendship and Emotional Adjustment: Considering the Socioemotional Trade-Offs of Co-Rumination

PubMed Central

Rose, Amanda J.; Carlson, Wendy; Waller, Erika M.

2012-01-01

Co-ruminating, or excessively discussing problems, with friends is proposed to have adjustment trade-offs. Co-rumination is hypothesized to contribute both to positive friendship adjustment and to problematic emotional adjustment. Previous single-assessment research was consistent with this hypothesis, but whether co-rumination is an antecedent of adjustment changes was unknown. A six-month longitudinal study with middle childhood to mid-adolescent youth examined whether co-rumination is simultaneously a risk factor (for depression and anxiety) and a protective factor (for friendship problems). For girls, a reciprocal relationship was found in which co-rumination predicted increased depressive and anxiety symptoms and increased positive friendship quality over time, which, in turn, contributed to greater co-rumination. For boys, having depressive and anxiety symptoms and high-quality friendships also predicted increased co-rumination. However, for boys, co-rumination predicted only increasing positive friendship quality and not increasing depression and anxiety. An implication of this research is that some girls at risk for developing internalizing problems may go undetected because they have seemingly supportive friendships. PMID:17605532

The slow inward calcium current is responsible for a part of the contraction of patch-clamped rat myoballs.

PubMed

Rivet, M; Cognard, C; Raymond, G

1989-01-01

The slow inward calcium current and the contractile response were simultaneously recorded in voltage clamped (whole cell patch clamp recording) rat myoballs in primary culture. The shape of the contraction(T)/potential(V) relationship and the application of the inorganic calcium channel blocker cadmium (1.5 mM), which suppresses a part of the contractile activity, demonstrate the existence of two components of contraction. One of them is related to the slow calcium current.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Min-Kang; Xiong, Xin; Chen, Le-Le

An ultra-low frequency active vibration isolator, simultaneously suppressing three-dimensional vibration noise, is demonstrated experimentally. The equivalent natural period of the isolator is 100 s and 12 s for the vertical and horizontal direction, respectively. The vibration noise in the vertical direction is about 50 times reduced during 0.2 and 2 Hz, and 5 times reduced in the other two orthogonal directions in the same frequency range. This isolator is designed for atom gravimeters, especially suitable for the gravimeter whose sensitivity is limited by vibration couplings.

DC-Compensated Current Transformer †

PubMed Central

Ripka, Pavel; Draxler, Karel; Styblíková, Renata

2016-01-01

Instrument current transformers (CTs) measure AC currents. The DC component in the measured current can saturate the transformer and cause gross error. We use fluxgate detection and digital feedback compensation of the DC flux to suppress the overall error to 0.15%. This concept can be used not only for high-end CTs with a nanocrystalline core, but it also works for low-cost CTs with FeSi cores. The method described here allows simultaneous measurements of the DC current component. PMID:26805830

Stacking transgenes in forest trees.

PubMed

Halpin, Claire; Boerjan, Wout

2003-08-01

Huge potential exists for improving plant raw materials and foodstuffs via metabolic engineering. To date, progress has mostly been limited to modulating the expression of single genes of well-studied pathways, such as the lignin biosynthetic pathway, in model species. However, a recent report illustrates a new level of sophistication in metabolic engineering by overexpressing one lignin enzyme while simultaneously suppressing the expression of another lignin gene in a tree, aspen. This novel approach to multi-gene manipulation has succeeded in concurrently improving several wood-quality traits.

Rapid rotational/translational maneuvering experiments of a flexible steel beam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Juang, Jer-Nan; Yang, Li-Farn; Huanag, Jen-Kuang; Macauley, Richard

1989-01-01

Future space manipulators may need translational base motion to expand the access region of a manipulator. An experiment was conducted to demonstrate slewing of flexible structures with coupled rotational and translational axes while simultaneously suppressing vibrational motion during the maneuver. In the experiment, a flexible steel beam carried by a translational cart was maneuvered by an active controller to perform position-control tasks. Experimental results are presented to show how the flexibility of the steel beam influences the multi-input multi-output feedback controller.

Concerted suppression of STAT3 and GSK3β is involved in growth inhibition of non-small cell lung cancer by Xanthatin.

PubMed

Tao, Li; Fan, Fangtian; Liu, Yuping; Li, Weidong; Zhang, Lei; Ruan, Junshan; Shen, Cunsi; Sheng, Xiaobo; Zhu, Zhijie; Wang, Aiyun; Chen, Wenxing; Huang, Shile; Lu, Yin

2013-01-01

Xanthatin, a sesquiterpene lactone purified from Xanthium strumarium L., possesses prominent anticancer activity. We found that disruption of GSK3β activity was essential for xanthatin to exert its anticancer properties in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), concurrent with preferable suppression of constitutive activation of STAT3. Interestingly, inactivation of the two signals are two mutually exclusive events in xanthatin-induced cell death. Moreover, we surprisingly found that exposure of xanthatin failed to trigger the presumable side effect of canonical Wnt/β-Catenin followed by GSK3β inactivation. We further observed that the downregulation of STAT3 was required for xanthatin to fine-tune the risk. Thus, the discovery of xanthatin, which has ability to simultaneously orchestrate two independent signaling cascades, may have important implications for screening promising drugs in cancer therapies.

Concerted Suppression of STAT3 and GSK3β Is Involved in Growth Inhibition of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Xanthatin

PubMed Central

Tao, Li; Fan, Fangtian; Liu, Yuping; Li, Weidong; Zhang, Lei; Ruan, Junshan; Shen, Cunsi; Sheng, Xiaobo; Zhu, Zhijie; Wang, Aiyun; Chen, Wenxing; Huang, Shile; Lu, Yin

2013-01-01

Xanthatin, a sesquiterpene lactone purified from Xanthium strumarium L., possesses prominent anticancer activity. We found that disruption of GSK3β activity was essential for xanthatin to exert its anticancer properties in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), concurrent with preferable suppression of constitutive activation of STAT3. Interestingly, inactivation of the two signals are two mutually exclusive events in xanthatin-induced cell death. Moreover, we surprisingly found that exposure of xanthatin failed to trigger the presumable side effect of canonical Wnt/β-Catenin followed by GSK3β inactivation. We further observed that the downregulation of STAT3 was required for xanthatin to fine-tune the risk. Thus, the discovery of xanthatin, which has ability to simultaneously orchestrate two independent signaling cascades, may have important implications for screening promising drugs in cancer therapies. PMID:24312384

Biological effects of Corynebacterium parvum. IV. Adjuvant and inhibitory activities on B lymphocytes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Howard, J.G.; Christie, G.H.; Scott, M.T.

1973-05-01

The PFC response to the thymus-independent antigen SIII (type 3 pneumococcal polysaccharide) was amplified in mice injected 4 days previously with killed Corynebacterium parvum. This adjuvant activity was demonstrable with high (2 to 50 mu g) but not low (0.1 to 0.5 mu g) doses of SIII. Induction of tolerance was unaffected. Depression of the response resulted from simultaneous injection of SIII with either C. parvum or Bordetella pertussis, while prior treatment with the latter was without effect. Responsiveness to SIII was transiently but potently suppressed in spleen cells transferred into lethally irradiated, C. parvum pretreated mice. Although C. parvummore » is an effective B cell adjuvant, other data imply that it acts indirectly on these lymphocytes. It is argued that both adjuvant and suppressive activities of C. parvum on the B cell response to SIII are most probably mediated by activated macrophages. (auth)« less

Biological effects of Corynebacterium parvum. IV. Adjuvant and inhibitory activities on B lymphocytes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Howard, J.G.; Christie, G.H.; Scott, M.T.

1973-05-01

The PFC response to the thymus-independent antigen SIII(type 3 pneumococcal polysaccharide) was amplified in mice injected 4 days previously with killed Corynebacterium parvum. This adjuvant activity was demonstrable with high (2 to 50 mu g) but not low (0.1 to 0.5 mu g) doses of SIII. Induction of tolerance was unaffected. Depression of the response resulted from simultaneous injection of SIII with either C. parvum or Bordetella pertussis, while prior treatment with the latter was without effect. Responsiveness to SIII was transiently but potently suppressed in spleen cells transferred into lethally irradiated, C. parvum pretreated mice. Although C. parvum ismore » an effective B cell adjuvant, other data imply that it acts indirectly on these iymphocytes. It is argued that both adjuvant and suppressive activities of C. parvum on the B cell response to SIII are most probably mediated by activated macrophages. (auth)« less

Electrowetting on liquid-infused film (EWOLF): Complete reversibility and controlled droplet oscillation suppression for fast optical imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Chonglei; Liu, Yahua; Chen, Xuemei; He, Yuncheng; Li, Qiusheng; Li, K. Y.; Wang, Zuankai

2014-10-01

Electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) has emerged as a powerful tool to electrically manipulate tiny individual droplets in a controlled manner. Despite tremendous progress over the past two decades, current EWOD operating in ambient conditions has limited functionalities posing challenges for its applications, including electronic display, energy generation, and microfluidic systems. Here, we demonstrate a new paradigm of electrowetting on liquid-infused film (EWOLF) that allows for complete reversibility and tunable transient response simultaneously. We determine that these functionalities in EWOLF are attributed to its novel configuration, which allows for the formation of viscous liquid-liquid interfaces as well as additional wetting ridges, thereby suppressing the contact line pinning and severe droplet oscillation encountered in the conventional EWOD. Finally, by harnessing these functionalities demonstrated in EWOLF, we also explore its application as liquid lens for fast optical focusing.

Electrowetting on liquid-infused film (EWOLF): Complete reversibility and controlled droplet oscillation suppression for fast optical imaging

PubMed Central

Hao, Chonglei; Liu, Yahua; Chen, Xuemei; He, Yuncheng; Li, Qiusheng; Li, K. Y.; Wang, Zuankai

2014-01-01

Electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) has emerged as a powerful tool to electrically manipulate tiny individual droplets in a controlled manner. Despite tremendous progress over the past two decades, current EWOD operating in ambient conditions has limited functionalities posing challenges for its applications, including electronic display, energy generation, and microfluidic systems. Here, we demonstrate a new paradigm of electrowetting on liquid-infused film (EWOLF) that allows for complete reversibility and tunable transient response simultaneously. We determine that these functionalities in EWOLF are attributed to its novel configuration, which allows for the formation of viscous liquid-liquid interfaces as well as additional wetting ridges, thereby suppressing the contact line pinning and severe droplet oscillation encountered in the conventional EWOD. Finally, by harnessing these functionalities demonstrated in EWOLF, we also explore its application as liquid lens for fast optical focusing. PMID:25355005

Electrowetting on liquid-infused film (EWOLF): complete reversibility and controlled droplet oscillation suppression for fast optical imaging.

PubMed

Hao, Chonglei; Liu, Yahua; Chen, Xuemei; He, Yuncheng; Li, Qiusheng; Li, K Y; Wang, Zuankai

2014-10-30

Electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) has emerged as a powerful tool to electrically manipulate tiny individual droplets in a controlled manner. Despite tremendous progress over the past two decades, current EWOD operating in ambient conditions has limited functionalities posing challenges for its applications, including electronic display, energy generation, and microfluidic systems. Here, we demonstrate a new paradigm of electrowetting on liquid-infused film (EWOLF) that allows for complete reversibility and tunable transient response simultaneously. We determine that these functionalities in EWOLF are attributed to its novel configuration, which allows for the formation of viscous liquid-liquid interfaces as well as additional wetting ridges, thereby suppressing the contact line pinning and severe droplet oscillation encountered in the conventional EWOD. Finally, by harnessing these functionalities demonstrated in EWOLF, we also explore its application as liquid lens for fast optical focusing.

Determination of sulphite in wines using suppressed ion chromatography.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Kenji; Uekusa, Yuki; Sakuragawa, Akio

2015-05-01

Suppressed ion chromatography with the use of a conductivity detector was developed for the determination of sulphite ions in wine samples. When a mixed solution of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and acetone was used as the mobile phase, simultaneous determination of eight inorganic anions (i.e., fluoride, chloride, nitrite, nitrate, sulphite, phosphate, sulphate, and thiosulphate) was completed in approximately 25 min. Linearity, reproducibility, and detection limits were determined for the proposed method. In the case of sulphite detection, a linear calibration curve with a good correlation coefficient of 0.9992 was obtained from the peak height of sulphite with a relative standard deviation (n = 6) 1.48%. In addition, the detection limit of sulphite was 0.27 mg/L at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. Further, the developed method was applied for the determination of sulphite contained in several wine samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High temperature degradation mechanism of a red phosphor, CaAlSiN3:Eu for solid-state lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oishi, Masatsugu; Shiomi, Shohei; Yamamoto, Takashi; Ueki, Tomoyuki; Kai, Yoichiro; Chichibu, Shigefusa F.; Takatori, Aiko; Kojima, Kazunobu

2017-09-01

Thermal properties of a red phosphor CaAlSiN3:Eu (CASN) at elevated temperatures were evaluated. A heat treatment at 800 °C degraded the photoluminescence property of CASN and caused irreversible changes in both the excitation and emission intensities. The heat treatment in air simultaneously decreased the N elements and increased the O elements. Consequently, the Eu2+ luminescence center was oxidized and CASN lost its photoluminescence property. Although the crystal structure of CASN host was stable even after the heat treatments, the local structure change around the Eu2+ ions is the origin of the thermal degradation of CASN. We found that the heat treatment in N2 atmosphere suppresses the thermal degradation. This is due to the suppression of N evolutions and the incorporation of O elements, which sustains the optically active Eu2+ state.

Rational design of micro-RNA-like bifunctional siRNAs targeting HIV and the HIV coreceptor CCR5.

PubMed

Ehsani, Ali; Saetrom, Pål; Zhang, Jane; Alluin, Jessica; Li, Haitang; Snøve, Ola; Aagaard, Lars; Rossi, John J

2010-04-01

Small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are distinguished by their modes of action. SiRNAs serve as guides for sequence-specific cleavage of complementary mRNAs and the targets can be in coding or noncoding regions of the target transcripts. MiRNAs inhibit translation via partially complementary base-pairing to 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) and are generally ineffective when targeting coding regions of a transcript. In this study, we deliberately designed siRNAs that simultaneously direct cleavage and translational suppression of HIV RNAs, or cleavage of the mRNA encoding the HIV coreceptor CCR5 and suppression of translation of HIV. These bifunctional siRNAs trigger inhibition of HIV infection and replication in cell culture. The design principles have wide applications throughout the genome, as about 90% of genes harbor sites that make the design of bifunctional siRNAs possible.

Human primary motor cortex is both activated and stabilized during observation of other person's phasic motor actions.

PubMed

Hari, Riitta; Bourguignon, Mathieu; Piitulainen, Harri; Smeds, Eero; De Tiège, Xavier; Jousmäki, Veikko

2014-01-01

When your favourite athlete flops over the high-jump bar, you may twist your body in front of the TV screen. Such automatic motor facilitation, 'mirroring' or even overt imitation is not always appropriate. Here, we show, by monitoring motor-cortex brain rhythms with magnetoencephalography (MEG) in healthy adults, that viewing intermittent hand actions of another person, in addition to activation, phasically stabilizes the viewer's primary motor cortex, with the maximum of half a second after the onset of the seen movement. Such a stabilization was evident as enhanced cortex-muscle coherence at 16-20 Hz, despite signs of almost simultaneous suppression of rolandic rhythms of approximately 7 and 15 Hz as a sign of activation of the sensorimotor cortex. These findings suggest that inhibition suppresses motor output during viewing another person's actions, thereby withholding unintentional imitation.

Application of matrix singular value properties for evaluating gain and phase margins of multiloop systems. [stability margins for wing flutter suppression and drone lateral attitude control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mukhopadhyay, V.; Newsom, J. R.

1982-01-01

A stability margin evaluation method in terms of simultaneous gain and phase changes in all loops of a multiloop system is presented. A universal gain-phase margin evaluation diagram is constructed by generalizing an existing method using matrix singular value properties. Using this diagram and computing the minimum singular value of the system return difference matrix over the operating frequency range, regions of guaranteed stability margins can be obtained. Singular values are computed for a wing flutter suppression and a drone lateral attitude control problem. The numerical results indicate that this method predicts quite conservative stability margins. In the second example if the eigenvalue magnitude is used instead of the singular value, as a measure of nearness to singularity, more realistic stability margins are obtained. However, this relaxed measure generally cannot guarantee global stability.

Rationale for the Coadministration of Albendazole and Ivermectin to Humans for Malaria Parasite Transmission Control

PubMed Central

Kobylinski, Kevin C.; Alout, Haoues; Foy, Brian D.; Clements, Archie; Adisakwattana, Poom; Swierczewski, Brett E.; Richardson, Jason H.

2014-01-01

Recently there have been calls for the eradication of malaria and the elimination of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). Malaria and STHs overlap in distribution, and STH infections are associated with increased risk for malaria. Indeed, there is evidence that suggests that STH infection may facilitate malaria transmission. Malaria and STH coinfection may exacerbate anemia, especially in pregnant women, leading to worsened child development and more adverse pregnancy outcomes than these diseases would cause on their own. Ivermectin mass drug administration (MDA) to humans for malaria parasite transmission suppression is being investigated as a potential malaria elimination tool. Adding albendazole to ivermectin MDAs would maximize effects against STHs. A proactive, integrated control platform that targets malaria and STHs would be extremely cost-effective and simultaneously reduce human suffering caused by multiple diseases. This paper outlines the benefits of adding albendazole to ivermectin MDAs for malaria parasite transmission suppression. PMID:25070998

Synchronous Controlled Switching by VCB with Electromagnetic Operation Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horinouchi, Katsuhiko; Tsukima, Mitsuru; Tohya, Nobumoto; Inoue, Ryuuichi; Sasao, Hiroyuki

Synchronously controlled switching to suppress transient overvoltage and overcurrent resulting from when the circuit breakers on medium voltage systems are closed is described. Firstly, by simulation it is found that if the closing time is synchronously controlled so that the contacts of the circuit breaker close completely at the instant when the voltage across contacts of the breaker at each of the three individual phases are zero, the resulting overvoltage and overcurrent is significantly suppressed when compared to conventional three phase simultaneous closing. Next, an algorithm for determining the closing timing based on a forecasted voltage zero waveform, obtained from voltage sampling data, is presented. Finally, a synchronous closing experiment of voltage 22kV utilizing a controller to implement the algorithm and a VCB with an electromagnetic operation mechanism is presented. The VCB was successfully closed at the zero point within a tolerance range of 200 microseconds.

Aliphatic long chain quaternary ammonium compounds analysis by ion-pair chromatography coupled with suppressed conductivity and UV detection in lysing reagents for blood cell analysers.

PubMed

Giovannelli, D; Abballe, F

2005-08-26

A method has been developed which allows simultaneous determination of three linear alkyl trimethylammonium salts. Dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride, tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide and hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride are widely used as main active ingredients of lysing reagents for blood cell analyzers which perform white blood cells differential determination into two or more sub-populations by impedance analysis. The ion-pair on styrene-divinyl benzene chromatographic phase looks like a suitable, reliable and long term stable tool for separation of such quaternary compounds. The detection based on suppressed conductivity was chosen because of the lack of significance chromophores. A micromembrane suppressor device compatible with high solvent concentration (up to 80%) was used in order to minimize the conductivity background before the detection. In the present work we show how the chemical post column derivatization makes the alkyl chain detectable also by UV direct detection at 210 nm.

Basal Ganglia Beta Oscillations Accompany Cue Utilization

PubMed Central

Leventhal, Daniel K.; Gage, Gregory J.; Schmidt, Robert; Pettibone, Jeffrey R.; Case, Alaina C.; Berke, Joshua D.

2012-01-01

SUMMARY Beta oscillations in cortical-basal ganglia (BG) circuits have been implicated in normal movement suppression and motor impairment in Parkinson’s disease. To dissect the functional correlates of these rhythms we compared neural activity during four distinct variants of a cued choice task in rats. Brief beta (~20 Hz) oscillations occurred simultaneously throughout the cortical-BG network, both spontaneously and at precise moments of task performance. Beta phase was rapidly reset in response to salient cues, yet increases in beta power were not rigidly linked to cues, movements, or movement suppression. Rather, beta power was enhanced after cues were used to determine motor output. We suggest that beta oscillations reflect a postdecision stabilized state of cortical-BG networks, which normally reduces interference from alternative potential actions. The abnormally strong beta seen in Parkinson’s Disease may reflect overstabilization of these networks, producing pathological persistence of the current motor state. PMID:22325204

Effect of Sediment Gas Voids and Ebullition on Benthic Solute Exchange.

PubMed

Flury, Sabine; Glud, Ronnie N; Premke, Katrin; McGinnis, Daniel F

2015-09-01

The presence of free gas in sediments and ebullition events can enhance the pore water transport and solute exchange across the sediment-water interface. However, we experimentally and theoretically document that the presence of free gas in sediments can counteract this enhancement effect. The apparent diffusivities (Da) of Rhodamine WT and bromide in sediments containing 8-18% gas (Da,YE) were suppressed by 7-39% compared to the control (no gas) sediments (Da,C). The measured ratios of Da,YE:Da,C were well within the range of ratios predicted by a theoretical soil model for gas-bearing soils. Whereas gas voids in sediments reduce the Da for soluble species, they represent a shortcut for low-soluble species such as methane and oxygen. Therefore, the presence of even minor amounts of gas can increase the fluxes of low-soluble species (i.e., gases) by several factors, while simultaneously suppressing fluxes of dissolved species.

Interferon-gamma exerts its negative regulatory effect primarily on the earliest stages of murine erythroid progenitor cell development.

PubMed

Wang, C Q; Udupa, K B; Lipschitz, D A

1995-01-01

Interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) has been shown to suppress erythropoiesis and perhaps to contribute to the anemia of chronic disease. In this study we demonstrated that the concentration of INF gamma required to suppress murine burst forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E) growth was significantly less than that required to suppress colony forming unit-erythroid (CFU-E) growth. INF gamma acted at the most primitive step in erythroid progenitor cell differentiation and proliferation, as inhibition was maximal when added at the time of BFU-E culture initiation. Inhibition was progressively less if INF gamma addition was delayed after culture initiation. The effects of INF gamma on BFU-E did not require the presence of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), or granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), as its effects were not neutralized by monoclonal antibodies against IL-1 alpha, TNF alpha, or GM-CSF. This applied whether INF gamma was added to culture with individual antibodies or with a combination of all three antibodies. INF gamma was not required for IL-1 alpha- or TNF alpha-induced suppression of BFU-E, as their effects were not neutralized by a monoclonal anti-INF gamma antibody. In contrast, GM-CSF-induced suppression of BFU-E was negated by the simultaneous addition of anti-INF gamma. We have previously shown that the addition of TNF alpha does not suppress BFU-E growth in cultures from marrow depleted of macrophages. Suppression did occur, however, if a small concentration of INF gamma that does not inhibit and increasing concentration of TNF alpha were added to culture, suggesting a synergistic effect between INF-gamma and TNF alpha. These observations suggest that INF gamma is a potent direct inhibitor of erythroid colony growth in vitro. It exerts its negative regulatory effect primarily on the earliest stages of erythroid progenitor cell differentiation and proliferation, as much higher doses are required to suppress late erythroid cell development. INF gamma is also involved in GM-CSF-induced inhibition of BFU-E colony growth.

Effect of in-material losses on terahertz absorption, transmission, and reflection in photonic crystals made of polar dielectrics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Serebryannikov, Andriy E., E-mail: andser@amu.edu.pl; Nanotechnology Research Center—NANOTAM, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara; Nojima, S.

2015-10-07

The effect of the material absorption factor on terahertz absorption (A), transmittance (T), and reflectance (R) for slabs of PhC that comprise rods made of GaAs, a polar dielectric, is studied. The main goal was to illustrate how critical a choice of the absorption factor for simulations is and to indicate the importance of the possible modification of the absorption ability by using either active or lossy impurities. The spectra of A, T, and R are strongly sensitive to the location of the polaritonic gap with respect to the photonic pass and stop bands connected with periodicity that enables themore » efficient combination of the effects of material and structural parameters. It will be shown that the spectra can strongly depend on the utilized value of the material absorption factor. In particular, both narrow and wide absorption bands may appear owing to a variation of the material parameters with a frequency in the vicinity of the polaritonic gap. The latter are often achieved at wideband suppression of transmission, so that an ultra-wide stop band can appear as a result of adjustment of the stop bands having different origin. The results obtained at simultaneous variation of the absorption factor and frequency, and angle of incidence and frequency, indicate the possibility of the existence of wide ranges of tolerance, in which the basic features do remain. This allows for mitigating the accuracy requirements for the absorption factor in simulations and promises the efficient absorption of nonmonochromatic waves and beams with a wide angular spectrum. Suppression of narrowband effects in transmission is demonstrated at rather large values of the absorption factor, when they appear due to either the defect modes related to structural defects or dispersion inspired variations of the material parameters in the vicinity of the polaritonic gap. Comparison with auxiliary structures helps one to detect the common features and differences of homogeneous slabs and slabs of a PhC, which are made of GaAs.« less

Neural strategies for selective attention distinguish fast-action video game players.

PubMed

Krishnan, Lavanya; Kang, Albert; Sperling, George; Srinivasan, Ramesh

2013-01-01

We investigated the psychophysical and neurophysiological differences between fast-action video game players (specifically first person shooter players, FPS) and non-action players (role-playing game players, RPG) in a visual search task. We measured both successful detections (hit rates) and steady-state visually evoked EEG potentials (SSVEPs). Search difficulty was varied along two dimensions: number of adjacent attended and ignored regions (1, 2 and 4), and presentation rate of novel search arrays (3, 8.6 and 20 Hz). Hit rates decreased with increasing presentation rates and number of regions, with the FPS players performing on average better than the RPG players. The largest differences in hit rate, between groups, occurred when four regions were simultaneously attended. We computed signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of SSVEPs and used partial least squares regression to model hit rates, SNRs and their relationship at 3 Hz and 8.6 Hz. The following are the most significant results: RPG players' parietal responses to the attended 8.6 Hz flicker were predictive of hit rate and were positively correlated with it, indicating attentional signal enhancement. FPS players' parietal responses to the ignored 3 Hz flicker were predictive of hit rate and were positively correlated with it, indicating distractor suppression. Consistent with these parietal responses, RPG players' frontal responses to the attended 8.6 Hz flicker, increased as task difficulty increased with number of regions; FPS players' frontal responses to the ignored 3 Hz flicker increased with number of regions. Thus the FPS players appear to employ an active suppression mechanism to deploy selective attention simultaneously to multiple interleaved regions, while RPG primarily use signal enhancement. These results suggest that fast-action gaming can affect neural strategies and the corresponding networks underlying attention, presumably by training mechanisms of distractor suppression.

Association of CDH13 Genotypes/Haplotypes with Circulating Adiponectin Levels, Metabolic Syndrome, and Related Metabolic Phenotypes: The Role of the Suppression Effect

PubMed Central

Teng, Ming-Sheng; Hsu, Lung-An; Wu, Semon; Sun, Yu-Chen; Juan, Shu-Hui; Ko, Yu-Lin

2015-01-01

Objective Previous genome-wide association studies have indicated an association between CDH13 genotypes and adiponectin levels. In this study, we used mediation analysis to assess the statistical association between CDH13 locus variants and adiponectin levels, metabolic syndrome, and related metabolic phenotypes. Methods and results A sample population of 530 Taiwanese participants was enrolled. Four CDH13 gene variants in the promoter and intron 1 regions were genotyped. After adjustment for clinical covariates, the CDH13 genotypes/haplotypes exhibited an association with the adiponectin levels (lowest P = 1.95 × 10−11 for rs4783244 and lowest P = 3.78 × 10−13 for haplotype ATTT). Significant correlations were observed between the adiponectin levels and the various metabolic syndrome-related phenotypes (all P ≤ 0.005). After further adjustment for the adiponectin levels, participants with a minor allele of rs12051272 revealed a considerable association with a more favorable metabolic profile, including higher insulin sensitivity, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower diastolic blood pressure, circulating levels of fasting plasma glucose, and triglycerides, and as a lower risk of metabolic syndrome (all P < 0.05). The mediation analysis further revealed a suppression effect of the adiponectin levels on the association between CDH13 genotypes and metabolic syndrome and its related phenotypes (Sobel test; all P < 0.001). Conclusion The genetic polymorphisms at the CDH13 locus independently affect the adiponectin levels, whereas the adiponectin levels exhibit a suppressive effect on the association between CDH13 locus variants and various metabolic phenotypes and metabolic syndrome. In addition, these results provide further evidence of the association between the CDH13 gene variants and the risks of metabolic syndrome and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. PMID:25875811

MR imaging of magnetic ink patterns via off-resonance sensitivity.

PubMed

Perkins, Stephanie L; Daniel, Bruce L; Hargreaves, Brian A

2018-03-30

Printed magnetic ink creates predictable B 0 field perturbations based on printed shape and magnetic susceptibility. This can be exploited for contrast in MR imaging techniques that are sensitized to off-resonance. The purpose of this work was to characterize the susceptibility variations of magnetic ink and demonstrate its application for creating MR-visible skin markings. The magnetic susceptibility of the ink was estimated by comparing acquired and simulated B 0 field maps of a custom-built phantom. The phantom was also imaged using a 3D gradient echo sequence with a presaturation pulse tuned to different frequencies, which adjusts the range of suppressed frequencies. Healthy volunteers with a magnetic ink pattern pressed to the skin or magnetic ink temporary flexible adhesives applied to the skin were similarly imaged. The volume-average magnetic susceptibility of the ink was estimated to be 131 ± 3 parts per million across a 1-mm isotropic voxel (13,100 parts per million assuming a 10-μm thickness of printed ink). Adjusting the saturation frequency highlights different off-resonant regions created by the ink patterns; for example, if tuned to suppress fat, fat suppression will fail near the ink due to the off-resonance. This causes magnetic ink skin markings placed over a region with underlying subcutaneous fat to be visible on MR images. Patterns printed with magnetic ink can be imaged and identified with MRI. Temporary flexible skin adhesives printed with magnetic ink have the potential to be used as skin markings that are visible both by eye and on MR images. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Postpartum Human Immunodeficiency Virus Care Among Women Diagnosed During Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Swain, Carol-Ann; Smith, Lou C.; Nash, Denis; Pulver, Wendy P.; Gordon, Daniel; Bian, Fuqin; Miranda, Wilson; Anderson, Bridget J.; Chicoine, Joyce; Birkhead, Guthrie S.; McNutt, Louise-Anne

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE To identify factors associated with continuity of care and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) virologic suppression among postpartum women diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy in New York State. METHODS This retrospective cohort study was conducted among 228 HIV-infected women diagnosed during pregnancy between 2008 and 2010. Initial receipt of HIV-related medical care (first CD4 or viral load test after diagnosis) was evaluated at 30 days after diagnosis and before delivery. Retention in care (2 or more CD4 or viral load tests, 90 days or greater apart) and virologic suppression (viral load 200 copies/mL or less) were evaluated in the 12 months after hospital discharge. RESULTS Most women had their initial HIV-related care encounter within 30 days of diagnosis (74%) and before delivery (87%). Of these women, 70% were retained in the first year postpartum. Women waiting more than 30 days for their initial HIV-related care encounter were more likely diagnosed in the first (29%) compared with the third (11%) trimester and were of younger (younger than 25 years, 32%) compared with older (35 years or older, 13%) age. Loss to follow-up within the first year was significantly greater among women diagnosed in the third compared with the first trimester (adjusted relative risk 2.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.41–3.45) and among women who had a cesarean compared with vaginal delivery (adjusted relative risk 1.76, 95% CI 1.07– 2.91). Of the 178 women with one or more HIV viral load test in the first year postpartum, 58% had an unsuppressed viral load. CONCLUSION Despite the high proportion retained in care, many women had poor postpartum virologic control. Robust strategies are needed to increase virologic suppression among newly diagnosed postpartum HIV-infected women. PMID:27275796

Reproducibility of nighttime salivary cortisol and its use in the diagnosis of hypercortisolism compared with urinary free cortisol and overnight dexamethasone suppression test.

PubMed

Viardot, Alexander; Huber, Peter; Puder, Jardena J; Zulewski, Henryk; Keller, Ulrich; Müller, Beat

2005-10-01

Nighttime salivary cortisol (NSC) has been suggested to be a useful diagnostic test for Cushing's syndrome (CS). In the absence of published data on its day-to-day variability, we assessed the reproducibility of NSC by repeated measurements in healthy volunteers. Its diagnostic performance was compared with 24-h urinary free cortisol (UFC) and 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test in 12 patients with CS, 20 healthy volunteers, 14 referred patients in which CS was excluded or not firmly established, 16 obese patients, and 20 women in late pregnancy. NSC showed a superior reproducibility in healthy volunteers with a low day-to-day variability as reflected by an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.78. The receiver operating characteristic curve-estimated cutoff of 6.1 nmol/liter (0.22 microg/dl) demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 100% (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.94-1.0) in the diagnosis of CS. NSC, 24-h UFC [after adjusting the local laboratory cutoff to 504 nmol/d (183 microg/d)], and the urinary cortisol/creatinine ratio showed a tendency to be superior to 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test in correctly identifying CS. In late pregnancy, the preserved diurnal variation at a higher level of salivary cortisol reduced the specificity of NSC to 75%. Based on its remarkable reproducibility, easy noninvasive nature, and at least similar diagnostic performance, NSC appears to be a preferable alternative to 24-h UFC as a first-line screening test for CS. The cutoff values of NSC, 24-h UFC, and urinary cortisol/creatinine ratio have to be carefully adjusted using assay and center-specific reference ranges of sufficiently large populations.

Seizure threshold increases can be predicted by EEG quality in right unilateral ultrabrief ECT.

PubMed

Gálvez, Verònica; Hadzi-Pavlovic, Dusan; Waite, Susan; Loo, Colleen K

2017-12-01

Increases in seizure threshold (ST) over a course of brief pulse ECT can be predicted by decreases in EEG quality, informing ECT dose adjustment to maintain adequate supra-threshold dosing. ST increases also occur over a course of right unilateral ultrabrief (RUL UB) ECT, but no data exist on the relationship between ST increases and EEG indices. This study (n = 35) investigated if increases in ST over RUL UB ECT treatments could be predicted by a decline in seizure quality. ST titration was performed at ECT session one and seven, with treatment dosing maintained stable (at 6-8 times ST) in intervening sessions. Seizure quality indices (slow-wave onset, mid-ictal amplitude, regularity, stereotypy, and post-ictal suppression) were manually rated at the first supra-threshold treatment, and last supra-threshold treatment before re-titration, using a structured rating scale, by a single trained rater blinded to the ECT session being rated. Twenty-one subjects (60%) had a ST increase. The association between ST changes and EEG quality indices was analysed by logistic regression, yielding a significant model (p < 0.001). Initial ST (p < 0.05) and percentage change in mid-ictal amplitude (p < 0.05) were significant predictors of change in ST. Percentage change in post-ictal suppression reached trend level significance (p = 0.065). Increases in ST over a RUL UB ECT course may be predicted by decreases in seizure quality, specifically decline in mid-ictal amplitude and potentially in post-ictal suppression. Such EEG indices may be able to inform when dose adjustments are necessary to maintain adequate supra-threshold dosing in RUL UB ECT.

Suppression of abnormal morphology and extracytoplasmic function sigma activity in Bacillus subtilis ugtP mutant cells by expression of heterologous glucolipid synthases from Acholeplasma laidlawii.

PubMed

Matsuoka, Satoshi; Seki, Takahiro; Matsumoto, Kouji; Hara, Hiroshi

2016-12-01

Glucolipids in Bacillus subtilis are synthesized by UgtP processively transferring glucose from UDP-glucose to diacylglycerol. Here we conclude that the abnormal morphology of a ugtP mutant is caused by lack of glucolipids, since the same morphology arises after abolition of glucolipid production by disruption of pgcA and gtaB, which are involved in UDP-glucose synthesis. Conversely, expression of a monoglucosyldiacylglycerol (MGlcDG) produced by 1,2-diacylglycerol 3-glucosyltransferase from Acholeplasma laidlawii (alMGS) almost completely suppressed the ugtP disruptant phenotype. Activation of extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigmas (SigM, SigV, and SigX) in the ugtP mutant was decreased by alMGS expression, and was suppressed to low levels by MgSO 4 addition. When alMGS and alDGS (A. laidlawii 1,2-diacylglycerol-3-glucose (1-2)-glucosyltransferase producing diglucosyldiacylglycerol (DGlcDG)) were simultaneously expressed, SigX activation was repressed to wild type level. These observations suggest that MGlcDG molecules are required for maintenance of B. subtilis cell shape and regulation of ECF sigmas, and DGlcDG regulates SigX activity.

Advanced feedback control methods in EXTRAP T2R reversed field pinch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadikin, D.; Brunsell, P. R.; Paccagnella, R.

2006-07-01

Previous experiments in the EXTRAP T2R reversed field pinch device have shown the possibility of suppression of multiple resistive wall modes (RWM). A feedback system has been installed in EXTRAP T2R having 100% coverage of the toroidal surface by the active coil array. Predictions based on theory and the previous experimental results show that the number of active coils should be sufficient for independent stabilization of all unstable RWMs in the EXTRAP T2R. Experiments using different feedback schemes are performed, comparing the intelligent shell, the fake rotating shell, and the mode control with complex feedback gains. Stabilization of all unstable RWMs throughout the discharge duration of td≈10τw is seen using the intelligent shell feedback scheme. Mode rotation and the control of selected Fourier harmonics is obtained simultaneously using the mode control scheme with complex gains. Different sensor signals are studied. A feedback system with toroidal magnetic field sensors could have an advantage of lower feedback gain needed for the RWM suppression compared to the system with radial magnetic field sensors. In this study, RWM suppression is demonstrated, using also the toroidal field component as a sensor signal in the feedback system.

Palmatine suppresses glutamine-mediated interaction between pancreatic cancer and stellate cells through simultaneous inhibition of survivin and COL1A1

PubMed Central

Chakravarthy, Divya; Muñoz, Amanda R.; Su, Angel; Hwang, Rosa F.; Keppler, Brian R.; Chan, Daniel E.; Halff, Glenn; Ghosh, Rita; Kumar, Addanki P.

2018-01-01

Reciprocal interaction between pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and cancer cells (PCCs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes tumor cell survival and progression to lethal, therapeutically resistant pancreatic cancer. The goal of this study was to test the ability of Palmatine (PMT) to disrupt this reciprocal interaction in vitro and examine the underlying mechanism of interaction. We show that PSCs secrete glutamine into the extracellular environment under nutrient deprivation. PMT suppresses glutamine-mediated changes in GLI signaling in PCCs resulting in the inhibition of growth and migration while inducing apoptosis by inhibition of survivin. PMT-mediated inhibition of (glioma-associated oncogene 1) GLI activity in stellate cells leads to suppression (collagen type 1 alpha 1) COL1A1 activation. Remarkably, PMT potentiated gemcitabine’s growth inhibitory activity in PSCs, PCCs and inherently gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cells. This is the first study that shows the ability of PMT to inhibit growth of PSCs and PCCs either alone or in combination with gemcitabine. These studies warrant additional investigations using preclinical models to develop PMT as an agent for clinical management of pancreatic cancer. PMID:29414301

Unconscious decisional learning improves unconscious information processing.

PubMed

Vlassova, Alexandra; Pearson, Joel

2018-07-01

The idea that unconscious input can result in long-term learning or task improvement has been debated for decades, yet there is still little evidence to suggest that learning outside of awareness can produce meaningful changes to decision-making. Here we trained participants using noisy motion stimuli, which require the gradual accumulation of information until a decision can be reached. These stimuli were suppressed from conscious awareness by simultaneously presenting a dynamic dichoptic mask. We show that a short period of training on either a partially or fully suppressed motion stimulus resulted in improved accuracy when tested on a partially suppressed motion stimulus traveling in the orthogonal direction. We found this improvement occurred even when performance on the training task was at chance. Performance gains generalized across motion directions, suggesting that the improvement was the result of changes to the decisional mechanisms rather than perceptual. Interestingly, unconscious learning had a stronger effect on unconscious, compared to conscious decisional accumulation. We further show that a conscious coherent percept is necessary to reap the benefits of unconscious learning. Together, these data suggest that unconscious decisional processing can be improved via training. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photodynamic therapy with simultaneous suppression of multiple treatment escape pathways (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spring, Bryan Q.; Sears, R. Bryan; Zheng, Lei Z.; Mai, Zhiming; Watanabe, Reika; Sherwood, Margaret E.; Schoenfeld, David A.; Pogue, Brian W.; Pereira, Stephen P.; Villa, Elizabeth; Hasan, Tayyaba

2016-03-01

We introduce photoactivatable multi-inhibitor nanoliposomes (PMILs) for photodynamic tumor cell and microvessel damage in synchrony with photo-initiation of tumor-confined, multikinase inhibitor release. The PMIL is a biodegradable delivery system comprised of a nanoliposome carrying a photoactivable chromophore (benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid A, BPD) in its bilayer. A multikinase inhibitor-loaded PEG-PLGA nanoparticle is encapsulated within the liposome, which acts a barrier to nanoparticle erosion and drug release. Following intravenous PMIL administration, near infrared irradiation of tumors triggers photodynamic therapy and initiates tumor-confined drug release from the nanoparticle. This talk presents promising preclinical data in mouse models of pancreatic cancer utilizing this concept to suppress the VEGF and MET signaling pathways—both critical to cancer progression, metastasis and treatment escape. A single PMIL treatment using low doses of a multikanse inhibitor (cabozantinib, XL184) achieves sustained tumor reduction and suppresses metastatic escape, whereas combination therapy by co-administration of the individual agents has significantly reduced efficacy. The PMIL concept is amenable to a number of molecular inhibitors and offers new prospects for spatiotemporal synchronization of combination therapies whilst reducing systemic drug exposure and associated toxicities.

Radiatively-suppressed spherical accretion under relativistic radiative transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukue, Jun

2018-03-01

We numerically examine radiatively-suppressed relativistic spherical accretion flows on to a central object with mass M under Newtonian gravity and special relativity. We simultaneously solve both the relativistic radiative transfer equation and the relativistic hydrodynamical equations for spherically symmetric flows under the double iteration process in the case of the intermediate optical depth. We find that the accretion flow is suppressed, compared with the freefall case in the nonrelativistic regime. For example, in the case of accretion on to a luminous core with accretion luminosity L*, the freefall velocity v normalized by the speed of light c under the radiative force in the nonrelativistic regime is β (\\hat{r}) = v/c = -√{(1-Γ _*)/(\\hat{r}+1-Γ _*)}, where Γ* (≡ L*/LE, LE being the Eddington luminosity) is the Eddington parameter and \\hat{r} (= r/rS, rS being the Schwarzschild radius) the normalized radius, whereas the infall speed at the central core is ˜0.7β(1), irrespective of the mass-accretion rate. This is due to the relativistic effect; the comoving flux is enhanced by the advective flux. We briefly examine and discuss an isothermal case, where the emission takes place in the entire space.

Power oscillation suppression by robust SMES in power system with large wind power penetration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngamroo, Issarachai; Cuk Supriyadi, A. N.; Dechanupaprittha, Sanchai; Mitani, Yasunori

2009-01-01

The large penetration of wind farm into interconnected power systems may cause the severe problem of tie-line power oscillations. To suppress power oscillations, the superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) which is able to control active and reactive powers simultaneously, can be applied. On the other hand, several generating and loading conditions, variation of system parameters, etc., cause uncertainties in the system. The SMES controller designed without considering system uncertainties may fail to suppress power oscillations. To enhance the robustness of SMES controller against system uncertainties, this paper proposes a robust control design of SMES by taking system uncertainties into account. The inverse additive perturbation is applied to represent the unstructured system uncertainties and included in power system modeling. The configuration of active and reactive power controllers is the first-order lead-lag compensator with single input feedback. To tune the controller parameters, the optimization problem is formulated based on the enhancement of robust stability margin. The particle swarm optimization is used to solve the problem and achieve the controller parameters. Simulation studies in the six-area interconnected power system with wind farms confirm the robustness of the proposed SMES under various operating conditions.

Comments on X. Yin, A. Wen, Y. Chen, and T. Wang, `Studies in an optical millimeter-wave generation scheme via two parallel dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulators', Journal of Modern Optics, 58(8), 2011, pp. 665-673

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, Mehedi; Maldonado-Basilio, Ramón; Hall, Trevor J.

2015-04-01

Yin et al. have described an innovative filter-less optical millimeter-wave generation scheme for octotupling of a 10 GHz RF oscillator, or sedecimtupling of a 5 GHz RF oscillator using two parallel dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulators (DP-MZMs). The great merit of their design is the suppression of all harmonics except those of order ? (octotupling) or all harmonics except those of order ? (sedecimtupling), where ? is an integer. A demerit of their scheme is the requirement to set a precise RF signal modulation index in order to suppress the zeroth order optical carrier. The purpose of this comment is to show that, in the case of the octotupling function, all harmonics may be suppressed except those of order ?, where ? is an odd integer, by the simple addition of an optical ? phase shift between the two DP-MZMs and an adjustment of the RF drive phases. Since the carrier is suppressed in the modified architecture, the octotupling circuit is thereby released of the strict requirement to set the drive level to a precise value without any significant increase in circuit complexity.

Auditory Cortex Processes Variation in Our Own Speech

PubMed Central

Sitek, Kevin R.; Mathalon, Daniel H.; Roach, Brian J.; Houde, John F.; Niziolek, Caroline A.; Ford, Judith M.

2013-01-01

As we talk, we unconsciously adjust our speech to ensure it sounds the way we intend it to sound. However, because speech production involves complex motor planning and execution, no two utterances of the same sound will be exactly the same. Here, we show that auditory cortex is sensitive to natural variations in self-produced speech from utterance to utterance. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) from ninety-nine subjects while they uttered “ah” and while they listened to those speech sounds played back. Subjects' utterances were sorted based on their formant deviations from the previous utterance. Typically, the N1 ERP component is suppressed during talking compared to listening. By comparing ERPs to the least and most variable utterances, we found that N1 was less suppressed to utterances that differed greatly from their preceding neighbors. In contrast, an utterance's difference from the median formant values did not affect N1. Trial-to-trial pitch (f0) deviation and pitch difference from the median similarly did not affect N1. We discuss mechanisms that may underlie the change in N1 suppression resulting from trial-to-trial formant change. Deviant utterances require additional auditory cortical processing, suggesting that speaking-induced suppression mechanisms are optimally tuned for a specific production. PMID:24349399

Production of ethanol from a mixture of waste paper and kitchen waste via a process of successive liquefaction, presaccharification, and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation.

PubMed

Nishimura, Hiroto; Tan, Li; Kira, Noriko; Tomiyama, Shigeo; Yamada, Kazuo; Sun, Zhao-Yong; Tang, Yue-Qin; Morimura, Shigeru; Kida, Kenji

2017-09-01

Efficient ethanol production from waste paper requires the addition of expensive nutrients. To reduce the production cost of ethanol from waste paper, a study on how to produce ethanol efficiently by adding kitchen waste (potentially as a carbon source, nutrient source, and acidity regulator) to waste paper was performed and a process of successive liquefaction, presaccharification, and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (L+PSSF) was developed. The individual saccharification performances of waste paper and kitchen waste were not influenced by their mixture. Liquefaction of kitchen waste at 90°C prior to presaccharification and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (PSSF) was essential for efficient ethanol fermentation. Ethanol at concentrations of 46.6 or 43.6g/l was obtained at the laboratory scale after fermentation for 96h, even without pH adjustment and/or the addition of extra nutrients. Similarly, ethanol at a concentration of 45.5g/l was obtained at the pilot scale after fermentation for 48h. The ethanol concentration of L+PSSF of the mixture of waste paper and kitchen waste was comparable to that of PSSF of waste paper with added nutrients (yeast extract and peptone) and pH adjustment using H 2 SO 4 , indicating that kitchen waste is not only a carbon source but also an excellent nutrient source and acidity regulator for fermentation of the mixture of waste paper and kitchen waste. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Development of Tremor Suppression Control System Using Adaptive Filter and Its Application to Meal-assist Robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yano, Ken'ichi; Ohara, Eiichi; Horihata, Satoshi; Aoki, Takaaki; Nishimoto, Yutaka

A robot that supports independent living by assisting with eating and other activities which use the operator's own hand would be helpful for people suffering from tremors of the hand or any other body part. The proposed system using adaptive filter estimates tremor frequencies with a time-varying property and individual differences online. In this study, the estimated frequency is used to adjusting the tremor suppression filter which insulates the voluntary motion signal from the sensor signal containing tremor components. These system are integrated into the control system of the Meal-Assist Robot. As a result, the developed system makes it possible for the person with a tremor to manipulate the supporting robot without causing operability to deteriorate and without hazards due to improper operation.

Beyond preadoptive risk: The impact of adoptive family environment on adopted youth's psychosocial adjustment.

PubMed

Ji, Juye; Brooks, Devon; Barth, Richard P; Kim, Hansung

2010-07-01

Adopted children often are exposed to preadoptive stressors--such as prenatal substance exposure, child maltreatment, and out-of-home placements--that increase their risks for psychosocial maladjustment. Psychosocial adjustment of adopted children emerges as the product of pre- and postadoptive factors. This study builds on previous research, which fails to simultaneously assess the influences of pre- and postadoptive factors, by examining the impact of adoptive family sense of coherence on adoptee's psychosocial adjustment beyond the effects of preadoptive risks. Using a sample of adoptive families (n = 385) taking part in the California Long Range Adoption Study, structural equation modeling analyses were performed. Results indicate a significant impact of family sense of coherence on adoptees' psychosocial adjustment and a considerably less significant role of preadoptive risks. The findings suggest the importance of assessing adoptive family's ability to respond to stress and of helping families to build and maintain their capacity to cope with stress despite the sometimes fractious pressures of adoption.

Classroom and Teacher Support in Kindergarten: Associations with the Behavioral and Academic Adjustment of Low-Income Students

PubMed Central

Lee, Phyllis; Bierman, Karen L.

2016-01-01

For socio-economically disadvantaged children, a positive experience in kindergarten may play a particularly important role in fostering the behavioral adjustment and learning engagement necessary for school success. Prior research has identified supportive student-teacher relationships and classroom emotional support as two features of the classroom context that can promote student adjustment; however, very few studies have examined these two aspects of the classroom context simultaneously. Given their modest inter-correlations, these dimensions of classroom context may have both unique and shared associations with child progress. This study followed 164 children as they transitioned from Head Start into elementary school, and regressions revealed significant unique associations between each type of kindergarten support and children’s aggressive behaviors, social withdrawal, learning engagement, and emergent literacy skills in first grade, controlling for their pre-kindergarten adjustment. In addition, learning engagement significantly mediated the association between a supportive relationship with the kindergarten teacher and first grade literacy skills. PMID:27274606

Interactions between neural networks: a mechanism for tuning chaos and oscillations

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

We show that chaos and oscillations in a higher-order binary neural network can be tuned effectively using interactions between neural networks. Our results suggest that network interactions may be useful as a means of adjusting the level of dynamic activities in systems that employ chaos and oscillations for information processing, or as a means of suppressing oscillatory behaviors in systems that require stability. PMID:19003511

Fast neutron background characterization with the Radiological Multi-sensor Analysis Platform (RadMAP)

DOE PAGES

Davis, John R.; Brubaker, Erik; Vetter, Kai

2017-03-29

In an effort to characterize the fast neutron radiation background, 16 EJ-309 liquid scintillator cells were installed in the Radiological Multi-sensor Analysis Platform (RadMAP) to collect data in the San Francisco Bay Area. Each fast neutron event was associated with specific weather metrics (pressure, temperature, absolute humidity) and GPS coordinates. Furthermore, the expected exponential dependence of the fast neutron count rate on atmospheric pressure was demonstrated and event rates were subsequently adjusted given the measured pressure at the time of detection. Pressure adjusted data was also used to investigate the influence of other environmental conditions on the neutron background rate.more » Using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) coastal area lidar data, an algorithm was implemented to approximate sky-view factors (the total fraction of visible sky) for points along RadMAPs route. In the three areas we analyzed, San Francisco, Downtown Oakland, and Berkeley, all demonstrated a suppression in the background rate of over 50% for the range of sky-view factors measured. This effect, which is due to the shielding of cosmic-ray produced neutrons by surrounding buildings, was comparable to the pressure influence which yielded a 32% suppression in the count rate over the range of pressures measured.« less

The effect of firefighter protective garments, self-contained breathing apparatus and exertion in the heat on postural sway.

PubMed

White, Scott C; Hostler, David

2017-08-01

Fire suppression wearing thermal protective clothing (TPC) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) challenges a firefighter's balance and may explain firefighter falls. Postural control based on force plate centre of pressure (COP) was compared for healthy subjects wearing TPC and SCBA before and after 20 min of heavy physical exertion in hot conditions. Baseline measures with and without TPC and SCBA (two different SCBA cylinder masses) were compared before and after exertion that included elements of fire suppression activities in an environmental chamber. COP excursion and variability increased with exertion for TPC and SCBA conditions compared to non-stressed conditions. The two different cylinder masses had no significant effect. Wearing TPC and SCBA when physically stressed in a hot environment increases postural sway and exacerbates postural control. Subjects compensated for the extra mass and adjusted to control postural sway with the addition of TPC and SCBA, but the stress protocol amplified these adjustments. Practitioner Summary: Firefighters wear thermal protective clothing (TPC) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) when heat-stressed and fatigued. Wearing TPC and SCBA was found to negatively impact balance when stressed, but not for non-stressed or two different sized SCBA tanks. Simulating fire-ground conditions wearing TPC and SCBA should be considered for improving balance.

Continuous adjustment of threshold voltage in carbon nanotube field-effect transistors through gate engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Donglai; Zhao, Chenyi; Liu, Lijun; Zhang, Zhiyong; Peng, Lian-Mao

2018-04-01

In this letter, we report a gate engineering method to adjust threshold voltage of carbon nanotube (CNT) based field-effect transistors (FETs) continuously in a wide range, which makes the application of CNT FETs especially in digital integrated circuits (ICs) easier. Top-gated FETs are fabricated using solution-processed CNT network films with stacking Pd and Sc films as gate electrodes. By decreasing the thickness of the lower layer metal (Pd) from 20 nm to zero, the effective work function of the gate decreases, thus tuning the threshold voltage (Vt) of CNT FETs from -1.0 V to 0.2 V. The continuous adjustment of threshold voltage through gate engineering lays a solid foundation for multi-threshold technology in CNT based ICs, which then can simultaneously provide high performance and low power circuit modules on one chip.

Robustness of the sequential lineup advantage.

PubMed

Gronlund, Scott D; Carlson, Curt A; Dailey, Sarah B; Goodsell, Charles A

2009-06-01

A growing movement in the United States and around the world involves promoting the advantages of conducting an eyewitness lineup in a sequential manner. We conducted a large study (N = 2,529) that included 24 comparisons of sequential versus simultaneous lineups. A liberal statistical criterion revealed only 2 significant sequential lineup advantages and 3 significant simultaneous advantages. Both sequential advantages occurred when the good photograph of the guilty suspect or either innocent suspect was in the fifth position in the sequential lineup; all 3 simultaneous advantages occurred when the poorer quality photograph of the guilty suspect or either innocent suspect was in the second position. Adjusting the statistical criterion to control for the multiple tests (.05/24) revealed no significant sequential advantages. Moreover, despite finding more conservative overall choosing for the sequential lineup, no support was found for the proposal that a sequential advantage was due to that conservative criterion shift. Unless lineups with particular characteristics predominate in the real world, there appears to be no strong preference for conducting lineups in either a sequential or a simultaneous manner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychological Orientation, Perceptions of Institutional Climate, and Their Relationship to the Social and Academic Adjustment of African American Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Johnny

2016-01-01

When examined more thoroughly, the complexities created by the discrepancies between admission and graduation of African American students point to the impact of their psychological orientation to community college. It simultaneously highlights the degree of their mainstream orientation experience and its impact on their perceptions of…

Gage for evaluating rheumatoid hands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houge, J. C.; Plautz, K. A.

1981-01-01

Two-axis goniometer accurately measures movements of fingers about knuckle joints, diagnosing hands structurally changed by rheumatoid arthritis. Instrument measures lateral movement which is small in normal knuckles but increased in diseased joints. Goniometer is two connected protractors that simultaneously measure angles in perpindicular planes. Dials are offset to clear bony protuberances; extension and offset adjustments span any hand size.

Normative Changes in Ethnic and American Identities and Links with Adjustment among Asian American Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiang, Lisa; Witkow, Melissa R.; Champagne, Mariette C.

2013-01-01

Identity development is a highly salient task for adolescents, especially those from immigrant backgrounds, yet longitudinal research that tracks simultaneous change in ethnic identity and American identity over time has been limited. With a focus on 177 Asian American adolescents recruited from an emerging immigrant community, in the current…

Feature in Antenna Pattern for Pointing and Orientation Determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rochblatt, David (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Systems and methods for antenna pointing are disclosed. A transmit antenna system having an adjustable boresight transmits a signal exhibiting a far-field pattern including a feature (e.g. a V-Notch) in a polarization of the signal disposed at a fixed position off a beam peak of the far-field pattern of the signal. A receive antenna system scans across the far-field pattern of the signal in the polarization to locate the feature and determine a pointing error of the adjustable boresight therefrom. The system may be applied to a cross-polarization of the signal where a co-polarization of the signal is simultaneously used for telecommunication.

Anti-melanoma vaccines engineered to simultaneously modulate cytokine priming and silence PD-L1 characterized using ex vivo myeloid-derived suppressor cells as a readout of therapeutic efficacy.

PubMed

Liechtenstein, Therese; Perez-Janices, Noemi; Blanco-Luquin, Idoia; Goyvaerts, Cleo; Schwarze, Julia; Dufait, Ines; Lanna, Alessio; Ridder, Mark De; Guerrero-Setas, David; Breckpot, Karine; Escors, David

Efficacious antitumor vaccines strongly stimulate cancer-specific effector T cells and counteract the activity of tumor-infiltrating immunosuppressive cells. We hypothesised that combining cytokine expression with silencing programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) could potentiate anticancer immune responses of lentivector vaccines. Thus, we engineered a collection of lentivectors that simultaneously co-expressed an antigen, a PD-L1-silencing shRNA, and various T cell-polarising cytokines, including interferon γ (IFNγ), transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) or interleukins (IL12, IL15, IL23, IL17A, IL6, IL10, IL4). In a syngeneic B16F0 melanoma model and using tyrosinase related protein 1 (TRP1) as a vaccine antigen, we found that simultaneous delivery of IL12 and a PD-L1-silencing shRNA was the only combination that exhibited therapeutically relevant anti-melanoma activities. Mechanistically, we found that delivery of the PD-L1 silencing construct boosted T cell numbers, inhibited in vivo tumor growth and strongly cooperated with IL12 cytokine priming and antitumor activities. Finally, we tested the capacities of our vaccines to counteract tumor-infiltrating myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) activities ex vivo . Interestingly, the lentivector co-expressing IL12 and the PD-L1 silencing shRNA was the only one that counteracted MDSC suppressive activities, potentially underlying the observed anti-melanoma therapeutic benefit. We conclude that (1) evaluation of vaccines in healthy mice has no significant predictive value for the selection of anticancer treatments; (2) B16 cells expressing xenoantigens as a tumor model are of limited value; and (3) vaccines which inhibit the suppressive effect of MDSC on T cells in our ex vivo assay show promising and relevant antitumor activities.

Anti-melanoma vaccines engineered to simultaneously modulate cytokine priming and silence PD-L1 characterized using ex vivo myeloid-derived suppressor cells as a readout of therapeutic efficacy

PubMed Central

Liechtenstein, Therese; Perez-Janices, Noemi; Blanco-Luquin, Idoia; Goyvaerts, Cleo; Schwarze, Julia; Dufait, Ines; Lanna, Alessio; Ridder, Mark De; Guerrero-Setas, David; Breckpot, Karine; Escors, David

2014-01-01

Efficacious antitumor vaccines strongly stimulate cancer-specific effector T cells and counteract the activity of tumor-infiltrating immunosuppressive cells. We hypothesised that combining cytokine expression with silencing programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) could potentiate anticancer immune responses of lentivector vaccines. Thus, we engineered a collection of lentivectors that simultaneously co-expressed an antigen, a PD-L1-silencing shRNA, and various T cell-polarising cytokines, including interferon γ (IFNγ), transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) or interleukins (IL12, IL15, IL23, IL17A, IL6, IL10, IL4). In a syngeneic B16F0 melanoma model and using tyrosinase related protein 1 (TRP1) as a vaccine antigen, we found that simultaneous delivery of IL12 and a PD-L1-silencing shRNA was the only combination that exhibited therapeutically relevant anti-melanoma activities. Mechanistically, we found that delivery of the PD-L1 silencing construct boosted T cell numbers, inhibited in vivo tumor growth and strongly cooperated with IL12 cytokine priming and antitumor activities. Finally, we tested the capacities of our vaccines to counteract tumor-infiltrating myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) activities ex vivo. Interestingly, the lentivector co-expressing IL12 and the PD-L1 silencing shRNA was the only one that counteracted MDSC suppressive activities, potentially underlying the observed anti-melanoma therapeutic benefit. We conclude that (1) evaluation of vaccines in healthy mice has no significant predictive value for the selection of anticancer treatments; (2) B16 cells expressing xenoantigens as a tumor model are of limited value; and (3) vaccines which inhibit the suppressive effect of MDSC on T cells in our ex vivo assay show promising and relevant antitumor activities. PMID:25954597

Prediction of the Seizure Suppression Effect by Electrical Stimulation via a Computational Modeling Approach.

PubMed

Ahn, Sora; Jo, Sumin; Jun, Sang Beom; Lee, Hyang Woon; Lee, Seungjun

2017-01-01

In this paper, we identified factors that can affect seizure suppression via electrical stimulation by an integrative study based on experimental and computational approach. Preferentially, we analyzed the characteristics of seizure-like events (SLEs) using our previous in vitro experimental data. The results were analyzed in two groups classified according to the size of the effective region, in which the SLE was able to be completely suppressed by local stimulation. However, no significant differences were found between these two groups in terms of signal features or propagation characteristics (i.e., propagation delays, frequency spectrum, and phase synchrony). Thus, we further investigated important factors using a computational model that was capable of evaluating specific influences on effective region size. In the proposed model, signal transmission between neurons was based on two different mechanisms: synaptic transmission and the electrical field effect. We were able to induce SLEs having similar characteristics with differentially weighted adjustments for the two transmission methods in various noise environments. Although the SLEs had similar characteristics, their suppression effects differed. First of all, the suppression effect occurred only locally where directly received the stimulation effect in the high noise environment, but it occurred in the entire network in the low noise environment. Interestingly, in the same noise environment, the suppression effect was different depending on SLE propagation mechanism; only a local suppression effect was observed when the influence of the electrical field transmission was very weak, whereas a global effect was observed with a stronger electrical field effect. These results indicate that neuronal activities synchronized by a strong electrical field effect respond more sensitively to partial changes in the entire network. In addition, the proposed model was able to predict that stimulation of a seizure focus region is more effective for suppression. In conclusion, we confirmed the possibility of a computational model as a simulation tool to analyze the efficacy of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and investigated the key factors that determine the size of an effective region in seizure suppression via electrical stimulation.

Concerted suppression of all starch branching enzyme genes in barley produces amylose-only starch granules

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Starch is stored in higher plants as granules composed of semi-crystalline amylopectin and amorphous amylose. Starch granules provide energy for the plant during dark periods and for germination of seeds and tubers. Dietary starch is also a highly glycemic carbohydrate being degraded to glucose and rapidly absorbed in the small intestine. But a portion of dietary starch, termed “resistant starch” (RS) escapes digestion and reaches the large intestine, where it is fermented by colonic bacteria producing short chain fatty acids (SCFA) which are linked to several health benefits. The RS is preferentially derived from amylose, which can be increased by suppressing amylopectin synthesis by silencing of starch branching enzymes (SBEs). However all the previous works attempting the production of high RS crops resulted in only partly increased amylose-content and/or significant yield loss. Results In this study we invented a new method for silencing of multiple genes. Using a chimeric RNAi hairpin we simultaneously suppressed all genes coding for starch branching enzymes (SBE I, SBE IIa, SBE IIb) in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), resulting in production of amylose-only starch granules in the endosperm. This trait was segregating 3:1. Amylose-only starch granules were irregularly shaped and showed peculiar thermal properties and crystallinity. Transgenic lines retained high-yield possibly due to a pleiotropic upregualtion of other starch biosynthetic genes compensating the SBEs loss. For gelatinized starch, a very high content of RS (65 %) was observed, which is 2.2-fold higher than control (29%). The amylose-only grains germinated with same frequency as control grains. However, initial growth was delayed in young plants. Conclusions This is the first time that pure amylose has been generated with high yield in a living organism. This was achieved by a new method of simultaneous suppression of the entire complement of genes encoding starch branching enzymes. We demonstrate that amylopectin is not essential for starch granule crystallinity and integrity. However the slower initial growth of shoots from amylose-only grains may be due to an important physiological role played by amylopectin ordered crystallinity for rapid starch remobilization explaining the broad conservation in the plant kingdom of the amylopectin structure. PMID:23171412

Context, not conflict, drives cognitive control.

PubMed

Schlaghecken, Friederike; Martini, Paolo

2012-04-01

Theories of cognitive control generally assume that perceived conflict acts as a signal to engage inhibitory mechanisms that suppress subsequent conflicting information. Crucially, an absence of conflict is not regarded as being a relevant signal for cognitive control. Using a cueing, a priming, and a Simon task, we provide evidence that conflict does not have this unique signal status: Encountering a conflict does not lead to behavioral adjustments on subsequent conflict trials, whereas encountering a nonconflict trial does lead to behavioral adjustments on subsequent nonconflict trials. We propose that this apparent role-reversal can be explained by a mechanism that responds to both the presence and the absence of conflict, down-regulating the visuomotor system following conflict, and up-regulating it following nonconflict.

Control of Thermo-Acoustics Instabilities: The Multi-Scale Extended Kalman Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Dzu K.; DeLaat, John C.; Chang, Clarence T.

2003-01-01

"Multi-Scale Extended Kalman" (MSEK) is a novel model-based control approach recently found to be effective for suppressing combustion instabilities in gas turbines. A control law formulated in this approach for fuel modulation demonstrated steady suppression of a high-frequency combustion instability (less than 500Hz) in a liquid-fuel combustion test rig under engine-realistic conditions. To make-up for severe transport-delays on control effect, the MSEK controller combines a wavelet -like Multi-Scale analysis and an Extended Kalman Observer to predict the thermo-acoustic states of combustion pressure perturbations. The commanded fuel modulation is composed of a damper action based on the predicted states, and a tones suppression action based on the Multi-Scale estimation of thermal excitations and other transient disturbances. The controller performs automatic adjustments of the gain and phase of these actions to minimize the Time-Scale Averaged Variances of the pressures inside the combustion zone and upstream of the injector. The successful demonstration of Active Combustion Control with this MSEK controller completed an important NASA milestone for the current research in advanced combustion technologies.

Non-Contrast-Enhanced Renal Angiography Using Multiple Inversion Recovery and Alternating TR Balanced Steady State Free Precession

PubMed Central

Dong, Hattie Z.; Worters, Pauline W.; Wu, Holden H.; Ingle, R. Reeve; Vasanawala, Shreyas S.; Nishimura, Dwight G.

2014-01-01

Non-contrast enhanced renal angiography techniques based on balanced steady state free precession (SSFP) avoid external contrast agents, take advantage of high inherent blood signal from the T2/T1 contrast mechanism, and have short SSFP acquisition times. However, background suppression is limited; inflow times are inflexible; labeling region is difficult to define when tagging arterial flow; and scan times are long. To overcome these limitations, we propose the use of multiple inversion recovery (MIR) preparatory pulses combined with alternating TR balanced SSFP (ATR-SSFP) to produce renal angiograms. MIR uses selective spatial saturation followed by four global inversion recovery pulses to concurrently null a wide range of background T1 species while allowing for adjustable inflow times; ATR-SSFP maintains vessel contrast and provides added fat suppression. The high level of suppression enables imaging in 3D as well as projective 2D formats, the latter of which has a scan time down to one heartbeat. In vivo studies at 1.5 T demonstrate the superior vessel contrast of this technique. PMID:23172805

Extracellular acidification by lactic acid suppresses glucose deprivation-induced cell death and autophagy in B16 melanoma cells.

PubMed

Matsuo, Taisuke; Sadzuka, Yasuyuki

2018-02-19

In solid tumors, cancer cells survive and proliferate under conditions of microenvironment stress such as poor nutrients and hypoxia due to inadequate vascularization. These stress conditions in turn activate autophagy, which is important for cancer cell survival. However, autophagy has a contrary effect of inducing cell death in cancer cells cultured in vitro under conditions of glucose deprivation. In this study, we hypothesized that supplementation of lactic acid serves as a means of cell survival under glucose-deprived conditions. At neutral pH, cell death of B16 murine melanoma cells by autophagy under glucose-deprived conditions was observed. However, supplementation of lactic acid suppressed cell death and autophagy in B16 melanoma cells when cultured in glucose-deprived conditions. Sodium lactate, which does not change extracellular pH, did not inhibit cell death, while HCl-adjusted acidic pH suppressed cell death under glucose-deprived conditions. These results suggested that an acidic pH is crucial for cell survival under glucose-deprived conditions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiplicity: discussion points from the Statisticians in the Pharmaceutical Industry multiplicity expert group.

PubMed

Phillips, Alan; Fletcher, Chrissie; Atkinson, Gary; Channon, Eddie; Douiri, Abdel; Jaki, Thomas; Maca, Jeff; Morgan, David; Roger, James Henry; Terrill, Paul

2013-01-01

In May 2012, the Committee of Health and Medicinal Products issued a concept paper on the need to review the points to consider document on multiplicity issues in clinical trials. In preparation for the release of the updated guidance document, Statisticians in the Pharmaceutical Industry held a one-day expert group meeting in January 2013. Topics debated included multiplicity and the drug development process, the usefulness and limitations of newly developed strategies to deal with multiplicity, multiplicity issues arising from interim decisions and multiregional development, and the need for simultaneous confidence intervals (CIs) corresponding to multiple test procedures. A clear message from the meeting was that multiplicity adjustments need to be considered when the intention is to make a formal statement about efficacy or safety based on hypothesis tests. Statisticians have a key role when designing studies to assess what adjustment really means in the context of the research being conducted. More thought during the planning phase needs to be given to multiplicity adjustments for secondary endpoints given these are increasing in importance in differentiating products in the market place. No consensus was reached on the role of simultaneous CIs in the context of superiority trials. It was argued that unadjusted intervals should be employed as the primary purpose of the intervals is estimation, while the purpose of hypothesis testing is to formally establish an effect. The opposing view was that CIs should correspond to the test decision whenever possible. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Affordable Care Act Qualified Health Plan Coverage: Association With Improved HIV Viral Suppression for AIDS Drug Assistance Program Clients in a Medicaid Nonexpansion State

PubMed Central

McManus, Kathleen A.; Rhodes, Anne; Bailey, Steven; Yerkes, Lauren; Engelhard, Carolyn L.; Ingersoll, Karen S.; Stukenborg, George J.; Dillingham, Rebecca

2016-01-01

Background. With the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, many state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) shifted their healthcare delivery model from direct medication provision to purchasing qualified health plans (QHPs). The objective of this study was to characterize the demographic and healthcare delivery factors associated with Virginia ADAP clients' QHP enrollment and to assess the relationship between QHP coverage and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral suppression. Methods. The cohort included persons living with HIV who were enrolled in the Virginia ADAP (n = 3933). Data were collected from 1 January 2013 through 31 December 2014. Multivariable binary logistic regression was conducted to assess for associations with QHP enrollment and between QHP coverage and viral load (VL) suppression. Results. In the cohort, 47.1% enrolled in QHPs, and enrollment varied significantly based on demographic and healthcare delivery factors. In multivariable binary logistic regression, controlling for time, age, sex, race/ethnicity, and region, factors significantly associated with achieving HIV viral suppression included QHP coverage (adjusted odds ratio, 1.346; 95% confidence interval, 1.041–1.740; P = .02), an initially undetectable VL (2.809; 2.174–3.636; P < .001), HIV rather than AIDS disease status (1.377; 1.049–1.808; P = .02), and HIV clinic (P < .001). Conclusions. QHP coverage was associated with viral suppression, an essential outcome for individuals and for public health. Promoting QHP coverage in clinics that provide care to persons living with HIV may offer a new opportunity to increase rates of viral suppression. PMID:27143661

Time of HIV Diagnosis and Engagement in Prenatal Care Impact Virologic Outcomes of Pregnant Women with HIV.

PubMed

Momplaisir, Florence M; Brady, Kathleen A; Fekete, Thomas; Thompson, Dana R; Diez Roux, Ana; Yehia, Baligh R

2015-01-01

HIV suppression at parturition is beneficial for maternal, fetal and public health. To eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, an understanding of missed opportunities for antiretroviral therapy (ART) use during pregnancy and HIV suppression at delivery is required. We performed a retrospective analysis of 836 mother-to-child pairs involving 656 HIV-infected women in Philadelphia, 2005-2013. Multivariable regression examined associations between patient (age, race/ethnicity, insurance status, drug use) and clinical factors such as adequacy of prenatal care measured by the Kessner index which classifies prenatal care as inadequate, intermediate, or adequate prenatal care; timing of HIV diagnosis; and the outcomes: receipt of ART during pregnancy and viral suppression at delivery. Overall, 25% of the sample was diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy; 39%, 38%, and 23% were adequately, intermediately, and inadequately engaged in prenatal care. Eight-five percent of mother-to-child pairs received ART during pregnancy but only 52% achieved suppression at delivery. Adjusting for patient factors, pairs diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy were less likely to receive ART (AOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.25-0.61) and achieve viral suppression (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49-1.00) than those diagnosed before pregnancy. Similarly, women with inadequate prenatal care were less likely to receive ART (AOR 0.06, 95% CI 0.03-0.11) and achieve viral suppression (AOR 0.31, 95% CI 0.20-0.47) than those with adequate prenatal care. Targeted interventions to diagnose HIV prior to pregnancy and engage HIV-infected women in prenatal care have the potential to improve HIV related outcomes in the perinatal period.

Oncolytic reovirus as a combined antiviral and anti-tumour agent for the treatment of liver cancer.

PubMed

Samson, Adel; Bentham, Matthew J; Scott, Karen; Nuovo, Gerard; Bloy, Abigail; Appleton, Elizabeth; Adair, Robert A; Dave, Rajiv; Peckham-Cooper, Adam; Toogood, Giles; Nagamori, Seishi; Coffey, Matthew; Vile, Richard; Harrington, Kevin; Selby, Peter; Errington-Mais, Fiona; Melcher, Alan; Griffin, Stephen

2018-03-01

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) represent promising, proinflammatory cancer treatments. Here, we explored whether OV-induced innate immune responses could simultaneously inhibit HCV while suppressing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Furthermore, we extended this exemplar to other models of virus-associated cancer. Clinical grade oncolytic orthoreovirus (Reo) elicited innate immune activation within primary human liver tissue in the absence of cytotoxicity and independently of viral genome replication. As well as achieving therapy in preclinical models of HCC through the activation of innate degranulating immune cells, Reo-induced cytokine responses efficiently suppressed HCV replication both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, Reo-induced innate responses were also effective against models of HBV-associated HCC, as well as an alternative endogenous model of Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoma. Interestingly, Reo appeared superior to the majority of OVs in its ability to elicit innate inflammatory responses from primary liver tissue. We propose that Reo and other select proinflammatory OV may be used in the treatment of multiple cancers associated with oncogenic virus infections, simultaneously reducing both virus-associated oncogenic drive and tumour burden. In the case of HCV-associated HCC (HCV-HCC), Reo should be considered as an alternative agent to supplement and support current HCV-HCC therapies, particularly in those countries where access to new HCV antiviral treatments may be limited. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Simultaneous imaging of temporal changes of NF-κB activity and viable tumor cells in Huh7/NF-κB-tk-luc2/rfp tumor-bearing mice.

PubMed

Wang, Wei-Hsun; Chiang, I-Tsang; Liu, Yu-Chang; Hsu, Fei-Ting; Chen, Hong-Wen; Chen, Chuan-Lin; Lee, Yi-Jang; Lin, Wuu-Jyh; Hwang, Jeng-Jong

2013-01-01

Few studies have reported that the effect of sorafenib on advanced human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is taking place via the inhibition of NF-κB signal transduction. Here we constructed a human HCC Huh7 stable clone with NF-κB-responsive element to drive dual reporter genes, herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (tk) and firefly luciferase (luc2), and co-transfected with a third red fluorescent protein (rfp) gene, renamed as Huh7/NF-κB-tk-luc2/rfp cells, and combined with bioluminescent imaging (BLI) and red fluorescent protein imaging (RFPI) to monitor the effect of sorafenib on NF-κB activation and tumor inhibition. The results show that sorafenib could suppress the NF-κB-DNA binding activity, and the expression of downstream effector proteins. Notably, the relative photon fluxes obtained from RFPI and BLI, which represent the viable tumor cells and cells with NF-κB activation, decreased after sorafenib treatment by 50 to 65%, and 87.5 to >90%, respectively, suggesting that NF-κB activation is suppressed in viable HCC cells by sorafenib. Simultaneous molecular imaging of the temporal change of NF-κB activity and of viable cells in the same Huh7/NF-κB-tk-luc2/rfp tumors of the animal may reflect the real status of NF-κB activity and the viable tumor cells at the time of imaging.

Chk1 Promotes DNA Damage Response Bypass following Oxidative Stress in a Model of Hydrogen Peroxide-Associated Ulcerative Colitis through JNK Inactivation and Chromatin Binding

PubMed Central

Silver, Andrew; Guenther, Thomas; Siedentopf, Sandra; Ross, Jochen; Vo, Diep-Khanh; Roessner, Albert

2017-01-01

Dysregulation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation promoted DNA damage response bypass and tumorigenesis in our model of hydrogen peroxide-associated ulcerative colitis (UC) and in patients with quiescent UC (QUC), UC-related dysplasia, and UC-related carcinoma (UC-CRC), thereby adapting to oxidative stress. In the UC model, we have observed features of oncogenic transformation: increased proliferation, undetected DNA damage, and apoptosis resistance. Here, we show that Chk1 was downregulated but activated in the acute and quiescent chronic phases. In both phases, Chk1 was linked to DNA damage response bypass by suppressing JNK activation following oxidative stress, promoting cell cycle progression despite DNA damage. Simultaneously, activated Chk1 was bound to chromatin. This triggered histone acetylation and the binding of histone acetyltransferases and transcription factors to chromatin. Thus, chromatin-immobilized activated Chk1 executed a dual function by suppressing DNA damage response and simultaneously inducing chromatin modulation. This caused undetected DNA damage and increased cellular proliferation through failure to transmit the appropriate DNA damage signal. Findings in vitro were corroborated by chromatin accumulation of activated Chk1, Ac-H3, Ac-H4, and c-Jun in active UC (AUC) in vivo. Targeting chromatin-bound Chk1, GCN5, PCAF, and p300/CBP could be a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent UC-related tumor progression. PMID:28751935

A Dynamic Compressive Gammachirp Auditory Filterbank

PubMed Central

Irino, Toshio; Patterson, Roy D.

2008-01-01

It is now common to use knowledge about human auditory processing in the development of audio signal processors. Until recently, however, such systems were limited by their linearity. The auditory filter system is known to be level-dependent as evidenced by psychophysical data on masking, compression, and two-tone suppression. However, there were no analysis/synthesis schemes with nonlinear filterbanks. This paper describe18300060s such a scheme based on the compressive gammachirp (cGC) auditory filter. It was developed to extend the gammatone filter concept to accommodate the changes in psychophysical filter shape that are observed to occur with changes in stimulus level in simultaneous, tone-in-noise masking. In models of simultaneous noise masking, the temporal dynamics of the filtering can be ignored. Analysis/synthesis systems, however, are intended for use with speech sounds where the glottal cycle can be long with respect to auditory time constants, and so they require specification of the temporal dynamics of auditory filter. In this paper, we describe a fast-acting level control circuit for the cGC filter and show how psychophysical data involving two-tone suppression and compression can be used to estimate the parameter values for this dynamic version of the cGC filter (referred to as the “dcGC” filter). One important advantage of analysis/synthesis systems with a dcGC filterbank is that they can inherit previously refined signal processing algorithms developed with conventional short-time Fourier transforms (STFTs) and linear filterbanks. PMID:19330044

Suppression of self-organized surface nanopatterning on GaSb/InAs multilayers induced by low energy oxygen ion bombardment by using simultaneously sample rotation and oxygen flooding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beainy, Georges; Cerba, Tiphaine; Bassani, Franck; Martin, Mickaël; Baron, Thierry; Barnes, Jean-Paul

2018-05-01

Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is a well-adapted analytical method for the chemical characterization of concentration profiles in layered or multilayered materials. However, under ion beam bombardment, initially smooth material surface becomes morphologically unstable. This leads to abnormal secondary ion yields and depth profile distortions. In this contribution, we explore the surface topography and roughening evolution induced by O2+ ion bombardment on GaSb/InAs multilayers. We demonstrate the formation of nanodots and ripples patterning according to the ion beam energy. Since the latter are undesirable for ToF-SIMS analysis, we managed to totally stop their growth by using simultaneously sample rotation and oxygen flooding. This unprecedented coupling between these two latter mechanisms leads to a significant enhancement in depth profiles resolution.

Simultaneous measurement of the surface temperature and the release of atomic sodium from a burning black liquor droplet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saw, Woei L.; Nathan, Graham J.; School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide

2010-04-15

Simultaneous measurement of the concentration of released atomic sodium, swelling, surface and internal temperature of a burning black liquor droplet under a fuel lean and rich condition has been demonstrated. Two-dimensional two-colour optical pyrometry was employed to determine the distribution of surface temperature and swelling of a burning black liquor droplet while planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) was used to assess the temporal release of atomic sodium. The key findings of these studies are: (i) the concentration of atomic sodium released during the drying and devolatilisation stages was found to be correlated with the external surface area; and (ii) the insignificantmore » presence of atomic sodium during the char consumption stage shows that sodium release is suppressed by the lower temperature and by the high CO{sub 2} content in and around the particle. (author)« less

Joint Frequency-Domain Equalization and Despreading for Multi-Code DS-CDMA Using Cyclic Delay Transmit Diversity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Tetsuya; Takeda, Kazuki; Adachi, Fumiyuki

Frequency-domain equalization (FDE) based on the minimum mean square error (MMSE) criterion can provide a better bit error rate (BER) performance than rake combining. To further improve the BER performance, cyclic delay transmit diversity (CDTD) can be used. CDTD simultaneously transmits the same signal from different antennas after adding different cyclic delays to increase the number of equivalent propagation paths. Although a joint use of CDTD and MMSE-FDE for direct sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) achieves larger frequency diversity gain, the BER performance improvement is limited by the residual inter-chip interference (ICI) after FDE. In this paper, we propose joint FDE and despreading for DS-CDMA using CDTD. Equalization and despreading are simultaneously performed in the frequency-domain to suppress the residual ICI after FDE. A theoretical conditional BER analysis is presented for the given channel condition. The BER analysis is confirmed by computer simulation.

Disentangled Cooperative Orderings in Artificial Rare-Earth Nickelates.

PubMed

Middey, S; Meyers, D; Kareev, M; Cao, Yanwei; Liu, X; Shafer, P; Freeland, J W; Kim, J-W; Ryan, P J; Chakhalian, J

2018-04-13

Coupled transitions between distinct ordered phases are important aspects behind the rich phase complexity of correlated oxides that hinder our understanding of the underlying phenomena. For this reason, fundamental control over complex transitions has become a leading motivation of the designer approach to materials. We have devised a series of new superlattices by combining a Mott insulator and a correlated metal to form ultrashort period superlattices, which allow one to disentangle the simultaneous orderings in RENiO_{3}. Tailoring an incommensurate heterostructure period relative to the bulk charge ordering pattern suppresses the charge order transition while preserving metal-insulator and antiferromagnetic transitions. Such selective decoupling of the entangled phases resolves the long-standing puzzle about the driving force behind the metal-insulator transition and points to the site-selective Mott transition as the operative mechanism. This designer approach emphasizes the potential of heterointerfaces for selective control of simultaneous transitions in complex materials with entwined broken symmetries.

Disentangled Cooperative Orderings in Artificial Rare-Earth Nickelates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Middey, S.; Meyers, D.; Kareev, M.; Cao, Yanwei; Liu, X.; Shafer, P.; Freeland, J. W.; Kim, J.-W.; Ryan, P. J.; Chakhalian, J.

2018-04-01

Coupled transitions between distinct ordered phases are important aspects behind the rich phase complexity of correlated oxides that hinder our understanding of the underlying phenomena. For this reason, fundamental control over complex transitions has become a leading motivation of the designer approach to materials. We have devised a series of new superlattices by combining a Mott insulator and a correlated metal to form ultrashort period superlattices, which allow one to disentangle the simultaneous orderings in RENiO3 . Tailoring an incommensurate heterostructure period relative to the bulk charge ordering pattern suppresses the charge order transition while preserving metal-insulator and antiferromagnetic transitions. Such selective decoupling of the entangled phases resolves the long-standing puzzle about the driving force behind the metal-insulator transition and points to the site-selective Mott transition as the operative mechanism. This designer approach emphasizes the potential of heterointerfaces for selective control of simultaneous transitions in complex materials with entwined broken symmetries.

VLF wave injections from the ground

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helliwell, R. A.

1983-01-01

Experiments on wave-particle interactions using VLF whistler-mode waves injected into the magnetosphere from Antartica are described. The injected signals are single-frequency coherent waves whose amplitudes and frequencies may be changed slowly with time, or else two or more coherent wave trains transmitted simultaneously to determine the nature of the response to multifrequency excitation. The waves may be amplified 30 dB or more and may trigger intense emissions having bandwidths that vary from a few to several hundred Hertz. In most cases significant growth and triggering occur only when the driving signal is essentially monochromatic (bandwidth 10 Hz). If two frequencies are transmitted simultaneously the signal at the lower frequency tends to be suppressed by 20 dB or more. These results are interpreted in terms of a feedback interaction between the waves and counter-streaming cyclotron resonant electrons in a region several hundred wavelengths long, centered on the magnetic equator.

Nonideal ultrathin mantle cloak for electrically large conducting cylinders.

PubMed

Liu, Shuo; Zhang, Hao Chi; Xu, He-Xiu; Cui, Tie Jun

2014-09-01

Based on the concept of the scattering cancellation technique, we propose a nonideal ultrathin mantle cloak that can efficiently suppress the total scattering cross sections of an electrically large conducting cylinder (over one free-space wavelength). The cloaking mechanism is investigated in depth based on the Mie scattering theory and is simultaneously interpreted from the perspective of far-field bistatic scattering and near-field distributions. We remark that, unlike the perfect transformation-optics-based cloak, this nonideal cloaking technique is mainly designed to minimize simultaneously several scattering multipoles of a relatively large geometry around considerably broad bandwidth. Numerical simulations and experimental results show that the antiscattering ability of the metasurface gives rise to excellent total scattering reduction of the electrically large cylinder and remarkable electric-field restoration around the cloak. The outstanding cloaking performance together with the good features of and ultralow profile, flexibility, and easy fabrication predict promising applications in the microwave frequencies.

Closed-form solution of temperature and heat flux in embedded cooling channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griggs, Steven Craig

1997-11-01

An analytical method is discussed for predicting temperature in a layered composite material with embedded cooling channels. The cooling channels are embedded in the material to maintain its temperature at acceptable levels. Problems of this type are encountered in the aerospace industry and include high-temperature or high-heat-flux protection for advanced composite-material skins of high-speed air vehicles; thermal boundary-layer flow control on supersonic transports; or infrared signature suppression on military vehicles. A Green's function solution of the diffusion equation is used to simultaneously predict the global and localized effects of temperature in the material and in the embedded cooling channels. The integral method is used to solve the energy equation with fluid flow to find the solution of temperature and heat flux in the cooling fluid and material simultaneously. This method of calculation preserves the three-dimensional nature of this problem.

Large-scale Growth and Simultaneous Doping of Molybdenum Disulfide Nanosheets

PubMed Central

Kim, Seong Jun; Kang, Min-A; Kim, Sung Ho; Lee, Youngbum; Song, Wooseok; Myung, Sung; Lee, Sun Sook; Lim, Jongsun; An, Ki-Seok

2016-01-01

A facile method that uses chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for the simultaneous growth and doping of large-scale molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets was developed. We employed metalloporphyrin as a seeding promoter layer for the uniform growth of MoS2 nanosheets. Here, a hybrid deposition system that combines thermal evaporation and atomic layer deposition (ALD) was utilized to prepare the promoter. The doping effect of the promoter was verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. In addition, the carrier density of the MoS2 nanosheets was manipulated by adjusting the thickness of the metalloporphyrin promoter layers, which allowed the electrical conductivity in MoS2 to be manipulated. PMID:27044862

Attentional selection and suppression in children and adults.

PubMed

Sun, Meirong; Wang, Encong; Huang, Jing; Zhao, Chenguang; Guo, Jialiang; Li, Dongwei; Sun, Li; Du, Boqi; Ding, Yulong; Song, Yan

2018-05-15

The fundamental role of covert spatial attention is to enhance the processing of attended items while simultaneously ignoring irrelevant items. However, relatively little is known about how brain electrophysiological activities associated with target selection and distractor suppression are involved as they develop and become fully functional. The current study aimed to identify the neurophysiological bases of the development of covert spatial attention, focusing on electroencephalographic (EEG) markers of attentional selection (N2pc) and suppression (P D ). EEG data were collected from healthy young adults and typically developing children (9-15 years old) as they searched for a shape singleton target in either the absence or the presence of a salient-but-irrelevant color singleton distractor. The ERP results showed that a lateral shape target elicited a smaller N2pc in children compared with adults regardless of whether a distractor was present or not. Moreover, the target-elicited N2pc was always followed by a similar positivity in both age groups. Counterintuitively, a lateral salient-but-irrelevant distractor elicited a large P D in children with low behavioral accuracy, whereas high-accuracy children exhibited a small and "adult-like" P D . More importantly, we found no evidence for a correlation between the target-elicited N2pc and the distractor-elicited P D in either age group. Our results provide neurophysiological evidence for the developmental differences between target selection and distractor suppression. Compared with adults, 9-15-year-old children deploy insufficient attentional selection resources to targets but use "adult-like" or even more attentional suppression resources to resist irrelevant distractors. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhWapx0d75I. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Masking of sounds by a background noise – cochlear mechanical correlates

PubMed Central

Recio-Spinoso, Alberto; Cooper, Nigel P

2013-01-01

In the search for cochlear correlates of auditory masking by noise stimuli, we recorded basilar membrane (BM) vibrations evoked by either tone or click signals in the presence of varying levels of background noise. The BM vibrations were recorded from basal regions in healthy cochleae of anaesthetized chinchilla and gerbil. Non-linear interactions that could underpin various aspects of psychophysical masking data, including both compression and suppression at the BM level, were observed. The suppression effects, whereby the amplitude of the responses to each stimulus component could be reduced, depended on the relative intensities of the noise and the tones or clicks. Only stimulus components whose frequencies fell inside the non-linear region of the recording site, i.e. around its characteristic frequency (CF), were affected by presentation of the ‘suppressing’ stimulus (which could be either the tone or the noise). Mutual suppression, the simultaneous reduction of the responses to both tones and noise components, was observed under some conditions, but overall reductions of BM vibration were rarely observed. Moderate- to high-intensity tones suppressed BM responses to low-intensity Gaussian stimuli, including both broadband and narrowband noise. Suppression effects were larger for spectral components of the noise response that were closer to the CF. In this regime, the tone and noise stimuli became the suppressor and probe signals, respectively. This study provides the first detailed observations of cochlear mechanical correlates of the masking effects of noise. Mechanical detection thresholds for tone signals, which were arbitrarily defined using three criteria, are shown to increase in almost direct proportion to the noise level for low and moderately high noise levels, in a manner that resembles the findings of numerous psychophysical observations. PMID:23478137

Foxp3+ regulatory T cells, immune stimulation and host defence against infection

PubMed Central

Rowe, Jared H; Ertelt, James M; Way, Sing Sing

2012-01-01

The immune system is intricately regulated allowing potent effectors to expand and become rapidly mobilized after infection, while simultaneously silencing potentially detrimental responses that averts immune-mediated damage to host tissues. This relies in large part on the delicate interplay between immune suppressive regulatory CD4+ T (Treg) cells and immune effectors that without active suppression by Treg cells cause systemic and organ-specific autoimmunity. Although these beneficial roles have been classically described as counterbalanced by impaired host defence against infection, newfound protective roles for Treg cells against specific viral pathogens (e.g. herpes simplex virus 2, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, West Nile virus) have been uncovered using transgenic mice that allow in vivo Treg-cell ablation based on Foxp3 expression. In turn, Foxp3+ Treg cells also provide protection against some parasitic (Plasmodium sp., Toxoplasma gondii) and fungal (Candida albicans) pathogens. By contrast, for bacterial and mycobacterial infections (e.g. Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, Mycobacterium tuberculosis), experimental manipulation of Foxp3+ cells continues to indicate detrimental roles for Treg cells in host defence. This variance is probably related to functional plasticity in Treg cell suppression that shifts discordantly following infection with different types of pathogens. Furthermore, the efficiency whereby Treg cells silence immune activation coupled with the plasticity in Foxp3+ cell activity suggest that overriding Treg-mediated suppression represents a prerequisite ‘signal zero’ that together with other stimulation signals [T-cell receptor (signal 1), co-stimulation (signal 2), inflammatory cytokines (signal 3)] are essential for T-cell activation in vivo. Herein, the importance of Foxp3+ Treg cells in host defence against infection, and the significance of infection-induced shifts in Treg-cell suppression are summarized. PMID:22211994

Language choice in bimodal bilingual development.

PubMed

Lillo-Martin, Diane; de Quadros, Ronice M; Chen Pichler, Deborah; Fieldsteel, Zoe

2014-01-01

Bilingual children develop sensitivity to the language used by their interlocutors at an early age, reflected in differential use of each language by the child depending on their interlocutor. Factors such as discourse context and relative language dominance in the community may mediate the degree of language differentiation in preschool age children. Bimodal bilingual children, acquiring both a sign language and a spoken language, have an even more complex situation. Their Deaf parents vary considerably in access to the spoken language. Furthermore, in addition to code-mixing and code-switching, they use code-blending-expressions in both speech and sign simultaneously-an option uniquely available to bimodal bilinguals. Code-blending is analogous to code-switching sociolinguistically, but is also a way to communicate without suppressing one language. For adult bimodal bilinguals, complete suppression of the non-selected language is cognitively demanding. We expect that bimodal bilingual children also find suppression difficult, and use blending rather than suppression in some contexts. We also expect relative community language dominance to be a factor in children's language choices. This study analyzes longitudinal spontaneous production data from four bimodal bilingual children and their Deaf and hearing interlocutors. Even at the earliest observations, the children produced more signed utterances with Deaf interlocutors and more speech with hearing interlocutors. However, while three of the four children produced >75% speech alone in speech target sessions, they produced <25% sign alone in sign target sessions. All four produced bimodal utterances in both, but more frequently in the sign sessions, potentially because they find suppression of the dominant language more difficult. Our results indicate that these children are sensitive to the language used by their interlocutors, while showing considerable influence from the dominant community language.

Potassium-induced cortical spreading depression bilaterally suppresses the electroencephalogram but only ipsilaterally affects red blood cell velocity in intraparenchymal capillaries.

PubMed

Unekawa, Miyuki; Tomita, Yutaka; Toriumi, Haruki; Masamoto, Kazuto; Kanno, Iwao; Suzuki, Norihiro

2013-04-01

Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is a repetitive, propagating profile of mass depolarization of neuronal and glial cells, followed by sustained suppression of spontaneous neuronal activity. We have reported a long-lasting suppressive effect on red blood cell (RBC) velocities in intraparenchymal capillaries. Here, to test the hypothesis that the prolonged decrease of RBC velocity in capillaries is due to suppression of neuronal activity, we measured CSD-elicited changes in the electroencephalogram (EEG) as an index of neuronal activity. In isoflurane-anesthetized rats, DC potential, EEG, partial pressure of oxygen (PO₂), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) were simultaneously recorded in the temporo-parietal region. The velocities of fluorescently labeled RBCs were evaluated by high-speed camera laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy with our original software, KEIO-IS2. Transient deflection of DC potential and PO₂ and increase of CBF were repeatedly detected only in the ipsilateral hemisphere following topical KCl application. On the other hand, the relative spectral power of EEG was reduced bilaterally, showing the lowest value at 5 min after KCl application, when the other parameters had already returned to the baseline after the passage of CSD. Mean RBC velocity in capillaries was slightly but significantly reduced during and after passage of CSD in the ipsilateral hemisphere but did not change in the contralateral hemisphere in the same rats. We suggest that mass depolarization of neuronal and glial cells might transiently decelerate RBCs in nearby capillaries, but the sustained reduction of ipsilateral RBC velocity might be a result of the prolonged effect of CSD, not of neuronal suppression alone. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

MOTOR CORTICAL PLASTICITY IN EXTRINSIC HAND MUSCLES IS DETERMINED BY THE RESTING THRESHOLDS OF OVERLAPPING REPRESENTATIONS

PubMed Central

MIRDAMADI, J. L.; SUZUKI, L. Y.; MEEHAN, S. K.

2018-01-01

Knowledge of the properties that govern the effectiveness of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) interventions is critical to clinical application. Extrapolation to clinical populations has been limited by high inter-subject variability and a focus on intrinsic muscles of the hand in healthy populations. Therefore, the current study assessed variability of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), a patterned TMS protocol, across an agonist–antagonist pair of extrinsic muscles of the hand. Secondarily, we assessed whether concurrent agonist contraction could enhance the efficacy of cTBS. Motor evoked potentials (MEP) were simultaneously recorded from the agonist flexor (FCR) and antagonist extensor (ECR) carpi radialis before and after cTBS over the FCR hotspot. cTBS was delivered with the FCR relaxed (cTBS-Relax) or during isometric wrist flexion (cTBS-Contract). cTBS-Relax suppressed FCR MEPs evoked from the FCR hotspot. However, the extent of FCR MEP suppression was strongly correlated with the relative difference between FCR and ECR resting motor thresholds. cTBS-Contract decreased FCR suppression but increased suppression of ECR MEPs elicited from the FCR hotspot. The magnitude of ECR MEP suppression following cTBS-Contract was independent of the threshold-amplitude relationships observed with cTBS-Relax. Contraction alone had no effect confirming the effect of cTBS-Contract was driven by the interaction between neuromuscular activity and cTBS. Interactions across muscle representations should be taken into account when predicting cTBS outcomes in healthy and clinical populations. Contraction during cTBS may be a useful means of focusing aftereffects when differences in baseline excitability across overlapping agonist–antagonist cortical representations may mitigate the inhibitory effect of cTBS. PMID:27425211

Is There a Relationship Between Value-Based Purchasing and Hospital Profitability? An Exploratory Study of Missouri Hospitals.

PubMed

Turner, Jason S; Broom, Kevin D; Counte, Michael A

2015-01-01

Recent US legislation is attempting to transition inpatient Medicare payments to a value-based purchasing (VBP) program. The VBP program is a pay-for-performance (P4P) system that incentivizes hospitals to improve patient satisfaction, health outcomes, and adherence to clinical protocols while simultaneously holding down costs. Our study evaluates (1) the impact of financial performance on the VBP adjustments and (2) whether there is a correlation between the VBP adjustment and the financial performance of Missouri hospitals that opted into the program. While upward and downward adjustments to the inpatient base rate may be related to hospital financial performance, prior financial performance may also be related to the adjustments. Financial health may allow facilities to invest and position the hospital for favorable future P4P adjustments. The results of our analysis indicate the VBP adjustment to the inpatient base rate is very small (±0.18%), clustered around zero, and is not correlated with financial performance. We also find that financial performance and improvement in the years prior to the adjustment are not related to the VBP adjustment or its respective components. This suggests that CMS is avoiding penalizing less profitable facilities, but the adjustment is also so small and tightly clustered around zero that it is failing to provide an adequate incentive to hospitals. The costs of improving patient satisfaction, clinical process adherence, health care outcomes, and efficiency above that of peers coupled with the growing number of metrics being used to calculate the VBP adjustments call into question the financial incentives of the hospital VBP program.

Modulation Index Adjustment for Recovery of Pure Wavelength Modulation Spectroscopy Second Harmonic Signal Waveforms.

PubMed

Wei, Wei; Chang, Jun; Wang, Qiang; Qin, Zengguang

2017-01-15

A new technique of modulation index adjustment for pure wavelength modulation spectroscopy second harmonic signal waveforms recovery is presented. As the modulation index is a key parameter in determining the exact form of the signals generated by the technique of wavelength modulation spectroscopy, the method of modulation index adjustment is applied to recover the second harmonic signal with wavelength modulation spectroscopy. By comparing the measured profile with the theoretical profile by calculation, the relationship between the modulation index and average quantities of the scanning wavelength can be obtained. Furthermore, when the relationship is applied in the experimental setup by point-by-point modulation index modification for gas detection, the results show good agreement with the theoretical profile and signal waveform distortion (such as the amplitude modulation effect caused by diode laser) can be suppressed. Besides, the method of modulation index adjustment can be used in many other aspects which involve profile improvement. In practical applications, when the amplitude modulation effect can be neglected and the stability of the detection system is limited by the sampling rate of analog-to-digital, modulation index adjustment can be used to improve detection into softer inflection points and solve the insufficient sampling problem. As a result, measurement stability is improved by 40%.

Modulation Index Adjustment for Recovery of Pure Wavelength Modulation Spectroscopy Second Harmonic Signal Waveforms

PubMed Central

Wei, Wei; Chang, Jun; Wang, Qiang; Qin, Zengguang

2017-01-01

A new technique of modulation index adjustment for pure wavelength modulation spectroscopy second harmonic signal waveforms recovery is presented. As the modulation index is a key parameter in determining the exact form of the signals generated by the technique of wavelength modulation spectroscopy, the method of modulation index adjustment is applied to recover the second harmonic signal with wavelength modulation spectroscopy. By comparing the measured profile with the theoretical profile by calculation, the relationship between the modulation index and average quantities of the scanning wavelength can be obtained. Furthermore, when the relationship is applied in the experimental setup by point-by-point modulation index modification for gas detection, the results show good agreement with the theoretical profile and signal waveform distortion (such as the amplitude modulation effect caused by diode laser) can be suppressed. Besides, the method of modulation index adjustment can be used in many other aspects which involve profile improvement. In practical applications, when the amplitude modulation effect can be neglected and the stability of the detection system is limited by the sampling rate of analog-to-digital, modulation index adjustment can be used to improve detection into softer inflection points and solve the insufficient sampling problem. As a result, measurement stability is improved by 40%. PMID:28098842

Hair analysis reveals subtle HPA axis suppression associated with use of local corticosteroids: The Lifelines cohort study.

PubMed

Wester, Vincent L; Noppe, Gerard; Savas, Mesut; van den Akker, Erica L T; de Rijke, Yolanda B; van Rossum, Elisabeth F C

2017-06-01

Scalp hair is increasingly used to measure the long-term exposure to endogenous glucocorticoids hormones. Long-term cortisone (HairE) and cortisol (HairF) have been associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and psychopathology. However, little is known about the influence of the use of local corticosteroids and major stressful life events on hair glucocorticoids. We determined HairE and HairF using liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry in 295 adult participants of the population-based Lifelines cohort study (75% females, median age 42). We collected anthropometry and fasting metabolic laboratory values, questionnaires on hair characteristics, recent use of corticosteroids, and recent major stressful life events. After adjustment for covariates, hair glucocorticoids increased with age, male sex, black or brown hair color, and frequency of sweating on the scalp, and decreased with higher hair washing frequency (P<0.05). HairE was decreased in participants who used systemic corticosteroids (5.4 vs. 8.5pg/mg hair, P=0.041), and in participants who only used local agents such as inhaled, topical and nasal corticosteroids (6.8 vs. 8.5pg/mg, P=0.005). Recent life events were positively associated with HairF after adjustment for age and sex (P=0.026), but this association lost significance after adjustment for hair related characteristics (P>0.05). HairE can be a useful marker to detect mild adrenal suppression due to corticosteroid use in the general population, even when only inhaled, nasal or topical corticosteroids are used, which suggests that these commonly used agents induce systemic effects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adjustable under-expression of yeast mating pathway proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a programmed ribosomal frameshift.

PubMed

Choi, Min-Yeon; Park, Sang-Hyun

2016-06-01

Experimental research in molecular biology frequently relies on the promotion or suppression of gene expression, an important tool in the study of its functions. Although yeast is among the most studied model systems with the ease of maintenance and manipulation, current experimental methods are mostly limited to gene deletion, suppression or overexpression of genes. Therefore, the ability to reduce protein expressions and then observing the effects would promote a better understanding of the exact functions and their interactions. Reducing protein expression is mainly limited by the difficulties associated with controlling the reduction level, and in some cases, the initial endogenous abundance is too low. For the under-expression to be useful as an experimental tool, repeatability and stability of reduced expression is important. We found that cis-elements in programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting (-1RFS) of beet western yellow virus (BWYV) could be utilized to reduced protein expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The two main advantages of using -1RFS are adjustable reduction rates and ease of use. To demonstrate the utility of this under-expression system, examples of reduced protein abundance were shown using yeast mating pathway components. The abundance of MAP kinase Fus3 was reduced to approximately 28-75 % of the wild-type value. Other MAP kinase mating pathway components, including Ste5, Ste11, and Ste7, were also under-expressed to verify that the -1RFS system works with different proteins. Furthermore, reduced Fus3 abundance altered the overall signal transduction outcome of the mating pathway, demonstrating the potential for further studies of signal transduction adjustment via under-expression.

EVIDENCE FOR SIMULTANEOUS JETS AND DISK WINDS IN LUMINOUS LOW-MASS X-RAY BINARIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Homan, Jeroen; Neilsen, Joseph; Allen, Jessamyn L.

Recent work on jets and disk winds in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) suggests that they are to a large extent mutually exclusive, with jets observed in spectrally hard states and disk winds observed in spectrally soft states. In this paper we use existing literature on jets and disk winds in the luminous neutron star (NS) LMXB GX 13+1, in combination with archival Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer data, to show that this source is likely able to produce jets and disk winds simultaneously. We find that jets and disk winds occur in the same location on the source’s track in itsmore » X-ray color–color diagram. A further study of literature on other luminous LMXBs reveals that this behavior is more common, with indications for simultaneous jets and disk winds in the black hole LMXBs V404 Cyg and GRS 1915+105 and the NS LMXBs Sco X-1 and Cir X-1. For the three sources for which we have the necessary spectral information, we find that simultaneous jets/winds all occur in their spectrally hardest states. Our findings indicate that in LMXBs with luminosities above a few tens of percent of the Eddington luminosity, jets and disk winds are not mutually exclusive, and the presence of disk winds does not necessarily result in jet suppression.« less

Double-edged swords as cancer therapeutics: novel, orally active, small molecules simultaneously inhibit p53-MDM2 interaction and the NF-κB pathway.

PubMed

Zhuang, Chunlin; Miao, Zhenyuan; Wu, Yuelin; Guo, Zizhao; Li, Jin; Yao, Jianzhong; Xing, Chengguo; Sheng, Chunquan; Zhang, Wannian

2014-02-13

Simultaneous inactivation of p53 and hyperactivation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is a common occurrence in human cancer. Currently, antitumor agents are being designed to selectively activate p53 or inhibit NF-κB. However, there is no concerted effort yet to deliberately design inhibitors that can simultaneously do both. This paper provided a proof-of-concept study that p53-MDM2 interaction and NF-κB pathway can be simultaneously targeted by a small-molecule inhibitor. A series of pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrazole derivatives were rationally designed and synthesized as the first-in-class inhibitors of p53-MDM2 interaction and NF-κB pathway. Most of the compounds were identified to possess nanomolar p53-MDM2 inhibitory activity. Compounds 5q and 5s suppressed NF-κB activation through inhibition of IκBα phosphorylation and elevation of the cytoplasmic levels of p65 and phosphorylated IKKα/β. Biochemical assay for the kinases also supported the fact that pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrazole compounds directly targeted the NF-κB pathway. In addition, four compounds (5j, 5q, 5s, and 5u) effectively inhibited tumor growth in the A549 xenograft model. Further pharmacokinetic study revealed that compound 5q exhibited excellent oral bioavailability (72.9%).

Simultaneous reconstruction of emission activity and attenuation coefficient distribution from TOF data, acquired with external transmission source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panin, V. Y.; Aykac, M.; Casey, M. E.

2013-06-01

The simultaneous PET data reconstruction of emission activity and attenuation coefficient distribution is presented, where the attenuation image is constrained by exploiting an external transmission source. Data are acquired in time-of-flight (TOF) mode, allowing in principle for separation of emission and transmission data. Nevertheless, here all data are reconstructed at once, eliminating the need to trace the position of the transmission source in sinogram space. Contamination of emission data by the transmission source and vice versa is naturally modeled. Attenuated emission activity data also provide additional information about object attenuation coefficient values. The algorithm alternates between attenuation and emission activity image updates. We also proposed a method of estimation of spatial scatter distribution from the transmission source by incorporating knowledge about the expected range of attenuation map values. The reconstruction of experimental data from the Siemens mCT scanner suggests that simultaneous reconstruction improves attenuation map image quality, as compared to when data are separated. In the presented example, the attenuation map image noise was reduced and non-uniformity artifacts that occurred due to scatter estimation were suppressed. On the other hand, the use of transmission data stabilizes attenuation coefficient distribution reconstruction from TOF emission data alone. The example of improving emission images by refining a CT-based patient attenuation map is presented, revealing potential benefits of simultaneous CT and PET data reconstruction.

Financial Incentives for Linkage to Care and Viral Suppression Among HIV-Positive Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial (HPTN 065).

PubMed

El-Sadr, Wafaa M; Donnell, Deborah; Beauchamp, Geetha; Hall, H Irene; Torian, Lucia V; Zingman, Barry; Lum, Garret; Kharfen, Michael; Elion, Richard; Leider, Jason; Gordin, Fred M; Elharrar, Vanessa; Burns, David; Zerbe, Allison; Gamble, Theresa; Branson, Bernard

2017-08-01

Achieving linkage to care and viral suppression in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients improves their well-being and prevents new infections. Current gaps in the HIV care continuum substantially limit such benefits. To evaluate the effectiveness of financial incentives on linkage to care and viral suppression in HIV-positive patients. A large community-based clinical trial that randomized 37 HIV test and 39 HIV care sites in the Bronx, New York, and Washington, DC, to financial incentives or standard of care. Participants at financial incentive test sites who had positive test results for HIV received coupons redeemable for $125 cash-equivalent gift cards upon linkage to care. HIV-positive patients receiving antiretroviral therapy at financial incentive care sites received $70 gift cards quarterly, if virally suppressed. Linkage to care: proportion of HIV-positive persons at the test site who linked to care within 3 months, as indicated by CD4+ and/or viral load test results done at a care site. Viral suppression: proportion of established patients at HIV care sites with suppressed viral load (<400 copies/mL), assessed at each calendar quarter. Outcomes assessed through laboratory test results reported to the National HIV Surveillance System. A total of 1061 coupons were dispensed for linkage to care at 18 financial incentive test sites and 39 359 gift cards were dispensed to 9641 HIV-positive patients eligible for gift cards at 17 financial incentive care sites. Financial incentives did not increase linkage to care (adjusted odds ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.73-1.67; P = .65). However, financial incentives significantly increased viral suppression. The overall proportion of patients with viral suppression was 3.8% higher (95% CI, 0.7%-6.8%; P = .01) at financial incentive sites compared with standard of care sites. Among patients not previously consistently virally suppressed, the proportion virally suppressed was 4.9% higher (95% CI, 1.4%-8.5%; P = .007) at financial incentive sites. In addition, continuity in care was 8.7% higher (95% CI, 4.2%-13.2%; P < .001) at financial incentive sites. Financial incentives, as used in this study (HPTN 065), significantly increased viral suppression and regular clinic attendance among HIV-positive patients in care. No effect was noted on linkage to care. Financial incentives offer promise for improving adherence to treatment and viral suppression among HIV-positive patients. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01152918.

Real-time distributed fiber optic sensor for security systems: Performance, event classification and nuisance mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmoud, Seedahmed S.; Visagathilagar, Yuvaraja; Katsifolis, Jim

2012-09-01

The success of any perimeter intrusion detection system depends on three important performance parameters: the probability of detection (POD), the nuisance alarm rate (NAR), and the false alarm rate (FAR). The most fundamental parameter, POD, is normally related to a number of factors such as the event of interest, the sensitivity of the sensor, the installation quality of the system, and the reliability of the sensing equipment. The suppression of nuisance alarms without degrading sensitivity in fiber optic intrusion detection systems is key to maintaining acceptable performance. Signal processing algorithms that maintain the POD and eliminate nuisance alarms are crucial for achieving this. In this paper, a robust event classification system using supervised neural networks together with a level crossings (LCs) based feature extraction algorithm is presented for the detection and recognition of intrusion and non-intrusion events in a fence-based fiber-optic intrusion detection system. A level crossings algorithm is also used with a dynamic threshold to suppress torrential rain-induced nuisance alarms in a fence system. Results show that rain-induced nuisance alarms can be suppressed for rainfall rates in excess of 100 mm/hr with the simultaneous detection of intrusion events. The use of a level crossing based detection and novel classification algorithm is also presented for a buried pipeline fiber optic intrusion detection system for the suppression of nuisance events and discrimination of intrusion events. The sensor employed for both types of systems is a distributed bidirectional fiber-optic Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometer.

Caffeine enhances the speed of the recovery of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis after chronic prednisolone administration in the rat.

PubMed

Marzouk, H F; Zuyderwijk, J; Uitterlinden, P; van Koetsveld, P; Blijd, J J; Abou-Hashim, E M; el-Kannishy, M H; de Jong, F H; Lamberts, S W

1991-11-01

Chronic administration of corticosteroids results in a suppression of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. The time course of the recovery of the HPA axis depends on the dose and duration of corticosteroid administration. We investigated the recovery of the HPA axis after 14 days of prednisolone administration to rats at a dose of 2.0 mg/rat/day via the drinking water (188 mumol/l). The in vitro corticosterone production by dispersed adrenal cells in response to increasing concentrations of ACTH had recovered 3 days after stopping prednisolone administration. In parallel the initially suppressed plasma corticosterone concentrations had recovered after 3 days, while the pituitary ACTH content had recovered after 5 days. We investigated the possibility to enhance the speed of the recovery of the HPA axis by the simultaneous administration of two drugs with known CRF-stimulating activity via the drinking water. Caffeine in a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight enhanced the recovery of the prednisolone-suppressed HPA axis significantly. One day after the end of prednisolone administration a significant increase in the adrenal weight, in the corticosterone production by dispersed adrenal cells, as well as in the plasma corticosterone concentrations, and in the pituitary ACTH content was observed in the caffeine-treated rats. Chlorimipramine (20 mg/kg body weight), on the other hand, did not influence the prednisolone-mediated suppression of the HPA axis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Autophagic degradation of the androgen receptor mediated by increased phosphorylation of p62 suppresses apoptosis in hypoxia.

PubMed

Mitani, Takakazu; Minami, Masato; Harada, Naoki; Ashida, Hitoshi; Yamaji, Ryoichi

2015-10-01

Prostate cancer grows under hypoxic conditions. Hypoxia decreases androgen receptor (AR) protein levels. However, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here, we report that p62-mediated autophagy degrades AR protein and suppresses apoptosis in prostate cancer LNCaP cells in hypoxia. In LNCaP cells, hypoxia decreased AR at the protein level, but not at the mRNA level. Hypoxia-induced AR degradation was inhibited not only by knockdown of LC3, a key component of the autophagy machinery, but also by knockdown of p62. Depletion of p62 enhanced hypoxia-induced poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and caspase-3 cleavage, markers of apoptosis, whereas simultaneous knockdown of p62 and AR suppressed hypoxia-induced apoptosis. Hypoxia increased the formation of a cytosolic p62-AR complex and enhanced sequestration of AR from the nucleus. Formation of this complex was promoted by the increased phosphorylation of serine 403 in the ubiquitin-associated domain of p62 during hypoxia. An antioxidant and an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibitor reduced hypoxia-induced p62 phosphorylation at serine 403 and suppressed hypoxia-induced complex formation between AR and p62. These results demonstrate that hypoxia enhances the complex formation between p62 and AR by promoting phosphorylation of p62 at serine 403, probably through activating AMPK, and that p62-mediated autophagy degrades AR protein for cell survival in hypoxia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of uptake kinetics during a wastewater diversion into nearshore coastal waters in southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudela, Raphael M.; Howard, Meredith D. A.; Hayashi, Kendra; Beck, Carly

2017-02-01

The global eutrophication of coastal ecosystems from anthropogenic nutrients is one of the most significant issues affecting changes to coastal oceans today. A three-week diversion of wastewater effluent from the normal offshore discharge pipe (7 km offshore, 56 m depth) to a shorter outfall located in 16 m water (2.2 km offshore) as part of the 2012 Orange County Sanitation District Diversion provided an opportunity to evaluate the impacts of anthropogenic nitrogen on phytoplankton community response. Nitrogen uptake kinetic parameters were used to evaluate the short-term physiological response of the phytoplankton community to the diverted wastewater and to determine if potential ammonium suppression of nitrate uptake was observed. Despite expectations, there was a muted response to the diversion in terms of biomass accumulation and ambient nutrients remained low. At ambient nitrogen concentrations, calculated uptake rates strongly favored ammonium. During the diversion based on the kinetic parameters determined during short-term experiments, the phytoplankton community was using all three N substrates at low concentrations, and had the capacity to use urea, then ammonium, and then nitrate at high concentrations. Ammonium suppression of nitrate uptake was evident throughout the experiment, with increasing suppression through time. Despite this interaction, there was evidence for simultaneous utilization of nitrate, ammonium, and urea during the experiment. The general lack of phytoplankton response as evidenced by low biomass during the diversion was therefore not obviously linked to changes in uptake rates, physiological capacity, or ammonium suppression of nitrate uptake.

Suppression of star formation in dwarf galaxies by photoelectric grain heating feedback.

PubMed

Forbes, John C; Krumholz, Mark R; Goldbaum, Nathan J; Dekel, Avishai

2016-07-28

Photoelectric heating--heating of dust grains by far-ultraviolet photons--has long been recognized as the primary source of heating for the neutral interstellar medium. Simulations of spiral galaxies have shown some indication that photoelectric heating could suppress star formation; however, simulations that include photoelectric heating have typically shown that it has little effect on the rate of star formation in either spiral galaxies or dwarf galaxies, which suggests that supernovae are responsible for setting the gas depletion time in galaxies. This result is in contrast with recent work indicating that a star formation law that depends on galaxy metallicity--as is expected with photoelectric heating,but not with supernovae--reproduces the present-day galaxy population better than does a metallicity-independent one. Here we report a series of simulations of dwarf galaxies, the class of galaxy in which the effects of both photoelectric heating and supernovae are expected to be strongest. We simultaneously include space and time-dependent photoelectric heating in our simulations, and we resolve the energy-conserving phase of every supernova blast wave, which allows us to directly measure the relative importance of feedback by supernovae and photoelectric heating in suppressing star formation. We find that supernovae are unable to account for the observed large gas depletion times in dwarf galaxies. Instead, photoelectric heating is the dominant means by which dwarf galaxies regulate their star formation rate at any given time,suppressing the rate by more than an order of magnitude relative to simulations with only supernovae.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osna, Natalia A., E-mail: nosna@UNMC.edu; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105; White, Ronda L.

The proteasome is a multi-catalytic protein degradation enzyme that is regulated by ethanol-induced oxidative stress; such suppression is attributed to CYP2E1-generated metabolites. However, under certain conditions, it appears that in addition to oxidative stress, other mechanisms are also involved in proteasome regulation. This study investigated whether impaired protein methylation that occurs during exposure of liver cells to ethanol, may contribute to suppression of proteasome activity. We measured the chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity in Huh7CYP cells, hepatocytes, liver cytosols and nuclear extracts or purified 20S proteasome under conditions that maintain or prevent protein methylation. Reduction of proteasome activity of hepatoma cell andmore » hepatocytes by ethanol or tubercidin was prevented by simultaneous treatment with S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Moreover, the tubercidin-induced decline in proteasome activity occurred in both nuclear and cytosolic fractions. In vitro exposure of cell cytosolic fractions or highly purified 20S proteasome to low SAM:S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) ratios in the buffer also suppressed proteasome function, indicating that one or more methyltransferase(s) may be associated with proteasomal subunits. Immunoblotting a purified 20S rabbit red cell proteasome preparation using methyl lysine-specific antibodies revealed a 25 kDa proteasome subunit that showed positive reactivity with anti-methyl lysine. This reactivity was modified when 20S proteasome was exposed to differential SAM:SAH ratios. We conclude that impaired methylation of proteasome subunits suppressed proteasome activity in liver cells indicating an additional, yet novel mechanism of proteasome activity regulation by ethanol.« less

Invasive Obstetric Procedures and Cesarean Sections in Women With Known Herpes Simplex Virus Status During Pregnancy.

PubMed

Stankiewicz Karita, Helen C; Moss, Nicholas J; Laschansky, Ellen; Drolette, Linda; Magaret, Amalia S; Selke, Stacey; Gardella, Carolyn; Wald, Anna

2017-01-01

Neonatal herpes is a potentially devastating infection that results from acquisition of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 or 2 from the maternal genital tract at the time of vaginal delivery. Current guidelines recommend (1) cesarean delivery if maternal genital HSV lesions are present at the time of labor and (2) antiviral suppressive therapy for women with known genital herpes to decrease HSV shedding from the genital tract at the time of vaginal delivery. However, most neonatal infections occur in infants born to women without a history of genital HSV, making current prevention efforts ineffective for this group. Although routine serologic HSV testing of women during pregnancy could identify women at higher risk of intrapartum viral shedding, it is uncertain how this knowledge might impact intrapartum management, and a potential concern is a higher rate of cesarean sections among women known to be HSV-2 seropositive. To assess the effects of prenatal HSV-2 antibody testing, history of genital herpes, and use of suppressive antiviral medication on the intrapartum management of women, we investigated the frequency of invasive obstetric procedures and cesarean deliveries. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women delivering at the University of Washington Medical center in Seattle, Washington. We defined the exposure of interest as HSV-2 antibody positivity or known history of genital herpes noted in prenatal records. The primary outcome was intrapartum procedures including fetal scalp electrode, artificial rupture of membranes, intrauterine pressure catheter, or operative vaginal delivery (vacuum or forceps). The secondary outcome was incidence of cesarean birth. Univariate and multivariable logistic regressions were performed. From a total of 449 women included in the analysis, 97 (21.6%) were HSV-2 seropositive or had a history of genital herpes (HSV-2/GH). Herpes simplex virus-2/GH women not using suppressive antiviral therapy were less likely to undergo intrapartum procedures than women without HSV-2/GH (odds ratio [OR], 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.25-0.95; P = .036), but this relationship was attenuated after adjustment for potential confounders (adjusted OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.34-1.41; P = .31). There was no difference in intrapartum procedures for women on suppressive therapy versus women without HSV-2/GH (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.66-2.07; P = .60). Similar proportions of cesarean sections were performed within each group of women: 25% without history of HSV-2/GH, 30% on suppressive treatment, and 28.1% without suppressive treatment (global, P = .73). In this single-site study, provider awareness of genital herpes infection either by HSV serotesting or history was associated with fewer invasive obstetric procedures shown to be associated with neonatal herpes, but it was not associated with an increased rate of cesarean birth.

Analog Delta-Back-Propagation Neural-Network Circuitry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eberhart, Silvio

1990-01-01

Changes in synapse weights due to circuit drifts suppressed. Proposed fully parallel analog version of electronic neural-network processor based on delta-back-propagation algorithm. Processor able to "learn" when provided with suitable combinations of inputs and enforced outputs. Includes programmable resistive memory elements (corresponding to synapses), conductances (synapse weights) adjusted during learning. Buffer amplifiers, summing circuits, and sample-and-hold circuits arranged in layers of electronic neurons in accordance with delta-back-propagation algorithm.

Food Insecurity is Associated with Incomplete HIV RNA Suppression Among Homeless and Marginally Housed HIV-infected Individuals in San Francisco

PubMed Central

Frongillo, Edward A.; Ragland, Kathleen; Hogg, Robert S.; Riley, Elise D.; Bangsberg, David R.

2008-01-01

Background and Objectives There is growing international concern that food insecurity may negatively impact antiretroviral (ARV) treatment outcomes, but no studies have directly evaluated the effect of food insecurity on viral load suppression and antiretroviral adherence. We hypothesized that food insecurity would be associated with poor virologic response among homeless and marginally housed HIV-positive ARV-treated patients. Design This is a cross-sectional study. Participants and Setting Participants were ARV-treated homeless and marginally housed persons receiving adherence monitoring with unannounced pill counts in the Research on Access to Care in the Homeless (REACH) Cohort. Measurements Food insecurity was measured by the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). The primary outcome was suppression of HIV viral RNA to <50 copies/ml. We used multivariate logistic regression to assess whether food insecurity was associated with viral suppression. Results Among 104 participants, 51% were food secure, 24% were mildly or moderately food insecure and 25% were severely food insecure. Severely food insecure participants were less likely to have adherence >=80%. In adjusted analyses, severe food insecurity was associated with a 77% lower odds of viral suppression (95% CI = 0.06–0.82) when controlling for all covariates. In analyses stratified by adherence level, severe food insecurity was associated with an 85% lower odds of viral suppression (95% CI = 0.02–0.99) among those with <=80% adherence and a 66% lower odds among those with >80% adherence (95% CI = 0.06–1.81). Conclusions Food insecurity is present in half of the HIV-positive urban poor in San Francisco, one of the best resourced settings for HIV-positive individuals in the United States, and is associated with incomplete viral suppression. These findings suggest that ensuring access to food should be an integral component of public health HIV programs serving impoverished populations. PMID:18953617

Hair concentrations of antiretrovirals predict viral suppression in HIV-infected pregnant and breastfeeding Ugandan women.

PubMed

Koss, Catherine A; Natureeba, Paul; Mwesigwa, Julia; Cohan, Deborah; Nzarubara, Bridget; Bacchetti, Peter; Horng, Howard; Clark, Tamara D; Plenty, Albert; Ruel, Theodore D; Achan, Jane; Charlebois, Edwin D; Kamya, Moses R; Havlir, Diane V; Gandhi, Monica

2015-04-24

Hair concentrations are a noninvasive measure of cumulative antiretroviral exposure and the strongest predictor of viral suppression in large cohorts of nonpregnant patients. We examined hair concentrations of antiretrovirals in relation to virologic outcomes in pregnant and breastfeeding women for the first time. The Prevention of Malaria and HIV Disease in Tororo trial (NCT00993031) enrolled HIV-infected pregnant Ugandan women at 12-28 weeks gestation who were randomized to lopinavir or efavirenz-based antiretroviral therapy (ART). Small hair samples were collected at 30-34 weeks gestation and 10-25 weeks postpartum. Efavirenz and lopinavir hair concentrations were measured via liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Multivariate logistic regression models examined predictors of viral suppression (HIV-1 RNA ≤400 copies/ml) at delivery and 24 weeks postpartum. Among 325 women, median CD4 cell count was 366 cells/μl (interquartile range 270-488) at ART initiation. Mean self-reported 3-day adherence was greater than 97% in each arm. Viral suppression was achieved by 98.0% (efavirenz) and 87.4% (lopinavir) at delivery. At 24 weeks postpartum, 92.5% (efavirenz) and 90.6% (lopinavir) achieved viral suppression; 88% of women were breastfeeding. In multivariate models including self-reported adherence and pretreatment HIV-1 RNA, antiretroviral hair concentrations were the strongest predictor of viral suppression at delivery [efavirenz: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.86 per doubling in concentration, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-3.1, P = 0.013; lopinavir: aOR 1.90, 95% CI 1.33-2.7, P = 0.0004] and 24 weeks postpartum (efavirenz: aOR 1.81, 95% CI 1.22-2.7, P = 0.003; lopinavir: aOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.05-2.2, P = 0.026). Antiretroviral hair concentrations represent an innovative tool that strongly predicts viral suppression among HIV-infected childbearing women during the critical periods of delivery and breastfeeding.

Scatter correction in cone-beam CT via a half beam blocker technique allowing simultaneous acquisition of scatter and image information

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Ho; Xing Lei; Lee, Rena

2012-05-15

Purpose: X-ray scatter incurred to detectors degrades the quality of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and represents a problem in volumetric image guided and adaptive radiation therapy. Several methods using a beam blocker for the estimation and subtraction of scatter have been proposed. However, due to missing information resulting from the obstruction of the blocker, such methods require dual scanning or dynamically moving blocker to obtain a complete volumetric image. Here, we propose a half beam blocker-based approach, in conjunction with a total variation (TV) regularized Feldkamp-Davis-Kress (FDK) algorithm, to correct scatter-induced artifacts by simultaneously acquiring image and scatter information frommore » a single-rotation CBCT scan. Methods: A half beam blocker, comprising lead strips, is used to simultaneously acquire image data on one side of the projection data and scatter data on the other half side. One-dimensional cubic B-Spline interpolation/extrapolation is applied to derive patient specific scatter information by using the scatter distributions on strips. The estimated scatter is subtracted from the projection image acquired at the opposite view. With scatter-corrected projections where this subtraction is completed, the FDK algorithm based on a cosine weighting function is performed to reconstruct CBCT volume. To suppress the noise in the reconstructed CBCT images produced by geometric errors between two opposed projections and interpolated scatter information, total variation regularization is applied by a minimization using a steepest gradient descent optimization method. The experimental studies using Catphan504 and anthropomorphic phantoms were carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed scheme. Results: The scatter-induced shading artifacts were markedly suppressed in CBCT using the proposed scheme. Compared with CBCT without a blocker, the nonuniformity value was reduced from 39.3% to 3.1%. The root mean square error relative to values inside the regions of interest selected from a benchmark scatter free image was reduced from 50 to 11.3. The TV regularization also led to a better contrast-to-noise ratio. Conclusions: An asymmetric half beam blocker-based FDK acquisition and reconstruction technique has been established. The proposed scheme enables simultaneous detection of patient specific scatter and complete volumetric CBCT reconstruction without additional requirements such as prior images, dual scans, or moving strips.« less

Kirsten-boeing Propeller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sachse, H

1926-01-01

The advantages of the Kirsten-Boeing propeller consist essentially in the adjustability of the thrust in any desired direction, in the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the system, and in its high efficiency. The propeller, which greatly resembles the paddle wheels used on river steamers, differs fundamentally from the latter, in that all the blades work simultaneously in the fluid medium (air or water).

Two-axis sagittal focusing monochromator

DOEpatents

Haas, Edwin G; Stelmach, Christopher; Zhong, Zhong

2014-05-13

An x-ray focusing device and method for adjustably focusing x-rays in two orthogonal directions simultaneously. The device and method can be operated remotely using two pairs of orthogonal benders mounted on a rigid, open frame such that x-rays may pass through the opening in the frame. The added x-ray flux allows significantly higher brightness from the same x-ray source.

Regulating NH4+, N0-, and K+ concentration and proportions improves in vitro tissue growth.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A mixture-amount experiment that simultaneously varied both the ratios and total ionic concentration (from 20-100 mM) of NH4+, NO3+, and K+ was used to maximize sweet orange callus growth cv. ‘Hamlin.’ These experiments were free of ion confounding effects, i.e. ions added via pH adjustments and sa...

Band excitation method applicable to scanning probe microscopy

DOEpatents

Jesse, Stephen; Kalinin, Sergei V.

2015-08-04

Scanning probe microscopy may include a method for generating a band excitation (BE) signal and simultaneously exciting a probe at a plurality of frequencies within a predetermined frequency band based on the excitation signal. A response of the probe is measured across a subset of frequencies of the predetermined frequency band and the excitation signal is adjusted based on the measured response.

Band excitation method applicable to scanning probe microscopy

DOEpatents

Jesse, Stephen; Kalinin, Sergei V.

2017-01-03

Scanning probe microscopy may include a method for generating a band excitation (BE) signal and simultaneously exciting a probe at a plurality of frequencies within a predetermined frequency band based on the excitation signal. A response of the probe is measured across a subset of frequencies of the predetermined frequency band and the excitation signal is adjusted based on the measured response.

Tinnitus after Simultaneous and Sequential Bilateral Cochlear Implantation.

PubMed

Ramakers, Geerte G J; Kraaijenga, Véronique J C; Smulders, Yvette E; van Zon, Alice; Stegeman, Inge; Stokroos, Robert J; Free, Rolien H; Frijns, Johan H M; Huinck, Wendy J; Van Zanten, Gijsbert A; Grolman, Wilko

2017-01-01

There is an ongoing global discussion on whether or not bilateral cochlear implantation should be standard care for bilateral deafness. Contrary to unilateral cochlear implantation, however, little is known about the effect of bilateral cochlear implantation on tinnitus. To investigate tinnitus outcomes 1 year after bilateral cochlear implantation. Secondarily, to compare tinnitus outcomes between simultaneous and sequential bilateral cochlear implantation and to investigate long-term follow-up (3 years). This study is a secondary analysis as part of a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Thirty-eight postlingually deafened adults were included in the original trial, in which the presence of tinnitus was not an inclusion criterion. All participants received cochlear implants (CIs) because of profound hearing loss. Nineteen participants received bilateral CIs simultaneously and 19 participants received bilateral CIs sequentially with an inter-implant interval of 2 years. The prevalence and severity of tinnitus before and after simultaneous and sequential bilateral cochlear implantation were measured preoperatively and each year after implantation with the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ). The prevalence of preoperative tinnitus was 42% (16/38). One year after bilateral implantation, there was a median difference of -8 (inter-quartile range (IQR): -28 to 4) in THI score and -9 (IQR: -17 to -9) in TQ score in the participants with preoperative tinnitus. Induction of tinnitus occurred in five participants, all in the simultaneous group, in the year after bilateral implantation. Although the preoperative and also the postoperative median THI and TQ scores were higher in the simultaneous group, the median difference scores were equal in both groups. In the simultaneous group, tinnitus scores fluctuated in the 3 years after implantation. In the sequential group, four patients had an additional benefit of the second CI: a total suppression of tinnitus compared with their unilateral situation. While bilateral cochlear implantation can have a positive effect on preoperative tinnitus complaints, the induction of (temporary or permanent) tinnitus was also reported. Dutch Trial Register NTR1722.

Shrimp miR-12 Suppresses White Spot Syndrome Virus Infection by Synchronously Triggering Antiviral Phagocytosis and Apoptosis Pathways

PubMed Central

Shu, Le; Zhang, Xiaobo

2017-01-01

Growing evidence has indicated that the innate immune system can be regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs). However, the mechanism underlying miRNA-mediated simultaneous activation of multiple immune pathways remains unknown. To address this issue, the role of host miR-12 in shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus) antiviral immune responses was characterized in the present study. The results indicated that miR-12 participated in virus infection, host phagocytosis, and apoptosis in defense against white spot syndrome virus invasion. miR-12 could simultaneously trigger phagocytosis, apoptosis, and antiviral immunity through the synchronous downregulation of the expression of shrimp genes [PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog) and BI-1(transmembrane BAX inhibitor motif containing 6)] and the viral gene (wsv024). Further analysis showed that miR-12 could synchronously mediate the 5′–3′ exonucleolytic degradation of its target mRNAs, and this degradation terminated in the vicinity of the 3′ untranslated region sequence complementary to the seed sequence of miR-12. Therefore, the present study showed novel aspects of the miRNA-mediated simultaneous regulation of multiple immune pathways. PMID:28824612

Assessing group differences in biodiversity by simultaneously testing a user-defined selection of diversity indices.

PubMed

Pallmann, Philip; Schaarschmidt, Frank; Hothorn, Ludwig A; Fischer, Christiane; Nacke, Heiko; Priesnitz, Kai U; Schork, Nicholas J

2012-11-01

Comparing diversities between groups is a task biologists are frequently faced with, for example in ecological field trials or when dealing with metagenomics data. However, researchers often waver about which measure of diversity to choose as there is a multitude of approaches available. As Jost (2008, Molecular Ecology, 17, 4015) has pointed out, widely used measures such as the Shannon or Simpson index have undesirable properties which make them hard to compare and interpret. Many of the problems associated with the use of these 'raw' indices can be corrected by transforming them into 'true' diversity measures. We introduce a technique that allows the comparison of two or more groups of observations and simultaneously tests a user-defined selection of a number of 'true' diversity measures. This procedure yields multiplicity-adjusted P-values according to the method of Westfall and Young (1993, Resampling-Based Multiple Testing: Examples and Methods for p-Value Adjustment, 49, 941), which ensures that the rate of false positives (type I error) does not rise when the number of groups and/or diversity indices is extended. Software is available in the R package 'simboot'. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Combining technologies: a computerized occlusal analysis system synchronized with a computerized electromyography system.

PubMed

Kerstein, Robert B

2004-04-01

Current advances in computer technologies have afforded dentists precision ways to examine occlusal contacts and muscle function. Recently, two separate computer technologies have been synchronized together, so that an operator can record their separate diagnostic data simultaneously. The two systems are: the T Scan II Occlusal Analysis System and the Biopak Electromyography Recording System. The simultaneous recording and playback capacity of these two computer systems allows the operator to analyze and correlate specific occlusal moments to specific electromyographic changes that result from these occlusal moments. This synchronization provides unparalleled evidence of the effect occlusal contact arrangement has on muscle function. Therefore, the occlusal condition of an inserted dental prosthesis or the occlusal scheme of the natural teeth (before and after corrective occlusal adjustments) can be readily evaluated, documented, and quantified for both, quality of occlusal parameters and muscle activity and the responses to the quality of the occlusal condition. This article describes their synchronization and illustrates their use in performing precision occlusal adjustment procedures on two patients: one who demonstrates occlusal disharmony while exhibiting the signs and symptoms of chronic myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome, and the other who had extensive restorative work accomplished but exhibits occlusal discomfort post-operatively.

Subclinical hyperthyroidism: possible danger of overzealous thyroxine replacement therapy.

PubMed

Ross, D S

1988-12-01

Many patients taking customary doses of levothyroxine have slightly elevated serum thyroxine (T4), apparently normal serum triiodothyronine, suppressed serum thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone; TSH) concentrations, and no clinical symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Recent reports suggest that these patients may have adverse effects from subclinical hyperthyroidism, including abnormally short systolic time intervals, elevations in liver enzymes, and reductions in bone density. Controversy exists about which thyroid function tests should be used to monitor patients taking levothyroxine. A review of currently available data suggests that replacement doses of levothyroxine given to hypothyroid patients should be adjusted so that serum TSH measured by the new sensitive assays is within the normal range. Patients requiring suppressive doses of levothyroxine to shrink goitrous thyroid tissue or to prevent growth of abnormal tissue should be given the minimal dose needed to accomplish the desired clinical or biochemical response.

Brief Report: Long-Term (96-Week) Efficacy and Safety After Switching From Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate to Tenofovir Alafenamide in HIV-Infected, Virologically Suppressed Adults

PubMed Central

Raffi, François; Orkin, Chloe; Clarke, Amanda; Slama, Laurence; Gallant, Joel; Daar, Eric; Henry, Keith; Santana-Bagur, Jorge; Stein, David K.; Bellos, Nicholaos; Scarsella, Anthony; Yan, Mingjin; Abram, Michael E.; Cheng, Andrew

2017-01-01

Abstract: In a double-blind, phase 3 trial, 663 HIV-infected, virologically suppressed adults were randomized to switch to tenofovir alafenamide (TAF; n = 333) vs. remain on tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF; n = 330), each coformulated with emtricitabine (FTC), while continuing their third agent (boosted protease inhibitor or unboosted third agent). At week 96, 88.6% on FTC/TAF and 89.1% on FTC/TDF had HIV-1 RNA <50 copies per milliliter [adjusted difference −0.5% (95% confidence interval: −5.3 to 4.4%)]. Proteinuria, albuminuria, proximal renal tubular function, and bone mineral density improved after switching to TAF- from TDF-containing regimens. These longer-term data support FTC/TAF as a safe, well-tolerated, and durable nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor backbone. PMID:28272164

Continuously tunable nucleic acid hybridization probes.

PubMed

Wu, Lucia R; Wang, Juexiao Sherry; Fang, John Z; Evans, Emily R; Pinto, Alessandro; Pekker, Irena; Boykin, Richard; Ngouenet, Celine; Webster, Philippa J; Beechem, Joseph; Zhang, David Yu

2015-12-01

In silico-designed nucleic acid probes and primers often do not achieve favorable specificity and sensitivity tradeoffs on the first try, and iterative empirical sequence-based optimization is needed, particularly in multiplexed assays. We present a novel, on-the-fly method of tuning probe affinity and selectivity by adjusting the stoichiometry of auxiliary species, which allows for independent and decoupled adjustment of the hybridization yield for different probes in multiplexed assays. Using this method, we achieved near-continuous tuning of probe effective free energy. To demonstrate our approach, we enforced uniform capture efficiency of 31 DNA molecules (GC content, 0-100%), maximized the signal difference for 11 pairs of single-nucleotide variants and performed tunable hybrid capture of mRNA from total RNA. Using the Nanostring nCounter platform, we applied stoichiometric tuning to simultaneously adjust yields for a 24-plex assay, and we show multiplexed quantitation of RNA sequences and variants from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples.

Hand-held photomicroscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zabower, H. R. (Inventor)

1973-01-01

A small, lightweight, compact, hand-held photomicroscope provides simultaneous viewing and photographing, with adjustable specimen illumination and exchangeable camera format. The novel photomicroscope comprises a main housing having a top plate, bottom plate, and side walls. The objective lens is mounted on the top plate in an inverted manner relative to the normal type of mounting. The specimen holder has an adjusting mechanism for adjustably moving the specimen vertically along an axis extending through the objective lens as well as transverse of the axis. The lens system serves to split the beam of light into two paths, one to the eyepiece and the other to a camera mounting. A light source is mounted on the top plate and directs light onto the specimen. A rheostat device is mounted on the top plate and coupled to the power supply for the light source so that the intensity of the light may be varied.

Photonic reagents for concentration measurement of flu-orescent proteins with overlapping spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goun, Alexei; Bondar, Denys I.; Er, Ali O.; Quine, Zachary; Rabitz, Herschel A.

2016-05-01

By exploiting photonic reagents (i.e., coherent control by shaped laser pulses), we employ Optimal Dynamic Discrimination (ODD) as a novel means for quantitatively characterizing mixtures of fluorescent proteins with a large spectral overlap. To illustrate ODD, we simultaneously measured concentrations of in vitro mixtures of Enhanced Blue Fluorescent Protein (EBFP) and Enhanced Cyan Fluorescent Protein (ECFP). Building on this foundational study, the ultimate goal is to exploit the capabilities of ODD for parallel monitoring of genetic and protein circuits by suppressing the spectral cross-talk among multiple fluorescent reporters.

[Microbial settlement of paint- and building-materials in the sphere of drinking water. 5. Communication: Macrocolonies on the cement mortar lining in a water main (author's transl)].

PubMed

Schoenen, D

1980-09-01

It is reported a microbial growth in form of macrocolonies on a cement mortar line in a potable water main. Simultaneously an increase of bacterial content in the water could be observed. The bacterial content could be reduced by chlorination, but the microbial growth on the surface of the lining was not suppressed. Macrocolonies could be observed the same as before at the last inspection 6 1/2 years after opening of the main.

Conductor disc used to suppress spurious mode and enhance electric coupling in a dielectric loaded combline resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pholele, T. M.; Chuma, J. M.

2016-03-01

The effects of conductor disc in a dielectric loaded combline resonator on its spurious performance, unloaded quality factor (Qu), and coupling coefficients are analysed using a commercial electromagnetic software package CST Microwave Studio (CST MWS). The disc improves the spurious free band but simultaneously deteriorates the Qu. The presence of the disc substantially improves the electric coupling by a factor of 1.891 for an aperture opening of 12 mm, while it has insignificant effect on the magnetic coupling.

Bend compensated large-mode-area fibers: achieving robust single-modedness with transformation optics.

PubMed

Fini, John M; Nicholson, Jeffrey W

2013-08-12

Fibers with symmetric bend compensated claddings are proposed, and demonstrate performance much better than conventional designs. These fibers can simultaneously achieve complete HOM suppression, negligible bend loss, and mode area >1000 square microns. The robust single-modedness of these fibers offers a path to overcoming mode instability limits on high-power amplifiers and lasers. The proposed designs achieve many of the advantages of our previous (asymmetric) bend compensation strategy in the regime of moderately large area, and are much easier to fabricate and utilize.