3,208 research outputs found
From nominal to true a posteriori probabilities: an exact Bayesian theorem based probabilistic data association approach for iterative MIMO detection and decoding
No full textIt was conventionally regarded that the existing probabilistic data association (PDA) algorithms output the estimated symbol-wise a posteriori probabilities (APPs) as soft information. In this paper, however, we demonstrate that these probabilities are not the true APPs in the rigorous mathematicasense, but a type of nominal APPs, which are unsuitable for the classic architecture of iterative detection and decoding (IDD) aided receivers. To circumvent this predicament, we propose an exact Bayesian theorem based logarithmic domain PDA (EB-Log-PDA) method, whose output has similar characteristics to the true APPs, and hence it is readily applicable to the classic IDD architecture of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems using the general M-ary modulation. Furthermore, we investigate the impact of the PDA algorithms' inner iteration on the design of PDA-aided IDD receivers. We demonstrate that introducing inner iterations into PDAs, which is common practice in PDA-aided uncoded MIMO systems, would actually degrade the IDD receiver's performance, despite significantly increasing the overall computational complexity of the IDD receiver. Finally, we investigate the relationship between the extrinsic log-likelihood ratio (LLRs) of the proposed EB-Log-PDA and of the approximate Bayesian theorem based logarithmic domain PDA (AB-Log-PDA) reported in our previous work. We also show that the IDD scheme employing the EB-Log-PDA without incorporating any inner PDA iterations has an achievable performance close to that of the optimal maximum a posteriori (MAP) detector based IDD receiver, while imposing a significantly lower computational complexity in the scenarios considered
LV-pIN-KDEL: a novel lentiviral vector demonstrates the morphology, dynamics and continuity of the endoplasmic reticulum in live neurones.
No full textBACKGROUND
The neuronal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an extensive, complex endomembrane system, containing Ca2+ pumps, and Ca2+ channels that permit it to act as a dynamic calcium store. Currently, there is controversy over the continuity of the ER in neurones, how this intersects with calcium signalling and the possibility of physical compartmentalisation. Unfortunately, available probes of ER structure such as vital dyes are limited by their membrane specificity. The introduction of ER-targeted GFP plasmids has been a considerable step forward, but these are difficult to express in neurones through conventional transfection approaches. To circumvent such problems we have engineered a novel ER-targeted GFP construct, termed pIN-KDEL, into a 3rd generation replication-defective, self-inactivating lentiviral vector system capable of mediating gene transduction in diverse dividing and post-mitotic mammalian cells, including neurones.
RESULTS
Following its expression in HEK293 (or COS-7) cells, LV-pIN-KDEL yielded a pattern of fluorescence that co-localised exclusively with the ER marker sec61beta but with no other major organelle. We found no evidence for cytotoxicity and only rarely inclusion body formation. To explore the utility of the probe in resolving the ER in live cells, HEK293 or COS-7 cells were transduced with LV-pIN-KDEL and, after 48 h, imaged directly at intervals from 1 min to several hours. LV-pIN-KDEL fluorescence revealed the endoplasmic reticulum as a tubular lattice structure whose morphology can change markedly within seconds. Although GFP can be phototoxic, the integrity of the cells and ER was retained for several weeks and even after light exposure for periods up to 24 h. Using LV-pIN-KDEL we have imaged the ER in diverse fixed neuronal cultures and, using real-time imaging, found evidence for extensive, dynamic remodelling of the neuronal ER in live hippocampal cultures, brain slices, explants and glia. Finally, through a Fluorescence Loss in Photobleaching (FLIP) approach, continuous irradiation at a single region of interest removed all the fluorescence of LV-pIN-KDEL-transduced nerve cells in explant cultures, thus, providing compelling evidence that in neurons the endoplasmic reticulum is not only dynamic but also continuous.
CONCLUSION
The lentiviral-based ER-targeted reporter, LV-pIN-KDEL, offers considerable advantages over present systems for defining the architecture of the ER, especially in primary cells such as neurones that are notoriously difficult to transfect. Images and continuous photobleaching experiments of LV-pIN-KDEL-transduced neurones demonstrate that the endoplasmic reticulum is a dynamic structure with a single continuous lumen. The introduction of LV-pIN-KDEL is anticipated to greatly facilitate a real-time visualisation of the structural plasticity and continuous nature of the neuronal ER in healthy and diseased brain tissue
Real Exchange Rate, Foreign Trade and Employment: Evidence from China
No full textCoordination of macro-economic development and employment is an essential issue for China's social development, which largely depends on economic expansion, as well as integration into the global market to create jobs. Through the literature review and empirical test, this paper analyses the relationship between macro-economic policy and employment, and discusses the impact of real exchange rate and foreign trade on employment. The research indicates that a stable and competitive exchange rate policy plays an indispensable role in employment promotion, more effective than monetary and fiscal policies, while the export growth also plays a positive role in employment promotion.China, employment, foreign trade, real exchange rate
Temporal non-uniformity of LV wall expansion
No full textBackground: Early-diastolic left ventricular (LV) longitudinal expansion is delayed with diastolic dysfunction. We hypothesized that, in patients with heart failure (HF) regardless of LV ejection fraction (EF), there is diastolic temporal non-uniformity with a delay of longitudinal relative to circumferential expansion. Methods and Results: Echocardiography was performed in 143 HF patients: 50 with preserved EF (HFpEF) and 93 with reduced EF (HFrEF) and 31 normal controls. The delay of early-diastolic mitral annular velocity from the mitral Doppler E (TE-e′) was measured as a parameter of the longitudinal-expansion delay. The delay of the longitudinal early-diastolic global strain rate (SRE) relative to circumferential SRE (DelayC-L) was calculated as a parameter of temporal non-uniformity. Intra LV pressure difference (IVPD) was estimated by using color M-mode Doppler data as a parameter of LV diastolic suction. Although normal controls had symmetrical LV expansion in early diastole, TE-e′ and DelayC-L were significantly prolonged in HF regardless of EF (P<0.01 vs controls for all). Multivariate analysis revealed that DelayC-L was the independent determinant of IVPD among the parameters of LV geometry and contraction (β=-0.21, P<0.05). Conclusion: An abnormal temporal non-uniformity of early-diastolic expansion is present in HF regardless of EF, which was associated with reduced LV suction
Effect of Laser Annealing on amorphous Silicon Carbide Films Prepared by PECVD
No full textIn order to improve the performance of PECVD SiC in MEMS, pulse excimer laser annealing process was introduced in this paper. The effect was comprehensively investigated in several respects, including morphology, mechanical properties and residual stress elimination. The study revealed that: after laser annealing with adequate energy density, amorphous SiC (a-SiC) transformed into polycrystalline SiC, and larger crystal grains were formed with higher energy density; the process effectively enhanced the films' mechanical property, a moderate energy density about 90mJ/cm2 resulted in comparatively greatest Young's modulus and hardness; the stress indicating structure exhibited that the annealing eliminated the compressive stress of films as deposited effectively. Therefore, pulse excimer laser annealing process is a promising method to improve the performance of a-SiC films prepared by PECVD, and makes the material more applicable in many MEMS fields.Engineering, Electrical & ElectronicNanoscience & NanotechnologyEICPCI-S(ISTP)
DC-SIGN-mediated and clathrin-dependent entry of LV-SVGmu.
No full text<p>(A) Viruses binding to DC-SIGN-expressing cells. 293T/hDC-SIGN cells were incubated with GFP-Vpr-labeled LV-SVGmu particles (green) for 30 min at 4°C, fixed, and immunostained with anti-DC-SIGN antibody (red). (B) Real-time monitoring of virus internalization mediated by the DC-SIGN receptor. 293T cells seeded on a glass-bottom dish were transiently transfected with DsRed-DC-SIGN (red). At 24 h post-transfection, the cells were incubated with GFP-Vpr-labeled LV-SVGmu particles (green) for 30 min at 4°C and were then warmed to 37°C to initiate virus internalization. Confocal time-lapse images were then recorded. Selected frames of the real-time imaging are presented. (C) 293T/hDC-SIGN cells were incubated with GFP-Vpr-labeled LV-SVGmu viruses (green) for 30 min at 4°C to synchronize infection and were then shifted to 37°C for 5 min. After incubation, cells were fixed, permeabilized and immunostained with antibody against caveolin-1 (red) or clathrin (red). The boxed regions are enlarged in the bottom panels. Scale bar represents 5 µm. (D) Quantification of GFP-Vpr-labeled LV-SVGmu particles colocalized with clathrin signals. Overlap coefficents were calculated using Mander’s overlap coefficient in Nikon NIS-Elements software by viewing more than 40 cells. (E) The effect of inhibitory drugs on LV-SVGmu or LV-SFV transduction. 293T/hDC-SIGN cells were preincubated with chlorpromazine (CPZ, 30 nM) or filipin (15 nM) for 30 min at 37°C. Cells were then infected with LV-SVGmu or LV-SFV encoding a reporter GFP gene for 90 min in the presence of drugs. After an additional 3 h of incubation, the medium was replaced with fresh media, and the percentage of GFP-positive cells was analyzed by flow cytometry after 72 h. All of the data were then normalized based on the actual percentage of GFP-positive cells of the no drug treatment group of LV-SVGmu (35.2±0.028%) or LV-SFV (33.5±0.34%). All data are shown as the means of triplicate experiments. Asterisk indicates comparison to the no drug treatment group (*<i>P</i><0.05, **<i>P</i><0.01). (F) Functional involvement of dynamin in LV-SVGmu transduction. 293T/hDC-SIGN cells were transiently transfected with the wild-type or dominant-mutant form of dynamin I (K44) for 24 h, then infected with LV-SVGmu. The percentage of GFP-positive cells was analyzed by flow cytometry at 72 h post-infection. The data are presented as the mean values ± SD (n >3). The data were normalized based on the actual percentage of GFP-positive cells of Dyn-WT-expressing cells infected by LV-SVGmu (30.9±3.09%).</p
Microtubule network-mediated LV-SVGmu transport.
No full text<p>(A) The effect of microtubule inhibitor on virus transduction. 293T/hDC-SIGN cells were preincubated with nocodazole (60 µM) or Cyto-D (20 µM) for 30 min and then infected with LV-SVGmu. The percentage of GFP-positive cells was analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACs). All of the data were then normalized based on the actual percentage of GFP-positive cells of the no drug treatment group of LV-SVGmu (44.1±3.48%). Error bars represent the standard deviation of the mean from triplicate experiments. (B) GFP-Vpr-labeled LV-SVGmu (green) was incubated with 293T/hDC-SIGN cells for 30 min at 37°C. Then the cells were fixed, permeabilized, and stained for microtubules (red) with rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin. The boxed regions are enlarged in right panels. Scale bar represents 5 µm.</p
An amorphous manganese iron oxide hollow nanocube cathode for aqueous zinc ion batteries
No full textAqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) are attracting considerable attentions for practical energy storage because of their low cost and high safety. Nevertheless, the traditional manganese oxide cathode materials suffer from the low intrinsic electronic conductivity, sluggish ions diffusion kinetics, and structural collapse, hindering their large-scale application. Herein, we successfully developed a latent amorphous Mn1.8Fe1.2O4 hollow nanocube (a-H-MnFeO) cathode material derived from Prussian blue analogue precursor. The amorphous nature endows the cathode with lower diffusion barrier and narrower band gap compared with crystalline counterpart, resulting in the superior Zn2+ ions and electrons transport kinetics. Hollow structure can furnish abundant surface sites and suppress the structural collapse during the repeated charge/discharge processes. By virtue of the multiple advantageous features, the a-H-MnFeO cathode exhibits exceptional electrochemical performance, in terms of high capacity, excellent rate capability, and prolonged cycle life. This strategy will pave the way for the structural design of emerging cathode materials.
Ltd.“Apranga LV”, Ltd.“Apranga BPB LV” and Ltd.“Apranga PLV” financial situation Assessment and Comparison
No full textDarba tēma: SIA ,,Apranga LV’’, SIA ,,Apranga BPB LV’’ un SIA ,,Apranga PLV’’ finansiālās situācijas novērtējums un salīdzinājums Darba mērķis ir uz teorētisko un praktisko materiālu pamata veikt uzņēmumu SIA ,,Apranga LV’’, SIA ,,Apranga BPB LV’’ un SIA ,,Apranga PLV’’finansiālā stāvokļa novērtēšanu un salīdzināšanu, atklāt trūkumus, nepilnības, problēmas un izstrādāt priekšlikumus trīs pētāmo uzņēmumu finansiālā stāvokļa uzlabošanai. Diplomdarbā tiek atklāta būtiska mātes sabiedrības ietekme uz pētāmo meitas uzņēmumu bilances rādītājiem. Darbs kopumā izklāstīts 68 lappusēs, tajā ir 28 tabulas.Theme of the paper: Ltd. ,,Apranga LV’’, Ltd. ,,Apranga BPB LV’’ and Ltd. ,,Apranga PLV’’ financial situation Assessment and Comparison Type of the paper: Diploma paper The aim of this paper is: On theoretical and practical material basis, accomplish Ltd. ,,Apranga LV’’, Ltd. ,,Apranga BPB LV’’ and Ltd. ,,Apranga PLV’’ financial situation assessment, reweal weaknesses, flaws, problems and develop proposals to the companies for financial situation improvements. In the diploma paper, author identifies the significant influence of the parent company, of the subsidiaries under investigation, on the balance sheet ratios. The paper consists of 68 pages with 28 tables
Container LV/MV switchgears
No full textIn this thesis author discuss main facilities of switchgear-rooms placed into metallic containers based on ISO containers primary used for transport. In the beginning of this thesis, author writes about the basic requirements needed for realization of switchgear-rooms placed into metallic containers. Paragraph includes parameters of ISO containers, benefits and necessary modifications of containers for substations. Author continues with environment impact of this solution. In the next paragraph author describes most important electrical devices, machines and components such as HV and LV ABB switchgears, transformers and other used devices and components. Next part deals with dimensions of holes for cables, air-conditioning and ventilators and calculations for light and air-conditioning proposal for concrete substation solved for SNOS in Salavat. Final part includes DIAlux export to show light intensity in different nodes of grid in switchgear room. Enclosure contains pictures and photographs for a better understanding of this unique solution and tables for proposal of heat profits from walls
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