3,692 research outputs found
Prof. de Lange and Prof. Singer
No full textFormat: TIFF; Size: 3.55 MB; Dimensions: 1661 x 2242 pixels; Resolution: 300 ppiProf. de Lange saam met prof. Singer, rektor van die Haifa Technikon in Israel
Prof. de Lange and Prof. Singer
No full textFormat: TIFF; Size: 3.55 MB; Dimensions: 1661 x 2242 pixels; Resolution: 300 ppiProf. de Lange saam met prof. Singer, rektor van die Haifa Technikon in Israel
Impact of coarse sediment supply from hillslopes to the channel in runoff-dominated, dryland fluvial systems
No full textSediment supply from hillslopes to channels is an important control on basin functioning and evolution. However, current theoretical frameworks do not adequately consider processes of runoff-driven hillslope sediment supply, which affect river channels spatially and temporally. Mountainous dryland basins exhibit an important manifestation of these processes because their debris-mantled hillslopes produce coarse sediment and because rainfall is delivered as infrequent, high-intensity, short-duration rainstorms. This paper combines field measurements and modeling to explore runoff-driven coarse sediment supply from hillslopes to the channel and assesses a range of plausible storms on the longitudinal patterns of sediment load and its caliber over a dryland basin reach. Our results show that modeled sediment load and its grain size distribution are determined by the nonlinear interaction between rainfall characteristics and hillslope attributes, resulting in longitudinal fluctuations in sediment supply, the relative magnitude and location of which varies between storms. Results suggest that long hillslopes are most sensitive to rainfall and they exhibit large variations in supplied sediment load and grain size for different runoff characteristics. Short and steep hillslopes are less sensitive to rainfall variations as gradient effects dominate over the role of length in modulating runoff accumulation. Furthermore, the signal of the median fraction (D50) of modeled sediment supplied by the hillslope is preserved in the coarse fraction of the measured in-channel grain sizes (D90). Finally, we propose a simple index, which provides new insights into the effectiveness of different rainstorms in terms of the impact of hillslope sediment supply on the channel.Peer reviewe
Receiver Windowing Design for Narrowband Interference Mitigation in MB-OFDM UWB System
No full textIn 2005, the WiMedia Alliance working with the European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) announced the establishment of the WiMedia MB-OFDM (Multiband Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) UWB radio platform as their global UWB standard. It was also chosen as the physical layer (PHY) of high data rate wireless specifications for high speed Wireless USB (W-USB), Bluetooth 3.0 and Wireless High-Definition Media Interface (HDMI). However, due to the low power and wide bandwidth nature of UWB systems, in-band narrowband interference (NBI) may hinder the receiver performance. This thesis presents an analysis of NBI impact on the MB-OFDM system for UWB communication. The intent of our analysis is to provide practical solutions for interference mitigation under different NBI models. In our work, a new receiver windowing for zero padding (ZP) OFDM system is proposed to reduce NBI spreading in the MB-OFDM UWB system. Simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of windowing under different NBI models.Microelectronics & Computer EngineeringElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
Altered immunolocalization of FGF23 in murine femora metastasized with human breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells
No full textIntroduction After the onset of bone metastasis, tumor cells appear to modify surrounding microenvironments for their benefit, and particularly, the levels of circulating fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23 in patients with tumors have been highlighted. Materials and methods We have attempted to verify if human breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells metastasized in the long bone of nu/nu mice would synthesize FGF23. Serum concentrations of calcium, phosphate (Pi) and FGF23 were measured in control nu/nu mice, bone-metastasized mice, and mice with mammary gland injected with MDA-MB-231 cells mimicking primary mammary tumors. Results and conclusions MDA-MB-231 cells revealed intense FGF23 reactivity in metastasized lesions, whereas MDA-MB-231 cells cultured in vitro or when injected into the mammary glands (without bone metastasis) showed weak FGF23 immunoreactivity. Although the bone-metastasized MDA-MB-231 cells abundantly synthesized FGF23, osteocytes adjacent to the FGF23-immunopositive tumors, unlike intact osteocytes, showed no FGF23. Despite significantly elevated serum FGF23 levels in bone-metastasized mice, there was no significant decrease in the serum Pi concentration when compared with the intact mice and mice with a mass of MDA-MB-231 cells in mammary glands. The metastasized femora showed increased expression and FGFR1 immunoreactivity in fibroblastic stromal cells, whereas femora of control mice showed no obvious FGFR1 immunoreactivity. Taken together, it seems likely that MDA-MB-231 cells synthesize FGF23 when metastasized to a bone, and thus affect FGFR1-positive stromal cells in the metastasized tumor nest in a paracrine manner
An efficacy and mechanism evaluation study of Levosimendan for the Prevention of Acute oRgan Dysfunction in Sepsis (LeoPARDS): protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
No full textBACKGROUND: Organ dysfunction consequent to infection ('severe sepsis') is the leading cause of admission to an intensive care unit (ICU). In both animal models and early clinical studies the calcium channel sensitizer levosimendan has been demonstrated to have potentially beneficial effects on organ function. The aims of the Levosimendan for the Prevention of Acute oRgan Dysfunction in Sepsis (LeoPARDS) trial are to identify whether a 24-hour infusion of levosimendan will improve organ dysfunction in adults who have septic shock and to establish the safety profile of levosimendan in this group of patients. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled trial. Adults fulfilling the criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome due to infection, and requiring vasopressor therapy, will be eligible for inclusion in the trial. Within 24 hours of meeting these inclusion criteria, patients will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio stratified by the ICU to receive either levosimendan (0.05 to 0.2 μg.kg⁻¹.min⁻¹ or placebo for 24 hours in addition to standard care. The primary outcome measure is the mean Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score while in the ICU. Secondary outcomes include: central venous oxygen saturations and cardiac output; incidence and severity of renal failure using the Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria; duration of renal replacement therapy; serum bilirubin; time to liberation from mechanical ventilation; 28-day, hospital, 3 and 6 month survival; ICU and hospital length-of-stay; and days free from catecholamine therapy. Blood and urine samples will be collected on the day of inclusion, at 24 hours, and on days 4 and 6 post-inclusion for investigation of the mechanisms by which levosimendan might improve organ function. Eighty patients will have additional blood samples taken to measure levels of levosimendan and its active metabolites OR-1896 and OR-1855. A total of 516 patients will be recruited from approximately 25 ICUs in the United Kingdom. DISCUSSION: This trial will test the efficacy of levosimendan to reduce acute organ dysfunction in adult patients who have septic shock and evaluate its biological mechanisms of action. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current controlled trials ISRCTN12776039 (19 September 2013)
ASIC FFT processor for MB-OFDM UWB system
No full textThe physical layer (PHY) standard of Multi-band Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (MB-OFDM) Ultra Wideband (UWB) system was defined by ECMA International. In this standard, the data sampling rate from the analog-to-digital converter to the physical layer is up to 528 Msample/s. Therefore, it is a challenge to realize the physical layer of the UWB system-especially the components with high computational complexity in Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) implementation. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) block is one of these components. FFT plays an important role in Multi-band OFDM UWB system, which is the demodulation block of OFDM signals. The purpose of this project is to design an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) FFT solution for this system. The specification is defined from the system analysis and literature research. All the design choices and considerations are concluded and explained.Based on the algorithm and architecture analysis, a novel Radix22Parallel processor is proposed, which is a small-area and low-power-consumption solution for MB-OFDM UWB system. Both Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and ASIC targeted synthesis results of this architecture are presented.Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
First Report of Paracanthocobitis abutwebi (Singer & Page, 2015) from Tizit River, Nagaland, India
No full textParacanthocobitis abutwebi Singer & Page, 2015 is reported first from the Tizit River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra River in Nagaland. Paracanthocobitis abutwebi is distinguished from all other Paracanthocobitis species in having combination of complete lateral line; absence of the axillary pelvic lobe; pattern of dark specks on the upper side between small dorsal saddles; 4-5 black bands on the caudal fin; commonly 12 dorsal-fin rays; 10-13 branched pectoral-fin rays; and alternating large and small dark patch along the lateral line; 8 pelvic fins rays and 6-7 anal-fins rays. Additional morphometric data of the species are discussed
Characterization of the tertiary structure of the de novo designed protein MB-1
No full textMilk Bundle-1 (MB-1) is a de novo designed protein with 100 amino acids, having a molecular weight of 11.4 kilodaltons. MB-1 is enriched with 57% of selected essential amino acids (methionine, threonine, lysine and leucine), which are known to be limiting in dairy cattle. Recently, on the basis of a digestibility study, MB-1 was predicted to be unstable in rumen conditions.Characterization of the protein's structure was achieved using fluorescence spectroscopy (steady state measurements). MB-1 contains one tyrosine at position 62, expected to be in position "d" of helix III, in the hydrophobic core. Data obtained using fluorescence quenching indicates that the tyrosine is protected from the solvent in the putative hydrophobic core, as per design.Once it was established that MB-1 was not misfolded, further experiments were done to assess the fluidity of its hydrophobic core. For this, the amphiphillic dye ANSA was used. Results obtained for MB-1 compare favourably to those of many natural proteins, suggesting that MB-1 has achieved some degree of nativeness. Interestingly, MB-1 was found to exclude ANSA from its hydrophobic core more efficiently than all other de novo designed proteins reported to date.Finally, an analysis of folding thermodynamics of MB-1 was attempted. It was found that the fluorescence intensity of tyrosine was not sensitive to unfolding, making thermodynamic data impossible to obtain.Analysis of the data on MB-1 as compared to other natural proteins indicates that MB-1 is folded and compact. The lack of resistance to proteases must be caused by other factors other than the lack of compactness or misfolding. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 36-06, page: 1623.Adviser: Marc Beauregard
Stochastic Lie bracket (derivation, derivation) in MB-algebras
No full textBy a stochastic controller, we make stable the pseudo stochastic Lie bracket (derivation, derivation) in complex MB-algebras. Next, we get an approximation by a stochastic Lie bracket (derivation, derivation) and calculate the maximum error of the estimate. © 2020, The Author(s)
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