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Future communication system requires large bandwidths to achieve high data rates, thus rendering analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) a bottleneck due to its high power consumption. In this paper, we consider monobit receivers for Q...
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Future communication system requires large bandwidths to achieve high data rates, thus rendering analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) a bottleneck due to its high power consumption. In this paper, we consider monobit receivers for QPSK. The optimal monobit receiver under Nyquist sampling is obtained and its performance is analyzed. Then, a suboptimal but low-complexity receiver is proposed. The effect of imbalances between In-phase (I) and Quadrature (Q) branches is carefully examined. To combat the performance loss due to IQ imbalances, monobit receivers based on double training sequences and eight-sector phase quantization are proposed. Numerical simulations show that the low-complexity suboptimal receiver suffers 3dB signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) loss in additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels and only 1dB SNR loss in multipath channels compared with matched-filter monobit receiver with perfect channel state information (CSI). It is further demonstrated that the amplitude imbalance has essentially no effect on monobit receivers. In AWGN channels, receivers based on double training sequences can efficiently compensate for the SNR loss without complexity increase, while receivers with eight-sector phase quantization can almost completely eliminate the SNR loss caused by IQ imbalances. In dense multipath channels, the effect of imbalances on monobit receivers is slight.
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Within the emerging field of stem cells there is a need for an environment that can regulate cell activity, to slow down differentiation or proliferation, in vitro or in vivo while remaining invisible to the immune system. By crea...
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Within the emerging field of stem cells there is a need for an environment that can regulate cell activity, to slow down differentiation or proliferation, in vitro or in vivo while remaining invisible to the immune system. By creating a nanoenvironment surrounding PC12 cells, Schwann cells, and neural precursor cells (NPCs), we were able to control the proliferation, elongation, differentiation, and maturation in vitro. We extended the method, using self-assembling nanofiber scaffold (SAPNS), to living animals with implants in the brain and spinal cord. Here we show that when cells are placed in a defined system we can delay their proliferation, differentiation, and maturation depending on the density of the cell population, density of the matrix, and the local environment. A combination of SAPNS and young cells can be implanted into the central nervous system (CNS), eliminating the need for immunosuppressants.
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A nonlinear analysis method of steel frames using element with internal plastic hinge is proposed. This method can analyze the frame member applied with laterally-distributed loads only using one element even that a plastic hinge ...
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A nonlinear analysis method of steel frames using element with internal plastic hinge is proposed. This method can analyze the frame member applied with laterally-distributed loads only using one element even that a plastic hinge appears within the member. By dividing the member into two segments at the location of the maximum moment, the incremental stiffness matrix of the two segments from time t to t + dt are derived, then the beam element stiffness equation with internal plastic hinge after the static condensation can be obtained. What's more, this method also considers the influences of some geometrical and material nonlinear factors including second-order effect of axial forces, shear deformation, cross-sectional plastification, residual stress and initial imperfection. This method not only overcomes the time-consuming disadvantages of plastic zone method of frame members because of the fine mesh discretization but also makes up for the problem of the traditional plastic hinge element that plastic hinges must form at the elemental ends. Analysis results show that the proposed method is satisfactory.
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A mechanistic model was developed to study the interrelationship between glucose and lipid metabolism in periparturient cows. The driving variables were dry matter intake, feed composition, calf birth weight, milk production, and ...
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A mechanistic model was developed to study the interrelationship between glucose and lipid metabolism in periparturient cows. The driving variables were dry matter intake, feed composition, calf birth weight, milk production, and milk components. The response variables were body fat content and concentrations of plasma glucose, glycerol, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), and total ketone bodies (KB). Fetal growth and milk synthesis were assigned the highest priority for glucose demand in the model. The rate of fat mobilization was expressed as a function of glucose deficiency. The model assumed first-order kinetics for utilization of NEFA and KB. Model prediction errors were 19, 43, 48, and 36% of mean predictions for glucose, glycerol, NEFA, and KB, respectively. A linear bias was observed in KB and glycerol predictions. The model may be useful for understanding and explaining ketosis development.
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In order to test the anti-interference ability of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) data link in a complex electromagnetic environment, a method for simulating the dynamic electromagnetic interference of an indoor wireless environm...
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In order to test the anti-interference ability of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) data link in a complex electromagnetic environment, a method for simulating the dynamic electromagnetic interference of an indoor wireless environment is proposed. This method can estimate the relational degree between the actual face of an UAV data link in an interface environment and the simulation scenarios in an anechoic chamber by using the Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) theory. The dynamic drive of the microwave instrument produces a real-time corresponding interference signal and realises scene mapping. The experimental results show that the maximal correlation between the interference signal in the real scene and the angular domain of the radiation antenna in the anechoic chamber is 0.959 3. Further, the relational degree of the Signal-to-Interference Ratio (SIR) of the UAV at its reception terminal indoors and in the anechoic chamber is 0.996 8, and the time of instrument drive is only approximately 10 μs. All of the above illustrates that this method can achieve a simulation close to a real field dynamic electromagnetic interference signal of an indoor UAV data link.
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AIMS: Hypothermia therapy has been shown to confer robust protection against brain injury and cardiac arrest. However, the mechanisms underlying endothelial cell protection of hypothermia have not yet been completely elucidated. H...
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AIMS: Hypothermia therapy has been shown to confer robust protection against brain injury and cardiac arrest. However, the mechanisms underlying endothelial cell protection of hypothermia have not yet been completely elucidated. Here, we investigated molecular effects of hypothermia on tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction and apoptosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with TNF-alpha were incubated under normothermia (37 degrees C) or hypothermia (3 degrees C). Endothelial permeability, actin alterations, and apoptosis were examined. The protein levels were determined by immunoblot analysis. Treatment of HUVECs with TNF-alpha resulted in a significant increase of permeability, actin reorganization, and apoptosis. Hypothermia markedly attenuated TNF-alpha-induced effects. The inhibitory action of hypothermia on stress fibre formation was mediated via inactivation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), and the decrease in TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis by hypothermia was associated with inhibition of p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activity. Hypothermia had no action on p38 MAPK and JNK upstream kinases MAPK kinase 3/6 (MKK3/6) and MAPK kinase 7 (MKK7), but it markedly induced the expression of MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1). Furthermore, siRNA experiments showed that MKP-1 was an important mediator of hypothermia in reducing TNF-alpha-induced inflammatory responses and activation of p38 MAPK and JNK in HUVECs. CONCLUSION: These results for the first time demonstrate that hypothermia protects against TNF-alpha-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction and apoptosis through an MKP-1-dependent mechanism.
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Aggregation of alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn), a process that generates oligomeric intermediates, is a common pathological feature of several neurodegenerative disorders. Despite the potential importance of the oligomeric alpha-syn i...
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Aggregation of alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn), a process that generates oligomeric intermediates, is a common pathological feature of several neurodegenerative disorders. Despite the potential importance of the oligomeric alpha-syn intermediates in neuron function, their biochemical properties and pathobiological functions in vivo remain vastly unknown. Here we used two-dimensional analytical separation and an array of biochemical and cell-based assays to characterize alpha-syn oligomers that are present in the nervous system of A53T alpha-syn transgenic mice. The most prominent species identified were 53 A detergent-soluble oligomers, which preceded neurological symptom onset, and were found at equivalent amounts in regions containing alpha-syn inclusions as well as histologically unaffected regions. These oligomers were resistant to SDS, heat, and urea but were sensitive to proteinase-K digestion. Although the oligomers shared similar basic biochemical properties, those obtained from inclusion-bearing regions were prominently reactive to antibodies that recognize oxidized alpha-syn oligomers, significantly accelerated aggregation of alpha-syn in vitro, and caused primary cortical neuron degeneration. In contrast, oligomers obtained from non-inclusion-bearing regions were not toxic and delayed the in vitro formation of alpha-syn fibrils. These data indicate that specific conformations of alpha-syn oligomers are present in distinct brain regions of A53T alpha-syn transgenic mice. The contribution of these oligomers to the development of neuron dysfunction appears to be independent of their absolute quantities and basic biochemical properties but is dictated by the composition and conformation of the intermediates as well as unrecognized brain-region-specific intrinsic factors.
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The inclusion of more potentially correct words in the candidate sets is important to improve the accuracy of Large Vocabulary Continuous Speech Recognition (LVCSR). A candidate expansion algorithm based on the Weighted Syllable C...
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The inclusion of more potentially correct words in the candidate sets is important to improve the accuracy of Large Vocabulary Continuous Speech Recognition (LVCSR). A candidate expansion algorithm based on the Weighted Syllable Confusion Matrix (WSCM) is proposed. First, WSCM is derived from a confusion network. Then, the recognised candidates in the confusion network is used to conjecture the most likely correct words based on WSCM, after which, the conjectured words are combined with the recognised candidates to produce an expanded candidate set. Finally, a combined model having mutual information and a trigram language model is used to rerank the candidates. The experiments on Mandarin film data show that an improvement of 9.57% in the character correction rate is obtained over the initial recognition performance on those light erroneous utterances.
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The dengue virus (DENV) nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) is an immunogenic protein that holds potential for the development of vaccines and diagnostic reagents; however, the epitopes of NS1 have not been comprehensively mapped. We ma...
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The dengue virus (DENV) nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) is an immunogenic protein that holds potential for the development of vaccines and diagnostic reagents; however, the epitopes of NS1 have not been comprehensively mapped. We mapped B-cell linear epitopes on NS1 using 149 monoclonal antibodies with DENV serotype specificity and cross-reactivity as well as antisera from 27 mice immunized with the four DENV serotypes. Epitope recognition analysis was performed using a set of 15-mer sequential overlapping peptides that spanned the entire NS1 protein from DENV-1. This strategy identified three regions of NS1 that are DENV-1 serotype-specific epitopes, namely amino acid residues 1-15, 71-85, and 338-352. We also identified five group-specific B-cell epitopes that were highly conserved among isolates of the four DENV serotypes. These novel immunodominant serotype- and group-specific B-cell epitopes of DENV NS1 may aid the development of new dengue vaccines and diagnostic assays.
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Cochlear hair cells transduce mechanical stimuli into electrical activity. The site of hair cell transduction is the hair bundle, an array of stereocilia with different height arranged in a staircase. Tip links connect the apex of...
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Cochlear hair cells transduce mechanical stimuli into electrical activity. The site of hair cell transduction is the hair bundle, an array of stereocilia with different height arranged in a staircase. Tip links connect the apex of each stereocilium to the side of its taller neighbor. The hair bundle and tip links of hair cells are susceptible to acoustic trauma and ototoxic drugs. It has been shown that hair cells in lower vertebrates and in the mammalian vestibular system may survive bundle loss and undergo self-repair of the stereocilia. Our goals were to determine whether cochlear hair cells could survive the trauma and whether the tip link and/or the hair bundle could be regenerated. We simulated the acoustic trauma-induced tip link damage or stereociliary loss by disrupting tip links or ablating the hair bundles in the cultured organ of Corti from neonatal gerbils. Hair-cell fate and stereociliary morphology and function were examined using confocal and scanning electron microscopies and electrophysiology. Most bundleless hair cells survived and developed for approximately 2 weeks. However, no spontaneous hair-bundle regeneration was observed. When tip links were ruptured, repair of tip links and restoration of mechanotransduction were observed in <24 h. Our study suggests that the dynamic nature of the hair cell's transduction apparatus is retained despite the fact that regeneration of the hair bundle is lost in mammalian cochlear hair cells.
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