211 research outputs found
Kinetic model of II-VI(001) semiconductor surfaces: Growth rates in atomic layer epitaxy
We present a zinc-blende lattice gas model of II-VI(001) surfaces, which is
investigated by means of Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations. Anisotropic
effective interactions between surface metal atoms allow for the description
of, e.g., the sublimation of CdTe(001), including the reconstruction of
Cd-terminated surfaces and its dependence on the substrate temperature T. Our
model also includes Te-dimerization and the potential presence of excess Te in
a reservoir of weakly bound atoms at the surface. We study the self-regulation
of atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) and demonstrate how the interplay of the
reservoir occupation with the surface kinetics results in two different
regimes: at high T the growth rate is limited to 0.5 layers per ALE cycle,
whereas at low enough T each cycle adds a complete layer of CdTe. The
transition between the two regimes occurs at a characteristic temperature and
its dependence on external parameters is studied. Comparing the temperature
dependence of the ALE growth rate in our model with experimental results for
CdTe we find qualitative agreement.Comment: 9 pages (REVTeX), 8 figures (EPS). Content revised, references added,
typos correcte
Noisy regression and classification with continuous multilayer networks
We investigate zero temperature Gibbs learning for two classes of
unrealizable rules which play an important role in practical applications of
multilayer neural networks with differentiable activation functions:
classification problems and noisy regression problems. Considering one step of
replica symmetry breaking, we surprisingly find that for sufficiently large
training sets the stable state is replica symmetric even though the target rule
is unrealizable. Further, the classification problem is shown to be formally
equivalent to the noisy regression problem.Comment: 7 pages, including 2 figure
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data processing
The available and optimal methods for generating SAR imagery for NASA applications were identified. The SAR image quality and data processing requirements associated with these applications were studied. Mathematical operations and algorithms required to process sensor data into SAR imagery were defined. The architecture of SAR image formation processors was discussed, and technology necessary to implement the SAR data processors used in both general purpose and dedicated imaging systems was addressed
Phase transitions in soft-committee machines
Equilibrium statistical physics is applied to layered neural networks with
differentiable activation functions. A first analysis of off-line learning in
soft-committee machines with a finite number (K) of hidden units learning a
perfectly matching rule is performed. Our results are exact in the limit of
high training temperatures. For K=2 we find a second order phase transition
from unspecialized to specialized student configurations at a critical size P
of the training set, whereas for K > 2 the transition is first order. Monte
Carlo simulations indicate that our results are also valid for moderately low
temperatures qualitatively. The limit K to infinity can be performed
analytically, the transition occurs after presenting on the order of N K
examples. However, an unspecialized metastable state persists up to P= O (N
K^2).Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure
A lattice gas model of II-VI(001) semiconductor surfaces
We introduce an anisotropic two-dimensional lattice gas model of metal
terminated II-IV(001) seminconductor surfaces. Important properties of this
class of materials are represented by effective NN and NNN interactions, which
result in the competition of two vacancy structures on the surface. We
demonstrate that the experimentally observed c(2x2)-(2x1) transition of the
CdTe(001) surface can be understood as a phase transition in thermal
equilbrium. The model is studied by means of transfer matrix and Monte Carlo
techniques. The analysis shows that the small energy difference of the
competing reconstructions determines to a large extent the nature of the
different phases. Possible implications for further experimental research are
discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure
Computational capabilities of multilayer committee machines
We obtained an analytical expression for the computational complexity of many layered committee machines with a finite number of hidden layers (L < 8) using the generalization complexity measure introduced by Franco et al (2006) IEEE Trans. Neural Netw. 17 578. Although our result is valid in the large-size limit and for an overlap synaptic matrix that is ultrametric, it provides a useful tool for inferring the appropriate architecture a network must have to reproduce an arbitrary realizable Boolean function
Single amino acid change in gp41 region of HIV-1 alters bystander apoptosis and CD4 decline in humanized mice
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The mechanism by which HIV infection leads to a selective depletion of CD4 cells leading to immunodeficiency remains highly debated. Whether the loss of CD4 cells is a direct consequence of virus infection or bystander apoptosis of uninfected cells is also uncertain.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have addressed this issue in the humanized mouse model of HIV infection using a HIV variant with a point mutation in the gp41 region of the Env glycoprotein that alters its fusogenic activity. We demonstrate here that a single amino acid change (V38E) altering the cell-to-cell fusion activity of the Env minimizes CD4 loss in humanized mice without altering viral replication. This differential pathogenesis was associated with a lack of bystander apoptosis induction by V38E virus even in the presence of similar levels of infected cells. Interestingly, immune activation was observed with both WT and V38E infection suggesting that the two phenomena are likely not interdependent in the mouse model.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We conclude that Env fusion activity is one of the determinants of HIV pathogenesis and it may be possible to attenuate HIV by targeting gp41.</p
Multimodality Imaging of β-Cells in Mouse Models of Type 1 and 2 Diabetes
Objectiveβ-Cells that express an imaging reporter have provided powerful tools for studying β-cell development, islet transplantation, and β-cell autoimmunity. To further expedite diabetes research, we generated transgenic C57BL/6 "MIP-TF" mice that have a mouse insulin promoter (MIP) driving the expression of a trifusion (TF) protein of three imaging reporters (luciferase/enhanced green fluorescent protein/HSV1-sr39 thymidine kinase) in their β-cells. This should enable the noninvasive imaging of β-cells by charge-coupled device (CCD) and micro-positron emission tomography (PET), as well as the identification of β-cells at the cellular level by fluorescent microscopy.Research design and methodsMIP-TF mouse β-cells were multimodality imaged in models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.ResultsMIP-TF mouse β-cells were readily identified in pancreatic tissue sections using fluorescent microscopy. We show that MIP-TF β-cells can be noninvasively imaged using microPET. There was a correlation between CCD and microPET signals from the pancreas region of individual mice. After low-dose streptozotocin administration to induce type 1 diabetes, we observed a progressive reduction in bioluminescence from the pancreas region before the appearance of hyperglycemia. Although there have been reports of hyperglycemia inducing proinsulin expression in extrapancreatic tissues, we did not observe bioluminescent signals from extrapancreatic tissues of diabetic MIP-TF mice. Because MIP-TF mouse β-cells express a viral thymidine kinase, ganciclovir treatment induced hyperglycemia, providing a new experimental model of type 1 diabetes. Mice fed a high-fat diet to model early type 2 diabetes displayed a progressive increase in their pancreatic bioluminescent signals, which were positively correlated with area under the curve-intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (AUC-IPGTT).ConclusionsMIP-TF mice provide a new tool for monitoring β-cells from the single cell level to noninvasive assessments of β-cells in models of type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes
Increasing walking in patients with intermittent claudication: Protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Background: People with intermittent claudication are at increased risk of death from heart attack and stroke compared to matched controls. Surgery for intermittent claudication is for symptom management and does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Increasing physical activity can reduce claudication symptoms and may improve cardiovascular health. This paper presents the pilot study protocol for a randomised controlled trial to test whether a brief psychological intervention leads to increased physical activity, improvement in quality of life, and a reduction in the demand for surgery, for patients with intermittent claudication. Methods/Design: We aim to recruit 60 patients newly diagnosed with intermittent claudication, who will be randomised into two groups. The control group will receive usual care, and the treatment group will receive usual care and a brief 2-session psychological intervention to modify illness and walking beliefs and develop a walking action plan. The primary outcome will be walking, measured by pedometer. Secondary outcomes will include quality of life and uptake of surgery for symptom management. Participants will be followed up after (a) 4 months, (b) 1 year and (c) 2 years. Discussion: This study will assess the acceptability and efficacy of a brief psychological intervention to increase walking in patients with intermittent claudication, both in terms of the initiation, and maintenance of behaviour change. This is a pilot study, and the results will inform the design of a larger multi-centre trial. Trial Registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN2805187
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