428 research outputs found
The Ljapunov-Schmidt reduction for some critical problems
This is a survey about the application of the Ljapunov-Schmidt reduction for
some critical problems
A Convex Max-Flow Segmentation of LV Using Subject-Specific Distributions on Cardiac MRI
Abstract. This work studies the convex relaxation approach to the left ventricle (LV) segmentation which gives rise to a challenging multi-region seperation with the geometrical constraint. For each region, we consider the global Bhattacharyya metric prior to evaluate a gray-scale and a ra-dial distance distribution matching. In this regard, the studied problem amounts to finding three regions that most closely match their respective input distribution model. It was previously addressed by curve evolution, which leads to sub-optimal and computationally intensive algorithms, or by graph cuts, which result in heavy metrication errors (grid bias). The proposed convex relaxation approach solves the LV segmentation through a sequence of convex sub-problems. Each sub-problem leads to a novel bound of the Bhattacharyya measure and yields the convex formulation which paves the way to build up the efficient and reliable solver. In this respect, we propose a novel flow configuration that accounts for labeling-function variations, in comparison to the existing flow-maximization con-figurations. We show it leads to a new convex max-flow formulation which is dual to the obtained convex relaxed sub-problem and does give the exact and global optimums to the original non-convex sub-problem. In addition, we present such flow perspective gives a new and simple way to encode the geometrical constraint of optimal regions. A comprehen-sive experimental evaluation on sufficient patient subjects demonstrates that our approach yields improvements in optimality and accuracy over related recent methods.
Bi-directional Alfv\'en Cyclotron Instabilities in the Mega-Amp Spherical Tokamak
Alfv\'en cyclotron instabilities excited by velocity gradients of energetic
beam ions were investigated in MAST experiments with super-Alfv\'enic NBI over
a wide range of toroidal magnetic fields from ~0.34 T to ~0.585 T. In MAST
discharges with high magnetic field, a discrete spectrum of modes in the
sub-cyclotron frequency range is excited toroidally propagating counter to the
beam and plasma current (toroidal mode numbers n < 0).Comment: 28 pages, 13 figures. This article has been submitted to Physics of
Plasmas. After it is published, it will be found at
http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/pop/brows
Blow-up solutions for linear perturbations of the Yamabe equation
For a smooth, compact Riemannian manifold (M,g) of dimension N \geg 3, we
are interested in the critical equation where \Delta_g is the Laplace--Beltrami
operator, S_g is the Scalar curvature of (M,g), , and
is a small parameter
Molecular analysis of HBV genotypes and subgenotypes in the Central-East region of Tunisia
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Tunisia, country of intermediate endemicity for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, most molecular studies on the virus have been carried out in the North of the country and little is known about other regions. The aim of this study was to determine HBV genotype and subgenotypes in Central-East Tunisia. A total of 217 HBs antigen positive patients were enrolled and determination of genotype was investigated in 130 patients with detectable HBV DNA. HBV genotyping methods were: PCR-RFLP on the pre-S region, a PCR using type-specific primers in the S region (TSP-PCR) and partial sequencing in the pre-S region.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Three genotypes (D, B and A) were detected by the PCR-RFLP method and two (D and A) with the TSP-PCR method, the concordance between the two methods was 93%. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 32 strains, retrieved the same genotype (D and A) for samples with concordant results and genotype D for samples with discordant results. The sequences of discordant genotypes had a restriction site in the pre-S gene which led to erroneous result by the PCR-RFLP method. Thus, prevalence of genotype D and A was 96% and 4%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed the predominance of two subgenotypes D1 (55%) and D7 (41%). Only one strain clustered with D3 subgenotype (3%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Predominance of subgenotype D7 appears to occur in northern regions of Africa with transition to subgenotype D1 in the East of the continent. HBV genetic variability may lead to wrong results in rapid genotyping methods and sequence analysis is needed to clarify atypical results.</p
Aerodynamic investigations of ventilated brake discs.
The heat dissipation and performance of a ventilated brake disc strongly depends
on the aerodynamic characteristics of the flow through the rotor passages. The
aim of this investigation was to provide an improved understanding of ventilated
brake rotor flow phenomena, with a view to improving heat dissipation, as well
as providing a measurement data set for validation of computational fluid
dynamics methods. The flow fields at the exit of four different brake rotor
geometries, rotated in free air, were measured using a five-hole pressure probe
and a hot-wire anemometry system. The principal measurements were taken using
two-component hot-wire techniques and were used to determine mean and unsteady
flow characteristics at the exit of the brake rotors. Using phase-locked data
processing, it was possible to reveal the spatial and temporal flow variation
within individual rotor passages. The effects of disc geometry and rotational
speed on the mean flow, passage turbulence intensity, and mass flow were
determined. The rotor exit jet and wake flow were clearly observed as
characterized by the passage geometry as well as definite regions of high and
low turbulence. The aerodynamic flow characteristics were found to be reasonably
independent of rotational speed but highly dependent upon rotor geometry
Review article: MHD wave propagation near coronal null points of magnetic fields
We present a comprehensive review of MHD wave behaviour in the neighbourhood
of coronal null points: locations where the magnetic field, and hence the local
Alfven speed, is zero. The behaviour of all three MHD wave modes, i.e. the
Alfven wave and the fast and slow magnetoacoustic waves, has been investigated
in the neighbourhood of 2D, 2.5D and (to a certain extent) 3D magnetic null
points, for a variety of assumptions, configurations and geometries. In
general, it is found that the fast magnetoacoustic wave behaviour is dictated
by the Alfven-speed profile. In a plasma, the fast wave is focused
towards the null point by a refraction effect and all the wave energy, and thus
current density, accumulates close to the null point. Thus, null points will be
locations for preferential heating by fast waves. Independently, the Alfven
wave is found to propagate along magnetic fieldlines and is confined to the
fieldlines it is generated on. As the wave approaches the null point, it
spreads out due to the diverging fieldlines. Eventually, the Alfven wave
accumulates along the separatrices (in 2D) or along the spine or fan-plane (in
3D). Hence, Alfven wave energy will be preferentially dissipated at these
locations. It is clear that the magnetic field plays a fundamental role in the
propagation and properties of MHD waves in the neighbourhood of coronal null
points. This topic is a fundamental plasma process and results so far have also
lead to critical insights into reconnection, mode-coupling, quasi-periodic
pulsations and phase-mixing.Comment: 34 pages, 5 figures, invited review in Space Science Reviews => Note
this is a 2011 paper, not a 2010 pape
Influence of plasma turbulence on microwave propagation
It is not fully understood how electromagnetic waves propagate through plasma
density fluctuations when the size of the fluctuations is comparable with the
wavelength of the incident radiation. In this paper, the perturbing effect of a
turbulent plasma density layer on a traversing microwave beam is simulated with
full-wave simulations. The deterioration of the microwave beam is calculated as
a function of the characteristic turbulence structure size, the turbulence
amplitude, the depth of the interaction zone and the size of the waist of the
incident beam. The maximum scattering is observed for a structure size on the
order of half the vacuum wavelength. The scattering and beam broadening was
found to increase linearly with the depth of the turbulence layer and
quadratically with the fluctuation strength. Consequences for experiments and
3D effects are considered.Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures. This is an author-created, un-copyedited
version of an article submitted for publication in Plasma Physics and
Controlled Fusion. IoP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or
omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from i
Genome profiling of ERBB2-amplified breast cancers
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Around 20% of breast cancers (BC) show <it>ERBB2 </it>gene amplification and overexpression of the ERBB2 tyrosine kinase receptor. They are associated with a poor prognosis but can benefit from targeted therapy. A better knowledge of these BCs, genomically and biologically heterogeneous, may help understand their behavior and design new therapeutic strategies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We defined the high resolution genome and gene expression profiles of 54 <it>ERBB2</it>-amplified BCs using 244K oligonucleotide array-comparative genomic hybridization and whole-genome DNA microarrays. Expression of ERBB2, phosphorylated ERBB2, EGFR, IGF1R and FOXA1 proteins was assessed by immunohistochemistry to evaluate the functional ERBB2 status and identify co-expressions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>First, we identified the <it>ERBB2</it>-<it>C17orf37</it>-<it>GRB7 </it>genomic segment as the minimal common 17q12-q21 amplicon, and <it>CRKRS </it>and <it>IKZF3 </it>as the most frequent centromeric and telomeric amplicon borders, respectively. Second, GISTIC analysis identified 17 other genome regions affected by copy number aberration (CNA) (amplifications, gains, losses). The expression of 37 genes of these regions was deregulated. Third, two types of heterogeneity were observed in <it>ERBB2</it>-amplified BCs. The genomic profiles of estrogen receptor-postive (ER+) and negative (ER-) <it>ERBB2</it>-amplified BCs were different. The WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway was involved in ER- <it>ERBB2</it>-amplified BCs, and <it>PVT1 </it>and <it>TRPS1 </it>were candidate oncogenes associated with ER+ <it>ERBB2</it>-amplified BCs. The size of the <it>ERBB2 </it>amplicon was different in inflammatory (IBC) and non-inflammatory BCs. <it>ERBB2</it>-amplified IBCs were characterized by the downregulated and upregulated mRNA expression of ten and two genes in proportion to CNA, respectively. IHC results showed (i) a linear relationship between <it>ERBB2 </it>gene amplification and its gene and protein expressions with a good correlation between ERBB2 expression and phosphorylation status; (ii) a potential signaling cross-talk between EGFR or IGF1R and ERBB2, which could influence response of <it>ERBB2</it>-positive BCs to inhibitors. FOXA1 was frequently coexpressed with ERBB2 but its expression did not impact on the outcome of patients with <it>ERBB2</it>-amplified tumors.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have shown that ER+ and ER- <it>ERBB2</it>-amplified BCs are different, distinguished <it>ERBB2 </it>amplicons in IBC and non-IBC, and identified genomic features that may be useful in the design of alternative therapeutical strategies.</p
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