458 research outputs found
Paired gap states in a semiconducting carbon nanotube: Deep and shallow levels
Several paired, localized gap states were observed in semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes using spatially resolved scanning tunneling spectroscopy. A pair of gap states is found far from the band edges, forming deep levels, while the other pair is located near the band edges, forming shallow levels. With the help of a first-principles study, the former is explained by a vacancy-adatom complex while the latter is explained by a pentagon-heptagon structure. Our experimental observation indicates that the presence of the gap states provides a means to perform local band-gap engineering as well as doping without impurity substitution.open433
Sparse RF Lens Antenna Array Design for AoA Estimation in Wideband Systems: Placement Optimization and Performance Analysis
In this paper, we propose a novel architecture for a lens antenna array (LAA)
designed to work with a small number of antennas and enable angle-of-arrival
(AoA) estimation for advanced 5G vehicle-to-everything (V2X) use cases that
demand wider bandwidths and higher data rates. We derive a received signal in
terms of optical analysis to consider the variability of the focal region for
different carrier frequencies in a wideband multi-carrier system. By taking
full advantage of the beam squint effect for multiple pilot signals with
different frequencies, we propose a novel reconfiguration of antenna array
(RAA) for the sparse LAA and a max-energy antenna selection (MS) algorithm for
the AoA estimation. In addition, this paper presents an analysis of the
received power at the single antenna with the maximum energy and compares it to
simulation results. In contrast to previous studies on LAA that assumed a large
number of antennas, which can require high complexity and hardware costs, the
proposed RAA with MS estimation algorithm is shown meets the requirements of 5G
V2X in a vehicular environment while utilizing limited RF hardware and has low
complexity.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figure
Ribosomal Protein s15 Phosphorylation Mediates LRRK2 Neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s Disease
SummaryMutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are a common cause of familial and sporadic Parkinson’s disease (PD). Elevated LRRK2 kinase activity and neurodegeneration are linked, but the phosphosubstrate that connects LRRK2 kinase activity to neurodegeneration is not known. Here, we show that ribosomal protein s15 is a key pathogenic LRRK2 substrate in Drosophila and human neuron PD models. Phosphodeficient s15 carrying a threonine 136 to alanine substitution rescues dopamine neuron degeneration and age-related locomotor deficits in G2019S LRRK2 transgenic Drosophila and substantially reduces G2019S LRRK2-mediated neurite loss and cell death in human dopamine and cortical neurons. Remarkably, pathogenic LRRK2 stimulates both cap-dependent and cap-independent mRNA translation and induces a bulk increase in protein synthesis in Drosophila, which can be prevented by phosphodeficient T136A s15. These results reveal a novel mechanism of PD pathogenesis linked to elevated LRRK2 kinase activity and aberrant protein synthesis in vivo
Automatic segmentation of multiple cardiovascular structures from cardiac computed tomography angiography images using deep learning.
OBJECTIVES:To develop, demonstrate and evaluate an automated deep learning method for multiple cardiovascular structure segmentation. BACKGROUND:Segmentation of cardiovascular images is resource-intensive. We design an automated deep learning method for the segmentation of multiple structures from Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) images. METHODS:Images from a multicenter registry of patients that underwent clinically-indicated CCTA were used. The proximal ascending and descending aorta (PAA, DA), superior and inferior vena cavae (SVC, IVC), pulmonary artery (PA), coronary sinus (CS), right ventricular wall (RVW) and left atrial wall (LAW) were annotated as ground truth. The U-net-derived deep learning model was trained, validated and tested in a 70:20:10 split. RESULTS:The dataset comprised 206 patients, with 5.130 billion pixels. Mean age was 59.9 ± 9.4 yrs., and was 42.7% female. An overall median Dice score of 0.820 (0.782, 0.843) was achieved. Median Dice scores for PAA, DA, SVC, IVC, PA, CS, RVW and LAW were 0.969 (0.979, 0.988), 0.953 (0.955, 0.983), 0.937 (0.934, 0.965), 0.903 (0.897, 0.948), 0.775 (0.724, 0.925), 0.720 (0.642, 0.809), 0.685 (0.631, 0.761) and 0.625 (0.596, 0.749) respectively. Apart from the CS, there were no significant differences in performance between sexes or age groups. CONCLUSIONS:An automated deep learning model demonstrated segmentation of multiple cardiovascular structures from CCTA images with reasonable overall accuracy when evaluated on a pixel level
Clinical features and long-term prognosis of acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia histologically confirmed by surgical lung biopsy
Abstract
Background
Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) is a rare interstitial pneumonia characterized by intra-alveolar fibrin deposition and organizing pneumonia. The clinical manifestations and long-term prognosis of AFOP are unclear. Our objective was to investigate the clinical features and prognosis of AFOP.
Methods
We identified patients diagnosed with AFOP by surgical lung biopsy between January 2011 and May 2018 at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. We retrospectively reviewed clinical and radiologic findings, treatment, and outcomes of AFOP.
Results
Fifteen patients with histologically confirmed lung biopsies were included. The median follow-up duration was 2.4 (range, 0.1–82) months. The median age was 55 (range, 33–75) years, and four patients were immunocompromised. Fever was the most common clinical presentation (86.7%). Patchy ground-glass opacities and/or consolidations were the most predominant findings on chest computed tomography images. Nine patients (60%) received mechanical ventilator care, and eight patients (53.3%) died. The non-survivors tended to have slightly higher body mass index (BMI) and a long interval between symptom onset and diagnosis than the survivors, but these findings were not statistically significant. Among seven survivors, five patients were discharged without dyspnea and oxygen supplement.
Conclusions
The clinical course of AFOP was variable. Although AFOP was fatal, most of the patients who recovered from AFOP maintained normal life without supplemental oxygen therapy and respiratory symptoms
Gel-type autologous chondrocyte (Chondron™) implantation for treatment of articular cartilage defects of the knee
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gel-type autologous chondrocyte (Chondron™) implantations have been used for several years without using periosteum or membrane. This study involves evaluations of the clinical results of Chondron™ at many clinical centers at various time points during the postoperative patient follow-up.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data from 98 patients with articular cartilage injury of the knee joint and who underwent Chondron™ implantation at ten Korean hospitals between January 2005 and November 2008, were included and were divided into two groups based on the patient follow-up period, i.e. 13~24-month follow-up and greater than 25-month follow-up. The telephone Knee Society Score obtained during telephone interviews with patients, was used as the evaluation tool.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>On the tKSS-A (telephone Knee Society Score-A), the score improved from 43.52 ± 20.20 to 89.71 ± 13.69 (P < 0.05), and on the tKSS-B (telephone Knee Society Score-B), the score improved from 50.66 ± 20.05 to 89.38 ± 15.76 (P < 0.05). The total improvement was from 94.18 ± 31.43 to 179.10 ± 24.69 (P < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Gel-type autologous chondrocyte implantation for chondral knee defects appears to be a safe and effective method for both decreasing pain and improving knee function.</p
Observation of Double cc bar Production in e+ e- Annihilation at sqrt{s} ~ 10.6 GeV
We report the observation of prompt J/psi via double ccbar production from
the e+e- continuum. In this process one ccbar pair fragments into a J/psi meson
while the remaining pair either produces a bound charmonium state or fragments
into open charm. Both cases have been observed: the first by studying the mass
spectrum of the system recoiling against the J/psi, and the second by
reconstructing the J/psi together with a charmed meson. We find cross-sections
of \sigma(e+ e- -> J/psi eta_c (gamma)) * BR (eta_c -> >=4 charged) = 0.033
(+0.007 -0.006)(stat) \pm 0.009(syst)pb and \sigma(e+ e- -> J/psi D*+ X) = 0.53
(+0.19 -0.15)(stat) \pm 0.14(syst) pb, and infer \sigma(e+ e- -> J/psi c cbar)
/ \sigma(e+ e- -> J/psi X) = 0.59 (+0.15 -0.13)(stat) \pm 0.12(syst). These
results are obtained from a 46.2/fb data sample collected near the Upsilon(4S)
resonance, with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy e+ e-
collider.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, to be submitted to Physical Review Letter
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