Analog-digital simulation of transient-induced logic errors and upset susceptibility of an advanced control system

A simulation study is described which predicts the susceptibility of an advanced control system to electrical transients resulting in logic errors, latched errors, error propagation, and digital upset. The system is based on a custom-designed microprocessor and it incorporates fault-tolerant techniques. The system under test and the method to perform the transient injection experiment are described. Results for 2100 transient injections are analyzed and classified according to charge level, type of error, and location of injection

The Impact of the Patient-Centered Medical Home on Health Disparities in Adults: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

Introduction: The objective of this study was to review the empirical evidence on Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) impact on health disparities in adults. Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar to identify studies on PCMH/health homes and health disparities published in English between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2014. Articles met inclusion criteria if they investigated at least one component of PCMH or health homes in vulnerable populations, defined by PROGRESS-PLUS criteria, and reported differences in one of five clinical quality measures. Results: 964 articles were identified through database searching and subsequent snowballing. 60 articles underwent full text screening. Further review eliminated 56 studies. In the final 4 studies, PCMH interventions showed small improvements in health disparities. Discussion: The PCMH has been suggested as a model for improving health disparities. Given rapid implementation in underserved settings, stakeholders should better understand the impact of the PCMH on health disparities

Volatility spillover between New Zealand stock market returns and exchange rate changes before and after the 1997 Asian financial crisis

Researchers in the last decade have been investigating the interdependence of stock returns and exchange rate changes within the same economy. Kanas (2000) and Yang and Doong (2004) find that for the G-7 countries, in general, the volatility of the stock market spills over to the exchange rate market but that volatility spillovers from the exchange rate market to the stock market are insignificant. Chen, Naylor, and Lu (2004) find that NZ individual firm returns are significantly exposed to exchange rate changes. This study complements their work by investigating the volatility spillover between the stock market and the foreign exchange market within the NZ economy.<br /

Engineering essential genes with a jump board strategy using CRISPR/Cas9

Here, we describe a platformed “jump board” strategy and its application in systematically engineering the essential microRNA let-7 (Fig. 1A-E) and protein coding gene lin-28 (Fig. 1F) in C. elegans. We chose the jump board protospacer sequence (INPP4A) which is (1) comprised of a PAM site and a protospacer antisense to a crRNA with experimentally confirmed high editing efficiency (INPP4A-crRNA), and (2) non-homologous to C. elegans genome, including the genetic balancer we used (mnDp1). Notably, the jump board protospacer contains an EcoRV restriction site, which can be utilized for rapid large-scale genotyping by which HDR events can be identified in the F1 generation (Fig. 1C). Using the jump board strategy, we have so far created 28 let-7 alleles for various experimental purposes, among which 15 alleles showed lethality and require rescue by mnDp1. Note that the let-7 jump board allele (ma393) itself is a new let-7 null allele in which the precursor-let-7 is completely removed

Electronic modulation of infrared emissivity in graphene plasmonic resonators

Electronic control of blackbody emission from graphene plasmonic resonators on a silicon nitride substrate is demonstrated at temperatures up to 250 C. It is shown that the graphene resonators produce antenna-coupled blackbody radiation, manifest as narrow spectral emission peaks in the mid-IR. By continuously varying the nanoresonators carrier density, the frequency and intensity of these spectral features can be modulated via an electrostatic gate. We describe these phenomena as plasmonically enhanced radiative emission originating both from loss channels associated with plasmon decay in the graphene sheet and from vibrational modes in the SiNx.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figure

Cationic microbubbles for non-selective binding of cavitation nuclei to bacterial biofilms

The presence of multi-drug resistant biofilms in chronic, persistent infections is a major barrier to successful clinical outcomes of therapy. The production of an extracellular matrix is a characteristic of the biofilm phenotype, intrinsically linked to antimicrobial tolerance. The heterogeneity of the extracellular matrix makes it highly dynamic, with substantial differences in composition between biofilms, even in the same species. This variability poses a major challenge in targeting drug delivery systems to biofilms, as there are few elements both suitably conserved and widely expressed across multiple species. However, the presence of extracellular DNA within the extracellular matrix is ubiquitous across species, which alongside bacterial cell components, gives the biofilm its net negative charge. This research aims to develop a means of targeting biofilms to enhance drug delivery by developing a cationic gas-filled microbubble that non-selectively targets the negatively charged biofilm. Cationic and uncharged microbubbles loaded with different gases were formulated and tested to determine their stability, ability to bind to negatively charged artificial substrates, binding strength, and, subsequently, their ability to adhere to biofilms. It was shown that compared to their uncharged counterparts, cationic microbubbles facilitated a significant increase in the number of microbubbles that could both bind and sustain their interaction with biofilms. This work is the first to demonstrate the utility of charged microbubbles for the non-selective targeting of bacterial biofilms, which could be used to significantly enhance stimuli-mediated drug delivery to the bacterial biofilm

Serum albumin–protamine conjugate for biocompatible platform for targeted delivery of therapeutic macromolecules

A well‐defined, one‐to‐one conjugate between human serum albumin (HSA) and protamine was synthesized and characterized as a biocompatible carrier for macromolecules. In circulation, the conjugate will camouflage drug molecules upon complex formation, while liberating free drug at the desired location using a triggering mechanism. The N‐terminus of protamine was thiolated and conjugated with the unpaired Cysteine‐34 of HSA, and was purified by ion‐exchange chromatography. The molecular weight of the conjugate was 70.8 kDa, confirming one‐to‐one conjugation between HSA (66.6 KDa) and protamine (4200 Da). Superimposed fluorescence spectra of native HSA and HSA–protamine conjugate indicated no conformational change around the Trp‐214. The conjugate had marked reduction in hemolytic and cytotoxic properties compared to protamine. When therapeutic potential was tested using tissue plasminogen activator as a model drug, HSA–protamine conjugate suppressed the enzymatic activity by 65%, which was fully recovered by a triggering agent, heparin. The construct showed binding characteristics with activated platelets upon conjugation with a targeting peptide, demonstrating flexibility to introduce suitable homing moiety on the surface. The camouflaged construct retained triggered release property in human plasma condition. Overall, the conjugate has a good potential to serve as a biocompatible platform for macromolecular drugs. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 2481–2490, 2014.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/107561/1/jbma34916.pd