A generalization of Otsu method for linear separation of two unbalanced classes in document image binarization

The classical Otsu method is a common tool in document image binarization. Often, two classes, text and background, are imbalanced, which means that the assumption of the classical Otsu method is not met. In this work, we considered the imbalanced pixel classes of background and text: weights of two classes are different, but variances are the same. We experimentally demonstrated that the employment of a criterion that takes into account the imbalance of the classes' weights, allows attaining higher binarization accuracy. We described the generalization of the criteria for a two-parametric model, for which an algorithm for the optimal linear separation search via fast linear clustering was proposed. We also demonstrated that the two-parametric model with the proposed separation allows increasing the image binarization accuracy for the documents with a complex background or spots.We are grateful for the insightful comments offered by D.P. Nikolaev. This research was partially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research No. 19-29-09066 and 18-07-01387

Giant pulses of pulsar radio emission

Review report of giant pulses of pulsar radio emission, based on our detections of four new pulsars with giant pulses, and the comparative analysis of the previously known pulsars with giant pulses, including the Crab pulsar and millisecond pulsar PSR B1937+21.Comment: Proceedings of the 363. WE-Heraeus Seminar on: Neutron Stars and Pulsars (Posters and contributed talks) Physikzentrum Bad Honnef, Germany, May.14-19, 2006, eds. W.Becker, H.H.Huang, MPE Report 291, pp.72-7

Isovector soft dipole mode in 6Be

By using the 1H(6Li,6Be)n charge-exchange reaction, continuum states in 6Be were populated up to E_t=16 MeV, E_t being the 6Be energy above its three-body decay threshold. In kinematically complete measurements performed by detecting alpha+p+p coincidences, an E_t spectrum of high statistics was obtained, containing approximately ~5x10^6 events. The spectrum provides detailed correlation information about the well-known 0^+ ground state of 6Be at E_t=1.37 MeV and its 2^+ state at E_t=3.05 MeV. Moreover, a broad structure extending from 4 to 16 MeV was observed. It contains negative parity states populated by Delta L=1 angular momentum transfer without other significant contributions. This structure can be interpreted as a novel phenomenon, i.e. the isovector soft dipole mode associated with the 6Li ground state. The population of this mode in the charge-exchange reaction is a dominant phenomenon for this reaction, being responsible for about 60% of the cross section obtained in the measured energy range.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Особенности пробоподготовки лизатов для повышения эффективности выделения белковых партнеров целевых белков, кодируемых генами 18-ой хромосомы человека

The aim of this work was to test modifications of the standard protocol for the sample preparation of cell/tissue lysate before performing the affinity isolation of lysate protein partners for the target protein (bait protein) which is covalently immobilized on an inert sorbent (e.g. BrCN-, SH-Sepharose 4B) or a carrier (e.g. paramagnetic nanoparticles). The series of our previous works on applying the approach to direct molecular fishing procedure with combination of affinity chromatography and LC-MS/MS analysis using a number of proteins, encoded by the genes of human chromosome 18, have shown that there are at least two problems affecting the specificity and the effectiveness of this procedure. These include: (i) redundancy of the background proteins in the eluates from an affinity sorbent (carrier) due to isolation of multiprotein complexes “labeled” with a direct protein partner which binds with a bait protein immobilized on the sorbent; (ii) low enrichment of the eluates with appropriate protein partners due to the fact that some direct protein partners in the lysate exist in stable “wild type” complexes with the bait protein itself. This means that latter group of protein partners will not be sufficiently isolated from lysate. Therefore, in order to increase the specificity and efficiency of affinity isolation of protein partners for the bait protein, we modified the standard protocol of lysate preparation and the preliminary step on dissociation of lysate protein complexes was added. Several model experiments for the choice of regeneration solution, assessment of their efficiency in the dissociation of lysate protein complexes as well as the stability and binding capacity of proteins were performed under the control of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor Biacore 3000 using HepG2 cell lysate. It was shown that acid treatment and incubation of the cell lysate for one min on ice (final lysate dilution 20 times) and subsequent neutralization (pH shift from 2.0 to 7.4) resulted in maximal dissociation of the lysate protein complexes without significant negative effects on the protein-protein interactions tested.Целью работы было экспериментальное тестирование модификации стандартного протокола пробоподготовки клеточного/ тканевого лизата перед выполнением процедуры аффинного выделения из него белков-партнеров для целевого белка (белка-наживки), иммобилизованного на инертном сорбенте или парамагнитных наночастицах. Цикл наших предыдущих работ, посвященных прямому молекулярному фишингу с сопряжением хроматографических и масс-спектрометрических методов и технологии парамагнитных наночастиц c использованием ряда белков 18-ой хромосомы человека и также других белков показал, что существуют, по крайне мере, две проблемы, влияющие на специфичность и эффективность данной процедуры: (i) избыточность фоновых белков в элюатах с аффинного сорбента, обусловленная выделением мультибелковых комплексов, меченых прямым партнером, который связывается с целевым белком на сорбенте; (ii) низкая обогащенность элюатов белками-партнерами целевой группы обусловленная тем, что та или иная часть прямых белков-партнеров в лизате находится в составе стабильных комплексов «дикого типа» с самим белком-наживкой и не будет в достаточной степени выделена из лизата. Поэтому для повышения специфичности и эффективности аффинного выделения белков-партнеров целевого белка нами предложена модификация стандартной пробоподготовки, заключающаяся в предварительной диссоциации белковых комплексов лизата. Модельные эксперименты по выбору регенерационного раствора, оценке стабильности и связывающей способности белков при его воздействии, а также оценка эффективности диссоциации комплексов в лизате были выполнены под контролем оптического биосенсора Biacore 3000 («GE Healthcare», США) с использованием лизата клеточной культуры гепатокарциномы человека (HepG2) и рекомбинантных препаратов белков, кодируемых генами 18-ой хромосомы человека, Показано, что кислотная обработка разбавленного в 20 раз лизата с кратковременной экспозицией в течение 1 мин на льду и с последующей нейтрализацией (с рН 2.0 до рН 7.4) приводила к максимальной диссоциации белковых комплексов лизата, не оказывая существенного негативного влияния на тестируемые белок- белковые взаимодействия

Использование SPR биосенсора при поиске прототипов лекарственных средств на примере цитохрома Р450(51) в качестве белка-мишени

The development of the integral platform “From Gene to Lead”, consolidated computer methods, bioinformatics researches, and experimental approaches, significantly accelerated and optimized base structure search in the field of drug design. The necessity of the experimental verification of hundreds virtual structure hypothesis (results of molecular data base selections or de novo construction) requires demands the usage of the high-through out and sensitive methods for validation possible interaction between numerous of selected compounds and particular molecular targets and evaluation of affinity, kinetics and thermodynamics. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology makes it possible to solve all these problems. In this article the methodical aspects of the optical SPR-biosensor usage in the field of drug prototypes selection are described using the human cytochrome P450(51) catalyzing one of the key step of cholesterol biosynthesis as an example.Интеграция различных компьютерных, биоинформатических и экспериментальных технологий в единую платформу, покрывающую путь “от гена до прототипа лекарства”, значительно ускорила и оптимизировала поиск базовых структур для создания новых лекарственных препаратов. При этом необходимость экспериментальной проверки найденных компьютерными методами сотен структурных гипотез, представляющих собой выборки из молекулярных баз данных или сконструированных de novo соединений, требует привлечения быстрых и чувствительных скрининговых методов анализа их возможных взаимодействий с белком-мишенью. А в случае позитивного результата и возможности количественной оценки аффинности, кинетики и термодинамики межмолекулярного взаимодействия. Технология поверхностного плазмонного резонанса (SPR) позволяет решать все перечисленные задачи. В данной статье рассматриваются методические аспекты применения оптического SPR биосенсора для поиска прототипов лекарственных средств на примере цитохрома Р450(51) человека, катализирующего ключевую стадию биосинтеза холестерина

Progress in 433 MHz RFQ technology at NPK LUTS NIIEFA

The paper is a survey of progress in 433 MHz RFQ technology at Production Complex of Linacs and Cyclotrons of D.V. Efremov Institute Sci. over past three years. RFQs and APF-cavities are designed as bases for ion accelerators for different applications. The use of 433 MHz frequency determines high requirements for RFQ manufacture facilities, which are discussed herein. The test experimental results of RFQ full-scale stands and high power rf testing data under beam load of 1 MeV on a deuteron RFQ made of chromium copper are presented.Приведен обзор работ по созданию ПОКФ на 433 МГц в НПК ЛУЦ НИИЭФА им. Д.В. Ефремова за последние три года. ПОКФ и ПФФ-резонаторы планируется использовать в качестве основных резонаторов ускорителей ионов для различных применений. Использование частоты 433 МГц определяет высокие требования для изготовления ПОКФ, которые обсуждены в статье. Представлены экспериментальные результаты тестирования полномасштабных стендов ПОКФ и данные испытаний резонатора из хромистой меди для ускорения дейтронов до энергии 1 МэВ при высоком уровне ВЧ-мощности и нагрузке пучком.Наведено огляд робіт зі створення ПОКФ на 433 МГц у НПК ЛУЦ НІІЕФА ім. Д.В. Єфремова за останні три роки. ПОКФ і ЗФФ-резонатори планується використати як основні резонатори прискорювачів іонів для різних застосувань. Використання частоти 433 МГц визначає високі вимоги для виготовлення ПОКФ, які обговорені в статті. Представлено експериментальні результати тестування повномасштабних стендів ПОКФ і дані випробувань резонатора із хромистої міді для прискорення дейтронів до енергії 1 МеВ при високому рівні ВЧ-потужності і навантаженню пучком

Classical Yang-Mills Black hole hair in anti-de Sitter space

The properties of hairy black holes in Einstein–Yang–Mills (EYM) theory are reviewed, focusing on spherically symmetric solutions. In particular, in asymptotically anti-de Sitter space (adS) stable black hole hair is known to exist for frak su(2) EYM. We review recent work in which it is shown that stable hair also exists in frak su(N) EYM for arbitrary N, so that there is no upper limit on how much stable hair a black hole in adS can possess

Search for a W' boson decaying to a bottom quark and a top quark in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

Results are presented from a search for a W' boson using a dataset corresponding to 5.0 inverse femtobarns of integrated luminosity collected during 2011 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV. The W' boson is modeled as a heavy W boson, but different scenarios for the couplings to fermions are considered, involving both left-handed and right-handed chiral projections of the fermions, as well as an arbitrary mixture of the two. The search is performed in the decay channel W' to t b, leading to a final state signature with a single lepton (e, mu), missing transverse energy, and jets, at least one of which is tagged as a b-jet. A W' boson that couples to fermions with the same coupling constant as the W, but to the right-handed rather than left-handed chiral projections, is excluded for masses below 1.85 TeV at the 95% confidence level. For the first time using LHC data, constraints on the W' gauge coupling for a set of left- and right-handed coupling combinations have been placed. These results represent a significant improvement over previously published limits.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters B. Replaced with version publishe

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV

A search for a Higgs boson decaying into two photons is described. The analysis is performed using a dataset recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC from pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 inverse femtobarns. Limits are set on the cross section of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to two photons. The expected exclusion limit at 95% confidence level is between 1.4 and 2.4 times the standard model cross section in the mass range between 110 and 150 GeV. The analysis of the data excludes, at 95% confidence level, the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in the mass range 128 to 132 GeV. The largest excess of events above the expected standard model background is observed for a Higgs boson mass hypothesis of 124 GeV with a local significance of 3.1 sigma. The global significance of observing an excess with a local significance greater than 3.1 sigma anywhere in the search range 110-150 GeV is estimated to be 1.8 sigma. More data are required to ascertain the origin of this excess.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Measurement of the Lambda(b) cross section and the anti-Lambda(b) to Lambda(b) ratio with Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda decays in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The Lambda(b) differential production cross section and the cross section ratio anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) are measured as functions of transverse momentum pt(Lambda(b)) and rapidity abs(y(Lambda(b))) in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV using data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The measurements are based on Lambda(b) decays reconstructed in the exclusive final state J/Psi Lambda, with the subsequent decays J/Psi to an opposite-sign muon pair and Lambda to proton pion, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.9 inverse femtobarns. The product of the cross section times the branching ratio for Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda versus pt(Lambda(b)) falls faster than that of b mesons. The measured value of the cross section times the branching ratio for pt(Lambda(b)) > 10 GeV and abs(y(Lambda(b))) < 2.0 is 1.06 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.12 nb, and the integrated cross section ratio for anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) is 1.02 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.09, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters