Precise control of phase transformation process in lead zirconate titanate thin films by focused line-beam scanning

Phase transformation and grain growth processes of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films have been precisely controlled by using focused line-beam scanning. The authors promoted the lateral crystallization of PZT grains by controlling a nucleation process and increasing the size of single grains to be as large as 40 μm in length. Focused line-beam scanning allows for the selective growth and crystallization of large PZT grains on predetermined nucleation sites. The high growth rate of the selected PZT grains was attributed to successive suppression of undesirable nucleation except at predetermined positions when pretreated PZT films were exposed to the focused line beam. © 2007 American Institute of Physics

A multi-factor model for caspase degradome prediction

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Caspases belong to a class of cysteine proteases which function as critical effectors in cellular processes such as apoptosis and inflammation by cleaving substrates immediately after unique tetrapeptide sites. With hundreds of reported substrates and many more expected to be discovered, the elucidation of the caspase degradome will be an important milestone in the study of these proteases in human health and disease. Several computational methods for predicting caspase cleavage sites have been developed recently for identifying potential substrates. However, as most of these methods are based primarily on the detection of the tetrapeptide cleavage sites - a factor necessary but not sufficient for predicting <it>in vivo </it>substrate cleavage - prediction outcomes will inevitably include many false positives.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this paper, we show that structural factors such as the presence of disorder and solvent exposure in the vicinity of the cleavage site are important and can be used to enhance results from cleavage site prediction. We constructed a two-step model incorporating cleavage site prediction and these factors to predict caspase substrates. Sequences are first predicted for cleavage sites using CASVM or GraBCas. Predicted cleavage sites are then scored, ranked and filtered against a cut-off based on their propensities for locating in disordered and solvent exposed regions. Using an independent dataset of caspase substrates, the model was shown to achieve greater positive predictive values compared to CASVM or GraBCas alone, and was able to reduce the false positives pool by up to 13% and 53% respectively while retaining all true positives. We applied our prediction model on the family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and highlighted several members as potential caspase targets. The results suggest that RTKs may be generally regulated by caspase cleavage and in some cases, promote the induction of apoptotic cell death - a function distinct from their role as transducers of survival and growth signals.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>As a step towards the prediction of <it>in vivo </it>caspase substrates, we have developed an accurate method incorporating cleavage site prediction and structural factors. The multi-factor model augments existing methods and complements experimental efforts to define the caspase degradome on the systems-wide basis.</p

Enhanced overall efficiency of GaInN-based light-emitting diodes with reduced efficiency droop by Al-composition-graded AlGaN/GaN superlattice electron blocking layer

AlxGa1-xN/GaN superlattice electron blocking layers (EBLs) with gradually decreasing Al composition toward the p-type GaN layer are introduced to GaInN-based high-power light-emitting diodes (LEDs). GaInN/GaN multiple quantum well LEDs with 5- and 9-period Al-composition-graded AlxGa1-xN/GaN EBL show comparable operating voltage, higher efficiency as well as less efficiency droop than LEDs having conventional bulk AlGaN EBL, which is attributed to the superlattice doping effect, enhanced hole injection into the active region, and reduced potential drop in the EBL by grading Al compositions. Simulation results reveal a reduction in electron leakage for the superlattice EBL, in agreement with experimental results. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.open1133sciescopu

SVM-based prediction of linear B-cell epitopes using Bayes Feature Extraction

10.1186/1471-2164-11-S4-S21BMC Genomics11SUPPL. 4S2

Degradation of Metaldehyde in Aqueous Solution by Nano-Sized Photocatalysts and Granular Activated Carbon

Metaldehyde has been detected in drinking water system in relatively high concentration exceeding European water quality standard. In order to address this problem, the aim of this project was to treat metaldehyde aqueous solution by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and granular activated carbon (GAC) column. Ten novel materials were tested for degradation rates of metaldehyde under ultraviolet light irradiation (UVC). For treatment of 1 mg/L metaldehyde solution by AOPs, the highest degradation rate is 16.59% under UVC light with the aid of nitrogen doped titanium dioxide coated graphene (NTiO2/Gr). Furthermore, 0.5 mg/L is the optimal concentration for degradation of metaldehyde with N–TiO2/Gr under UVC light. Apart from that, the lifetime of GAC column could be elongated on condition that metaldehyde has been treated by AOPs previously. Hence, combination of AOPs and GAC column is promising in treating water containing metaldehyde

The influence of long-term treadmill exercise on bone mass and articular cartilage in ovariectomized rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Loss of bone quality and deterioration of articular cartilage are commonly seen after menopause. While exercise may protect against tissue degeneration, a clear link has yet to be established. The aim of the present study is to investigate the influence of long-term treadmill exercise on changes in bone mass and articular cartilage in ovariectomized rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sixty female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: ovariectomized (OVX), ovariectomized plus treadmill exercise (OVX-RUN), treadmill exercise alone (RUN), and control (CON) groups. After 36 weeks, the following variables were compared among the 4 groups. Bone mass was evaluated by trabecular bone volume and bone mineral density (BMD). Articular cartilage in the knee joints was evaluated by histology analysis and a modified Mankin score.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Rats in the ovariectomized groups (OVX and OVX-RUN) had significantly lower BMD and bone mass than the non-ovariectomized rats (CON and RUN), indicating that exercise did little to preserve bone mass. However, the sedentary OVX group had a significantly worse modified Mankin score (7.7 ± 1.4) than the OVX-RUN group (4.8 ± 1.0), whose scores did not differ significantly from the other 2 non-operated groups. The articular cartilage in the sedentary OVX rats was relatively thinner, hypocellular, and had more clefts than in the other 3 groups.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study suggests that long-term exercise protects articular cartilage in OVX rats but does not retard the loss of bone mass seen in after menopause.</p

Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Texture Analysis of Preoperative Computed Tomography Images Can Provide Markers of Tumor Grade and Disease-Free Survival

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) texture analysis (CTTA) in estimating histologic tumor grade and in predicting disease-free survival (DFS) after surgical resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-one patients with a single HCC who had undergone quadriphasic liver CT followed by surgical resection were enrolled. Texture analysis of tumors on preoperative CT images was performed using commercially available software. The mean, mean of positive pixels (MPP), entropy, kurtosis, skewness, and standard deviation (SD) of the pixel distribution histogram were derived with and without filtration. The texture features were then compared between groups classified according to histologic grade. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed to determine the relationship between texture features and DFS. RESULTS: SD and MPP quantified from fine to coarse textures on arterial-phase CT images showed significant positive associations with the histologic grade of HCC (p < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis identified most CT texture features across the different filters from fine to coarse texture scales as significant univariate markers of DFS. Cox proportional hazards analysis identified skewness on arterial-phase images (fine texture scale, spatial scaling factor [SSF] 2.0, p < 0.001; medium texture scale, SSF 3.0, p < 0.001), tumor size (p = 0.001), microscopic vascular invasion (p = 0.034), rim arterial enhancement (p = 0.024), and peritumoral parenchymal enhancement (p = 0.010) as independent predictors of DFS. CONCLUSION: CTTA was demonstrated to provide texture features significantly correlated with higher tumor grade as well as predictive markers of DFS after surgical resection of HCCs in addition to other valuable imaging and clinico-pathologic parameters

A novel online food recall checklist for use in an undergraduate student population : a comparison with diet diaries

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Dynamical Mean-Field Theory

The dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) is a widely applicable approximation scheme for the investigation of correlated quantum many-particle systems on a lattice, e.g., electrons in solids and cold atoms in optical lattices. In particular, the combination of the DMFT with conventional methods for the calculation of electronic band structures has led to a powerful numerical approach which allows one to explore the properties of correlated materials. In this introductory article we discuss the foundations of the DMFT, derive the underlying self-consistency equations, and present several applications which have provided important insights into the properties of correlated matter.Comment: Chapter in "Theoretical Methods for Strongly Correlated Systems", edited by A. Avella and F. Mancini, Springer (2011), 31 pages, 5 figure