A map of the non-thermal WIMP

We study the effect of the elastic scattering on the non-thermal WIMP, which is produced by direct decay of heavy particles at the end of reheating. The non-thermal WIMP becomes important when the reheating temperature is well below the freeze-out temperature. Usually, two limiting cases have been considered. One is that the produced high energetic dark matter particles are quickly thermalized due to the elastic scattering with background radiations. The corresponding relic abundance is determined by the thermally averaged annihilation cross-section at the reheating temperature. The other one is that the initial abundance is too small for the dark matter to annihilate so that the final relic is determined by the initial amount itself. We study the regions between these two limits, and show that the relic density depends not only on the annihilation rate, but also on the elastic scattering rate. Especially, the relic abundance of the p-wave annihilating dark matter crucially relies on the elastic scattering rate because the annihilation cross-section is sensitive to the dark matter velocity. We categorize the parameter space into several regions where each region has distinctive mechanism for determining the relic abundance of the dark matter at the present Universe. The consequence on the (in)direct detection is also studied.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures; v2: discussion improved, matches version published in PL

Two Cases of Lichen Planus Pigmentosus Presenting with a Linear Pattern

We report two cases of lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP) that developed in a unilateral linear pattern. The patients presented with unilateral linear brown macules on the extremities. Skin biopsy showed orthokeratosis, basal hydropic degeneration with scarce lymphohistiocytic infiltrates, and numerous melanophages in both patients. These patients, to the best of our knowledge, are the first cases of LPP presenting with a linear pattern. LPP should be considered in the differential diagnosis of linear hyperpigmented skin lesions

A Cost Effective Block Framing Scheme for Underwater Communication

In this paper, the Selective Multiple Acknowledgement (SMA) method, based on Multiple Acknowledgement (MA), is proposed to efficiently reduce the amount of data transmission by redesigning the transmission frame structure and taking into consideration underwater transmission characteristics. The method is suited to integrated underwater system models, as the proposed method can handle the same amount of data in a much more compact frame structure without any appreciable loss of reliability. Herein, the performance of the proposed SMA method was analyzed and compared to those of the conventional Automatic Repeat-reQuest (ARQ), Block Acknowledgement (BA), block response, and MA methods. The efficiency of the underwater sensor network, which forms a large cluster and mostly contains uplink data, is expected to be improved by the proposed method

A socio-technical framework for internet-of-things design

This study presents a case application of a socio-technical framework to assess and predict the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) in Korea. Applying a socio-technical system approach to the IoT, this paper seeks a clear understanding of how the IoT will evolve and stabilize in a smart environment. It investigates the complex interaction between social and technical aspects of the IoT, by highlighting the co-evolution, interaction, and interface, which constitute the next generation network environment. It describes the challenges in designing, deploying, and sustaining the diverse components of the IoT, and provides a snapshot of Korea's current approach to meeting this challenge. Finally, the findings of this study provide insights into these challenges and opportunities, by offering a socio-technical analysis of IoT development. The insights help to conceptualize how the IoT can be designed and situated within human-centered contexts

Mth1 regulates the interaction between the Rgt1 repressor and the Ssn6-Tup1 corepressor complex by modulating PKA-dependent phosphorylation of Rgt1

Glucose uptake, the first, rate-limiting step of its utilization, is facilitated by glucose transporters. Expression of several glucose transporter (HXT) genes in yeast is repressed by the Rgt1 repressor, which recruits the glucose-responsive transcription factor Mth1 and the general corepressor complex Ssn6-Tup1 in the absence of glucose; however, it is derepressed when Mth1 is inactivated by glucose. Here we show that Ssn6-Tup1 interferes with the DNA-binding ability of Rgt1 in the absence of Mth1 and that the Rgt1 function abrogated by Ssn6 overexpression is restored by co-overexpression of Mth1. Thus Mth1 likely regulates Rgt1 function not by modulating its DNA-binding activity directly but by functionally antagonizing Ssn6-Tup1. Mth1 does so by acting as a scaffold-like protein to recruit Ssn6-Tup1 to Rgt1. Supporting evidence shows that Mth1 blocks the protein kinase A–dependent phosphorylation of Rgt1 that impairs the ability of Rgt1 to interact with Ssn6-Tup1. Of note, Rgt1 can bind DNA in the absence of Ssn6-Tup1 but does not inhibit transcription, suggesting that dissociation of Rgt1 from Ssn6-Tup1, but not from DNA, is necessary and sufficient for the expression of its target genes. Taken together, these findings show that Mth1 is a transcriptional corepressor that facilitates the recruitment of Ssn6-Tup1 by Rgt1

Cepstral Analysis of Voice in Patients With Thyroidectomy

Objectives The vocal changes after a thyroidectomy are temporary and nonsevere, therefore, obtaining accurate analytical results on the pathological vocal characteristics following such a procedure is difficult. For a more objective acoustic analysis, this study used the cepstral analysis method to examine changes in the patients’ voices during the perioperative period regarding sustained vowel phonation. Methods The sustained phonation of the five vowels (i.e., /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/) by 35 patients with thyroidectomy were recorded by using a Multi-Speech program. Of the 35 patients, 10 were men and 25 were women, with an average age of 51.5 years. Voice data were collected a total of 3 times (preoperatively, 5–7 days after the operation, and 6 weeks after the operation) and were edited according to each fragment (on-set, mid, and off-set) for cepstral analysis. Results The cepstral analysis on the patients’ voices revealed no significant differences between the examination periods of all vowel phonations. However, analysis of the on-set fragment of the vowel /i/ revealed pathological characteristics in which the cepstral measurements of the voice were significantly lower after the operation than before the operation, with the cepstral measurements of the voice increasing further 6 weeks following surgery. Conclusion The results of the acoustic analysis on the on-set fragment of the vowel /i/ will be important data for characterizing the vocal changes during the perioperative period. This study contributes to future research on the mechanisms underlying changes in the voice of patients with a history of thyroid or neck surgery

High performance gas sensor platform based on integrated sensing mechanisms

We introduce a gas sensor platform consisting of resistive sensor, thin film transistor (TFT) type sensor, and Si-based field effect transistor (FET) type sensor fabricated on the same wafer. The FET type sensor has a horizontal floating gate interdigitated with the control gate. The schematic structures of these gas sensors are shown in Fig. 1. These gas sensors can be fabricated using only 5 masks. The sensing layer of these sensors is a 15nm thick n-type ZnO film prepared using atomic layer deposition (ALD) in the final process step. Although these sensors have the same sensing material, they have different sensing characteristics because of different sensing mechanisms. Our group has reported the studies of resistive- and FET-type gas sensors having ALD ZnO sensing layer previously [1], [2]. Fig. 2 shows the transfer (I-V) characteristics of these sensors. These sensors have different sensing characteristics when exposed to 500 ppb of oxidizing gas, NO2. When exposed to NO2 gas, the currents of resistive- and TFT-type gas sensors are decreased [2]. On the other hand, the drain current of the FET-type gas sensor increases when exposed to NO2 gas [1], [2]. As a result, the difference in response of these sensors can be used as a fingerprint to more accurately detect the target gas in the gas sensor platform composed of three types of gas sensors. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

THE EFFECT OF SHOES ON KNEE KINETICS AND ANTERIOR TIBIAL TRANSLATION DURING SINGLE-LEG LANDING

The purpose of this study was to compare how knee kinematics and kinetics are influenced during single-leg landing in shod condition compared to barefoot condition. We hypothesized that the anterior tibial translation (ATT) and utilized coefficient of friction (uCoF) are greater in shod landing. Ten male subjects performed single-leg landing from a 0.3-m-high platform using their self-selected dominant lower limb under shod and barefoot condition. A force plate and a motion capture system were used for measuring ground reaction force and capturing kinematics data, respectively. The shod condition showed a significant higher ATT (p = 0.011) and uCoF (p = 0.022) at 30° flexion than barefoot condition. These findings would be considered as one of evidence that high shoe-surface friction increase ACL injury risks due to high ATT at extended knee position

Intracellular Calcium Spikes in Rat Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Neurons Induced by BAPTA-Based Calcium Dyes

Background: Circadian rhythms in spontaneous action potential (AP) firing frequencies and in cytosolic free calcium concentrations have been reported for mammalian circadian pacemaker neurons located within the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Also reported is the existence of "Ca2+ spikes" (i.e., [Ca2+]c transients having a bandwidth of 10～100 seconds) in SCN neurons, but it is unclear if these SCN Ca2+ spikes are related to the slow circadian rhythms. Methodology/Principal Findings: We addressed this issue based on a Ca2+ indicator dye (fluo-4) and a protein Ca2+ sensor (yellow cameleon). Using fluo-4 AM dye, we found spontaneous Ca2+ spikes in 18% of rat SCN cells in acute brain slices, but the Ca2+ spiking frequencies showed no day/night variation. We repeated the same experiments with rat (and mouse) SCN slice cultures that expressed yellow cameleon genes for a number of different circadian phases and, surprisingly, spontaneous Ca2+ spike was barely observed (<3%). When fluo-4 AM or BAPTA-AM was loaded in addition to the cameleon-expressing SCN cultures, however, the number of cells exhibiting Ca2+ spikes was increased to 13～14%. Conclusions/Significance: Despite our extensive set of experiments, no evidence of a circadian rhythm was found in the spontaneous Ca2+ spiking activity of SCN. Furthermore, our study strongly suggests that the spontaneous Ca2+ spiking activity is caused by the Ca2+ chelating effect of the BAPTA-based fluo-4 dye. Therefore, this induced activity seems irrelevant to the intrinsic circadian rhythm of [Ca2+]c in SCN neurons. The problems with BAPTA based dyes are widely known and our study provides a clear case for concern, in particular, for SCN Ca2+ spikes. On the other hand, our study neither invalidates the use of these dyes as a whole, nor undermines the potential role of SCN Ca2+ spikes in the function of SCN

PGC-Enriched miRNAs Control Germ Cell Development

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