13,339 research outputs found

    A multi-user network game for learning English

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    As the era changed, education programs have developed tremendously and there are more people who seek for a new way to study easier. A game is one way to learn new skills; Network games especially can be used most effectively to support the goal of education. I believe that people can gain more knowledge through competitive games than memorizing by them selves. Some might think network games are not needed because there is no need for other people when you can compete with a computer, but There are limitations using just a computer and people feel more competitive when they go against other people since the reaction from the humans are more variable. The goal of this thesis is to study about how to create multi-user network game for learning English. I have created a network game using dragging and dropping object. The game is designed for 5-6 years old children, which allows them to compete against each other. Each time a player follows the direction that\u27s been given in the English correctly, an animation will be played. When a player gets an incorrect answer, the other player will get the chance to follow the direction. The players are required to take turns playing. While using a multi-user game format like this, children can be provided with the motivation they need to learn

    Current-Induced Resonant Motion of a Magnetic Vortex Core: Effect of Nonadiabatic Spin Torque

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    The current-induced resonant excitation of a magnetic vortex core is investigated by means of analytical and micromagnetic calculations. We find that the radius and the phase shift of the resonant motion are not correctly described by the analytical equations because of the dynamic distortion of a vortex core. In contrast, the initial tilting angle of a vortex core is free from the distortion and determined by the nonadiabaticity of the spin torque. It is insensitive to experimentally uncontrollable current-induced in-plane Oersted field. We propose that a time-resolved imaging of the very initial trajectory of a core is essential to experimentally estimate the nonadiabaticity.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

    Highly efficient source for frequency-entangled photon pairs generated in a 3rd order periodically poled MgO-doped stoichiometric LiTaO3 crystal

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    We present a highly efficient source for discrete frequency-entangled photon pairs based on spontaneous parametric down-conversion using 3rd order type-0 quasi-phase matching in a periodically poled MgO-doped stoichiometric LiTaO3 crystal pumped by a 355.66 nm laser. Correlated two-photon states were generated with automatic conservation of energy and momentum in two given spatial modes. These states have a wide spectral range, even under small variations in crystal temperature, which consequently results in higher discreteness. Frequency entanglement was confirmed by measuring two-photon quantum interference fringes without any spectral filtering.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Optics Letter

    Induced Norm-Based Analysis for Computed Torque Control of Robot Systems

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    This paper is concerned with providing a new quantitative analysis method of computed torque control of robot systems by using three types of induced norm. This paper first considers design of a computed torque controller to achieve a trajectory tracking performance of a robot manipulator. Taking into account of the effects of unknown elements on the tracking performance, this paper next divides the unknown elements into model uncertainty and disturbance, and introduces various closed-loop representations of robot systems consisting of robot manipulators together with computed torque controllers and unknown elements. This paper further derives a readily applicable robust stability condition for the model uncertainty by using two types of induced norm from L-2 to L-2 and from L-infinity to L-infinity. Regarding a performance analysis for the disturbance, this paper also proposes to take the induced norm from L-2 to L-infinity, by which the relation between the maximum tracking errors caused by the disturbance and the corresponding parameters of the computed torque controllers are dealt with. Finally, this paper gives some experiments to validate the effectiveness of the performance analysis methods based on the L-infinity/L-2-induced norm.11Ysciescopu

    Electrogenic transport and K(+) ion channel expression by the human endolymphatic sac epithelium.

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    The endolymphatic sac (ES) is a cystic organ that is a part of the inner ear and is connected to the cochlea and vestibule. The ES is thought to be involved in inner ear ion homeostasis and fluid volume regulation for the maintenance of hearing and balance function. Many ion channels, transporters, and exchangers have been identified in the ES luminal epithelium, mainly in animal studies, but there has been no functional study investigating ion transport using human ES tissue. We designed the first functional experiments on electrogenic transport in human ES and investigated the contribution of K(+) channels in the electrogenic transport, which has been rarely identified, even in animal studies, using electrophysiological/pharmacological and molecular biological methods. As a result, we identified functional and molecular evidence for the essential participation of K(+) channels in the electrogenic transport of human ES epithelium. The identified K(+) channels involved in the electrogenic transport were KCNN2, KCNJ14, KCNK2, and KCNK6, and the K(+) transports via those channels are thought to play an important role in the maintenance of the unique ionic milieu of the inner ear fluid

    Heterologous expression of a tannic acid-inducible laccase3 of Cryphonectria parasitica in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A tannic acid-inducible and mycoviral-regulated laccase3 (<it>lac</it>3) from the chestnut blight fungus <it>Cryphonectria parasitica </it>has recently been identified, but further characterization was hampered because of the precipitation of protein products by tannic acid supplementation. The present study investigated the heterologous expression of the functional laccase3 using a yeast <it>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Laccase activity in the culture broth of transformants measured using a laccase-specific substrate suggested that the <it>lac</it>3 gene was successfully expressed and the corresponding protein product secreted into the culture media. In addition, activity staining and Western blot analysis of a native gel revealed that the enzyme activity co-existed with the protein product specific to anti-laccase3 antibody, confirming that the cloned <it>lac</it>3 gene is responsible for the laccase activity. When transformants were grown on plates containing tannic acid-supplemented media, brown coloration was observed around transformed cells, indicating the oxidation of tannic acid. However, the enzymatic activity was measurable only in the selective ura<sup>- </sup>media and was negligible in nonselective nutrient-rich culture conditions. This was in part because of the increased plasmid instability in the nonselective media. Moreover, the protein product of <it>lac</it>3 appears to be sensitive to the cultured nonselective nutrient-rich broth, because a rapid decline in enzymatic activity was observed when the cultured broth of ura<sup>- </sup>media was mixed with that of nonselective nutrient-rich broth. In addition, constitutive expression of the <it>lac</it>3 gene resulted in a reduced cell number of the <it>lac</it>3 transformants compared to that of vector-only transformed control. However, the presence of recombinant vector without <it>lac</it>3 induction did not affect the growth of transformants.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results suggest that expression of the <it>lac</it>3 gene has an inhibitory effect on the growth of transformed <it>S. cerevisiae </it>and that the controlled expression of <it>lac</it>3 is appropriate for the possible application of recombinant yeast to the treatment of phenolic compounds.</p

    Modulation of A375 human melanoma cell proliferation and apoptosis by nitric oxide

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    The present study aimed to assess the effect of NO• on melanoma A375 cell growth and apoptotic cell death. Trypan blue exclusion assay was employed to detect the cytotoxicity induced by controlled steady-state concentrations (given in µM • min) of NO•. The characteristics of the cellular cell cycle and apoptosis in NO•-treated A375 cells were also analyzed by Annexin V/PI and DNA fragmentation assays. Western blotting was applied to detect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins (p53, Bax, Fas, DR5, caspase-3 and -9, and PARP). When exposed to preformed 100% NO• for 8 h reactor system, a cumulative dose of 3360 μM • min reduced the viability by 22% 24 h after treatment and promoted apoptosis, 2.9- and 12.2-folds 24 and 48 h after treatment higher than the argon control, respectively. Cell cycle analysis 48 h after treatment revealed S-phase arrest in cells treated with 3360 μM • min NO•. It was also observed that the expression of p53, DR5, caspase 9 and PARP increased significantly upon NO• treatment. In addition, the present study assessed the inhibitory effects of endogenous NO• on the proliferation of human melanoma cells by employing specific (AMG, 1400W and/or SMTC) and nonspecific (NMA) NO• synthase (NOS) inhibitors resulting in melanoma cell growth inhibition; the highest cytotoxic effect was seen when inducible NOS inhibition by 1 mM 1400W treatment. Collectively, the present data suggest that NO• is involved in a key mechanism limiting melanoma proliferation and apoptosis, which may play in improving the efficacy of melanoma treatment
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