2,486 research outputs found
Spectroscopic investigation of quantum confinement effects in ion implanted silicon-on-sapphire films
Crystalline Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) films were implanted with boron (B)
and phosphorous (P) ions. Different samples, prepared by varying the ion
dose in the range to 5 x and ion energy in the range
150-350 keV, were investigated by the Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence
(PL) spectroscopy and glancing angle x-ray diffraction (GAXRD). The Raman
results from dose dependent B implanted samples show red-shifted and
asymmetrically broadened Raman line-shape for B dose greater than
ions cm. The asymmetry and red shift in the Raman line-shape is
explained in terms of quantum confinement of phonons in silicon nanostructures
formed as a result of ion implantation. PL spectra shows size dependent visible
luminescence at 1.9 eV at room temperature, which confirms the presence
of silicon nanostructures. Raman studies on P implanted samples were also
done as a function of ion energy. The Raman results show an amorphous top SOS
surface for sample implanted with 150 keV P ions of dose 5 x ions
cm. The nanostructures are formed when the P energy is increased to
350 keV by keeping the ion dose fixed. The GAXRD results show consistency with
the Raman results.Comment: 9 Pages, 6 Figures and 1 Table, \LaTex format To appear in
SILICON(SPRINGER
Some Experiments on the influence of Problem Hardness in Morphological Development based Learning of Neural Controllers
Natural beings undergo a morphological development process of their bodies
while they are learning and adapting to the environments they face from infancy
to adulthood. In fact, this is the period where the most important learning
pro-cesses, those that will support learning as adults, will take place.
However, in artificial systems, this interaction between morphological
development and learning, and its possible advantages, have seldom been
considered. In this line, this paper seeks to provide some insights into how
morphological development can be harnessed in order to facilitate learning in
em-bodied systems facing tasks or domains that are hard to learn. In
particular, here we will concentrate on whether morphological development can
really provide any advantage when learning complex tasks and whether its
relevance towards learning in-creases as tasks become harder. To this end, we
present the results of some initial experiments on the application of
morpho-logical development to learning to walk in three cases, that of a
quadruped, a hexapod and that of an octopod. These results seem to confirm that
as task learning difficulty increases the application of morphological
development to learning becomes more advantageous.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure
Evaluation of 3D-Jury on CASP7 models
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>3D-Jury, the structure prediction consensus method publicly available in the Meta Server <url>http://meta.bioinfo.pl/</url>, was evaluated using models gathered in the 7<sup><it>th </it></sup>round of the Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction (CASP7). 3D-Jury is an automated expert process that generates protein structure meta-predictions from sets of models obtained from partner servers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The performance of 3D-Jury was analysed for three aspects. First, we examined the correlation between the 3D-Jury score and a model quality measure: the number of correctly predicted residues. The 3D-Jury score was shown to correlate significantly with the number of correctly predicted residues, the correlation is good enough to be used for prediction. 3D-Jury was also found to improve upon the competing servers' choice of the best structure model in most cases. The value of the 3D-Jury score as a generic reliability measure was also examined. We found that the 3D-Jury score separates bad models from good models better than the reliability score of the original server in 27 cases and falls short of it in only 5 cases out of a total of 38. We report the release of a new Meta Server feature: instant 3D-Jury scoring of uploaded user models.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The 3D-Jury score continues to be a good indicator of structural model quality. It also provides a generic reliability score, especially important for models that were not assigned such by the original server. Individual structure modellers can also benefit from the 3D-Jury scoring system by testing their models in the new instant scoring feature <url>http://meta.bioinfo.pl/compare_your_model_example.pl</url> available in the Meta Server.</p
A role for the tfs3 ICE-encoded type IV secretion system in pro-inflammatory signalling by the Helicobacter pylori Ser/Thr kinase, CtkA
Two distinct type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) can be identified in certain Helicobacter pylori strains, encoded on mobile genetic elements termed tfs3 and tfs4. Although their function remains unknown, both have been implicated in clinical outcomes of H. pylori infection. Here we provide evidence that the Tfs3 T4SS is required for activity of the pro-inflammatory Ser/Thr kinase protein, CtkA, in a gastric epithelial cell infection model. Previously, purified recombinant CtkA protein has been shown to upregulate NF-kappaB signalling and induce TNF-alpha and IL-8 cytokine secretion from cultured macrophages suggesting that it may potentiate the H. pylori-mediated inflammatory response. In this study, we show that CtkA expressed from its native host, H. pylori has a similar capacity for stimulation of a pro-inflammatory response from gastric epithelial cells. CtkA interaction was found to be dependent upon a complement of tfs3 T4SS genes, but independent of the T4SSs encoded by either tfs4 or the cag pathogenicity island. Moreover, the availability of CtkA for host cell interaction was shown to be conditional upon the carboxyl-terminus of CtkA, encoding a putative conserved secretion signal common to other variably encoded Tfs3 proteins. Collectively, our observations indicate a role for the Tfs3 T4SS in CtkA-mediated pro-inflammatory signalling by H. pylori and identify CtkA as a likely Tfs3 T4SS secretion substrate
Intracellular Water Exchange for Measuring the Dry Mass, Water Mass and Changes in Chemical Composition of Living Cells
We present a method for direct non-optical quantification of dry mass, dry density and water mass of single living cells in suspension. Dry mass and dry density are obtained simultaneously by measuring a cellâs buoyant mass sequentially in an H[subscript 2]O-based fluid and a D[subscript 2]O-based fluid. Rapid exchange of intracellular H[subscript 2]O for D[subscript 2]O renders the cellâs water content neutrally buoyant in both measurements, and thus the paired measurements yield the mass and density of the cellâs dry material alone. Utilizing this same property of rapid water exchange, we also demonstrate the quantification of intracellular water mass. In a population of E. coli, we paired these measurements to estimate the percent dry weight by mass and volume. We then focused on cellular dry density â the average density of all cellular biomolecules, weighted by their relative abundances. Given that densities vary across biomolecule types (RNA, DNA, protein), we investigated whether we could detect changes in biomolecular composition in bacteria, fungi, and mammalian cells. In E. coli, and S. cerevisiae, dry density increases from stationary to exponential phase, consistent with previously known increases in the RNA/protein ratio from up-regulated ribosome production. For mammalian cells, changes in growth conditions cause substantial shifts in dry density, suggesting concurrent changes in the protein, nucleic acid and lipid content of the cell.National Cancer Institute (U.S.). Physical Sciences-Oncology Center (U54CA143874)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Center for Cell Division Process Grant P50GM6876)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Contract R01CA170592)United States. Army Research Office (Institute for Collaborate Biotechnologies Contract W911NF-09-D-0001
Consumer perceptions of co-branding alliances: Organizational dissimilarity signals and brand fit
This study explores how consumers evaluate co-branding alliances between dissimilar partner firms. Customers are well aware that different firms are behind a co-branded product and observe the partner firmsâ characteristics. Drawing on signaling theory, we assert that consumers use organizational characteristics as signals in their assessment of brand fit and for their purchasing decisions. Some organizational signals are beyond the control of the co-branding partners or at least they cannot alter them on short notice. We use a quasi-experimental design and test how co-branding partner dissimilarity affects brand fit perception. The results show that co-branding partner dissimilarity in terms of firm size, industry scope, and country-of-origin image negatively affects brand fit perception. Firm age dissimilarity does not exert significant influence. Because brand fit generally fosters a benevolent consumer attitude towards a co-branding alliance, the findings suggest that high partner dissimilarity may reduce overall co-branding alliance performance
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