Event synchronization: a simple and fast method to measure synchronicity and time delay patterns

We propose a simple method to measure synchronization and time delay patterns between signals. It is based on the relative timings of events in the time series, defined e.g. as local maxima. The degree of synchronization is obtained from the number of quasi-simultaneous appearances of events, and the delay is calculated from the precedence of events in one signal with respect to the other. Moreover, we can easily visualize the time evolution of the delay and synchronization level with an excellent resolution. We apply the algorithm to short rat EEG signals, some of them containing spikes. We also apply it to an intracranial human EEG recording containing an epileptic seizure, and we propose that the method might be useful for the detection of foci and for seizure prediction. It can be easily extended to other types of data and it is very simple and fast, thus being suitable for on-line implementations.Comment: 6 pages, including 6 figures, RevTe

Ultracold-neutron infrastructure for the gravitational spectrometer GRANIT

The gravitational spectrometer GRANIT will be set up at the Institut Laue Langevin. It will profit from the high ultracold neutron density produced by a dedicated source. A monochromator made of crystals from graphite intercalated with potassium will provide a neutron beam with 0.89 nm incident on the source. The source employs superthermal conversion of cold neutrons in superfluid helium, in a vessel made from BeO ceramics with Be windows. A special extraction technique has been tested which feeds the spectrometer only with neutrons with a vertical velocity component v < 20 cm/s, thus keeping the density in the source high. This new source is expected to provide a density of up to 800 1/cm3 for the spectrometer.Comment: accepted for publication in Proceedings International Workshop on Particle Physics with Slow Neutron

Reply to "Comment on 'Performance of different synchronization measures in real data: A case study on electroencephalographic signals'"

We agree with the Comment by Duckrow and Albano [Phys. Rev. E 67, 063901 (2003)] that mutual information, estimated with an optimized algorithm, can be a useful tool for studying synchronization in real data. However, we point out that the improvement they found is mainly due to an interesting but nonstandard embedding technique used, and not so much due to the algorithm used for the estimation of mutual information itself. We also address the issue of stationarity of electroencephalographic (EEG) data

DAPK3 participates in the mRNA processing of immediate early genes in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

Cross‐linking of the B cell receptor (BCR) induces transcriptional activation of immediate early genes (IEGs) including EGR1 and DUSP2 in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Here, we have shown that this transcriptional activation correlated with histone H3 threonine 6 and 11 phosphorylation. Both transcription and histone post‐translational modifications are repressed by ibrutinib, a small molecule inhibitor used in CLL treatment. Moreover, we have identified the Death‐Associated Protein Kinase 3 (DAPK3), as the kinase mediating these histone phosphorylation marks in response to activation of the BCR signalling pathway with this kinase being recruited to RNA polymerase II in an anti‐IgM‐dependent manner. DAPK inhibition mimics ibrutinib‐induced repression of both IEG mRNA and histone H3 phosphorylation and has anti‐proliferative effect comparable to ibrutinib in CLL in vitro. DAPK inhibitor (DAPKi) does not repress transcription itself but impacts on mRNA processing and has a broader anti‐tumour effect than ibrutinib, by repressing both anti‐IgM‐ and CD40L‐dependent activation

GRANIT project: a trap for gravitational quantum states of UCN

Previous studies of gravitationally bound states of ultracold neutrons showed the quantization of energy levels, and confirmed quantum mechanical predictions for the average size of the two lowest energy states wave functions. Improvements in position-like measurements can increase the accuracy by an order of magnitude only. We therefore develop another approach, consisting in accurate measurements of the energy levels. The GRANIT experiment is devoted to the study of resonant transitions between quantum states induced by an oscillating perturbation. According to Heisenberg's uncertainty relations, the accuracy of measurement of the energy levels is limited by the time available to perform the transitions. Thus, trapping quantum states will be necessary, and each source of losses has to be controlled in order to maximize the lifetime of the states. We discuss the general principles of transitions between quantum states, and consider the main systematical losses of neutrons in a trap.Comment: presented in ISINN 15 seminar, Dubn

Characterization of a radial turbocharger turbine in pulsating flow by means of CFD and its application to engine modeling

This paper presents a numerical study analyzing the effect of pulsating flow in a variable geometry radial inflow turbine. The turbine behavior is analyzed under isentropic pulses, which are similar to those created by a rotating disk in a turbocharger test rig. Three different pulse frequencies (50, 90 and 130 Hz) and two pulse amplitudes (100 and 180 kPa) were considered. Turbine flow was studied throughout the pressure pulsation cycles in a wide range of off-design operating conditions, from low pressure ratio flow detachment to high pressure ratio choked flow. An overall analysis of the phasing of instantaneous mass flow and pressure ratio was first performed and the results show the non-quasi-steady behavior of the turbine as a whole as described in the literature. However, the analysis of the flow in the different turbine components independently gives a different picture. As the turbine volute has greater length and volume than the other components, it is the main source of non-quasi-steadiness of the turbine. The stator nozzles cause fewer accumulation effects than the volute, but present a small degree of hysteretic behavior due to flow separation and reattachment cycle around the vanes. Finally, the flow in the moving rotor behaves as quasi-steady, as far as flow capacity is concerned, although the momentum transfer between exhaust gas and blades (and thus work production and thermal efficiency) is affected by a hysteretic cycle against pressure ratio, but not if blade speed ratio is considered instead. A simple model to simulate the turbine stator and rotor is proposed, based on the results obtained from the CFD computations.The authors are indebted to the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad through Project TRA 2010-16205. The proof-reading of the paper was funded by the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Spain.Galindo, J.; Fajardo, P.; Navarro García, R.; García-Cuevas González, LM. (2013). Characterization of a radial turbocharger turbine in pulsating flow by means of CFD and its application to engine modeling. Applied Energy. 103:116-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2012.09.013S11612710

Autologous chondrocyte implantation versus ACI using 3D-bioresorbable graft for the treatment of large full-thickness cartilage lesions of the knee

BACKGROUND: In autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), the periosteum patch which is sutured over the cartilage defect has been identified as a major source of complications such as periosteal hypertrophy. In the present retrospective study, we compared midterm results of first-generation ACI with a periosteal patch to second generation ACI using a biodegradable collagen fleece (BioSeed-C) in 82 patients suffering from chronic posttraumatic and degenerative cartilage lesions of the knee. METHODS: Clinical outcome was assessed in 42 patients of group 1 and in 40 patients of group 2 before implantation of the autologous chondrocytes and at a minimum follow-up of 2 years using the ICRS score, the modified Cincinnati score and the Lysholm score. RESULTS: Although patients treated with BioSeed-C had more previous surgical procedures on their respective knees, highly significant improvements (P < 0.001) were assessed in both groups at comparable outcome levels: the ICRS score improved from grade D (poor) preoperatively to grade C (fair); the modified Cincinnati knee score from 3.26 to 6.4 (group 1) and 3.3 and 6.88 (group 2). Lysholm score improved from 33 to 70 points (group 1) and from 47 to 78 points (group 2), respectively. Revision surgery was due to symptomatic periosteal hypertrophy (n = 4), graft failure (n = 3), plica syndrome (n = 2) synovectomy (n = 1) (group 1); and graft failure (n = 2), debridement (n = 1), synovectomy (n = 2) (group 2). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that BioSeed-C is an equally effective treatment option for focal degenerative chondral lesions of the knee in this challenging and complex patient profile