Effects of paramagnetic fluctuations on the thermochemistry of MnO (100) surfaces in the oxygen evolution reaction

We investigated the effects of paramagnetic (PM) fluctuations on the thermochemistry of the MnO(100) surface in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) using the "noncollinear magnetic sampling method \textit{plus} $U$" (NCMSM$+U$). Various physical properties, such as the electronic structure, free energy, and charge occupation, of the MnO (100) surface in the PM state with several OER intermediates, were reckoned and compared to those in the antiferromagnetic (AFM) state. We found that PM fluctuation enhances charge transfer from a surface Mn ion to each of the intermediates and strengthens the chemical bond between them, while not altering the overall features, such as the rate determining step and resting state, in reaction pathways. The enhanced charge transfer can be attributed to the delocalized nature of valence bands observed in the PM surface. In addition, it was observed that chemical-bond enhancement depends on the intermediates, resulting in significant deviations in reaction energy barriers. Our study suggests that PM fluctuations play a significant role in the thermochemistry of chemical reactions occurring on correlated oxide surfaces.Comment: Maintext: 15 pages, 3 figures 2 tables; SI: 3 pages, 2 figure

Assessing Binocular Interaction in Amblyopia and Its Clinical Feasibility

Purpose To measure binocular interaction in amblyopes using a rapid and patient-friendly computer-based method, and to test the feasibility of the assessment in the clinic. Methods: Binocular interaction was assessed in subjects with strabismic amblyopia (n = 7), anisometropic amblyopia (n = 6), strabismus without amblyopia (n = 15) and normal vision (n = 40). Binocular interaction was measured with a dichoptic phase matching task in which subjects matched the position of a binocular probe to the cyclopean perceived phase of a dichoptic pair of gratings whose contrast ratios were systematically varied. The resulting effective contrast ratio of the weak eye was taken as an indicator of interocular imbalance. Testing was performed in an ophthalmology clinic under 8 mins. We examined the relationships between our binocular interaction measure and standard clinical measures indicating abnormal binocularity such as interocular acuity difference and stereoacuity. The test-retest reliability of the testing method was also evaluated. Results: Compared to normally-sighted controls, amblyopes exhibited significantly reduced effective contrast (∼20%) of the weak eye, suggesting a higher contrast requirement for the amblyopic eye compared to the fellow eye. We found that the effective contrast ratio of the weak eye covaried with standard clincal measures of binocular vision. Our results showed that there was a high correlation between the 1st and 2nd measurements (r = 0.94, p<0.001) but without any significant bias between the two. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that abnormal binocular interaction can be reliably captured by measuring the effective contrast ratio of the weak eye and quantitative assessment of binocular interaction is a quick and simple test that can be performed in the clinic. We believe that reliable and timely assessment of deficits in a binocular interaction may improve detection and treatment of amblyopia

Optimum Power Controller for Random Number Generator in the Crypto Module of Ubiquitous Computing Environment

Abstract. Critical cryptography applications require the production of an unpredictable and unbiased stream of binary data derived from a fundamental noise mechanism, which is quite difficult to create with a stable random bit stream, as required for statistical randomness, when using a random generator with only a hardware component. However, since all electronic systems are influenced by a finite bandwidth, 1/f noise, and other non-random influences, perfect randomness cannot be preserved by any practical system. Thus, when generating random numbers using an electronic circuit, a low-power white noise signal is amplified, then sampled at a constant sampling frequency. Yet, it is quite difficult to create an unbiased and stable random bit stream, as required for statistical randomness, when using a random generator with only a hardware component and in especially it has occur the drift phenomena of input power. Therefore if the randomness of output bit stream is beyond limits range, it is applied the regulation of input power range to take the output bit stream, through the evaluation of randomness by constant period of output bit stream. Accordingly, this paper proposes a method for stabilizing the input power of a random number generator using optimum power control mechanism in crypto module hardware. As such, the proposed scheme is designed to reduce the statistical property of a biased bit stream and optimize the input power to a random number generator engine in crypto module engine for ubiquitous computing

Effects of an internal medicine floor interdisciplinary team on hospital and clinical outcomes of seniors with acute medical illness

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/100310/1/ggi12035.pd

Comparison of the MicroScan, VITEK 2, and Crystal GP with 16S rRNA sequencing and MicroSeq 500 v2.0 analysis for coagulase-negative Staphylococci

BACKGROUND: Three phenotypic identification systems (MicroScan, VITEK 2, and Crystal GP) were evaluated for their accuracy to identify coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). A total of 120 clinical isolates confirmed to be CNS via 16S rRNA sequencing and analysis with the MicroSeq 500 v2.0 database were assessed. RESULTS: The MicroScan, VITEK 2, and Crystal GP systems correctly identified 82.5%, 87.5%, and 67.5% of the isolates, respectively. Misidentification was the main problem in MicroScan (10.8%) and Crystal GP (23.3%) systems, whereas the main problem of VITEK 2 was low-level discrimination (7.5%). CONCLUSION: None of the 3 phenotypic systems tested could accurately and reliably identify CNS at the species level. Further verifications such as biochemical testing or 16S rRNA sequencing together with analysis using a comparable database might be helpful in this regard

Deregulation of CREB Signaling Pathway Induced by Chronic Hyperglycemia Downregulates NeuroD Transcription

CREB mediates the transcriptional effects of glucose and incretin hormones in insulin-target cells and insulin-producing β-cells. Although the inhibition of CREB activity is known to decrease the β-cell mass, it is still unknown what factors inversely alter the CREB signaling pathway in β-cells. Here, we show that β-cell dysfunctions occurring in chronic hyperglycemia are not caused by simple inhibition of CREB activity but rather by the persistent activation of CREB due to decreases in protein phophatase PP2A. When freshly isolated rat pancreatic islets were chronically exposed to 25 mM (high) glucose, the PP2A activity was reduced with a concomitant increase in active pCREB. Brief challenges with 15 mM glucose or 30 µM forskolin after 2 hour fasting further increased the level of pCREB and consequently induced the persistent expression of ICER. The excessively produced ICER was sufficient to repress the transcription of NeuroD, insulin, and SUR1 genes. In contrast, when islets were grown in 5 mM (low) glucose, CREB was transiently activated in response to glucose or forskolin stimuli. Thus, ICER expression was transient and insufficient to repress those target genes. Importantly, overexpression of PP2A reversed the adverse effects of chronic hyperglycemia and successfully restored the transient activation of CREB and ICER. Conversely, depletion of PP2A with siRNA was sufficient to disrupt the negative feedback regulation of CREB and induce hyperglycemic phenotypes even under low glucose conditions. Our findings suggest that the failure of the negative feedback regulation of CREB is the primary cause for β-cell dysfunctions under conditions of pathogenic hyperglycemia, and PP2A can be a novel target for future therapies aiming to protect β-cells mass in the late transitional phase of non-insulin dependent type 2 diabetes (NIDDM)

Spatial-frequency bandwidth requirements for pattern vision.

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. July 2010. Major: Psychology. Advisor: Gordon E. Legge. 1 computer file (PDF); xiii, 125 pages, appendices A-J. Ill. (some col.)Visual resolution is an important factor which affects human pattern recognition. Dealing with degraded visual resolution is relevant to both normally sighted and visually impaired individuals. This thesis describes three studies that address human pattern recognition under conditions of low resolution and its linkage to real life visual activities such as reading. Deficiencies of pattern recognition in peripheral vision might result in higher bandwidth requirements, and may contribute to the functional problems of people with central-field loss. In the first study (Chapter 2), we asked whether there are differences in spatial-frequency requirements between central and peripheral vision for pattern recognition. Critical bandwidths (i.e., the minimum low-pass filter bandwidth yielding 80% recognition accuracy) were measured for letter and face recognition. We found that critical bandwidths increased from central to peripheral vision for both letter and face recognition, demonstrating that peripheral vision requires higher bandwidth for pattern recognition than central vision. In the second study (Chapter 3), we asked how letter recognition is possible with severe reduction in the spatial resolution of letters. We addressed the question by testing the hypothesis that when spatial resolution is severely limited, the visual system relies increasingly on contrast coding for letter recognition. The size of the gap between contrast thresholds for detecting and recognizing letters was used as a marker for the extent of reliance for contrast coding. We found that as spatial resolution for rendering letters decreases, the system relies more on contrast differences. Letters are the fundamental building blocks of text. Besides single letter recognition, it has been proposed that the visual span, the number of letters that can be recognized without moving the eyes, imposes a limitation on reading speed. In the third study (Chapter 4), we investigated whether the bandwidth requirement for reading speed can be accounted for by the bandwidth requirement for letter recognition. We found that bandwidth limitations on reading performance appear to be closely associated with bandwidth limitations on the visual span, and also to a bandwidth limitation on letter recognition. Together, these three studies provide us with a better understanding of spatial-frequency requirements for pattern vision.Kwon, MiYoung. (2010). Spatial-frequency bandwidth requirements for pattern vision.. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/94982