149 research outputs found
Interatomic Coulombic Decay following Photoionization of the Helium Dimer: Observation of Vibrational Structure
Using synchrotron radiation we simultaneously ionize and excite one helium
atom of a helium dimer (He_2) in a shakeup process. The populated states of the
dimer ion (i.e. He^[*+](n = 2; 3)-He) are found to deexcite via interatomic
coulombic decay. This leads to the emission of a second electron from the
neutral site and a subsequent coulomb explosion. In this letter we present a
measurement of the momenta of fragments that are created during this reaction.
The electron energy distribution and the kinetic energy release of the two He^+
ions show pronounced oscillations which we attribute to the structure of the
vibrational wave function of the dimer ion.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
The morphology of CLL revisited: the clinical significance of prolymphocytes and correlations with prognostic/molecular markers in the LRF CLL4 trial.
Historically, an increase in the percentage and number of circulating prolymphocytes in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) has been associated with strong expression of surface immunoglobulin, trisomy 12 and a poor outcome. This study re-examines the biological and clinical significance of increased peripheral blood prolymphocytes in 508 patients at entry into the randomized UK Leukaemia Research Fund CLL4 trial. It also investigates the associations between increased prolymphocytes and a comprehensive array of biomarkers. 270 patients (53%) had <5% prolymphocytes, 167 (33%) had 5-9%, 60 (12%) had 10-14% and 11 (2%) had ≥15% prolymphocytes. We show that a higher proportion of prolymphocytes (≥10%) was independently associated with NOTCH1 mutations (P = 0·006), absence of 13q deletion (P = 0·001), high CD38 expression (P = 0·02) and unmutated IGHV genes (P = 0·01). Deaths due to Richter syndrome were significantly more common amongst patients who had ≥10% vs <10% prolymphocytes (13% vs 2%) respectively (P < 0·0001). ≥10% prolymphocytes was also associated with a shorter progression-free survival (Hazard ratio [HR] 1·50 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1·16-1·93], P = 0·002) and overall survival (HR 1·99 [95% CI: 1·53-2·59], P < 0·0001). Our data support the routine examination of blood films in CLL and suggest that a finding of an increased proportion of prolymphocytes may be a trigger for further evaluation of clinical and laboratory features of progressive disease
Intelligence architecture to detect patterns in scanned documents
La Inteligencia Artificial (en adelante IA) puede ser útil para aumentar la eficiencia en el abordaje de los casos que los Poderes Judiciales deben resolver. Sin embargo, los sistemas judiciales en países de Latinoamérica cuentan con ciertos desafíos para la aplicación de sistemas de IA que deben ser superados si se desea aprovechar los beneficios de la automatización inteligente. Los documentos, a lo largo de su ciclo de vida, suelen estar sujetos a escaneos, impresiones y retrabajos en ambos sentidos. En esta presentación se propone una forma alternativa a la de los reconocedores ópticos de caracteres (OCR), basada en IA aplicada a la detección de patrones en imágenes, que puede contribuir a paliar las dificultades mencionadas; no sólo en el ámbito del caso de estudio aplicado, sino en muy diversos dominios de sistemas de gestión de documentos públicos en la región.Artificial Intelligence (AI hereinafter) can be useful to increase efficiency in dealing with cases that the Judiciary must resolve. However, judicial systems in Latin American countries have certain challenges for the application of AI systems that must be overcome if the benefits of intelligent automation are to be exploited. Documents, throughout their life cycle, are often subject to scanning, printing and reworking in both directions. In this paper we propose an alternative way to OCR, based on AI applied to image pattern detection, which can contribute to alleviate the difficulties mentioned above, not only in the applied case study, but also in many different domains of public document management systems in the regionSociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ
La fauna del pleistoceno inferior de la sierra de Quibas (Abanilla, Murcia)
El yacimiento kárstico cuaternario de la Sierra de Quibas (Abanilla, Murcia) ha proporcionado
una amplia lista faunística constituida por 53 especies repartidas entre gasterópodos,
miriápodos, anfibios, reptiles, aves y mamíferos. En el conjunto de los gasterópodos
destaca Palaeoglandina, un género que se extingue en el resto de Europa durante el Plioceno
y que se mantiene como relicto en el Pleistoceno de la Península Ibérica. Dos de las
especies de aves determinadas, Gypaetus barbatus y Gerontieus eremita, y una de las serpientes,
Elaphe cf. E. sealaris, apenas se hallan representadas en el registro fósil. Hay además
varias especies de aves cuya aparición en Quibas supone la primera cita en el Pleistoceno
inferior de la Península Ibérica. Entre los mamíferos posee una especial relevancia la
presencia del cercopitécido Macaca sylvanus. La asociación de los taxones Arvieola deuealíon,
Castillomys rivas rivas, Elíomys intermedius, Equus altidens y Capra sp. aff. C.
alba permite la correlación con Plines 1, Orce 3 y Venta Micena, entre otros. El yacimiento
de Quibas puede situarse, por tanto, antes del final del Pleistoceno inferior, con una antigüedad
entre 1.3 y 1 Ma. Por lo que se refiere a las condiciones paleoclimáticas, podemos
inferir a partir de la asociación faunística un régimen xerófilo, muy semejante al actual en
el área geográfica, aunque quizás con valores de humedad y temperatura algo superiores.
El entorno de la cavidad kárstica estaba formado por roquedo calcáreo con áreas abiertas
de matorral, pero en las proximidades se desarrollaron humedales y zonas arboladas, como
así lo atestigua la presencia de aves y micromamíferos típicos de estos hábitats.The Quaternary karstic site of Sierra de Quibas (Abanilla, Murcia, Spain) has provided
a wide faunallist with 53 species distributed among gastropods, myriapods, amphibians,
reptiles, birds and mammals. Especially interesting among the gastropods is
Palaeoglandina that became extinct in Europe during the Pliocene. It remains as a relict
genus in the Pleistocene of the Iberian Peninsula. Two of the birds, Gypaetus barbatus
and Geronticus eremita, and a snake, Elaphe cf. E. sealaris, are scarcely represented in the fossil record. For several birds, it is the first record in the Lower Pleistocene of the
Iberian Peninsula. Among the mammals, the presence of the Cercopithecine Macaca sylvanus
is especially relevant. The assemblage of the taxa Arvicola deucalion, Castillomys
rivas rivas, Eliomys intermedius, Equus altidens and Capra sp. aff. C. alba allows the
correlation with Plines 1, Orce 3 and Venta Micena, among other sites. Therefore Quibas
can be clated before the end of Lower Pleistocene, between 1.3 and 1 Ma. A dry paleoclimatic
regime, very similar to the current climate in the geographical area, though perhaps
slightly wetter and warmer, can be inferred from the faunal assemblage. The environment
of the karstic cavity was a rocky place with open brushwood areas, but in the
proximities there were wetlands and woodlands, as can be inferred from the presence of
birds and micromammals characteristic of these [email protected] [email protected]
Effect of partial preferential orientation and distortions in octahedral clusters on the photoluminescence properties of FeWO4 nanocrystals
This communication is a report of our initial research to obtain iron tungstate (FeWO4) nanocrystals by the microwave-hydrothermal method at 170 degrees C for 45 min. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the FeWO4 nanocrystals prepared with polyethylene glycol-200 have a partial preferential orientation in the (011) plane in relation to other nanocrystals prepared with sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate and water. Rietveld refinement data indicates that all nanocrystals are monophasic with wolframite-type monoclinic structures and exhibit different distortions on octahedral [FeO6]/[WO6] clusters. High resolution transmission electron microcopy revealed an oriented attachment mechanism for the growth of aggregated FeWO4 nanocrystals. Finally, we observed that the photoluminescence properties of these nanocrystals are affected by partial preferential orientation in the (011) plane and distortions on [FeO6]/[WO6] clusters.Brazilian research financing institution FAPESPBrazilian research financing institution: FAPESP [2009/53189-8, 2009/50303-4]Brazilian research financing institution: CNPq [159710/2011-1]Brazilian research financing institution: CNPqBrazilian research financing institution: CAPESBrazilian research financing institution: CAPE
Heterozygous CAPN3 missense variants causing autosomal-dominant calpainopathy in seven unrelated families
[Aims] Recessive variants in CAPN3 gene are the cause of the commonest form of autosomal recessive limb girdle muscle dystrophy. However, two distinct in-frame deletions in CAPN3 (NM_000070.3:c.643_663del21 and c.598_621del15) and more recently, Gly445Arg and Arg572Pro substitutions have been linked to autosomal dominant (AD) forms of calpainopathy. We report 21 affected individuals from seven unrelated families presenting with an autosomal dominant form of muscular dystrophy associated with five different heterozygous missense variants in CAPN.[Methods] We have used massively parallel gene sequencing (MPS) to determine the genetic basis of a dominant form of limb girdle muscular dystrophy in affected individuals from seven unrelated families.[Results] The c.700G> A, [p.(Gly234Arg)], c.1327T> C [p.(Ser443Pro], c.1333G> A [p.(Gly445Arg)], c.1661A> C [p.(Tyr554Ser)] and c.1706T> C [p.(Phe569Ser)] CAPN3 variants were identified. Affected individuals presented in young adulthood with progressive proximal and axial weakness, waddling walking and scapular winging or with isolated hyperCKaemia. Muscle imaging showed fatty replacement of paraspinal muscles, variable degrees of involvement of the gluteal muscles, and the posterior compartment of the thigh and minor changes at the mid-leg level. Muscle biopsies revealed mild myopathic changes. Western blot analysis revealed a clear reduction in calpain 3 in skeletal muscle relative to controls. Protein modelling of these variants on the predicted structure of calpain 3 revealed that all variants are located in proximity to the calmodulin-binding site and are predicted to interfere with proteolytic activation.[Conclusions] We expand the genotypic spectrum of CAPN3-associated muscular dystrophy due to autosomal dominant missense variants.This study was funded in part by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the project PI14/00738 to M. O. (co-funded by European Regional Development Fund. ERDF, a way to build Europe). We thank CERCA Programme / Generalitat de Catalunya for institutional support NGL (APP1117510) and GR (APP1122952) are supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). This work is also funded by an NHMRC Project Grant (APP1080587).Peer reviewe
Centralized Inverted Decoupling Control
This paper presents a new methodology of multivariable centralized control based on the structure of inverted decoupling. The method is presented for general n×n processes, obtaining very simple general expressions for the controller elements with a complexity independent of the system size. The possible configurations and realizability conditions are stated. Then, the specification of performance requirements is carried out from simple open loop transfer functions for three common cases. As a particular case, it is shown that the resulting controller elements have PI structure or filtered derivative action plus a time delay when the process elements are given by first order plus time delay systems. Comparisons with other works demonstrate the effectiveness of this methodology through the use of several simulation examples and an experimental lab process
Orange jasmine as a trap crop to control Diaphorina citri
[EN] Novel, suitable and sustainable alternative control tactics that have the potential to reduce migration of Diaphorina citri into commercial citrus orchards are essential to improve management of huanglongbing (HLB). In this study, the effect of orange jasmine (Murraya paniculata) as a border trap crop on psyllid settlement and dispersal was assessed in citrus orchards. Furthermore, volatile emission profiles and relative attractiveness of both orange jasmine and sweet orange (Citrus¿×¿aurantium L., syn. Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) nursery flushes to D. citri were investigated. In newly established citrus orchards, the trap crop reduced the capture of psyllids in yellow sticky traps and the number of psyllids that settled on citrus trees compared to fallow mowed grass fields by 40% and 83%, respectively. Psyllids were attracted and killed by thiamethoxam-treated orange jasmine suggesting that the trap crop could act as a `sink¿ for D. citri. Additionally, the presence of the trap crop reduced HLB incidence by 43%. Olfactometer experiments showed that orange jasmine plays an attractive role on psyllid behavior and that this attractiveness may be associated with differences in the volatile profiles emitted by orange jasmine in comparison with sweet orange. Results indicated that insecticide-treated M. paniculata may act as a trap crop to attract and kill D. citri before they settled on the edges of citrus orchards, which significantly contributes to the reduction of HLB primary spread.This work was supported by Fund for Citrus Protection (Fundecitrus) and by Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) (Proc. 2015/07011-3). We thank Moacir Celio Vizone, Felipe Marinho Martini and Joao Pedro Ancoma Lopes for technical support with experiments. Furthermore, we thank Cambuhy Agricola Ltda. and University of Araraquara (Uniara) for providing the areas in which the field experiments were performed. 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Finding the “Dark Matter” in Human and Yeast Protein Network Prediction and Modelling
Accurate modelling of biological systems requires a deeper and more complete knowledge about the molecular components and their functional associations than we currently have. Traditionally, new knowledge on protein associations generated by experiments has played a central role in systems modelling, in contrast to generally less trusted bio-computational predictions. However, we will not achieve realistic modelling of complex molecular systems if the current experimental designs lead to biased screenings of real protein networks and leave large, functionally important areas poorly characterised. To assess the likelihood of this, we have built comprehensive network models of the yeast and human proteomes by using a meta-statistical integration of diverse computationally predicted protein association datasets. We have compared these predicted networks against combined experimental datasets from seven biological resources at different level of statistical significance. These eukaryotic predicted networks resemble all the topological and noise features of the experimentally inferred networks in both species, and we also show that this observation is not due to random behaviour. In addition, the topology of the predicted networks contains information on true protein associations, beyond the constitutive first order binary predictions. We also observe that most of the reliable predicted protein associations are experimentally uncharacterised in our models, constituting the hidden or “dark matter” of networks by analogy to astronomical systems. Some of this dark matter shows enrichment of particular functions and contains key functional elements of protein networks, such as hubs associated with important functional areas like the regulation of Ras protein signal transduction in human cells. Thus, characterising this large and functionally important dark matter, elusive to established experimental designs, may be crucial for modelling biological systems. In any case, these predictions provide a valuable guide to these experimentally elusive regions
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