Buerger's disease manifesting nodular erythema with livedo reticularis

ArticleINTERNAL MEDICINE. 46(21):1815-1819(2007)journal articl

A Fast Algorithm For Sparse Multichannel Blind Deconvolution

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)We have addressed blind deconvolution in a multichannel framework. Recently, a robust solution to this problem based on a Bayesian approach called sparse multichannel blind deconvolution (SMBD) was proposed in the literature with interesting results. However, its computational complexity can be high. We have proposed a fast algorithm based on the minimum entropy deconvolution, which is considerably less expensive. We designed the deconvolution filter to minimize a normalized version of the hybrid l(1)/l(2)-norm loss function. This is in contrast to the SMBD, in which the hybrid l(1)/l(2)-norm function is used as a regularization term to directly determine the deconvolved signal. Results with synthetic data determined that the performance of the obtained deconvolution filter was similar to the one obtained in a supervised framework. Similar results were also obtained in a real marine data set for both techniques.811V7V16CAPESCNPqPetrobrasCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Nitric Oxide Circumstances in Nitrogen-Oxide Seeded Low-Temperature Powling-Burner Flames

Flat low-temperature two-stage flames were established on a Powling burner using rich diethyl-ether/ air or n-heptane/air mixtures, and nitrogen monoxide NO was added into the fuel-air mixtures with a concentration of 240 ppm. The temperature development and chemical-species histories, especially of NO, nitrogen dioxide NO2 and hydrogen cyanide HCN were examined associated with an emission-spectrum measurement from the low-temperature flames. Nitrogen monoxide was consumed in the cool-flame region, where NO was converted to the NO2. The NO2 generated, however, fell suddenly in the cool-flame degenerate region, in which the HCN superseded. In the blue-flame region the NO came out again and developed accompanied with remained HCN in the post blue-flame region. The NO seeding into the mixture intensified the blue-flame luminescence probably due to the cyanide increase

Dynamics of Viscoplastic Deformation in Amorphous Solids

We propose a dynamical theory of low-temperature shear deformation in amorphous solids. Our analysis is based on molecular-dynamics simulations of a two-dimensional, two-component noncrystalline system. These numerical simulations reveal behavior typical of metallic glasses and other viscoplastic materials, specifically, reversible elastic deformation at small applied stresses, irreversible plastic deformation at larger stresses, a stress threshold above which unbounded plastic flow occurs, and a strong dependence of the state of the system on the history of past deformations. Microscopic observations suggest that a dynamically complete description of the macroscopic state of this deforming body requires specifying, in addition to stress and strain, certain average features of a population of two-state shear transformation zones. Our introduction of these new state variables into the constitutive equations for this system is an extension of earlier models of creep in metallic glasses. In the treatment presented here, we specialize to temperatures far below the glass transition, and postulate that irreversible motions are governed by local entropic fluctuations in the volumes of the transformation zones. In most respects, our theory is in good quantitative agreement with the rich variety of phenomena seen in the simulations.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figure

Phase transition in inelastic disks

This letter investigates the molecular dynamics of inelastic disks without external forcing. By introducing a new observation frame with a rescaled time, we observe the virtual steady states converted from asymptotic energy dissipation processes. System behavior in the thermodynamic limit is carefully investigated. It is found that a phase transition with symmetry breaking occurs when the magnitude of dissipation is greater than a critical value.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure

Exercise Effects on Methylation of ASC Gene

Chronic moderate exercise has been reported to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines. To analyze the molecular mechanisms by which training exerts these effects, the epigenetic influences of age and exercise on the ASC gene, which is responsible for IL-1 beta and IL-18 secretion, were investigated by ASC gene methylation. Further, the relationship between carcinogenesis and exercise, and methylation of the p15 tumor suppressive gene was also analyzed. High-intensity interval walking exercise, consisting of 3 min low-intensity walking at 40% of peak aerobic capacity followed by a 3 min high-intensity walking period above 70% of peak aerobic capacity, was continued for 6 months. Peripheral blood DNA extracts from young control (n = 34), older control (n = 153), and older exercise (n = 230) groups were then analyzed by pyrosequencing for DNA methylation. Methylation of ASC decreased significantly with age (young control vs. older control, p < 0.01), which is indicative of an age-dependent increase in ASC expression. Compared to the older control group, the degree of ASC methylation was higher in the older exercise group (older control vs. older exercise: p < 0.01), and presumably lower ASC expression. Neither exercise nor age affected the methylation of the p15. In summary, chronic moderate exercise appears to attenuate the age-dependent decrease in ASC methylation, implying suppression of excess pro-inflammatory cytokines through reduction of ASC expression.ArticleINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE. 31(9):671-675 (2010)journal articl

Formation of the oxygen torus in the inner magnetosphere: Van Allen Probes observations

We study the formation process of an oxygen torus during the 12–15 November 2012 magnetic storm, using the magnetic field and plasma wave data obtained by Van Allen Probes. We estimate the local plasma mass density (ρL) and the local electron number density (neL) from the resonant frequencies of standing Alfvén waves and the upper hybrid resonance band. The average ion mass (M) can be calculated by M ∼ ρL/neL under the assumption of quasi-neutrality of plasma. During the storm recovery phase, both Probe A and Probe B observe the oxygen torus at L = 3.0–4.0 and L = 3.7–4.5, respectively, on the morning side. The oxygen torus has M = 4.5–8 amu and extends around the plasmapause that is identified at L∼3.2–3.9. We find that during the initial phase, M is 4–7 amu throughout the plasma trough and remains at ∼1 amu in the plasmasphere, implying that ionospheric O+ ions are supplied into the inner magnetosphere already in the initial phase of the magnetic storm. Numerical calculation under a decrease of the convection electric field reveals that some of thermal O+ ions distributed throughout the plasma trough are trapped within the expanded plasmasphere, whereas some of them drift around the plasmapause on the dawnside. This creates the oxygen torus spreading near the plasmapause, which is consistent with the Van Allen Probes observations. We conclude that the oxygen torus identified in this study favors the formation scenario of supplying O+ in the inner magnetosphere during the initial phase and subsequent drift during the recovery phase

First record of chambered hexactinellid sponges from the Palaeozoic

p. 129-130Most chambered sponges (the polyphyletic group of "Sphinctozoa") are hypercalcified types and most of them probably belong to the Demospongia. "Spinctozoa" occur from the Cambrian to the Recent and are the most abundant sponges in Late Palaeozoic and Triassic reefs and shallow water limestones. Among hexactinellid sponges, chambered forms are very rare including taxa only from the Late Jurassic and the Late Triassic of Europe, Russia, Tadjikistan, Iran or China. There are five genera described Casearia Quenstedt, Caucasocoelia Boiko, Dracolychnos Wu & Xiao, Pseudo-verticillites Boiko and Innaecoelia Boiko, the latter of which is synomised with Casearia by most authors.S