1,472 research outputs found
ALLY: An operator's associate for satellite ground control systems
The key characteristics of an intelligent advisory system is explored. A central feature is that human-machine cooperation should be based on a metaphor of human-to-human cooperation. ALLY, a computer-based operator's associate which is based on a preliminary theory of human-to-human cooperation, is discussed. ALLY assists the operator in carrying out the supervisory control functions for a simulated NASA ground control system. Experimental evaluation of ALLY indicates that operators using ALLY performed at least as well as they did when using a human associate and in some cases even better
HTLV-1 Integration into Transcriptionally Active Genomic Regions Is Associated with Proviral Expression and with HAM/TSP
Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes leukaemia or chronic inflammatory disease in âŒ5% of infected hosts. The level of proviral expression of HTLV-1 differs significantly among infected people, even at the same proviral load (proportion of infected mononuclear cells in the circulation). A high level of expression of the HTLV-1 provirus is associated with a high proviral load and a high risk of the inflammatory disease of the central nervous system known as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). But the factors that control the rate of HTLV-1 proviral expression remain unknown. Here we show that proviral integration sites of HTLV-1 in vivo are not randomly distributed within the human genome but are associated with transcriptionally active regions. Comparison of proviral integration sites between individuals with high and low levels of proviral expression, and between provirus-expressing and provirus non-expressing cells from within an individual, demonstrated that frequent integration into transcription units was associated with an increased rate of proviral expression. An increased frequency of integration sites in transcription units in individuals with high proviral expression was also associated with the inflammatory disease HAM/TSP. By comparing the distribution of integration sites in human lymphocytes infected in short-term cell culture with those from persistent infection in vivo, we infer the action of two selective forces that shape the distribution of integration sites in vivo: positive selection for cells containing proviral integration sites in transcriptionally active regions of the genome, and negative selection against cells with proviral integration sites within transcription units
High shock release in ultrafast laser irradiated metals: Scenario for material ejection
We present one-dimensional numerical simulations describing the behavior of
solid matter exposed to subpicosecond near infrared pulsed laser radiation. We
point out to the role of strong isochoric heating as a mechanism for producing
highly non-equilibrium thermodynamic states. In the case of metals, the
conditions of material ejection from the surface are discussed in a
hydrodynamic context, allowing correlation of the thermodynamic features with
ablation mechanisms. A convenient synthetic representation of the thermodynamic
processes is presented, emphasizing different competitive pathways of material
ejection. Based on the study of the relaxation and cooling processes which
constrain the system to follow original thermodynamic paths, we establish that
the metal surface can exhibit several kinds of phase evolution which can result
in phase explosion or fragmentation. An estimation of the amount of material
exceeding the specific energy required for melting is reported for copper and
aluminum and a theoretical value of the limit-size of the recast material after
ultrashort laser irradiation is determined. Ablation by mechanical
fragmentation is also analysed and compared to experimental data for aluminum
subjected to high tensile pressures and ultrafast loading rates. Spallation is
expected to occur at the rear surface of the aluminum foils and a comparison
with simulation results can determine a spall strength value related to high
strain rates
Violent video games and morality: a meta-ethical approach
This paper considers what it is about violent video games that leads one reasonably minded person to declare "That is immoral" while another denies it. Three interpretations of video game content a re discussed: reductionist, narrow, and broad. It is argued that a broad interpretation is required for a moral objection to be justified. It is further argued that understanding the meaning of moral utterances â like "x is immoral" â is important to an understanding of why there is a lack of moral consensus when it comes to the content of violent video games. Constructive ecumenical expressivism is presented as a means of explaining what it is that we are doing when we make moral pronouncements and why, when it comes to video game content, differing moral attitudes abound. Constructive ecumenical expressivism is also presented as a means of illuminating what would be required for moral consensus to be achieved
The equation of state of solid nickel aluminide
The pressure-volume-temperature equation of state of the intermetallic
compound NiAl was calculated theoretically, and compared with experimental
measurements. Electron ground states were calculated for NiAl in the CsCl
structure, using density functional theory, and were used to predict the cold
compression curve and the density of phonon states. The Rose form of
compression curve was found to reproduce the ab initio calculations well in
compression but exhibited significant deviations in expansion. A
thermodynamically-complete equation of state was constructed for NiAl. Shock
waves were induced in crystals of NiAl by the impact of laser-launched Cu
flyers and by launching NiAl flyers into transparent windows of known
properties. The TRIDENT laser was used to accelerate the flyers to speeds
between 100 and 600m/s. Point and line-imaging laser Doppler velocimetry was
used to measure the acceleration of the flyer and the surface velocity history
of the target. The velocity histories were used to deduce the stress state, and
hence states on the principal Hugoniot and the flow stress. Flyers and targets
were recovered from most experiments. The effect of elasticity and plastic flow
in the sample and window was assessed. The ambient isotherm reproduced static
compression data very well, and the predicted Hugoniot was consistent with
shock compression data
Transient optical response of ultrafast nonequilibrium excited metals: Effects of electron-electron contribution to collisional absorption
Approaching energy coupling in laser-irradiated metals, we point out the role
of electron-electron collision as an efficient control factor for ultrafast
optical absorption. The high degree of laser-induced electron-ion
nonequilibrium drives a complex absorption pattern with consequences on the
transient optical properties. Consequently, high electronic temperatures
determine largely the collision frequency and establish a transition between
absorptive regimes in solid and plasma phases. In particular, taking into
account umklapp electron-electron collisions, we performed hydrodynamic
simulations of the laser-matter interaction to calculate laser energy
deposition during the electron-ion nonequilibrium stage and subsequent matter
transformation phases. We observe strong correlations between optical and
thermodynamic properties according to the experimental situations. A suitable
connection between solid and plasma regimes is chosen in accordance with models
that describe the behavior in extreme, asymptotic regimes. The proposed
approach describes as well situations encountered in pump-probe types of
experiments, where the state of matter is probed after initial excitation.
Comparison with experimental measurements shows simulation results which are
sufficiently accurate to interpret the observed material behavior. A numerical
probe is proposed to analyze the transient optical properties of matter exposed
to ultrashort pulsed laser irradiation at moderate and high intensities.
Various thermodynamic states are assigned to the observed optical variation.
Qualitative indications of the amount of energy coupled in the irradiated
targets are obtained.
Keywords: ultrafast absorption ; umklapp electron-electron collision ;
collisional absorption ; laser-matter interactio
Crystal structures of oligonucleotides including the integrase processing site of the Moloney murine leukemia virus
In the first step of retroviral integration, integrase cleaves the linear viral DNA within its long terminal repeat (LTR) immediately 3âČ to the CA dinucleotide step, resulting in a reactive 3âČ OH on one strand and a 5âČ two base overhang on the complementary strand. In order to investigate the structural properties of the 3âČ end processing site within the Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV) LTR d(TCTTTCATT), a host-guest crystallographic method was employed to determine the structures of four self-complementary 16 bp oligonucleotides including LTR sequences (underlined), d(TTTCATTGCAATGAAA), d(CTTTCATTAATGAAAG), d(TCTTTCATATGAAAGA) and d(CACAATGATCATTGTG), the guests, complexed with the N-terminal fragment of MMLV reverse transcriptase, the host. The structures of the LTR-containing oligonucleotides were compared to those of non-LTR oligonucleotides crystallized in the same lattice. Properties unique to the CA dinucleotide step within the LTR sequence, independent of its position from the end of the duplex, include a positive roll angle and negative slide value. This propensity for the CA dinucleotide step within the MMLV LTR sequence to adopt only positive roll angles is likely influenced by the more rigid, invariable 3âČ and 5âČ flanking TT dinucleotide steps and may be important for specific recognition and/or cleavage by the MMLV integrase
Development and annotation of perennial Triticeae ESTs and SSR markers.
Triticeae contains hundreds of species of both annual and perennial types. Although substantial genomic tools are available for annual Triticeae cereals such as wheat and barley, the perennial Triticeae lack sufficient genomic resources for genetic mapping or diversity research. To increase the amount of sequence information available in the perennial Triticeae, three expressed sequence tag (EST) libraries were developed and annotated for Pseudoroegneria spicata, a mixture of both Elymus wawawaiensis and E. lanceolatus, and a Leymus cinereus x L. triticoides interspecific hybrid. The ESTs were combined into unigene sets of 8 780 unigenes for P. spicata, 11 281 unigenes for Leymus, and 7 212 unigenes for Elymus. Unigenes were annotated based on putative orthology to genes from rice, wheat, barley, other Poaceae, Arabidopsis, and the non-redundant database of the NCBI. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed, tested for amplification and polymorphism, and aligned to the rice genome. Leymus EST markers homologous to rice chromosome 2 genes were syntenous on Leymus homeologous groups 6a and 6b (previously 1b), demonstrating promise for in silico comparative mapping. All ESTs and SSR markers are available on an EST information management and annotation database (http://titan.biotec.uiuc.edu/triticeae/)
Matrin 3 and HIV Rev Regulation of mRNA
The nuclear matrix protein, MATR3, is a newly-described Rev cofactor whose mechanism of action is only starting to be revealed
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