Level Crossing Rate of Macrodiversity System in the Presence of Multipath Fading and Shadowing

Macrodiversity system including macrodiversity SC receiver and two microdiversity SC receivers is considered in this paper. Received signal experiences, simultaneously, both, long term fading and short term fading. Microdiversity SC receivers reduces Rayleigh fading effects on system performance and macrodiversity SC receiver mitigate Gamma shadowing effects on system performance. Closed form expressions for level crossing rate of microdiversity SC receivers output signals envelopes are calculated. This expression is used for evaluation of level crossing rate of macrodiversity SC receiver output signal envelope. Numerical expressions are illustrated to show the influence of Gamma shadowing severity on level crossing rate

Thrust Vector Controller Comparison for a Finless Rocket

The paper focuses on comparing applicability, tuning, and performance of different controllers implemented and tested on a finless rocket during its boost phase. The objective was to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each controller, such that the most appropriate one would then be developed and implemented in real-time in the finless rocket. The compared controllers were Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG), and Proportional Integral Derivative (PID). To control the attitude of the rocket, emphasis is given to the Thrust Vector Control (TVC) component (sub-system) through the gimballing of the rocket engine. The launcher is commanded through the control input thrust gimbal angle δ , while the output parameter is expressed in terms of the pitch angle θ . After deriving a linearized state–space model, rocket stability is addressed before controller implementation and testing. The comparative study showed that both LQR and LQG track pitch angle changes rapidly, thus providing efficient closed-loop dynamic tracking. Tuning of the LQR controller, through the Q and R weighting matrices, illustrates how variations directly affect performance of the closed-loop system by varying the values of the feedback gain (K). The LQG controller provides a more realistic profile because, in general, not all variables are measurable and available for feedback. However, disturbances affecting the system are better handled and reduced with the PID controller, thus overcoming steady-state errors due to aerodynamic and model uncertainty. Overall controller performance is evaluated in terms of overshoot, settling and rise time, and steady-state error

Functional expression of PHO1 to the Golgi and trans-Golgi network and its role in export of inorganic phosphate.

Arabidopsis thaliana PHO1 is primarily expressed in the root vascular cylinder and is involved in the transfer of inorganic phosphate (Pi) from roots to shoots. To analyze the role of PHO1 in transport of Pi, we have generated transgenic plants expressing PHO1 in ectopic A. thaliana tissues using an estradiol-inducible promoter. Leaves treated with estradiol showed strong PHO1 expression, leading to detectable accumulation of PHO1 protein. Estradiol-mediated induction of PHO1 in leaves from soil-grown plants, in leaves and roots of plants grown in liquid culture, or in leaf mesophyll protoplasts, was all accompanied by the specific release of Pi to the extracellular medium as early as 2-3 h after addition of estradiol. Net Pi export triggered by PHO1 induction was enhanced by high extracellular Pi and weakly inhibited by the proton-ionophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. Expression of a PHO1-GFP construct complementing the pho1 mutant revealed GFP expression in punctate structures in the pericycle cells but no fluorescence at the plasma membrane. When expressed in onion epidermal cells or in tobacco mesophyll cells, PHO1-GFP was associated with similar punctate structures that co-localized with the Golgi/trans-Golgi network and uncharacterized vesicles. However, PHO1-GFP could be partially relocated to the plasma membrane in leaves infiltrated with a high-phosphate solution. Together, these results show that PHO1 can trigger Pi export in ectopic plant cells, strongly indicating that PHO1 is itself a Pi exporter. Interestingly, PHO1-mediated Pi export was associated with its localization to the Golgi and trans-Golgi networks, revealing a role for these organelles in Pi transport

Correction to the Euler Lagrange multirotor model with Euler angles generalized coordinates

This technical note proves analytically how the exact equivalence of the Newton-Euler and Euler-Lagrange modeling formulations as applied to multirotor UAVs is achieved. This is done by deriving a correct Euler-Lagrange multirotor attitude dynamics model. A review of the published literature reveals that the commonly adopted Euler-Lagrange multirotor dynamics model is equivalent to the Newton-Euler model only when it comes to the position dynamics, but not in the attitude dynamics. Step-by-step derivations and calculations are provided to show how modeling equivalence to the Newton-Euler formulation is proven. The modeling equivalence is then verified by obtaining identical results in numerical simulation studies. Simulation results also illustrate that when using the correct model for feedback linearization, controller stability at high gains is improved

Effects of weight loss and exercise on insulin resistance, and intramyocellular triacylglycerol, diacylglycerol and ceramide.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Intramyocellular lipids, including diacylglycerol (DAG) and ceramides, have been linked to insulin resistance. This randomised repeated-measures study examined the effects of diet-induced weight loss (DIWL) and aerobic exercise (EX) on insulin sensitivity and intramyocellular triacylglycerol (IMTG), DAG and ceramide. METHODS: Sixteen overweight to obese adults (BMI 30.6 ± 0.8; 67.2 ± 4.0 years of age) with either impaired fasting glucose, or impaired glucose tolerance completed one of two lifestyle interventions: DIWL (n = 8) or EX (n = 8). Insulin sensitivity was determined using hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamps. Intramyocellular lipids were measured in muscle biopsies using histochemistry and tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Insulin sensitivity was improved with DIWL (20.6 ± 4.7%) and EX (19.2 ± 12.9%). Body weight and body fat were decreased by both interventions, with greater decreases in DIWL compared with EX. Muscle glycogen, IMTG content and oxidative capacity were all significantly (p < 0.05) decreased with DIWL and increased with EX. There were decreases in DAG with DIWL (-12.4 ± 14.6%) and EX (-40.9 ± 12.0%). Ceramide decreased with EX (-33.7 ± 11.2%), but not with DIWL. Dihydroceramide was decreased with both interventions. Sphingosine was decreased only with EX. Changes in total DAG, total ceramides and other sphingolipids did not correlate with changes in glucose disposal. Stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1 (SCD1) content was decreased with DIWL (-19.5 ± 8.5%, p < 0.05), but increased with EX (19.6 ± 7.4%, p < 0.05). Diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) was unchanged with the interventions. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Diet-induced weight loss and exercise training both improved insulin resistance and decreased DAG, while only exercise decreased ceramides, despite the interventions having different effects on IMTG. These alterations may be mediated through differential changes in skeletal muscle capacity for oxidation and triacylglycerol synthesis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00766298

Promiscuous, persistent and problematic: insights into current enterococcal genomics to guide therapeutic strategy

Abstract Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are major opportunistic pathogens and the causative agents of serious diseases, such as urinary tract infections and endocarditis. VRE strains mainly include species of Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis which can colonise the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of patients and, following growth and persistence in the gut, can transfer to blood resulting in systemic dissemination in the body. Advancements in genomics have revealed that hospital-associated VRE strains are characterised by increased numbers of mobile genetic elements, higher numbers of antibiotic resistance genes and often lack active CRISPR-Cas systems. Additionally, comparative genomics have increased our understanding of dissemination routes among patients and healthcare workers. Since the efficiency of currently available antibiotics is rapidly declining, new measures to control infection and dissemination of these persistent pathogens are urgently needed. These approaches include combinatory administration of antibiotics, strengthening colonisation resistance of the gut microbiota to reduce VRE proliferation through commensals or probiotic bacteria, or switching to non-antibiotic bacterial killers, such as bacteriophages or bacteriocins. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge of the genomics of VRE isolates and state-of-the-art therapeutic advances against VRE infections

Molecular Spiders in One Dimension

Molecular spiders are synthetic bio-molecular systems which have "legs" made of short single-stranded segments of DNA. Spiders move on a surface covered with single-stranded DNA segments complementary to legs. Different mappings are established between various models of spiders and simple exclusion processes. For spiders with simple gait and varying number of legs we compute the diffusion coefficient; when the hopping is biased we also compute their velocity.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figure

Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography of conjunctival mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma with presumed choroidal involvement

Conjunctival mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma has been well-described, but rarely do these lesions demonstrate intraocular involvement. We report a case of conjunctival MALT lymphoma with intraocular involvement and novel spectral-domain ocular coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings. A 75-year-old woman with biopsy-proven MALT lymphoma of the conjunctiva presented with ipsilateral yellowish diffuse choroidal infiltrates on fundoscopic examination. Choroidal involvement was documented clinically, on ultrasonography, on fluorescein angiography, and by SD-OCT. Treatment consisted of 3 weeks of oral doxycycline and six cycles of systemic chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and rituximab. There was no evidence of progression or recurrence of MALT lymphoma after 9 months of follow-up. Despite complete resolution of clinical findings, ultrasound, and fluorescein angiography, the choroidal lesions remained unchanged on SD-OCT. Choroidal involvement of conjunctival MALT is rare, and can be successfully treated. Persistence of irregularities on SD-OCT did not influence management in the presence of clinical improvement and resolution on ultrasonography and fluorescein angiography

MARCH6 and TRC8 facilitate the quality control of cytosolic and tail-anchored proteins.

Misfolded or damaged proteins are typically targeted for destruction by proteasome-mediated degradation, but the mammalian ubiquitin machinery involved is incompletely understood. Here, using forward genetic screens in human cells, we find that the proteasome-mediated degradation of the soluble misfolded reporter, mCherry-CL1, involves two ER-resident E3 ligases, MARCH6 and TRC8. mCherry-CL1 degradation is routed via the ER membrane and dependent on the hydrophobicity of the substrate, with complete stabilisation only observed in double knockout MARCH6/TRC8 cells. To identify a more physiological correlate, we used quantitative mass spectrometry and found that TRC8 and MARCH6 depletion altered the turnover of the tail-anchored protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). These E3 ligases associate with the intramembrane cleaving signal peptide peptidase (SPP) and facilitate the degradation of HO-1 following intramembrane proteolysis. Our results highlight how ER-resident ligases may target the same substrates, but work independently of each other, to optimise the protein quality control of selected soluble and tail-anchored proteins