128 research outputs found
A real-time hybrid neuron network for highly parallel cognitive systems
For comprehensive understanding of how neurons communicate with each other, new tools need to be developed that can accurately mimic the behaviour of such neurons and neuron networks under 'real-time' constraints. In this paper, we propose an easily customisable, highly pipelined, neuron network design, which executes optimally scheduled floating-point operations for maximal amount of biophysically plausible neurons per FPGA family type. To reduce the required amount of resources without adverse effect on the calculation latency, a single exponent instance is used for multiple neuron calculation operations. Experimental results indicate that the proposed network design allows the simulation of up to 1188 neurons on Virtex7 (XC7VX550T) device in brain real-time yielding a speed-up of x12.4 compared to the state-of-the art
Regulatory Taking: A Contract Approach
This Article begins by defining the parameters of the fifth amendment\u27s taking clause. The Article then reviews the various tests used in determining whether governmental action constitutes a taking, and discusses the recent Supreme Court decisions within the framework of case law as it has evolved since the Court\u27s 1922 landmark decision, Pennsylvania Coal Co. v. Mahon. Finally, the Article suggests a formula based on well-established contract principles for analyzing the impact of land use regulation on private property interests
Minimal charge gap in the ionic Hubbard model
We study the ionic Hubbard model at temperature T=0 within the mean-field
approximation, and show that the charge gap does not close completely at the
ionic-band insulator to antiferromagnetic insulator transition, contrary to
previous expectations. Furthermore, we find an intermediate phase for on-site
repulsions for different lattices, and calculate the phase diagram for
the ionic Hubbard model with alternating U, corresponding to a Cu-O lattice.Comment: 5 pages with 7 figures; minor correction
Spin-dependent transport in metal/semiconductor tunnel junctions
This paper describes a model as well as experiments on spin-polarized tunnelling with the aid of optical spin orientation. This involves tunnel junctions between a magnetic material and gallium arsenide (GaAs), where the latter is optically excited with circularly polarized light in order to generate spin-polarized carriers. A transport model is presented that takes account of carrier capture in the semiconductor surface states, and describes the semiconductor surface in terms of a spin-dependent energy distribution function. The so-called surface spin-splitting can be calculated from the balance of the polarized electron and hole flow in the semiconductor subsurface region, the polarized tunnelling current across the tunnel barrier between the magnetic material and the semiconductor surface, and the spin relaxation at the semiconductor surface.
Measurements are presented of the circular-polarization-dependent photocurrent (the so-called helicity asymmetry) in thin-film tunnel junctions of Co/Al2O3/GaAs. In the absence of a tunnel barrier, the helicity asymmetry is caused by magneto-optical effects (magnetic circular dichroism). In the case where a tunnel barrier is present, the data cannot be explained by magneto-optical effects alone; the deviations provide evidence that spin-polarized tunnelling due to optical spin orientation occurs. In Co/τ-MnAl/AlAs/GaAs junctions no deviations from the magneto-optical effects are observed, most probably due to the weak spin polarization of τ-MnAl along the tunnelling direction; the latter is corroborated by bandstructure calculations. Finally, the application of photoexcited GaAs for spin-polarized tunnelling in a scanning tunnelling microscope is discussed.
Single Spin Superconductivity: Formulation and Ginzburg-Landau Theory
We describe a novel superconducting phase that arises due to a pairing
instability of the half-metallic antiferromagnetic (HM AFM) normal state. This
single spin superconducting (SSS) phase contains broken time reversal symmetry
in addition to broken gauge symmetry, the former due to the underlying magnetic
order in the normal state. A classification of normal state symmetries leads to
the conclusion that the HM AFM normal phase whose point group contains the
inversion operator contains the least symmetry possible which still allows for
a zero momentum pairing instability. The Ginzburg-Landau free energy for the
superconducting order parameter is constructed consistent with the symmetry of
the normal phase, electromagnetic gauge invariance and the crystallographic
point group symmetry including inversion. For cubic, hexagonal and tetragonal
point groups, the possible symmetries of the superconducting phase are
classified, and the free energy is used to construct a generalized phase
diagram. We identify the leading candidate out of the possible SSS phases for
each point group. The symmetry of the superconducting phase is used to
determine the cases where the gap function has generic zeros (point or line
nodes) on the Fermi surface. Such nodes always occur, hence thermodynamic
properties will have power-law behavior at low temperature.Comment: 39 pages, RevTeX, 4 PostScript figures included, submitted to Phys.
Rev.
Role of defects and disorder in the half-metallic full-Heusler compounds
Half-metallic ferromagnets and especially the full-Heusler alloys containing
Co are at the center of scientific research due to their potential applications
in spintronics. For realistic devices it is important to control accurately the
creation of defects in these alloys. We review some of our late results on the
role of defects and impurities in these compounds. More precisely we present
results for the following cases (i) doping and disorder in CoCr(Mn)Al(Si)
alloys, (ii) half-metallic ferrimagnetism appeared due to the creation of
Cr(Mn) antisites in these alloys, (iii) Co-doping in MnVAl(Si) alloys
leading to half-metallic antiferromagnetism, and finally (iv) the occurrence of
vacancies in the full-Heusler alloys containing Co and Mn. These results are
susceptible of encouraging further theoretical and experimental research in the
properties of these compounds.Comment: Chapter intended for a book with contributions of the invited
speakers of the International Conference on Nanoscale Magnetism 2007. Revised
version contains new figure
The Chromosomal Passenger Complex Activates Polo Kinase at Centromeres
INCENP acts as a protein scaffold that integrates the functions of two crucial mitotic kinases, Aurora B and Polo, at centromeres of mitotic chromosomes
The Chromosomal Passenger Complex Activates Polo Kinase at Centromeres
INCENP acts as a protein scaffold that integrates the functions of two crucial mitotic kinases, Aurora B and Polo, at centromeres of mitotic chromosomes
Anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome protein Cdc27 is a target for curcumin-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), the yellow pigment in the Asian spice turmeric, is a hydrophobic polyphenol from the rhizome of <it>Curcuma longa</it>. Because of its chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic potential with no discernable side effects, it has become one of the major natural agents being developed for cancer therapy. Accumulating evidence suggests that curcumin induces cell death through activation of apoptotic pathways and inhibition of cell growth and proliferation. The mitotic checkpoint, or spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), is the major cell cycle control mechanism to delay the onset of anaphase during mitosis. One of the key regulators of the SAC is the anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) which ubiquitinates cyclin B and securin and targets them for proteolysis. Because APC/C not only ensures cell cycle arrest upon spindle disruption but also promotes cell death in response to prolonged mitotic arrest, it has become an attractive drug target in cancer therapy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cell cycle profiles were determined in control and curcumin-treated medulloblastoma and various other cancer cell lines. Pull-down assays were used to confirm curcumin binding. APC/C activity was determined using an <it>in vitro </it>APC activity assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We identified Cdc27/APC3, a component of the APC/C, as a novel molecular target of curcumin and showed that curcumin binds to and crosslinks Cdc27 to affect APC/C function. We further provide evidence that curcumin preferably induces apoptosis in cells expressing phosphorylated Cdc27 usually found in highly proliferating cells.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We report that curcumin directly targets the SAC to induce apoptosis preferably in cells with high levels of phosphorylated Cdc27. Our studies provide a possible molecular mechanism why curcumin induces apoptosis preferentially in cancer cells and suggest that phosphorylation of Cdc27 could be used as a biomarker to predict the therapeutic response of cancer cells to curcumin.</p
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