36,339 research outputs found
Performance and evaluation of real-time multicomputer control systems
New performance measures, detailed examples, modeling of error detection process, performance evaluation of rollback recovery methods, experiments on FTMP, and optimal size of an NMR cluster are discussed
Performance and evaluation of real-time multicomputer control systems
Three experiments on fault tolerant multiprocessors (FTMP) were begun. They are: (1) measurement of fault latency in FTMP; (2) validation and analysis of FTMP synchronization protocols; and investigation of error propagation in FTMP
Diamond growth in premixed propylene-oxygen flames
Diamond film growth in low-pressure premixed propylene/oxygen flames is demonstrated. Well-faceted films are grown at a pressure of 180 Torr and a fuel/oxygen ratio of 0.47. Using propylene as the fuel may greatly improve the economics of flame synthesis of diamond, since propylene is an order of magnitude cheaper than acetylene
Self-subdiffusion in solutions of star-shaped crowders: non-monotonic effects of inter-particle interactions
We examine by extensive computer simulations the self-diffusion of
anisotropic star like particles in crowded two-dimensional solutions. We
investigate the implications of the area coverage fraction of the
crowders and the crowder-crowder adhesion properties on the regime of transient
anomalous diffusion. We systematically compute the mean squared displacement
(MSD) of the particles, their time averaged MSD, as well as the effective
diffusion coefficient. The diffusion appears ergodic in the limit of long
traces, such that the time averaged MSD converges towards the ensemble averaged
MSD and features a small residual amplitude spread of the time averaged MSD
from individual trajectories. At intermediate time scales we quantify the
anomalous diffusion in the system. Also, we show that the translational---but
not rotational---diffusivity of the particles is a non-monotonic function
of the attraction strength between them. Both diffusion coefficients decrease
as with the area fraction occupied by
the crowders. Our results might be applicable to rationalising the experimental
observations of non-Brownian diffusion for a number of standard macromolecular
crowders used in vitro to mimic the cytoplasmic conditions of living cells.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure
Sensing viruses by mechanical tension of DNA in responsive hydrogels
The rapid worldwide spread of severe viral infections, often involving novel
modifications of viruses, poses major challenges to our health care systems.
This means that tools that can efficiently and specifically diagnose viruses
are much needed. To be relevant for a broad application in local health care
centers, such tools should be relatively cheap and easy to use. Here we discuss
the biophysical potential for the macroscopic detection of viruses based on the
induction of a mechanical stress in a bundle of pre-stretched DNA molecules
upon binding of viruses to the DNA. We show that the affinity of the DNA to the
charged virus surface induces a local melting of the double-helix into two
single-stranded DNA. This process effects a mechanical stress along the DNA
chains leading to an overall contraction of the DNA. Our results suggest that
when such DNA bundles are incorporated in a supporting matrix such as a
responsive hydrogel, the presence of viruses may indeed lead to a significant,
macroscopic mechanical deformation of the matrix. We discuss the biophysical
basis for this effect and characterize the physical properties of the
associated DNA melting transition. In particular, we reveal several scaling
relations between the relevant physical parameters of the system. We promote
this DNA-based assay for efficient and specific virus screening.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, supplementary material included in the source
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