Work-in-Progress: Determining MPSoC Layout from Thermal Camera Images

In many safety-critical applications, Multi-Processor Systems-on- Chip (MPSoC) must operate within a given thermal envelope under harsh environmental conditions. Meeting the thermal requirements often requires using advanced task allocation and scheduling techniques that are guided by detailed power models. This paper introduces a method that has the potential to simplify the creation of such models. It constructs so-called heat maps from thermal camera images. By comparing the heat maps of different workloads, we identify the locations of on-chip components and the amount of heat produced by them. We demonstrate our method on the i.MX8QuadMax chip from NXP, where we identify the locations of CPU clusters, bigger CPU cores, GPUs, and DRAM controllers

Determining the refractive index dispersion and thickness of hot-pressed chalcogenide thin films from an improved Swanepoel method

The well-known method presented by Swanepoel can be used to determine the refractive index dispersion of thin films in the near-infrared region from wavelength values at maxima and minima, only, of the transmission interference fringes. In order to extend this method into the mid-infrared (MIR) spectral region (our measurements are over the wavelength range from 2 to 25 μm), the method is improved by using a two-term Sellmeier model instead of the Cauchy model as the dispersive equation. Chalcogenide thin films of nominal batch composition As40Se60 (atomic %) and Ge16As24Se15.5Te44.5 (atomic %) are prepared by a hot-pressing technique. The refractive index dispersion of the chalcogenide thin films is determined by the improved method with a standard deviation of less than 0.0027. The accuracy of the method is shown to be better than 0.4% at a wavelength of 3.1 μm by comparison with a benchmark refractive index value obtained from prism measurements on Ge16As24Se15.5Te44.5 material taken from the same batch

Meanings of blood, bleeding and blood donations in Pakistan: implications for national vs global safe blood supply policies

Contemporary public policy, supported by international arbitrators of blood policy such as the World Health Organization and the International Federation of the Red Cross, asserts that the safest blood is that donated by voluntary, non-remunerated donors from low-risk groups of the population. These policies promote anonymous donation and discourage kin-based or replacement donation. However, there is reason to question whether these policies, based largely on Western research and beliefs, are the most appropriate for ensuring an adequate safe blood supply in many other parts of the world

Persistence of viral RNA in the brain of experimentally infected mice with coxsackievirus B5

Aim. The aim of our study was to follow the persistence of viral RNA in selected organs of experimentally infected with coxsackievirus (CV) B5 strains from different sources such as a patient’s sample, an environmental sample and a prototype virus strain. Methods. CD-1 mice were infected with CVB5 strain Faulkner the prototype, CVB5 – isolate from treated sewage waste and isolate from patient’s stool sample both identified as CVB5. The viral RNA was detected by RT-PCR using enterovirus primers specific for the non-coding 5' region. Results. We observed presence of RNA in the brain and heart of mice infected with isolate from patient’s stool at day 45 post infection (p. i.). Conclusion. We conclude that CVB5 persists in the brain and heart after oral infection of CD1 mice. The relevance of viral persistence maybe related viral origin and the genetics. Keywords: coxsackievirus B5, mouse, brain, persistence.Мета нашого дослідження полягала у тому, щоб прослідкувати, як вірусна РНК зберігається в окремих органах мишей, експериментально інфікованих деякими штамами вірусу Коксакі (ВК) B5, виділеному з різних джерел: із зразка пацієнта, навколишнього середовища і штаму прототипу вірусу. Методи. Мишей CD-1 інфікували ВКВ5 – прототипом Фолкнера і двома вірусами, ідентифікованими як ВКВ5: перший виділено з оброблених відходів стічних вод, другий – із фекалій пацієнта. Вірусну РНК виявлено методом РТ-ПЛР з використанням праймерів, специфичних для некодуючих 5'-ділянок ентеровірусів. Результаты. Ми спостерігали присутність РНК вірусу в головному мозку і серці мишей, інфікованих ізолятом із фекалій пацієнта на 45-й день після зараження (PI). Висновки. Зроблено висновок стосовно того, що ВКВ5 зберігається в мозку і серці після перорального зараження CD1 мишей. Ступінь вірусної стійкості можу бути пов’язаний з походженням вірусу та його генетикою. Ключові слова: вірус Коксакі B5, миші, мозок, стійкість.Цель нашего исследования состояла в том, чтобы проследить, как вирусная РНК сохраняется в отдельных органах мышей, экспериментально инфицированных различными штаммами вируса Коксаки (ВК) B5, выделенными из разных источников: из образца пациента, окружающей среды и штамма прототипа вируса. Методы. Мышей CD-1 инфицировали ВКВ5 – прототипом Фолкнера и двумя вирусами, идентифицированными как ВКВ5: первый выделен из обработанных отходов сточных вод, второй – из фекалий пациента. Вирусная РНК обнаружена методом РТ-ПЦР с использованием праймеров, специфичных для некодирующих 5' участков энтеровирусов. Результаты. Мы наблюдали присутствие РНК вируса в головном мозге и сердце мышей, инфицированных изолятом из фекалий пациента на 45-й день после заражения (PI). Выводы. Сделан вывод о том, что ВКВ5 сохраняется в мозге и сердце после перорального заражения CD1 мышей. Степень вирусной устойчивости может быть связана с происхождением вируса и его генетикой. Ключевые слова: вирус Коксаки B5, мыши, мозг, устойчивость

Magnetic Properties of Monomer and Dimer Tetrahedral VOx Entities Dispersed on Amorphous Silica-based Materials: Prediction of EPR Parameters from Relativistic DFT Calculations and Broken Symmetry Approach to Exchange Couplings

Molecular structures of the isolated tetrahedral oxovanadium(IV) and bridged μ-oxo-divanadium(IV) complexes hosted by the clusters mimicking surfaces of amorphous silica-based materials were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Principal values of the g and A tensors for the monomer vanadyl species were obtained using the coupled-perturbed DFT level of theory and the spin–orbit mean-field approximation (SOMF). Magnetic exchange interaction for the μ-oxo bridged vanadium(IV) dimer was investigated within the broken symmetry approach. An antiferromagnetic coupling of the individual magnetic moments of the vanadium(IV) centers in the [VO–O–VO]2+ bridges was revealed and discussed in detail. The coupling explains pronounced decrease of the electron paramagnetic resonance signal (EPR) intensity, observed for the reduced VOx/SiO2 samples with the increasing coverage of vanadia, in terms of transformation of the paramagnetic monomer species into the dimers with S = 0 ground state

Proteases of haematophagous arthropod vectors are involved in blood-feeding, yolk formation and immunity : a review

Ticks, triatomines, mosquitoes and sand flies comprise a large number of haematophagous arthropods considered vectors of human infectious diseases. While consuming blood to obtain the nutrients necessary to carry on life functions, these insects can transmit pathogenic microorganisms to the vertebrate host. Among the molecules related to the blood-feeding habit, proteases play an essential role. In this review, we provide a panorama of proteases from arthropod vectors involved in haematophagy, in digestion, in egg development and in immunity. As these molecules act in central biological processes, proteases from haematophagous vectors of infectious diseases may influence vector competence to transmit pathogens to their prey, and thus could be valuable targets for vectorial control

Room temperature mid-infrared fiber lasing beyond 5 µm in chalcogenide glass small-core step index fiber

We report mid-infrared fiber lasing for the first time above 5 µm in a room temperature, Ce 3+ doped, chalcogenide glass, step index fiber using in-band pumping with a 4.15 µm quantum cascade laser. The lasing fiber is 64 mm long, with a calculated numerical aperture of 0.48 at the lasing wavelengths, the core glass is Ge15As21Ga1Se63 atomic % (at. %), doped with 500 parts-per-million-by-weight Ce, with 9 µm core diameter, the cladding glass is Ge21Sb10Se69 at. % with 190 µm outer diameter. As pump power increases continuous wave lasing corresponding to the 2 F7/2→ 2 F5/2 transition in the Ce 3+ ion occurs at: 5.14 µm, 5.17 µm and 5.28 µm. The MIR (mid-infrared) region (defined as 3-50 µm in BS-ISO-20473:2007) enables direct molecular sensing of high selectivity/specificity. MIR fiber lasers offer excellent beam quality of bright, spatially, and temporally coherent light, routable in MIR fiber-optics for applications like narrow-band sensing, new medical laser wavelengths and pulsed-seeding of MIR-supercontinua for MIR broad-band sensing [1]. The longest wavelength room temperature CW (continuous wave) fiber lasing to date is 3.92 µm in Ho 3+-doped fluoro-indate glass fiber [2], enabled by the lower phonon energy [3] (509 cm-1) fluoro-indate glass host compared to prior fluoro-zirconate glass hosts. However, 509 cm-1 is still too high a phonon energy for laser operation > 4 µm [4]; chalcogenide glass hosts, with phonon energies down to 200 cm-1 , are prime candidates [5] for achieving this goal. Selenide-chalcogenide glasses combine sufficiently low phonon energy with good glass stability. Covalent chalcogenide glasses exhibit large linear refractive indices, so large absorption/emission cross-sections of doped-in lanthanide-ions, promising short, active devices. Chalcogenide glasses are based on sulfur 'S', selenium 'Se' and tellurium 'Te'; adding Groups 14/15 elements increases chemical /mechanical robustness. Chalcogenide fibers are weaker than silica fibers, exhibiting a Young's (elastic) modulus of ~1/5x silica [6]; and a Vickers' Hardness of ~2 GPa [7] (cf. window-glass: 5.5 GPa). Chalcogenide glasses/fiber are exceptionally stable in liquid water/water-vapor at ambient temperature, unlike fluoride glasses [8], and not oxidized in air below the glass transition temperature, beyond a protective oxide nanolayer [9] analogous to ambient silicon-oxidation [10]. Plastic-coated/uncoated chalcogenide fibers of >2 years old, stored under ambient conditions, retained respectable Ultimate Fracture Stress median: ~80 MPa [11]. Coated/uncoated fibers can maintain optical transmission for > 7 years. High optical damage thresholds are reported [12]. MIR-PL (photoluminescence) emission of lanthanide ions in selenide glasses occurs across 3-10 µm [13] wavelengths. Calculated non-radiative transition rates are orders of magnitude lower than fluoride glasses [14]. We reported first step index Pr 3+-doped chalcogenide fiber MIR-PL emission, and long millisecond MIR-PL lifetime equivalent to bulk-glass, showing fiber-processing had not compromised the lanthanide local-environment [15]. With Churbanov and Shiryaev [16] we demonstrated record low optical loss GeAsSe fiber (i.e. host-glass here). Lately, we announced gain in Pr 3+-doped selenide fiber [17]. Recently, Tb 3+ and Pr 3+ doped chalcogenide bulk glass lasers have been reported [18, 19]. Here, we report MIR fiber lasing > 5 µm in a step index selenide-chalcogenide fiber. The step index fiber (9 µm diameter core, 190 µm OD (outside diameter)) comprised core glass: 500-ppmw (parts-per-million-by-weight) Ce-Ge15As21Ga1Se63 at. % and cladding glass: Ge21Sb10Se69 at. %. The Ce 3+ ion dopant was selected due to its simple energy level structure which, in principle, excludes excited state absorption and cooperative up-conversion phenomena, whilst allowing efficient in-band pumping, with a small quantum defect. Thus, this choice mimics Yb 3+ doped silica glass, both reducing heating in the cavity and with potential for becoming the MIR analogue of the Yb 3+-doped silica glass fiber laser. There is a dearth of papers in the available literature on Ce 3+ ion doped glasses for MIR applications [20]. This contribution, apart from reporting MIR fiber lasing beyond 5 µm also displays results on Ce 3+ MIR-PL. To make the step index lasing fiber: arsenic 'As' (7N5, Furakawa Denshi), antimony 'Sb' (5N, Materion), selenium 'Se' (5N, Materion

Sub-lethal radiation enhances anti-tumor immunotherapy in a transgenic mouse model of pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND: It is not uncommon to observe circulating tumor antigen-specific T lymphocytes in cancer patients despite a lack of significant infiltration and destruction of their tumors. Thus, an important goal for tumor immunotherapy is to identify ways to modulate in vivo anti-tumor immunity to achieve clinical efficacy. We investigate this proposition in a spontaneous mouse tumor model, Rip1-Tag2. METHODS: Experimental therapies were carried out in two distinctive trial designs, intended to either intervene in the explosive growth of small tumors, or regress bulky end-stage tumors. Rip1-Tag2 mice received a single transfer of splenocytes from Tag-specific, CD4(+) T cell receptor transgenic mice, a single sub-lethal radiation, or a combination therapy in which the lymphocyte transfer was preceded by the sub-lethal radiation. Tumor burden, the extent of lymphocyte infiltration into solid tumors and host survival were used to assess the efficacy of these therapeutic approaches. RESULTS: In either intervention or regression, the transfer of Tag-specific T cells alone did not result in significant lymphocyte infiltration into solid tumors, not did it affect tumor growth or host survival. In contrast, the combination therapy resulted in significant reduction in tumor burden, increase in lymphocyte infiltration into solid tumors, and extension of survival. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that certain types of solid tumors may be intrinsically resistant to infiltration and destruction by tumor-specific T lymphocytes. Our data suggest that such resistance can be disrupted by sub-lethal radiation. The combinatorial approach presented here merits consideration in the design of clinical trials aimed to achieve T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity

Molecular definition of group 1 innate lymphoid cells in the mouse uterus

Determining the function of uterine lymphocytes is challenging because of the rapidly changing nature of the organ in response to sex hormones and, during pregnancy, to the invading fetal trophoblast cells. Here we provide the first genome-wide transcriptome atlas of mouse uterine group 1 innate lymphoid cells (g1 ILCs) at mid-gestation. The composition of g1 ILCs fluctuates throughout reproductive life, with Eomes-veCD49a+ ILC1s dominating before puberty and specifically expanding in second pregnancies, when the expression of CXCR6, a marker of memory cells, is upregulated. Tissue-resident Eomes+CD49a+ NK cells (trNK), which resemble human uterine NK cells, are most abundant during early pregnancy, and showcase gene signatures of responsiveness to TGF-β, connections with trophoblast, epithelial, endothelial and smooth muscle cells, leucocytes, as well as extracellular matrix. Unexpectedly, trNK cells express genes involved in anaerobic glycolysis, lipid metabolism, iron transport, protein ubiquitination, and recognition of microbial molecular patterns. Conventional NK cells expand late in gestation and may engage in crosstalk with trNK cells involving IL-18 and IFN-γ. These results identify trNK cells as the cellular hub of uterine g1 ILCs at mid-gestation and mark CXCR6+ ILC1s as potential memory cells of pregnancy.This work was funded by a Wellcome Trust Investigator Award 200841/Z/16/Z, the Centre for Trophoblast Research (CTR), and the Cambridge NIHR BRC Cell Phenotyping Hub to FC, the Associazione Italiana Ricerca per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC) - Special Project 5x1000 no. 9962, AIRC IG 2017 Id.19920 and AIRC 2014 Id. 15283 to LM, and Ministero della Salute RF-2013, GR-2013-02356568 to PV. IF was funded by a CTR PhD fellowship