Laser spectroscopy of NiI: Ground and low-lying electronic states

Rotationally resolved near-infrared and visible spectroscopic studies of the ground and low-lying electronic states of NiI were performed using the technique of laser vaporization/reaction with free jet expansion and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy. Two electronic transitions as well as isotopic molecules were analyzed. The electronic configurations that give rise to the X 2∏ 3/2 ground state for NiF, NiCl, and NiBr were determined.published_or_final_versio

Carcinoid tumour of the kidney in a Chinese woman presenting with loin pain

Renal carcinoid tumours are uncommon. The aetiology is not yet fully understood and there is still no useful diagnostic tool for detecting them. We report our experience managing a Chinese woman with a primary renal carcinoid tumour.published_or_final_versio

A sensor for parts inspection

This paper describes the development of a sensor which performs parts inspection by measuring the inertial properties of the part. The sensor comprises a platform supported on a column which is Used to a rigid base. The part under inspection is attached to the platform to form a single body. By measuring the static deflections of the column and the natural frequencies of vibration of the system, it is possible to determine the mass and the spatial location of the centre of mass of the part The information obtained is then used to distinguish defective parts from good ones.published_or_final_versio

High throughput short read alignment via bi-directional BWT

The advancement of sequencing technologies has made it feasible for researchers to consider many highthroughput biological applications. A core step of these applications is to align an enormous amount of short reads to a reference genome. For example, to resequence a human genome, billions of reads of 35 bp are produced in 1-2 weeks, putting a lot of pressure of faster software for alignment. Based on existing indexing and pattern matching technologies, several short read alignment software have been developed recently. Yet this is still strong need to further improve the speed. In this paper, we show a new indexing data structure called bi-directional BWT, which allows us to build the fastest software for aligning short reads. When compared with existing software (Bowtie is the best), our software is at least 3 times faster for finding unique best alignments, and 25 times faster for finding all possible alignments. We believe that bi-directional BWT is an interesting data structure on its own and could be applied to other pattern matching problems. Availability: http://www.bio5.cs.hku.hk:8080/P2BWT, where two human genomes are indexed for alignment. © 2009 IEEE.published_or_final_versionThe IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine (BIBM 2009), Washington, DC., 1-4 November 2009. In Proceedings of BIBM, 2009, p. 31-3

Reliability and validity of the overactive bladder symptom score in Hong Kong Chinese

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Compressed sensing for electron cryotomography and high-resolution subtomogram averaging of biological specimens

Cryoelectron tomography (cryo-ET) and subtomogram averaging (STA) allow direct visualization and structural studies of biological macromolecules in their native cellular environment, in situ. Often, low signal-to-noise ratios in tomograms, low particle abundance within the cell, and low throughput in typical cryo-ET workflows severely limit the obtainable structural information. To help mitigate these limitations, here we apply a compressed sensing approach using 3D second-order total variation (CS-TV2) to tomographic reconstruction. We show that CS-TV2 increases the signal-to-noise ratio in tomograms, enhancing direct visualization of macromolecules, while preserving high-resolution information up to the secondary structure level. We show that, particularly with small datasets, CS-TV2 allows improvement of the resolution of STA maps. We further demonstrate that the CS-TV2 algorithm is applicable to cellular specimens, leading to increased visibility of molecular detail within tomograms. This work highlights the potential of compressed sensing-based reconstruction algorithms for cryo-ET and in situ structural biology

Plasma cholesterol levels and brain development in preterm newborns.

BackgroundTo assess whether postnatal plasma cholesterol levels are associated with microstructural and macrostructural regional brain development in preterm newborns.MethodsSixty preterm newborns (born 24-32 weeks gestational age) were assessed using MRI studies soon after birth and again at term-equivalent age. Blood samples were obtained within 7 days of each MRI scan to analyze for plasma cholesterol and lathosterol (a marker of endogenous cholesterol synthesis) levels. Outcomes were assessed at 3 years using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Third Edition.ResultsEarly plasma lathosterol levels were associated with increased axial and radial diffusivities and increased volume of the subcortical white matter. Early plasma cholesterol levels were associated with increased volume of the cerebellum. Early plasma lathosterol levels were associated with a 2-point decrease in motor scores at 3 years.ConclusionsHigher early endogenous cholesterol synthesis is associated with worse microstructural measures and larger volumes in the subcortical white matter that may signify regional edema and worse motor outcomes. Higher early cholesterol is associated with improved cerebellar volumes. Further work is needed to better understand how the balance of cholesterol supply and endogenous synthesis impacts preterm brain development, especially if these may be modifiable factors to improve outcomes

Comprehensive comparison of copy number variations detection using Illumina Omni 2.5M and Affymetrix CytoScan® arrays

Posters: Genome Structure, Variation and Function: abstract no. 552TStructural variation has been recognized as a genetic risk factor contributing to human diseases, and in particular, congenital disorders. Smaller scale copy number variations (CNVs) have also been linked to a number of neurodevelopmental phenotypes, including intellectual disability as well as autism spectrum disorders. The precise detection of CNVs is therefore necessary for ...postprin

Sideways walk test: reliability and association with lower limb motor function after stroke

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Charge density waves and Fermi surface reconstruction in the clean overdoped cuprate superconductor Tl2Ba2CuO6+δ.

Hall effect and quantum oscillation measurements on high temperature cuprate superconductors show that underdoped compositions have small Fermi surface pockets whereas when heavily overdoped, a single much larger pocket is found. The origin of this change in electronic structure has been unclear, but may be related to the high temperature superconductivity. Here we show that the clean overdoped single-layer cuprate Tl2Ba2CuO6+δ (Tl2201) displays CDW order with a remarkably long correlation length ξ ≈ 200 Å which disappears above a hole doping of pCDW ≈ 0.265. We show that the evolution of the electronic properties of Tl2201 as the doping is lowered may be explained by a Fermi surface reconstruction which accompanies the emergence of the CDW below pCDW. Our results demonstrate importance of CDW correlations in understanding the electronic properties of overdoped cuprates