Block- and strand-multiplexing for fast computation of a class of transforms

The transforms dealt with in this paper are defined in terms of the transform kernels which are Kroneeker products of the two or more component kernels. The signal flow-graph for the computation of such a transform is obtained with the flow-graphs for the component transforms as building blocks.

Involvement of Synthesis and Phosphorylation of Nuclear Protein Factors That Bind to the Positivecis-Acting Element in the Transcriptional Activation of the CYP2B1/B2 Gene by Phenobarbitonein Vivo

The synthesis and phosphorylation of protein factor(s) that bind to the positivecis-acting element (−69 to −98 nt) of the CYP2B1/B2 gene have been examinedin vivoin the rat. Treatment of rats with cycloheximide, a protein synthetic inhibitor, suppresses basal as well as phenobarbitone-induced levels of CYP2B1/B2 mRNA and its run-on transcription. Under these conditions, complex formation of the nuclear extract with the positive element is also inhibited, as judged by gel shift assays. Treatment of rats with 2-aminopurine, a general protein kinase inhibitor, blocks the phenobarbitone-mediated increase in CYP2B1/B2 mRNA, cell-free transcription of a minigene construct containing the positive element, pP450e179DNA, and binding of nuclear proteins to the positive element. Treatment of rats with okadaic acid, a protein phosphatase inhibitor, mimics the effects of phenobarbitone, but only partially. Thus, both phenobarbitone and okadaic acid individually enhance binding of the nuclear protein(s) to the positive element, cell-free transcription of the minigene construct, and phosphorylation of the not, vert, similar26- and 94-kDa proteins binding to the positive element. But unlike phenobarbitone, okadaic acid is not an inducer of CYP2B1/B2 mRNA or its run-on transcription. Thus, phenobarbitone-responsive positive element interactions constitute only a minimal requirement, and okadaic acid is perhaps not able to bring about the total requirement for activation of CYP2B1/B2 gene transcription that should include interaction between the minimal promoter and further upstream elements. An intriguing feature is the antagonistic effect of okadaic acid on phenobarbitone-mediated effects on CYP2B1/B2 mRNA levels, cell-free and run-on transcription, and nuclear protein binding to the positive element. The reason for this antagonism is not clear. It is concluded that phenobarbitone treatment enhancesin vivothe synthesis and phosphorylation of protein factors binding to the positive element and these constitute a minimal requirement for the transcriptional activation of the CYP2B1/B2 gene.

An FETI-preconditioned conjuerate gradient method for large-scale stochastic finite element problems

In the spectral stochastic finite element method for analyzing an uncertain system. the uncertainty is represented by a set of random variables, and a quantity of Interest such as the system response is considered as a function of these random variables Consequently, the underlying Galerkin projection yields a block system of deterministic equations where the blocks are sparse but coupled. The solution of this algebraic system of equations becomes rapidly challenging when the size of the physical system and/or the level of uncertainty is increased This paper addresses this challenge by presenting a preconditioned conjugate gradient method for such block systems where the preconditioning step is based on the dual-primal finite element tearing and interconnecting method equipped with a Krylov subspace reusage technique for accelerating the iterative solution of systems with multiple and repeated right-hand sides. Preliminary performance results on a Linux Cluster suggest that the proposed Solution method is numerically scalable and demonstrate its potential for making the uncertainty quantification Of realistic systems tractable.

Hydrogel membrane electrolyte for electrochemical capacitors

Polymer electrolytes are known to possess excellent physicochemical properties that are very useful for electrochemical energy systems. The mobility in polymer electrolytes is understood to be mainly due to the segmental motion of polymer chains and the ion transport is generally restricted to the amorphous phase of the polymer. Gel polymer electrolytes (GPE) that are formed using plastizicers and polymers along with ionic salts are known to exhibit liquid-like ionic conductivity while maintaining the dimensional stability of a solid matrix. In the present study, the preparation and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol)-based hydrogel membranes (PHMEs) as electrolyte for electrochemical capacitors have been reported. VaryingHClO4 dopant concentration leads to different characteristics of the capacitors. The EC comprising PHME doped with 2 M HClO4 and black pearl carbon (BPC) electrodes has been found to exhibit a maximum specific capacitance value of 97 F g(-1), a phase angle value of 78A degrees, and a maximum charge-discharge coulombic efficiency of 88%.

Triassic eclogite from northern Vietnam: inferences and geological significance

The first finding of low-temperature eclogites from the Indochina region is reported. The eclogites occur along the Song Ma Suture zone in northern Vietnam, which is widely regarded as the boundary between the South China and Indochina cratons. The major lithology of the area is pelitic schist that contains garnet and phengite with or without biotite, chloritoid, staurolite and kyanite, and which encloses blocks and lenses of eclogite and amphibolite. The eclogites commonly consist of garnet, omphacite, phengite, rutile, quartz and/or epidote with secondary barroisite. Omphacite is commonly surrounded by a symplectite of Na-poor omphacite and Na-rich plagioclase. In highly retrograded domains, diopside + tremolite + plagioclase symplectites replace the primary phases. Estimated peak-pressure metamorphic conditions based on isochemical phase diagrams for the eclogites are 2.1-2.2 GPa and 600-620 degrees C, even though thermobarometric results yield higher pressure and temperature conditions (2.6-2.8 GPa and 620-680 degrees C). The eclogites underwent a clockwise P-T trajectory with a post-peak-pressure increase of temperature to a maximum of > 750 degrees C at 1.7 GPa and a subsequent cooling during decompression to 650 degrees C and 1.3 GPa, which was followed by additional cooling before close-to-isothermal decompression to similar to 530 degrees C at 0.5 GPa. The surrounding pelitic schist (garnet-chloritoid-phengite) records similar metamorphic conditions (580-600 degrees C at 1.9-2.3 GPa) and a monazite chemical age of 243 +/- 4 Ma. A few monazite inclusions within garnet and the cores of some zoned monazite in garnet-phengite schist record an older thermal event (424 +/- 15 Ma). The present results indicate that the Indochina craton was deeply (> 70 km) subducted beneath the South China craton in the Triassic. The Silurian cores of monazite grains may relate to an older non-collisional event in the Indochina craton.

Integrated CMOS Gas Sensors

We present a low power gas sensor system on CMOS platform consisting of micromachined polysilicon microheater, temperature controller circuit, resistance readout circuit and SnO2 transducer film. The design criteria for different building blocks of the system is elaborated The microheaters are optimized for temperature uniformity as well as static and dynamic response. The electrical equivalent model for the microheater is derived by extracting thermal and mechanical poles through extensive laser doppler vibrometer measurements. The temperature controller and readout circuit are realized on 130nm CMOS technology The temperature controller re-uses the heater as a temperature sensor and controls the duty cycle of the waveform driving the gate of the power MOSFET which supplies heater current. The readout circuit, with subthreshold operation of the MOSFETs, is based oil resistance to time period conversion followed by frequency to digital converter Subthreshold operatin of MOSFETs coupled with sub-ranging technique, achieves ultra low power consumption with more than five orders of magnitude dynamic range RF sputtered SnO2 film is optimized for its microstructure to achive high sensitivity to sense LPG gas.

High P-T granulite relicts from the Imjingang belt, South Korea:Tectonic significance

This study presents a detailed description on crustal metamorphic signatures of garnet-clinopyroxene-quartz-rutile-bearing high P-T granulites, Samgot unit, Imajingang belt, northwestern Korean Peninsula that formed during Permo-Triassic regional metamorphism related to the amalgamation of East Asian continental fragments. Lenses and blocks of high P-T granulites and garnet-bearing leucosomes occur within mafic metamorphic rocks (mainly amphibolites). The mafic blocks comprise relicts of granoblastic garnet and clinopyroxene with medium-grained quartz and rutile. These relict mineral assemblages are confined to local micro-domains and constitute remnants of peak metamorphism. Plagioclase and amphibole form only as retrograde phases in medium ton coarse-grained moats that rim grain boundaries between relict peak mineral assemblages. This microstructure represents the reaction between garnet, clinopyroxene, quartz and rutile in the presence of melt to form amphibole, plagioclase and titanite with minor biotite. The leucosome domains consist of euhedral garnets within the quartz-K feldspar-plagioclase (granitic) matrix, probably representing peritectic garnet growth along with melting. The rare earth element (REE) composition of minerals also support the peritectic garnet growth with a positive Eu/Eu* (positive Eu anomaly), while the relict garnet shows a slight negative anomaly typical for high-grade granulites. The peak-metamorphic conditions calculated from thermodynamic modeling and compositional isopleths indicate a temperature around c. 900 degrees C at a pressure around c. 20 kbar. The present P-T path indicates a clear multi-stage decompression history with initial decompression and cooling followed by a stage of decompression during hydration possibly during Late Triassic exhumation. The results from this study together with the presence of eclogites from the Hongsung area suggest that the Imjingang area and the western Gyeonggi massif likely resided at crustal levels deeper than those of the eastern and southern part of the Gyeonggi massif. (C) 2009 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deuterium-carbon correlation in static oriented systems using DAPT - A windowless multiple pulse sequence

We present a new method for establishing correlation between deuterium and its attached carbon in a deuterated liquid crystal. The method is based on transfer of polarization using the DAPT pulse sequence proposed originally for two spin half nuclei, now extended to a spin-1 and a spin-1/2 nuclei. DAPT utilizes the evolution of magnetization of the spin pair under two blocks of phase shifted BLEW-12 pulses on one of the spins separated by a 90 degree pulse on the other spin. The method is easy to implement and does not need to satisfy matching conditions unlike the Hartmann-Hahn cross-polarization. Experimental results presented demonstrate the efficacy of the method.

A kinematic theory for radially foldable planar linkages

By using the algebraic locus of the coupler curve of a PRRP planar linkage, in this paper, a kinematic theory is developed for planar, radially foldable closed-loop linkages. This theory helps derive the previously invented building blocks, which consist of only two inter-connected angulated elements, for planar foldable structures. Furthermore, a special case of a circumferentially actuatable foldable linkage (which is different from the previously known cases) is derived from the theory, A quantitative description of some known and some new properties of planar foldable linkages, including the extent of foldability, shape-preservation of the interior polygons, multi-segmented assemblies and heterogeneous circumferential arrangemants, is also presented. The design equations derived here make the conception of even complex planar radially foldable linkages systematic and straightforward. Representative examples are presented to illustrate the usage of the design equations and the construction of prototypes. The current limitations and some possible extensions of the theory are also noted. (c) 2007, Elsevier Ltd. All ri-hts reserved.

Limiting the Extent of the RDN1 Heterochromatin Domain by a Silencing Barrier and Sir2 Protein Levels in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, transcriptional silencing occurs at the cryptic mating-type loci (HML and HMR), telomeres, and ribosomal DNA ( rDNA; RDN1). Silencing in the rDNA is unusual in that polymerase II (Pol II) promoters within RDN1 are repressed by Sir2 but not Sir3 or Sir4. rDNA silencing unidirectionally spreads leftward, but the mechanism of limiting its spreading is unclear. We searched for silencing barriers flanking the left end of RDN1 by using an established assay for detecting barriers to HMR silencing. Unexpectedly, the unique sequence immediately adjacent to RDN1, which overlaps a prominent cohesin binding site (CARL2), did not have appreciable barrier activity. Instead, a fragment located 2.4 kb to the left, containing a tRNA(Gln) gene and the Ty1 long terminal repeat, had robust barrier activity. The barrier activity was dependent on Pol III transcription of tRNA(Gln), the cohesin protein Smc1, and the SAS1 and Gcn5 histone acetyltransferases. The location of the barrier correlates with the detectable limit of rDNA silencing when SIR2 is overexpressed, where it blocks the spreading of rDNA heterochromatin. We propose a model in which normal Sir2 activity results in termination of silencing near the physical rDNA boundary, while tRNA(Gln) blocks silencing from spreading too far when nucleolar Sir2 pools become elevated.

Block-based feature detection and matching for mosaicing of camera-captured document images

In this paper, we present a new feature-based approach for mosaicing of camera-captured document images. A novel block-based scheme is employed to ensure that corners can be reliably detected over a wide range of images. 2-D discrete cosine transform is computed for image blocks defined around each of the detected corners and a small subset of the coefficients is used as a feature vector A 2-pass feature matching is performed to establish point correspondences from which the homography relating the input images could be computed. The algorithm is tested on a number of complex document images casually taken from a hand-held camera yielding convincing results.

Design of a climate-responsive BIPV research facility in Bangalore

This paper describes the design and erection of a climate-responsive Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) structure in Bangalore, (12.58 N, 77.38 E) in the state of Karnataka, India. Building Integrated Photovoltaics integrate solar panels as part of a building structure (roofs and walls) with an aim to achieve self-sufficiency in the operation and occupant-comfort energy requirements. A joint collaboration between the Centre for Sustainable Technologies, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is setting up a 70,000 US$ facility for research in BIPV structures. The structure utilizes low energy building materials like Stabilized Mud Blocks (SMB) integrated with a PV roof. Numerous challenges were overcome in the design of the BIPV roof including mechanisms for natural thermal comfort in response to Bangalore's climatic conditions. The paper presents the challenges overcome in the design and construction of a low energy, climate-responsive BIPV structure.

Chemically Programmed Ultrahigh Density Two-Dimensional Semiconductor Superlattice Array

Designing an ultrahigh density linear superlattice array consisting of periodic blocks of different semiconductors in the strong confinement regime via a direct synthetic route remains an unachieved challenge in nanotechnology. We report a general synthesis route for the formulation of a large-area ultrahigh density superlattice array that involves adjoining multiple units of ZnS rods by prolate US particles at the tips. A single one-dimensional wire is 300-500 nm long and consists of periodic quantum wells with a barrier width of 5 nm provided by ZnS and a well width of 1-2 nm provided by CdS, defining a superlattice structure. The synthesis route allows for tailoring of ultranarrow laserlike emissions (fwhm approximate to 125 meV) originating from strong interwell energy dispersion along with control of the width, pitch, and registry of the superlattice assembly. Such an exceptional high-density superlattice array could form the basis of ultrahigh density memories in addition to offering opportunities for technological advancement in conventional heterojunction-based device applications.

A Concise Synthesis of Substituted Thiourea Derivatives in Aqueous Medium

An efficient method for the synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical substituted thiourea derivatives by means of simple condensation between available building blocks such Lis airlines and carbon disulfide in aqueous medium is presented. This protocol works smoothly with aliphatic primary amines to afford various di- and trisubstituted thiourea derivatives. The present method is also useful ill synthesizing various substituted 2-mercapto imidazole heterocycles. This method proceeds through a xanthate (amino dithiol deivative) intermediate, unlike isothiocyanate as in all earlier known method.

Formal Verification of Full-Wave Rectifier: A Case Study

We present a case study of formal verification of full-wave rectifier for analog and mixed signal designs. We have used the Checkmate tool from CMU [1], which is a public domain formal verification tool for hybrid systems. Due to the restriction imposed by Checkmate it necessitates to make the changes in the Checkmate implementation to implement the complex and non-linear system. Full-wave rectifier has been implemented by using the Checkmate custom blocks and the Simulink blocks from MATLAB from Math works. After establishing the required changes in the Checkmate implementation we are able to efficiently verify, the safety properties of the full-wave rectifier.