基于以太网的工业控制网络

应用传统现场总线的工业控制网络无法实现办公室自动化与工业自动化的无缝结合 .由于以太网在确定性、速度和优先法则等方面性能的提高 ,阻碍以太网应用于实时控制环境的难点已被解决 .以太网早已成为商业管理网络的首要选择 ,那么它应用于企业现场设备控制层是控制网络发展的趋势 ,将极大地促进信息从传感器到管理层的集成

Modeling of protein adsorption in membrane affinity chromatography

For the design of affinity membranes, protein adsorption in membrane affinity chromatography (MAC) was studied by frontal analysis. According to fast mass transfer, small thickness of affinity membranes and high affinity between the protein and the ligand, an ideal adsorption (IA) model was proposed for MAC and was used together with equilibrium-dispersive (E-D) model to describe the adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) onto cellulose diacetate/polyethyleneimine (CA/PEI) blend membranes with and without Cu2+ chelating. E-D model was found to better describe the initial region of experimental breakthrough curves. The influence of axial dispersion was revealed and it showed the importance of design of the module to homogenously distribute feed solution. IA model was found to be better for the whole experimental breakthrough curve. According to it, the capacity of affinity membranes and the specificity of the interaction are of equal importance for the design of affinity membranes. An optimum feed concentration was also found in the operation of MAC. The discrepancy between experimental optimum feed concentrations and predicted ones from IA model may be due to the ignorance of some experimental effects such as axial dispersion.

Avaliacao de genotipos de trigo em diferentes regioes triticolas do Parana, em solos sem aluminio, na safra de 1996.

O estado do Parana apresenta uma diversidade de clima, com invernos irregulares em relacao a precipitacoes pluviometricas e ocorrencia de geadas, e tambem, com relacao aos tipos de solos, que influem na adaptacao e no desempenho dos genotipos de trigo. Em vista disto, ha necessidade de um maior numero de cultivares, com caracteristicas diferenciadas para serem utilizadas pelos produtores. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo avaliar, nas zonas A e B, em solos com ate 5% de saturacao de aluminio, os novos genotipos de trigo criados pelas diferentes instituicoes que desenvolvem trabalhos de melhoramento genetico de trigo. Esta avaliacao e realizada pelo Instituto Agronomico do Parana (IAPAR), pelo Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Soja (Embrapa Soja) e pela Cooperativa Central de Desenvolvimento Tecnologico e Economico (COODETEC), atraves da instalacao de diferentes ensaios de competicao de genotipos. Os resultados aqui relatados sao resultantes de dez experimentos do Ensaio Intermediario Paranaense (IPS), doze experimentos do Ensaio Centro-Sul Brasileiro (CSBS) e onze experimentos do Ensaio de Cultivares em Cultivo (ECS), para solos com ate 5% de saturacao de aluminio, instalados em 1996, em diferentes epocas, nas localidade de Cambara, Londrina, Engenheiro Beltrao, Palotina e Sao Miguel do Iguacu. Devido a longa estiagem ocorrida no periodo de abril a julho, no Norte do estado (zona A1), alguns experimentos foram prejudicados e, outros perdidos. Em Londrina e Palotina, os experimentos receberam irrigacoes na fase inicial para propiciar uma boa germinacao e desenvolvimento das plantas. A incidencia de molestias foi baixa, em ambas as zonas predominando no entanto, uma razoavel infeccao de oidio, nas semeaduras mais tardias, e de ferrugem da folha. Observou-se uma variabilidade dos genotipos quanto ao grau de tolerancia e/ou suscetibilidade a estas molestias, como tambem, uma resposta no rendimento de graos ao controle destas, pelo uso de fungicidas especificos. Os rendimentos obtidos, em geral, foram muitos bons, alcancando, em alguns casos, a 6,7 t/ha. No ensaio IPS, em funcao do rendimento de graos e outras caracteristicas, foram selecionadas as linhagens IA 952, IWT 9430, LD 941, LD 946, OC 962, OC 963, OC 965, ORL 92203 e PR 961. NO CSBS, foram mantidas as linhagens IOR 90226 e PF 91450. No ECS, destacaram-se, em ambas as zonas, as cultivares IAPAR 60, IAPAR 78 e OR 1. Considerando os resultados de rendimentos de graos e outras caracteristicas agronomicas e, principalmente, a qualidade da farinha para panificacao, foram recomendadas como novas cultivares, as linhagens IDS 934-21 e OC 939, denominadas, respectivamente, de Manitoba 97 e COODETEC 101.

Birkhoff normal forms for Fourier integral operators II

Iantchenko, A.; Sj?strand, J., (2001) 'Birkhoff normal forms for Fourier integral operators II', American Journal of Mathematics 124(4) pp.817-850 RAE2008

Adaptive Neural Networks for Control of Movement Trajectories Invariant under Speed and Force Rescaling

This article describes two neural network modules that form part of an emerging theory of how adaptive control of goal-directed sensory-motor skills is achieved by humans and other animals. The Vector-Integration-To-Endpoint (VITE) model suggests how synchronous multi-joint trajectories are generated and performed at variable speeds. The Factorization-of-LEngth-and-TEnsion (FLETE) model suggests how outflow movement commands from a VITE model may be performed at variable force levels without a loss of positional accuracy. The invariance of positional control under speed and force rescaling sheds new light upon a familiar strategy of motor skill development: Skill learning begins with performance at low speed and low limb compliance and proceeds to higher speeds and compliances. The VITE model helps to explain many neural and behavioral data about trajectory formation, including data about neural coding within the posterior parietal cortex, motor cortex, and globus pallidus, and behavioral properties such as Woodworth's Law, Fitts Law, peak acceleration as a function of movement amplitude and duration, isotonic arm movement properties before and after arm-deafferentation, central error correction properties of isometric contractions, motor priming without overt action, velocity amplification during target switching, velocity profile invariance across different movement distances, changes in velocity profile asymmetry across different movement durations, staggered onset times for controlling linear trajectories with synchronous offset times, changes in the ratio of maximum to average velocity during discrete versus serial movements, and shared properties of arm and speech articulator movements. The FLETE model provides new insights into how spina-muscular circuits process variable forces without a loss of positional control. These results explicate the size principle of motor neuron recruitment, descending co-contractive compliance signals, Renshaw cells, Ia interneurons, fast automatic reactive control by ascending feedback from muscle spindles, slow adaptive predictive control via cerebellar learning using muscle spindle error signals to train adaptive movement gains, fractured somatotopy in the opponent organization of cerebellar learning, adaptive compensation for variable moment-arms, and force feedback from Golgi tendon organs. More generally, the models provide a computational rationale for the use of nonspecific control signals in volitional control, or "acts of will", and of efference copies and opponent processing in both reactive and adaptive motor control tasks.

Analysis and optimisation of semiconductor reflective modulators for optical networks

Reflective modulators based on the combination of an electroabsorption modulator (EAM) and semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) are attractive devices for applications in long reach carrier distributed passive optical networks (PONs) due to the gain provided by the SOA and the high speed and low chirp modulation of the EAM. Integrated R-EAM-SOAs have experimentally shown two unexpected and unintuitive characteristics which are not observed in a single pass transmission SOA: the clamping of the output power of the device around a maximum value and low patterning distortion despite the SOA being in a regime of gain saturation. In this thesis a detailed analysis is carried out using both experimental measurements and modelling in order to understand these phenomena. For the first time it is shown that both the internal loss between SOA and R-EAM and the SOA gain play an integral role in the behaviour of gain saturated R-EAM-SOAs. Internal loss and SOA gain are also optimised for use in a carrier distributed PONs in order to access both the positive effect of output power clamping, and hence upstream dynamic range reduction, combined with low patterning operation of the SOA Reflective concepts are also gaining interest for metro transport networks and short reach, high bit rate, inter-datacentre links. Moving the optical carrier generation away from the transmitter also has potential advantages for these applications as it avoids the need for cooled photonics being placed directly on hot router line-cards. A detailed analysis is carried out in this thesis on a novel colourless reflective duobinary modulator, which would enable wavelength flexibility in a power-efficient reflective metro node.

Burst-mode electronic dispersion compensation in long reach PONs

Long reach passive optical networks (LR-PONs), which integrate fibre-to-the-home with metro networks, have been the subject of intensive research in recent years and are considered one of the most promising candidates for the next generation of optical access networks. Such systems ideally have reaches greater than 100km and bit rates of at least 10Gb/s per wavelength in the downstream and upstream directions. Due to the limited equipment sharing that is possible in access networks, the laser transmitters in the terminal units, which are usually the most expensive components, must be as cheap as possible. However, the requirement for low cost is generally incompatible with the need for a transmitter chirp characteristic that is optimised for such long reaches at 10Gb/s, and hence dispersion compensation is required. In this thesis electronic dispersion compensation (EDC) techniques are employed to increase the chromatic dispersion tolerance and to enhance the system performance at the expense of moderate additional implementation complexity. In order to use such EDC in LR-PON architectures, a number of challenges associated with the burst-mode nature of the upstream link need to be overcome. In particular, the EDC must be made adaptive from one burst to the next (burst-mode EDC, or BM-EDC) in time scales on the order of tens to hundreds of nanoseconds. Burst-mode operation of EDC has received little attention to date. The main objective of this thesis is to demonstrate the feasibility of such a concept and to identify the key BM-EDC design parameters required for applications in a 10Gb/s burst-mode link. This is achieved through a combination of simulations and transmission experiments utilising off-line data processing. The research shows that burst-to-burst adaptation can in principle be implemented efficiently, opening the possibility of low overhead, adaptive EDC-enabled burst-mode systems.

3D vanadium oxide inverse opal growth by electrodeposition

Three-dimensional vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) material architectures in the form of inverse opals (IOs) were fabricated using a simple electrodeposition process into artificial opal templates on stainless steel foil using an aqueous solution of VOSO4.χH2O with added ethanol. The direct deposition of V2O5 IOs was compared with V2O5 planar electrodeposition and confirms a similar progressive nucleation and growth mechanism. An in-depth examination of the chemical and morphological nature of the IO material was performed using X-ray crystallography, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman scattering and scanning/transmission electron microscopy. Electrodeposition is demonstrated to be a function of the interstitial void fraction of the artificial opal and ionic diffusivity that leads to high quality, phase pure V2O5 inverse opals is not adversely affected by diffusion pathway tortuosity. Methods to alleviate electrodeposited overlayer formation on the artificial opal templates for the fabrication of the porous 3D structures are also demonstrated. Such a 3D material is ideally suited as a cathode for lithium ion batteries, electrochromic devices, sensors and for applications requiring high surface area electrochemically active metal oxides.

Quantitative analysis of the effect of derivatisation of [Ru(BPY) phen] with a quinoline moiety on the interaction with DNA

The bifunctional Ru(II) complex [Ru(BPY)2POQ-Nmet]2+ (1), in which the metallic unit is tethered by an aliphatic chain to an organic DNA binder, was designed in order to increase the affinity toward nucleic acids. The interaction of 1 with DNA was characterised from luminescence and absorption data and compared with the binding of its monofunctional metallic and organic analogues, [Ru(BPY)2(ac)phen]2+ (2) and Nmet-quinoline (3). The bifunctional complex has a binding affinity one order of magnitude higher than that of each of its separated moieties. Absorption changes induced upon addition of DNA at different pH indicate protonation of the organic sub-unit upon interaction with DNA under neutral conditions. The combination of the luminescence data under steady-state and time-resolved conditions shows that the attachment of the organic unit in 1 induces modifications of the association modes of the metallic unit, owing to the presence of the aliphatic chain which probably hinders the metallic moiety binding. The salt dependence of the binding constants was analysed in order to compare the thermodynamic parameters describing the association with DNA for each complex. This study demonstrates the interest of the derivatisation of a Ru(II) complex with an organic moiety (ia the bifunctional ligand POQ-Nmet) for the development of high affinity DNA probes or photoreactive agents.

Factors associated with mortality in transplant patients with invasive aspergillosis.

BACKGROUND: Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors associated with mortality in transplant patients with IA. METHODS: Transplant patients from 23 US centers were enrolled from March 2001 to October 2005 as part of the Transplant Associated Infection Surveillance Network. IA cases were identified prospectively in this cohort through March 2006, and data were collected. Factors associated with 12-week all-cause mortality were determined by logistic regression analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Six-hundred forty-two cases of proven or probable IA were evaluated, of which 317 (49.4%) died by the study endpoint. All-cause mortality was greater in HSCT patients (239 [57.5%] of 415) than in SOT patients (78 [34.4%] of 227; P<.001). Independent poor prognostic factors in HSCT patients were neutropenia, renal insufficiency, hepatic insufficiency, early-onset IA, proven IA, and methylprednisolone use. In contrast, white race was associated with decreased risk of death. Among SOT patients, hepatic insufficiency, malnutrition, and central nervous system disease were poor prognostic indicators, whereas prednisone use was associated with decreased risk of death. Among HSCT or SOT patients who received antifungal therapy, use of an amphotericin B preparation as part of initial therapy was associated with increased risk of death. CONCLUSIONS: There are multiple variables associated with survival in transplant patients with IA. Understanding these prognostic factors may assist in the development of treatment algorithms and clinical trials.

CD20 deficiency in humans results in impaired T cell-independent antibody responses.

CD20 was the first B cell differentiation antigen identified, and CD20-specific mAbs are commonly used for the treatment of B cell malignancies and autoantibody-mediated autoimmune diseases. Despite this the role of CD20 in human B cell physiology has remained elusive. We describe here a juvenile patient with CD20 deficiency due to a homozygous mutation in a splice junction of the CD20 gene (also known as MS4A1) that results in "cryptic" splicing and nonfunctional mRNA species. Analysis of this patient has led us to conclude that CD20 has a central role in the generation of T cell-independent (TI) antibody responses. Key evidence to support this conclusion was provided by the observation that although antigen-independent B cells developed normally in the absence of CD20 expression, antibody formation, particularly after vaccination with TI antigens, was strongly impaired in the patient. Consistent with this, TI antipolysaccharide B cell responses were severely impeded in CD20-deficient mice. Our study therefore identifies what we believe to be a novel type of humoral immunodeficiency caused by CD20 deficiency and characterized by normal development of antigen-independent B cells, along with a reduced capacity to mount proper antibody responses.

Impaired formation of beta-adrenergic receptor-nucleotide regulatory protein complexes in pseudohypoparathyroidism.

Decreased activity of the guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (N) of the adenylate cyclase system is present in cell membranes of some patients with pseudohypoparathyrodism (PHP-Ia) whereas others have normal activity of N (PHP-Ib). Low N activity in PHP-Ia results in a decrease in hormone (H)-stimulatable adenylate cyclase in various tissues, which might be due to decreased ability to form an agonist-specific high affinity complex composed of H, receptor (R), and N. To test this hypothesis, we compared beta-adrenergic agonist-specific binding properties in erythrocyte membranes from five patients with PHP-Ia (N = 45% of control), five patients with PHP-Ib (N = 97%), and five control subjects. Competition curves that were generated by increasing concentrations of the beta-agonist isoproterenol competing with [125I]pindolol were shallow (slope factors less than 1) and were computer fit to a two-state model with corresponding high and low affinity for the agonist. The agonist competition curves from the PHP-Ia patients were shifted significantly (P less than 0.02) to the right as a result of a significant (P less than 0.01) decrease in the percent of beta-adrenergic receptors in the high affinity state from 64 +/- 22% in PHP-Ib and 56 +/- 5% in controls to 10 +/- 8% in PHP-Ia. The agonist competition curves were computer fit to a "ternary complex" model for the two-step reaction: H + R + N in equilibrium HR + N in equilibrium HRN. The modeling was consistent with a 60% decrease in the functional concentration of N, and was in good agreement with the biochemically determined decrease in erythrocyte N protein activity. These in vitro findings in erythrocytes taken together with the recent observations that in vivo isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity is decreased in patients with PHP (Carlson, H. E., and A. S. Brickman, 1983, J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 56:1323-1326) are consistent with the notion that N is a bifunctional protein interacting with both R and the adenylate cyclase. It may be that in patients with PHP-Ia a single molecular and genetic defect accounts for both decreased HRN formation and decreased adenylate cyclase activity, whereas in PHP-Ib the biochemical lesion(s) appear not to affect HRN complex formation.

Analysis of the genome and transcriptome of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii reveals complex RNA expression and microevolution leading to virulence attenuation.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic basidiomycetous yeast responsible for more than 600,000 deaths each year. It occurs as two serotypes (A and D) representing two varieties (i.e. grubii and neoformans, respectively). Here, we sequenced the genome and performed an RNA-Seq-based analysis of the C. neoformans var. grubii transcriptome structure. We determined the chromosomal locations, analyzed the sequence/structural features of the centromeres, and identified origins of replication. The genome was annotated based on automated and manual curation. More than 40,000 introns populating more than 99% of the expressed genes were identified. Although most of these introns are located in the coding DNA sequences (CDS), over 2,000 introns in the untranslated regions (UTRs) were also identified. Poly(A)-containing reads were employed to locate the polyadenylation sites of more than 80% of the genes. Examination of the sequences around these sites revealed a new poly(A)-site-associated motif (AUGHAH). In addition, 1,197 miscRNAs were identified. These miscRNAs can be spliced and/or polyadenylated, but do not appear to have obvious coding capacities. Finally, this genome sequence enabled a comparative analysis of strain H99 variants obtained after laboratory passage. The spectrum of mutations identified provides insights into the genetics underlying the micro-evolution of a laboratory strain, and identifies mutations involved in stress responses, mating efficiency, and virulence.

Prices versus quantities versus bankable quantities

Quantity-based regulation with banking allows regulated firms to shift obligations across time in response to periods of unexpectedly high or low marginal costs. Despite its wide prevalence in existing and proposed emission trading programs, banking has received limited attention in past welfare analyses of policy choice under uncertainty. We address this gap with a model of banking behavior that captures two key constraints: uncertainty about the future from the firm's perspective and a limit on negative bank values (e.g. borrowing). We show conditions where banking provisions reduce price volatility and lower expected costs compared to quantity policies without banking. For plausible parameter values related to U.S. climate change policy, we find that bankable quantities produce behavior quite similar to price policies for about two decades and, during this period, improve welfare by about a $1 billion per year over fixed quantities. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Stress-induced outer membrane vesicle production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

As an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa must be able to adapt and survive changes and stressors in its environment during the course of infection. To aid survival in the hostile host environment, P. aeruginosa has evolved defense mechanisms, including the production of an exopolysaccharide capsule and the secretion of a myriad of degradative proteases and lipases. The production of outer membrane-derived vesicles (OMVs) serves as a secretion mechanism for virulence factors as well as a general bacterial response to envelope-acting stressors. This study investigated the effect of sublethal physiological stressors on OMV production by P. aeruginosa and whether the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) and the MucD periplasmic protease are critical mechanistic factors in this response. Exposure to some environmental stressors was determined to increase the level of OMV production as well as the activity of AlgU, the sigma factor that controls MucD expression. Overexpression of AlgU was shown to be sufficient to induce OMV production; however, stress-induced OMV production was not dependent on activation of AlgU, since stress caused increased vesiculation in strains lacking algU. We further determined that MucD levels were not an indicator of OMV production under acute stress, and PQS was not required for OMV production under stress or unstressed conditions. Finally, an investigation of the response of P. aeruginosa to oxidative stress revealed that peroxide-induced OMV production requires the presence of B-band but not A-band lipopolysaccharide. Together, these results demonstrate that distinct mechanisms exist for stress-induced OMV production in P. aeruginosa.