An Eighteen Serum Cytokine Signature for Discriminating Glioma from Normal Healthy Individuals

Glioblastomas (GBM) are largely incurable as they diffusely infiltrate adjacent brain tissues and are difficult to diagnose at early stages. Biomarkers derived from serum, which can be obtained by minimally invasive procedures, may help in early diagnosis, prognosis and treatment monitoring. To develop a serum cytokine signature, we profiled 48 cytokines in sera derived from normal healthy individuals (n = 26) and different grades of glioma patients (n = 194). We divided the normal and grade IV glioma/GBM serum samples randomly into equal sized training and test sets. In the training set, the Prediction Analysis for Microarrays (PAM) identified a panel of 18 cytokines that could discriminate GBM sera fromnormal sera with maximum accuracy (95.40%) and minimum error (4.60%). The 18-cytokine signature obtained in the training set discriminated GBM sera from normal sera in the test set as well (accuracy 96.55%; error 3.45%). Interestingly, the 18-cytokine signature also differentiated grade II/Diffuse Astrocytoma (DA) and grade III/Anaplastic Astrocytoma (AA) sera from normal sera very efficiently (DA vs. normal-accuracy 96.00%, error 4.00%; AA vs. normal-accuracy 95.83%, error 4.17%). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis using 18 cytokines resulted in the enrichment of two pathways, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and JAK-STAT pathways with high significance. Thus our study identified an 18-cytokine signature for distinguishing glioma sera fromnormal healthy individual sera and also demonstrated the importance of their differential abundance in glioma biology.

Evaluation of the Index-Flood Approach Related Regional Frequency Analysis Procedures

Index-flood related regional frequency analysis (RFA) procedures are in use by hydrologists to estimate design quantiles of hydrological extreme events at data sparse/ungauged locations in river basins. There is a dearth of attempts to establish which among those procedures is better for RFA in the L-moment framework. This paper evaluates the performance of the conventional index flood (CIF), the logarithmic index flood (LIF), and two variants of the population index flood (PIF) procedures in estimating flood quantiles for ungauged locations by Monte Carlo simulation experiments and a case study on watersheds in Indiana in the U.S. To evaluate the PIF procedure, L-moment formulations are developed for implementing the procedure in situations where the regional frequency distribution (RFD) is the generalized logistic (GLO), generalized Pareto (GPA), generalized normal (GNO) or Pearson type III (PE3), as those formulations are unavailable. Results indicate that one of the variants of the PIF procedure, which utilizes the regional information on the first two L-moments is more effective than the CIF and LIF procedures. The improvement in quantile estimation using the variant of PIF procedure as compared with the CIF procedure is significant when the RFD is a generalized extreme value, GLO, GNO, or PE3, and marginal when it is GPA. (C) 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Micro-satellite angular rate estimation using second-order sliding mode observer

Development of computationally efficient and accurate attitude rate estimation algorithm using low-cost commercially available star sensor arrays and processing unit for micro-satellite mission is presented. Our design reduces the computational load of least square (LS)-based rate estimation method while maintaining the same accuracy compared to other rate estimation approaches. Furthermore, rate estimation accuracy is improved by using recently developed fast and accurate second-order sliding mode observer (SOSMO) scheme. It also gives robust estimation in the presence of modeling uncertainties, unknown disturbances, and measurement noise. Simulation study shows that rate estimation accuracy achieved by our LS-based method is comparable with other methods for a typical commercially available star sensor array. The robustness analysis of SOSMO with respect to measurement noise is also presented in this paper. Simulation test bench for a practical scenario of satellite rate estimation uses moment-of-inertia variation and environmental disturbances affecting a typical micro-satellite at 500km circular orbit. Comparison studies of SOSMO with 1-SMO and pseudo-linear Kalman filter show that satisfactory estimation accuracy is achieved by SOSMO.

Reduced common-mode voltage operation of a new seven-level hybrid multilevel inverter topology with a single DC voltage source

In this study, analysis of extending the linear modulation range of a zero common-mode voltage (CMV) operated n-level inverter by allowing reduced CMV switching is presented. A new hybrid seven-level inverter topology with a single DC supply is also presented in this study and inverter operation for zero and reduced CMV is analysed. Each phase of the inverter is realised by cascading two three-level flying capacitor inverters with a half-bridge module in between. Proposed inverter topology is operated with zero CMV for modulation index <86% and is operated with a CMV magnitude of V-dc/18 to extend the modulation range up to 96%. Experimental results are presented for zero CMV operation and for reduced common voltage operation to extend the linear modulation range. A capacitor voltage balancing algorithm is designed utilising the pole voltage redundancies of the inverter, which works for every sampling instant to correct the capacitor voltage irrespective of load power factor and modulation index. The capacitor voltage balancing algorithm is tested for different modulation indices and for various transient conditions, to validate the proposed topology.

A mode-shape classification technique for robust speech rate estimation and syllable nuclei detection

Acoustic feature based speech (syllable) rate estimation and syllable nuclei detection are important problems in automatic speech recognition (ASR), computer assisted language learning (CALL) and fluency analysis. A typical solution for both the problems consists of two stages. The first stage involves computing a short-time feature contour such that most of the peaks of the contour correspond to the syllabic nuclei. In the second stage, the peaks corresponding to the syllable nuclei are detected. In this work, instead of the peak detection, we perform a mode-shape classification, which is formulated as a supervised binary classification problem - mode-shapes representing the syllabic nuclei as one class and remaining as the other. We use the temporal correlation and selected sub-band correlation (TCSSBC) feature contour and the mode-shapes in the TCSSBC feature contour are converted into a set of feature vectors using an interpolation technique. A support vector machine classifier is used for the classification. Experiments are performed separately using Switchboard, TIMIT and CTIMIT corpora in a five-fold cross validation setup. The average correlation coefficients for the syllable rate estimation turn out to be 0.6761, 0.6928 and 0.3604 for three corpora respectively, which outperform those obtained by the best of the existing peak detection techniques. Similarly, the average F-scores (syllable level) for the syllable nuclei detection are 0.8917, 0.8200 and 0.7637 for three corpora respectively. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spallation analysis with a closed trans-scale formulation damage evolution

A closed, trans-scale formulation of damage evolution based on the statistical microdamage mechanics is summarized in this paper. The dynamic function of damage bridges the mesoscopic and macroscopic evolution of damage. The spallation in an aluminium plate is studied with this formulation. It is found that the damage evolution is governed by several dimensionless parameters, i.e., imposed Deborah numbers De* and De, Mach number M and damage number S. In particular, the most critical mode of the macroscopic damage evolution, i.e., the damage localization, is deter-mined by Deborah number De+. Deborah number De* reflects the coupling and competition between the macroscopic loading and the microdamage growth. Therefore, our results reveal the multi-scale nature of spallation. In fact, the damage localization results from the nonlinearity of the microdamage growth. In addition, the dependence of the damage rate on imposed Deborah numbers De* and De, Mach number M and damage number S is discussed.

Instability Analysis of Nonlinear Surface Waves in a Circular Cylindrical Container Subjected to a Vertical Excitation

Singular perturbation theory of two-time scale expansions was developed both in inviscid and weak viscous fluids to investigate the motion of single surface standing wave in a liquid-filled circular cylindrical vessel, which is subject to a vertical periodical oscillation. Firstly, it is assumed that the fluid in the circular cylindrical vessel is inviscid, incompressible and the motion is irrotational, a nonlinear evolution equation of slowly varying complex amplitude, which incorporates cubic nonlinear term, external excitation and the influence of surface tension, was derived from solvability condition of high-order approximation. It shows that when forced frequency is low, the effect of surface tension on mode selection of surface wave is not important. However, when forced frequency is high, the influence of surface tension is significant, and can not be neglected. This proved that the surface tension has the function, which causes free surface returning to equilibrium location. Theoretical results much close to experimental results when the surface tension is considered. In fact, the damping will appear in actual physical system due to dissipation of viscosity of fluid. Based upon weakly viscous fluids assumption, the fluid field was divided into an outer potential flow region and an inner boundary layer region. A linear amplitude equation of slowly varying complex amplitude, which incorporates damping term and external excitation, was derived from linearized Navier-Stokes equation. The analytical expression of damping coefficient was determined and the relation between damping and other related parameters (such as viscosity, forced amplitude and depth of fluid) was presented. The nonlinear amplitude equation and a dispersion, which had been derived from the inviscid fluid approximation, were modified by adding linear damping. It was found that the modified results much reasonably close to experimental results. Moreover, the influence both of the surface tension and the weak viscosity on the mode formation was described by comparing theoretical and experimental results. The results show that when the forcing frequency is low, the viscosity of the fluid is prominent for the mode selection. However, when the forcing frequency is high, the surface tension of the fluid is prominent. Finally, instability of the surface wave is analyzed and properties of the solutions of the modified amplitude equation are determined together with phase-plane trajectories. A necessary condition of forming stable surface wave is obtained and unstable regions are illustrated. (c) 2005 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

A thermal-elastic analysis on laser-induced reverse bulging and plugging in circular brass foil

A new failure mode is observed in circular brass foils induced by laser beam. The new failure is based on the following experimental facts : (1) the peripheries of the circular brass foils are fixed and the surfaces of the foils are radiated by laser beam ; (2) the laser beam used is considered to be non-Gaussian spatially, actually an approximately uniform distribution limited in a certain size spot ; (3) the pulse on time of laser beam should be 250 μs, i.e. so called long duration pulse laser. The failure process consists of three stages ; i.e. thermal bulging, localized shear deformation and perforation by plugging. The word reverse in reverse bulging and plugging mode means that bulging and plugging occur in the direction of incident laser beam. To study the newly-discovered type of failure quantitatively, analytical solutions for the axisymmetric temperature field and deflection curve are derived. The calculated results show that the newly discovered failure mode is attributed to the spatial structure effect of laser beam indeed.

Moment Tensor Analysis of the Acoustic Emission Source in the Rock Damage Process

To further investigate the mechanism of acoustic emission (AE) in the rock fracture experiment, moment tensor analysis was carried out. The AE sources characterized by crack sizes, orientations and fracture modes, are represented by a time-dependent momen

Shear deformation analysis on laser-induced reverse bulging and plugging

A new kind of failure mode is observed in circular brass foils in which their peripheries are fixed and their surfaces are subjected to a long pulsed laser over a central region. The failure is classified into three stages; they are referred to as thermal bulging, localized shear deformation and perforation by plugging. A distinct feature of the failure mode is that bulging and plugging occurred in the direction opposite to the incident laser beam. To study the failure mode, we investigate the non-linear response of heated, non-homogeneous circular plates. Based on the large deflection equations of Berger [J. Appl. Mech. 22 (3), 465-472 (1965)], Ohnabe and Mizuguchi [Int. J. Non-Linear Mech. 28 (4), 365-372 (1993)] and the parabolic shear deformation theory of Bhimaraddi and Stevens [J. Appl. Mech. 51 (1), 195-198 (1984)], we have derived new coupled governing equations of shear deformation and deflection. The new equations are solved, for the plate with a clamped edge, by the Galerkin and iterative methods. The numerical results for the shear deformation distribution are in good agreement with the experimental observation.

Bismuth-doped fiber integrated ring laser mode-locked with a nanotube-based saturable absorber

We demonstrate passive mode-locking of a bismuth-doped fiber laser using a singlewall nanotube-based saturable absorber. Stable operation in the all-normal dispersion and average soliton regime is obtained, with an all-fiber integrated format. © 2010 Optical Society of America.

Noise and stability in giant-chirp oscillators mode-locked with a nanotube-based saturable absorber

We compare experimental results showing stable dissipative-soliton solutions exist in mode-locked lasers with ultra-large normal dispersion (as large as 21.5 ps2), with both the analytic framework provided by Haus' master-equation and full numerical simulations. © 2010 Optical Society of America.

Investigation Of Mode Ii Crack Growth Following A Very High Speed Impact

A recoverable plate impact testing technology has been developed for studying fracture mechanisms of mode II crack. With this technology, a single duration stress pulse with submicrosecond duration and high loading rates, up to 10(8) MPam(1/2)s(-1), can be produced. Dynamic failure tests of Hard-C 60# steel were carried out under asymmetrical impacting conditions with short stress-pulse loading. Experimental results show that the nucleation and growth of several microcracks ahead of the crack tip, and the interactions between them, induce unsteady crack growth. Failure mode transitions during crack growth, both from mode I crack to mode II and from brittle to ductile fracture, were observed. Based on experimental observations, a discontinuous crack growth model was established. Analysis of the crack growth mechanisms using our model shows that the shear crack extension is unsteady when the extending speed is between the Rayleigh wave speed c(R) and the shear wave speed c(S). However, when the crack advancing speed is beyond c(S), the crack grows at a steady intersonic speed approaching root 2c(S). It also shows that the transient mechanisms, such as nucleation, growth, interaction and coalescence among microcracks, make the main crack speed jump from subsonic to intersonic and the steady growth of all the subcracks causes the main crack to grow at a stable intersonic speed.

On the mechanism of void growth and the effect of straining mode in ductile materials

Finite element analysis is employed to investigate void growth embedded in elastic-plastic matrix material. Axisymmetric and plane stress conditions are considered. The simulation of void growth in a unit cell model is carried out over a wide range of triaxial tensile stressing or large plastic straining for various strain hardening materials to study the mechanism of void growth in ductile materials. Triaxial tension and large plastic strain encircling around the void are found to be of most importance for driving void growth. The straining mode of incremental loading which favors the necessary strain concentration around void for its growth can be characterized by the vanishing condition of a parameter called "the third invariant of generalized strain rate". Under this condition, it accentuates the internal strain concentration and the strain energy stored/dissipated within the material layer surrounding the void. Experimental results are cited to justify the effect of this loading parameter. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-range automaton models of earthquakes: Power-law accelerations, correlation evolution, and mode-switching

We introduce a conceptual model for the in-plane physics of an earthquake fault. The model employs cellular automaton techniques to simulate tectonic loading, earthquake rupture, and strain redistribution. The impact of a hypothetical crustal elastodynamic Green's function is approximated by a long-range strain redistribution law with a r(-p) dependance. We investigate the influence of the effective elastodynamic interaction range upon the dynamical behaviour of the model by conducting experiments with different values of the exponent (p). The results indicate that this model has two distinct, stable modes of behaviour. The first mode produces a characteristic earthquake distribution with moderate to large events preceeded by an interval of time in which the rate of energy release accelerates. A correlation function analysis reveals that accelerating sequences are associated with a systematic, global evolution of strain energy correlations within the system. The second stable mode produces Gutenberg-Richter statistics, with near-linear energy release and no significant global correlation evolution. A model with effectively short-range interactions preferentially displays Gutenberg-Richter behaviour. However, models with long-range interactions appear to switch between the characteristic and GR modes. As the range of elastodynamic interactions is increased, characteristic behaviour begins to dominate GR behaviour. These models demonstrate that evolution of strain energy correlations may occur within systems with a fixed elastodynamic interaction range. Supposing that similar mode-switching dynamical behaviour occurs within earthquake faults then intermediate-term forecasting of large earthquakes may be feasible for some earthquakes but not for others, in alignment with certain empirical seismological observations. Further numerical investigation of dynamical models of this type may lead to advances in earthquake forecasting research and theoretical seismology.