Schatten class Toeplitz operators on generalized Fock spaces

In this paper we characterize the Schatten p class membership of Toeplitz operators with positive measure symbols acting on generalized Fock spaces for the full range p>0.

Thin Sequences and the Gram Matrix

We provide a new proof of Volberg's Theorem characterizing thin interpolating sequences as those for which the Gram matrix associated to the normalized reproducing kernels is a compact perturbation of the identity. In the same paper, Volberg characterized sequences for which the Gram matrix is a compact perturbation of a unitary as well as those for which the Gram matrix is a Schatten-2 class perturbation of a unitary operator. We extend this characterization from 2 to p, where 2 <= p <= infinity.

Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Diketopiperazinecontaining Natural Products: (–)-Lansai B, (+)-Nocardioazines A and B, and (–)-Acetylapoaranotin

Diketopiperazine (DKP) motif is found in a wide range of biologically active natural products. This work details our efforts toward two classes of DKP-containing natural products.

Class one features the pyrroloindoline structure, derived from tryptophans. Our group developed a highly enantioselective (3 + 2) formal cycloaddition between indoles and acrylates to provide pyrroloindoline products possessing three stereocenters. Utilizing this methodology, we accomplished asymmetric total synthesis of three natural products: (–)-lansai B, (+)-nocardioazines A and B. Total synthesis of (–)-lansai B was realized in six steps, and featured an amino acid dimerization strategy. The total synthesis of (+)-nocardioazine B was also successfully completed in ten steps. Challenges were met in approaching (+)-nocardioazine A, where a seemingly easy last-step epoxidization did not prove successful. After re-examining our synthetic strategy, an early-stage epoxidation strategy was pursued, which eventually yielded a nine-step total synthesis of (+)-nocardioazine A.

Class two is the epidithiodiketopiperazine (ETP) natural products, which possesses an additional episulfide bridge in the DKP core. With the goal of accessing ETPs with different peripheral structures for structure-activity relationship studies, a highly divergent route was successfully developed, which was showcased in the formal synthesis of (–)-emethallicin E and (–)-haematocin, and the first asymmetric synthesis of (–)-acetylapoaranotin.

机器人轨迹特性测试系统研究

class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"> 机器人轨迹特性是机器人的最重要的性能指标之一，测量机器人轨迹特性是多年来机器人学研究和机器人制造应用的一项重要课题。本论文研究了非接触式机器人轨迹特性测试方法，设计了相应的数学模型和传感器测量模型，完成了轨迹特性测试系统的性能设计、功能软件开发和人机交互界面设计，并对工业机器人轨迹特性进行测试仿真。仿真结果表明，该机器人轨迹特性测试系统性能稳定，结果可靠，正确的反映了机器人的轨迹特性，完成了旗定的研究目标，具有重要的学术价值和现实意义。

New modular structure DC-DC converter without electrolytic capacitors for renewable energy applications

class="marginB3">Electrolytic capacitors are extensively used in power converters but they are bulky, unreliable, and have short lifetimes. This paper proposes a new capacitor-free high step-up dc-dc converter design for renewable energy applications such as photovoltaics (PVs) and fuel cells. The primary side of the converter includes three interleaved inductors, three main switches, and an active clamp circuit. As a result, the input current ripple is greatly reduced, eliminating the necessity for an input capacitor. In addition, zero voltage switching (ZVS) is achieved during switching transitions for all active switches, so that switching losses can be greatly reduced. Furthermore, a three-phase modular structure and six pulse rectifiers are employed to reduce the output voltage ripple. Since magnetic energy stored in the leakage inductance is recovered, the reverse-recovery issue of the diodes is effectively solved. The proposed converter is justified by simulation and experimental tests on a 1-kW prototype.

Detection of Low-Concentration Contaminants in Solution by Exploiting Chemical Derivatization in Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

class="articleBody_abstractText">A simple derivatization methodology is shown to extend the application of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to the detection of trace concentration of contaminants in liquid form. Normally in SERS the target analyte species is already present in the molecular form in which it is to be detected and is extracted from solution to occupy sites of enhanced electromagnetic field on the substrate by means of chemisorption or drop-casting and subsequent evaporation of the solvent. However, these methods are very ineffective for the detection of low concentrations of contaminant in liquid form because the target (ionic) species (a) exhibits extremely low occupancy of enhancing surface sites in the bulk liquid environment and (b) coevaporates with the solvent. In this study, the target analyte species (acid) is detected via its solid derivative (salt) offering very significant enhancement of the SERS signal because of preferential deposition of the salt at the enhancing surface but without loss of chemical discrimination. The detection of nitric acid and sulfuric acid is demonstrated down to 100 ppb via reaction with ammonium hydroxide to produce the corresponding ammonium salt. This yields an improvement of ∼4 orders of magnitude in the low-concentration detection limit compared with liquid phase detection.

SORBS1 gene, a new candidate for diabetic nephropathy: results from a multi-stage genome-wide association study in patients with type 1 diabetes

Aims/hypothesis

class="a-plus-plus">The genetic determinants of diabetic nephropathy remain poorly understood. We aimed to identify novel susceptibility genes for diabetic nephropathy.

class="a-plus-plus">We performed a genome-wide association study using 1000 Genomes-based imputation to compare type 1 diabetic nephropathy cases with proteinuria and with or without renal failure with control patients who have had diabetes for more than 15 years and no evidence of renal disease.

class="a-plus-plus">None of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) tested in a discovery cohort composed of 683 cases and 779 controls reached genome-wide statistical significance. The 46 top hits (class="a-plus-plus">p < 10^{class="a-plus-plus">−5}) were then sought for first-stage analysis in the Genetics of Kidneys in Diabetes US (US-GoKinD) study, an independent population of 820 cases and 885 controls. Two SNPs in strong linkage disequilibrium with each other and located in the class="a-plus-plus">SORBS1 gene were consistently and significantly (class="a-plus-plus">p < 10^{class="a-plus-plus">−4}) associated with diabetic nephropathy. The minor rs1326934-C allele was less frequent in cases than in controls (0.34 vs 0.43) and was associated with a decreased risk for diabetic nephropathy (OR 0.70; 95% CI 0.60, 0.82). However, this association was not observed in a second stage with two additional diabetic nephropathy cohorts, the All Ireland-Warren 3-Genetics of Kidneys in Diabetes UK and Republic of Ireland (UK-ROI; class="a-plus-plus">p = 0.15) and the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy (FinnDiane; class="a-plus-plus">p = 0.44) studies, totalling 2,142 cases and 2,494 controls. Altogether, the random-effect meta-analysed rs1326934-C allele OR for diabetic nephropathy was 0.83 (95% CI 0.72, 0.96; class="a-plus-plus">p = 0.009).

class="a-plus-plus">These data suggest that class="a-plus-plus">SORBS1 might be a gene involved in diabetic nephropathy.

Physicochemical Investigation of Adiponitrile-Based Electrolytes for Electrical Double Layer Capacitor

class="articleBody_abstractText">Herein, we present the formulation and the characterization of novel adiponitrile-based electrolytes as a function of the salt structure, concentration, and temperature for supercapacitor applications using activated carbon based electrode material. To drive this study two salts were selected, namely, the tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate and the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide. Prior to determination of their electrochemical performance, formulated electrolytes were first characterized to quantify their thermal, volumetric, and transport properties as a function of temperature and composition. Then, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques were used to investigate their electrochemical properties as electrolyte for supercapacitor applications in comparison with those reported for the currently used model electrolyte based on the dissolution of 1 mol·dm^{–3 of tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile. Surprisingly, excellent electrochemical performances were observed by testing adiponitrile-based electrolytes, especially those containing the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide room-temperature molten salt. Differences observed on electrochemical performances between the selected adiponitrile electrolytes based on high-temperature (tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate) and the room-temperature (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide) molten salts are mainly driven by the salt solubility in adiponitrile, as well as by the charge and the structure of each involved species. Furthermore, in comparison with classical electrolytes, the selected adiponitrile +1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide solution exhibits almost similar specific capacitances and lower equivalent serial resistance. These results demonstrate in fact that the adiponitrile +1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide mixture can be used for the formulation of safer electrolytes presenting a very low vapor pressure even at high temperatures to design acetonitrile-free supercapacitor devices with comparable performances.}

Viscosity and Carbon Dioxide Solubility for LiPF6, LiTFSI, and LiFAP in Alkyl Carbonates: Lithium Salt Nature and Concentration Effect

class="articleBody_abstractText">In this paper, we have reported the CO_{2 solubility in different pure alkyl carbonate solvents (EC, DMC, EMC, DEC) and their binary mixtures as EC/DMC, EC/EMC, and EC/DEC and for electrolytes [solvent + lithium salt] LiX (X = LiPF6, LiTFSI, or LiFAP) as a function of the temperature and salt concentration. To understand the parameters that influence the structure of the solvents and their ability to dissolve CO2, through the addition of a salt, we first analyzed the viscosities of EC/DMC + LiX mixtures by means of a modified Jones–Dole equation. The results were discussed considering the order or disorder introduced by the salt into the solvent organization and ion solvation sphere by calculating the effective solute ion radius, rs. On the basis of these results, the analysis of the CO2 solubility variations with the salt addition was then evaluated and discussed by determining specific ion parameters Hi by using the Setchenov coefficients in solution. This study showed that the CO2 solubility has been affected by the shape, charge density, and size of the ions, which influence the structuring of the solvents through the addition of a salt and the type of solvation of the ions.}

Deep Eutectic Solvents Based on N-Methylacetamide and a Lithium Salt as Electrolytes at Elevated Temperature for Activated Carbon-Based Supercapacitors

class="articleBody_abstractText">This study describes the utilization of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) based on the mixture of the N-methylacetamide (MAc) with a lithium salt (LiX, with X = bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide, TFSI; hexafluorophosphate, PF₆; or nitrate, NO₃) as electrolytes for carbon-based supercapacitors at 80 °C. The investigated DESs were formulated by mixing a LiX with the MAc (at x_Li = 0.25). All DESs show the typical eutectic characteristic with eutectic points localized in the temperature range from −85 to −52 °C. Using thermal properties measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), solid–liquid equilibrium phase diagrams of investigated LiX–MAc mixtures were then depicted and also compared with those predicted by using the COSMOThermX software. However, the transport properties of selected DESs (such as the conductivity (σ) and the fluidity (η^–1)) are not very interesting at ambient temperature, while by increasing the temperature up to 80 °C, these properties become more favorable for electrochemical applications, as shown by the calculated Walden products: w = ση^–1 (mS cm^–1 Pa^–1 s^–1) (7 < w < 16 at 25 °C and 513 < w < 649 at 80 °C). This “superionicity” behavior of selected DESs used as electrolytes explains their good cycling ability, which was determined herein by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostic charge–discharge methods, with high capacities up to 380 F g^–1 at elevated voltage and temperature, i.e., ΔE = 2.8 V and 80 °C for the LiTFSI–MAc mixture at x_Li = 0.25, for example. The electrochemical resistances ESR (equivalent series resistance) and EDR (equivalent diffusion resistance) evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements clearly demonstrate that according to the nature of anion, the mechanism of ions adsorption can be described by pure double-layer adsorption at the specific surface or by the insertion of desolvated ions into the ultramicropores of the activated carbon material. The insertion of lithium ions is observed by the presence of two reversible peaks in the CVs when the operating voltage exceeds 2 V. Finally, the efficiency and capacitance of symmetric AC/AC systems were then evaluated to show the imbalance carbon electrodes caused by important lithium insertion at the negative and by the saturation of the positive by anions, both mechanisms prevent in fact the system to be operational. Considering the promising properties, especially their cost, hazard, and risks of these DESs series, their introduction as safer electrolytes could represent an important challenge for the realization of environmentally friendly EDLCs operating at high temperature.

Bereavement After Informal Caregiving: Assessing Mental Health Burden Using Linked Population Data

class="first">Objectives. We compared the mental health risk to unpaid caregivers bereaved of a care recipient with the risk to persons otherwise bereaved and to nonbereaved caregivers.

Methods. We linked prescription records for antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs to characteristics and life-event data of members of the Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study (n = 317 264). Using a case-control design, we fitted logistic regression models, stratified by age, to model relative likelihood of mental health problems, using the proxy measures of mental health–related prescription.

Results. Both caregivers and bereaved individuals were estimated to be at between 20% and 50% greater risk for mental health problems than noncaregivers in similar circumstances (for bereaved working-age caregivers, odds ratio = 1.41; 95% confidence interval = 1.27, 1.56). For older people, there was no evidence of additional risk to bereaved caregivers, though there was for working-age people. Older people appeared to recover more quickly from caregiver bereavement.

class="last">Conclusions. Caregivers were at risk for mental ill health while providing care and after the death of the care recipient. Targeted caregiver support needs to extend beyond the life of the care recipient.

Measuring a cell's response to stress:the p53 pathway.

class="Para" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; word-break: break-word;">The characterization of complex cellular responses to diverse stimuli can be studied by the use of emerging chip-based technologies.

class="Para" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: medium; line-height: 25px;">The p53 pathway is critical to maintaining the integrity of the genome in multicellular organisms. The class="EmphasisTypeItalic" style="box-sizing: border-box;">p53gene is activated in response to DNA damage and encodes a transcription factor [1], which in turn activates genes that arrest cell growth and induce apoptosis, thereby preventing the propagation of genetically damaged cells. It is the most important known tumor suppressor gene: perhaps half of all human neoplasms have mutations in class="EmphasisTypeItalic" style="box-sizing: border-box;">p53, and there is a remarkable concordance between oncogenic mutation and the loss of p53 transcriptional activity [2]. There is also compelling experimental evidence that loss of p53 function (by whatever means) is one of the key oncogenic steps in human cells, along with altered telomerase activity and expression of mutant class="EmphasisTypeItalic" style="box-sizing: border-box;">ras [3]. So far, however, relatively few of the genes regulated by p53 have been identified and it is not even known how many binding sites there are for p53 in the genome, although an estimate based on the incidence of the canonical p53 consensus binding site (four palindromic copies of the sequence 5'-PuPuPuGA/T-3', where Pu is either purine) in a limited region suggests there may be as many as 200 to 300, possibly representing the same number of p53-responsive genes [4]. This makes the p53 response an attractive target for the emerging techniques for global analysis of gene expression, and two recent reports [5,6] illustrate the ways in which these techniques can be used to elucidate the spectrum of genes regulated by this key transcription factor. Vogelstein and colleagues [5] have used serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) to identify 34 genes that exhibit at least a 10-fold upregulation in response to inducible expression of p53; Tanaka class="EmphasisTypeItalic" style="box-sizing: border-box;">et al. [6] have used differential display to identify p53R2, a homolog of ribonuclease reductase small subunit (R2) as a target gene, thereby for the first time implicating p53 directly in the repair of DNA damage.

DEX: self-healing expanders

class="Para" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.2em; word-break: break-word;">We present a fully-distributed self-healing algorithm dex that maintains a constant degree expander network in a dynamic setting. To the best of our knowledge, our algorithm provides the first efficient distributed construction of expanders—whose expansion properties holdclass="EmphasisTypeItalic" style="box-sizing: border-box;">deterministically—that works even under an all-powerful adaptive adversary that controls the dynamic changes to the network (the adversary has unlimited computational power and knowledge of the entire network state, can decide which nodes join and leave and at what time, and knows the past random choices made by the algorithm). Previous distributed expander constructions typically provide only class="EmphasisTypeItalic" style="box-sizing: border-box;">probabilistic guarantees on the network expansion whichclass="EmphasisTypeItalic" style="box-sizing: border-box;">rapidly degrade in a dynamic setting; in particular, the expansion properties can degrade even more rapidly under class="EmphasisTypeItalic" style="box-sizing: border-box;">adversarial insertions and deletions. Our algorithm provides efficient maintenance and incurs a low overhead per insertion/deletion by an adaptive adversary: only O(logn)O(log⁡n) rounds and O(logn)O(log⁡n) messages are needed with high probability (class="EmphasisTypeItalic" style="box-sizing: border-box;">n is the number of nodes currently in the network). The algorithm requires only a constant number of topology changes. Moreover, our algorithm allows for an efficient implementation and maintenance of a distributed hash table on top of dex  with only a constant additional overhead. Our results are a step towards implementing efficient self-healing networks that have class="EmphasisTypeItalic" style="box-sizing: border-box;">guaranteed properties (constant bounded degree and expansion) despite dynamic changes.

class="SimplePara" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Gopal Pandurangan has been supported in part by Nanyang Technological University Grant M58110000, Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) Academic Research Fund (AcRF) Tier 2 Grant MOE2010-T2-2-082, MOE AcRF Tier 1 Grant MOE2012-T1-001-094, and the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) Grant 2008348. Peter Robinson has been supported by Grant MOE2011-T2-2-042 “Fault-tolerant Communication Complexity in Wireless Networks” from the Singapore MoE AcRF-2. Work done in part while the author was at the Nanyang Technological University and at the National University of Singapore. Amitabh Trehan has been supported by the Israeli Centers of Research Excellence (I-CORE) program (Center No. 4/11). Work done in part while the author was at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and at the Technion and supported by a Technion fellowship.

A 'respectful relationships' approach : could it be the answer to preventing gender-based violence?

class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%">Secondary Schools have been involved in Gender Based Violence (GBV) Prevention Education for many years. What, when and how this is done has always been difficult to assess. Programs come and go as governments react to public concerns and teachers and schools are expected to implement initiatives that are often reactions to public outcries. Teachers decide what they will teach and how they will teach it.  Last year I returned to work on a new initiative after a near 20-year break. I was surprised by the lack of change that had taken place over this period. There was still a lack of focus in schools, teachers were still reluctant to teach about it and ‘best practice’ appeared to be little different to that developed and implemented twenty years earlier. 

class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%">The purpose of this paper is to discuss the experience of teachers and students involved in a pilot of the Respectful Relationships curriculum materials trialled in Victoria in 2010. Using data collected from teachers and students as part of research to update the materials this paper explores the usefulness of the materials for teaching about GBV in secondary schools.

Bunker-de-bunk 2012

class="MsoNormal">In this work we explore and recreate the architecture of the McClelland Gallery by reconstructing the facade as a tyre brickwall. To this we added a second 'protective' skin. At once reaffirming and corrupting the tyres stand in their own right as a multiplied form. The work acts as a monument to car travel, excess and modernist form. In Bunker-de-bunk 2012 we are appropriating both the recycling industry’s method for stacking tyres on trucks while exploiting the ingenuity of tyre recycling in the construction of 'earthship' houses and the edifying beauty of the patterns created in the process.

class="MsoNormal">The tyre walls also critique the pervading architectural authority of the modernist gallery. The structure of the original McClelland building and its geometry of multiple planes and intersected partitions is corrupted and masked by the façade of tyres. We barricade the gallery in an extra layer of tyres as if the building itself were under siege. Bunker-de-bunk 2012 plays on the paranoia of modern institutions and questions the belief systems evident in the formal language of art. It is superstition and faith that brings cultural institutions into being; we all agree to believe. 

In Bunker-de-bunk 2012 we appropriate both the recycling industry's method for stacking tyres on trucks while exploiting the ingenuity of tyre recycling in the construction of earthship houses and the edifying beauty of the patterns created in the process.