Cloning and characterization of a symbiosis-related gene from an ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor

Point-to-point functional movements involve simultaneous shoulder and elbow joint rotations. In able-bodied subjects these movements are fully automatic, and feed-forward control ensures the synergistic activity of many muscles. Synergy between joint rotations was defined and described as a scaling between joint angular velocities [19]. Similarly, subjects who can control their shoulder movements may be assisted in reaching tasks by functional electrical stimulation (FES) of elbow extensor muscles. The synergistic control paradigm can be implemented in real-time by employing a hierarchically structured production-rules method. The use of production-rules necessitates the acquisition of knowledge and the assembly of a rule-base. A nonparametric technique was designed for the identification of the rules. The identification process was divided into two phases: determination of the scaling parameters, and determination of the stimulation parameters. The scaling parameters, needed for the coordination of movements, were determined in able-bodied subjects. Those depend exclusively on the initial and target positions of the hand. The number of scalings could be reduced by dividing the workspace into 12 zones. The stimulation parameters, needed for the execution of movements, were determined in subjects with paralyzed elbow extensor muscles by identifying triplets: elbow angular velocity, elbow angular acceleration (velocity increments), and the corresponding pulse durations for various classes of movements and loads attached to the hand.     

Intermetallic phases in Al-Mn alloys

The intermetallic phases present in high-purity and commercial purity Al-Mn alloys (up to 2% Mn) in as-cast and heat-treated conditions were extracted electrolytically in 10% HCl in methanol solution and identified by X-ray diffraction. As iron is known to increase the coarse cast-intermetallic particles and to cause refinement of the grain size after recrystallization, different amounts of iron (up to 0.5%) were added and the resulting intermetallic phases were extracted and identified with and without heat treatment. The unidentified phase -Al (Mn, Fe)Si, reported by Sperry and others, was recognized as corresponding for ASTM card number 6-0669 and the conditions favourable for its formation were determined. This phase may be responsible for refining the grain size after recrystallization in commercial purity alloys as compared to high-purity Al-Mn alloys and may therefore be tried as an inoculant (by adding powdered compound to liquid alloys) for grain refining.     

高吸水聚合物材料在防沙治沙中的应用

介绍了高吸水聚合物的发展状况、吸水机理和性能特征，总结了合成高吸水聚合物及半合成高吸水聚合物的技术条件及若干种制备方法，并提出利用低成本植物纤维素（取自植物落叶、农作物茎杆等）、淀粉等天然原材料来制备高吸水性聚合物；探讨了以高技术、低成本、大面积可实施及效果显著为技术优势，利用高吸水聚合物进行荒漠和沙漠治理的方法和发展方向。     

Hierarchical and Hybrid Cell Load Balancing in 5G Heterogeneous Mobile Networks

In Fifth Generation (5G) Heterogeneous Mobile Networks (HetNets), deploying dense small cell networks makes user association more challenging. The process of collecting cell load information from the User Equipments (UEs) and broadcasting the feedback message involves significant overhead and time complexity. Moreover, the UEs may not know the optimum cell to reselect, satisfying its data rate requirements. In order to overcome these drawbacks, in this paper, we propose to design an Hierarchical and Hybrid Cell Load Balancing (HHCLB) technique using Selective Handoff. In this technique, the UEs of each cell are grouped into clusters depending on their proximity distance. Each cluster contains a cluster controller (CC) which is in charge of determining the intra-cell load and redirecting the cell-reselection request of a UE. If the data rate of any UE in a cluster becomes less than its required rate, then the cell reselection process is performed. By simulation results, it is shown that load balancing can be done proactively (implicitly) by the CCs when the load is unbalanced or can be done on demand (explicitly) when a UE send a request for cell reselection. In the case of Macro cells, HHCLB attains 71% higher throughput for low load scenario and 59% higher throughput for high load scenario. Similarly, in the case of Femto cells, HHCLB attains 19% higher throughput for low load scenario and 27% higher throughput for high load scenario.     

Comparison of the frequency and enjoyability of pleasant events in cocaine abusers vs. non-abusers using a standardized behavioral inventory

AIMS: To examine whether cocaine abusers differ from non-abusers in their frequency and enjoyability of engaging in various "pleasant events", in order to approximate the density of positive reinforcement experienced in their natural environment. DESIGN: Comparisons of cocaine abusers to normative data and matched controls. SETTING: An outpatient substance abuse treatment center in Burlington, Vermont, USA. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects included 100 individuals enrolled in outpatient treatment for cocaine abuse or dependence and 50 community volunteers without histories of drug abuse or other major psychiatric illness and matched to cocaine-dependent patients on age, sex and SES. MEASUREMENTS: Diagnostic assessments were based upon clinical interviews using the DSM-III-R checklist. The primary focus of this study was the Pleasant Events Schedule (PES), a self-rated behavioral inventory of the frequency and enjoyability of engaging in "pleasant" activities. Cocaine use history, treatment outcome and other relevant variables were also assessed. FINDINGS: Cocaine abusers reliably reported lower frequency of non-social, introverted, passive outdoor and mood-related activities than controls. These differences remained after controlling for demographic and life-style differences between groups, with the exception of mood-related activities. Perceived enjoyability of the activities did not differ across groups. Intravenous cocaine use and prior treatment for cocaine abuse predicted particularly low frequency of pleasant activities. Greater frequency of non-social activities predicted better treatment outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Drug abuse is associated with low density of certain types of non-drug reinforcement. Systematic increases in these activities may improve treatment outcome.     

Phase identification of micro and macro bubbles at the interface of directly bonded GaAs on sapphire

Direct wafer bonding (DWB) of 3 GaAs and R-cut sapphire was performed in a microcleanroom using ultra pure water as cleaning agent. The initial bonding is mediated by Van der Waals forces and hydrogen bridges. The bond energy is released by subsequent heating up to temperatures of 500°C. During heating the formation of macroscopic bubbles at the interface was observed. Details of the interface structure were investigated by cross-sectional as well as plan-view transmission electron microscope (TEM) micrographs. The chemical composition of the elements at the interface was measured by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). A high density of micro bubbles in bonded areas, a network of micro channels in the transition region and macro bubbles in debonded areas could be distinguished. The macro bubbles are filled with a porous oxide. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) revealed the growth of textured -Ga2O3 and elemental arsenic. © 1998 Chapman & Hall     

A hybridisation of metaheuristics for flow shop scheduling

The present paper deals with the formation of an optimal sequence of flow shop scheduling (FSS) for efficient operation. The primary concern of FSS is to obtain the optimal sequence, which minimises the idle time, tardiness, makespan, etc. Among these, the criteria of minimising the makespan plays a vital part. Thus, in this paper, the sequencing of the FSS for minimising the makespan is addressed. An effective hybrid has been formed with the metaheuristics, namely an ant system and a genetic algorithm (GA). A number of illustrative examples with different combinations of machines and jobs have been solved using the proposed hybrid method.     

Effect of Pseudomonas fluorescens on beef discoloration and oxymyoglobin oxidation in vitro

The relationship between bacterial growth and oxymyoglobin oxidation in vitro and in meat was studied. In the in vitro study, oxymyoglobin was combined with Pseudomonas fluorescens or sterile nutrient broth (control) in an airtight vessel. P. fluorescens samples showed greater metmyoglobin formation and oxygen consumption than controls. The P. fluorescens population in the reaction vessels was correlated with metmyoglobin formation (r = 0.85, P < 0.05) and oxygen consumption (r = 0.91, P < 0.05). When P. fluorescens and oxymyoglobin were combined in an airtight vessel, reducing the headspace from 13 ml and 9 ml to 3 ml resulted in greater metmyoglobin formation (P < 0.05). In the meat study, beef cores prepared from longissimus lumborum were inoculated with P. fluorescens (10(7) CFU/cm2) or sterile peptone water (control), packaged under 1% O2 (+99% N2), air, or 100% O2 and stored at 4 degrees C. Inoculated beef cores showed higher bacterial loads and metmyoglobin formation than their respective controls during 10 h storage in 1% O2, 3 days in air, and 7 days in 100% O2 (P < 0.05). This finding indicated that P. fluorescens could accelerate beef discoloration. Overall, studies demonstrated that oxygen consumption concomitant with P. fluorescens growth decreased partial oxygen pressure, which accelerated oxymyoglobin oxidation.     

Glycolipids improve lutein bioavailability and accumulation in eyes in mice

Intestinal carotenoid absorption is greatly affected by dietary factors. In this study, it was hypothesized that lipids with varying functional groups may influence differentially lutein bioavailability. Hence, the influence of glyco‐, phospho‐, neutral, crude (mixture of lipids) lipids, or mixed micelles (control) on the percent lutein micellarization in vitro and its postprandial plasma, liver, and eye response in mice were investigated. Results show that the percent micellarization of lutein with crude lipids and glycolipids were higher (91.4 and 45.7%) than control, while no significant difference was found between phospho‐ and neutral lipids. The mean plasma response of lutein was higher for crude‐ (6 times), glyco‐ (3 times), phospho‐ (2.7 times), and neutral (2 times) lipid than control (12.4 ± 1.18 nmol/mL 8 h^?1) group. Lutein levels (pmol/g) in liver were higher in crude (7.4 ± 1) and phospho‐ (3.6 ± 0.8) lipid groups while in eyes it was higher in glyco‐ (54.0) and neutral (21.2) lipid groups than control. The influential effect of glyco‐ and phospholipids may be due to smaller micellar size (glyco‐upto 3.43 µm, phospho‐ upto 5.78 µm) than the neutral lipids (upto 66 µm). Ingestion of lutein with glycolipid or phospholipids may improve lutein bioavailability. Practical applications: The findings of the present study will be useful in nutritional and biomedical applications for feeding lutein with specific lipid combinations to achieve enhanced lutein absorption. Specifically, feeding diet/emulsion with lutein and glyco‐ and phospholipid combination may reduce the risk of macular degeneration, owing to the influential effect of these lipids on intestinal absorption of lutein.     

Estimation of Width and Depth of the Wetted Soil Volume Under a Surface Emitter,Considering Root Water-Uptake and Evaporation

A cylindrical flow model that describes local infiltration from a surface point source, by incorporating evaporation and water extraction by roots, was used to obtain numerical results that were the base for the development and testing of an empirical method for determining the surface and vertical components of the wetting front. The implementation of the mathematical model took place against two of the twelve USDA soil classes, using three water application rates for each one. The empirical methodology consisted of two simple, time dependent empirical relationships: a power law for the stage of the infiltration, which was applied in both directions and a polynomial for the stage after the end of the irrigation, applied only for the vertical component, to account for percolation losses. The statistical criteria used for the evaluation of the method showed good agreement between the numerical results and the values calculated by the empirical relationships. Based on the limited availability of necessary experimental data for detailed analysis of multidimensional transient infiltration, the introduction of such an empirical model, as a design tool for trickle irrigation systems, may contribute to the selection of the optimum application rate and lateral spacing.