Differential regulation of redox proteins and chaperones in HbEβ-thalassemia erythrocyte proteome

Purpose: In (hemoglobin, Hb) HbEβ‐thalassemia, HbE (β‐26 Glu→Lys) interacts with β‐thalassemia to produce clinical manifestation of varying severity. This is the first proteomic effort to study changes in protein levels of erythrocytes isolated from HbEβ‐thalassemic patients compared to normal. Experimental design: We have used 2‐DE and MALDI‐MS/MS‐based techniques to investigate the differential proteome profiling of membrane and Hb‐depleted fraction of cytosolic proteins of erythrocytes isolated from the peripheral blood samples of HbEβ‐thalassemia patients and normal volunteers. Results: Our study showed that redox regulators such as peroxiredoxin 2, Cu‐Zn superoxide dismutase and thioredoxin and chaperones such as α‐hemoglobin stabilizing protein and HSP‐70 were upregulated in HbEβ‐thalassemia. We have also observed larger amounts of membrane associated globin chains and indications of disruption of spectrin‐based junctional complex in the membrane skeleton of HbEβ‐thalassemic erythrocytes upon detection of low molecular weight fragments of β‐spectrin and decrease in β‐actin and dematin content. Conclusion and clinical relevance: We have observed interesting changes in the proteomic levels of redox regulators and chaperons in the thalassemic hemolysates and have observed strong correlation or association of the extent of such proteomic changes with HbE levels. This could be important in understanding the role of HbE in disease progression and pathophysiology.     

Temporal scale effect of loading data on instream nitrate-nitrogen load computation

The temporal scale effect of loading data on nitrate-nitrogen load computation was examined using outputs of watershed modeling tool Hydrologic Simulation Program-FORTRAN (HSPF) for the Amite River in Louisiana, USA. The daily nitrate-nitrogen concentrations simulated using the HSPF were employed first to obtain daily, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly average data and then to develop load duration curves for the data with four different temporal scales. The duration curves exhibited high variability in the load estimated using daily data as compared with those based on bi-weekly and monthly data. According to daily data, the nitrate-nitrogen load in the winter was found to be 2,780 kg. The nitrate-nitrogen load decreased with increasing temporal (daily, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly) scale (commonly used in water quality monitoring) of the data. The coefficient of variation, used to quantify the effect of temporal scale on the load, was found to be linearly and inversely correlated with the logarithm of the time scale. Based on the finding, empirical equations were proposed to extrapolate near real-time data for flow and nitrate-nitrogen, greatly simplifying nutrient monitoring and reducing the cost involved in water quality monitoring.     

Characterization of heat transfer along a silicon nanowire using thermoreflectance technique

We studied heat transfer along a silicon nanowire suspended between two thin-film heaters using a thermoreflectance imaging technique. The thermoreflectance imaging system achieved submicrometer spatial resolution and 0.1/spl deg/C temperature resolution using visible light. The temperature difference across the nanowire was measured, and then its thermal resistance was calculated. Knowing the dimension of the nanowire (115 nm in width and 3.9 /spl mu/m in length), we calculated the thermal conductivity of the sample, which is 46 W/mK. Thermal conductivity decreases with decreasing wire size. For a 115-nm-wide silicon nanowire, the thermal conductivity is only one-third of the bulk value. In addition, the transient response of the thin-film heaters was also examined using three-dimensional thermal models by the ANSYS program. The simulated thermal map matches well with the experimental thermoreflectance results.     

Distributed video coding in wireless sensor networks

This paper addresses the important aspect of compressing and transmitting video signals generated by wireless broadband networks while heeding the architectural demands imposed by these networks in terms of energy constraints as well as the channel uncertainty related to the wireless communication medium. Driven by the need to develop light, robust, energy-efficient, and low delay video delivery schemes, a distributed video coding based framework dubbed PRISM is introduced. PRISM addresses the wireless video sensor network requirements far more effectively than current state-of-the-art standards like MPEG. This paper focuses on the case of a single video camera and use it as a platform to describe the theoretical principles and practical aspects underlying distributed video coding.     

一种可编程ExpressCard解决方案

ExpressCard模块是由PCMCIA推出的一种更薄、更快、更轻的抽屉式插卡,用以取代现有的PC卡和CardBus模块,主要用于笔记本计算机后继市场中的功能性升级和扩展.同样,ExpressCard模块最初旨在服务于笔记本计算机后继市场(图1a).     

Fuzzy differential inclusions in atmospheric and medical cybernetics

Uncertainty management in dynamical systems is receiving attention in artificial intelligence, particularly in the fields of qualitative and model based reasoning. Fuzzy dynamical systems occupy a very important position in the class of uncertain systems. It is well established that the fuzzy dynamical systems represented by a set of fuzzy differential inclusions (FDI) are very convenient tools for modeling and simulation of various uncertain systems. In this paper, we discuss about the mathematical modeling of two very complex natural phenomena by means of FDIs. One of them belongs to the atmospheric cybernetics (the term has been used in a broad sense) of the genesis of a cyclonic storm (cyclogenesis), and the other belongs to the bio-medical cybernetics of the evolution of tumor in a human body. Since a discussion of the former already appears in a previous paper by the first author, here, we present very briefly a theoretical formalism of cyclone formation. On the other hand, we treat the latter system more elaborately. We solve the FDIs with the help of an algorithm developed in this paper to numerically simulate the mathematical models. From the simulation results thus obtained, we have drawn a number of interesting conclusions, which have been verified, and this vindicates the validity of our models.     

Characterization and densification studies on ThO2-UO2 pellets derived from ThO2 and U3O8 powders

ThO₂ containing around 2-3% ²³³UO₂ is the proposed fuel for the forthcoming Indian Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR). This fuel is prepared by powder metallurgy technique using ThO₂ and U₃O₈ powders as the starting material. The densification behaviour of the fuel was evaluated using a high temperature dilatometer in four different atmospheres Ar, Ar-8%H₂, CO₂ and air. Air was found to be the best medium for sintering among them. For Ar and Ar-8%H₂ atmospheres, the former gave a slightly higher densification. Thermogravimetric studies carried out on ThO₂-2%U₃O₈ granules in air showed a continuous decrease in weight up to 1500 °C. The effectiveness of U₃O₈ in enhancing the sintering of ThO₂ has been established.     

Prediction of crack coalescence of steam generator tubes in nuclear power plants

Prediction of failure pressures of cracked steam generator tubes of nuclear power plants is an important ingredient in scheduling inspection and repair of tubes. Prediction is usually based on nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of cracks. NDE often reveals two neighboring cracks. If the cracks interact, the tube pressure under which the ligament between the two cracks fails could be much lower than the critical burst pressure of an individual equivalent crack. The ability to accurately predict the ligament failure pressure, called “coalescence pressure,” is important. The failure criterion was established by nonlinear finite element model (FEM) analyses of coalescence of two 100% through-wall collinear cracks. The ligament failure is precipitated by local instability of the ligament under plane strain conditions. As a result of this local instability, the ligament thickness in the radial direction decreases abruptly with pressure. Good correlation of FEM analysis results with experimental data obtained at Argonne National Laboratory’s Energy Technology Division demonstrated that nonlinear FEM analyses are capable of predicting the coalescence pressure accurately for 100% through-wall cracks. This failure criterion and FEA work have been extended to axial cracks of varying ligament width, crack length, and cases where cracks are offset by axial or circumferential ligaments.