Systemic lupus erythematosus in three ethnic groups: II. Features predictive of disease activity early in its course. LUMINA Study Group. Lupus in minority populations, nature versus nurture

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors associated with disease activity in patients with recent-onset (< or =5 years) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who were of Hispanic, African-American, or Caucasian ethnicity. METHODS: Incident and prevalent cases of SLE, as defined by the American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE, among the 3 ethnic groups were identified in Alabama (The University of Alabama at Birmingham) and Texas (The University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center and The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston). Variables from the sociodemographic, clinical, immunologic, immunogenetic, behavioral, and psychological domains were obtained using validated instruments. Disease activity was ascertained with the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM). Stepwise domain regressions with SLAM score as the dependent variable were performed. Final ethnic-specific and overall regression models were obtained by entering variables that were retained in the domain regressions. RESULTS: SLAM scores at study entry were higher in the African Americans (mean +/- SD 12.6 +/- 6.9) and Hispanics (11.0 +/- 6.2) than in the Caucasians (8.5 +/- 3.7) (P < or = 0.001). The final overall regression model (R2 = 28%) for higher SLAM score included the following variables: African-American ethnicity, lack of private health insurance, abrupt disease onset, presence of anti-Ro antibodies, absence of HLA-DRB1*0301, higher levels of helplessness, and abnormal illness-related behaviors. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic, immunologic, immunogenetic, behavioral, and psychological variables were all predictive of disease activity early in the course of SLE, irrespective of ethnic group. However, there remain ethnic group differences in disease activity that were not explained by these factors.     

Reproductive senescence predicts cognitive decline in aged female monkeys

The present investigation provide evidences from a non-human primate model that naturally occurring menopause predicts a prominent signature of age-related cognitive decline. Young and aged rhesus monkeys were tested on a delayed response (DR) task known to the sensitive to aging, and reproductive status was evaluated according to menstrual cyclicity and urinary hormone profiles. Peri-/postmenopausal monkeys exhibited significant DR impairments relative to either age-matched premenopausal females, or young control subjects. In addition, markers of endocrine decline in the aged animals were selectively correlated with behavioral performance measures that distinguished premenopausal and peri-/postmenopausal monkeys. These results document that menopause is coupled to cognitive decline in the monkey, and they establish a valuable primate model for defining the effects of endocrine aging on brain and behavioral function.     

The production of highly charged Ar and Xe recoil ions by fast uranium impact

The multiple ionization of Ar and Xe atoms by fast U⁷⁵⁺ impact has been measured with a projectile-recoil ion time-of-flight technique at 3.6, 5.9, 9.4 and 15.5 MeV/u. Using this technique, the recoil-ion production cross sections can be determined as a function of the final recoil and projectile charge states, i.e. one can distinguish between direct multiple ionization and those processes accompanied by charge transfer. Due to the high projectile charge and high velocity, the direct multiple ionization cross sections to produce highly ionized systems are very large, e.g. the multiple ionization cross section to produce in one collision hydrogen-like Ar exceeds the geometrical Ar-K-shell area. As a consequence of this long range interaction, the kinetic energy of Ar¹⁷⁺ recoil ions is only of the order of some 10 eV.     

Crossflow filtration testing of INEEL radioactive and non-radioactive waste slurries

Development of waste treatment processes for the remediation of radioactive wastes is currently under way at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC), located at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). INTEC, formerly known as the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant, previously reprocessed nuclear fuel to retrieve fissionable uranium. Liquid waste raffinates resulting from reprocessing were solidified into a calcine material. Waste treatment processes currently being considered include the dissolution of the solidified calcine material and separation of residual undissolved solids (UDS). UDS in solution must be removed prior to downstream processes such as solvent extraction and ion exchange. Filtration experiments were conducted at the INEEL using a crossflow filter apparatus on radioactive and non-radioactive waste slurries [N.R. Mann, T.A. Todd, Evaluation and Testing of the Cells Units Crossflow Filter on INEEL Dissolved Calcine Slurries, INEEL/EXT-98-00749, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID, 1998]. The purpose of this testing was to evaluate the removal and operational efficiency of crossflow filtration on slurries of various solids loadings. The solids loadings tested were 0.19, 2.44 and 7.94 wt.%, respectively. A matrix of test patterns was used to determine the effects of transmembrane pressure and axial velocity on filtrate flux. Filtrate flux rates for each solids loading displayed a high dependence on transmembrane pressure, indicating that pressure filtration resistance limits filtrate flux. Filtrate flux rates for all solids loading displayed a negative dependency on axial velocity. This would suggest axial velocities tested were efficient at removing filter cake. Prior to testing of actual waste slurries, baseline water runs were performed. Filtrate flowrates observed during baseline water runs exhibited substantial decreases despite numerous backpulses and rinses, suggesting particles that were deeply embedded within the filter membrane as the result of shear-induced deagglomeration     

Novel Lyapunov-based rapid and ripple-free MPPT using a robust model reference adaptive controller for solar PV system

The technological, economic, and environmental benefits of photovoltaic (PV) systems have led to their widespread adoption in recent years as a source of electricity generation. However, precisely identifying a PV system''s maximum power point (MPP) under normal and shaded weather conditions is crucial to conserving the maximum generated power. One of the biggest concerns with a PV system is the existence of partial shading, which produces multiple peaks in the P–V characteristic curve. In these circumstances, classical maximum power point tracking (MPPT) approaches are prone to getting stuck on local peaks and failing to follow the global maximum power point (GMPP). To overcome such obstacles, a new Lyapunov-based Robust Model Reference Adaptive Controller (LRMRAC) is designed and implemented to reach GMPP rapidly and ripple-free. The proposed controller also achieves MPP accurately under slow, abrupt and rapid changes in radiation, temperature and load profile. Simulation and OPAL-RT real-time simulators in various scenarios are performed to verify the superiority of the proposed approach over the other state-of-the-art methods, i.e., ANFIS, INC, VSPO, and P&O. MPP and GMPP are accomplished in less than 3.8 ms and 10 ms, respectively. Based on the results presented, the LRMRAC controller appears to be a promising technique for MPPT in a PV system.     

An undergraduate system-on-chip (SoC) course for computer engineering students

The authors have developed a senior-level undergraduate system-on-chip (SoC) course at San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, that emphasizes SoC design methods and hardware-software codesign techniques. The course uses a "real world" design project as the teaching vehicle and implements an SoC platform to control a five-axis robotic arm using Altera's state-of-the-art Excalibur chip. The Excalibur chip contains both ARM Corporation's embedded processor and a programmable logic device (PLD) array. The course goes through a complete hardware-software codesign flow from implementing custom hardware devices on a PLD to developing an embedded algorithm in a state-of-the-art design environment for a complete SoC solution. Students learn the Quartus II design environment by examining the sample design files in Altera's EXPA1 development kit and following the step-by-step instructions toward creating a simple embedded application. After this familiarization process, students define the architectural specifications of a memory-mapped servo controller, implement it in the Excalibur's PLD array, and interface this device with the ARM processor's internal bus to control each robotic arm servo. Functional regression tests and post-synthesis timing verification steps are applied to the servo controller following the implementation phase. Subsequently, students integrate the servo controller with the rest of the system and perform board-level functional verification tests to observe whether the robotic arm can move an object from a source to a destination point accurately. Students also develop an embedded algorithm, which translates user inputs in Cartesian coordinates into robotic arm movements in spherical coordinates during laboratory sessions.     

An Eco‐innovation Case Study of Domestic Dishwashing through the Application of TRIZ Tools

The benefits of applying a structured method such as TRIZ (Teoriya Resheniya Izobretatelskikh Zadatch: the Russian theory of inventive problem solving) to Eco‐innovation are examined through use of two problem‐solving tools from TRIZ in an Eco‐innovation case study. A novel problem hierarchy model has been integrated to help identify the systems and sub‐systems level innovations required for Eco‐innovation. The benefits and shortcomings of the TRIZ tools, and the potential contribution of the problem hierarchy model in the innovation process are discussed.     

Posttranslational modification of Galphao1 generates Galphao3, an abundant G protein in brain

Galphao, the most abundant G protein in mammalian brain, occurs at least in two subforms, i.e., Galphao1 and Galphao2, derived by alternative splicing of the mRNA. A third Galphao1-related isoform, Galphao3, has been purified, representing about 30% of total Go in brain. Initial studies revealed distinct biochemical properties of Galphao3 as compared with other Galphao isoforms. In matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization peptide mass mapping of gel-isolated Galphao1 and Galphao3, C-terminal peptides showed a difference of +1 Da for Galphao3. Nanoelectrospray tandem mass spectrometry sequencing revealed an Asp instead of an Asn at position 346 of Galphao3. Gel electrophoretic analysis of recombinant Galphao3 showed the same mobility as native Galphao3 but distinct to Galphao1. The conversion of 346Asn-->Asp changed the signaling properties, including the velocity of the basal guanine nucleotide-exchange reaction, which points to the involvement of the C terminus in basal guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate binding. No cDNA coding for Galphao3 was detected, suggesting an enzymatic deamidation of Galphao1 by a yet-unidentified activity. Therefore, Galpha heterogeneity is generated not only at the DNA or RNA levels, but also at the protein level. The relative amount of Galphao1 and Galphao3 differed from cell type to cell type, indicating an additional principle of G protein regulation.     

Time-Resolved Soft X-ray Diffraction Reveals Transient Structural Distortions of Ternary Liquid Crystals

Home-based soft X-ray time-resolved scattering experiments with nanosecond time resolution (10 ns) and nanometer spatial resolution were carried out at a table top soft X-ray plasma source (2.2–5.2 nm). The investigated system was the lyotropic liquid crystal C₁₆E₇/paraffin/glycerol/formamide/IR 5. Usually, major changes in physical, chemical, and/or optical properties of the sample occur as a result of structural changes and shrinking morphology. Here, these effects occur as a consequence of the energy absorption in the sample upon optical laser excitation in the IR regime. The liquid crystal shows changes in the structural response within few hundred nanoseconds showing a time decay of 182 ns. A decrease of the Bragg peak diffracted intensity of 30% and a coherent macroscopic movement of the Bragg reflection are found as a response to the optical pump. The Bragg reflection movement is established to be isotropic and diffusion controlled (1 μs). Structural processes are analyzed in the Patterson analysis framework of the time-varying diffraction peaks revealing that the inter-lamellar distance increases by 2.7 Å resulting in an elongation of the coherently expanding lamella crystallite. The present studies emphasize the possibility of applying TR-SXRD techniques for studying the mechanical dynamics of nanosystems.