Effect of liquor ratio on the shade change and cross‐staining observed in the ISO 105‐C08 test†

The effect of liquor ratio on the amount of cross‐staining and shade change in the ISO 105‐C08 wash fastness test has been studied in order to improve the correlation between the results from the laboratory test and to those obtained in a domestic washing machine. It has been shown that the correlation obtained for cross‐staining but not shade change is improved when the liquor ratio is reduced below the 50;1 currently in use. A revised setting of 20;1 is recommended for an international ring test to confirm repeatability and reproducibility.     

Architecture and Evaluation of an Asynchronous Array of Simple Processors

This paper presents the architecture of an asynchronous array of simple processors (AsAP), and evaluates its key architectural features as well as its performance and energy efficiency. The AsAP processor calculates DSP applications with high energy-efficiency, is capable of high-performance, is easily scalable, and is well-suited to future fabrication technologies. It is composed of a two-dimensional array of simple single-issue programmable processors interconnected by a reconfigurable mesh network. Processors are designed to capture the kernels of many DSP algorithms with very little additional overhead. Each processor contains its own tunable and haltable clock oscillator, and processors operate completely asynchronously with respect to each other in a globally asynchronous locally synchronous (GALS) fashion. A 6×6 AsAP array has been designed and fabricated in a 0.18 μm CMOS technology. Each processor occupies 0.66 mm², is fully functional at a clock rate of 520–540 MHz at 1.8 V, and dissipates an average of 35 mW per processor at 520 MHz under typical conditions while executing applications such as a JPEG encoder core and a complete IEEE 802.11a/g wireless LAN baseband transmitter. Most processors operate at over 600 MHz at 2.0 V. Processors dissipate 2.4 mW at 116 MHz and 0.9 V. A single AsAP processor occupies 4% or less area than a single processing element in other multi-processor chips. Compared to several RISC processors (single issue MIPS and ARM), AsAP achieves performance 27–275 times greater, energy efficiency 96–215 times greater, while using far less area. Compared to the TI C62x high-end DSP processor, AsAP achieves performance 0.8–9.6 times greater, energy efficiency 10–75 times greater, with an area 7–19 times smaller. Compared to ASIC implementations, AsAP achieves performance within a factor of 2–5, energy efficiency within a factor of 3–50, with area within a factor of 2.5–3. These data are for varying numbers of AsAP processors per benchmark.

Temporal Visualization of Boundary‐based Geo‐information Using Radial Projection

This work is concerned with a design study by an interdisciplinary team on visualizing a 10‐year record of seasonal and inter‐annual changes in frontal position (advance/retreat) of nearly 200 marine terminating glaciers in Greenland. Whilst the spatiotemporal nature of the raw data presents a challenge to develop a compact and intuitive visual design, the focus on coastal boundaries provides an opportunity for dimensional reduction. In this paper, we report the user‐centered design process carried out by the team, and present several visual encoding schemes that have met the requirements including compactness, intuitiveness, and ability to depict temporal changes and spatial relations. In particular, we designed a family of radial visualization, where radial lines correspond to different coastal locations, and nested rings represent the evolution of the temporal dimension from inner to outer circles. We developed an algorithm for mapping glacier terminus positions from Cartesian coordinates to angular coordinates. Instead of a naive uniform mapping, the algorithm maintains consistent spatial perception of the visually‐sensitive geographical references between their Cartesian and angular coordinates, and distributes other termini positions between primary locations based on coastal distance. This work has provided a useful solution to address the problem of inaccuracy in change evaluation based on pixel‐based visualization [ [BPC*10] ].     

High-throughput measurement of pKa values in a mixed-buffer linear pH gradient system

A procedure is described for measuring pKa values in a short time, e.g., 4 min/assay. Samples, as 10 mM solutions, are prepared in DMSO in 96-well plates. A flowing pH gradient is produced by mixing two buffer solutions containing mixtures of weak acids and bases that do not absorb significantly in the UV above 250 nm. The sample solution is diluted with water and then injected directly into the flowing gradient, which then passes through a diode array spectrophotometer measuring in the UV wavelength range. The buffer has been formulated so that its acid-base titration curve is linear over a wide pH range, such that the pH of the gradient is a linear function of time. The solution pH in the measurement flow cell is therefore proportional to the time elapsed since the start of gradient generation. The sample's pKa values are calculated from the change in UV absorbance at multiple wavelengths as a function of pH. The pKa values of 71 drugs have been measured, and results compare well with values measured by pH-metric or traditional UV methods. Rules are suggested for the rapid inspection of data and the choice of method for the calculation of pKa from the data.     

Quantifying protein microstructure and electrostatic effects on the change in Gibbs free energy of binding in immobilized metal affinity chromatography

Electrostatic forces play a major role in maintaining both structural and functional properties of proteins. A major component of protein electrostatics is the interactions between the charged or titratable amino acid residues (e.g., Glu, Lys, and His), whose pK(a) (or the change of the pK(a)) value could be used to study protein electrostatics. Here, we report the study of electrostatic forces through experiments using a well-controlled model protein (T4 lysozyme) and its variants. We generated 10 T4 lysozyme variants, in which the electrostatic environment of the histidine residue was perturbed by altering charged and neutral amino acid residues at various distances from the histidine (probe) residue. The electrostatic perturbations were theoretically quantified by calculating the change in free energy (DeltaDeltaG(E)) using Coulomb's law. On the other hand, immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) was used to quantify these perturbations in terms of protein binding strength or change in free energy of binding (DeltaDeltaG(B)), which varies from -0.53 to 0.99 kcal/mol. For most of the variants, there is a good correlation (R(2) = 0.97) between the theoretical DeltaDeltaG(E) and experimental DeltaDeltaG(B) values. However, there are three deviant variants, whose histidine residue was found to be involved in site-specific interactions (e.g., ion pair and steric hindrance), which were further investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. This report demonstrates that the electrostatic (DeltaDeltaG(Elec)) and microstructural effects (DeltaDeltaG(Micro)) in a protein can be quantified by IMAC through surface histidine mediated protein-metal ion interaction and that the unique microstructure around a histidine residue can be identified by identifying the abnormal binding behaviors during IMAC.     

Urania-yttria solid solution electrodes for high-temperature electrochemical applications

Measurements of total electrical conductivity on fluorite-type U₃O₈-Y₂O₃ (Sc₂O₃) solid solutions have been made as a function of temperature and U/Y(Sc) ratio. The following compositions were studied: (U_0.7Y_0.3)O_2+x , (U_0.6Y_0.4)O_2+x , (U_0.5Y_0.5)O_2+x , (U_0.45Y_0.55)O_2+x , (U_0.4Y_0.6)O_2+x , (U_0.35Y_0.65)O_2+x , (U_0.3Y_0.7)O_2−x , (U_0.5Sc_0.5)O_2+x and (U_0.38Sc_0.62)O_2+x . Preliminary measurements on the latter two compositions were carried out for comparison purposes. The maximum conductivity value occurred for the U₃O₈-Sc₂O₃ solid solutions, and for (U_0.7Y_0.3)O_2+x in the U₃O₈-Y₂O₃ system. The conductivity in these fluorite-type solid solutions is mainly electronic, the conduction mechanism being hopping-type. The energy of activation lay between 25 and 40 kJ mol⁻¹. The (U_0.3Y_0.7)O_2−x composition appeared to be an ionic conductor with an activation energy of ∼110 kJ mol⁻¹ below 800 to 850° C. The diffusion of cations of U₃O₈-Y₂O₃ into ZrO₂-Y₂O₃ was studied during passage of current: no observable diffusion occurred over the period of current passage (384 h). Attempts were made to determine the anionic contribution to the total conductivity in U₃O₈-Y₂O₃ solid solutions using the blocking electrode technique. Results indicated that complete isolation of the specimen-blocking electrode (YSZ) interface from the ambient gases is necessary if such measurements are to be reliable. The diffusion coefficients calculated from the conductivity data using the Nernst-Einstein relation were two orders of magnitude higher than those obtained by a direct method.     

Proprioceptive consequences of tendon vibration during movement

1. Previous studies have used tendon vibration to investigate kinesthetic illusions in the isometric limb and end point control in the moving limb. These previous studies have shown that vibration distorts the perceptions of static joint angle and movement and causes systematic errors in the end point of movement. In this paper we describe the effects of tendon vibration during movement while human subjects performed a proprioceptively coordinated motor task. In an earlier study we showed that the CNS coordinates this motor task-a movement sequence-with proprioceptive information related to the dynamic position and velocity of the limb. 2. When performing this movement sequence, each subject sat at a table and opened the right hand as the right elbow was passively rotated in the extension direction through a prescribed target angle. Vision of the arm was prevented, and the movement velocity was changed randomly from trial to trial, leaving proprioception as the only useful source of kinematic information with which to perform the task. 3. In randomly occurring trials, vibration was applied to the tendon of the biceps brachii, a muscle that lengthens during elbow extension. In some experiments the timing of tendon vibration was varied with respect to the onset of elbow rotation, and in other experiments the frequency of vibration was varied. In each experiment we compared the accuracy of the subject's response (i.e., the elbow angle at which the subject opened the hand) in trials with tendon vibration with the accuracy in trials without tendon vibration. 4. The effect of tendon vibration depended on the frequency of vibration. When the biceps tendon was vibrated at 20 Hz, subjects opened the hand after the elbow passed through the target angle ("overshooting"). Overshooting is consistent with an underestimate of the actual displacement or velocity of the elbow. Vibration at 30 Hz had little or no effect on the elbow angle at hand opening. Vibration at 40 Hz caused subjects to open the hand before the elbow reached the target angle ("undershooting"). Undershooting is consistent with an overestimate of the actual displacement or velocity of the elbow. The size of the error depended on the velocity of the passively imposed elbow rotation. 5. The effect of tendon vibration also depended on the timing of vibration. If 40-Hz vibration began at the onset of movement, the subject undershot the target. If 40-Hz vibration started 5 s before movement onset and continued throughout the movement, the undershoot error increased in magnitude. However, if 40-Hz vibration started 5 s before movement onset and then stopped at movement onset, the subject overshot the target. When vibration was shut off during movement, a transition occurred from an over-shooting error to an undershooting error at a time that depended on the velocity of elbow rotation. 6. In a separate experiment, subjects were instructed to match either the perceived dynamic position or the perceived velocity of rotation imposed on the right elbow by actively rotating the left elbow. In both matching tasks, tendon vibration produced oppositely directed errors depending on the frequency of vibration. Vibration at 20 Hz produced a perception of decreased elbow velocity and a bias in dynamic position in the flexion direction, and vibration at 40 Hz produced the opposite perceptions. 7. We conclude that muscle spindle afferents, which are activated by tendon vibration, are an important source of the dynamic position and velocity information that the CNS uses to coordinate this movement sequence task. The observed effects of vibration timing and frequency suggest that perceptual changes evoked by vibration cannot be explained by the simple summation of sensory input evoked by movement and by vibration. Rather, the bias in perception produced by vibration appears to be related to the difference between vibration- and movement-evoked activity in muscle spindle afferents.