Architecture Concepts for Multimedia Signal Processing

Architectural concepts are presented aimed at future multimedia processing schemes. Starting from an analysis of current and future multimedia applications, specific computational requirements are derived. It will be shown that multimedia applications benefit from an exhaustive and flexible exploitation of parallelism. Three architectural concepts—reconfigurable computing, simultaneous multithreading, and associative controlling—are presented, and their potential to increase further the performance on future multimedia applications is investigated.     

Bulk properties of pressure-induced superconductivity in EuMo6S8

Characteristics of superconductivity induced by pressureP in EuMo₆S₈ have been investigated by dc magnetization and heat capacity measurements under nearly hydrostatic pressure. No Meissner effect was detected at the superconducting transition, in agreement with previous results, but a discontinuity in the heat capacity data demonstrates the bulk nature of the superconducting state forP≳ 13 kbar. An analysis of the heat capacity data yields a value for this discontinuity comparable to that expected from the BCS theory. In addition, heat capacity measurement forP=11 kbar reveal a feature arising from the structural transition responsible for the absence of superconductivity whenP<13 kbar in EuMo₆S₈.     

Age cohort effects on unemployment in the USA: Evidence from the regional level

Since the early 1970s, it was argued that shifts from relatively smaller to larger youth cohorts in the labor force raise the unemployment rate. In contrast, using US state-level data, two studies come to a contrary conclusion. I provide a theoretical framework for local labor markets that considers age cohort differences in labor market characteristics. Using a spatial panel data model and US county-level data (2000–2014), the estimates provide strong evidence that aging of the working-age population reduces overall unemployment by almost 1 percentage point. Long-run effects that consider local feedbacks are even larger.     

Methoden zur Analyse des Bruchverhaltens hochfester Stahlfaserbetone

Methods for analyzing the fracture behavior of high‐strength steel fiber‐reinforced concretes High‐strength and ultra‐high strength fiber‐reinforced concretes are most suitable for applications with extreme mechanical loads. These extreme conditions require a ductile behavior under tensile loading, which is obtained solely by the addition of steel fibers and their working mechanism. Profound know ledge on the working mechanism of the steel fibers is necessary for optimizing this material. Usually, this knowledge is obtained by means of classical measuring techniques of destructive tests. Adopting measuring techniques from non‐destructive material testing helps to analyze and to identify the different stages of the fracture mechanism of high‐strength and ultra‐high strength fiber‐reinforced concretes in detail. The application of different non‐destructive measuring techniques is shown exemplary on tensile tests conducted on an ultra‐high strength fiber‐reinforced concrete and its applicability for analyzing the fracture behavior is discussed. The main focus is on the characterization of the relevant failure modes under tensile loading by the different measuring techniques and the comparison with classical measuring techniques (e. g. extensometer). The tensile tests have been analyzed by optical deformation measurements using digital image correlation (DIC), acoustic emission analysis (AE), and 3D computed tomography (CT).     

Water vapor sorption kinetics of wood modified with glutaraldehyde

The modifying effects of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood with the crosslinking agent glutaraldehyde (GA) on the water vapor sorption kinetics were studied by curve fitting the experimental isotherm sorption data obtained using a Dynamic Vapor Sorption apparatus using the parallel exponential kinetics model (PEK model) and the Hailwood–Horrobin model (H–H model) for the isotherm. Both the H–H model and the PEK model provided good fits to the experimental data. Modification of wood with GA reduced both the time to equilibrium and the equilibrium moisture content (EMC). According to the PEK and H–H models, the reduction in EMC was mainly due to the decrease of moisture content (MC) associated with the slow sorption processes and polylayer water. The fast sorption processes and monolayer water were little affected by GA modification. Compared to the untreated control, the estimated total water absorbed by wood treated to a WPG of 20.9% at 100% RH decreased by 52.2%, by extrapolating the fitted curves derived from the H–H model. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Iron and Copper Salts in the Synthesis of Benzo[b]furans

Intramolecular C O bond forming reactions of aryl 2‐bromobenzyl ketones lead to benzo[b]furans. The cyclizations can be catalyzed by 10 mol% of iron trichloride (of 98% or of 99.995% purity) or sub‐mol% quantities of copper(II) chloride (of 99.995% purity).     

Radiofluorinated Pyrimidine‐2,4,6‐triones as Molecular Probes for Noninvasive MMP‐Targeted Imaging

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc‐ and calcium‐dependent endopeptidases. Representing a subfamily of the metzincin superfamily, MMPs are involved in the proteolytic degradation of components of the extracellular matrix. Unregulated MMP expression, MMP dysregulation and locally increased MMP activity are common features of various diseases, such as cancer, atherosclerosis, stroke, arthritis, and others. Therefore, activated MMPs are suitable biological targets for the specific visualization of such pathologies, in particular by using radiolabeled MMP inhibitors (MMPIs). The aim of this work was to develop a radiofluorinated molecular probe for noninvasive in vivo imaging for the detection of up‐regulated levels of activated MMPs in the living organism. Fluorinated MMPIs ( 26 , 31 and 38 ) based on the pyrimidine‐2,4,6‐trione lead structure RO 28‐2653 ( 1 ) were synthesized, and their MMP inhibition potency was evaluated in vitro. The radiosynthesis and the in vivo biodistribution of the first ¹⁸F‐labeled prototype, MMP‐targeted tracer [¹⁸F] 26 , suitable for molecular imaging by means of positron emission tomography (PET) were realized.     

Inhibition of Eimeria tenella CDK‐Related Kinase 2: From Target Identification to Lead Compounds

Apicomplexan parasites encompass several human‐ and animal‐pathogenic protozoans such as Plasmodium falciparum, Toxoplasma gondii, and Eimeria tenella. E. tenella causes coccidiosis, a disease that afflicts chickens, leading to tremendous economic losses to the global poultry industry. The considerable increase in drug resistance makes it necessary to develop new therapeutic strategies against this parasite. Cyclin‐dependent kinases (CDKs) are key molecules in cell‐cycle regulation and are therefore prominent target proteins in parasitic diseases. Bioinformatics analysis revealed four potential CDK‐like proteins, of which one—E. tenella CDK‐related kinase 2 (EtCRK2)—has already been characterized by gene cloning and expression. 1 By using the CDK‐specific inhibitor flavopiridol in EtCRK2 enzyme assays and schizont maturation assays (SMA), we could chemically validate CDK‐like proteins as potential drug targets. An X‐ray crystal structure of human CDK2 (HsCDK2) served as a template to build protein models of EtCRK2 by comparative homology modeling. Structural differences in the ATP binding site between EtCRK2 and HsCDK2, as well as chicken CDK3, were addressed for the optimization of selective ATP‐competitive inhibitors. Virtual screening and “wet‐bench” high‐throughput screening campaigns on large compound libraries resulted in an initial set of hit compounds. These compounds were further analyzed and characterized, leading to a set of four promising lead compounds for development as EtCRK2 inhibitors.     

Electrokinetic microslit experiments to analyse the charge formation at solid/liquid interfaces

Electrokinetic effects play an important role in microfluidics and nanofluidics. Although the related phenomena are often utilized to control fluid flow and sample transport in lab-on-a-chip devices, their dependency on the surface charges on the channel walls often remain enigmatic. This is mainly due to the lack of adequate experimental methods to analyse the electrical charging of solid/liquid interfaces of interest. To address this need, an experimental set-up—designated as microslit electrokinetic set-up (MES)—has been recently developed and applied for the investigation of charge formation processes at planar solid/liquid interfaces. The device permits to perform streaming potential and streaming current measurements across a rectangular streaming channel formed by two parallel sample carriers (20×10×3 mm³) at variable distance allowing for the determination of the surface conductivity. Utilizing the MES, charge characteristics can be determined for a wide variety of materials prepared as thin films on top of planar glass substrates. Streaming potential and streaming current data permit to investigate the mechanisms of charge formation while surface conductivity data provide information about mobile charge carriers located in different zones at the interface. The applicability of this advanced experimental approach is demonstrated with examples obtained for surfaces with different levels of complexity:

1. Preferential ion adsorption onto unpolar fluoropolymer (Teflon^® AF) films was characterized in simple electrolyte solutions; the results were quantitatively evaluated with respect to interfacial ion concentrations.
2. Interrelation of charge density and conformation of grafted poly(L-glutamic acid layers) were unravelled from the determination of pH-depended variations of surface conductivity and layer thickness.
3. The impact of spatial confinements of surface functional groups on their acid–base behaviour was studied with self-assembled monomolecular films of alkanethiols chemisorbed on gold.
4. Charging of and ion mobility within poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) brushes prepared by a Langmuir–Blodgett technique were analysed at varied pH and ionic strength.
5. Interfacial modes of adsorbed proteins were distinguished at two polymer surfaces with varied hydrophobicity/charge density.

     

Experimental setup for camera-based measurements of electrically and optically stimulated luminescence of silicon solar cells and wafers

We report in detail on the luminescence imaging setup developed within the last years in our laboratory. In this setup, the luminescence emission of silicon solar cells or silicon wafers is analyzed quantitatively. Charge carriers are excited electrically (electroluminescence) using a power supply for carrier injection or optically (photoluminescence) using a laser as illumination source. The luminescence emission arising from the radiative recombination of the stimulated charge carriers is measured spatially resolved using a camera. We give details of the various components including cameras, optical filters for electro- and photo-luminescence, the semiconductor laser and the four-quadrant power supply. We compare a silicon charged-coupled device (CCD) camera with a back-illuminated silicon CCD camera comprising an electron multiplier gain and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor indium gallium arsenide camera. For the detection of the luminescence emission of silicon we analyze the dominant noise sources along with the signal-to-noise ratio of all three cameras at different operation conditions.