Entity linking systems for literature reviews

Scientometrics - Computer-assisted methods and tools can help researchers automate the coding process of literature reviews and accelerate the literature review process. However, existing...     

Gripper Design for Radio Base Station Autonomous Maintenance System

For an autonomous system to perform maintenance tasks in a networking device or a radio base station (RBS), it has to deal with a series of technological challenges ranging from identifying hardware-related problems to manipulating connectors. This paper describes the development of a robot maintenance system dedicated to detect and resolve faulty links caused by unplugged or poorly connected cables. Although the maintenance system relies on four subsystems, we significantly focus on our low-cost and efficient custom gripper solution developed to handle RJ45 Ethernet connectors. To examine our gripper, we conducted three experiments. First, a qualitative questionnaire was submitted to 30 users in the case of the teleoperated scenario of the gripper attached to a robotic arm. Similarly, we also tested the automatic operation mode. The results showed that our system is reliable and delivers a highly efficient maintenance tool in both teleoperated and autonomous operation modes. The practical experiment containing the removal or unplugging of connectors demonstrated our gripper’s ability to adequately handle these, whereas the feedback from the questionnaire pointed to a positive user experience. The automatic test assessed the gripper’s robustness against the continuous operation.

     

The Metabolic Role of Gut Microbiota in the Development of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease

The prevalence of metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which are common risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), has dramatically increased worldwide over the last decades. Although dietary habit is the main etiologic factor, there is an imperfect correlation between dietary habits and the development of metabolic disease. Recently, research has focused on the role of the microbiome in the development of these disorders. Indeed, gut microbiota is implicated in many metabolic functions and an altered gut microbiota is reported in metabolic disorders. Here we provide evidence linking gut microbiota and metabolic diseases, focusing on the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying this association.     

Comparison of designs of off-axis Gregorian telescopes for millimeter-wave large focal-plane arrays

We compare the diffraction-limited field of view (FOV) provided by four types of off-axis Gregorian telescopes: the classical Gregorian, the aplanatic Gregorian, and the designs that cancel astigmatism and both astigmatism and coma. The analysis is carried out with telescope parameters that are appropriate for satellite and balloonborne millimeter- and submillimeter-wave astrophysics. We find that the design that cancels both coma and astigmatism provides the largest flat FOV, approximately 21 square deg. We also find that the FOV can be increased by approximately 15% by means of optimizing the shape and location of the focal surface.     

Polarisation holding in long-length polarising fibres

The polarisation-holding ability of two long-length polarising fibres of different design is examined. Each polarising fibre exhibits a polarisation extinction ratio per unit length comparable to or better than that of the best corresponding polarisation-holding fibre. There is potential for further improvement in the performance of both polarising fibres by increasing the birefringence and/or the differential attenuation.     

Genetic polymorphism in the human UGT1A6 (planar phenol) UDP-glucuronosyltransferase: pharmacological implications

Two missense mutations were uncovered in the UGT1A6 (HLUG P1) cDNA which codes for a human phenol-metabolizing UDP-glucuronosyltransferase. The mutant and a wild-type UGT1A6 cDNAs were isolated from a custom synthesized human liver lambda Zap cDNA library. Both an A to G transition at nucleotide 541 (T181 A) and an A to C transversion at nucleotide 552 (R184S) occurred in exon 1 of the UGT1A6 (UGT1F) gene at the UGT1 locus. The two mutations on a single allele created a heterozygous genotype. Newly created BsmI and BsoFI sites at the T181 A and R184S locations, respectively, were confirmed by endonuclease treatment of PCR-generated DNA using the donor-liver genomic DNA as template. Screens with endonuclease treatment showed that 33/98 DNA samples were heterozygous with both mutations on one allele. One other individual also carried the R184S mutation on the second allele. Wild-type UGT1A6 generated a broad plateau of activity from pH 5.0 to pH 8.0 with certain experimental phenols, while activity was 1.3-2.5-fold higher at pH 6.4 than at pH 7.2 for others. UGT1A6*2 (181 A+ and 184S+) metabolized 4-nitrophenol, 4-tert-butylphenol, 3-ethylphenol/4-ethylphenol, 4-hydroxycoumarin, butylated hydroxy anisole and butylated hydroxy toluene, with the pH 6.4 preference, at only 27-75% of the rate of the wild-type isozyme whereas 1-naphthol, 3-iodophenol, 7-hydroxycoumarin, and 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin were metabolized at essentially the normal level. Furthermore, UGT1A6*2 metabolized 3-O-methyl-dopa and methyl salicylate at 41-74% of that of the wild-type, and a series of beta-blockers at 28-69% of the normal level. This evidence suggests that the UGT1A6 enzyme activity is affected by different amino acids depending upon the substrate selection.     

A new stable hybrid three-dimensional generalized finite difference time domain algorithm for analyzing complex structures

In this paper, we propose a new stable hybrid, three-dimensional (3-D), generalized finite difference time domain algorithm-formulated by using of the cell method (CM) (a finite volumes type method)-designed to analyze objects with fine details without using very small time steps dictated by the Courant condition. The new algorithm is an extension to the 3-D cases of an analogous hybrid two-dimensional algorithm, also formulated by the CM, and presented earlier by the authors in a previous publication. We carry out a detailed analysis of the stability of the proposed algorithm, paying special attention to the phenomenon of late time instabilities. Finally, the results of some numerical tests are provided to show the absence of instabilities and the efficiency of the hybrid algorithm.     

New flow cytometric capabilities at the national flow cytometryresource

The authors provide a brief review of flow cytometry and a broad view of new flow cytometry technologies. A brief introduction to flow cytometry and cell sorting is provided along with a summary of current commercial capabilities. New developments designed to overcome current limitations are described in terms of capabilities and a characterization of their performance. New capabilities include Fourier transform flow cytometry, phase sensitive detection, digital data acquisition, data clustering algorithms, high speed sorting, and slit scanning     

A 1-THz superconducting hot-electron-bolometer receiver for astronomical observations

In this paper, we describe a superconducting hot-electron-bolometer mixer receiver developed to operate in atmospheric windows between 800-1300 GHz. The receiver uses a waveguide mixer element made of 3-4-nm-thick NbN film deposited over crystalline quartz. This mixer yields double-sideband receiver noise temperatures of 1000 K at around 1.0 THz, and 1600 K at 1.26 THz, at an IF of 3.0 GHz. The receiver was successfully tested in the laboratory using a gas cell as a spectral line test source. It is now in use on the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory terahertz test telescope in northern Chile.     

Elimination of coherent Rayleigh backscatter induced noise in fibre Michelson interferometers

A technique for the elimination of coherent Rayleigh backscatter effects in fibre optic Michelson interferometers is demonstrated. This technique allows interferometers to be addressed over a significant length of fibre lead, without Rayleigh backscatter induced excess noise limitations.<>