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The complex hydrogeological conditions of China’s coal fields and the frequent water inrush accidents there seriously threaten the safe mining of coal. A new risk evaluation model for water inrushes from seam floors was constructed by combining the established evaluation index system with set pair analysis (SPA), thereby integrating quantitative and qualitative indexes. The resultant model reflects both the factors affecting water inrush from the seam floor and the uncertainty in the parameter values for those factors. To demonstrate the value of this model, the risk of water inrush from the seam floor was assessed for the working face of a mine in Tongzi county, Guizhou province, China. The prediction obtained from the model conformed to the actual conditions. Moreover, the methodology provides a basis for water inrush risk assessment from seam floors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new ranking algorithm that combines the strengths of two previous methods: boosted tree classification, and LambdaRank, which has been shown to be empirically optimal for a widely used information retrieval measure. Our algorithm is based on boosted regression trees, although the ideas apply to any weak learners, and it is significantly faster in both train and test phases than the state of the art, for comparable accuracy. We also show how to find the optimal linear combination for any two rankers, and we use this method to solve the line search problem exactly during boosting. In addition, we show that starting with a previously trained model, and boosting using its residuals, furnishes an effective technique for model adaptation, and we give significantly improved results for a particularly pressing problem in web search—training rankers for markets for which only small amounts of labeled data are available, given a ranker trained on much more data from a larger market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic–inorganic hybrid composites of epoxy and phenyltrisilanol polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (Ph7Si7O9(OH)3, POSS-triol) were prepared via in situ polymerization of epoxy monomers. The nanocomposites of epoxy with POSS-triol can be prepared in the presence of metal complex latent catalyst, aluminum triacetylacetonate ([Al]) for the reaction between POSS-triol and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). The dispersion morphology of organic–inorganic hybrid was characterized by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The thermostability of composites was evaluated by thermal gravimetric (TG) analysis. The flammability was evaluated by cone calorimeter test. The presence of [Al] latent catalyst leads to a decrease in combustion rate with respect to epoxy and epoxy/POSS composites as well as reduction in smoke, CO and CO2 production rate. The effect of [Al] is to reduce the size of spherical POSS particles from 3–5 μm in epoxy/POSS to 0.5 μm in epoxy/POSS[Al]. Furthermore, POSS with smaller size may form compact and continue char layer on the surface of composites more efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If the constraint boundary relates to a bifurcation parameter, a bifurcation is said to be parametrically constrained. Relying upon some substitution, a parametrically constrained bifurcation is transformed to an unconstrained bifurcation about new variables. A general form of transition sets of the parametrically constrained bifurcation is derived. The result indicates that only the constrained bifurcation set is influenced by parametric constraints, while other transition sets are the same as those of the corresponding nonparametrically constrained bifurcation. Taking parametrically constrained pitchfork bifurcation problems as examples, effects of parametric constraints on bifurcation classification are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we study the learning performance of regularized least square regression with α-mixing and ϕ-mixing inputs. The capacity independent error bounds and learning rates are derived by means of an integral operator technique. Even for independent samples our learning rates improve those in the literature. The results are sharp in the sense that when the mixing conditions are strong enough the rates are shown to be close to or the same as those for learning with independent samples. They also reveal interesting phenomena of learning with dependent samples: (i) dependent samples contain less information and lead to worse error bounds than independent samples; (ii) the influence of the dependence between samples to the learning process decreases as the smoothness of the target function increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factor H (FH) is an abundant regulator of complement activation and protects host cells from self-attack by complement. Here we provide insight into the regulatory activity of FH by solving the crystal structure of the first four domains of FH in complex with its target, complement fragment C3b. FH interacted with multiple domains of C3b, covering a large, extended surface area. The structure indicated that FH destabilizes the C3 convertase by competition and electrostatic repulsion and that FH enables proteolytic degradation of C3b by providing a binding platform for protease factor I while stabilizing the overall domain arrangement of C3b. Our results offer general models for complement regulation and provide structural explanations for disease-related mutations in the genes encoding both FH and C3b. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the regularized learning algorithm associated with the least-square loss and reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces. The target is the error analysis for the regression problem in learning theory. A novel regularization approach is presented, which yields satisfactory learning rates. The rates depend on the approximation property and on the capacity of the reproducing kernel Hilbert space measured by covering numbers. When the kernel is C∞ and the regression function lies in the corresponding reproducing kernel Hilbert space, the rate is mζ with ζ arbitrarily close to 1, regardless of the variance of the bounded probability distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oct4 and Nanog are transcription factors required to maintain the pluripotency and self-renewal of embryonic stem (ES) cells. Using the chromatin immunoprecipitation paired-end ditags method, we mapped the binding sites of these factors in the mouse ES cell genome. We identified 1,083 and 3,006 high-confidence binding sites for Oct4 and Nanog, respectively. Comparative location analyses indicated that Oct4 and Nanog overlap substantially in their targets, and they are bound to genes in different configurations. Using de novo motif discovery algorithms, we defined the cis-acting elements mediating their respective binding to genomic sites. By integrating RNA interference–mediated depletion of Oct4 and Nanog with microarray expression profiling, we demonstrated that these factors can activate or suppress transcription. We further showed that common core downstream targets are important to keep ES cells from differentiating. The emerging picture is one in which Oct4 and Nanog control a cascade of pathways that are intricately connected to govern pluripotency, self-renewal, genome surveillance and cell fate determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the constant excitation on the local bifurcation of the periodic solutions in the 1:2 internal resonant systems were analyzed based on the singularity theory. It is shown that the constant excitation make influence only when there exist some nonlinear terms, in the oscillator with lower frequency. Besides acting as main bifurcation parameter, the constant excitation, together with coefficients of some nonlinear terms, may change the values of unfolding parameters and the type of the bifurcation. Under the non-degenerate cases, the effect of the third order terms can be neglected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the infinity behavior of the bounded subharmonic functions on a Ricci non-negative Riemannian manifold M. We first show that limr→∞ [This equation cannot be converted in ascii text] &intB(r) Δ hdv = 0 if h is a bounded subharmonic function. If we further assume that the Laplacian decays pointwisely faster than quadratically we show that h approaches its supremun pointwisely at infinity, under certain auxiliary conditions on the volume growth of M. In particular, our result applies to the case when the Riemannian manifold has maximum volume growth. We also derive a representation formula in our paper, from which one can easily derive Yau's Liouville theorem on bounded harmonic functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bifurcations with constraints are open problems appeared in research on periodic bifurcations of nonlinear dynamical systems, but the present singularity theory doesn’t contain any analytical methods and results about it. As the complement to singularity theory and the first step to study on constrained bifurcations, here are given the transition sets and persistent perturbed bifurcation diagrams of 10 elementary bifurcation of codimension no more than three. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the asymmetry of thermal conditions during directional solidification, the temperature evolution and correspondingly developed undercooling in a simplified single crystal blade cluster were numerically simulated. Simulation results demonstrate that the temperature distribution at the blade platforms is obviously asymmetrical. On the outside of the blade which directly faces the heating element, the liquidus (TL) isotherms progress relatively smoothly. On the inside of the blades facing the central rod, however, the TL-isotherms are in concave shape and the slope goes upwards to the platform extremities. The average undercooling extent △T and undercooling time △t at the inside are much higher than those at the outside. It was then predicted that the inside platform extremities have significantly higher probabilities of stray grain formation compared to the outside ones. A corresponding experiment was carried out and the metallographic examination exhibited the same side- and height-dependence of stray grain formation in the blades as predicted. On the inside of the blades, all platforms are occupied by stray grains, while the platforms on the outside are nearly stray grain free. The simulation result agrees very well with the experimental observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-area arrays of vertically aligned ZnO-nanotapers with tailored taper angle and height are electrodeposited on planar Zn-plate via continuously tuning the Zn(NH3)4(NO3)2 concentration in the electrolyte. Experimental measurements reveal that the field-emission performance of the ZnO-nanotaper arrays is enhanced with the sharpness and height of the ZnO-nanotapers. Theoretically, the ZnO-nanotaper is simplified to a "charge disc" model, based on which the characteristic macroscopic field enhancement factor (γC) is quantified. The theoretically calculated γC values are in good agreement with the experimental ones measured from arrays of ZnO-nanotapers with a series of geometrical parameters. The ZnO-nanotaper arrays have promising potentials in field-emission. The electrochemical synthetic strategy we developed may be extended to nanotaper arrays of other materials that are amenable to electrodeposition, and the "charge disc" model can be used for quasi-one-dimensional field emitters of other materials with nano-sized diameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complexes [Zn(NCS)2(2-AMP)2] (2-AMP = 2-aminopyrimidine) 1 and [Cd(SCN)2(2-AMP)2]n 2 are prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallographic methods. 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic, space group C2/c, with a = 13.5761(14), b = 8.3330(10), c = 13.5962(15) Å, β = 99.5450(10)°, V = 1516.8(3) Å3, Z = 4. In 1, the zinc atom is coordinated by four N atoms from two AMP and two NCS−. 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic, space group C2/c, with a = 9.7259(11), b = 19.332(2), c = 8.2149(9) Å, β = 99.817(2)°, V = 1522.0(3) Å3, Z = 4. Complex 2 is made up of 1D chains along a-axis. Each Cd is attached to four NCS− bridges and two pendant 2-AMP ligands. A mononuclear complex bis(2-aminopyrimidine-N-)-bis(thiocyanato-N)zinc(II) 1 and 1D chains complex catena-[2-aminopyrimidine-N- (μ-thiocynanto-S,N)(thiocyanato-S)cadmium(II)] 2 are prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallographic methods and NMR, IR, fluorescence, TG and DTA techniques. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ag/A1203 is a promising catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) by hydrocarbons (HC) of NOx in both laboratory and diesel engine bench tests. New developments of the HC-SCR of NOx over a Ag/ A12O3 catalyst are reviewed, including the efficiencies and sulfur tolerances of different Ag/ A12O3-reductant systems for the SCR of NOx; the low-temperature activity improvement of H2-assisted HC-SCR of NOx over Ag/ A12O3; and the application of a Ag/ A12O3-ethanol SCR system with a heavy-duty diesel engine. The discussions are focused on the reaction mechanisms of different Ag/ A12O3-reductant systems and H2-assisted HC-SCR of NOx over Ag/ A12O3. A SO2-resistant surface structure in situ synthesized on Ag/ A12O3 by using ethanol as a reductant is proposed based on the study of the sulfate formation. These results provide new insight into the design of a high-efficiency NOx reduction system. The diesel engine bench test results showed that a Ag/ A12O3-ethanol system is promising for catalytic cleaning of NOx in diesel exhaust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we describe a practical Cre-loxP and piggyBac transposon–based mutagenesis strategy to systematically mutate coding sequences and/or the vast noncoding regions of the mouse genome for large-scale functional genomic analysis. To illustrate this approach, we first created loxP-containing loss-of-function alleles in the protocadherin α, β and γ gene clusters (Pcdha, Pcdhb and Pcdhg). Using these alleles, we show that, under proper guidance, Cre-loxP site-specific recombination can mediate efficient trans-allelic recombination in vivo, facilitating the generation of large germline deletions and duplications including deletions of Pcdha, and Pcdha to Pcdhb, simply by breeding (that is, at frequencies of 5.5%–21.6%). The same breeding method can also generate designed germline translocations between nonhomologous chromosomes at unexpected frequencies of greater than 1%. By incorporating a piggyBac transposon to insert and to distribute loxP sites randomly throughout the mouse genome, we present a simple but comprehensive method for generating genome-wide deletions and duplications, in addition to insertional loss-of-function and conditional rescue alleles, again simply by breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamical behaviour of a parametrically excited Duffing-van der Pol oscillator under linear-plus-nonlinear state feedback control with a time delay is concerned. By means of the method of averaging together with truncation of Taylor expansions, two slow-flow equations on the amplitude and phase of response were derived for the case of principal parametric resonance. It is shown that the stability condition for the trivial solution is only associated with the linear terms in the original systems besides the amplitude and frequency of parametric excitation. And the trivial solution can be stabilized by appreciate choice of gains and time delay in feedback control. Different from the case of the trivial solution, the stability condition for nontrivial solutions is also associated with nonlinear terms besides linear terms in the original system. It is demonstrated that nontrivial steady state responses may lose their stability by saddle-node (SN) or Hopf bifurcation (HB) as parameters vary. The simulations, obtained by numerically integrating the original system, are in good agreement with the analytical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear normal modes (NNMs) associated with integrnal resonance can be classified into two kinds: uncoupled and coupled. The bifurcation problem of the coupled NNM of systems with 1∶2∶5 dual internal resonance is in two variables. The singular analysis of it is presented after separating the two variables by taking advantage of Maple algebra, and some new bifurcation paterns are found. Different from the NNMs of systems with single internal resonance, the number of the NNMs of systems with dual internal resonance may be more or less than the number of the degress of freedom. At last, it is pointed out that bifurcation problems in two variables can be conveniently solved by separating variables as well as using coupling equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inverse problem for a class of nonlinear evolution equations of dispersive type was reduced to Cauchy problem of nonlinear evolution equation in an abstract space. By means of the semigroup method and equipping equivalent norm technique, the existence and uniqueness theorem of global solution was obtained for this class of abstract evolution equations, and was applied to the inverse problem discussed here. The existence and uniqueness theorem of global solution was given for this class of nonlinear evolution equations of dispersive type. The results extend and generalize essentially the related results of the existence and uniqueness of local solution presented by YUAN Zhong-xin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1:2 internal resonance of coupled dynamic system with quadratic and cubic nonlinearities is studied. The normal forms of this system in 1:2 internal resonance were derived by using the direct method of normal form. In the normal forms, quadratic and cubic nonlinearities were remained. Based on a new convenient transformation technique, the 4-dimension bifurcation equations were reduced to 3-dimension. A bifurcation equation with one-dimension was obtained. Then the bifurcation behaviors of a universal unfolding were studied by using the singularity theory. The method of this paper can be applied to analyze the bifurcation behavior in strong internal resonance on 4-dimension center manifolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acquisition of pluripotent cells can be achieved by combined overexpression of transcription factors Oct4, Klf4, Sox2 and c-Myc in somatic cells. This cellular reprogramming process overcomes various barriers to re-activate pluripotency genes and re-acquire the highly dynamic pluripotent chromatin status. Many genetic and epigenetic factors are essentially involved in the reprogramming process. We previously reported that Patz1 is required for maintenance of ES cell identity. Here we report that Patz1 plays an inhibitory role in OKSM-induced reprogramming process since more iPS colonies can be induced from Patz1+/- MEFs than wild type MEFs; while the addition of Patz1 significantly repressed reprogramming efficiency. Patz1+/- MEFs can surpass the senescence barrier of Ink4a/Arf locus, thus enhancing iPS colonies formation. Moreover, Patz1+/- MEFs displayed higher levels of acetylated histone H3, H3K4me2, H3K4me3, H3K36me3 and lower levels of histone H3K9me3 and HP1α, indicating that heterozygous knockout of Patz1 results in a globally open chromatin which is more accessible for transcriptional activation. However, Patz1-/- MEFs gave the lowest reprogramming efficiency which may result from cell senescence trigged by up-regulated Ink4a/Arf locus. Together, we have demonstrated that the dosage of Patz1 modulates reprogramming process via significantly influencing cell senescence, proliferation and chromatin structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-optical analog-to-digital converters based on the third-order nonlinear effects in silicon waveguide are a promising candidate to overcome the limitation of electronic devices and are suitable for photonic integration. In this paper, a 2-bit optical spectral quantization scheme for on-chip all-optical analog-to-digital conversion is proposed. The proposed scheme is realized by filtering the broadened and split spectrum induced by the self-phase modulation effect in a silicon horizontal slot waveguide filled with silicon-nanocrystal. Nonlinear coefficient as high as 8708 W-1/m is obtained because of the tight mode confinement of the horizontal slot waveguide and the high nonlinear refractive index of the silicon-nanocrystal, which provides the enhanced nonlinear interaction and accordingly low power threshold. The results show that a required input peak power level less than 0.4 W can be achieved, along with the 1.98-bit effective-number-of-bit and Gray code output. The proposed scheme can find important applications in on-chip all-optical digital signal processing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, pristine carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and hydroxylated CNTs (CNT-OH) were employed to enhance the thermal stability and flame retardancy of polypropylene (PP)/wood flour composites (WPC) compatibilzed by maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (PP- g-MA). Incorporating 10 wt% PP- g-MA only enhanced the mechanical and thermal properties to some extent, but did not improve the flame retardancy of WPC. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the thermal stability of WPC was further increased with the addition of CNTs or CNT-OH and the increase of their loading level. Cone calorimeter measurements suggested that CNTs and CNT-OH could effectively reduce the peak heat release rate (PHRR) of WPC, and the flame retardancy properties reached the optimum value when both of their loading was 1.0 wt%, for instance, a reduction in PHRR by 16.7% and 25% for CNTs and CNT-OH, respectively. In addition, CNT-OH conferred better flame retardancy on WPC relative to pristine CNTs due to the better interfacial adhesion with wood flour and PP matrix, which was evidenced by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cause or consequence of overexpression of p73 (refs 1, 2), the structural and functional homologue of the tumour-suppressor gene product p53 (refs 3, 4), in human cancers is poorly understood. Here, we report a role for p73 in supporting cellular growth through the upregulation of AP-1 transcriptional activity. p73 suppresses growth when overexpressed alone, but synergises with the proto-oncogene c-Jun to promote cellular survival. Conversely, silencing of p73 expression compromises cellular proliferation. Molecular analysis revealed that expression of the AP-1 target-gene product cyclinD1 (ref. 5) is reduced concomitant with p73, but not p53, silencing. Moreover, cyclinD1 was induced by p73 expression in a c-Jun-dependent manner, and was required for p73-mediated cell survival. Furthermore, c-Jun-dependent AP-1 transcriptional activity was augmented by p73 and, consistently, induction of endogenous AP-1 target genes was compromised in the absence of p73. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift analysis indicated that p73 enhanced the binding of phosphorylated c-Jun and Fra-1, another AP-1 family member, to AP-1 consensus DNA sequences, by regulating c-Jun phosphorylation and Fra-1 expression. Collectively, our data demonstrates a novel and unexpected role of p73 in augmenting AP-1 transcriptional activity through which it supports cellular growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both in vivo and post-mortem investigations have demonstrated smaller volumes of the whole brain and of certain brain regions in individuals with schizophrenia. It is unclear to what degree such smaller volumes are due to the illness or to the effects of antipsychotic medication treatment. Indeed, we recently reported that chronic exposure of macaque monkeys to haloperidol or olanzapine, at doses producing plasma levels in the therapeutic range in schizophrenia subjects, was associated with significantly smaller total brain weight and volume, including an 11.8–15.2% smaller gray matter volume in the left parietal lobe. Consequently, in this study we sought to determine whether these smaller volumes were associated with lower numbers of the gray matter's constituent cellular elements. The use of point counting and Cavalieri's principle on Nissl-stained sections confirmed a 14.6% smaller gray matter volume in the left parietal lobe from antipsychotic-exposed monkeys. Use of the optical fractionator method to estimate the number of each cell type in the gray matter revealed a significant 14.2% lower glial cell number with a concomitant 10.2% higher neuron density. The numbers of neurons and endothelial cells did not differ between groups. Together, the findings of smaller gray matter volume, lower glial cell number, and higher neuron density without a difference in total neuron number in antipsychotic-exposed monkeys parallel the results of post-mortem schizophrenia studies, and raise the possibility that such observations in schizophrenia subjects might be due, at least in part, to antipsychotic medication effects.Neuropsychopharmacology (2007) 32, 1216–1223. doi:10.1038/sj.npp.1301233; published online 25 October 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the synthesis of aligned carbon nanowires using direct current pulsed corona discharge plasma reaction at atmospheric pressure and low temperature. Chemical composition of the nanowires; Diffraction patterns of the nanowires; Effect of electric fields on the nanowires.

The article reports that low-temperature synthesis of carbon nanotubes using corona discharge plasma reaction at atmospheric pressure. Although various methods to produce carbon nanotubes have been developed, up to now it is still difficult to fabricate carbon nanotubes at atmospheric pressure and low temperature. It was reported that the synthesis temperature of carbon nanotubes by chemical vapor deposition method could be reduced under the assistance of nonequilibrium plasmas, such as hot filament plasma, microwave plasma, and radio frequency plasma. However, one disadvantage associated with these plasma enhanced-CVD methods is they required relatively low gas pressure and complicated vacuum equipments, and another disadvantage is most of them still need heating process.