A major challenge in the field of neural interfaces is to overcome the problem of poor stability of neuronal recordings, which impedes long-term studies of individual neurons in the brain. Conceivably, unstable recordings reflect relative movements between electrode and tissue. To address this challenge, we have developed a new ultra-flexible electrode array and evaluated its performance in awake

Control of work output and combustion phasing on a Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine is essential to realize the benefits of superior efficiency and emissions. This paper presents a model predictive control approach for cycle-by-cycle control of HCCI while respecting constraints on actuators that might exist on a production implementation. The strategy is based on a physical mo

Macrophytes in shallow lakes have the potential to alter fish-zooplankton interactions considerably. How far predation effects by newly hatched fish (0+ fish) on zooplankton are influenced by different types of aquatic vegetation, and how effects change during the first weeks of fish ontogeny remains, however, less clear. In order to address these issues, we examined the predation effects of 0+ fi

The enzymatic activity of human carbonic anhydrase II (HCAII) was studied in the presence of nanoparticles of different nature and charge. Negatively charged nanoparticles inhibit HCAII whereas no effect is seen for positively charged particles. The kinetic effects were correlated with the strength of binding of the enzyme to the particle surface as measured by ITC and adsorption assays. Moreover,

Financial markets are complex processes where investors interact to set prices. We present a framework for option valuation under imperfect information, taking risk neutral parameter uncertainty into account. The framework is a direct generalization of the existing valuation methodology. Many investors base their decisions on mathematical models that have been calibrated to market prices. We argue

This article explores the different ways in which the nuclear catastrophe at the Chernobyl plant in 1986 is represented in selected films and novels produced and written since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The most common way of imagining Chernobyl during this period is the apocalypse foreshadowing the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, it is also viewed as the catalyst for resurrectio

For monotone systems evolving on the positive orthant, two types of Lyapunov functions are considered: Sum- and max-separable Lyapunov functions. One can be written as a sum, the other as a maximum of functions of scalar arguments. Several constructive existence results for both types are given. Notably, one construction provides a max-separable Lyapunov function that is defined at least on an arb

The focus of operations planning and control for manufacturing firms has expanded successively over the last 50 years. New principles, techniques, and systems have emerged that have allowed for new approaches. The perspective for planning and control has expanded from internal production operations to supply chain operations linking suppliers, manufacturers, and customers. In this paper, we take a

A sediment sequence was taken from a closed, high altitude lake (informal name Olive-backed Lake) in the central mountain range of Kamchatka, in the Russian Far East. The sequence was dated by radiocarbon and tephrochronology and used for multi-proxy analyses (chironomids, pollen, diatoms). Although the evolution of Beringian climate through the Holocene is primarily driven by global forcing mecha

Understanding the behavioral properties of single molecules or larger scale populations interacting with single molecules is currently a hotly pursued topic in nanotechnology. This arises from the potential such techniques have in relation to applications such as targeted drug delivery, early stage detection of disease, and drug screening. Although label and label-free single molecule detection st

Migraine is a painful disorder with a huge impact on individual and public health. We hypothesize that migraine pain originates from a central mechanism that results secondarily in hypersensitivity in peripheral afferents associated with the cerebral and cranial blood vessels. It has previously been shown that application of inflammatory or algesic substances onto the dura mater or chemical stimul

Organic aerosols (OA) represent one of the major constituents of submicron particulate matter (PM1) and comprise a huge variety of compounds emitted by different sources. Three intensive measurement field campaigns to investigate the aerosol chemical composition all over Europe were carried out within the framework of the European Integrated Project on Aerosol Cloud Climate and Air Quality Interac

Ninety-one HIV-infected individuals (61 men and 30 women) were randomized to vaccination either with quadrivalent (Gardasil™) or bivalent (Cervarix™) HPV vaccine. Neutralizing and specific HPV-binding serum antibodies were measured at baseline and 12 months after the first vaccine dose. Presence of neutralizing and binding antibodies had good agreement (average Kappa for HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 3

The European common fisheries policy (CFP) advocates measures to sustain small-scale fisheries; hence, in the European Commission's proposal for a reformed CFP, these are exempted from a mandatory system with tradable fishing concessions. This opens up for management actions designed for small-scale fisheries, but also implies new management issues. This article provides insights into the topic ba

Background: In the framework of the clinical validation of research tools, this investigation presents a validation study of an automatic medial temporal lobe atrophy measure that is applied to a naturalistic population sampled from memory clinic patients across Europe. Methods: The procedure was developed on 1.5-T magnetic resonance images from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative data

In patients with von Willebrand disease (VWD), the absence of von Willebrand factor (VWF) antigen leads to the premature loss of endogenous circulating secreted factor VIII (FVIII), thereby resulting in the dual defect in haemostasis. Consequently, correcting the VWF deficiency also acts to correct the associated defect in FVIII activity because exogenous VWF forms complexes with and protects endo

Abstract in UndeterminedAgeism has been described as different from other forms of discrimination and paradoxical in the sense that "nonold" people discriminate against their "future selves." The argument of this article is that nonold people may uphold ideas about older people as "the other" by constructing their own future selves as "essentially different" from that of older people of the presen

Few studies on fall risk factors use long-recommended methods for analysis of recurrent events. Previous falls are the biggest risk factor for future falls, but few fall studies focus on the youngest-old.

Galiellalactone (GL) is a metabolite produced by the fungus Galiella rufa that presents antitumor and immunomodulatory activities. GL interferes with the binding to DNA of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-3 and also inhibits other signal pathways such as NF-κB, but the mechanism of action in this pathway remains unknown. In this study we report that GL inhibits vesicular sto