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A theoretical analysis was conducted on monolithic multisection mode-locked distributed Bragg lasers' timing jitter. A traveling-wave equation model with Langevin spontaneous emission noise was used. The model also considered the physical effects of self-phase modulation and gain nonlinearities. Results, which were compatible with experimental measurements, indicate that low-jitter operation is limited by spontaneous noise.

The incorporation of low density, high modulus ceramic particles into a steel matrix is a potential route to improve the mechanical performance of steels. A powder metallurgy, mechanical blending route has been adopted to produce a homogeneous distribution of TiB2 particles in a 316L stainless steel matrix. The resulting composite showed large increases in both the compression and the tensile strength when compared to the unreinforced alloy. The compression strength was measured under both quasistatic and dynamic conditions. Tensile strength was measured only under quasistatic conditions. Dynamic compression tests were performed at temperatures of 200 and 400 °C. Metallographic investigations have been performed on the specimen in the initial status and after a deformation. Fracture surfaces were studied in a scanning electron microscope to allow more detailed assessment of fracture mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current approach to stimulating elderly physical activity mostly uses medical rehabilitation methods or popular forms of outdoor recreation. In the context of an ageing population, there is a growing demand for innovative rehabilitation methods that use information technology. In this article, we present the Urban Health Path as an innovative form of activation for older people using urban therapy, where the architectural elements, such as details, façade features, and urban furniture, inspire movement and attentiveness in the experience of space. The concept is supported by a mobile application that takes into account the specific preferences of older users. Our concept of the physical and cognitive activation of older people was the result of a user-centred design approach and it was tested as a prototype solution. At the same time, the aim of this article is to identify opportunities and limitations for the implementation of this type of solution in other urban spaces. The article presents the process of developing a solution using the Design Thinking method. The process was focused on the needs and preferences of older people. The results of the research project indicate the main important guidelines for implementing the Urban Health Path as a new form of urban facility in the city space.

The world's population is rapidly ageing, which places a heavy burden on traditional healthcare systems with increased economic and social costs. Technology can assist in the implementation of strategies that enable active and independent ageing by promoting and motivating health-related behaviours, monitoring, and collecting data on daily life for assessment and for aiding in independent living. ICT (Information and Communication Technology) tools can help prevent cognitive and physical decline and social isolation, and enable elderly people to live independently. In this paper, we introduced a comprehensive tool for guiding seniors along the designed urban health paths employing urban architecture as an impulse to perform physical and cognitive exercises. The behaviour of seniors is monitored during their activities using wearable sensors and mobile application. We distinguished three types of data recipients (seniors, path/exercise designers, and the public), for whom we proposed methods of analysing the obtained data and examples of their use. In this work, a wide range of diverse information was examined from which short- and long-term patterns can be drawn. We have also shown that by fusing sensory data and data from mobile applications, we can give context to sensory data, thanks to which we can formulate more insightful assessments of seniors' behaviour.

The paper describes a scalable, wearable multi-sensor system for motion capture based on inertial measurement units (IMUs). Such a unit is composed of accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer. The final quality of an obtained motion arises from all the individual parts of the described system. The proposed system is a sequence of the following stages: sensor data acquisition, sensor orientation estimation, system calibration, pose estimation and data visualisation. The construction of the system's architecture with the dataflow programming paradigm makes it easy to add, remove and replace the data processing steps. The modular architecture of the system allows an effortless introduction of a new sensor orientation estimation algorithms. The original contribution of the paper is the design study of the individual components used in the motion capture system. The two key steps of the system design are explored in this paper: the evaluation of sensors and algorithms for the orientation estimation. The three chosen algorithms have been implemented and investigated as part of the experiment. Due to the fact that the selection of the sensor has a significant impact on the final result, the sensor evaluation process is also explained and tested. The experimental results confirmed that the choice of sensor and orientation estimation algorithm affect the quality of the final results.

Complement receptor type 1 is expressed by erythrocytes and most leukocytes. A soluble form is shed from the leukocytes and found in plasma (sCR1). sCR1 is a powerful inhibitor of complement. We report an increased sCR1 in the plasma of leukemia patients, up to levels producing measurable complement inhibition. Half of the 180 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) had sCR1 levels above the normal range. The highest levels were observed in T-ALL (17 patients). The complement function of a T-ALL serum was improved by blocking sCR1 with a specific mAb (3D9). Measurements in 16 peripheral stein cell donors before and after granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration showed an increase in sCR1 (before, 43.8+/-15.4; at day 5, 118.3+/-44.7 ng/mL; P < 0.0001). This increase paralleled the increase in total leukocyte counts and was concomitant with de novo leukocyte mRNA CR1 expression in all three individuals tested. Whether pharmacological intervention may be used to up-regulate sCR1 so as to inhibit complement in vivo should be further investigated.

Objective: To investigate synovial fluid (SF) for the presence of CR1 and to study its relationship to SF leukocytes and to serum levels of soluble CR1 (sCR1) in patients with rheumatic diseases., Methods: Synovial fluids were collected from 35 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 26 patients with other inflammatory joint diseases. Total CR1 in the SF and serum were measured with a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that recognized both soluble and transmembrane forms of CR1. The characteristics of CR1 in SF were analyzed by ultracentrifugation and by a second ELISA specific for transmembrane CR1., Results: CR1 was found in all SF samples tested (range 5-281 ng/ml). SF CR1 was higher in patients with RA (mean +/- SD 81 +/- 66 ng/ml) than in those with other inflammatory joint diseases (31.8 +/- 23.8 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). Serum sCR1 was not significantly increased in the patients compared with the normal subjects. There was no correlation between serum sCR1 and SF CR1. In 44% of the patients, the SF CR1 level was higher than the serum sCR1 level. A fraction (30-80%) of SF CR1 was pelleted by ultracentrifugation and, unlike serum sCR1, it reacted in an ELISA specific for transmembrane CR1. Thus, SF contained 2 forms of CR1: a membrane-associated and a soluble form, which was confirmed by sucrose density-gradient ultracentrifugation. SF CR1 levels correlated directly with the number of SF total leukocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). These 2 forms of CR1 were also found in the supernatant of in vitro-activated PMN from normal subjects. SF CR1 exhibited the capacity to act as a cofactor for the factor I degradation of C3b., Conclusion: CR1 is found in the SF of patients with joint inflammation. The data suggest that SF CR1 originates from the infiltrating leukocytes, which shed both a soluble and a membrane-associated form. Whether SF CR1 participates in the local regulation of complement activation remains to be examined.

1. Direct ligand binding techniques have been used to compare bradykinin receptors in squamous- or adeno-carcinoma and healthy lung membranes removed from patients during operations. 2. The binding of [3H]-bradykinin to healthy lung membrane is time-dependent and saturable with a KD value of 1.08 +/- 08 nM and a Bmax value of 46.1 +/- 3.1 fmol mg-1 protein (n = 10). In squamous-carcinoma tissue (n = 8) the same amount of receptors are present, Bmax = 52.2 +/- 3.3 fmol mg-1 protein (P = 0.22) but the KD value is significantly higher 2.57 +/- 0.40 nM (P = 0.004). Similar measurements were obtained for adeno-carcinoma tissue (n = 3), KD = 2.80 +/- 0.29 mM (P = 0.001) and Bmax = 49.8 +/- 2.1 fmol mg-1 protein (P = 0.56). 3. In both healthy and squamous-carcinoma preparations, bradykinin analogues displace [3H]-bradykinin binding with the following relative order of potency: Hoe 140 > bradykinin > kallidin > D-Arg0[Hyp3,D-Phe7]bradykinin >>> des-Arg9-bradykinin. Of the analogues used, bradykinin and D-Arg0[Hyp3,D-Phe7]bradykinin appear to be able to differentiate the bradykinin receptors present in both preparations. 4. It is concluded that bradykinin receptors present in healthy and carcinomatous human lung are of the B2 type.