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865932
|
The origins of thermonuclear supernova explosions
|
Type-Ia supernovae (SNe) are thought to originate from thermonuclear explosions of carbon-oxygen (CO) white-dwarfs (WDs). They play a key role in the evolution of the universe (producing most of the Iron-peak elements); and serve as critical cosmological distance-indicators. The main proposed SNe progenitors are CO-WDs accreting material from stellar companions; and mergers of two CO-WDs. However, all suggested models fail to reproduce the diverse physical characteristics of Ia-SNe; their inferred rates/ages/luminosity distrbution; and their puzzling wide sub-types diversity. Finding the origins and the evolutionary pathways of thermonuclear SNe remains one of the most important “holy grail” open questions in modern astronomy. Here we propose novel directions and potential solutions to this question, and suggest new scenarios for the origin of all sub-types of thermonucelar SNe. Supported by preliminary results, we propose that (1) the little-explored mergers of CO-WDs with hybrid He-CO WDs play a key-role in producing most types of SNe, and may provide a viable model for the origin of the majority of thermonuclear SNe, their diversity and their distrbutions; (2) neutron star-WD mergers may explain the origin of peculiar rapidly evolving SNe; (3) the channel of exploding accretion-grown massive CO-WDs never/rarely gives rise to standard Ia-SNe. We propose an end-to-end open-source-based modelling of SNe (providing easy access and reproducibiliy of our results) including stellar evolution of their progenitors; 3D hydro simulations of WD mergers; 2D (+3D) thermonuclear-hydrodynamical+radiative-transfer models (predicting detailed light-curve/spectra/compostion observables); and population synthesis studies. Our proposed science can potentially transform the field; solve the century-long puzzle of Ia-SNe and explain their origins; and provide critical input for understanding the evolution of the universe and the measurements of its fundamental cosmological parameters.
|
[
"Universe Sciences"
] |
W2104642016
|
Depositor Behavior under Macroeconomic Risk: Evidence from Bank Runs in Emerging Economies
|
Depositor behavior has been associated with bank-specific characteristics, random runs, or contagion episodes. Using evidence on the 2000–02 bank runs in Argentina and Uruguay, this paper shows that macroeconomic risk is also important. Few macroeconomic shocks can quickly cause large runs. Macroeconomic risk affects deposits regardless of traditional bank-specific characteristics. Furthermore, bank exposure to macroeconomic factors can explain differences in deposit withdrawals. During crises, the evolution of bank-specific characteristics is mainly driven by macroeconomic factors, while the informational content of bank-specific variables declines. Overall, depositors seem responsive to risk in a broader sense than that often considered by the literature.
|
[
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
] |
10.1074/jbc.M113.453092
|
Cell cycle-dependent subcellular translocation of the human DNA licensing inhibitor geminin
|
Background: The licensing inhibitor geminin must be regulated to ensure once per cell cycle replication. Results: Geminin is spatially and temporally controlled by nuclear exclusion during part of the G1 phase in human cells. Conclusion: Geminin exclusion from the nucleus provides an additional level of licensing control, balancing the Cdt1/geminin ratio. Significance: Multiple overlapping mechanisms are used by human cells to ensure genome stability.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
224618
|
Carbon smart forestry under climate change
|
Carbon smart forestry under climate change (CARE4C) combines high level expertise and state of the art research in the context of carbon management in forests with advanced career building qualification by teaching, training and involving ESR's . CARE4C aims at substantially expanding knowledge about carbon sink by forest growth and carbon source by forest operations in order to enable carbon smart forestry under climate change. We trace the knowledge from understanding to modelling and application, and follow a clear dissemination strategy by training and teaching, publications in scientific journals and by involving forest related stakeholders and the public. The project builds upon a consortium that was successfully established within the Marie Curie IRSES project Climate-Fit Forests. Here, the consortium is enlarged by complementary academic and non-academic partners, and the exploratory focus is extended. The study area encompasses a broad range of climatic zones from Mediterranean to sub-boreal areas providing highly different growing conditions and landscapes differently affected by climate change. By this multilevel and multidisciplinary approach we overcome the restrictions concerning the transferability of locally and case study focused results. We plan a rather high number of secondments in order to efficiently extend the interdisciplinary network and dissemination. The project connects countries where both, integrative and segregative approaches, are prevailing in forest management. The forest types of interest include pure and mixed stands as well as complex structured close to nature forests. We track climate induced impacts on carbon sequestration on cell, organ, and tree level up to stand and landscape level. For a broad spectrum of forest types and management approaches we measure and compile information about carbon sink and source, model the carbon balance, take into account economics and derive carbon smart forest management options under climate
|
[
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
] |
742265
|
Polarized Radiation Diagnostics for Exploring the Magnetism of the Outer Solar Atmosphere
|
POLMAG aims at a true breakthrough in the development and application of polarized radiation diagnostic methods for exploring the magnetic fields of the chromosphere, transition region and corona of the Sun via the interpretation of the Stokes profiles produced by optically polarized atoms and the Hanle and Zeeman effects in ultraviolet (UV), visible and near-infrared spectral lines. To this end, POLMAG will combine and expand expertise on atomic physics, on the quantum theory of radiation, on high-precision spectropolarimetry, on advanced methods in numerical radiative transfer, and on the confrontation of spectropolarimetric observations with spectral synthesis in increasingly realistic three-dimensional (3D) numerical models of the solar atmosphere.
POLMAG targets the following very challenging issues:
- Which are the optimum spectral lines for probing the magnetism of the outer solar atmosphere ?
- How to compute efficiently the Stokes profiles taking into account partial frequency redistribution, J-state quantum interference and the Hanle and Zeeman effects ?
- How to determine the magnetic, thermal and dynamic structure of the outer solar atmosphere through confrontations with spectropolarimetric observations ?
POLMAG will go well beyond the current state of the art as follows:
- Applying and extending the quantum theory of light polarization
- Developing and applying efficient radiative transfer codes
- Modeling the Ly-alpha and Mg II h & k observations of our CLASP suborbital rocket experiments
- Developing novel coronal magnetometry methods by complementing for the first time the information provided by forbidden and permitted lines
- Developing the plasma diagnostic techniques needed for the scientific exploitation of spectropolarimetric observations with the new generation of solar telescopes and putting them at the disposal of the astrophysical community
POLMAG will open up a new diagnostic window in astrophysics.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Universe Sciences"
] |
10.1002/ps.5507
|
Role and exploitation of underground chemical signaling in plants
|
The soil ecosystem is composed of a mixture of living organisms and non-living matter as well as the complex interactions between them. In the past 100 years or so, agricultural soil ecosystems have been strongly affected by agricultural practices such as tillage and the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which strongly affect soil nutrient composition, pH and biodiversity. In modern pest management, however, the focus is gradually shifting from crop production through agricultural practices to soil ecosystem protection. In this review we discuss how the underground chemical signals secreted by plant roots play a role in keeping the soil ecosystem in balance and how they affect plant fitness by shaping the root biome, increasing nutrient availability, promoting symbiosis, and attracting beneficial organisms and repelling harmful ones, including other plants. We review a number of fascinating cases, such as signaling molecules with dual, positive and negative, functions and bacterial quorum sensing mimicking molecules. Finally, examples of how these compounds can be exploited in modern pest management are reviewed, and the prospects for future developments discussed. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
|
[
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
] |
W2041095740
|
The modern topography of the Scythian Plate as evidence for deformations in the crystalline basement
|
This work presents the results of tectonophysical modeling of tectonic deformations in the crystalline basement of the Scythian Plate, including estimated deformation values and stress-field orientations. The morphostructural parameters of the Earth’s surface, which were calculated using the LESSA program, were compared. In addition, some parameters of modern geodynamic processes that occur in the Scythian Plate, such as the level of seismicity and heat flow value, were calculated. The similarity between ancient and modern geodynamic processes allows us to propose that deformational processes in the crystalline basement of the Scythian Plate play a significant role in the formation of the modern topography and makes it possible to use morphostructural parameters of the relief for studying the deep structure of platform covers.
|
[
"Earth System Science"
] |
169894
|
Fostering web entrepreneurship in europe: e-talent, e-mentoring, e-services and e-capital for e-entrepreneurs
|
The ePlus ecosystem project will develop and deploy an online and onsite environment, building on and interconnecting existing ecosystems, hubs and initiatives, in order to setup a runway for web entrepreneurs to start and scaleup a business in Europe and grow internationally. This European ecosystem will help web-entrepreneurs to develop and scale up their ideas and businesses, from a business international validation phase, to internationalization, access to finance and to business growth, thus complementing the service offer currently made available at local ecosystems level. The ePlus project will meet the objectives stated in the workprogramme in terms of accelerating web entrepreneurship in Europe, and offer a unique new platform that answers to the need for new services expressed in the Startup Manifesto. It will provide the nurturing to help web-entrepreneurs go global, through a unique combination of talents, tools and services of an European scale in all key elements required to create great companies: team, concept, technology, and capital. This will be done through the following elements:
- Putting in motion a true pan-european web-entrepreneurship ecosystem by setting up the initial backbone made of the interconnection between the booming regional ecosystems of Lisbon, Nice and Baden-Württemberg, combining and intertwining current services and opportunities and making room for more local ecosystems to join in;
- Untap on Europe’s unique mass of + 50,000 skilled and mobile researchers generated by institutions such as the Marie Curie Actions in order to reinforce the web-entrepreneurs teams’ skills and technology grasp;
- Guide web-entrepreneurs into global business concepts through a European mentoring scheme, building on the best regional and national programmes available;
- Facilitate access to some of the best services from the best service providers in Europe to promote web-entrepreneurs growth;
- Ensure access to capital either in early stage or crowdfunding form.
|
[
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1109/LICS.2010.27
|
Datalog A Family Of Logical Knowledge Representation And Query Languages For New Applications
|
This paper summarizes results on a recently introduced family of Datalog-based languages, called Datalog+/-, which is a new framework for tractable ontology querying, and for a variety of other applications. Datalog+/- extends plain Datalog by features such as existentially quantified rule heads and, at the same time, restricts the rule syntax so as to achieve decidability and tractability. In particular, we discuss three paradigms ensuring decidability: chase termination, guardedness, and stickiness.
|
[
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.215302
|
Preparation and spectroscopy of a metastable mott-insulator state with attractive interactions
|
We prepare and study a metastable attractive Mott-insulator state formed with bosonic atoms in a three-dimensional optical lattice. Starting from a Mott insulator with Cs atoms at weak repulsive interactions, we use a magnetic Feshbach resonance to tune the interactions to large attractive values and produce a metastable state pinned by attractive interactions with a lifetime on the order of 10 s. We probe the (de)excitation spectrum via lattice modulation spectroscopy, measuring the interaction dependence of two- and three-body bound-state energies. As a result of increased on-site three-body loss we observe resonance broadening and suppression of tunneling processes that produce three-body occupation.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
] |
3729222
|
Modular design of bacterial lipid mimics for next-generation antimicrobials
|
Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria is a growing public health crisis, as common drugs are becoming ineffective against many species of pathogenic bacteria. This research aims to devise highly specific and stable antimicrobials, which target the amphiphilic component that anchors LPS to Gram-negative bacterial membranes, “Lipid A”, for direct antimicrobial effect and to potentiate other antimicrobials. Taking inspiration from bacterial lipids, which possess multiple tails and a polybasic headgroup, synthetic cationic lipidoids have the potential to be highly specific bacterial membrane-targeting antimicrobials. Preliminary results demonstrate that some cationic lipidoids bind and disrupt bacterial lipid assemblies, and significantly inhibit the growth of E. coli at micromolar concentrations. However, the breadth of potential molecular structures arising from the range of available starting materials makes the search for optimum compounds an insurmountable task. This proposal outlines an innovative use of statistical software to steer modular synthetic design and expedite the identification of promising new antimicrobials. Relative to a ""one-factor-at-a-time"" approach, statistical design can quickly uncover correlations between structure and activity, and unexpected interactions between structural variables, thus accelerating the discovery of antimicrobial compounds that would not otherwise be obvious. In addition to uncovering new compounds selective to bacteria, libraries of lipidoids will be investigated to help uncover design rules for the effect of shape on membrane interactions, and generic mechanisms of membrane-targeting antimicrobial action. Results could also lead to new means to potentiate obsolete antimicrobials that are impermeable to bacterial membranes, or act as a chaperone for highly effective but relatively unstable antimicrobial peptides.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
US 2018/0014088 W
|
NUT DEVICES FOR INSTRUMENT STAND
|
Nut devices including a butterfly portion with an axial hole that can be opened such that the nut device can be slid up or down a host device, such as a cymbal stand rod, without the typical screw-type motion, are disclosed. Also disclosed are nut devices including drum key functionality.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
10.3389/fncir.2012.00036
|
Characterisation of type I and type II nNOS-expressing interneurons in the barrel cortex of mouse
|
In the neocortex, neuronal Nitric Oxide-Synthase (nNOS) is essentially expressed in two classes of GABAergic neurons: type I neurons displaying high levels of expression and type II neurons displaying weaker expression. Using immunocytochemistry in mice expressing GFP under the control of the glutamic acid decarboxylase 67k (GAD67) promoter, we studied the distribution of type I and type II neurons in the barrel cortex and their expression of parvalbumin (PV), somatostatin (SOM) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). We found that type I neurons were predominantly located in deeper layers and expressed SOM (91. 5%) while type II neurons were concentrated in layer II/III and VI and expressed PV (17. 7%), SOM (18. 7%) and VIP (10. 2%). We then characterised neurons expressing nNOS mRNA (n = 42 cells) ex vivo, using whole-cell recordings coupled to single-cell RT-PCR and biocytin labelling. Unsupervised cluster analysis of this sample disclosed four classes. One cluster (n=7) corresponded to large, deep layer neurons, displaying a high expression of SOM (85. 7%) and was thus very likely to correspond to type I neurons. The three other clusters were identified as putative type II cells and corresponded to neurogliaform-like interneurons (n=19), deep layer neurons expressing PV or SOM (n=9) and neurons expressing VIP (n=7). Finally, we performed nNOS immunohistochemistry on mouse lines in which GFP labelling revealed the expression of two specific developmental genes (Lhx6 and 5-HT3A). We found that type I neurons expressed Lhx6 but never 5-HT3A, indicating that they originate in the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE). Type II neurons expressed Lhx6 (63%) and 5-HT3A (34. 4%) supporting their derivation either from the MGE or from the caudal ganglionic eminence (CGE) and the entopeduncular preoptic area (AEP/PO). Together, our results in the barrel cortex of mouse support the view that type I neurons form a specific class of SOMexpressing neurons while type II neurons comprise at least three classes.
|
[
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
] |
10.1109/COMST.2017.2749760
|
Unicast Qos Routing Algorithms For Sdn A Comprehensive Survey And Performance Evaluation
|
A variety of communication networks, such as industrial communication systems, have to provide strict delay guarantees to the carried flows. Fast and close to optimal quality of service (QoS) routing algorithms, e. g. , delay-constrained least-cost (DCLC) routing algorithms, are required for routing flows in such networks with strict delay requirements. The emerging software-defined networking (SDN) paradigm centralizes the network control in SDN controllers that can centrally execute QoS routing algorithms. A wide range of QoS routing algorithms have been proposed in the literature and examined in individual studies. However, a comprehensive evaluation framework and quantitative comparison of QoS routing algorithms that can serve as a basis for selecting and further advancing QoS routing in SDN networks is missing in the literature. This makes it difficult to select the most appropriate QoS routing algorithm for a particular use case, e. g. , for SDN controlled industrial communications. We close this gap in the literature by conducting a comprehensive up-to-date survey of centralized QoS routing algorithms. We introduce a novel four-dimensional (4D) evaluation framework for QoS routing algorithms, whereby the 4D correspond to the type of topology, two forms of scalability of a topology, and the tightness of the delay constraint. We implemented 26 selected DCLC algorithms and compared their runtime and cost inefficiency within the 4D evaluation framework. While the main conclusion of this evaluation is that the best algorithm depends on the specific sub-space of the 4D space that is targeted, we identify two algorithms, namely Lagrange relaxation-based aggregated cost (LARAC) and search space reduction delay-cost-constrained routing (SSR+DCCR), that perform very well in most of the 4D evaluation space.
|
[
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1016/j.elspec.2016.11.004
|
Single- and many-particle description of scanning tunneling spectroscopy
|
Scanning tunneling spectroscopy measures how a single electron with definite energy propagates between a sample surface and the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope. In the simplest description, the differential conductance measured is interpreted as the local density of states of the sample at the tip position. This picture, however, is insufficient in some cases, since especially smaller molecules weakly coupled with the substrate tend to have strong Coulomb interactions when an electron is inserted or removed at the molecule. We present theoretical approaches to go from the non-interacting and single-particle picture to the correlated many-body regime. The methodology is used to understand recent experiments on finite armchair graphene nanoribbons and phthalocyanines. We also theoretically discuss the strongly-correlated model system of fractional quantum Hall droplets.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
] |
10.3389/fonc.2019.00570
|
The Regulatory Roles of Long Noncoding RNAs in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
|
In this post-genomic era, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are rapidly gaining recognition for their crucial roles across diverse biological processes and contexts. The human blood system is no exception, where dozens of lncRNAs have been established as regulators of normal and/or malignant hematopoiesis, and where ongoing works continue to uncover novel lncRNA functions. Our review focuses on lncRNAs that are involved in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the mechanisms through which they control gene expression in this disease context. We also comment on genome-wide sequencing or profiling studies that have implicated large sets of lncRNAs in AML pathophysiology.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
] |
864625
|
Charge-TRansfer states for high-performance Organic eLectronics
|
Thin films comprising a blend of electron donating (D) and electron accepting (A) molecules are ubiquitous in organic electronic devices. At the D-A interfaces, intermolecular charge-transfer (CT) states form, in which an electron is transferred from D to A. Electrical doping (p- and n-type) involves ground-state CT from dopant to host and results in increased conductivities of the host organic semiconductor. Furthermore, the performances of organic solar cells, photodetectors and light emitting diodes depend crucially on D-A interfaces where the CT state is an excited state, mediating between photons and free charge carriers. New applications of intermolecular CT states, such as transparent conductors, artificial synapses, biosensors, organic persistent luminescent materials and low cost narrowband near-infrared sensors have emerged in the past years, and there is clearly potential for additional innovation. However, current progress is hampered by a lack of understanding of the fundamental properties of intermolecular CT states and their decay and dissociation mechanisms. ConTROL aims to fill this knowledge gap and link device performance to molecular parameters of D-A interfaces. Electro-optical properties will be tuned by molecular design and appropriate D-A selection, as well as by weak and strong interactions with the opto-electronic device’s optical cavity. The knowledge generated will not merely result in improved performance of existing organic electronic devices, but new avenues and novel exciting applications of intermolecular CT states will be demonstrated.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
] |
10.1002/2017JD027157
|
Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation From Streamer Collisions
|
We present a full electromagnetic model of streamer propagation where the Maxwell equations are solved self-consistently together with electron transport and reactions including photoionization. We apply this model to the collision of counter-propagating streamers in gaps tens of centimeters wide and with large potential differences of hundreds of kilovolts. Our results show that streamer collisions emit electromagnetic pulses that, at atmospheric pressure, dominate the radio frequency spectrum of an extended corona in the range from about 100 MHz to a few gigahertz. We also investigate the fast penetration, after a collision, of electromagnetic fields into the streamer heads and show that these fields are capable of accelerating electrons up to about 100 keV. By substantiating the link between X-rays and high-frequency radio emissions and by describing a mechanism for the early acceleration of runaway electrons, our results support the hypothesis that streamer collisions are essential precursors of high-energy processes in electric discharges.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
] |
interreg_1474
|
GESINPORTS - 'GESTION INTÉGRÉE DURABLE DANS LES PORTS DE PLAISANCE DE LA ZONE SUD EUROPÉENNE
|
In recent years, marinas have been built in excessively large numbers to meet the expectations of fast-growing nautical tourism. In most cases, growth has been uncontrolled, ignoring certain very important requirements, and this may lead to serious problems for environmental management and safety, for staff training and the development of ICT and for the preservation of historical heritage. The partners involved in the project plan to provide answers to the problems of environmental impact, the requirements of sustainable growth and the needs of the labour market. Overall objective / Objectif général In order to meet these requirements, partners will be able to share their experiences and detect any shortcomings in matters relating to the environment, safety, staff training and adaptation to the new ICT, while drawing up a catalogue of the historical heritage connected to marina facilities. An inter-regional observatory will also be set up to keep track of the main phenomena relating to marinas. Expected results / Résultats attendus Specific training programmes will be set up with the aim of improving the safety qualifications of marina staff and of raising awareness amongst both staff and users regarding safety and the environment. Studies will be drawn up on the condition of marinas in the regions participating in the project and on the need to develop and adapt new technologies, with the aim of making recommendations on the installation of new computerised services. The creation of a permanent, interregional observatory should facilitate analysis of the economic, social and environmental impact of marinas and their activities and of the quality and competitiveness of marinas.
|
[
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
3729559
|
Molecular origins of aneuploidies in healthy and diseased human tissues
|
Chromosome segregation errors cause aneuploidy, a state of karyotype imbalance that accelerates tumor formation and impairs embryonic development. Even though mitotic errors have been studied extensively in cell cultures, the mechanisms generating various errors, their propagation and effects on genome integrity are not well understood. Moreover, very little is known about mitotic errors in complex tissues. The main goal of this project is to uncover the molecular origins of mitotic errors and their contribution to karyotype aberrations in healthy and diseased tissues. To achieve our goal, we have assembled an interdisciplinary team of experts in molecular and cell biology, cell biophysics, chromosomal instability in cancer, and theoretical physics. Our team will introduce novel approaches to study aneuploidy (superresolution microscopy, optogenetics, laser ablation, single cell karyotype sequencing) and apply them to state-of-the-art tissue cultures (mammalian organoids and tumoroids). In close collaboration, Tolić will establish assays to detect and quantify error types in cells, and Kops and Amon will use the assays on various healthy and cancer tissues. Tolić and Kops will uncover the molecular origins of errors, their propagation and impact on genome integrity, while Amon will lead the investigation of the mechanisms that ensure high chromosome segregation fidelity in healthy tissues. Interwoven in these collaborations are the efforts of Pavin, who will develop a theoretical model to describe the origin of errors and to quantitatively link chromosome segregation fidelity in single cells and tissues. Model and experiment will continuously inspire each other, to achieve deep understanding of how mitotic errors arise, how they propagate and how they impact on cell populations. Thus, the extensive sets of expertise present in our team will be combined and expanded with novel technologies to tackle the big challenge of the origins of aneuploidy in humans.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
] |
10.1016/j.memsci.2018.01.070
|
Stimuli responsive conductive polyaniline membrane: In-filtration electrical tuneability of flux and MWCO
|
The membrane performance of conductive polyaniline membrane may be tuned in-situ by applying an external electrical potential. In this study, we focused on the electrical tuneability of polyaniline (PANI) membrane in response to the externally applied potential and also proposed a hypothesis for electrical tuneability in PANI membranes under applied potential. PANI was synthesised via chemical oxidative polymerisation at different polymerisation temperatures (Tpoly) (5 °C, 15 °C and 25 °C) and flat sheet PANI membranes were prepared via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS). The influence of electrical tuneability on flux and molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) under external potential during cross-flow filtration was studied. The membrane flux and MWCO were measured for neutrally charged polyethylene glycol (PEG) feed solutions as a function of the applied potential from 0 to 30 V. The results demonstrated that the electrically conductive PANI membranes showed a decrease in permeance and MWCO under the applied potential in the cross-flow filtrations, with a higher applied potential producing to a larger decrease. The PANI membrane (Tpoly = 15 °C) showing the greatest MWCO decrease (down to 2800 g mol−1) at 30 V from 6000 g mol−1 at 0 V. It was hypothesised that the swelling of polymer chains caused the narrowing of pore size of membranes on the application of high external potential and resulted in reduction of membrane flux and MWCO. Overall these results suggest that the electrically conductive PANI membranes can self-regulatively adjust their separation properties in response to electrical stimuli, allowing control over neutrally charged molecules transport beyond the ion based separations under applied potential.
|
[
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
] |
10.1099/jgv.0.000622
|
Genetic diversity and phenotypic associations of feline caliciviruses from cats in Switzerland
|
Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a common viral pathogen in domestic cats worldwide. The variable regions of the capsid (VP1) gene of FCV have one of the highest recorded rates of molecular evolution. Understanding the genetic diversity and phylogeny of FCV is a prerequisite to exploring the epidemiology and pathogenesis of this virus and to the development of efficacious vaccine strategies. In this study, we undertook a nationwide molecular characterization of FCV using for the first time nearly complete capsid (VP1) gene sequences. Sequences from 66 FCV samples were used to investigate the correlation between viral phylogeny and several traits, including geographic origin, signalment, husbandry, FCV vaccination and co-infections. Codon-based nucleotide alignment showed that individual nucleotides and their corresponding amino acid sites were either invariant or highly variable. Using a threshold of 20 % genetic distance in variable region E, FCV samples were grouped into 52 strains, 10 of which comprised two to three samples. Significant associations between FCV phylogeny and host characteristics were found, specifically the pedigree status of the cats, and two well-supported lineages were identified in which the current FCV strain definition was confounded. No correlation between viral genetic distances and geographic distances was evident. The greater resolution of the FCV phylogeny in this study compared to previous studies can be attributed to our use of more conserved regions of the capsid (VP1) gene; nonetheless, our results were still hampered by sequence saturation. The study highlights the need for whole-genome sequences for FCV phylogeny studies.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
] |
interreg_1283
|
Educational-environmental project
|
The integrated “Spelaion Logos” projects aim at enhancing the Karst cave environment of naturalistically-relevant protected areas - that are part of Natura 2000 - in the Eastern Alpine Arc. They are the result of the cooperation among the various partners, and envisage environmental restoration and improvement activities (creation of thematic routes and infrastructural interventions to improve site fruition) as well as educational/cultural initiatives (educational exhibitions, conferences, promotional and publicity literature). As regards Nimis, the project aims at the enhancement of the Vigant Abyss-Pre Oreak Karst cave system, cavities located inside a SCI (Site of Community Importance) which is especially impressive from the morphological point of view, formed through selective water erosion and the Karst phenomenon, which brought to light the carbonate banks at the expense of marls and flysch sandstone, creating a unique system where the water course can be followed, as it sinks and re-emerges at the basis of the Cornappo stream ravine. The project envisages the creation of an epygean and hypogean educational-naturalistic Karst trail, running from the medieval village of Vigant through the surface Karst morphology towards its homonymous cave up to its imposing entrance where the stream disappears into the ground. The trail continues - only with the help of expert guides and suitable equipment - to the Pre Oreak Cave through the big hall and the terminal siphon. The project, coordinated by a Technical Committee consisting of both Italian and Slovenian partners, also includes the creation of a multimedia network for the exchange between operators in Italy and Slovenia; the organisation of cultural initiatives and educational hiking tours; and symbolic naturalistic/educational itinerary targeting schools and excursionist tourism, that reaches out into the Slovenian National Park of Triglav to disclose the fascination of hypogean landscapes.
|
[
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
] |
758461
|
Probing nanoscale and femtosecond fluctuations in high temperature superconductors
|
One of the major outstanding challenges in condensed matter physics is the origin of high temperature superconductivity. Low temperature BCS superconductivity is mediated by the electron-phonon interaction, but this interaction is believed to be too weak to explain high temperature superconductivity. Instead electron interactions are considered responsible, but experimental proof has been difficult to obtain. Despite over thirty years of research, the mechanism responsible for generating the superconducting state still remains unknown.
SeeSuper aims to break this deadlock by applying new experimental techniques to study the superconducting state. Our strategy is to probe high temperature superconductors through their nanoscale and femtosecond fluctuations. We will focus on three key parameters in superconductors: phonons, spins and nanoscale phase separation, with the aim of revealing the coupling mechanism.
Our approach combines transient optical spectroscopy and time-resolved diffuse X-ray scattering to measure the lattice response to large amplitude coherent vibrations, time-resolved non-linear optical spectroscopy to directly probe spin dynamics, and resonant soft X-ray holography to image dynamics on the nanoscale.
We will use these cutting edge techniques to prove our hypothesis, that lattice anharmonicity is the key missing ingredient to explain the origins of high temperature superconductivity. If demonstrated, the impact of such a result will lead to a step-change in our understanding of how superconductivity at high temperature occurs, help guide the search for materials with higher transition temperatures, and influence how we view and understand a much broader class of materials. Furthermore, the experimental techniques that we will develop can be applied to understand a range of materials and will, therefore, have an impact also on the broader field of condensed matter physics.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
] |
10.1111/tra.12016
|
Drosophila S2 cells secrete wingless on exosome-like vesicles but the wingless gradient forms independently of exosomes
|
Wingless acts as a morphogen in Drosophila wing discs, where it specifies cell fates and controls growth several cell diameters away from its site of expression. Thus, despite being acylated and membrane associated, Wingless spreads in the extracellular space. Recent studies have focussed on identifying the route that Wingless follows in the secretory pathway and determining how it is packaged for release. We have found that, in medium conditioned by Wingless-expressing Drosophila S2 cells, Wingless is present on exosome-like vesicles and that this fraction activates signal transduction. Proteomic analysis shows that Wingless-containing exosome-like structures contain many Drosophila proteins that are homologous to mammalian exosome proteins. In addition, Evi, a multipass transmembrane protein, is also present on exosome-like vesicles. Using these exosome markers and a cell-based RNAi assay, we found that the small GTPase Rab11 contributes significantly to exosome production. This finding allows us to conclude from in vivo Rab11 knockdown experiments, that exosomes are unlikely to contribute to Wingless secretion and gradient formation in wing discs. Consistent with this conclusion, extracellularly tagged Evi expressed from a Bacterial Artificial Chromosome is not released from imaginal disc Wingless-expressing cells.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
W1990579842
|
Magnetically induced enhancement of reversibly responding conductometric sensors
|
Small magnetic fields are found to greatly enhance the reversible room temperature conductometric responses of n and p- type porous silicon (PS) interfaces, treated with nanostructured island sites containing paramagnetic Co(II) and Fe(II). At concentrations sufficiently low so as to avoid cross talk between the nanostructured island sites, the response to NO concentrations demonstrates the significant effect which the Co(II) and Fe(II) have on the decorated extrinsic semiconductor majority charge carriers as they direct a dominant electron transduction process for reversible electron transduction and chemical sensing (Inverse Hard and Soft acid/base principle) in the absence of significant chemical bond formation. Co(II) and Fe(II) oxide sites enhance response and provide a means for small magnetic fields to interact with and enhance the sensor interface response. For p-type systems, the interaction is with small virtually constant thermal electron populations lying above the Fermi energy at 0 K. The electron removal rate increases with magnetic field strength. At the highest magnetic fields and NO analyte concentrations the available electron population is depleted, and the response to the analyte decreases at higher concentrations. At lower magnetic fields (<1000 G), the response faithfully follows concentration. For n-type systems, the magnetic field interaction increases resistance. This increase in response may be attributed to the interaction with donor levels ∼0.025 eV below the conduction band. A substantial enhancement of sensor response relative to that for the Co(II) and Fe(II) treated PS interfaces is observed, with the introduction of a small magnetic field greatly increasing an already enhanced conductometric response.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
] |
10.1080/14616734.2012.661217
|
Maternal Sensitivity To Infants In Various Settings Predicts Harsh Discipline In Toddlerhood
|
In a longitudinal study with 73 mothers and their second-born child, stability and main-level differences between measures of maternal sensitivity across settings and over time were examined. Furthermore, the predictability of harsh discipline by these different maternal sensitivity measures was studied. Maternal sensitivity was assessed at three and six months during bathing, free play on mother's lap and the baseline and reunion episode of the Still Face Paradigm (SFP; Tronick, Als, Adamson, Wise, & Brazelton, 1978). Harsh discipline was observed during three home visits in the second year of life. Results showed a single underlying factor for all maternal sensitivity settings at both time points and significant stability over time. Harsh discipline was predicted by maternal sensitivity at three months, which was fully mediated by maternal sensitivity at six months. Early failure to respond appropriately to infant signals is an important indicator of risk for future harsh parenting.
|
[
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
] |
10.7554/eLife.39887
|
Characterization of a toxoplasma effector uncovers an alternative GSK3/β-catenin-regulatory pathway of inflammation
|
The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii, hijacks evolutionarily conserved host processes by delivering effector proteins into the host cell that shift gene expression in a timely fashion. We identified a parasite dense granule protein as GRA18 that once released in the host cell cytoplasm forms versatile complexes with regulatory elements of the β-catenin destruction complex. By interacting with GSK3/PP2A-B56, GRA18 drives β-catenin up-regulation and the downstream effects on host cell gene expression. In the context of macrophages infection, GRA18 induces the expression of a specific set of genes commonly associated with an anti-inflammatory response that includes those encoding chemokines CCL17 and CCL22. Overall, this study adds another original strategy by which T. gondii tachyzoites reshuffle the host cell interactome through a GSK3/β-catenin axis to selectively reprogram immune gene expression.
|
[
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
W2950520848
|
A Study on Loan Repayment Behaviour of Borrowers and its Determinants
|
Microfinance is one of the basic and most important strategies for paucity of poverty in developing countries. Manny countries have realized this and started financing the people for their upliftment in many ways. The impact of microcredit is a subject of much controversy. Proponents state that it reduces poverty through higher employment and higher incomes. This is expected to lead to improved nutrition and improved education of the borrowers' children. Some argue that microcredit empowers women. However, increasing non-performing loan (bad debt loans) was a reason for provision and other administrative charges and on the other hand drastically reduces the banks income and profitability due to suspension of interest on non- performing loan. This undesirable fact tarnishes the image of the bank and negatively contributes to play its part in the countries development endeavors. Besides, ties the bank’s capital, affects its liquidity position, and reduces its competitiveness locally or in the global market and hence not compatible with a development bank that is expected to play an active and indispensable role by maintaining its sustainability. The current research paper focused on loan repayment behaviour of borrowers and its determinants in the view of loan delinquencies Key Words: Micro Finance, Loan Delinquencies, Paucity of Poverty, etc.
|
[
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
] |
322851
|
Cis-regulatory variation: Using natural genetic variation to dissect cis-regulatory control of embryonic development
|
Embryonic development is very robust: In the midst of segregating mutations and fluctuating environments, a fertilized egg has the remarkable capacity to give rise to a precisely patterned embryo. The stereotypic progression of development is driven by tightly regulated programs of gene expression. However, this deterministic view from genetics is at odds with an emerging view of transcription from genomics as a “noisy” process, variable and changing both within and between individuals. How variable transcriptional programs can regulate robust embryonic development remains a long-standing question, which this proposal aims to address. By combining population genetics, genomics, and developmental genetics in Drosophila we will dissect the relationship between DNA sequence variation, transcription factor (TF) occupancy, and the regulatory control of developmental gene expression.
The backdrop for this work is extensive information generated by my lab on the location and function of over 12,000 developmental cis-regulatory elements, including accurate, predictive models of their spatio-temporal activity. To understand the impact of variation on transcription and development, we will make use of a powerful experimental resource – 192 sequenced Drosophila strains, collected from a highly genetically diverse wild population. The proposed research has three Specific Aims: 1) Perform the first high-resolution study associating SNPs and structural variants (eQTLs) with gene expression variation during embryonic development, 2) Quantify in vivo the relationship between cis-regulatory variation, TF occupancy, and gene expression, 3) Incorporate these data into an integrated, predictive model of transcription. These Aims, together with our cis-regulatory data, will offer unique, mechanistic insights into how cis-regulatory variation impacts developmental gene regulation, and into the molecular bases of robustness in developmental regulatory networks.
|
[
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
888391
|
Levitated nanoparticles for technology and quantum nanophysics: new frontiers in physics at the nanoscale.
|
Technology is continuously miniaturizing. As it reaches the nanoscale we face unique challenges, such as managing thermal. From the other direction, advances in the quantum physics of a few atoms, ions, and solid-state qubits mean that we increasingly wish to scale up quantum systems, or interface them with nanoscale devices.
Opto- and electro-mechanical (NEMS and MEMS) devices have been controlled at the quantum level in recent years, an amazing advance allowing even entanglement between light and mechanical motion. However, all such systems are plagued by unavoidable environmental contact, and energy dissipation through strain, limiting the potential of mechanical devices to participate in both classical and quantum technologies.
By levitating the mechanical element, these problems are overcome. LEVITEQ will, for the first time, cool the motion and rotation of tailor-made silicon particles, enabling full quantum level control. This ultra-low dissipation system offers exquisite force sensitivity, by driving the rotation of a levitated nanorod. LEVITEQ will pioneer the control of nanoparticles by electronic circuits, allowing simple technological integration in a room temperature environment. This all-electrical system will challenge existing quartz crystal oscillator technology.
LEVITEQ will explore new regimes of physics, by working in extreme vacuum, elucidating thermodynamics on the nanoscale. This research will pave the way for a levitated quantum object acting as a node in a quantum network, for coherent signal storage and conversion.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
] |
10.1257/pandp.20181049
|
Nonlinear Persistence and Partial Insurance: Income and Consumption Dynamics in the PSID
|
In this paper we highlight the importance of the PSID in understanding income dynamics and consumption insurance. We explore the nonlinear nature of income shocks and describe a new quantile-based panel data framework for income dynamics. In this approach the persistence of past income shocks is allowed to vary according to the size and sign of the current shock. The model provides a good match with data and we confirm the results on population register data from Norway. Using the enhanced consumption and asset data in the PSID, nonlinear persistence is shown to have key implications for consumption insurance.
|
[
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
] |
W1523614697
|
Racism in Contemporary Educational Reality Parents’ Aspects
|
Greek society and all societies in the countries of Europe alike are multiculturalist. The adoption and implementation of an intercultural approach towards “differentiated cultural groups”, will give an opportunity to their members to actively participate in “social living” preserving at the same time their own cultural identity within a wider context of socially acceptable values and practices. The prevalent aspect of the dominant cultural group considering “foreign” anything different, ignoring at times the obvious (i.e. that Muslims of Thrace and Gypsies are also Greek citizens). Even the acceptance of certain different social groups should follow their “assimilation” in the way of life of the dominant social group. Thus, prejudice, stereotypes and xenophobia have become an integral part of daily life. In the 21 st century Europe shows contradictory and ideological signs as to the serious impact national identity have on daily life and on the future of a nation-country, in general. The awakening of nationalism in the Middle East throws discredit upon the subsidence of the same phenomenon in the West. As the political and economic developments do not seem to be very optimistic in many countries of the European Union, the phenomenon of reemergence of extreme right national political parties and nationalist organizations appears to take place in every country in question, including Greece. The first “victims” of such an ideological turn are the residents (immigrants and refugees) and citizens of the European Union whose presence and activity throw discredit upon the image of a culturally, nationally and racially compact and unified, as far as ideological orientation is concerned, national state. Within such a xenophobic and foreign oriented environment, it is likely for obsolete ideological constructions as well as new created ones to be used as cognitive, sentimental and behaviorist “tools” in order to behave, realize and experience “others”. Therefore, a pedagogical intervention is deemed essential and intentional in an effort to provide elementary analytical information concerning the social, psychological and educational mechanisms which produce, preserve and contribute to the perpetuation of racism. The present paper is focused on the phenomenon of racism in contemporary educational reality while an effort is made to point out the levels of racism as far as national identity, racial origin, sex and language differentiation are concerned.
|
[
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Texts and Concepts"
] |
10.1103/PhysRevB.81.104426
|
Magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy of Co and Fe adatoms on the (111) surfaces of Pd and Rh
|
We performed a combined theoretical and experimental investigation of the orbital magnetism and magnetocrystalline anisotropy of isolated Co and Fe adatoms on Pd(111) and Rh(111). Theoretical calculations of the spin and orbital moments are based on ab initio spin-polarized density-functional theory (DFT) including a self-consistent treatment of spin-orbit coupling. The calculations use a slab model to represent the adsorbate/substrate complex and allow for a complete structural relaxation leading to a strong inward displacement of the adatom and modest vertical and lateral relaxations in the substrate atoms. Compared to an idealized geometry where the atoms are kept on bulk lattice positions up to the surface, relaxation leads to a much stronger adatom/ligand hybridization. This is also reflected in the results for orbital moments and magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy (MAE). The enhanced hybridization leads to strong quenching of the adatom orbital moments but also to the formation of large induced spin and orbital moments in the substrate. As a consequence, we find that the substrate contribution to the MAE is much more important than estimated before on the basis of studies using an idealized geometry. We also find the surprising result that the MAE strongly depends on the adsorption site. The magnitude and even the sign of the MAE change for adatoms on face-centered cubic with respect to the ones on hexagonal close-packed hollow sites on the (111) surface. The dependence of the MAE on the combination of adatom and substrate has been analyzed in terms of the electronic structure, leading to a sound physical picture of the origin of the MAE. A fundamental problem, however, is the correct prediction of the size of the orbital moments of the adatoms. We suggest that this problem can be solved only via post-DFT corrections introducing an orbital dependence of the exchange potential. The theoretical results are compared to site-averaged, element-specific x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements. Low-temperature XMCD spectra and magnetization curves reveal weak out-of-plane anisotropy for Fe adatoms on both substrates. Interestingly, Co adatoms on Rh(111) present in-plane anisotropy with MAE of about -0. 6?meV, contrary to the known out-of-plane anisotropy of Co on Pd(111) and Pt(111). The orbital to spin magnetic-moment ratio measured by XMCD shows that the Co adatoms present much stronger orbital magnetization components compared to Fe. The connection between orbital moments and MAE is discussed at the theoretical level including the contribution of the induced substrate magnetization.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
] |
10.1017/fmp.2015.9
|
Global uniqueness for the calderÓn problem with lipschitz conductivities
|
We prove uniqueness for the Calderón problem with Lipschitz conductivities in higher dimensions. Combined with the recent work of Haberman, who treated the three-and four-dimensional cases, this confirms a conjecture of Uhlmann. Our proof builds on the work of Sylvester and Uhlmann, Brown, and Haberman and Tataru who proved uniqueness for-conductivities and Lipschitz conductivities sufficiently close to the identity.
|
[
"Mathematics"
] |
10.1093/nar/gkt618
|
Evidence of direct complementary interactions between messenger RNAs and their cognate proteins
|
Recently, the ability to interact with messenger RNA (mRNA) has been reported for a number of known RNA-binding proteins, but surprisingly also for different proteins without recognizable RNA binding domains including several transcription factors and metabolic enzymes. Moreover, direct binding to cognate mRNAs has been detected for multiple proteins, thus creating a strong impetus to search for functional significance and basic physico-chemical principles behind such interactions. Here, we derive interaction preferences between amino acids and RNA bases by analyzing binding interfaces in the known 3D structures of protein-RNA complexes. By applying this tool to human proteome, we reveal statistically significant matching between the composition of mRNA sequences and base-binding preferences of protein sequences they code for. For example, purine density profiles of mRNA sequences mirror guanine affinity profiles of cognate protein sequences with quantitative accuracy (median Pearson correlation coefficient R = -0. 80 across the entire human proteome). Notably, statistically significant anti-matching is seen only in the case of adenine. Our results provide strong evidence for the stereo-chemical foundation of the genetic code and suggest that mRNAs and cognate proteins may in general be directly complementary to each other and associate, especially if unstructured.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
] |
10.1039/C3SC00041A
|
Double Channel Photosystems With Antiparallel Redox Gradients Templated Stack Exchange With Porphyrins And Phthalocyanines
|
We report the synthesis of multicomponent surface architectures composed of phthalocyanines (Pc), porphyrins (TPP) and naphthalenediimides (NDI). Naphthalenediimide stacks are grown first by self-organizing surface initiated disulfide-exchange polymerization (SOSIP). An oriented redox gradient driving electrons toward the surface is applied by growing electron-richer NDI stacks on top of poorer ones. Lateral stacks of porphyrins and phthalocyanines are then added by templated stack exchange (TSE). A three-component gradient is constructed to drive the holes away from the solid surface. Antiparallel gradients are found to minimize charge recombination during photocurrent generation. Templates used for stack exchange also serve as hole barriers, whereas their size has surprisingly little importance. These results demonstrate the compatibility of SOSIP-TSE technology with porphyrins and phthalocyanines, confirm the importance of oriented antiparallel gradients to minimize charge recombination, and show that electronics rather than the size matter to template stack exchange.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
] |
10.1007/JHEP03(2016)022
|
Anomalies Conformal Manifolds And Spheres
|
The two-point function of exactly marginal operators leads to a universal contribution to the trace anomaly in even dimensions. We study aspects of this trace anomaly, emphasizing its interpretation as a sigma model, whose target space M is the space of conformal field theories (a. k. a. the conformal manifold). When the underlying quantum field theory is supersymmetric, this sigma model has to be appropriately supersymmetrized. As examples, we consider in some detail N=(2,2) and N=(0,2) supersymmetric theories in d=2 and N=2 supersymmetric theories in d=4. This reasoning leads to new information about the conformal manifolds of these theories, for example, we show that the manifold is Kahler-Hodge and we further argue that it has vanishing Kahler class. For N=(2,2) theories in d=2 and N=2 theories in d=4 we also show that the relation between the sphere partition function and the Kahler potential of M follows immediately from the appropriate sigma models that we construct. Along the way we find several examples of potential trace anomalies that obey the Wess-Zumino consistency conditions, but can be ruled out by a more detailed analysis.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
] |
10.5301/jabfm.5000246
|
Oxygen Measurement in Interstitially Perfused Cellularized Constructs Cultured in a Miniaturized Bioreactor
|
Aims The possibility of developing engineered tissue in vitro and maintaining the cell viability and functionality is primarily related to the possibility of controlling key culture parameters such as oxygen concentration and cell-specific oxygen consumption. We measured these parameters in a three-dimensional (3D) cellularized construct maintained under interstitially perfused culture in a miniaturized bioreactor. Methods MG63 osteosarcoma cells were seeded at high density on a 3D polystyrene scaffold. The 3D scaffolds were sensorized with sensor foils made of a polymer, which fluoresce with intensity proportional to the local oxygen tension. Images of the sensor foil in contact with the cellularized construct were acquired with a video camera every four hours for six culture days and were elaborated with analytical imaging software to obtain oxygen concentration maps. Results The data collected indicate a globally decreasing oxygen concentration profile, with a total drop of 28% after six days of culture and an average drop of 10. 5% between the inlet and outlet of the perfused construct. Moreover, by importing the measured oxygen concentration data and the cell counts in a model of mass transport, we calculated the cell-specific oxygen consumption over the whole culture period. The consumption increased with oxygen availability and ranged from 0. 1 to 0. 7 µmol/h/106 cells. Conclusions The sensors used here allowed a non-invasive, contamination-free and non-destructive oxygen measurement over the whole culture period. This study is the basis for optimization of the culture parameters involved in oxygen supply, in order to guarantee maintenance of cell viability in our system.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Materials Engineering"
] |
10.1090/tran/6992
|
Positive solutions for super-sublinear indefinite problems: High multiplicity results via coincidence degree
|
We study the periodic boundary value problem associated with the second order non-linear equation u′′ + (λa+ (t) − μa− (t))g(u) = 0, where g(u) has superlinear growth at zero and sublinear growth at infinity. For λ, μ positive and large, we prove the existence of 3m − 1 positive T -periodic solutions when the weight function a(t) has m positive humps separated by m negative ones (in a T -periodicity interval). As a byproduct of our approach we also provide an abundance of positive subharmonic solutions and symbolic dynamics. The proof is based on coincidence degree theory for locally compact operators on open unbounded sets and also applies to Neumann and Dirichlet boundary conditions. Finally, we deal with radially symmetric positive solutions for the Neumann and the Dirichlet problems associated with elliptic PDEs.
|
[
"Mathematics"
] |
10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.01.022
|
Chemical and biophysical methods to explore dynamic mechanisms of chromatin silencing
|
Chromatin, the nucleoprotein complex organizing the genome, is central in regulating gene expression and genome organization. Chromatin conformational dynamics, controlled by histone post-translational modifications (PTM) and effector proteins, play a key role in this regulatory function. Recent developments in chemical biology, cell biology, and biophysics sparked important new studies, which probe direct causal connections between histone PTMs, chromatin effector proteins that write or read these modifications, and the involved functional chromatin states. In particular, the mechanisms of heterochromatin silencing have been explored in great detail in recent years. These studies revealed the highly dynamic nature of this chromatin state, its conformational heterogeneity, and different mechanisms of its formation. Here, we review how chemical biology and biophysics shaped our current understanding of the dynamic processes observed in heterochromatin and discuss the emerging technologies to detect chromatin organization directly in the cellular environment.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
] |
interreg_2155
|
Paving the way for self-sufficient regional energy supply based on sustainable energy concepts and
renewable energy sources
|
The Kyoto protocol, the EU 20-20-20 strategy and several further commitments force the states of Central Europe to rationalize their energy consumption and reduce the fossil energy sources in their energy mix in favour of renewables. MANERGY assists the Central Europe area in achieving these goals by setting its general objective: supporting the responsible use of the environmental potentials of Central Europe by promoting sustainable approaches to environment friendly energy source management, including an increase in renewable energy use and significant reduction in energy consumption and CO2 emissions. As urban areas represent more than two thirds of the energy consumption of the EU, the role of local authorities in energy saving is significant. This tendency is fostered by the central governments in all countries, urging the public authorities to cut their expenses by rationalizing their overhead costs. MANERGY partners will aid local authorities to answer this challenge and pave the way for the self-sufficient regional energy supply.
Based on the similarities in the energy supply of the partners, transnational cooperation offers the opportunity for direct exchange on the needs and future aspirations related to these topics. In the Central Europe area currently there is no such official transnational level forum which would deal with these issues. The regions and local authorities are mostly the ones who implement the different approaches of energy use, on the other hand they in themselves separately are not strong stakeholders to have their voice heard in order to shape the system. By its transnational approach the project will transfer its results to other Central Europe cities and also support the forming EU’s energy policy. Besides, transnational cooperation will give that chance for local authorities - which would not have otherwise the possibility to access to a wide range of know-how - to improve their energy management by benefiting from best practices of other Central Europe countries.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Earth System Science"
] |
10.1145/3052973.3052996
|
Functional Encryption With Oblivious Helper
|
Functional encryption is a nice tool that bridges the gap between usability and privacy when providing access to huge databases: while being encrypted, aggregated information is available with a fine-tuned control by the owner of the database who can specify the functions he allows users to compute on the data. Unfortunately, giving access to several functions might leak too much information on the database, since once the decryption capability is given for a specific function, this is for an unlimited number of ciphertexts. In the particular case of the inner-product, if rows or records of the database contain l fields on which one got l independent inner-product capabilities, one can extract all the individual fields. On the other hand, the major applications that make use of inner-products, such as machine-learning, need to compute many of them. This paper deals with a practical trade-off in order to allow the computation of various inner-products, while still protecting the confidentiality of the data. To this aim, we introduce an oblivious helper, that will be required for any decryption-query, in order to control the leakage of information on the database. It should indeed learn just enough information to guarantee the confidentiality of the database, but without endangering the privacy of the queries.
|
[
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1002/2016GC006455
|
Time Scales Of Foam Stability In Shallow Conduits Insights From Analogue Experiments
|
Volcanic systems can exhibit periodical trends in degassing activity, characterized by a wide range of time-scales. Understanding the dynamics that control such periodic behavior can provide a picture of the processes occurring in the feeding system. Towards this end, we analyzed the periodicity of outgassing in a series of decompression experiments performed on analogue material (argon-saturated silicone oil plus glass beads/fibers) scaled to serve as models of basaltic magma. To define the effects of liquid viscosity and crystal content on the time-scale of outgassing we investigated both: 1) pure liquid systems, at differing viscosities (100 and 1000 Pa s), 2) particle-bearing suspensions (diluted and semi-diluted). The results indicate that under dynamic conditions (e. g. decompressive bubble growth, fluid ascent within the conduit), the periodicity of foam disruption may be up to several orders of magnitude less than estimates based on the analysis of static conditions. This difference in foam disruption time-scale is inferred to result from the contribution of bubble shear and bubble growth to inter-bubble film thinning. The presence of particles in the semi-diluted regime is further linked to shorter bubble bursting times, likely resulting from contributions of the presence of a solid network and coalescence processes to the relative increase in bubble break-up rates. Finally, it is argued that these experiments represent a good analogue of gas-piston activity (i. e. , the periodical rise-and-fall of a basaltic lava lake surface), implying a dominant role for shallow foam accumulation as a source process for these phenomena. This article is protected by copyright.
|
[
"Earth System Science",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
] |
772441
|
Microsystems for Cryomicroscopy
|
This proposal aims to revolutionize time-resolved light and electron cryo-microscopy of fast cellular dynamics using a new class of cryogenic microsystems for the reversible cryofixation of cells and small model organisms by ultra-rapid cooling. This will contribute to our understanding of biological structure and function by revealing the dynamics of specific proteins in the ultrastructural context of a cell at nanometer spatial and millisecond temporal resolution.
Despite rapid progress in the field, much of the potential of microscopy at cryogenic temperature today is still untapped due to limitations in methods and instrumentation for sample preparation. First, vitrification technologies for cryo-microscopy have evolved only incrementally since the 1960s and cannot be combined with many of the sophisticated live imaging methods that have emerged over the past decade. Second, while the synergy of light and electron cryo-microscopy is extremely powerful, cryo-microscopy with light is still in its infancy. Finally, new technologies for ultra-rapid heating and cooling of single cells are needed to systematically advance our understanding of reversibility in the cryopreservation of e.g. stem cells, oocytes, or sperm cells. Here I propose to create a microfluidic technology for the direct vitrification of cells in the light microscope by ultra-rapid cooling with millisecond time resolution. The cells will then be imaged at high resolution using electron microscopy and advanced modes of light microscopy combined with new optics adapted to cryogenic conditions. Ultimately, we will elucidate if and under which conditions cryofixation can be reversed by ultra-rapid warming such that dynamic cellular processes resume unperturbed.
We expect that the research proposed here will enable breakthroughs in understanding the structural and molecular basis of fast cellular events including transport, membrane trafficking, cell division, and synaptic transmission.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
279344
|
STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF PORPHYRIN-BASED MATERIALS IN SOLUTION vs. INTERFACES
|
The goal of the proposed project is to perform a systematic study of the electronic structure and the dynamic behaviour of specifically selected metalloporphyrin materials in solution, and at liquid-solid interfaces, with a time resolution covering the range from sub-femtosecond up to picoseconds which is fundamental for their biochemical properties. Metalloporphyrins play a key role in a wide range of processes, such as the light energy conversion in photosynthesis, or in haem proteins performing the transport of small ligands like oxygen. Because of their peculiar optical, electronic and magnetic properties, they are potential candidates for technological applications like in molecular electronics. It is of fundamental importance to gain a detailed understanding of the structural and dynamic properties of these materials under realistic conditions (i.e. ambient pressure, room temperature, and in heterogeneous environments). Soft X-ray spectroscopy is an ideal tool for this purpose, which has recently been implemented by the PI for the investigation of applied materials in the liquid phase, drawing on international recognition of his achievements. Taking advantage from his broad expertise, the PI extended the soft X-ray spectroscopy to biochemical systems in solutions for the first time. Since last year the PI became the youngest group leader at HZB, and Junior Professor at the Freie Universität Berlin. Here, the PI proposes to use the laser pump / soft X-ray probe spectroscopy at first in the sub-picosecond domain. The experiments will extended to femtosecond resolution at the X-ray Free Electron Laser facility. To address sub-femtosecond processes, the systematic scanning of the systems with core-clock spectroscopy is intended. The study will provide fundamental knowledge about the electronic structure and dynamics of metalloporphyrin materials which are essential for different applications, thus helping significantly to enhance their performance.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
] |
W2037595683
|
A global brand in a local market
|
Subject area Marketing Study level/applicability Primary target: Marketing and communications undergraduate students, especially coming from emerging countries. Secondary target: MBA students studying Principles of Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communications (a similar version of this case, has been used for the MBA students at Yeditepe Univ. Istanbul, Turkey in the “Strategic Marketing and Management” course. The submitted case is an expanded version, with the 2008 crisis data added, as well as being tailor-made for the Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies). Case overview Global brands are all around us but the true winners are global brands with a local touch in every market they operate. However, this is easily said than done. This case looks into a well-known global carbonated drinks brand in Turkey and what it has done to become a true global brand with a local touch, especially at hard times when the country was facing a major economic crisis in 2001, and then later in 2008 during the global crisis. In this case, we see how this international brand reacted under these harsh circumstances, what they have done to be able to move closer to the hearts of Turkish consumers. We also see the importance of continuation of marketing and communication efforts for brands when economic conditions are not so good. Consumers are quick to respond to brands which keep talking to them, keeping the dialogue channels open and give those brands credit long after the crisis is over. Brand M sets a good example in this regard, showing how research can be used for setting tangible measures. The questions posed: How could market research help an international brand to move closer to its local customers? How should international brands act when economic conditions are not that promising? How could a brand be built upon learned knowledge in one economic crisis to the other? The case tries to answer these questions based on an emerging country experience, showing ways of becoming a global brand with a local touch. Expected learning outcomes To show the importance of branding and market research findings for an international brand while operating in a local market. Although it is iterated that consistent, continuous and sustainable communication is important for brand's marketing, in general advertising budgets are the first to be cut when economic trouble sets in. This case will help in showing that brands which choose to continue advertising during economic crisis actually make long-term marketing investments and this will be exhibited with the help of market data obtained from an emerging country. The case also sets an example on how the message given should be adopted to the current economic conditions. To simulate difficulties of being an international brand with a local touch. Although it is common knowledge that decision-making in business life is crucial for the continuation of business, we do not come across many cases showing us volatile market conditions, coupled with drastic changes taking place in the economy overnight. This case sets out to do that, based on an emerging country example. On the other hand, 2008 global economic crisis showed us all that today's global managers should be better prepared for such sudden changes wherever they may be based. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes.
|
[
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
] |
10.1038/srep37793
|
New Genome-Wide Algorithm Identifies Novel In-Vivo Expressed Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Antigens Inducing Human T-Cell Responses with Classical and Unconventional Cytokine Profiles
|
New strategies are needed to develop better tools to control TB, including identification of novel antigens for vaccination. Such Mtb antigens must be expressed during Mtb infection in the major target organ, the lung, and must be capable of eliciting human immune responses. Using genome-wide transcriptomics of Mtb infected lungs we developed data sets and methods to identify IVE-TB (in-vivo expressed Mtb) antigens expressed in the lung. Quantitative expression analysis of 2,068 Mtb genes from the predicted first operons identified the most upregulated IVE-TB genes during in-vivo pulmonary infection. By further analysing high-level conservation among whole-genome sequenced Mtb-complex strains (n = 219) and algorithms predicting HLA-class-Ia and II presented epitopes, we selected the most promising IVE-TB candidate antigens. Several of these were recognized by T-cells from in-vitro Mtb-PPD and ESAT6/CFP10-positive donors by proliferation and multi-cytokine production. This was validated in an independent cohort of latently Mtb-infected individuals. Significant T-cell responses were observed in the absence of IFN-γ-production. Collectively, the results underscore the power of our novel antigen discovery approach in identifying Mtb antigens, including those that induce unconventional T-cell responses, which may provide important novel tools for TB vaccination and biomarker profiling. Our generic approach is applicable to other infectious diseases.
|
[
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
] |
10.1371/journal.ppat.1003648
|
Absence of Siglec-H in MCMV Infection Elevates Interferon Alpha Production but Does Not Enhance Viral Clearance
|
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) express the I-type lectin receptor Siglec-H and produce interferon α (IFNα), a critical anti-viral cytokine during the acute phase of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection. The ligands and biological functions of Siglec-H still remain incompletely defined in vivo. Thus, we generated a novel bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-transgenic "pDCre" mouse which expresses Cre recombinase under the control of the Siglec-H promoter. By crossing these mice with a Rosa26 reporter strain, a representative fraction of Siglec-H+ pDCs is terminally labeled with red fluorescent protein (RFP). Interestingly, systemic MCMV infection of these mice causes the downregulation of Siglec-H surface expression. This decline occurs in a TLR9- and MyD88-dependent manner. To elucidate the functional role of Siglec-H during MCMV infection, we utilized a novel Siglec-H deficient mouse strain. In the absence of Siglec-H, the low infection rate of pDCs with MCMV remained unchanged, and pDC activation was still intact. Strikingly, Siglec-H deficiency induced a significant increase in serum IFNα levels following systemic MCMV infection. Although Siglec-H modulates anti-viral IFNα production, the control of viral replication was unchanged in vivo. The novel mouse models will be valuable to shed further light on pDC biology in future studies.
|
[
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
W1086310491
|
An intelligent short term stock trading fuzzy system for assisting investors in portfolio management
|
The proposed short-term fuzzy system uses a set of appropriate technical indicators.The returns of the proposed system are higher than those of the B&H strategy.The proposed system avoids big losses during bear markets.During bull markets the system produces lower returns than the B&H strategy.Transaction costs significantly affect the performance of the proposed system. Financial markets are complex systems influenced by many interrelated economic, political and psychological factors and characterised by inherent nonlinearities. Recently, there have been many efforts towards stock market prediction, applying various fuzzy logic techniques and using technical analysis methods.This paper presents a short term trading fuzzy system using a novel trading strategy and an amalgam between altered commonly used technical indicators and rarely used ones, in order to assist investors in their portfolio management. The sample consists of daily data from the general index of the Athens Stock Exchange over a period of more than 15 years (15/11/1996 to 5/6/2012), which was also divided into distinctive groups of bull and bear market periods.The results suggest that, with or without taking into consideration transaction costs, the return of the proposed fuzzy model is superior to the returns of the buy and hold strategy. ?he proposed system can be characterised as conservative, since it produces smaller losses during bear market periods and smaller gains during bull market periods compared with the buy and hold strategy.
|
[
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
] |
10.1016/j.neuint.2013.08.001
|
New players in the neurovascular unit: Insights from experimental and clinical epilepsy
|
The conventional notion that neurons are exclusively responsible for brain signaling is increasingly challenged by the idea that brain function in fact depends on a complex interplay between neurons, glial cells, vascular endothelium, and immune-related blood cells. Recent data demonstrates that neuronal activity is profoundly affected by an entire cellular and extracellular 'orchestra', the so-called neurovascular unit (NVU). Among the 'musical instruments' of this orchestra, there may be molecules long-known in biomedicine as important mediators of inflammatory and immune responses in the organism, as well as non-neuronal cells, e. g. , leukocytes. We here review recent evidence on the structure and function of the NVU, both in the healthy brain and in pathological conditions, such as the abnormal NVU activation observed in epilepsy. We will argue that a better understanding of NVU function will require the addition of new players to the 'orchestra'.
|
[
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
] |
10.1098/rsbl.2012.0290
|
Molecular dating of human-to-bovid host jumps by
Staphylococcus aureus
reveals an association with the spread of domestication
|
Host species switches by bacterial pathogens leading to new endemic infections are important evolutionary events that are difficult to reconstruct over the long term. We investigated the host switching of
Staphylococcus aureus
over a long evolutionary timeframe by developing Bayesian phylogenetic methods to account for uncertainty about past host associations and using estimates of evolutionary rates from serially sampled whole-genome data. Results suggest multiple jumps back and forth between human and bovids with the first switch from humans to bovids taking place around 5500 BP, coinciding with the expansion of cattle domestication throughout the Old World. The first switch to poultry is estimated at around 275 BP, long after domestication but still preceding large-scale commercial farming. These results are consistent with a central role for anthropogenic change in the emergence of new endemic diseases.
|
[
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
] |
10.5194/acp-16-8521-2016
|
Continuous measurements of isotopic composition of water vapour on the East Antarctic Plateau
|
Water stable isotopes in central Antarctic ice cores are critical to quantify past temperature changes. Accurate temperature reconstructions require one to understand the processes controlling surface snow isotopic composition. Isotopic fractionation processes occurring in the atmosphere and controlling snowfall isotopic composition are well understood theoretically and implemented in atmospheric models. However, post-deposition processes are poorly documented and understood. To quantitatively interpret the isotopic composition of water archived in ice cores, it is thus essential to study the continuum between surface water vapour, precipitation, surface snow and buried snow. Here, we target the isotopic composition of water vapour at Concordia Station, where the oldest EPICA Dome C ice cores have been retrieved. While snowfall and surface snow sampling is routinely performed, accurate measurements of surface water vapour are challenging in such cold and dry conditions. New developments in infrared spectroscopy enable now the measurement of isotopic composition in water vapour traces. Two infrared spectrometers have been deployed at Concordia, allowing continuous, in situ measurements for 1 month in December 2014-January 2015. Comparison of the results from infrared spectroscopy with laboratory measurements of discrete samples trapped using cryogenic sampling validates the relevance of the method to measure isotopic composition in dry conditions. We observe very large diurnal cycles in isotopic composition well correlated with temperature diurnal cycles. Identification of different behaviours of isotopic composition in the water vapour associated with turbulent or stratified regime indicates a strong impact of meteorological processes in local vapour/snow interaction. Even if the vapour isotopic composition seems to be, at least part of the time, at equilibrium with the local snow, the slope of δD against δ18O prevents us from identifying a unique origin leading to this isotopic composition.
|
[
"Earth System Science",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
] |
10.1038/srep42055
|
Cross-modal noise compensation in audiovisual words
|
Perceiving linguistic input is vital for human functioning, but the process is complicated by the fact that the incoming signal is often degraded. However, humans can compensate for unimodal noise by relying on simultaneous sensory input from another modality. Here, we investigated noise-compensation for spoken and printed words in two experiments. In the first behavioral experiment, we observed that accuracy was modulated by reaction time, bias and sensitivity, but noise compensation could nevertheless be explained via accuracy differences when controlling for RT, bias and sensitivity. In the second experiment, we also measured Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and observed robust electrophysiological correlates of noise compensation starting at around 350 ms after stimulus onset, indicating that noise compensation is most prominent at lexical/semantic processing levels.
|
[
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
] |
W2979487113
|
Influences of ventilation velocity on dust dispersion in coal roadways
|
Abstract The ventilations of pressure cylinders is a widely used practice in coal mine roadways in China. It has been determined that the velocities of the ventilations will directly affect the diffusion of the dust particles which reduce the visibility of road-header drivers, and also tend to slowdown operating efficiency. In this study, a CFD-DPM method was adopted in order to examine the airflow flow and dust pollution behaviors in coal mine roadways under various ventilation velocities. The results showed that airflow fields could be divided into disordered regions of airflow flow fast and chaos; recirculation regions, where there were dust backflow; and stable regions, from the heading faces to the exits of the coal mine roadways. The airflow were observed to carry the dust particles along the roadway wall away from the pressure cylinders from the disordered regions into the recirculation regions due to the blocks caused by the road-headers. It was observed that the dust migration had slowed down in the areas behind the road-headers due to the sudden decreases in the airflow velocities. Then, major amounts of dust particles were carried by airflow into the stable regions. The remaining dust was carried to the exits of the pressure cylinders as a result of the dust backflow. As a result, areas of approximately 5 m behind of the road-headers, as well as the areas near the exits of the pressure cylinders, contained high dust concentrations. The dust concentrations near the exits of the pressure cylinders into which the dust particles had been attracted due to the strong entrainment effects, were found to increase with increasing of the ventilation velocities. However, this had only occurred when ventilation velocities had exceeded 17 m/s.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Earth System Science"
] |
W1762509572
|
Neotectonics and seismicity in southern Patagonia
|
Research for evaluation of geologic hazards involving earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in southern Argentina seems to have historically received little attention. Nevertheless, the relatively small work done indicates a Neogene tectonic architecture in the area with capability of generating potential hazardous earthquakes in a growing population region. Seismicity and some morphotectonic evidences of Quaternary activity of the Magallanes–Fagnano left-lateral fault system in the transform boundary between South America and Scotia plates, are analysed in this paper. This fault system is considered to be an important seismogenic source, responsible for large earthquakes that have occurred in southern Argentina. Some examples from the South and Austral Andean Volcanic Zones are also examined in order to show recent volcanic activity which also generated crustal seismicity. Preliminary hazard estimation clearly shows the presence of both potentially active volcanic centres in southern Patagonia that may also trigger seismicity and the high probability for large crustal earthquake generation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
|
[
"Earth System Science"
] |
10.1145/2735960.2735973
|
Controller Synthesis For Autonomous Systems Interacting With Human Operators
|
We propose an approach to synthesize control protocols for autonomous systems that account for uncertainties and imperfections in interactions with human operators. As an illustrative example, we consider a scenario involving road network surveillance by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is controlled remotely by a human operator but also has a certain degree of autonomy. Depending on the type (i. e. , probabilistic and/or nondeterministic) of knowledge about the uncertainties and imperfections in the operator-autonomy interactions, we use abstractions based on Markov decision processes and augment these models to stochastic two-player games. Our approach enables the synthesis of operator-dependent optimal mission plans for the UAV, highlighting the effects of operator characteristics (e. g. , workload, proficiency, and fatigue) on UAV mission performance; it can also provide informative feedback (e. g. , Pareto curves showing the trade-offs between multiple mission objectives), potentially assisting the operator in decision-making.
|
[
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
742573
|
Interaction and feedback between cell mechanics and fate specification in vertebrate gastrulation
|
Embryogenesis is achieved by the close interplay between the gene regulatory networks that control cell fate specification and the physical processes by which the embryo takes shape. While each of these systems has been extensively investigated over the past decades, comparably little is yet known about how they functionally interact across different scales of organization within the physiological context of the developing embryo. The central aim of this proposal is to elucidate the fundamental principles underlying the interaction and feedback between cell mechanics and fate specification during vertebrate gastrulation. Using zebrafish as a vertebrate model organism, we will explore how germ layer progenitor cell fate specification affects the physical processes by which the gastrula takes shape, and, vice versa, how alterations in cell/tissue mechanics feed back onto the gene regulatory networks and signals controlling progenitor cell fate specification during gastrulation. To dissect the fundamental mechanisms underlying this crosstalk, we will combine genetic, cell biological and biophysical experimentation with mathematical modeling. We expect that this transdisciplinary approach will provide answers to a central yet unresolved question in developmental biology: how the interplay between cell mechanics, dynamics and fate specification drives embryo morphogenesis and patterning.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
10.1007/s11104-014-2256-9
|
Aspects of soil lichen biodiversity and aggregation interact to influence subsurface microbial function
|
Background and aims: Many previous studies have evaluated aboveground–heterotrophic belowground interactions such as plant-soil feedbacks, plant-mycorrhizal fungi associations or plant-actinorhizal symbioses. However, few studies have used biocrusts, which are specialized soil communities of autotrophic cyanobacteria, mosses, lichens and non-photosynthetic fungi and bacteria that are prevalent in drylands worldwide. These communities largely influence ecosystem functioning, and can be used as a model system for studying above-belowground interactions. In this study, we evaluated how biocrusts affect the functional diversity and biomass of microbial diversities beneath biocrusts.
|
[
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
] |
10.1002/2015GL064042
|
Latitudinal Dependence Of Static Mesospheric E Fields Above Thunderstorms
|
Electrostatic fields generated by thunderclouds can significantly heat and modify the lower ionospheric electrons at altitudes of 70–80 km. These fields can map to higher altitudes along the geomagnetic field lines and have been proposed as the mechanism for generation of whistler ducts. Previous 2-D modeling of these fields have been limited to azimuthally symmetric cases which requires a vertical magnetic field. We have developed a 3-D model of the electrostatic thundercloud fields which allows the consideration of effects of the geomagnetic field dip angle on the mapping of the fields to high altitudes. The results show stronger electric fields at altitudes of 70–110 km with an equatorward and eastward shift of tens of kilometers at lower geomagnetic latitudes. These stronger fields are mapped into the magnetosphere and may therefore be important for whistler duct generation. The fields also indicate a more significant contribution of the quiescent heating on VLF early/fast events.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Universe Sciences"
] |
10.1164/rccm.201312-2235OC
|
The effect of inhaled IFN-b on worsening of asthma symptoms caused by viral infections a randomized trial
|
Rationale: Ex vivo, bronchial epithelial cells from people with asthma are more susceptible to rhinovirus infection caused by deficient induction of the antiviral protein, IFN-b. Exogenous IFN-b restores antiviral activity. Objectives: To compare the efficacy and safety of inhaled IFN-b with placebo administered to people with asthma after onset of cold symptoms to prevent or attenuate asthma symptoms caused by respiratory viruses. Methods: A total of 147 people with asthma on inhaled corticosteroids (British Thoracic Society Steps 2-5), with a history of virus-associated exacerbations, were randomized to 14-day treatment with inhaled IFN-b (n = 72) or placebo (n = 75) within 24 hours of developing cold symptoms and were assessed clinically, with relevant samples collected to assess virus infection and antiviral responses. Measurements and Main Results: A total of 91% of randomized patients developed a defined cold. In this modified intention-to-treat population, asthma symptoms did not get clinically significantly worse (mean change in six-item Asthma Control Questionnaire ,0. 5) and IFN-b treatment had no significant effect on this primary endpoint, although it enhanced morning peak expiratory flow recovery (P = 0. 033), reduced the need for additional treatment, and boosted innate immunity as assessed by blood and sputum biomarkers. In an exploratory analysis of the subset ofmoredifficult-to-treat, Step 4-5peoplewithasthma (n=27 IFN-b; n = 31 placebo), Asthma Control Questionnaire-6 increased significantly on placebo; this was prevented by IFN-b (P = 0. 004). Conclusions: Although the trial did not meet its primary endpoint, it suggests that inhaled IFN-b is a potential treatment for virus-induced deteriorations of asthma in difficult-to-treat people with asthma and supports theneedfor further, adequatelypowered, trials in this population. Clinical trial registered with www. clinicaltrials. gov (NCT 01126177).
|
[
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
] |
10.1016/j.rse.2020.112168
|
Prototyping Sentinel-2 green LAI and brown LAI products for cropland monitoring
|
For agricultural applications, identification of non-photosynthetic above-ground vegetation is of great interest as it contributes to assess harvest practices, detecting crop residues or drought events, as well as to better predict the carbon, water and nutrients uptake. While the mapping of green Leaf Area Index (LAI) is well established, current operational retrieval models are not calibrated for LAI estimation over senescent, brown vegetation. This not only leads to an underestimation of LAI when crops are ripening, but is also a missed monitoring opportunity. The high spatial and temporal resolution of Sentinel-2 (S2) satellites constellation offers the possibility to estimate brown LAI (LAIB) next to green LAI (LAIG). By using LAI ground measurements from multiple campaigns associated with airborne or satellite spectra, Gaussian processes regression (GPR) models were developed for both LAIG and LAIB, providing alongside associated uncertainty estimates, which allows to mask out unreliable LAI retrievals with higher uncertainties. A processing chain was implemented to apply both models to S2 images, generating a multiband LAI product at 20 m spatial resolution. The models were adequately validated with in-situ data from various European study sites (LAIG: R2 = 0. 7, RMSE = 0. 67 m2/m2; LAIB: R2 = 0. 62, RMSE = 0. 43 m2/m2). Thanks to the S2 bands in the red edge (B5: 705 nm and B6: 740 nm) and in the shortwave infrared (B12: 2190 nm) a distinction between LAIG and LAIB can be achieved. To demonstrate the capability of LAIB to identify when crops start senescing, S2 time series were processed over multiple European study sites and seasonal maps were produced, which show the onset of crop senescence after the green vegetation peak. Particularly, the LAIB product permits the detection of harvest (i. e. , sudden drop in LAIB) and the determination of crop residues (i. e. , remaining LAIB), although a better spectral sampling in the shortwave infrared would have been desirable to disentangle brown LAI from soil variability and its perturbing effects. Finally, a single total LAI product was created by merging LAIG and LAIB estimates, and then compared to the LAI derived from S2 L2B biophysical processor integrated in SNAP. The spatiotemporal analysis results confirmed the improvement of the proposed descriptors with respect to the standard SNAP LAI product accounting only for photosynthetically active green vegetation.
|
[
"Earth System Science",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
] |
10.1007/978-3-319-10593-2_22
|
Using Isometry To Classify Correct Incorrect 3D 2D Correspondences
|
Template-based methods have been successfully used for surface detection and 3D reconstruction from a 2D input image, especially when the surface is known to deform isometrically. However, almost all such methods require that keypoint correspondences be first matched between the template and the input image. Matching thus exists as a current limitation because existing methods are either slow or tend to perform poorly for discontinuous or unsmooth surfaces or deformations. This is partly because the 3D isometric deformation constraint cannot be easily used in the 2D image directly. We propose to resolve that difficulty by detecting incorrect correspondences using the isometry constraint directly in 3D. We do this by embedding a set of putative correspondences in 3D space, by estimating their depth and local 3D orientation in the input image, from local image warps computed quickly and accurately by means of Inverse Composition. We then relax isometry to inextensibility to get a first correct/incorrect classification using simple pairwise constraints. This classification is then efficiently refined using higher-order constraints, which we formulate as the consistency between the correspondences’ local 3D geometry. Our algorithm is fast and has only one free parameter governing the precision/recall trade-off. We show experimentally that it significantly outperforms state-of-the-art.
|
[
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1093/gji/ggt061
|
Near-surface study at the valhall oil field from ambient noise surface wave tomography
|
We used 6 hr of continuous seismic noise records from 2320 four-component sensors of the Valhall 'Life of Field Seismic' network to compute cross-correlations (CCs) of ambient seismic noise. A beamforming analysis showed that at low frequencies (below 2Hz) the seismic noise sources were spatially homogeneously distributed, whereas at higher frequencies (2-30 Hz), the dominant noise source was the oil platform at the centre of the network. Here, we performed an ambient noise surface wave tomography at frequencies below 2 Hz. We used vertical-component geophones CCs to extract and measure the Scholte waves group velocities dispersion curves that were then processed with a set of quality criteria and inverted to build group velocity maps of the Valhall area. Although Scholte wave group velocity depends on S wave, our group velocity maps show features similar to that was previously obtained from P-wave velocity full-waveform inversion of an active seismic data set. Since the dominant noise source at high frequency (above 3 Hz) was the oil platform, we determined a 2-D S-wave velocity model along a profile aligned with the platform by inverting group velocity dispersion curves of Love waves from transverse-component geophones CCs. We found that S-wave velocity down to 20m was low and varied along the profile, and could be used to estimate S-wave static.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Earth System Science"
] |
10.1177/0001699316633099
|
Fluidity And Flexibility Of Belonging Uses Of The Concept In Contemporary Research
|
Studies framing “belonging” as a key focus and a central concept of research have increased significantly in the 2000s. This article explores the dimensions of belonging as a scholarly concept. The. . .
|
[
"Texts and Concepts",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
] |
10.1039/c4tc01276c
|
Electrochemically created highly surface roughened Ag nanoplate arrays for SERS biosensing applications
|
Highly surface-roughened Ag nanoplate arrays are fabricated using a simple electro-deposition/corrosion method, which are promising candidates in SERS biosensing applications.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering"
] |
10.1051/0004-6361/201834565
|
Exploring He Ii Lambda 1640 Emission Line Properties At Z Similar To 2 4
|
Deep optical spectroscopic surveys of galaxies provide a unique opportunity to investigate rest-frame ultra-violet (UV) emission line properties of galaxies at z similar to 2-4. 5. Here we combine VLT /MUSE Guaranteed Time Observations of the Hubble Deep Field South, Ultra Deep Field, COSMOS, and several quasar fields with other publicly available data from VLT /VIMOS and VLT /FORS2 to construct a catalogue of He II lambda 1640 emitters at z greater than or similar to 2. The deepest areas of our MUSE pointings reach a 3 sigma line flux limit of 3. 1 x 10(19) erg s(-1) cm(-2). After discarding broad-line active galactic nuclei, we find 13 He II lambda 1640 detections from MUSE with a median M-UV = -20. 1 and 21 tentative He II lambda 1640 detections from other public surveys. Excluding Ly alpha, all except two galaxies in our sample show at least one other rest-UV emission line, with C III] lambda 1907, lambda 1909 being the most prominent. We use multi-wavelength data available in the Hubble legacy fields to derive basic galaxy properties of our sample through spectral energy distribution fitting techniques. Taking advantage of the high-quality spectra obtained by MUSE (similar to 10-30 h of exposure time per pointing), we use photo-ionisation models to study the rest-UV emission line diagnostics of the He II lambda 1640 emitters. Line ratios of our sample can be reproduced by moderately sub-solar photo-ionisation models, however, we find that including effects of binary stars lead to degeneracies in most free parameters. Even after considering extra ionising photons produced by extreme sub-solar metallicity binary stellar models, photo-ionisation models are unable to reproduce rest-frame He II lambda 1640 equivalent widths (similar to 0. 2-10 angstrom), thus additional mechanisms are necessary in models to match the observed He II lambda 1640 properties.
|
[
"Universe Sciences",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
] |
10.22331/q-2019-08-12-174
|
Classification of phases for mixed states via fast dissipative evolution
|
We propose the following definition of topological quantum phases valid for mixed states: two states are in the same phase if there exists a time independent, fast and local Lindbladian evolution driving one state into the other. The underlying idea, motivated by \cite{Konig2014}, is that it takes time to create new topological correlations, even with the use of dissipation. We show that it is a good definition in the following sense: (1) It divides the set of states into equivalent classes and it establishes a partial order between those according to their level of ``topological complexity''. (2) It provides a path between any two states belonging to the same phase where observables behave smoothly. We then focus on pure states to relate the new definition in this particular case with the usual definition for quantum phases of closed systems in terms of the existence of a gapped path of Hamiltonians connecting both states in the corresponding ground state path. We show first that if two pure states are in the same phase in the Hamiltonian sense, they are also in the same phase in the Lindbladian sense considered here. We then turn to analyse the reverse implication, where we point out a very different behaviour in the case of symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases in 1D. Whereas at the Hamiltonian level, phases are known to be classified with the second cohomology group of the symmetry group, we show that symmetry cannot give any protection in 1D in the Lindbladian sense: there is only one SPT phase in 1D independently of the symmetry group. We finish analysing the case of 2D topological quantum systems. There we expect that different topological phases in the Hamiltonian sense remain different in the Lindbladian sense. We show this formally only for the Zn quantum double models D(Zn). Concretely, we prove that, if m is a divisor of n, there cannot exist any fast local Lindbladian connecting a ground state of D(Zm) with one of D(Zn), making rigorous the initial intuition that it takes long time to create those correlations present in the Zn case that do not exist in the Zm case and that, hence, the Zn phase is strictly more complex in the Lindbladian case than the Zm phase. We conjecture that such Lindbladian does exist in the opposite direction since Lindbladians can destroy correlations.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Mathematics"
] |
W2031502301
|
Olfactomedin-4 Regulation by Estrogen in the Human Endometrium Requires Epidermal Growth Factor Signaling
|
Olfactomedin-4 (OLFM-4) is an extracellular matrix protein that is highly expressed in human endometrium. We have examined the regulation and function of OLFM-4 in normal endometrium and in cases of endometriosis and endometrial cancer. OLFM-4 expression levels are highest in proliferative-phase endometrium, and 17β-estradiol up-regulates OLFM-4 mRNA in endometrial explant cultures. Using the luciferase reporter under control of the OLFM-4 promoter, it was shown that both 17β-estradiol and OH-tamoxifen induce luciferase activity, and epidermal growth factor receptor-1 is required for this estrogenic response. In turn, EGF activates the OLFM-4 promoter, and estrogen receptor-α is needed for the complete EGF response. The cellular functions of OLFM-4 were examined by its expression in OLFM-4-negative HEK-293 cells, which resulted in decreased vimentin expression and cell adherence as well as increased apoptosis resistance. In cases of endometriosis and endometrial cancer, OLFM-4 expression correlated with the presence of epidermal growth factor receptor-1 and estrogen receptor-α (or estrogen signaling). An increase of OLFM-4 mRNA was observed in the endometrium of endometriosis patients. No change in OLFM-4 expression levels were observed in patients with endometrial cancer relative with controls. In conclusion, cross-talk between estrogen and EGF signaling regulates OLFM-4 expression. The role of OLFM-4 in endometrial tissue remodeling before the secretory phase and during the predisposition and early events in endometriosis can be postulated but requires additional investigation.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
] |
10.1016/j.molmet.2015.09.003
|
Enhanced insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle and liver by physiological overexpression of SIRT6
|
Objective: Available treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is suboptimal. Thus, identifying novel molecular target(s) exerting protective effects against these metabolic imbalances is of enormous medical significance. Sirt6 loss- and gain-of-function studies have generated confounding data regarding the role of this sirtuin on energy and glucose homeostasis, leaving unclear whether activation or inhibition of SIRT6 may be beneficial for the treatment of obesity and/or T2DM. Methods: To address these issues, we developed and studied a novel mouse model designed to produce eutopic and physiological overexpression of SIRT6 (Sirt6BAC mice). These mutants and their controls underwent several metabolic analyses. These include whole-blood reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography assay, glucose and pyruvate tolerance tests, hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp assays, and assessment of basal and insulin-induced level of phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT)/AKT in gastrocnemius muscle. Results: Sirt6BAC mice physiologically overexpress functionally competent SIRT6 protein. While Sirt6BAC mice have normal body weight and adiposity, they are protected from developing high-caloric-diet (HCD)-induced hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance. Also, Sirt6BAC mice display increased circulating level of the polyamine spermidine. The ability of insulin to suppress endogenous glucose production was significantly enhanced in Sirt6BAC mice compared to wild-type controls. Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was increased in Sirt6BAC mice in both gastrocnemius and soleus muscle, but not in brain, interscapular brown adipose, or epididymal adipose tissue. Insulin-induced p-AKT/AKT ratio was increased in gastrocnemius muscle of Sirt6BAC mice compared to wild-type controls. Conclusions: Our data indicate that moderate, physiological overexpression of SIRT6 enhances insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle and liver, engendering protective actions against diet-induced T2DM. Hence, the present study provides support for the anti-T2DM effect of SIRT6 and suggests SIRT6 as a putative molecular target for anti-T2DM treatment.
|
[
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
307450
|
Hybrid Quantum Networks
|
The development of correlated quantum networks based on interconnected material nodes and quantum channels is a major challenge for the field of quantum information science, including quantum communication, computing, and metrology. Two main encodings of quantum information are generally used: a ‘discrete-variable’ encoding based for instance on single-photons and a ‘continuous-variable’ approach which relies on continuous degrees of freedom, such as the quadrature components of light modes. A mostly unexplored area is the mixing of these two approaches leading to ‘hybrid schemes’ where the advantages of both paradigms can be merged. This is the subject of the present proposal.
Stated succinctly, we aim at developing the scientific and technical foundations for the realization of hybrid quantum networks with applications to the distribution and processing of quantum information. The new research activities that we propose to undertake are as follows:
• The implementation of storage and subsequent rotation of a hybrid qubit
• The laboratory demonstration of storage, readout and subsequent purification of continuous-variable entanglement
• The experimental realization of a segment of a hybrid quantum repeater
We will reach these objectives by developing compatible quantum light source (pulsed optical parametric oscillator) and light-matter interface (cold atoms trapped in the vicinity of elongated nanofibers) and by demonstrating novel capabilities for hybrid protocols, such as non-Gaussian state storage and quantum gates. These activities will be accompanied by a strong theoretical effort focused on the development of resource-efficient hybrid protocols for improved scaling.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
] |
10.1021/cg301282q
|
Quantitative plane-resolved crystal growth and dissolution kinetics by coupling in situ optical microscopy and diffusion models: The case of salicylic acid in aqueous solution
|
The growth and dissolution kinetics of salicylic acid crystals are investigated in situ by focusing on individual microscale crystals. From a combination of optical microscopy and finite element method (FEM) modeling, it was possible to obtain a detailed quantitative picture of dissolution and growth dynamics for individual crystal faces. The approach uses real-time in situ growth and dissolution data (crystal size and shape as a function of time) to parametrize a FEM model incorporating surface kinetics and bulk to surface diffusion, from which concentration distributions and fluxes are obtained directly. It was found that the (001) face showed strong mass transport (diffusion) controlled behavior with an average surface concentration close to the solubility value during growth and dissolution over a wide range of bulk saturation levels. The (1Ì. . . 10) and (110) faces exhibited mixed mass transport/surface controlled behavior, but with a strong diffusive component. As crystals became relatively large, they tended to exhibit peculiar hollow structures in the end (001) face, observed by interferometry and optical microscopy. Such features have been reported in a number of crystals, but there has not been a satisfactory explanation for their origin. The mass transport simulations indicate that there is a large difference in flux across the crystal surface, with high values at the edge of the (001) face compared to the center, and this flux has to be redistributed across the (001) surface. As the crystal grows, the redistribution process evidently can not be maintained so that the edges grow at the expense of the center, ultimately creating high index internal structures. At later times, we postulate that these high energy faces, starved of material from solution, dissolve and the extra flux of salicylic acid causes the voids to close.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
] |
10.1088/1742-6596/821/1/012013
|
Su2 The Open Source Software For Non Ideal Compressible Flows
|
The capabilities of the open-source SU2 software suite for the numerical simulation of viscous flows over unstructured grid are extended to non-ideal compressible-fluid dynamics (NICFD). A built-in thermodynamic library is incorporated to account for the non-ideal thermodynamic characteristics of fluid flows evolving in the close proximity of the liquid-vapour saturation curve and critical point. The numerical methods, namely the Approximate Riemann Solvers (ARS), viscous fluxes and boundary conditions are generalised to non-ideal fluid properties. Quantities of interest for turbomachinery cascades, as loss coefficients and flow angles, can be automatically determined and used for design optimization. A variety of test cases are carried out to assess the performance of the solver. At first, numerical methods are verified against analytical solution of reference NICFD test cases, including steady shock reflection and unsteady shock tube. Then, non-ideal gas effects in planar nozzles and past turbine cascades, typically encountered in Organic Rankine Cycle applications, are investigated and debated. The obtained results demonstrate that SU2 is highly suited for the analysis and the automatic design of internal flow devices operating in the non-ideal compressible-fluid regime.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1021/acsmacrolett.7b00891
|
Triggerable Multivalent Glyconanoparticles for Probing Carbohydrate-Carbohydrate Interactions
|
Carbohydrate-carbohydrate interactions are proposed to be biologically significant but have lower affinities than the well-studied carbohydrate-protein interactions. Here we introduce multivalent glyconanostructures where the surface expression of lactose can be triggered by an external stimulus, and a gold nanoparticle core enables colorimetric signal outputs to probe binding. Macromolecular engineering of a responsive polymer "gate" enables the lactose moieties to be presented only when an external stimulus is present, mimicking how nature uses enzymes to dynamically regulate glycan expression. Two different carbohydrate-carbohydrate interactions are investigated using this tool.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
10.1126/science.aat3628
|
The prehistoric peopling of Southeast Asia
|
The human occupation history of Southeast Asia (SEA) remains heavily debated. Current evidence suggests that SEA was occupied by Hòabìnhian hunter-gatherers until ~4000 years ago, when farming economies developed and expanded, restricting foraging groups to remote habitats. Some argue that agricultural development was indigenous; others favor the “two-layer” hypothesis that posits a southward expansion of farmers giving rise to present-day Southeast Asian genetic diversity. By sequencing 26 ancient human genomes (25 from SEA, 1 Japanese Jōmon), we show that neither interpretation fits the complexity of Southeast Asian history: Both Hòabìnhian hunter-gatherers and East Asian farmers contributed to current Southeast Asian diversity, with further migrations affecting island SEA and Vietnam. Our results help resolve one of the long-standing controversies in Southeast Asian prehistory.
|
[
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
] |
10.1063/1.4725421
|
Tuning The Electron Energy By Controlling The Density Perturbation Position In Laser Plasma Accelerators
|
A density perturbation in an underdense plasma was used to improve the quality of electron bunches produced in the laser-plasma wakefield acceleration scheme. Quasi-monoenergetic electrons were generated by controlled injection in the longitudinal density gradients of the density perturbation. By tuning the position of the density perturbation along the laser propagation axis, a fine control of the electron energy from a mean value of 60 MeV to 120 MeV has been demonstrated with a relative energy-spread of 15 ± 3. 6%, divergence of 4 ± 0. 8 mrad, and charge of 6 ± 1. 8 pC.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
] |
10.1086/687209
|
Careers Connections And Corruption Risks Investigating The Impact Of Bureaucratic Meritocracy On Public Procurement Processes
|
Why do officials in some countries favor entrenched contractors, while others assign public contracts more impartially? This article emphasizes the important interplay between politics and bureaucracy. It suggests that corruption risks are lower when bureaucrats’ careers do not depend on political connections but on their peers. We test this hypothesis with a novel measure of career incentives in the public sector—using a survey of more than 18,000 public sector employees in 212 European regions—and a new objective corruption risk measure including over 1. 4 million procurement contracts. Both show a remarkable subnational variation across Europe. The study finds that corruption risks are indeed significantly lower where bureaucrats’ career incentives exclusively follow professional criteria. In substantial terms, moving EU regions so that bureaucrats’ merit and effort would matter as much as in, for example, Baden-Wuttemberg (90th percentile) could lead to a 13–20 billion Euro savings per year.
|
[
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
] |
10.1038/nature13145
|
Coupling of angiogenesis and osteogenesis by a specific vessel subtype in bone
|
The mammalian skeletal system harbours a hierarchical system of mesenchymal stem cells, osteoprogenitors and osteoblasts sustaining lifelong bone formation. Osteogenesis is indispensable for the homeostatic renewal of bone as well as regenerative fracture healing, but these processes frequently decline in ageing organisms, leading to loss of bone mass and increased fracture incidence. Evidence indicates that the growth of blood vessels in bone and osteogenesis are coupled, but relatively little is known about the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. Here we identify a new capillary subtype in the murine skeletal system with distinct morphological, molecular and functional properties. These vessels are found in specific locations, mediate growth of the bone vasculature, generate distinct metabolic and molecular microenvironments, maintain perivascular osteoprogenitors and couple angiogenesis to osteogenesis. The abundance of these vessels and associated osteoprogenitors was strongly reduced in bone from aged animals, and pharmacological reversal of this decline allowed the restoration of bone mass.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
US 0129888 W
|
PERSISTENT DATA STORAGE FOR CLIENT COMPUTER SOFTWARE PROGRAMS
|
Persistent data storage for client computer software programs is provided using a repository that enables client computer software programs to store data securely on a client computer system, subsequently retrieve that data, and optionally share the data in a controlled fashion with authorized client computer software programs. The present invention can be used by both trusted and untrusted client computer software programs that either reside locally on the client computer system or are downloaded from a server computer system. A benefit of the present invention is that it allows untrusted applets to have access to persistent storage without compromising the integrity of the client computer system. Since the present invention controls persistent storage space, not the programmer of the client computer software program, the burden of insuring storage integrity and security is removed from the programmer. In addition to basic integrity and security features, the present invention provides automatic data format conversion for a client computer software programs reading/writing data in the data repository, a commit operation to force in-memory repository data to disk, and automatic expiration to delete the repository data to disk, and automatic expiration to delete the repository after a predetermined time period. The repository can be pre-limited to a maximum size and shared among multiple client computer software programs.
|
[
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1021/acs.jpclett.5b01333
|
Toward an Enhancement of the Photoactivity of Multiphotochromic Dimers Using Plasmon Resonance: A Theoretical Study
|
Building dimers of organic photochromic compounds paves the way to multifunctional switches, but such architectures often undergo partial photoreactivity only. Combining photochromism of molecules and plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles (NPs) is known to affect the photochromism of monomers, yet the impact on multimers remains unknown. Here we propose a theoretical study of dimers of dithienylethenes by the mean of a hybrid calculation scheme (discrete-interaction model/quantum mechanics). We aim to assess how the optical properties of multiphotochromes are tuned by the influence of the plasmon resonances. We show that, for a typical chemisorption orientation on the NP, the absorption bands responsible for the photochromism are significantly enhanced for both the doubly open and mixed closed-open isomers of the dyad, hinting that plasmon resonance could be used to boost the generally poor photoactivity of dithienylethene dyads.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
] |
10.1039/C5LC90019K
|
Applications Of Three Dimensional 3D Printing For Microswimmers And Bio Hybrid Robotics
|
This article will focus on recent reports that have applied three-dimensional (3D) printing for designing millimeter to micrometer architecture for robotic motility. The utilization of 3D printing has rapidly grown in applications for medical prosthetics and scaffolds for organs and tissue, but more recently has been implemented for designing mobile robotics. With an increase in the demand for devices to perform in fragile and confined biological environments, it is crucial to develop new miniaturized, biocompatible 3D systems. Fabrication of materials at different scales with different properties makes 3D printing an ideal system for creating frameworks for small-scale robotics. 3D printing has been applied for the design of externally powered, artificial microswimmers and studying their locomotive capabilities in different fluids. Printed materials have also been incorporated with motile cells for bio-hybrid robots capable of functioning by cell contraction and swimming. These 3D devices offer new methods of robotic motility for biomedical applications requiring miniature structures. Traditional 3D printing methods, where a structure is fabricated in an additive process from a digital design, and non-traditional 3D printing methods, such as lithography and molding, will be discussed.
|
[
"Materials Engineering",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
] |
10.1103/PhysRevA.91.043417
|
Internal energy dependence in x-ray-induced molecular fragmentation: An experimental and theoretical study of thiophene
|
A detailed experimental and theoretical investigation of the dynamics leading to fragmentation of doubly ionized molecular thiophene is presented. Dissociation of double-ionized molecules was induced by S 2p core photoionization and the ionic fragments were detected in coincidence with Auger electrons from the core-hole decay. Rich molecular dynamics was observed in electron-ion-ion coincidence maps exhibiting ring breaks accompanied by hydrogen losses and/or migration. The probabilities of various dissociation channels were seen to be very sensitive to the internal energy of the molecule. Theoretical simulations were performed by using the semiempirical self-consistent charge-density-functional tight-binding method. By running thousands of these simulations, the initial conditions encountered in the experiment were properly taken into account, including the systematic dependencies on the internal (thermal) energy. This systematic approach, not affordable with first-principle methods, provides a good overall description of the complex molecular dynamics observed in the experiment and shows good promise for applicability to larger molecules or clusters, thus opening the door to systematic investigations of complex dynamical processes occurring in radiation damage.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
] |
W2018977292
|
Analysis of vegetation and land cover dynamics in north-western Morocco during the last decade using MODIS NDVI time series data
|
Abstract. Vegetation phenology as well as the current variability and dynamics of vegetation and land cover, including its climatic and human drivers, are examined in a region in north-western Morocco that is nearly 22 700 km2 big. A gapless time series of Normalized Differenced Vegetation Index (NDVI) composite raster data from 29 September 2000 to 29 September 2009 is utilised. The data have a spatial resolution of 250 m and were acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. The presented approach allows to compose and to analyse yearly land cover maps in a widely unknown region with scarce validated ground truth data by deriving phenological parameters. Results show that the high temporal resolution of 16 d is sufficient for (a) determining local land cover better than global land cover classifications of Plant Functional Types (PFT) and Global Land Cover 2000 (GLC2000) and (b) for drawing conclusions on vegetation dynamics and its drivers. Areas of stably classified land cover types (i.e. areas that did not change their land cover type) show climatically driven inter- and intra-annual variability with indicated influence of droughts. The presented approach to determine human-driven influence on vegetation dynamics caused by agriculture results in a more than ten times larger area compared with stably classified areas. Change detection based on yearly land cover maps shows a gain of high-productive vegetation (cropland) of about 259.3 km2. Statistically significant inter-annual trends in vegetation dynamics during the last decade could however not be discovered. A sequence of correlations was respectively carried out to extract the most important periods of rainfall responsible for the production of green biomass and for the extent of land cover types. Results show that mean daily precipitation from 1 October to 15 December has high correlation results (max. r2=0.85) on an intra-annual time scale to NDVI percentiles (50 %) of land cover types. Correlation results of mean daily precipitation from 16 September to 15 January and percentage of yearly classified area of each land cover type are medium up to high (max. r2=0.64). In all, an offset of nearly 1.5 months is detected between precipitation rates and NDVI values. High-productive vegetation (cropland) is proved to be mainly rain-fed. We conclude that identification, understanding and knowledge about vegetation phenology, and current variability of vegetation and land cover, as well as prediction methods of land cover change, can be improved using multi-year MODIS NDVI time series data. This study enhances the comprehension of current land surface dynamics and variability of vegetation and land cover in north-western Morocco. It especially offers a quick access when estimating the extent of agricultural lands.
|
[
"Earth System Science",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
] |
617805
|
Lightweight Verification of Software
|
As illustrated through the advent of cloud computing, cyberphysical systems, or the Internet of Things, more and more applications are inherently distributed. At the same time, programming distributed systems is notoriously hard. Programmers have to deal with asynchrony and have to cater for partial failures -- the possibility that certain communication(s), processes, or hosts fail while others remain operational. These failures can have drastic consequences such as the missing to react to critical events or inconsistent states respectively. Limitations on existing hardware infrastructure necessitate subtle assumptions on system and failure models though to achieve efficient yet complex algorithmic solutions, whose implementation is prone to delicate defects.
Existing techniques for engineering reliable distributed systems software require much effort (e.g., program annotations in the form of invariants) thus discouraging many developers from their use; other techniques require developers to explicitly run specific tools (e.g., model checkers) which are thus easily left out and still can not achieve complete validation.
LiveSoft investigates static techniques to verify a subset of relevant and failure-prone aspects of distributed software --- interaction between components --- in a way which is lightweight and can be integrated with compilation. Our techniques will be able to sieve out many important defects upfront by pushing software reliability into the software design process. To that end LiveSoft proposes protocol types which leverage experiences with session types yet focus on fault-tolerant distributed systems by emphasizing asynchrony, failure handling and recovery, protocol composition, security, and parameterization. A main challenge is to support different system and failure models including emerging hardware trends such as hardware transactional memory and non-volatile memory rather than hardwiring speicific notions of (a)synchrony and failures.
|
[
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
] |
10.1177/1477370819874416
|
Corporate Harm And Embedded Labour Exploitation In Agri Food Supply Networks
|
Harm facilitated by corporations has received increased attention in recent years. However, corporate crime and harm remain under-researched themes in relation to labour exploitation, in both theor. . .
|
[
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
] |
10.1158/2159-8290.CD-14-0001
|
Patient Derived Xenograft Models An Emerging Platform For Translational Cancer Research
|
Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the development and characterization of patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) models for cancer research. PDX models mostly retain the principal histologic and genetic characteristics of their donor tumor and remain stable across passages. These models have been shown to be predictive of clinical outcomes and are being used for preclinical drug evaluation, biomarker identification, biologic studies, and personalized medicine strategies. This article summarizes the current state of the art in this field, including methodologic issues, available collections, practical applications, challenges and shortcomings, and future directions, and introduces a European consortium of PDX models. Significance: PDX models are increasingly used in translational cancer research. These models are useful for drug screening, biomarker development, and the preclinical evaluation of personalized medicine strategies. This review provides a timely overview of the key characteristics of PDX models and a detailed discussion of future directions in the field. Cancer Discov; 4(9); 998–1013.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
] |
10.1038/hdy.2015.20
|
Population genetic structure of serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus) across Europe and implications for the potential spread of bat rabies (European bat lyssavirus EBLV-1)
|
Understanding of the movements of species at multiple scales is essential to appreciate patterns of population connectivity and in some cases, the potential for pathogen transmission. The serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus) is a common and widely distributed species in Europe where it frequently harbours European bat lyssavirus type 1 (EBLV-1), a virus causing rabies and transmissible to humans. In the United Kingdom, it is rare, with a distribution restricted to south of the country and so far the virus has never been found there. We investigated the genetic structure and gene flow of E. serotinus across the England and continental Europe. Greater genetic structuring was found in England compared with continental Europe. Nuclear data suggest a single population on the continent, although further work with more intensive sampling is required to confirm this, while mitochondrial sequences indicate an east-west substructure. In contrast, three distinct populations were found in England using microsatellite markers, and mitochondrial diversity was very low. Evidence of nuclear admixture indicated strong male-mediated gene flow among populations. Differences in connectivity could contribute to the high viral prevalence on the continent in contrast with the United Kingdom. Although the English Channel was previously thought to restrict gene flow, our data indicate relatively frequent movement from the continent to England highlighting the potential for movement of EBLV-1 into the United Kingdom.
|
[
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
] |
W2466610682
|
Impact of alcohol and alcohol mixed with energy drinks on non-medical prescription stimulant use in a nationally representative sample of 12th-grade students
|
Approximately 30% of high school students use energy drinks. Alcohol use and alcohol mixed with energy drink use (AmED) is associated with risky behavior, including non-medical prescription stimulant use. We assessed alcohol-only, AmED and non-medical prescription stimulant use among 12th grade students in the U.S. using a nationally representative secondary data from the 2012 Monitoring the Future Study.Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests and logistic regression analyses were used to determine differences in non-medical prescription stimulant use by students who used alcohol-only versus AmED and to identify covariates of non-medical prescription stimulant use. Pearson-product moment coefficients were used to determine strength of variable relationships.Significant differences were found in frequency of Ritalin (p < .001, Cohen's d = .23) and Adderall (p < .001, Cohen's d = .32) use between alcohol-only students and AmED students. Greater frequency of AmED use was also associated with greater frequency of Ritalin use (r = .293, p < .001) and Adderall use (r = .353, p < .001). Males (b = .138, OR = 1.148) were more likely to use prescription stimulants non-medically than females.This study highlights the need to better understand influences on non-medical prescription stimulant, energy drink and AmED use, as the combined effects of stimulants contained in energy drinks and the depressant effects of alcohol appear to be associated with increased non-medical prescription stimulant use.Research on the influential factors related to energy drinks, alcohol, and non-medical prescription stimulants will help practitioners to more appropriately design prevention and intervention strategies addressing these high-risk behaviors. (Am J Addict 2016;25:378-384).
|
[
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
] |
337905
|
Non-invasive genomic analysis of cancer using circulating tumour DNA
|
Non-invasive genomic analysis of cancer can revolutionize the study of tumour evolution, heterogeneity, and drug resistance. Clinically applied, this can transform current practice in cancer diagnosis and management. Cell-free DNA in plasma contains tumour-specific sequences. This circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) is a promising source of genomic and diagnostic information, readily accessible non-invasively. The study of ctDNA is therefore timely and of great importance. But it is also very challenging. Measurement can be complex, and high-quality samples are not easily obtained. Though progress has been made, much remains to be discovered.
My lab pioneered the use of targeted sequencing to analyse mutations in ctDNA. We recently developed a ground-breaking paradigm for analysing evolving cancer genomes in plasma DNA, combining ctDNA quantification with exome-sequencing of serial plasma samples. Applied to extensive sets of clinical samples my lab has characterized, this will enable large-scale exploration of acquired drug resistance with unprecedented resolution. CancerExomesInPlasma aims to use ctDNA for genome-wide analysis of tumour evolution, as a means for non-invasive, unbiased discovery of genes and pathways involved in resistance to cancer therapy.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
] |
223587
|
Graphene as effective anti-fading agent for the protection of artworks
|
All art materials are prone to degradation; in particular, the introduction of new creative manufacturing techniques in the 20th century art has yielded artworks with short lifetime expectancy. Fading, yellowing and discolouration are the most common degradation effects that result from the exposition to UV and visible light and oxidizing agents. The result of the degradation is the irreversible alteration of the appearance of contemporary artworks, which is a patrimony of mankind. This PoC project aims to develop innovative, multi-functional graphene-based products (graphene ‘veils’ and inclusions) that provide UV shielding, de-acidification, oxygen and humidity barriers for the protection of old and modern paintings and artworks. Recent advances in the understanding of the mechanical integrity of large graphene membranes as well as of innovative graphene-transfer processes through the current ERC Tailor Graphene has made possible the emergence of this application of strong societal value. The transparent protective graphene veil can be easily removed so it does not constitute an irreversible intervention on the art object. Moreover, for such an application the price of graphene does not hamper its business potential since the quantities are minimal. Two different classes of products are envisaged; CVD graphene membranes directly deposited to artworks for which transparency is required and graphene flakes that will be dispersed to colour paints and varnishes so as to bestow enhanced UV, oxidation and humidity resistance. The latter paves the way to extend this application to the huge market of architectural paints. A multi-disciplinary approach will be pursued for the implementation of this PoC and involves experimentation with CVD graphene sheets of various morphologies and sizes and the dispersion of nanographene as additives in paints. Finally, the development of a Business Plan will be undertaken in collaboration with business developers and patent specialists.
|
[
"Materials Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
10.1063/1.4976694
|
Laser Induced Reduction And In Situ Optical Spectroscopy Of Individual Plasmonic Copper Nanoparticles For Catalytic Reactions
|
EPSRC Grant Nos. EP/G060649/1, EP/L027151/1, and EP/G037221/1, ERC Grant No. LINASS 320503, and ERC grant InsituNANO 279342
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
] |
10.1007/978-3-642-33386-6_19
|
Controllers With Minimal Observation Power Application To Timed Systems
|
We consider the problem of controller synthesis under imperfect information in a setting where there is a set of available observable predicates equipped with a cost function. The problem that we address is the computation of a subset of predicates sufficient for control and whose cost is minimal. Our solution avoids a full exploration of all possible subsets of predicates and reuses some information between different iterations. We apply our approach to timed systems. We have developed a tool prototype and analyze the performance of our optimization algorithm on two case studies.
|
[
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1088/1367-2630/15/6/063033
|
Collective Magnetism In Arrays Of Spinor Bose Einstein Condensates
|
We elucidate dipolar magnetic interaction effects in spinor condensates at a low-background field. In particular, we show that arrays of ferromagnetic spinor Bose-Einstein condensates show a rich phase structure that is strongly influenced by the competition of shape anisotropy and higher-order magnetostatic contributions both depending on the condensate's form.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics"
] |
W45441047
|
Transient infrared absorption of t-CH3C(O)OO, c-CH3C(O)OO, and α-lactone recorded in gaseous reactions of CH3CO and O2
|
A step-scan Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer coupled with a multipass absorption cell was utilized to monitor the transient species produced in gaseous reactions of CH(3)CO and O(2); IR absorption spectra of CH(3)C(O)OO and alpha-lactone were observed. Absorption bands with origins at 1851+/-1, 1372+/-2, 1169+/-6, and 1102+/-3 cm(-1) are attributed to t-CH(3)C(O)OO, and those at 1862+/-3, 1142+/-4, and 1078+/-6 cm(-1) are assigned to c-CH(3)C(O)OO. A weak band near 1960 cm(-1) is assigned to alpha-lactone, cyc-CH(2)C(=O)O, a coproduct of OH. These observed rotational contours agree satisfactorily with simulated bands based on predicted rotational parameters and dipole derivatives, and observed vibrational wavenumbers agree with harmonic vibrational wavenumbers predicted with B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ density-functional theory. The observed relative intensities indicate that t-CH(3)C(O)OO is more stable than c-CH(3)C(O)OO by 3+/-2 kJ mol(-1). Based on these observations, the branching ratio for the OH+alpha-lactone channel of the CH(3)CO+O(2) reaction is estimated to be 0.04+/-0.01 under 100 Torr of O(2) at 298 K. A simple kinetic model is employed to account for the decay of CH(3)C(O)OO.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
] |
10.1534/g3.116.030536
|
A new advanced backcross tomato population enables high resolution leaf QTL mapping and gene identification
|
Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping is a powerful technique for dissecting the genetic basis of traits and species differences. Established tomato mapping populations between domesticated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and its more distant interfertile relatives typically follow a near isogenic line (NIL) design, such as the S. pennellii Introgression Line (IL) population, with a single wild introgression per line in an otherwise domesticated genetic background. Here, we report on a new advanced backcross QTL mapping resource for tomato, derived from a cross between the M82 tomato cultivar and S. pennellii. This so-called Backcrossed Inbred Line (BIL) population is comprised of a mix of BC2 and BC3 lines, with domesticated tomato as the recurrent parent. The BIL population is complementary to the existing S. pennellii IL population, with which it shares parents. Using the BILs, we mapped traits for leaf complexity, leaflet shape, and flowering time. We demonstrate the utility of the BILs for fine-mapping QTL, particularly QTL initially mapped in the ILs, by fine-mapping several QTL to single or few candidate genes. Moreover, we confirm the value of a backcrossed population with multiple introgressions per line, such as the BILs, for epistatic QTL mapping. Our work was further enabled by the development of our own statistical inference and visualization tools, namely a heterogeneous hidden Markov model for genotyping the lines, and by using state-of-the-art sparse regression techniques for QTL mapping.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
] |
10.1093/gji/ggaa360
|
Seafloor sediment thickness beneath the VoiLA broad-band ocean-bottom seismometer deployment in the Lesser Antilles from P-to-S delay times
|
SUMMARY
Broad-band ocean-bottom seismometer (OBS) deployments present an opportunity to investigate the seafloor sediment thickness, which is important for constraining sediment deposition, and is also useful for subsequent seismological analyses. The Volatile Recycling in the Lesser Antilles (VoiLA) project deployed 34 OBSs over the island arc, fore- and backarc of the Lesser Antilles subduction zone for 15 months from 2016 to 2017. Using the amplitudes and delay times of P-to-S (Ps) scattered waves from the conversion of teleseismic earthquake Pwaves at the crust–sediment boundary and pre-existing relationships developed for Cascadia, we estimate sediment thickness beneath each OBS. The delay times of the Ps phases vary from 0. 20 ± 0. 06 to 3. 55 ± 0. 70 s, generally increasing from north to south. Using a single-sediment and single-crystalline crust earth model in each case, we satisfactorily model the observations of eight OBSs. At these stations we find sediment thicknesses range from 0. 43 ± 0. 45 to 5. 49 ± 3. 23 km. To match the observations of nine other OBSs, layered sediment and variable thickness crust is required in the earth model to account for wave interference effects on the observed arrivals. We perform an inversion with a two-layer sediment and a single-layer crystalline crust in these locations finding overall sediment thicknesses of 1. 75 km (confidence region: 1. 45–2. 02 km) to 7. 93 km (confidence region: 6. 32–11. 05 km), generally thinner than the initial estimates based on the pre-existing relationships. We find agreement between our modelled velocity structure and the velocity structure determined from the VoiLA active-source seismic refraction experiment at the three common locations. Using the Ps values and estimates from the VoiLA refraction experiment, we provide an adjusted relationship between delay time and sediment equations for the Lesser Antilles. Our new relationship is ${{H}} = {{1. 42}}{{\rm d}}{{{t}}^{ {1. 44}}}$ , where H is sediment thickness in kilometres and dt is mean observed Ps delay time in seconds, which may be of use in other subduction zone settings with thick seafloor sediments.
|
[
"Earth System Science"
] |
10.1002/nme.6324
|
Efficient geometrical parametrization for finite-volume-based reduced order methods
|
In this work, we present an approach for the efficient treatment of parametrized geometries in the context of proper orthogonal decomposition (POD)-Galerkin reduced order methods based on finite-volume full order approximations. On the contrary to what is normally done in the framework of finite-element reduced order methods, different geometries are not mapped to a common reference domain: the method relies on basis functions defined on an average deformed configuration and makes use of the discrete empirical interpolation method to handle together nonaffinity of the parametrization and nonlinearities. In the first numerical example, different mesh motion strategies, based on a Laplacian smoothing technique and on a radial basis function approach, are analyzed and compared on a heat transfer problem. Particular attention is devoted to the role of the nonorthogonal correction. In the second numerical example, the methodology is tested on a geometrically parametrized incompressible Navier-Stokes problem. In this case, the reduced order model is constructed following the same segregated approach used at the full order level.
|
[
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
989700
|
Next generation motion sensing bands for promotion of fitness and health tracking
|
Exercise is a fundamental aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle however most people don’t enjoy exercise because it is either too time consuming or not intellectually stimulating. 97% of people believe in the need for physical fitness, however less than 5% of adults participate in the recommended minimum 30 minutes of exercise each day, while 75% of kids get less than 1 hour of exercise per day. Obesity of the general population expected to reach 9.1% of the population in 2020 equating to approximately 750 million people. With an increasing number of available game types and methods of gameplay, over 700 million people worldwide play video games. Mainstream gaming systems have an additional motion tracking hardware that can be purchased in conjunction to expensive consoles. These devices however, only monitor and project physical movement as opposed to teaching and correcting movement.
The Funky Bots Atomic Bands offer a cheap alternative to the mainstream gaming consoles and provide access to a large fitness/gaming library at no added cost. The device comes equipped with a heart rate monitor, calorie counter, and state of the art motion algorithms for tracking, logging, coaching, and analysis of physical performance. Funky Bots is initially targeting users whom are prone to martial arts and dancing, however as the product gains market traction, the diversity of augmented reality games will attract users of all sports and fitness levels.
During the phase 1 feasibility assessment, Funky Bots will perform an in depth market analysis, establish a go-to-market strategy, and run a small scale user-experience test. Further development plan and industrialisation strategy will also be established.
|
[
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
W2142451890
|
Analysis of the relationships between oxidative stress, DNA damage and sperm vitality in a patient population: development of diagnostic criteria
|
DNA damage in human spermatozoa is known to be associated with a variety of adverse clinical outcomes affecting both reproductive efficiency and the health and wellbeing of the offspring. However, the origin of this damage, its biochemical nature and strategies for its amelioration, still await resolution.Using novel methods to simultaneously assess DNA fragmentation (modified TUNEL assay), DNA-base adduct formation (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine [8OHdG]) and cell vitality, spermatozoa from a cohort of 50 assisted conception patients were examined and compared with a group of donors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was then used to examine the frequency distribution of the data and to determine optimized thresholds for identifying patients exhibiting abnormally high levels of DNA damage.8OHdG formation and DNA fragmentation were highly correlated with each other and frequently associated with cell death. Percoll centrifugation improved sperm quality but, unexpectedly, increased 8OHdG formation in live cells, as did sperm fractionation using Puresperm gradients. ROC analysis indicated that the frequency distribution of 8OHdG and DNA fragmentation data were significantly different between patients and donors (P < 0.001), permitting the development of thresholds that would allow the accurate diagnosis of DNA damage in the male germ line.The aetiology of DNA damage in spermatozoa involves a cascade of changes that progress from the induction of oxidative stress and oxidized DNA base adduct formation to DNA fragmentation and cell death. Preparation of spermatozoa on discontinuous density gradients aggravates the problem by stimulating the formation of 8OHdG in live cells. However, the development of novel methods and optimized thresholds for diagnosing oxidative DNA damage in human spermatozoa should assist in the clinical management of this pathology.
|
[
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
10.3762/bjnano.10.183
|
Charge-transfer interactions between fullerenes and a mesoporous tetrathiafulvalene-based metal–organic framework
|
The design of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) incorporating electroactive guest molecules in the pores has become a subject of great interest in order to obtain additional electrical functionalities within the framework while maintaining porosity. Understanding the charge-transfer (CT) process between the framework and the guest molecules is a crucial step towards the design of new electroactive MOFs. Herein, we present the encapsulation of fullerenes (C60) in a mesoporous tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)-based MOF. The CT process between the electron-acceptor C60 guest and the electron-donor TTF ligand is studied in detail by means of different spectroscopic techniques and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Importantly, gas sorption measurements demonstrate that sorption capacity is maintained after encapsulation of fullerenes, whereas the electrical conductivity is increased by two orders of magnitude due to the CT interactions between C60 and the TTF-based framework.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
] |
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